• 07Parking Sign  Downtown parking expert Jon Martens of Walker Consultants told City Council his firm counted just more than 2,500 public parking spaces within a five-minute walk of the minor league baseball stadium under construction on Hay Street. Now, he said, the city must decide how to manage the parking, especially the 400 spots in the city’s center.

    “Finding public parking is difficult for visitors,” Martens told City Council. Making the public aware of available parking is a major challenge to be undertaken by city government. Many people he spoke with didn’t know there’s a parking garage on Franklin Street — within walking distance of the stadium.

    Martens recommended paid parking, noting that Fayetteville is the only major city in North Carolina that doesn’t require paying for parking downtown. He suggested $1 an hour would be a practical charge.

    Old-fashioned parking meters are not in the scheme of things. Martens envisions the placement of more than 50 kiosks, conveniently located every other block along Hay, Franklin and Russell Streets, plus Bow Street and Maiden Lane. They would accommodate cash and credit card transactions. The latest technology includes phone apps.

    Half a dozen companies provide parking kiosks. Parking Panda sets itself apart by partnering with professional sports leagues and stadiums to help people find available parking spots.

    To better serve families who don’t know their way around downtown, Martens said wayfinding is the key. Pole signs with recognizable logos would be used to locate off-street parking lots. Martens also said the city should hire a parking manager to keep tabs on issues that might arise. Currently, the city retains a firm to oversee its parking lots.

    Accommodating disabled people continues to be a concern for City Council. Councilman Bill Crisp noted Walker Consultants has not made specific recommendations for handicapped parking.

    “I do have concerns for the elderly and handicapped,” Councilmember Dan Culliton said. Downtown Fayetteville is part of District 2, which Culliton represents.

    The city did not approve an idea offered by Cool Spring Downtown District and the city’s transit system for trollies to shuttle visitors around downtown. A five-month pilot project in which two trolleys would circulate in the downtown area would have cost the city $53,000. Council members were opposed to spending tax money for a project they said should be offered by private business. CSDD said it would put $35,000 toward the program.

    The proposal was to operate trollies on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the baseball season. Councilman Jim Arp, who was not present but participated by telephone, said he was concerned that people would hop on a trolley to go to games but would not patronize local businesses before and after the games.

    It was not clear what the city’s next step will be. The first ballgame in the new stadium is scheduled in April. The cost of the 4,700-seat facility has reached $40 million. Initial estimates placed the cost at $33 million. Mayor Mitch Colvin said at the beginning of the stadium project that the property tax rate would not be increased, and he repeated the pledge to Up & Coming Weekly last month

  • 3827813708 79c4d62a9a kFred Chappell, former North Carolina Poet Laureate and longtime professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro died on January 4 at age 87.

    To celebrate his contributions, I have revised a column I wrote in 2009 about his book of short stories, “Ancestors and Others: New and Selected Stories.”

    Asserting that his novels and short stories were equally as great as his poetry could get you in trouble with Chappell’s adoring poetry fans. They will think of him always as North Carolina’s Poet Laureate, even though his term ended in 2003.

    Chappell was one of the rare poets whose excellence is celebrated both by his fellow poets and a significant public following.

    There is no denying that he was a great poet.

    But when he turned his poetry-tuned wordsmithing to his inventive, imaginative, and place-based stories, something even better than his poetry was the result, as demonstrated in his 2009 book, “Ancestors and Others: New and Selected Stories.”

    That book collected a variety of 21 stories. “Variety” is an insufficient description of the different experiences that Chappell gives his readers, taking them from the North Carolina mountains of the recent past to Sweden, France and England centuries ago; from North Carolina’s “good old boys” to the composer Haydn; from Newton’s theories to how to kill a deer.

    After reading each story, I wanted to call some friend to say, “Fred Chappell wrote a short story especially for you.”

    I want my hunting friends Doug Lay and Wendell Merritt to read “Tradition,” which takes its hero from his group into a deer blind so cold, as described by Chappell, that this reader started to shake.
    For Peter White, former director of the North Carolina Botanical Garden, “Linnaeus Forgets” is perfect. Chappell takes us to Sweden in 1758 where Carl Linnaeus, the designer of plant classification systems, discovers a plant that houses a community of thousands of tiny human-like creatures.

    My former minister, Bob Dunham, could read the short story, “Judas,” and maybe explain Judas’s comment that Jesus was “simply goofy, a nut…. That was the whole trouble, you know. His kind of Madness is contagious.”

    Retired music UNC Chapel Hill professor Tom Warburton and former New York Philharmonic lead oboist Joe Robinson would delight in “Moments of Light,” in which Haydn’s visit to Herschel’s (the discoverer of Uranus and also an oboist) observatory led to the composition of “The Creation.”

    The despair that follows the loss of a best friend in a deadly accident as described in “Duet” would be familiar to a psychiatrist like the late Dr. Robert Bashford, who would have understood the power of the friend’s music at graveside to give comfort and relief.

    The appearance of three genetically reconstructed Civil War soldiers in “Ancestors” would thoroughly entertain Civil War enthusiast Alan Stephenson.

    The North Carolina Collection’s former director Bob Anthony could identify with the librarian in “The Lodger.” A dead poet tries to infiltrate and take over the librarian’s life.

    Cliff Butler, a retired pharmacist who grew up in Dunn, could follow the country furniture store delivery team hauling a new freezer, the surprise “Christmas Gift” for a farmer’s wife, who had ironed tobacco leaves to get high bids of the buyers for her husband’s crop.

    It was easy to tag Chappell’s stories as aimed at prospective men readers. But Chappell appeals to women, too, especially those who want to understand men and their crazy doings and firm friendships. Some stories are aimed right at women, as in “Gift of Roses,” the poignant tale of a blind woman who rescues heritage roses. Greensboro’s Margaret Arbuckle, who once tried to save an ancient rose bush from the advancing waters of Lake Norman, might also understand.

    A few weeks before Chappell’s death, my family also lost a great poet and chronicler of mountain life, my brother, Mike Martin, who also died at age 87. While I will miss both of them, I will always be grateful for their opening doors for me to see the world in richer and deeper ways.

    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.

  • StudioSM2 photoProfessional photography is a thriving global business and Fayetteville doesn’t have a shortage of local premier photographers. Studio SM2 is adding to the talent and artistic eye of Fayetteville, located at 100 Hay Street Suite 704 in downtown.

    Owner Jesus Sebastian Martinez, preferably referred to as Sebastian, is from Sincelejo, Colombia, and moved to the United States three years ago with his wife Lina, after studying business administration and graphic design. Unlike some photographers who have chosen to just shoot one style, Martinez is a photographer of many talents.

    His photography skills range from professional headshots to high fashion; whatever the need, he has it covered. His enormous smile and keen eye for the “best side” of every client, make sessions with Martinez one-of-a-kind, comfortable experiences.

    Photography isn’t the only service offered at Studio SM2. The studio offers videography and content creation services for individuals and businesses looking to take their social media presence to the next level, providing quality videos, creative direction and behind the scenes content. The studio is located within the Keep It Cute K Content Space, making it ideal for capturing photographs and video, in various beautifully decorated spaces.

    ”I accompany entrepreneurs in the creation of their businesses. I advise them and help them achieve what they want if they need a design, digital content, photographs, or ideas, because before delivering a final product, I am interested in people exploring and enjoying the process,” Martinez said.
    Studio SM2 is a business born of pure artistic passion.

    “I remember that when I was a kid, I liked photography, and more than taking photos of myself, I liked taking photos of other people. I remember that my mom had a roll black camera that was very old, then she changed it to a gray one, and I spent a lot of money taking photos of everything, of course she didn’t know…

    "When I had my first digital camera, I found out the topic of videos and I started making videos and editing them, but I always did it for myself, to remember or to have memories and stories to tell. When I was 15, I had an advanced camera. The truth is that I took photos of everything that was interesting to me and that told me a story,” Martinez said.

    “When I started studying Graphic Design, photography classes were my favorite and I began to find out more tools for photography,” Martinez said of his love for photography. When it comes to job experience, Martinez is well-equipped in his knowledge of creating content for clients and shooting stunning photos. While in Columbia, he racked up quite a resume working for companies like INSPIRA and even launched his educational project for children called +Inclusion. The United States was not in Martinez's original plan, but he has found a new mission and purpose here.

    “I never imagined myself living in America and my English is not the best. But in my almost three years of living in this country, each experience has been enriching and rewarding. I have been able to connect with amazing people who have given me great learnings…I want to start creating learning spaces for the Latin community.

    "I want to provide photography classes, content creation workshops, video editing workshops, social media workshops, and other creative workshops. I feel that there is a lot to contribute to the Latin community and I think this is the moment.” Martinez said.

    Not a man to not give credit, Martinez is adamant that the secret to his success is his incredible wife Lina, a local ESL teacher. “She has been my model at 2 a.m. when I have wanted to take photos. Furthermore, she is my unconditional support, she is a beautiful woman, with surprising charisma and an adorable person. She is my right hand at Studio SM2 and we are always looking for new ideas.”

    Lina is the driving force behind Sebastian, from helping him capture behind the scenes footage, to creative directing and translating. Studio SM2 is currently taking clients and Martinez has high hopes for the future of the studio.

    “I want that Studio SM2 would be a famous space and brand in Fayetteville. I don’t want it to just be a space to take photographs, I want it to be known as a space to meet and connect with other people. I want people to feel comfortable, and safe and discover their best version in this space. I want Studio SM2 to be recognized as a unique experience, for our attention to small details to make a difference and to highlight that we want to show the best in each person,” Martinez said.

    To book a session or view work, visit the studio website at https://studiosmtwo.my.canva.site/myportfoliostudiosm2.

  • 54967 logo wt26dddc4bs71623351112 600February is Black History Month, and there will be no shortage of activities for the public to participate in to immerse themselves in the culture and history of African Americans. Our People: The Black Influence in Contemporary Culture exhibition is one event no one should miss.

    The Arts Council of Fayetteville Our People exhibit will run from Jan. 26th to March 2nd. Admission is free to the public. The exhibit can be viewed during gallery hours, Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday noon to 6 p.m., and Sunday 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

    Community members, churches, schools, and everyone in between are welcome to come enjoy the masterpieces of current black artists. This year’s exhibit jurors are Brandon Dean Johnson, Bryane Broadie, Makayla Binter and Bob Pinson, Arts Council of Fayetteville’s CEO and President.

    Our People: The Black Influence in Contemporary Culture is a colorful, beautiful and sincere visual homage to black culture from black artists, a Black History Month exhibition that focuses on the grace, accomplishments and subject of current black artists.

    “Our People is really contemporary, modern, and I refer to a phrase, forward-looking exhibit, in the sense that we really wanted to give flowers and also just acknowledge the artists. The artists that are making art right now are going to have stuff in museums and the history forward. So instead of focusing on the things that have already happened, we want to acknowledge the present and the future. I would say that a lot of the art and just the type of art that’s in the exhibit and just the way that you can interact with the exhibit is really in that same modern style,” said Miles McKeller-Smith, Director of Public Relations at the Arts Council.

    Our People is a highly anticipated exhibit that has taken time, blood, sweat, tears and a little clarification to create the wonderfully magical experience the public has to look forward to. It is, for the most part, thanks to the work and dedication of the curator.

    McKeller-Smith said, “First and foremost I think it’s important to bring up the Curator, Collyn Strother. He is a Fayetteville native and also a Fayetteville State Alumni and he’s an artist that has chosen to really do what he does here, and build a community here. When he had the opportunity to curate this event you could tell he really just took the
    torch and ran with it.”

    The Opening Reception was one for the books on Jan. 26th. An opening reception befitting of its show, the community came out to support Our People and the wonderful artists that are being featured, including local artists Lauren Falls and Chayla Walker. After an artist-only private reception, the gallery officially opened its doors for the public to view the exhibit. DJ Fudgee kept the ambiance of the night going, while Hip-Hop Collective The Social Contract stopped through for a performance. A night of celebrating black art wouldn’t be complete without spoken word. Keith Sowell held it down phonetically.

    A celebration to start a celebration, community members have the entire month to take in the art of Our People: The Black Influence in Contemporary Culture.

  • 20240126 135729“People are like stained glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”
    — Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

    Cape Fear Studios is a non-profit organization. It has been the only visual arts cooperative for 32 years in Fayetteville. The mission of the Cape Fear Studios is “to involve, educate, and enrich Cumberland County and surrounding communities with the opportunity to create and freely view art.”

    Bits and Pieces of Glass features distinctive and luminous stained-glass creations by Jaylene Nordgren and her students. The exhibit will be held from Jan. 11, to Feb. 20, at Cape Fear Studios, in Fayetteville.

    “Stained glass has been used for thousands of years beginning with Ancient Romans and Egyptians, who produced small objects made from colored glass. Stained glass can be traced back to the 7th century with early examples found in monasteries and churches. Benedict Biscop commissioned French workers to create the stained glass for the monastery of St. Peter in 675 A.D.” according to A Short History of Stained Glass.

    “In 1991, I started my journey into stained glass. I took classes from John Stoddard and Christa Moore. After several years of practice, I joined the Cape Fear Studios and began teaching. I have been teaching for over twenty years. I enjoy watching my students overcome their fear of breaking glass. They have inspired me in their various visions,” said Nordgren, Cape Fear Studios artist.

    Delight in the Bits and Pieces of Glass at the Cape Fear Studios at 148 Maxwell Street. The main gallery spotlights engaging paintings, photographs, sculptures, pottery and fine jewelry by local, national and international artists. Educational workshops and classes are available to the public.

    The exhibit is available for viewing on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during the hours of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cape Fear Studios is closed on Sundays.
    Admission to Bits and Pieces of Glass is free. For more information about Cape Fear Studios and the exhibit, call 910-433-2986 or visit www.capefearstudios.com.

  • pexels rachel claire 7276605

    What does Old John’s, a diner on the Upper West Side of New York City, have to do with North Carolina?

    An article titled “The Best Diners Are Still Just Diners” in the January 7 edition of The New Yorker praised Old John’s for staying true to its nostalgic ideal.

    The author, Helen Rosner, celebrates diners who have remained diners.

    “I always read the whole menu at a diner, but I don’t really need to. My order is both predictable and unremarkable: a cup of soup, a cheeseburger with fries. Sometimes I’ll switch things up and have a Greek salad, with extra feta cheese, or corned-beef hash and scrambled eggs, though the side of fries always remains.

     

    A cup of coffee—lots of milk—and a slice of pie. If I were to scroll back through my life, tallying every diner meal, every fat ceramic mug of watery coffee, I think they might number in the thousands.”

    Rosner reminds me of my regular breakfast order at Sutton’s in Chapel Hill. “Two over easy with bacon and, sometimes, grits.” Martha, Hollie, or Elsie, always attentive and smiling, know what I want before I open my mouth.

    Rosner, who was writing about Old John’s (though she could have been writing about Sutton’s) said, “There are people who think of a diner as just a place to get a meal, and then there are those of us who understand diners, who cherish them, who seek them out and settle into them. We are recharged by time spent in diners in the way that adults who emerged from happy childhoods are recharged by a visit to their parents’ home.
    Every diner is different; every diner is exactly the same. The ideal of a diner—its promise, its function—is not to be great but to be there. To be open when you need a restaurant to be open, to have seats when you need to sit, to exist sufficiently outside of time and space and trend that its reliability is itself reliable.”

    For more than 35 years I have been writing about such diners and other eateries in North Carolina, where locals eat, and visitors are welcome. My readers liked those columns better than my usual ones about politics and books. When I invited them to write about their favorite local haunts, I got enough material for more columns and for a series of magazine articles that featured local eateries near the interstates.

    All that led to UNC Press’s “North Carolina’s Roadside Eateries: A Traveler’s Guide to Local Restaurants, Diners, and Barbecue Joints” in 2016.

    Because the book helped readers find North Carolina eateries that were like Old John‘s in New York, “Roadside Eateries” was a great success.

    But there are problems. Thanks to Covid and changing tastes, more than 30 of the book’s eateries have closed including the following, listed by nearby interstates:

    I-26: Ward’s Grill; Saluda.
    I- 40: Judge’s Riverside, Morganton; Smith Street Diner, Greensboro; Allen & Son, Chapel Hill; Margaret’s Cantina, Chapel Hill; Toot-n-Tell Restaurant, Garner; Holland’s Shelter Creek Fish Camp, Burgaw.
    I-73 & 74: Dixie III Restaurant, Asheboro; Hill’s Lexington Barbecue, Winston-Salem.
    I-77: Acropolis Cafe & Grill, Cornelius; Carolina Bar-B-Q, Statesville; The Cook Shack, Union Grove; The Lantern Restaurant, Dodson.
    I-85: Wink’s King of Barbecue, Salisbury; Tommy’s Barbecue, Thomasville; Captain Tom’s Seafood Restaurant, Thomasville; Angelo’s Family Restaurant, Graham; Bob’s Bar-B-Q, Creedmoor; Nunnery-Freeman Barbecue, Henderson.
    I-95: Sheff’s Seafood Restaurant, Pembroke; Candy Sue’s Restaurant, Lumberton; Fuller’s Old Fashion Bar-B-Q Lumberton (relocated to Pembroke); Durham; Miss Maude’s Café, Smithfield; Holt Lake Bar-B-Q & Seafood, Smithfield; Bill’s Barbecue and Chicken Restaurant, Wilson; Broadnax Diner, Seaboard.

    Their loss the bad news.

    The good news is replacements have been found and UNC Press plans to publish an updated edition on April 1.

    You can find a preview and a new cover at https://uncpress.org/book/9781469660936/north-carolinas-roadside-eateries-revised-and-expanded-edition/ or Google UNC Press Roadside Eateries

    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.

  • chesnutt Charles Waddell Chesnutt was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on June 20, 1858. Even though he identified as Black, he could pass as white but chose not to do so. His father, Andrew Jackson Chesnutt, was the son of a white slave owner and his Black mistress.

    His mother, Anne Maria Sampson, was the daughter of a free biracial couple from Fayetteville. Her parents were freed slaves who left North Carolina for Ohio to be with relatives before the Civil War and moved back to North Carolina after the Civil War and the resulting emancipation.

    Chesnutt attended the Howard School. He was a teacher in Charlotte and moved back to Fayetteville to teach. Upon his return, Chesnutt became first the assistant principal and then eventually the principal of the Fayetteville State Normal School for Negroes. At the age of 20, he met and married his wife, Susan Perry, a teacher. They had four children, and one of the daughters, Helen Maria Chesnutt, became a noted classicist and published a biography of her father.

    The couple was increasingly concerned about racial prejudice, poverty and limited job opportunities in the South, so they moved to New York and later to Cleveland. While earning a law degree, Chesnutt worked as a stenographer for the Nickel Plate Railroad Company. He established a lucrative court reporting business that made him financially prosperous.

    Chesnutt also began writing stories during this time. He was the first African American to have his short story, "The Goophered Grapevine," published by a national magazine, The Atlantic Monthly.

    He was one of the most prominent African American novelists who produced profound works of fiction that exemplified racial prejudice in the 19th and 20th centuries. His first short story, "Uncle Peter's House," was featured in the Cleveland News and Herald in 1885. His literature told stories of the post-Civil War South. His first book, "The Conjure Woman," published in 1899, is a collection of seven short stories set in Fayetteville and examines pre and post-Civil War race relations. Between 1885 and 1905, Chesnutt published more than 50 short stories, essays, articles, books, lectures and novels. He also published a biography of the anti-slavery leader Frederick Douglass. Two of his books were adapted as silent films, and several of his works have been published posthumously.

    Chesnutt worked with Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. DuBois and became one of the early 20th century's most prominent activists and commentators. He served on the General Committee of the newly founded National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He also toured on the national lecture circuit in the northern states.

    Fayetteville State University's library, The Charles Waddell Chesnutt Library, is named in his honor. The library contains a collection of artifacts ranging from photos, legal records and valuable information. The National Association awarded Chesnutt the Spingarn Medal for the Advancement of Colored People for his literary achievements and for the most distinguished service of any Black person that year who acted to advance the cause of Blacks in America. He was awarded an honorary LL.D., a doctorate-level law degree, from Wilberforce University. In 2008, the United States Postal Service honored him with the 31st stamp in the Black Heritage Series.

    Charles Chesnutt died in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 15, 1932, at 74. William L. Andrews wrote of Chesnutt, "Today Chesnutt is recognized as a major innovator in the tradition of Afro-American fiction, an important contributor to the deromanticizing trend in post-Civil War southern literature and a singular voice among turn-of-the-century realists who treated the color line in American life."

  • Sherri and Dewberry Joseph "Bear" Dewberry is a man who values community and giving back.

    Dewberry, who often goes by the childhood nickname "Bear," describes himself as a community partner. He owns several local businesses and has joined forces with the Fayetteville Chamber and multiple other organizations since moving to Fayetteville years ago. While he's not a native, he considers Fayetteville his home.

    Dewberry grew up in Georgia in a military family and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1995. One year later, he was stationed in Fayetteville for the Special Operations Combat Medic Course (SOCM). He was away from his family and his new wife, so he went into town.

    "I went into a small tavern here, and the welcoming vibe was so overwhelming and so overpowering that I wanted to do that," Dewberry said. "I wanted to be that for anybody else to walk through my door."

    He served 22 years in the Army. Most of that time - outside of his 14 deployments - he was stationed at Fort Bragg.

    When he retired in 2017, he knew Fayetteville would continue to be his home. His children were in the local school system, and he had just opened his first bar, On-After Pub & Grub. He said Fayetteville was a place where he could give a helping hand to people who needed help. It's a place where community and community values are strong.

    "Every community has its challenges. Every community has its divisions. But Fayetteville, I think, does a better job of traversing those divisions, those caverns that destroy other communities because we are so diverse because the military is such a huge presence because local law enforcement is so supportive," Dewberry said. "I mean, in other communities where you will absolutely fall apart, Fayetteville doesn't."

    He told Up & Coming Weekly that he wanted to make sure giving back to the community was a core tenant of any of his businesses. So, at least once a quarter, he helps hold a fundraiser or community event that supports a local organization or a Fayetteville community member.

    "We've done fundraisers for the care division, domestic violence and abuse. We've done fundraisers for Autism awareness. We've done it for breast cancer," Dewberry said. "We've created our own charity called the On-After Children's Christmas where every year we link up with schools and counselors and adoptive families and with our family, and each of the kids will get toys and books and food and clothes."

    Nothing illustrates this need to give back, as well as the fundraiser On-After Pub & Grub helped with earlier this month. The On-After team, along with Cape Fear UPA, raised money to help a local family whose five-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia. The child's father had to leave his job to help with the treatments for his son. In one day, they were able to raise $7,500.

    In 2019, On-After was awarded the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award, and Rep. Richard Hudson recognized Dewberry at the House of Representatives.

    "They have proven to be a reliable leader in the community and continue to go above and beyond to support the community wherever it is needed," Hudson said during the recognition.

    Despite this praise, Dewberry says he doesn't consider himself a leader or anyone special, just a good guy.

    He spoke about a soldier who reached out to Dewberry four years ago and asked for help. Dewberry said he took an interest in this man's career and helped him get through some troubles he was having. That same soldier, four years later, has been promoted, is a squad leader now, and is serving as a mentor.

    "And that type of passing it on is so much more important to me than passing on wealth or goods or services," Dewberry said. "It's passing on knowledge and passing on understanding so that people can help themselves and then help others."

    The future is looking bright for Dewberry. His cleaning company, which opened during the pandemic to keep his workers at On-After Pub & Grill paid, is doing well. He is also planning on opening a new pool and billiard

    hall called H8ters. It will be opening in early 2022 off Fort Bragg Road.

    Outside of his new business, he is currently planning an Autism Awareness On-After Poker Run. This year will be the fifth that Dewberry has helped with an annual autism run. He says they partner with several local organizations to help raise money for the Autism Society of Cumberland County. The next run is scheduled for April 16.

    "I want to be the butterfly that affects the rest of the world, but through small doings," Dewberry laughed. "Of course, a big, bearded butterfly named Bear."

  • fayetteville logo 1024x585 Celebrating Black History Month is important to many people in this country. None more so than the people in the All American City of Fayetteville. This great city has become home to many ethnicities and cultures. A lot of this has to do with the Fort Bragg military installation. During Fayetteville's annual International Folk Festival, admiration and respect for cultural diversity are highly displayed. However, in February, Black History Month, it's an important time to celebrate and recognize the many contributions and sacrifices and honor the heritage of African Americans who have contributed to the history of the City of Fayetteville.

    Many of us are aware of the nation's tumultuous history related to African Americans and those of African descent. As stated earlier, we want to celebrate the contributions of just a few African American Fayetteville natives. One such person to honor would be the first well-known African American novelist, Charles W. Chesnutt. He grew up in Fayetteville and would serve as principal of the State Colored School from 1880 to 1883. This school would later become Fayetteville State University.

    Today the library on the FSU campus is named in honor of the renowned author.

    In politics, Fayetteville Native Hiram Revels became the nation's first African American United States Senator in 1870. He was born to free black parents in 1827. He served as a minister within the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). There are a few African American firsts in politics in Fayetteville. Marshall Pitts, Jr. served two terms and was the city's first African American Mayor. Ms. Mable C. Smith served as a city councilwoman representing her community east of the Cape Fear River. Mrs. Mary E. McAllister served as the first African American female chair of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners and served in the NC General Assembly, to name a few.

    African Americans also contributed to local religious endeavors. Henry Evans, a prominent Black preacher, has been credited as the father of the Methodist Church, white and Black, in Fayetteville. Sometime before 1800, he built the African Meeting House, the present-day Evans Metropolitan A. M. E. Zion Church. Another native son Harry Hosier, a Methodist minister of the early 19th century, was once called "one of the greatest orators in America" by Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

    We could go on and on about the rich African American History that has come out of and helped shape this All American City of Fayetteville. Still, none of it would mean anything we don't continue to build on it. We must continue to celebrate our diversity. That is done by publicly honoring Black men and women who contribute to the city's history. We must make sure that history brings us together as a community and does not divide us. History has to live outside of the classrooms and textbooks. It must become a lived experience if we are to truly appreciate its' lessons. Finally, we have to make a concerted effort to share these lessons to make not only Fayetteville a better city but North Carolina a better state and the United States a better nation.

  • pexels anna shvets 4226119No athlete, professional or amateur or otherwise, is immune from injury. Most athletes recognize the risk for injury is always present, but the thrill of competition and challenging oneself physically is enough to relegate injury concerns to the back burner.

    Sports injuries may be part of the competitive athletics equation, but that does not make them any easier to handle when they occur. One of the more serious injuries that can occur when playing sports does not involve fractures or sprains. Concussions are brain injuries that can cause temporary loss of normal brain function. March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and learning the signs of concussions can save lives.

    The American Association of Neurological Surgeons reports that concussions are caused by direct trauma to the head. Potential causes of such trauma can be a fall or a blow to the head. Involvement in a motor vehicle accident also can cause concussion.

    Concussions affect non-athletes as well as athletes, which is important for people from all walks of life to recognize. However, athletes who compete in contact sports like football, ice hockey, rugby, and soccer should be especially mindful of concussions.

    That's because contact sports tend to have the highest concussion rates. Concussion rates can be hard to tabulate, as many athletes may suffer mild concussions and never report any issues to parents or coaches.

    However, a 2019 study published in the journal Pediatrics found that, between the 2013-14 and 2017-18 school years, the three sports with the highest concussion rates were boys' football, girls' soccer and boys' ice hockey. Of course, adult athletes also can suffer concussions, which underscores how important it is that all individuals, and especially athletes competing in contact sports, learn to recognize the symptoms of a concussion.

    With that in mind, the AANS notes these are some common symptoms of concussion:
    • Confusion
    • Headache
    • Vision disturbances (double or blurry vision)
    • Dizziness or imbalance
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Memory loss
    • Ringing ears
    • Difficulty concentrating
    • Sensitivity to light
    • Loss of smell or taste
    • Trouble falling asleep

    Concussions should be taken seriously, and it's important to note that most people fully recover after a concussion. However, the AANS urges people to seek immediate medical attention if symptoms have not gone away within 10 to 14 days. In addition, certain situations that can arise after suffering a concussion should be brought to the attention of a physician. Such situations include:

    • Headache worsens or does not go away
    • Speech is slurred, and feelings of weakness, numbness or decreased coordination present
    • Significant nausea or repeated vomiting
    • Seizures
    • Loss of consciousness
    •Inability to wake up
    • Symptoms worsen at any time
    • History of multiple concussions

    Concussions are serious brain injuries that should not be taken lightly. Athletes and parents of young athletes should discuss concussion prevention strategies with coaches and report any issues to a physician immediately.

    More information about concussions can be found at aans.org.

  • 1892 Taylor R portrait Photo courtesy of MIT musuem How often do you think about your legacy? The fullness of an individual's life, including what one has accomplished and their impact on people and places, can be defined as a person's legacy.

    So, what about the legacy of Robert R. Taylor?

    Robert R. Taylor was a native of Wilmington, North Carolina, born in 1868. He was the youngest of four children born to Henry and Emily Still Taylor. His parents worked to ensure their children's education. As a boy, Taylor anticipated attending the prestigious Lincoln University near Philadelphia. However, he and his father set their sights on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with possibly the best program for aspiring architects. Founded in 1865, MIT's School of Architecture offered the first formal architectural curriculum in the United States and the first architecture program in the world, operating within the establishment of a university. Taylor chose MIT, and that education established him as the country's first academically trained African American architect and MIT's first Black graduate.

    During Taylor's studies at MIT, he corresponded on more than one occasion with Booker T. Washington, the prominent Black educator, race leader and founder of Tuskegee University. As a Black architect, his contributions and sacrifices led him to serve as Tuskegee Institute's (now Tuskegee University) campus architect, planner, and construction supervisor. He designed and oversaw the built environment of 45 campus buildings and illustrated blueprints for other structures. He also formed a pre-architecture preparatory program for students and created technical drafting courses for all the young men enrolled in the Boy's Industries Department.

    The spirit of Robert R. Taylor's impact remains significant. He was a visionary, involved in projects far beyond Tuskegee. These ventures included large and small schools, houses, a lodge, an office building and libraries.

    Booker T. Washington encouraged Andrew Carnegie to support the construction of Carnegie libraries for several black schools, which included three designed by Robert R. Taylor. Among these is the imposing, neoclassical Carnegie Library he designed for Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina.

    Washington also included Taylor in the Rosenwald schools — a program by Booker T. Washington and Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears Roebuck & Co. — to build schools for Black children in the segregated South in the 1920s. Taylor designed Rosenwald schools with sizeable windows to let in masses of light. Many of the old schoolhouses did not originally have electricity. The schools contained cloakrooms, so dirty outer garments could be kept separate from the education spaces. Schools also had room dividers so that the schoolhouses could serve as community centers after hours.

    The Rosenwald school models exhibit Taylor's sense of community in learning from the past, living in the present, and building for the future. Taylor retired from Tuskegee in 1932 and returned to Wilmington, where he was active in civic affairs. He devoted more time to civic work, publishing pieces on social justice issues in various newspapers. In 1935, the governor of North Carolina appointed him to the board of trustees of Fayetteville State Teachers College (now Fayetteville State University) - the first Black member of the Board of Trustees.

    The Taylor Science Building was constructed in 1939 and named in honor of Robert R. Taylor. The Taylor Social Science Annex was built in 1968.

    The good works that a person does throughout their life can establish a legacy of compassion, charity and social responsibility. From helping others who are less fortunate or underserved populations, building a positive culture helps make life better for others. Robert R. Taylor's work connected people across space, time and differences. From his early years as an architect, Taylor wanted to do just that. His commitment to engaging the community through a dialogue of architecture encourages us all to share our talents for the good of others.

  • pexels marcus aurelius 4064229The friendly and caring staff members of the Disability Support Services office at Fayetteville Technical Community College are eager to provide students with the services they need to achieve their educational and career goals.

    The Disability Support Services office supports FTCC’s commitment to the equality of educational opportunities for qualified students and provides academic and technology resources to support student success while pursuing academic goals. Support services are provided for all registered students (day, evening, and online) with physical, psychological, or learning disabilities.
    Student Testimonial

    Chris Clark joined the U. S. Army in 2004. He became a parachute rigger and a member of the Golden Knights, the Army’s elite parachute team. Chris’s military career came to a tragic end when he suffered from a double parachute failure, which made him an incomplete paraplegic. At FTCC, Chris found a welcoming family who helped him overcome the challenges of learning to weld, while confined to a wheelchair.

    “If I needed something, all I had to do was ask,” Chris said. When asked what he would say to other disabled people who are considering taking classes at FTCC, Chris indicated that “there’s no reason not to” enroll. Despite his disability, Chris thoroughly enjoys his time at the college. “The instructors are totally open,” he said. “They don’t treat me any differently than anyone else. They joke with me like they do with everyone else.”

    The FTCC Disability Support Services office helps countless students including Chris, and they are eager to help you, too.

    Services include, but are not limited to:
    • Working with instructors to ensure that they understand each student’s unique needs
    • Helping students obtain alternative-format textbooks
    • Requesting an interpreter to help students with communication
    • Providing students with one-on-one study and strategy sessions
    • Facilitating student testing accommodations

    Are you ready to get started? If so, please begin by completing the intake form on the website and submit your supporting documentation. After the staff receives your documentation, they will review your materials, and a friendly disability support expert will contact you if there are any questions.

    Would you like to know more? If so, please contact the FTCC Disability Support Services office today. At FTCC, we are eager to help you achieve your goals. Students are currently registering for spring 8-week classes, which begin March 14. Registration for summer and fall classes will be occurring soon. With tremendous resources, such as the Disability Support Services, to help students make the most of their learning experience, FTCC can help you reimagine your future. Your next chapter starts here!

    Visit the Disability Support Services at Tony Rand Student Center Room 127, 2201 Hull Rd., Fayetteville or call 910-678-8559. Dr. Casey Groover can be reached via email at
    ada@faytechcc.edu. For more information, visit https://www.faytechcc.edu/campus-life/accessibility/

  • Fay Bakery In mid-April of 2021, Fayetteville Bakery and Café opened. Owners Franco Webb and Tiffany Ketchum, his fiancé, saw a need in the community. Ketchum, a Pilates instructor who has severe dairy allergies, saw a need for a place to go for a baked treat to go with her coffee. Fayetteville Bakery and Café offers an abundance of bakery items that are dairy-free and gluten-free. Ketchum bakes these treats from scratch.

    The most in-demand treat at Fayetteville Bakery and Café is their cheesecakes. Ketchum crafts New York-style cheesecakes. Favorite flavors include turtle -- a cheesecake topped with chocolate caramel and nuts, and praline -- a butter pecan flavor. Her biscotti and chocolate chip, peanut butter and espresso chocolate cookies are also big sellers. But a true favorite for bakery visitors is Hummingbird cake; it is one of the most popular bakery items.

    The crafted beverage menus are also comprehensive. Fayetteville Bakery and Café serves an abundance of teas and frappes. These drinks are flavorful, and the ingredients are organic. The syrup they use to flavor drinks is organic. There is no artificial flavoring. The coffee beans are organic.
    The café also offers Puerto Rican fresh bread called Pan de Mallorca, a sweet bread and Danishes made with guava fruit. They out-source these items from a local Puerto Rican bakery.

    Webb has worked in many different job roles before opening the coffee shop. He is an Army veteran and spent 33 years as a firefighter. In addition to running the bakery, Webb is currently a commissioner for Fayetteville Cumberland Human Relations and previously served as chairman of the Military Affairs Council. He also broadcasts sports in Fayetteville. Currently, it is soccer; next will be arena football.

    “I chose the location on Boone Trail because it had already been an existing coffee shop bakery,” Webb said, “The equipment stayed with the place, which was great.”

    The coffee shop is large and has meeting space and cozy spots to enjoy your coffee. Antique couches and a fireplace lend themselves to the relaxed vibe. When the weather is nice, patrons can sit outside at one of the tables.

    The décor at the Fayetteville Bakery and Café is patriotic. Some regulars come and sit for hours; others stop in to get coffee while they study. First responders enjoy half off of their coffee, including specialty drinks.

    Every Tuesday night, the bakery hosts an open mic night. The open mic night runs from 6:30 to approximately 9 p.m. Performances include musical songs, poetry, spoken word and comedy. It is a clean, family-friendly event.

    “Every third Friday, we host ‘Songwriters in the Round,’” said Webb. “Three local songwriters are on stage together, and they go in a circle singing original songs, no covers. They play for five or six rounds.”

    These events also run from 7 to 9 p.m. If you are interested in performing at Fayetteville Bakery and Café, contact the café at (910) 568-5312. Songwriters are booked a couple of months in advance.

    “Coming soon are jazz nights. We will be introducing wine and beer, ” Webb said.

    The Fayetteville Bakery and Café is located at 3037a Boone Trail. The hours of operation are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The café is closed on Sunday for baking.

  • 1000w q95What do culinary excellence and esprit de corps have in common? The 56th Philip A. Connelly Program, of course. On March 5, the culinary specialists of the 82nd Sustainment Brigade at Fort Liberty’s Providers Café will be competing with their fellow soldiers from across the world to see who can provide the best dining experience at a Warrior Restaurant. Teams from Korea, Germany, Alaska and Washington will gather at the Providers Café to determine which dining facility team is the most well-trained in their Military Occupational Specialty. 
     
    As stated by Chief Warrant Officer 2  Malika Nixon, “The Philip A. Connelly Program is the personification of food service excellence executed by culinary specialists resulting in the presentation of extremely gratifying dining experiences across all Army food service platforms in garrison and field environments.” 
    CW2 Nixon said there were seven core reasons behind the competition.
     
    1. Improve the professionalism of food service personnel, thus providing the best quality food service to supported diners.
     
    2. Provide recognition for excellence in the preparation and serving of food in Army dining facilities and
    field kitchen operations.
     
    3. Provide incentives to competitive programs of ASC and ASCCs by adding a higher level of competition and recognition.
     
    4. Award individuals for stellar management practices.
     
    5. Provide measurable results directly impacting Readiness and Go-To-War Skills.
     
    6. Train Culinary Professionals to provide nutritional meals.
     
    7. Promote and improve Army food service by providing competition, incentives, professional training and media coverage.
     
    Everything from the soldiers’ neatness of dress to their composure under pressure will be evaluated by a group of subject matter experts on culinary service and how it relates to the military. There are planned to be 52 separate categories the teams will be evaluated on, with an overall total of 1000 points being the max any team can earn. However, CW2 Nixon stressed the culinary specialists from the 82nd Sustainment Brigade Food Service Team have prepared strenuously for the event. 
     
    “The 82nd Sustainment Brigade paratroopers have trained for over 6 months on food preparation, culinary arts training and nutrition. The unit has thoroughly renovated our entire building to ensure our kitchen has the best equipment for this competition,” she said.
     
    The three individuals who will be evaluating the teams are not without their accreditation.
     
    The first is Chief Warrant Officer 5 George Davis. With over 30 years of experience in the Army Food Excellence Program, CW5 Davis has decades of experience and insight into the standard operating procedures of a Warrior Restaurant. He is currently serving as the United States Army Central Command Food Advisor in South Carolina. 
     
    The second judge is Sgt. Maj. Michael Bogle. He also has over 30 years of experience in the Army Food Service Excellence Program, and is currently serving as the Chief Culinary Management sergeant major in Texas. 
     
    The final judge is Kevin Scott. President and Founder of Go Global Food LLC, Scott is a self-described “global food and restaurant industry lifer.” With multiple years of food industry training, management, logistics and procurement, Scott is more than qualified to evaluate the food preparation, presentation, and organization of the teams involved.
     
    The competition will take place on March 5th from 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Headquarters Department of the Army will announce the winning team of the competition the month after the event in April, with the presentation of the award taking place on May 17. 
     
    Winners of the event will be awarded Certificates of Achievement. Two team members on the winning teams will attend the National Restaurant Association annual conference and awards ceremony. 
     
    On top of being recognized and lauded for their triumph, one junior Non-Commissioned Officer and two junior enlisted soldiers will attend a one-week training exercise at the Culinary Institute of America. 
     
    CW2 Nixon remarked the following, “In the last 10 years, Providers Café is known as a Philip A Connelly award-winning Warrior Restaurant. The last time 82nd Sustainment Brigade won was in 2019. The 82nd Sustainment Brigade have claimed the title of best dining facility or best field kitchen a dozen times. They have been runner-up in one of those categories three times. This year we are coming to regain our title for the number one Warrior Restaurant across the US Army.” 
  • fifer "To martial music proudly tread, The stars and stripes above me wave,
    And lay my fife beside me there, I'd miss it even in the grave.
    And when ye rest beside the spring, At morning's dawn or evening gloom,
    Discharge a volley o'er the spot, And cheer the silence of the tomb."
    — Excerpt from The Grave of Hammond, Luola Miller, published August 1858

    Isaac Hammond's military service should have come to a close with the Militia Act of 1792. When the act passed on May 8, 1792, Hammond's position as a fifer became illegal for him to continue. Only white men were allowed to join militias and serve their country. Yet, less than a year later, in April of 1793, Hammond, a free Black man, resumed his fifing duties with the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry, a position he would hold for 30 years.

    "The Militia Act of 1792 said that no Blacks were allowed to serve in militia units. Yet here he was in the FILI. You could kind of say he was breaking the law, and the FILI let him," said Charles Anderson Jr., a history lecturer at Fayetteville State University.

    An FSU double alumnus, Anderson has been teaching history to FSU students since 2015. He has conducted African American history tours of Fayetteville, with stops at the original site of FSU, the E.E. Smith House, the Chesnutt House and Isaac Hammond's grave on the parade grounds of the FILI located at the intersection of Cool Spring and Meeting Streets.

    Hammond's birth date, even the year, is unknown. What is known is he was a barber, living in Fayetteville as a free Black man. Hammond's baptism in September of 1755 seems to be his earliest record.
    During the Revolutionary War, Hammond joined the 10th Regiment of N.C. Continental Line as a fifer. Hammond was among those who spent that very cold winter of 1777-78 in Valley Forge with Gen. George Washington.

    "It was his dream to be a company fifer, and he did it," Anderson said.

    A fifer's position within the military ranks was an important one. A fifer plays a small shrill flute called a fife. The fife was particularly useful because soldiers could hear its high-pitched tones over the sounds of combat.

    The fifers and drummers would signal battle plans and movements during marches and battles. Soldiers would hear the instruments across the battlefield and know what each drum beat or flute note would mean. By all accounts, Hammond took his job as a fifer very seriously.

    When Hammond returned to Fayetteville, he returned to his life as a barber. However, the idea of serving his country never left him. The Revolutionary War ended in 1783. It would be another decade before Hammond would pick up his fife as part of an organized militia. Hammond became the company fifer when the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry was organized on August 23, 1793.

    "Here [in Fayetteville], you had folks that were enslaved. He's free, and he's serving in a military unit, in an important position. In some ways, it can kind of give hope. 'I'm enslaved, but this guy is free. What can I do to be free?'" Anderson said.

    Hammond served as the FILI's company fifer until he died in 1822. Records show that not only did he serve despite not being allowed to, he also voted in local elections. His wife petitioned for his pension from the government after he passed. Their family Bible recorded the name of a child, George. Other possible descendants of Hammond are unknown.

    Hammond wished to be buried on the FILI parade grounds, to remain near the company he loved. He was given a burial with full military honors, wearing his uniform and his fife at his side. He is the only known person buried on the FILI parade grounds.

    "Isaac Hammond demonstrated a willingness to serve something greater than himself, and hopefully that allowed a door to open so that other folks could eventually follow him," Anderson said.


     This piece is part of our series, "Local Black History", where we will be featuring local Fayetteville Black history heroes in each issue in February.

  • IMG 7142Dr. Queesha Tillman grew up enjoying the simple life in Clinton, North Carolina. The Sampson County native has authored two quintessential books and her Book Signing Floating Event will take place Friday, March 8 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Kiwanis Recreation Center at 352 Devers St.

    The books are A Love That Shatters Barriers: A Mother’s Relentless Battle for Her Autistic Child and Untapped Power: Black Women’s EQ Superpowers and Leadership Ascent.

    “A Love That Shatters Barriers: A Mother’s Relentless Battle for Her Autistic Child [was] released Wednesday, Feb. 14,” said Tillman, author and principal of 71st Classical Middle School.
    “That is Valentine’s Day and it is like a love book to my son Desmond.”

    October 12, 2001, was the day that changed everything. Tillman received the disheartening news that her three-year-old son, Desmond, was diagnosed with Severe Profound Autism. In the wake of the shocking revelation, Tillman was in a complete state of denial and took her son to three different pediatricians whose diagnoses were all the same.

    “Our family noticed that around 12 to 18 months, Desmond was digressing in terms of developmental things going on with him,” said Tillman. “He shied away from looking us in our eyes and he began babbling instead of forming words.”

    Propelled by her son’s diagnosis, Tillman penned a book that delves into her mental montage of moments as she navigates the journey of being a parent of an autistic child.

    “The book discusses what it was like to receive that kind of news and how I had to work towards being the optimal advocate for Desmond,” said Tillman. “It talks about our challenging journey through receiving resources, opportunities and assistance that he needed, I needed and families like us needed.”

    She added, “Desmond is now 26 years old and is an adult living with autism. With the family support that I have, I am able to do more than I ever dreamed such as bettering my family, spreading the word about autism awareness and being an advocate for families like ours.”

    The woman of letters’ thought-provoking book, Untapped Power: Black Women’s EQ Superpowers and Leadership Ascent, was released on Jan. 1, 2024.

    “This book is a spin-off of my dissertation that I did over ten years ago,” said Tillman. “I have been working on both books for years and I have just not dedicated enough time to finish them, but the Holy Spirit told me to take the time and get it done.”

    Tillman added, “I spent weeks of working, staying up late on top of being a principal and I was able to get it done. I am proud and it was a hard process.”

    Her dissertation was a qualitative study about emotional intelligences that she tailored around mental health professionals in North Carolina and their emotional intelligence ratings.

    And what kind of advice does the riveting author want to share with emerging writers?

    “My advice is to not be so hard on yourself and writing a book takes a lot of time and energy,” said Tillman. “There will be times that you experience writer’s block and it is also a good practice to prioritize by scheduling a time to write.”

    The professional storyteller’s next chapter entails forging ahead in the pursuit of something greater with a mindset that leaves nothing off the table.

    “I am still becoming and I am open to whatever God has for me,” said Tillman. “Education is dear to my heart so whatever I do will center around mental health, children and individuals with disabilities.”
    Both books can be purchased at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

    The Kiwanis Recreation Center is located at 352 Devers Street. Refreshments will be served and there will be raffles for prizes. To RSVP for the event, call 910-257-4262.

    Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Queesha%20Tillman
    Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dr.-Queesha-T.-Tillman/author/B0CR9BJQRY?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

  • 20240222 142425The Orange Street School is a hallmark of Fayetteville's history and stands as an important touchstone of our shared local history.

    The Fayetteville History Museum has hit the books with its exhibit on the Orange Street School. Helping to preserve the history, stories and lessons from the Orange Street School's role in our community, the museum welcomes tourists and local residents alike to learn about the historic school's inception, purpose, administration, and preservation. Up & Coming Weekly sat down with museum curator Heidi Bleazey to learn more about the Orange Street School and its exhibit.

    "We are presenting the concept of looking at the history as a way to build the future; which is how history should be looked at. We look at our past as a way to create the pathway to the future. We look at Orange Street School as an incredible educational resource for African-American children, a lodestone in the community, that helped build up a community in the Orange Street neighborhood," Bleazey commented on the goal of the exhibit.

    Built in 1915 as a school for African-American children and students, Orange Street School stands as a symbol of the right to education in America for everyone.

    In 1983, Cumberland County Schools deeded the building to the Orange Street School Restoration and Historical Association. The organization helped play a role in having the Orange Street School officially added to the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places in 1987. It even housed E.E. Smith High School inside its walls at one point in time.

    Connecting the past to the present, the exhibit at the Fayetteville History Museum hosts books from Edward Evans Senior, renowned local African-American educator and previous vice principal at Orange Street School.

    Plans are currently underway to renovate and refurbish the institute of learning to once again bring education and opportunities to the local youth of Fayetteville.

    Bleazey elaborated on this sentiment by saying, "It's a chance for us to learn and grow about this topic. It's allowed to be thrust a bit more in the spotlight, because of new history: a future for these sites."
    Relating this to the news regarding a possible new location for E.E. Smith High School and the ongoing renovation efforts to preserve Orange Street School, Bleazey states she looks forward to the future being paved through the restoration efforts and increased interest in the site.

    It stands to reason the more people learn about and get involved with historical sites such as Orange Street School, the higher the likelihood that these sites will be preserved and maintained.

    "Preserving this history and this historic structure, the story and the structure, is going to lead to new education, new community growth, new youth inside that building and learning. So the effort to preserve is going to lead to a better future," said Bleazey.

    The exhibit will be on display throughout 2024 at the Fayetteville History Museum. Admission is free to the public, and they are open from Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are located at 325 Franklin Street in downtown Fayetteville.

    If you have any interesting insights on the history of Fayetteville that you'd like to share, they invite you to call and share it with them at 910- 433-1457. For those interested in seeing the Orange Street School, it still stands at 600 Orange Street and is adjacent to Festival Park.

  • IMG 6429The United Way of Cumberland County will be holding their Over the Edge Fundraising event again this April in downtown Fayetteville.

    On Saturday, April 13, those who have helped with this fundraising endeavour will be rappelling down the side off the Cape Fear Valley Medical Arts Center. This is the second year the United Way of Cumberland County has held the event.

    UWCC is hoping to raise $100,000 from the event to help improve the quality of Cumberland County residents. People can register for the event as an individual or as a team. Individuals are tasked with raising a minimum of $1000 while teams are asked to raise $2500 to go "over the edge."

    To register for the event, or to make a donation, visit https://bit.ly/3ws4456. Use the code OTE25 to get $25 off your registration fee. This code expires on March 1.

    The United Way of Cumberland County was established in 1939, and helps non profits in the Cumberland County area with donations. In 2023, UWCC chose 14 non profit organizations to help fund throughout the year. The Over the Edge Fundraiser is an innovative way to get the community involved in a large scale fundraising event that will benefit the entire community.

    Over the Edge will be happening on April 13 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about UWCC and who they help, visit https://www.unitedway-cc.org/.

    Last year, two of Up and Coming Weekly's own rappelled down the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. To read about the experience with going over the edge, visit https://bit.ly/48vPdDU.

  • Treasurer stacked logo 2022After eight years as state treasurer of North Carolina — and prior public-service roles as school board member, assistant commerce secretary, and four-term state legislator — Dale Folwell is running for governor in 2024.

    I’ll discuss Folwell and other gubernatorial candidates in another column. Today, I’m focusing on the five candidates seeking to replace him as state treasurer, one of the 10 officials who comprise North Carolina’s Council of State.

    You may find it puzzling that we elect so many executives. I’ve long argued we ought to shorten our ballot. But even I think we should still elect our state treasurer. It’s one of the most powerful public offices — supervising the state’s pension and health plans as well as local government finances — and should be occupied by someone with not only a firm grasp of investment strategy and public finance but also the fortitude to withstand special-interest pressure.

    Three Republicans and two Democrats are vying for their parties’ nominations. First on the GOP ballot is A.J. Daoud, a former police officer who owns and operates funeral homes in western North Carolina. A longtime Republican activist, Daoud has served in multiple party offices and on the commission that supervises the state lottery, where he says he “was responsible for exposing wasteful spending returning millions back towards education.”

    Rachel Johnson, a former banker, later ran RayLen Vineyards and Winery, a family business in Davie County. Her husband, Mark Johnson, is a former state superintendent of public instruction and school board member. Asked by Business North Carolina magazine how she’d manage the state pension fund, Johnson said she’d “continue Treasurer Folwell’s good work of protecting and improving the N.C. retirement system.” She added that “there’s always a temptation in this role to flex and try to make a risky play” and pledged to be “completely independent of previous ties to Wall Street and the elites of New York finance.”

    This appears to be a dig at the third Republican in the race, Brad Briner, who recently stepped down from a leadership role in a Chapel Hill-based investment firm. Among his clients was former New York Mayor and business magnate Michael Bloomberg. Briner, who currently serves on the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees and the state treasurer’s Debt Affordability Advisory Committee, told Business North Carolina that Folwell’s investment approach has been too risk-averse, causing our pension fund to underperform those of peer states such as Virginia.

    “I’m not advocating gambling,” he says. “I’m talking about taking smart, sensible steps to achieve the 6.5% to 7% annual returns that the system requires.”

    Democrat Gabe Esparza, a former entrepreneur and American Express executive who served in the Biden administration as associate administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, also criticizes the pension fund’s performance under Folwell. But he praises the current state treasurer’s efforts to promote price transparency and competition in health care.

    In an interview with the Raleigh News & Observer, Esparza said the state health plan should “first directly engage with hospitals and pharmaceutical companies to negotiate long-term, stable pricing, while also investing in preventative care solutions that keep people healthy.”

    His primary opponent is Wesley Harris, a three-term Democratic member of the North Carolina House who’s also worked in international tax accounting and taught economics at UNC-Charlotte.

    He argues the Local Government Commission under Folwell has become “too politicized” and that the treasurer has held too much pension funds in cash. “For too long,” Harris says, “the Treasurer’s office has failed to look past tomorrow and adequately prepare our state for the challenges of the future. While doing so may yield results in the short-term, it leaves North Carolina’s funds vulnerable as our economy changes over time.”

    Interestingly, the political arm of the State Employees Association of North Carolina has endorsed both Folwell for governor and Harris for state treasurer.

    All these candidates have campaign websites where you can find more about their backgrounds, endorsements, and positions. Early voting for the March primary is now underway.

    Editor’s note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history (FolkloreCycle.com).

  • 305223531 564016072182600 6471802778705629094 nLexi Solomon's article in CityView Today last week was very well written. However, the content was extremely disturbing and very disappointing, and a near-perfect example of why our community has difficulty moving forward into the 21st century with unity.

    Solomon's article revealed how emotionally driven some members of our community are when their conversations falter because of a lack of logic and facts, failing to produce a cohesive and compelling argument. That is the case with the displeasure voiced over the pending consideration to relocate the 70-year-old outdated E.E. Smith High School to 90 acres of land provided free of charge, and conveniently located on the fringe of Ft. Liberty.

    Solomon's article reported on a recent meeting held by E.E. Smith alums and the National Association of E.E. Smith Alumni and Friends to voice their displeasure with this consideration, and to show support for the historically Black high school located at 1800 Seabrook Road off Murchison Road. Meetings of this nature can be very valuable and productive.

    However, it does our community a grave injustice to utilize a gathering of this nature to make accusatory remarks and conspiracy theories concerning the need to uproot the school in favor of a new high-tech facility. It's disingenuous to hear a NAEESAF board member, Sharon McDonald Evans, accuse local leadership of purposely allowing the school to deteriorate because they resent E.E. Smith being an historically Black high school. What about the thirty percent of non-Black students who have graduated from E.E. Smith High School who have also become successful, noteworthy community leaders, business executives, educators, public servants, and civic leaders on local, state and national levels?

    In the next few weeks, Cumberland County Commissioners will be facing off with disgruntled alums and Cumberland County School board officials over the pros and cons of relocating and upgrading the much-needed educational facility to the more accommodating location.

    Without a doubt, the sentimentality for E.E. Smith High School is warranted; however, the groups’ assertion that it is the heart of the Murchison Road community is false and misleading as are many of the concerns raised by those opposing the move.

    What I found most interesting about Solomon's article and reporting on that meeting is what was NOT mentioned in it. First and foremost, there was no mention of the late Dr. E.E. Smith, the Black educational icon who founded the school in 1927.

    He is the real story behind the E. E. Smith legacy. It is his legacy that should be honored and preserved. Another glaring void in the ongoing conversations is the lack of consideration and concern for the quality of students’ educations and the preservation and assurance for future generations.

    The quality of education should be the NAEESAF organization’s highest priority especially when E.E. Smith HS math and reading scores are a dismal forty percent. A new technologically advanced high school could achieve improvement in those testing goals by assisting teachers in the classroom.

    LaVar Wright is passionate about his alma mater. "The school itself is the heartbeat, the pulse,” Wright said, referring to the Murchison Road community.

    No, it is not!

    He continues, “This community has been thriving."

    No it has not!

    "It has been mistreated for longer than all of us have been alive. And this is just another way to step on our necks,” he said. “It’s exactly why this area has been so successful for so long."

    No, that community is not successful and continues to struggle with high crime and diminishing businesses.

    "You pull that school out of that neighborhood, it’s already suffering, underwater," Wright said.

    These statements reflect that even Wright’s passion and enthusiasm cannot withstand the truth and reality of the situation.

    It is my hope that he urges the NAEESAF to rally around and support the quality education of future generations of E.E. Smith students. Wright is in a position to encourage alumni, faculty and concerned members of the community to endorse the new high school and its location.

    This issue is all about enriching the growth academically and historically of the youngsters living in this town. What pride they will have in becoming the first graduates of this state-of-the-art high school whose namesake made such an impact in North Carolina. Dr. E.E. Smith himself would be proud.

    This issue should be interpreted as everything to do with the quality of life, education and futures of generations upon generations to come, always keeping the legacy of Dr. E.E. Smith and the history of E.E. Smith High School alive in the Fayetteville community.

    Thank you for reading Up and Coming Weekly.

  • pexels element digital 1550337 500x350Campaign season is in full effect, with local primaries held on March 5, Super Tuesday. The newly formed Independent Conservative Alliance PAC is hoping the candidates they back will be pulling in some wins.
    For those unfamiliar with what a PAC is, it is a political action committee that dedicates time, resources, and funding to candidates it feels will best represent the ideology of the committee. While many of the core members of the PAC are Republicans, the PAC’s focus is more on the conservative approach than Republican ideology.
    “It’s not so much the issues, although the issues are important. It’s the approach that you take to solve the issues. Are you going to rely on the government to solve all your problems or are we going to empower people to solve their problems? Are we going to be a welcoming county for businesses, or make it hard for them to do work? Are we going to raise taxes because that's the easy road, or are we going to look at places where we can save money in county government and keep from having to raise taxes? Are we going to talk about problems until the cows come home or are we going to do something about it?” said John Szoka, one of the core members of the PAC.
    The Independent Conservative Alliance or ICA PAC was formed by core members: a former State Representative, business owner, and retired Army Lieutenant Colonel John Szoka; former Senator Wesley Meredith; former Fayetteville City Council member from 2007-2017 Bobby Hurst; and Jackie Taylor, former Cumberland County Republican Party Chair. The objective of the ICA PAC is to “recruit the best candidates in winnable races for the local, county, and state offices.”
    The Independent Conservative Alliance is looking for members, “local officials, businesspeople, and community leaders wanting to bring positive change and improve the quality of locally elected leaders and actively recruiting candidates.”
    “I served on the executive board of the Republican party and in my position, I actually created the recruitment committee for candidates to run for political office,” said Hurst. “That was really why I joined: to use that as an opportunity to recruit the best candidates to serve in public services. Then I got this group together and people from various backgrounds that have served, that know what it takes to win a campaign and a great group of people. We were going to focus on the county commissioners' race and endorse candidates, who we thought would be the best three for the three seats. Realizing the Plan of Organization says that the Republican Party can’t endorse candidates in the primary, I thought it best to step down from the Executive Committee and just focus on this PAC, and that's what we've done…. That's kind of the beginning of it.”
    ICA PAC established criteria based on 8 key factors for candidates looking to seek endorsement.
    1. Candidates have been vetted.
    2. Candidates are knowledgeable of the issues facing the county.
    3. Financially sound and fundraising in place.
    4. A good work ethic and positive attitude.
    5. A good base of support with a campaign team of volunteers.
    6. Organized campaign plan.
    7. Thoroughly replied to interview questions.
    8. Ready to start work on day one!
    ICA PAC is currently focused on the county commissioner race and on Thursday, February 1st, they conducted interviews with 7 commissioner candidates. They chose three to endorse based on the criteria the PAC has set: Pavan Patel, Henry Tyson, and Peter Pappas. ICA PAC has plans to begin recruiting candidates for Cumberland County Board of Education races coming up this year (filing opens on July 5, 2024) and the Fayetteville City Council races in 2025. For more information on the Independent Conservative Alliance, you can reach out to member Bobby Hurst.

  • IMG 7938Aging is like living in a used car. Things wear out. Spare parts are hard to come by. The warranty has expired.

    You can hurt yourself just by sleeping. People younger than you begin showing up in the obituary column. Your goals change. You decide you would like to outlive a deceased parent. Your doctor and dentist retire. You retire. Time flies. What to do?

    Today, class, we are going to take a light-hearted look at Mr. Death. He is lurking out there in the Deep Woods, waiting for all of us to wander into his clearing.

    “What?” you say. “It can’t be so. I am too important to exit stage right.” Au contraire.

    Today’s lesson will demonstrate that there is an alternative to going one-on-one with Mr. Death: old age or running for President. We are now enjoying a Presidential election year between two older and visibly aging gentlemen: President Biden and former President Trump. Someone described the upcoming election as a contest between Grandpa Simpson and Mr. Burns.

    Let a hundred flowers of angry political ads bloom. Our geriatric candidates spurred me to produce this column on aging. I was born in the middle of the last century which makes me a prime candidate for the Great Beyond.

    Phooey!

    But when you consider the alternative, aging is not a bad deal. If you are lucky, you will one day achieve that awkward age between 64 and death.

    Paul McCartney wondered if his gal would still need him and still feed him when he is 64. Paul is now 81. He now knows the answer to that musical question. Eventually, even 64 will seem young.

    Once retired, you have more time to attend funerals, see medical professionals to treat bizarre conditions you never considered when you were in your 30s, and have the ability to shamelessly yell, “Hey you kids! Get off my lawn.”

    If you are of a certain demographic group, you may remember the 1957 movie “On the Beach.” The plot is simple; World War III has happened, most of the world has been destroyed, and radiation is spreading to the last outpost of life — Australia.

    The people of Australia know that the radiation cloud will kill all of them in a few months and are essentially waiting for death.

    The radiation cloud is a metaphor for aging. Once humans reach a certain age, the outcome is inevitable. Dogs do not have this problem, as they are blissfully unaware of the concept of Mr. Death.

    There is no guarantee you will wake up tomorrow. This seems a bad deal, but that is the card humans have been dealt. After age 64, using a football analogy, you are in the 4th quarter of life with no guarantee of overtime.

    You can hope for overtime, but when the referee blows the whistle to end the game, that’s all she wrote. I have a theory that as people enter the 4th quarter, their veneer of civilization begins to thin out and break down.

    Older people become more like themselves without the buffer of politeness to conceal their hidden identity. Their thin candy shell of social niceties melts like a bag of M&M’s left in a hot car in July. This explains the phenomenon of Grumpy Old Men.

    So, what should be done to stave off Mr. Death? Allow me to offer several theories.

    First, decide to treat your body like you would your pet dog. This is the veterinary theory of longevity.

    If your dog is sick, you would not hesitate to take him to the vet. If you find yourself sick, send your body to the doctor. Don’t hope it will just pass.

    Treat yourself at least as well as you would treat your Dachshund. Find a group of aging contemporaries to meet with on a regular basis.

    We have such a group that meets for coffee most mornings. We are the Panera Council on World Domination. We have lengthy discussions over who will win various sporting events, which Presidential candidate is the Anti-Christ, the merits of which food item is worse — Brussels sprouts or boiled peanuts — military theory, gun ownership, and which of the other patrons that day may be serial killers.
    Conversations are quite lively, occasionally loud, and frequently surreally ridiculous. A splendid time is had by all. Then we go home and take a nap.

    You have choices as you age. You can become bitter. You can become afraid and hide under a quilt and sob quietly. Or you can decide to go out and enjoy yourself while the light lasts. Use your time wisely.
    I offer no hypothesis.

  • IMG 3373In a world where conflict is domestic and global, organizations that spread a message of love and hope are much needed and received. His Outreach Worldwide, or HOW, is a local faith-based nonprofit that aims to share God’s word and love through its children’s publication, Sharing Jesus with Children Around the World, and in outreach ministries based all over the world. This February marks the 15th anniversary of the two-time Up & Coming Weekly Best-winning community staple. Located at 3013 Raeford Road, HOW has been committed to its global ministry since the idea was hand-delivered by God in a dream to Founder and Director, Lynne O’Quinn.

    “For years I had been teaching Bible school to children, which I loved. For years I had been praying that God would give me a way to reach the children of the world with the gospel of love of Jesus Christ. I was working on a Bible study and sitting at the computer every day and I was reading the scripture and working on that. That was the Jesus Bible Study…and every day I would sit there and pray for God to give me a way to reach His children all over the world,” O’Quinn said. “I went to the beach and I had my two grandsons at that time… and I had them by myself for two weeks. We had a great time… I really was tired. By the time the whole family came that last weekend, they got the kids, I went to bed and I told my husband not to dare wake me up. I was sleeping until noon if I wanted to sleep until noon. I was that exhausted. I went to sleep and God, of course, had other plans for me… During the night, I had this dream. And I’m not one to ever remember dreams… I was in this space that was all white and there was one desk in the middle of this space and I ran in. I threw everything down on the desk and sat down. This shimmery figure was standing there beside me and I looked and said I’m so sorry I’m late. And he said it’s ok, what matters is that you’re here now.

    "I think that, of course, was in reference to past life. Where I wasn’t following Him like I should. I then remember He handed me this piece of paper. I don’t recall a face. It was just a shimmery figure. Jesus. He handed me this piece of paper and said this is your assignment. And I read it and said, I can’t do this. I don’t remember what it said…but I handed it back to Him and He said no you don’t understand. This is why you are here. This is your assignment. Handed it to me, and the minute I took it back, I woke up. I heard Him say, get up and go write. People ask me how it sounded. All I know is that night, when I was so tired, and still dark outside, it was commanding enough to make me get out of bed and go. There is that three-second window when you can roll back over and go to sleep. I think, had I done that, none of this would be here now. I got up and went downstairs. I remember I got a piece of paper, a pen, made coffee, because it was still dark outside. I was sitting there like what am I doing, sitting here… The words just started coming and coming and coming and coming. And those were the words, to that little book, Sharing Jesus with Children Around the World. I couldn’t write fast enough. I just started writing all the words down. Not one word has been changed in that book. When I finished I had a manuscript of that book.”

    God has been the driving force behind the outreach. Only weeks after sitting and writing the now global children’s ministry book, it spread beyond O’Quinn’s wildest imagination, a sign that this was truly her assignment. “Within one week’s time, the book was on every single continent,” O’Quinn said.

    The book has been translated into over 100 languages. His Outreach Worldwide has expanded beyond the book and has now established ministries in several countries around the world. They focus on not only sharing God’s love but also supplying communities with clothing, food, and education. HOW has started establishing churches in its base countries, and they now have 4 in Honduras. The churches are run mainly by those who grew up in the ministry, continuing the work of the outreach for generations to come. Those interested in giving to HOW can do so by visiting their website http://www.hisoutreachworldwide.org/.

  • The Lenten season marks a period of 40 days when faithful Christians prepare for the glory of Easter Sunday. Easter commemorates the miracle of Jesus Christ's resurrection, which is foundational for the Christian faith.

    Lent is a season when Christians reflect and prepare to celebrate Easter. Lent is a period of spiritual purification that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday. Fasting, giving alms and prayer are some of the hallmarks of Lent.

    Many Lenten traditions are well known, but others are not. Here is a glimpse at some of those traditions.

    The first "Lent"

    Lent is based on the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert in preparation for his public life. Matthew 4:1-11 shares that Christ was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit for a period of fasting and prayer, where He constantly encountered the devil and his temptations. Lent also mirrors the period of time (40 days) that the Israelites spent on their journey from slavery in Egypt to the promised land of Israel.

    Black fasts

    While certain Lenten restrictions have lightened up a bit in recent years, it once was the norm to consume a single meal per day of bread, water and herbs after sunset on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, which was known as a black fast. During the other days of Lent, no food was allowed until 3 p.m., which Christians believe was the hour of Our Lord's death.

    Pinatas for Lent?

    The Lenten tradition of hitting a papier-mache creation filled with candy originated in Italy. Eventually the idea was picked up by the Spanish and brought to Mexico, where the familiar pinatas now known to partygoers across the globe appeared. Professor Michael Foley, author of "Dining with the Saints," says the original pinata had seven cones to represent the seven deadly sins.

    Hitting the cones and defeating the sins revealed the heavenly reward in the form of candy.

    Prayerful pretzels

    In the early Middle Ages, when other foods were not allowed during Lent, pretzels became popular. The twisted shape of the pretzels was associated with arms entwined in prayer.

    Hot cross buns

    Hot cross buns are synonymous with Easter. Although they may predate Christianity and might have been a tradition adopted to make Christianity more relatable to the masses, one legend suggests they originated with a twelfth century Anglican monk.

    This monk reportedly baked the buns and marked them with crosses in honor of Good Friday. These yeasted sweet rolls have since become a popular treat on Easter weekend.

    Lent precedes Easter each year and is full of time-honored traditions.

  • OIP“Empowering women in small business and entrepreneurship can positively impact communities. Women entrepreneurs can create jobs, drive innovation, and contribute to economic growth. They can also help address societal challenges and promote social change through business” according to Linkin.com.

    The North Carolina Center for Economic Empowerment began as a Women’s Center in 1990. Sylvia Gooding Ray’s original vision of a Women’s Center evolved into NCCEED. This organization was established as a non-profit on the premise of referral services to women, low-income, and socially and economically disadvantaged members of society. Sylvia Gooding Ray served as director for thirty years.
    Sylvia Ray Gooding served as board member of the North Carolina Council for Women. She also was Board Trustee for Fayetteville State University. She was the recipient of the Fayetteville National Organization of Women, 21st Annual Celebration of Women of Distinction during the Susan B. Anthony Birthday celebration in 2020, according to Michael Futch.

    Gooding was an early organizer of the Equal Rights Amendment legislation during the 1970s and 1980s. She served in the capacity of Staff Member of ERA Countdown Campaign in North Carolina from 1981 to 1982. One of her skill sets was fundraising. She collected over one million dollars in financial support to address homelessness in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

    “She was a woman of courage and strength who worked to bring solutions to women experiencing hardship. She believed in God; she believed in second chances. She believed all people given the right support can achieve anything. We will continue to honor her legacy,” according to the NCCEED website.

    The Women’s Business Center evolved into the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development in 1999, as “a regional multi-service resource and advocacy center that promotes growth, economic empowerment, productiveness, and well-being of women and men through counseling, education, information, and programs,” according to NCCEED website.

    The current Executive Director is Suzy Hrabovsky.

    Her current accomplishments as the current Executive Director include receiving grant funds for persons facing evictions and the Small Business Administration PRIME program provided in North Carolina. The Fayetteville Women’s Business Center is the sole Women’s Business Center in the United States to receive one million dollars for SBA assistance for small business loans.

    NCCEED gives the community the tools for success. The tools for success are Self-Sufficiency and Housing, SBA Women’s Business Center, Credit Counseling, Financial Literacy, One-to-One Consulting, Small Business Loans, CEED Micro loans, Training, Pop-up restaurants, Commercial kitchen space, Food Truck Commissary spaces and retail spots.

    The services and training will embed within the individual “strong leadership skills, integrity, risk-taking, serial innovators, confident but not egotistical, recognition of strengths and growth areas, competition, and understanding the value of peer networks,” according to Minority Business Development.
    NCCEED gives individuals the tools to invest in their business concept. Start-up and seed money for a business dream can be a challenge.

    More information is available at NCCEED- Center for Economic Empowerment & Development, 230 Hay Street, Fayetteville, or by phone at 910 323-3377, or at https://www.ncceed.org.

  • 341182209 600469572003276 998699819573982759 nMarie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, or as he’s better known throughout history, the Marquis de Lafayette, is a historical figure whose personal history and ideals are deeply connected to the history of Fayetteville.

    Known to most as a hero of the American Revolutionary War, Lafayette was a French aristocrat who, at the ripe age of nineteen, traveled across the sea to offer his aid and services to the Continental Congress at the precipice of the birth of the United States of America.

    Spurred to action by his core beliefs of human rights, civil liberties, and man’s equality under God, Lafayette would go on to play a crucial role in America’s victory in the Revolutionary War against Great Britain, from being wounded at the Battle of Brandywine, to aiding in the defeat of Charles Cornwallis at the siege of Yorktown.

    This man, Lafayette, is the foundation of an organization actively working to mold our community in line with his ideals for the betterment of everyone. The Lafayette Society, founded in 1981, was conceptualized as a way to honor and uphold the values expounded by Lafayette.

    Those ideals are generosity, patriotism, leadership, support of human rights for all and opposition to slavery and oppression. Though many cities and towns share his namesake, our humble city of Fayetteville is the only one he personally visited during his time in our country. This fact emboldens those who support and share in his beliefs to inspire and connect with other like-minded individuals in the pursuit of emulating the characteristics that marked Lafayette as a legend of the revolution.
    Working within our shared community, the Lafayette Society endeavors to educate the community on its history deriving from the Marquis de Lafayette. Guest lectures, celebrations and helping in the organization of educational events and activities across the city are only a few of the things that the Lafayette Society does for our community.

    “The Lafayette Society was founded over 40 years ago by Martha Duell. She recognized that the city of Lafayette was, in fact, named after the Marquis de Lafayette, she understood what the Marquis de Lafayette meant to America and its formation, his role, which was working with Washington during the revolution and his ideals for humanity. So, she formed the organization,” said Dr. Gwenesta Melton, current board president of the LaFayette Society.

    Duell was widely regarded as a model citizen within our city who strove to uplift and unite our community for the sole reason of altruism. Truly, it appears as though the torch of humanity shared by Lafayette was passed down throughout the ages to inspire us once more. This sentiment, shared by Dr. Melton, is a core belief of the organization in its pursuits to laud the tenets of Lafayette’s vision of America’s future society.

    “I became more interested the more I read about him [the Marquis de Lafayette]. He was a champion of freedom, he opposed slavery and oppression, and he was really adamant about human rights and women’s rights. That really resonated with me. Here’s a visionary that was ahead of his time. This was the epitome of diversity, inclusivity, giving everyone an opportunity, and doing it yourself. That’s what got me extremely interested in him. Even his leadership qualities as such a young person really resonated with me as well. That’s how I got involved,” said Melton.

    The Lafayette Society has established itself as an organization of individuals with a shared belief in what our country was founded upon. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That all people were created equal and that these rights are unalienable.

    These ideals, shared by the Marquis de Lafayette, have continued to inspire people to this day. Their goal to educate and inspire, not only those currently residing in our shared community but also the next generation, are a hallmark of Fayetteville’s rich history in diversity, opportunity and unity that truly promote the legacy of those who gave their all in the pursuit of these ideals.

    They believe that through education and spreading awareness of our shared history and values that we may come together for the sake of each other. That we may uplift each other and support one another in our times of struggle and hardship. As it was in the past, Up & Coming Weekly loudly proclaims with many others, “Vive Lafayette!”

    The LaFayette Society will be hosting their annual meeting and luncheon social on Sunday, March 3 at 12:30 p.m. at SkyView on Hay St. Attendees will hear a talk on the similarities between the military during LaFayette's time and now. For more information on The Lafayette Society, their upcoming events, next year’s bicentennial celebration, or to get involved yourself, please visit their website at https://www.lafayettesociety.org/. U&CW’s coverage of The Lafayette Society, their plans and events will continue as we get closer and closer to the 200th year celebration of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour on March 4th and 5th, 2025.

  • pexels edmond dants 7103159It’s that time of year again. With the voting cycle underway, the timeline for preparing to vote is getting shorter and shorter. Specifically with the primaries, who you want, or can, vote for can be confusing.
    Candidates are dropping out of the race one after the other. However, a couple have remained stalwart in their endeavors to be elected as President of the United States. Here’s how you can make sure you’re ready and able to vote in this year’s upcoming primary election.

    Make sure you’re registered to vote.
    The most important part of voting is making sure one is registered to vote. Anyone can register to vote online, in person at the DMV or via mail so long as they do not have any court orders preventing them from doing so. Same day registration is available for early, in-person voting for this primary election in North Carolina. Registration for the 2024 general election on Nov. 5, 2024, must be completed by Oct. 11, 2024.

    Make sure you vote on time.
    The second most important part of the voting process is ensuring your ballot is cast on time and within the deadlines laid out by the local board of elections overseeing the voting procedures and ballot counting.
    To this end, here are the current state dates and deadlines for votes to be cast in the upcoming North Carolina primaries. If you or someone you know is active-duty military, these dates and deadlines may change depending on their current duty station or assignment. Please have them reach out to their company’s executive officer for more information.

    • Feb. 15, 2024: In-person early voting began; same-day registration is available.

    • Feb. 27, 2024: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).

    • March 2, 2024: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).

    • March 5, 2024: Primary Election Day.

    • March 5, 2024: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).

    Make sure you know where to vote.
    Knowing the locations where one can vote may make things a challenge for new or interested voters who may not already be familiar with the process. Be sure to bring a valid ID. For a list of acceptable state IDs, visit https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id.

    For early voting, these are the sites that will be open from February 15th to March 2nd:

    • Cliffdale Recreation Center
    6404 Cliffdale Road, Fayetteville, NC 28314

    • College Lakes Recreation Center
    4945 Rosehill Road, Fayetteville, NC 28311

    • East Regional Library
    4809 Clinton Road, Fayetteville, NC 28312

    • Gray’s Creek Recreation Center
    2964 School Road, Hope Mills, NC 28348

    • Kiwanis Recreation Center
    352 Deavers Street, Fayetteville, NC 28303

    • Smith Recreation Center
    1520 Slater Avenue, Fayetteville, NC 28301

    • Spring Lake Multipurpose Community Center
    245 Ruth Street, Spring Lake, NC 28390

    • Stoney Point Recreation Center
    7411 Rockfish Road, Fayetteville, NC 28306

    For complications with disabilities, health, or age, there are voting procedures in place to allow curbside or assisted voting for those interested and unable to safely engage with the in-person voting process.
    For this information and more, please visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections website at https://www.ncsbe.gov/. Up & Coming Weekly encourages everyone able to participate to vote and have their voices heard. Happy voting, and we hope to see you at the polls!

  • pexels pixabay 207756North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is on a tear, and it is a righteous one, both for its goals and for his well-justified anger. A product of a North Carolina public education himself both in his hometown of Nashville and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Cooper has no doubt about the value of public education. Now unfettered by an impending 2024 political campaign of his own, Cooper is not mincing words about what has happened to North Carolina’s once-vaunted public education. His office refers to the situation as a “public education crisis.”
    And it is.

    Cooper, like many other North Carolinians, wants our state to invest in public education, instead of cutting it. Yes, education is expensive, whether it is public or private, but a lack of education is even more costly. Next to my family and my friends, nothing in life has meant more to me than my education. It has helped me understand the world we live in and brought me great joy as I learn, and I know many people feel the same way. Over the last decade, however, North Carolina legislators have concentrated on tax breaks rather than investments, and while the numbers are still big for educational investment at all levels, our growing state—now 9th in the nation—is slipping behind by almost every measure. We spend proportionally less per student and likewise for teacher pay. The Governor supports an 18-percent teacher pay raise over the next two years in an attempt to get North Carolina back to being respected nationally for our public education.

    Cooper, like many other North Carolinians, including this one, wants public money to go to public education. Neither he nor millions of others are interested in spending public money to send children to private schools, no matter what their family income. The current policy does just that under the attractive banner of Opportunity Scholarships, but it breaks my heart and makes me angry to know that tax dollars paid in by some of our lowest-income citizens are indeed going to send children of some of our wealthiest residents to private schools. Who on God’s green earth thinks that is morally right or even makes sense to spend $ 4 billion in public money over the next decade on private schools?

    Cooper, like many other North Carolinians, wants public schools to teach factual history and ideas that have been recognized and discussed by scholars over time. He is not interested in advancing a political agenda that stresses one point of view and excludes others, nor is he concerned that today’s students’ feelings can be hurt by assessments of historical events and movements in which they played no role.
    The bottom line is that most of North Carolina’s children do attend public schools, almost 9 out of 10 of them. If they are not well educated and do not become thriving and productive adults, the rest of us, including those of us educated privately, will struggle in a state that made the wrong funding choices for North Carolina’s overall future.

    Governor Cooper put it this way in an interview with WUNC.

    “There is no question this is a long-term battle because it is going to be a long-term fix. We need to highlight the positives of public schools, which are numerous, and on top of that understand that they are operating on shoestring budgets and won’t stay good if we don’t provide the proper funding.”

    The Governor is correct, and we ignore his advice at our peril.

  • pexels pixabay 356040Within the intricate web of healthcare, there exists a group of unsung heroes—Medical Laboratory Technicians. These skilled professionals work diligently behind the scenes, conducting analyses on patient samples to provide accurate and reliable information that physicians use to make informed decisions about patient care.

    At the heart of medical diagnostics lie the meticulous efforts of MLTs. These technicians are responsible for collecting, processing, and analyzing patient samples with precision. The accuracy and reliability of laboratory results are fundamental to the diagnostic process, making MLTs indispensable contributors to the healthcare system.

    One of the hallmarks of MLTs is their commitment to precision and quality control. These professionals adhere to rigorous standards to ensure the accuracy and reliability of laboratory tests. Regular calibration and maintenance of laboratory equipment are routine tasks, and MLTs are adept at troubleshooting issues to guarantee precise test outcomes. Quality control measures implemented by MLTs contribute to the overall reliability of diagnostic results, instilling confidence in the healthcare professionals who rely on this information.

    While MLTs work predominantly in laboratory settings, their impact extends beyond the confines of the lab. These professionals collaborate closely with physicians and other healthcare providers to understand the specific testing requirements for individual patients. Effective communication is key as MLTs provide insights into laboratory results, aiding in the interpretation of findings and contributing valuable information to the overall decision-making process for patient care.

    Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Medical Laboratory Technology program equips students with the skills and knowledge essential for a fulfilling career in medical laboratory science. Students engage in educational experiences that combine theoretical knowledge with hands-on practical training where they apply their learning in real-world settings, working alongside experienced professionals in clinical laboratories.

    The MLT program is proud to introduce a specialized certificate in clinical diagnostic testing designed for high school seniors. This program provides an opportunity for young and aspiring individuals to kickstart their journey into the dynamic field of medical laboratory science. The program offers the unique advantage of enabling students to work in the lab while pursuing their associate degree in MLT after high school graduation.

    While the MLT program prepares students for immediate entry into the workforce, it also creates pathways for further education. Graduates may pursue advanced degrees or certifications, enabling them to specialize in specific areas of medical laboratory science. This flexibility allows individuals to continue their professional development and opens doors to leadership roles within the healthcare sector.
    Are you ready to learn more?

    Please contact us today. We are eager to help you start your next chapter through a career in the medical laboratory field.

    For more information, please contact FTCC’s Allied Health Advising Center at 910-486-3928 or by email at FTCCAHAC@faytechcc.edu

  • OSA logoThe former state auditor of North Carolina, Beth Wood, never lost an election. She clinched the Democratic primary for the elected office in 2008, defeated a Republican incumbent that fall, and then won reelection in 2012, 2016, and 2020.

    Wood never lost an election — but she did lose her job, thanks to a series of disastrous decisions that began with a hit-and-run incident in December 2022 and ended with her resignation from the post a year later. Jessica Holmes, an attorney who formerly chaired the Wake County Board of Commissioners, was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to replace Wood, and will stand for election this fall.

    Six Republicans are vying for the chance to displace Holmes from the office of state auditor, one of the 10 elected executives who form North Carolina’s Council of State. The state auditor conducts financial and performance audits of state and local agencies and departments. Although not necessarily a high-profile office, it’s one of the most important in state government — and is best held by an independent-minded leader, not a partisan loyalist or glad-hander eager for higher office.

    Charles Dingee is a small-business owner and activist who previously chaired the Wake County Young Republicans and the 13th District GOP. He says his commitment to fiscal responsibility, openness, and public service make him the strongest candidate for state auditor. Dingee pledges to “work tirelessly to ensure that government agencies are transparent in their operations, and that all financial transactions are open to public scrutiny.”

    A former member of the Greensboro City Council, Jim Kee has worked as a farmer, real-estate developer, sales manager, and nonprofit director.

    “Community service has always been a passion for me,” Kee says. “With two terms of city council experience, I understand what it takes to find solutions, how important it is to work together and navigate the complicated governmental agencies to help get things done.”

    Another candidate in the race is Anthony Wayne Street, who goes by Tony. A Wilmington native, Street ran for the same office four years ago, winning the GOP nomination despite media coverage of a series of criminal charges against Street, including stalking. He lost the 2020 general election to Wood by about 94,000 votes.

    Jeff Tarte is a former IBM sales executive and management consultant with extensive experience in data analytics and forensic investigative work. A former mayor of Cornelius, Tarte served three terms in the North Carolina Senate and has served on numerous boards and commissions.

    “We all recognize there is an endless supply of waste in state government,” Tarte says. “Under my leadership, utilizing pragmatic data forensic approaches in conjunction with advanced technologies, I will help mitigate the problems of waste, fraud, and abuse in our state agencies.”

    A fifth candidate for the nomination is Dave Boliek. A former prosecutor and longtime attorney in Fayetteville, Boliek serves on the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees and previously chaired that board as well as the board of the Southeast Regional Area Health Education Center. In a recent interview with the Raleigh News & Observer, Boliek said there were “too many administrators in our public schools, universities and state agencies” and argued there were “many places where services and management are redundant and can be consolidated.”

    The final Republican candidate is Jack Clark, a certified public accountant and budget staffer at the North Carolina General Assembly. He formerly held auditing positions at the private companies Grant Thornton and Parexel. “I will set a tone that our department wants to ensure taxpayer money is being used effectively and efficiently,” Clark told the News & Observer. “Candidates with too many personal ties, or too strong a personal agenda, won’t be best suited to find these unfair transactions.”

    Dingee, Kee, Tarte, Boliek, and Clark maintain campaign websites where you can read more about their backgrounds, endorsements, and positions on issues pertinent to the office of state auditor. Early voting for North Carolina’s March primaries begins on February 15.

    Editor’s note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history (FolkloreCycle.com).

  • pexels cottonbro studio 5934642The wide-ranging impact and reach of mental health issues garnered considerable attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the virus as well as mandates designed to reduce its spread led to increased feelings of anxiety and isolation. Since then, life has returned to normal for billions of people across the globe, but many people, including seniors, continue to experience mental health issues.

    The Pan American Health Organization reports that at least one in four older adults experiences a mental disorder such as depression, anxiety or dementia. And those figures will likely only grow, as population estimates indicate seniors will make up a greater percentage of the global population in the years to come. Seniors dealing with mental health issues may feel helpless, but there is much they can do to safeguard their mental health.

    Socialize regularly.

    A 2019 study published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences found that older adults who socialized with people beyond their circle of family and close friends were more likely to have greater positive moods and fewer negative feelings. Unfortunately, a significant percentage of older adults report feeling isolated from others. According to the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging that was conducted in January 2023, one in three older adults reported infrequent contact (once a week or less) with people from outside their home.

    Speak with a mental health professional.

    Among the more troubling aspects of the mental health crisis affecting seniors is that the PAHO reports two-thirds of older adults with mental health problems do not get the treatment they need. Speaking with a mental health professional can help older adults in myriad ways. Such professionals can identify the issue that is prompting seniors to seek help and offer suggestions that can improve overall health and quality of life. Roundstone Insurance notes that reliance on digital behavioral health tools, including telehealth, was turned to both during the pandemic and ever since, and seniors can utilize such services if they have limited mobility and/or no one to help them make it to in-person appointments.

    Volunteer.

    Many older adults are retired, and while ample free time may have seemed like the ultimate reward after a lifetime of working, many retirees experience a void once their life no longer has the structure that work can provide. According to the independent nonprofit HelpGuide.org, retirement depression can compel retirees to feel as though they miss the sense of identity, meaning and purpose that came with their jobs, which can make some feel depressed, aimless and isolated. Volunteering can help fill the void created by retirement, and the positive mental health effects of volunteering are well-documented. According to the Mayo Clinic, studies have shown volunteering increases positive, relaxed feelings and gives volunteers a sense of meaning and appreciation.

    No one is immune to mental health issues, including seniors. But older adults can take various steps to address their mental health and improve their overall health as a result

  • tvEditor’s note: Fayetteville’s lack of a TV station has had an impact on this community. The cover story on page 15 has more details.


    “What’s missing?” Bill Bowman set the “Vision 2026” brochure in front of me.

    With the express goal of “working together for co-operative solutions” the nonprofit identified the following projects as critical to moving Fayetteville and Cumberland County forward:
    the Baseball Stadium
    the N.C. Civil War History Center
    the Downtown Performing Arts Center
    Storm water
    Countywide water

    Acknowledging the success of the Parks and Recreation initiative, the list looked reasonably complete until Bill said, “A television station. Fayetteville needs its own television station.”

    Bill is right! It is so deplorable that a community with a population of over 300,000 has no television station. Maybe part of the reason that we have been so unsuccessful in attracting new business is nobody knows we are here.

    For years Fayetteville/Cumberland County supporters have sat passively by accepting a verdict from the FCC made 30 years ago that a Fayetteville TV station would interfere with the Raleigh/Wilmington broadcast markets.

    Right! And how many new stations have been added to those locations? Technology has moved so rapidly that soon radio will be able to own television stations and local newspapers. We already watch TV on our smartphones, and approval has been given to listen to FM radio on them, too. Broadcasting and apps are the new state-of-the-art.
    WRAL and WTVD provide limited coverage of local news in the Fayetteville market, but it is usually “bleed” stories and sound bites. And like Brigadoon, Fayetteville appears every 100 years as a newsmaker worthy of coverage.

    As a television market we are taken for granted, and that has not served us well. How often are we shocked that the rest of the state and the nation have no clue about the level of our military involvement in the Middle East and the continuing stress placed on our military and their families?

    Why are we passed over with major state initiatives such as the domestic violence centers established in several cities around the state? Because outside a 35-mile circumference, we are invisible. We have no identity outside of Fort. Bragg.

    And if you don’t believe it just ask why our Cumberland Co./Fayetteville Economic Development organization is struggling to develop a “brand.” (again) Newspapers and radio will always have a special niche that cannot be
    replaced by television. But a picture is worth a thousand words and most of us (archaic as it is) still tune into the local news. It is the local reporters that deliver the information and stories that bind us as a community.


    And it warrants addressing the local television issue. After all, if  the vision promoted by the “2026” supporters comes to fruition if we build it, how will they come if they don’t know we are here?

  • RMany residents in Fayetteville and Cumberland County have difficulty understanding the concerns raised by school board members and some residents regarding the recommendation that the new E.E. Smith High School be relocated and constructed on a 90-acre track of beautiful tranquil land on Fort Liberty. Land, I might add, that is being donated by the U.S. Army, saving Cumberland County taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.

    My question is: what's not to like about that? Stryker Golf Course is a practical and convenient location for a new and much-needed Cumberland County high school. A technologically advanced, state-of-the-art E.E.Smith high school, beautifully centered on land originally landscaped and sculptured by the world-famous golf course designer Donald Ross. The school is dedicated to one of Fayetteville's most renowned educators and statesman, Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith.

    I can only surmise that those who oppose Stryker Golf Course as the location of this new high school facility are conflicted and confused between sentimentality, history, fiscal logic and community responsibility.

    Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith was a remarkable man: newspaper publisher, soldier, diplomat, pastor and three-term president of Fayetteville State University until he died in 1933. I learned much about this local educational icon from Heidi Beasley, Director of the Fayetteville History Museum, when I visited E.E. Smith's home at 135 Blount St.

    Smith's newly renovated home tells the story of Dr. Smith's massive contribution to education at all levels. It is an impressive Fayetteville historic asset now on the National Register of Historic Places. Undoubtedly, those generations who graduated from E.E. Smith High School have a strong sentimental connection to the home of the Golden Bulls at 1800 Seabrook Ave.

    The good news is that the facility is not going away. The proposed Fort Liberty site is a more practical 21st-century location with easy central access to the educational needs of Fayetteville, Fort Liberty, and Cumberland County children. The Fort Liberty school and location reflects a modern, thought-out educational vision with many additional and substantial benefits to the Fayetteville, Fort Liberty, and Cumberland County community.

    It will significantly benefit our economic vitality and solidify our partnership with our military neighbor. After all, Fort Liberty wants the best educational facility for its soldiers and military families. The new state-of-the-art E.E. Smith High School will be just that.

    Fort Liberty donating the land will save Cumberland County millions of dollars allowing the county ample finances to construct a facility equipped with the latest educational technology to inspire 21st-century creativity and innovation. The new high school will speak volumes of our long-term educational commitment to the children in our community; modern technology, spacious modern classrooms, and multi-purposed sports facilities will all be on a plot of historic land, creating a serene educational environment with room to grow and expand.

    With all these advantages and circumstances, it's hard to imagine why anyone would oppose such a lucrative opportunity and partnership with Fort Liberty. Truth be known, the majority of students currently attending the existing E.E. Smith High School would prefer the latest in STEM education to assist them in preparing for college and future careers over historical sentimentality.

    A note of caution to Cumberland County Commissioners and CC School Board members: time is of the essence when discussing and considering the need and location for this new high school. Fort Liberty wants a new high school, which is needed now.

    It will take years to build, and the longer the project is delayed, the costlier it will become. Who will say how long Fort Liberty's generous offer will be available? With the vastness of the installation and proximity to Hoke, Harnett, and Moore Counties, we surely don't want to risk having them investigate other options to achieve their educational objectives.

    Think of the millions of federal dollars Cumberland County education would lose if we were not educating their children. Cumberland County Commissioners and the Board of Education need to prioritize responsible stewardship of taxpayer money and our children's academic future.

    Besides, think of the goodwill, publicity, and worldwide notoriety Fayetteville and Fort Liberty will receive from having the only educational institution designed and built on a 78-year-old Donald Ross golf course named after the area's most respected and renowned statesman and educator, Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith.

    In closing, I want to say I'm incredibly proud and grateful to the Orange Street School Historical Association for their ongoing efforts to preserve the history of that neoclassical circa 1915 structure. The Orange Street School is the city's oldest educational building and the original E.E. Smith High School. This 109-year-old building is also on the National Register of Historic Places. Our Cumberland County Commissioners have a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to preserve and honor the memory of Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith, one of Fayetteville's most significant Black educators and community leaders.
    By partnering with Fort Liberty to construct a new E.E. Smith High School on Stryker Golf Course, they will ensure the educational futures of generations to come while making thousands of E.E. Smith alums proud that they participated in securing their school's position in Fayetteville and Cumberland County's educational history books.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • PikleballMilitary families with loved ones who have special needs face a variety of unique challenges, especially considering they also have to relocate regularly. On top of their particular circumstances and frequent uprooting, many don’t know where to find necessary resources and often have no idea where to start looking.

    When they find the services their loved one requires, there are often long waitlists and seemingly insurmountable checklists to fulfill before acquiring those services. It doesn’t take long for all those challenges to add up and lead to feelings of frustration and isolation from the rest of the community.

    The Army Community Service Exceptional Family Member Family Support program links active-duty military Families with loved ones with special needs to medical, educational, and recreational resources available within the community to help alleviate those challenges and foster a connected community.
    EFMP Family Support collaborates with agencies throughout the local community to address these barriers to bring accessible resources and educational/recreational activities directly to Families.

    The ACS EFMP Family Support office is collaborating with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, NC Assistive Technology Program to host an Adaptive Recreation and Gaming Resource Fair from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 12 at the Smith Lake Recreation Center.

    The event offers opportunities for families with disabilities to connect with others and get hands-on experience with the latest technology in adaptive recreational activities and gaming. The Resource Fair is open to individuals of all ages and disabilities, as agencies around the community will have adaptive activities for every family to try.

    Attendees will experience activities and displays, from video games and dancing to fitness activities such as hand cycling and martial arts, to fishing/hunting, therapeutic animals, and much more.

    “Our families deserve every opportunity to get and stay connected within the community,” says Amy Melendez, Exceptional Family Member Program Manager. “Supportive adaptive environments like this promote community integration and help reduce the ongoing challenge of social isolation among individuals with disabilities.”

    In addition to the Resource Fair, Fort Liberty’s EFMP Family Support program provides other outlets for Families with special needs through numerous educational, awareness and adaptive recreational activities specially adapted to their needs.

    These services offer unique opportunities for family members to build social connections, experience inclusivity, improve mobility and fitness, increase self-confidence and reliance, enhance cognitive skills, and bond through shared disabilities and experiences. These experiences ultimately enhance the entire family’s well-being, standard of living and quality of life.

    Opportunities range from classes to recurring events such as support groups and sensory-friendly story time at the library.

    For more details on events or to register for the Resource Fair, visit FortLibertyACSEFMP.TimeTap.com or call EFMP Family Support at 910-643-9642.

  • 4A0A9194With the temperatures dropping, staying warm and safe are challenging factors for unhoused individuals. When temperatures drop in winter weather, there comes an increased risk of hypothermia, frostbite and other cold weather injuries. To alleviate this, states, cities and counties have developed and established facilities known as warming centers in key locations within public property. These warming centers exist to assuage the hardships and risks to individuals' health from prolonged exposure to extremely cold temperatures. Paired with them are White Flag shelters; these exist as overnight facilities meant to protect people from having to sleep outside in sub-freezing temperatures.

    While widely unknown, these unsung facilities have been thoughtfully developed to provide relief from increased cold weather injuries during the winter months.

    "In general, warming centers are strategically located in public buildings located around the County, such as Library locations and recreation centers, with the goal of providing people who need them with options closer to where they are located,” said Lou Cherry, Communications and Outreach Coordinator for the Public Information Office, Cumberland County.

    Being public facilities, warming centers are always open to the public at their corresponding locations within regular business hours. It is only when the weather drops low enough to warrant risk to the public are warming centers more actively advertised to those who might be unaware and in need within the communities they serve.

    "Warming centers have no regulated standards and are operated within county and/or city facilities that meet building code standards as warming centers are not intended to shelter individuals overnight," Cherry stated.

    "County facilities are maintained by the County, primarily through our Internal Services Department or departmental facilities staff. City facilities are maintained by the City," he said.

    While uncommon, understanding and trusting the procedures set in place in times of emergency helps to facilitate the distribution of aid. Cherry stated that there was a department for handling such events.
    "Facilities are instructed to alert Emergency Management if any overcrowding issues arise,” he said.

    In most cases, emergency management departments are designed with the purpose of developing plans, contingencies and frameworks to alleviate the risks, hazards and vulnerabilities present in the regular operating procedures of the facilities they're overseeing. This includes plans for shortness of resources, equipment malfunctions and overcrowding to list a few.

    Warming centers exist as a community staple to alleviate the suffering and health risks faced by people who are stuck outside during dangerously cold weather. While open to anyone who may be in need, these important facilities largely provide a safe and warm space for a local community's unhoused population during winter months. With locations in public facilities such as local libraries, parks and recreation centers and county department buildings, established warming centers give these people a moment of respite from the harsh and damaging temperature drops frequent during cold fronts. When paired with White Flag shelters providing unhoused people a safe and warm place to sleep during these cold weather crises, these two necessary public facility amenities help to reduce cases of life and limb-threatening cold weather injuries. These are just two examples of essential functions maintained by funding and oversight by local county governance.

    If you or someone you know is at risk of being out in the cold this winter, please share with them these locations of Cumberland County's warming centers.

    • Headquarters Library - 300 Maiden Lane, Fayetteville, NC 28301

    • Bordeaux Community Library - 3711 Village Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28304

    • Cliffdale Regional Library - 6882 Cliffdale Road , Fayetteville, NC 28314

    • East Regional Library - 4809 Clinton Road, Fayetteville, NC 28312

    • Hope Mills Community Library - 3411 Golfview Road Hope Mills, NC 28348

    • North Regional Library - 855 McArthur Road, Fayetteville, NC 28311

    • Spring Lake Community Library - 101 Laketree Boulevard, Spring Lake, NC 28390

    • West Regional Library - 7469 Century Circle, Fayetteville, NC 28306

    • Cumberland County Department of Social Services lobby - 1225 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

    • Fayetteville Area System of Transit (FAST) Transit Center - 502-598 Franklin Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301

    • Cumberland County Parks & Recreation - 121 Lamon Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301

    • Cumberland County Public Health Department - 1235 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

    • Cliffdale Recreation Center - 6404 Cliffdale Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28314

    • College Lakes Recreation Center - 4945 Rosehill Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28311

    • Eastover Recreation Center - 3637 Pembroke Ln., Fayetteville, NC 28312

    • E. E. Miller Recreation Center - 1347 Rim Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28314

    • G. B. Myers Recreation Center - 1018 Rochester Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28305

    • John Dover "J.D." Pone Sr. Recreation Center at Gray's Creek - 2964 School Rd., Hope Mills, NC 28348

    • J.S. Spivey Recreation Center - 500 Fisher St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

    • Kiwanis Recreation Center and Honeycutt Park - 352 Devers St., Fayetteville, NC 28303

    • Cumberland County Lake Rim Recreation Center - 1455 Hoke Loop Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28314

    • Massey Hill Recreation Center & Park - 1612 Camden Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28306

    • Pine Forest Recreation Center - 6901 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311

    • Smith Recreation Center - 1520 Slater Ave., Fayetteville, NC 28301

    • Stedman Recreation Center - 175 Circle Dr., Stedman, NC 28391

    • Spring Lake Recreation Center - 245 Ruth Street, Fayetteville, NC 28305

    • Spring Lake Senior Center - 301 Ruth Street, Fayetteville, NC 28305

    • Stoney Point Recreation Center - 7411 Rockfish Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28306

    • Westover Recreation Center - 267 Bonanza Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28303

    •Dorothy Gilmore Therapeutic Recreation Center (Gilmore Therapeutic Center) - 1600 Purdue Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28304

    • Bill Crisp Senior Center - 7560 Raeford Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28304

    • Fayetteville Senior Center - 739 Blue St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

    •Tokay Senior Fitness Center - 328 Hamilton St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

  • pexels sora shimazaki 5926409If incumbent Mike Causey wins the Republican nod for insurance commissioner in March, it’ll be his seventh nomination.

    That will break the current record of six nominations for insurance commissioner — a record currently shared by Causey and the late Jim Long, a Democrat.

    That’s just in the primary, though. All six times Long was nominated, beginning in 1984, he won the general election. Of Causey’s six runs — 1992, 1996, 2000, 2012, 2016, and 2020 — he was victorious in only the last two.

    While all 50 states have insurance commissioners, North Carolina is one of just 11 that elect their commissioners. The office is primarily a regulatory one, not only overseeing the wide spectrum of insurance policies and annuities sold in our state but also licensing such professionals as agents, adjusters, bail bondsmen, and home inspectors.

    Before his election in 2016, Causey owned an insurance agency and other businesses and worked for the N.C. Department of Transportation. On his campaign site, he argues that “more competition in North Carolina’s insurance industry will provide lower rates for consumers and greater access to better products.”

    One of his rivals for the GOP nomination, former state Rep. Robert Brawley, is also an insurance professional and served off and on for two decades in the North Carolina House.

    In 2004, he was the Republican nominee for insurance commissioner, losing to Long. In 2016, he unsuccessfully challenged then-Gov Pat McCrory in the GOP primary. Among Brawley’s priorities are enhancing building code safety and “maintaining fair competition in the insurance industry.”

    In recent weeks, Brawley has called for a financial audit of the Department of Insurance and criticized Causey’s practice of hiring friends and political allies as personal aides and department officials. As first reported by the News & Observer of Raleigh, critics question the value and efficiency of Causey’s regional offices, though he calls them “a good way to serve the public without people having to drive all the way to Raleigh.”

    A third candidate in the GOP primary, Andrew Marcus, has worked as a prosecutor, firefighter, and insurance regulator. A first-time candidate, he advocates a crackdown on insurance fraud, more price transparency and competition, and investigating any Chinese Communist Party involvement in insurers doing business in the state.

    The insurance commissioner “should work for you, not for the insurance companies or for political cronies,” Marcus says. “But that’s not the case today and that’s why your rates are increasing year after year.”

    One of two candidates for the Democratic nomination is Natasha Marcus (no relation to Andrew). Currently serving her third term as a state senator from Mecklenburg County, she’s a former litigator who worked at an anti-poverty organization before embarking on her political career.

    “My mission has always been to stand up against corruption, corporate greed, and bad government,” Senator Marcus says. “We need a commissioner who will be on the side of the people, not corporations.” She’s been endorsed by Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue and many of her Democratic colleagues in the General Assembly, as well as the Sierra Club and the state’s AFL-CIO.

    Her primary opponent is David Wheeler, is a small-business owner and former staffer for the North Carolina Secretary of State. He’s campaigning vigorously against proposed increases in homeowners insurance rates.

    “No one in Raleigh is fighting to keep the rates down,” Wheeler says, “and the current commissioner is dependent upon insurance industry campaign cash.” Indeed, he calls Causey “Rate Hike Mike” and, like Brawley, has criticized Causey’s hiring practices and use of a state car to commute to Raleigh from Greensboro. Wheeler also pledges to resolve insurance claim disputes in 60 days and create programs to reduce or forgive medical debt. Among his endorsers is former state Rep. Patsy Keever.

    All five of these candidates maintain campaign websites where you can read more about their backgrounds, endorsements, and positions on issues pertinent to the Department of Insurance. Early voting for North Carolina’s March primaries begins on February 15.

    Editor's Note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history (FolkloreCycle.com).

  • Chili Challenge 2021 The Home Builders Association of Fayetteville (HBAF) comprises builders, developers, suppliers, bankers, mortgage brokers and marketing professionals.

    Founded in 1963, the association has provided members with a variety of resources on the housing industry and opportunities to grow and improve their businesses. Of 62 local associations in North Carolina, the HBAF is in the top ten largest associations.

    The HBAF's third annual Chili Challenge is a friendly competition where members can enter their chili recipes. The winners will have the opportunity to claim the title of first or second place. There is also an Award for Taster's Choice. In addition to the chili cook-off and chili tasting, there will be live music, Clyde's Cabin Band, and beer provided by the venue Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom. The event is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased at fayhbanc.memberzone.com/eventregistration/register/964 or on the day of the event at the door.

    Tickets are $20 and allow attendees to taste all the competing chilis and include two drinks. Competing teams pay $100 to participate in the Chili Challenge.

    "The money raised is used to further the mission of the HBAF... to serve, advocate and promote the local building and development industries while fostering unity between members, government and the community," said Natalie W. Fryer, executive officer, HBAF.

    Previous competitor and winner Tracy Mozingo hopes to win a voter's choice award this year.

    "Truth be told, my husband Jeff volunteered me to enter the contest because he likes my chili and thought I would enjoy the camaraderie and marketing opportunity. I then enlisted the help of fellow chili-maker and friend Kim Evers," Mozingo said. "We have won the judges' choice each year, but we'd love to take voter's choice as well!"

    "When we won, I felt shock and disbelief and utter excitement, Mozingo said. "I think I may have screamed and jumped with excitement."

    Evers explains that the competition was steep.

    "We were so excited because there were so many other great chilis out there," said Evers.

    "We have entered every year since it started, which was in 2020. And we won the judges' vote each year," explained Mozingo. "Kim and I each make our own chili, and we marry the two at the event."

    The event is full of fun and camaraderie, according to Evers.

    "It is so much fun hanging out with all the local builders and their teams," Evers said. "It is a fun crowd."

    Chili challenge tip? Evers said, "Ground white pepper and lots of love." Mozingo's advice? "Get ready for spicy fun. Bring your appetite."

    The Chili Challenge will take place on Feb. 25 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at 5435 Corporation Drive.

  • IMG 7797Ain’t love grand? Just in time for Valentine’s Day, here’s another story of the course of true love which never runs smoothly. This story will probably not appear on the Hallmark Channel.

    However, as another fine leisure service of Up & Coming, enjoy Grimm’s Fairy Tale of the Goose Girl. Spoiler Alert: If you don’t know this story, go read the book. Trigger Warning for Snow Flakes: Contents of this story involve identity theft, an ungrateful servant, a talking horse, violence involving said horse, a flock of geese, a mean kid named Conrad, and a barrel of not fun.

     

     

    You have been warned.

    Once upon a time, there was a widowed Queen* (*not a Drag Queen) and her lovely Princess daughter. The Princess grew up to be a great beauty. On her 15th birthday, it was time to marry her off to a Prince as life spans were much shorter then.

    The Prince lived far away in the Great Woods. The Queen prepped the Princess for her journey with a maidservant and a talking horse, Falada. As a good luck charm for the Princess, the Queen pricked her finger to let three drops of blood drip onto a handkerchief. Being a dutiful daughter, the Princess tucked the handkerchief into her dress for the road to romance.

    It was a hot day. The Princess became very thirsty after a long ride. She asked her servant to fetch her some water in the golden goblet the Servant was carrying. In the first sign of trouble, the Servant refused to get water for the Princess, telling her to get it herself.

    The Princess, being a Princess, had never had to get her own water. She was shocked but somehow managed to get her own water from the spring. The Princess thought “Dear Lord!’ The 3 drops of blood replied: “If your Mother knew this, it would break her heart.” Gentle reader, you didn’t know that blood drops could speak, did you? Now you do.

    They rode on a few more miles. Princess got thirsty again. Servant refused to fetch water. This time the handkerchief fell out of Princess’ dress into a stream and floated away. Uh oh. When Princess tried to get back on her horse, Falada, Servant said “Wait a minute, Missy! That horse is mine. We are going to switch clothes and I will be the Princess and you will be the servant. If you don’t agree I will kill you here.”

    The Servant made Princess swear a mighty oath she would never reveal what had happened.

    When they got to the castle, the Servant was received as the Princess. This switcheroo predated the movie “Trading Places” where Eddie Murphy switched with Dan Aykroyd.

    To keep Falada from spilling the beans about the switch, the Servant got the Prince to cut off Falada’s head. The real Princess arranged to have Falada’s severed head nailed to a gateway she would pass each day. The Fake Princess suggested to the Prince that the real Princess be assigned to work driving geese each morning as a Goose Girl. This was a lousy job as her Goose boss was a male chauvinist pig named Conrad.

    Conrad had a hair fetish. He tried to pull out strands of the Goose Girl’s golden hair. The Goose Girl said some magic words and each day the wind would blow away Conrad’s hat. Conrad would spend the day chasing his hat instead of pulling her hair. Falada’s head commented each day on how the Princess’ mother’s heart would break if she knew of her plight.

    Frustrated, Conrad squealed to the King about what Falada’s head said. The King hid by the wall to watch Falada speak. The King summoned the Goose Girl to the palace to explain. She told him she had sworn an oath not to tell anyone. The King told her to get into an unheated iron stove and tell her story to the stove. The King listened outside the stove, so technically she did not break her oath. The King believed her story and restored her to her rightful position.

    They had a royal banquet to celebrate. The King asked the fake Princess a hypothetical question about what should be done to someone who had done all the bad things the Servant had done.

    The Servant, being not too bright, said such a person should be stripped naked and put in a barrel studded with nails on the inside. Then the barrel should be tied behind two white horses and dragged until she was dead. This was what is now known as a “Gotcha question.”

    The King ordered the Servant into a barrel and dragged through the streets until she expired. The real Princess and the Prince were married and lived happily ever after. No talking horses were injured during the telling of this story. Now you know why this story will never be on the Hallmark Channel.

    Happy Valentine’s day.

  • OIPCumberland County Schools has taken another step in its journey for school safety with the recent awarding of a grant geared toward funding safety equipment, training and services for students in crisis.

    The district applied for a safety grant from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's Center for Safer Schools and recently learned that it is one of 230 school districts and charter schools in the state to benefit from $35 million in safety grants.

    According to Kevin Coleman, the associate superintendent of CCS' Auxiliary Services, the district's $103,400 award from the safety grant will be allocated to improve camera systems throughout the district by incorporating the use of artificial intelligence.

    "Adding artificial intelligence capability to our already upgraded camera system will help school staff maintain a safe and orderly environment," said Coleman. "AI will allow us to take advantage of technologies that utilize facial recognition, people detection and vehicle detection. Providing school administrators with these tools will help them utilize new technologies to help protect our students and staff."

    This precautionary measure follows efforts that have already been made by the district that include enhancing high-definition security cameras, implementing upgrades to the Raptor visitor management system, enhancing The Say Something anonymous tip line and establishing Behavior, Intervention, and Threat Assessment Teams.

     

    In April 2023, CCS hosted the "School Safety: Let's Talk About It!" forum. During this event, more than 200 district and community leaders, law enforcement officers, families, educators and students shared their insights, proposing innovative safety measures to be implemented in the district.

    Some of the valuable suggestions generated during the forum will now be realized through the allocation of these grant funds.

    As new safety measures are implemented, the district continues to seek input and collaboration from stakeholders, emphasizing a collaborative approach to school safety.

    About Cumberland County Schools

    Our mission is to provide a safe, positive, and rigorous learning environment to prepare lifelong learners to reach their maximum potential. Serving nearly 50,000 students at 89 schools, we are focused on meeting students' diverse learning needs. Our fully-accredited school system has a diverse student population representing more than 75 different countries and 82 different native languages. More than 13,000 CCS students are military/federally connected.

  • history Before Fort Bragg embodied much of the identity of Fayetteville, the city grew and established itself for another purpose.

    Fayetteville was a vital inland city involved in trade because it had a direct route on the Cape Fear River to Wilmington.

    The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum details the history of Fayetteville during this time through their Cape Fear River gallery.

    The exhibit has long been displayed on the museum's first floor, but it has gained a new addition. In celebration of Black History Month, the museum has put up new placards detailing the histories of African Americans on the Cape Fear River.

    "Finally, we have one of our Black History exhibits that remain up for over a year become part of a semi-permanent space," said Heidi Bleazey, historic properties supervisor. "The river is why Fayetteville is here, and having the acknowledgment of the back-breaking, life-ending, life-sustaining things that African Americans did to help build Fayetteville as a travel and trade community (is important)."

    Bleazey, Catherine Linton, museum specialist, and Emma Freeman, marketing and social media coordinator, worked on the exhibit, perusing census records and old newspapers. Their efforts were fruitful in the form of a new artifact.

    Included in the exhibit is an illustration from a June 17, 1865 edition of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.

    The drawing shows an enslaved family escaping down the Cape Fear River. Behind them is another boat. The illustration was drawn by a Union war correspondent.

    "This is an amazing artifact because it represents so much of what we don't know. There's a second boat behind the first. Are they pursuing them? Is that another family? It's just subject to a lot of feeling," said Bleazey.

    "We always look to the primary sources," said Linton. "That's an article from 1865; that story came right from the source that is physically on display."

    In addition to the newspaper, the placards detail the lives of African American river pilots such as Daniel Buxton. Through some research, Buxton's life and person have taken clearer form. Buxton piloted the riverboat

    A.P. Hunt for over 60 years. He was a leader in the Fayetteville community, a founding member of St. Joseph's Episcopal Church. His reputation as a riverboat pilot was excellent, never having an accident on the river throughout his career, an almost unheard-of feat.

    Buxton is said to be buried at what was once called Miles Branch Cemetery, a Black cemetery, now known as Elmwood Cemetery. His legend lives on in the hearts of the researchers at the museum. The women have searched for his headstone but have yet to find it.

    "There's a piece of Daniel that is a little elusive to us," said Bleazey. "He's the nostalgic poster child of a river pilot."

    As research has continued, more stories and names of the river workers have begun to pop out. Several of their names appear on the placards, a tribute to who they were and where they worked and lived.

    "We know so few, that to be able to put a name to these people is important … And I felt like if all I know is that what the census said, then by gosh I'm excited about that and that should be there because there are so many we don't know," said Bleazey.

  • pexels mark stebnicki 9407524 1While the holiday season was a special time for celebration and cheer, the New Year is one for reflecting on the past and looking to the future. There have been many challenges over the first year of the 118th Congress.

    Still, one thing has never faltered: my unwavering commitment to serving you and our community. With the 2024 legislative session in full swing, I look forward to continuing to advance the best interests of our entire region, the military families who call our community home, and our nation.

    Tackling critical issues head-on and finding common sense solutions has always been my focus as your Congressman. In a race to beat the deadline, Congress passed a short-term deal to keep the government funded and prevent a shutdown.

    While it is not a perfect deal, it ensures that our troops and their families have the resources they need. It also allows House Republicans to continue advancing our agenda and fighting for conservative policies - like proven measures to secure our border.

    Due to the disastrous immigration policies of the Biden Administration and the Democrats, we have seen the worst crisis at our Southern border in history. In December alone, more than 300,000 illegal migrants were encountered at the border.

    This is three times the population of Moore County. This crisis is not just impacting border communities, this is impacting every community.

    Record numbers of illegal immigrants are crossing into our country every day, overwhelming cities nationwide, draining resources and costing taxpayers billions.

    To make matters worse, liberal states, like California, have gamed the system to provide Medicaid benefits to illegal immigrants at the expense of hardworking taxpayers. Not only is this against the law, but it further incentivizes more illegal crossings at our border and puts citizens who truly depend on the program on the back burner.

    That is unacceptable, which is why I recently introduced the Protect Medicaid Act. This common-sense bill will help protect your tax dollars from being used to subsidize illegal immigrants’ health care costs and ensure the most vulnerable among us can get the care they need.

    The absence of a secure border has posed a serious threat to the safety and security of communities nationwide.

    We have seen a significant influx of deadly drugs, especially fentanyl, being smuggled into our interior and robbing countless innocent lives.

    Just this month, a man in Cumberland County was busted trafficking more than 1,600 rainbow fentanyl pills, which usually are targeted to children.

    While President Joe Biden continues to ignore the devastating consequences of his failed open-border policies on our nation, the Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing recently to address just how bad the crisis has gotten.

    One thing was clear from the testimony: the urgent need to close our border. House Republicans passed H.R. 2, the strongest border security legislation to help solve this crisis. Yet, Senate Democrats refuse to take up this important bill.

    Their inaction — combined with Biden’s open-border policies - are continuing to worsen this crisis. But we will not stop fighting for solutions.

    As a dad and your Congressman, I am also committed to defending the right to life — endowed by God and enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

    As a Christian, I firmly believe that life begins at conception and that family is the foundation of American life.

    Before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, more than 60 million unborn children had lost their lives to abortion over the past 50 years. Since the Court’s ruling, countless innocent babies have been saved.

    However, the annual March for Life in our nation’s capital recently served as a reminder that the fight to protect the sanctity of life is not over.

    In Congress, I have advocated for all methods of protecting life and mothers, encouraging adoption, boosting resources like pregnancy centers, or fighting to stop the administration from imposing unconstitutional mandates on small businesses that go against their beliefs. Rest assured, I will never stop being a strong voice for the voiceless.

    A new year brings new opportunities to get our nation back on track and secure a brighter future for every American.

    By working together, I am confident that we will do just that.
    Until next time.

  • 20231213 161810HERWeek hosted by NC CEED and the Women’s Business Center is preparing for its annual HERWeek during Women’s History Month, March 2 to 8.

    NC CEED has opened applications for HERPitch training classes which is a prerequisite for participation in the HERPitch competition. In previous years, pitch winners have been awarded $2,500 to $7,500 in grants. HERWeek is a week-long celebration where we celebrate women and their remarkable contributions to our community. On HERPITCH day entrepreneurs, who completed a PITCH course and have been selected to participate, present their business idea in a 3 minute pitch to a panel of judges for the chance to win a reimbursable grant.

    Hannah de la Reyes Stevenson of Rosette Visual Art was a HERPitch winner from HERWeek in March 2023. She shared her experience of participating and winning the HERPitch.

    “I came to the Fayetteville Women’s Business Center to learn about running a business and I was told that there was a contest in a few weeks to win business fund money. I was skeptical about joining with it coming up so soon. But the wonderful mentors there not only encouraged me but also trained me on how to pitch a business. I am so grateful for their patience, honest feedback, and kindness," de la Reyes Stevenson said.

    For businesses and entrepreneurs interested in participating in the HERWeek Pitch Prep; How to Pitch Training, starting online on Jan. 27, or seeking further information and enrollment details, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pitch-training-session-tickets-759823150497?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

     

    This training prepares you to compete in the #HERpitch Business Pitch Competition to pitch your great idea and have the opportunity to win funding with a reimbursable grant.

    Learn how to create your business pitch! In this training, we will go over:
    • The basics of pitching your business
    • Important things to include in your pitch
    • What to expect when you compete in the business pitch competition

    About Women's Business Center of Fayetteville:

    The Women's Business Center of Fayetteville is a dedicated organization focused on empowering women entrepreneurs and providing them with the resources, training, and support they need to succeed in the business world.

    By offering comprehensive programs and events, the center aims to foster economic growth and promote self-sufficiency in the community.

    To learn more, visit www.wbcfay.org.

  • Floyd graphic essay 223435

     

    Last article we examined several factors you need to consider when purchasing a home. Today we are going to go more in depth concerning what house design and house features make people like or value a home most.

     

     

    In national surveys, almost all buyers list the following features as important to them:
    • Separate Laundry Room
    • Walk-in Kitchen Pantry
    • Front porch and rear porch/deck
    • Hardwood floors in the main living area
    • A full bath on the first floor
    • Walk-in closet in the Main Bedroom
    • Eat-in Kitchen
    • Dining Room
    • Garage Storage space.

     

    Some other interesting statistics about what buyers looked for in 2023
    • 67% of buyers wanted a single-family home
    • 60% of buyers prefered a new home
    • 85% wanted an open-concept kitchen and dining room
    • 40% of buyers thought about accessibility when shopping for homes
    • 42% of recent and prospective home buyers want a two-car garage
    • 75% of real estate agents still say that stainless steel is the most popular appliance finish, and it's now available in different colors

     

    In addition, Floyd Properties and Development Inc. has found that higher-end buyers also like these upgrade features:
    • Specialty Flooring
    • Arches and Pillars
    • Nook Spaces
    • Areas that can host large gatherings
    • Kitchen upgrades such as granite or quarts countertops; large ranges with dedicated fans and hoods; butler pantries; specialty shelving
    • Bathroom upgrades such as showers with multiple heads, and separate and stand-alone soaking tubs.

     

    Along with these higher-end upgrades, Floyd Properties is planning some Idea Homes to explore some elite design features such as:
    • Integration of the outdoors by using multiple sliding glass doors or accordion doors to open to the outside
    • Range hood pot fillers
    • Outdoor kitchen areas
    • Advanced smart technology such as remote check cameras to adjust lights, air temperature and to lock or unlock doors.
    • Special purpose rooms

     

    What do you think?

    Floor Properties invites the public to help design these houses and add features. Just go to https://floydproperties.com/ and give your opinion on what upgrade features you would like to see in the Idea Houses.

  • Liberty guidon“Fort Liberty honors the heroism, sacrifices, and values of the Soldiers Service Members, Civilians and Families who live and served with this installation. Fort Liberty is the Army’s Premier Power Platform for the Army and the largest installation by population. Fort Liberty trains more than 1 million soldiers a year across 172,000 acres of land. The combined total population of the installation is 282,000 including a little over 50,000 service members and more than 20,000 Department of the Army civilians and contractors,” according to the Fort Liberty fact sheet.

    Fort Liberty conducted a readiness exercise on Jan. 24, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. within various locations on the installation.

    “The Garrison conducts tabletop exercises throughout the year to identify concerns and refine SOP and response plans. Readiness exercises like this provide a controlled environment with our Emergency Operations Center to ensure we are able to validate our standard operating procedures,” said Shane Woodmancy, installation emergency manager.

    Army Installation Management Command is “tasked with providing quality Soldier and family services, managing post infrastructure, integrating base operations and supporting warfighter deployability during emergencies such as inclement weather, power outages, cyber attacks and mass casualty events,” said April Olsen, media relations, Fort Liberty Public Affairs Office.

    The readiness exercise on Jan. 24 was an active shooter on the installation. An active shooter event occurred on. October 27. 1995: “1 soldier was killed and 20 others were hurt Friday when a sniper opened fire on an athletic field at Fort Bragg (Liberty). The sniper allegedly fired on his unit as they prepared to start a morning run, a Fort Bragg (Liberty) spokesperson said,” according to CNN.

    “It is better to prepare for the worst, so that you are ready for the least…it is to make sure we are prepared for whatever disaster is coming,” said Adam Buehler, Lead Fort Liberty Installation Emergency Manager. “In this exercise, an active shooter led to a hostage negotiation…we must be ready for everything from natural disasters to acts of violence.’’

    The Fort Liberty Emergency Operation Center consists of Garrison command staff, “people from finance to logistics, law enforcement, fire, emergency services, all those elements send representatives here” said Buehler.

    The active shooter readiness exercise was inclusive of a mock press conference representing the event in ongoing stages on the installation. Col. John Wilcox, Fort Liberty Garrison Commander, provided updates of the active shooter. The Fire Chief, Military Police, Family Services and Emergency Services officials were available for the journalist role-players. The mock press conference included questions and follow-up to Col. Wilcox and assembled essential personnel.

    “Readiness exercises…...ensures we are able to provide the best services and responses possible to all the units, Soldiers, civilians who live and work on Fort Liberty,” said Shane Woodmancy.

  • 424574557 784000673772704 4690116513155905081 nOn January 30th, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber held its 2024 Annual Awards at The Carolina Barn, sponsored by the Huff Family Office, Piedmont Natural Gas, and Fort Liberty Federal Credit Union.

    The event brought together esteemed professionals, community leaders, and entrepreneurs to celebrate the remarkable achievements of individual and business members that have significantly contributed to the prosperity of Fayetteville. With over 300 attendees from the local business community, the event was a resounding success.

    Our Chamber team extends its congratulations to all the winners and expresses gratitude to the entire business community for their continued commitment to excellence.

    "This year's Annual Awards ceremony truly showcased the incredible talent and dedication within our business community," said Chamber President and CEO, Nat Robertson.

    "We are proud to honor these exceptional individuals and organizations that contribute to the success and vitality of Greater Fayetteville. Their accomplishments inspire us all and serve as a testament to the resilience and innovation that define our community."

     

    In recognition of our outstanding local achievers, we are pleased to announce the 17 winners of the 2024 Annual Awards as follows:

    Excellence in Innovation Award: Public Works Commission

    Business Beautification Award: Miller’s Brew

    Best in Communication Award: Up & Coming Weekly

    Young Professional of the Year Award: Ella Wrenn, Cape Fear Regional Theatre

    Public Service Award: Johnny Wilson, Fayetteville Urban Ministry

    Outstanding Educator of the Year: Dr. Marvin Connelly, Cumberland County Schools

    Ambassador of the Year Award: Jordan Blake, 5 West Media Group

    Chairman’s Service Award: Joseph “BEAR” Dewberry, On-After Bar & Grub

    Government Relations Service Award: Henry Tyson, Tyson Commercial Real Estate

    Military Affairs Council Service Award: Greg Dudak, Mercedes of Fayetteville

    Non-Profit of the Year: Cumberland Community Foundation

    Small Business of the Year: Bubba’s 33 Restaurant

    Business of the Year: Mercedes of Fayetteville

    Realtor’s Cup: Dr. Larry Keen

    The Chamber’s Breece Legacy Award: John “Mac” Healy, Healy Wholesale; Judy Dawkins, Community Supporter; Anthony & Joanne Chavonne, CityView Media

    For more information about our events or to become a sponsor, email events@faybiz.com.

  • pexels tim gouw 139762Will North Carolina snag one of two new Major League Baseball franchises? That’s what Gov. Roy Cooper, Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon, and other civic and business leaders are hoping.

    They’re prepping a bid for a team to be based either in Raleigh or Charlotte. As soon as MLB announces its process and timeline, they’ll try to make their Carolina baseball dream a reality.

    I couldn’t care less, frankly. I don’t follow professional sports closely — and even if I did, my interest would be in football, not baseball. Still, it’s a free country. If MLB does decide to expand to 32 teams and a North Carolina ownership group uses its own resources to go after a franchise, fine by me.

    That’s not what will happen, however. The prospective owners will demand that taxpayers subsidize their team by building a ballpark for it. They’ll argue that such a project will expand our economy and create new jobs. This is, in a word, false.

     

    “Sports stadiums are provably ineffective economic development tools,” writes John Mozena, a fellow with the Better Cities Project. “Once you look past rosy economic impact predictions and the glittering stadium renderings, the evidence of decades’ worth of real-world results from across the country is crystal clear: Stadiums strike out when it comes to economic development.”

    Last September, the Journal of Economic Surveys published a comprehensive review by three university professors of more than 130 academic studies of the issue. The results “confirm the decades-old consensus of very limited economic impacts of professional sports teams and stadiums,” the authors wrote. “Even with added nonpecuniary social benefits from quality-of-life externalities and civic pride, welfare improvements from hosting teams tend to fall well short of covering public outlays.”

    In other words, it costs taxpayers more to subsidize a sports enterprise than they get back in benefits.

    Some taxpayers don’t mind, of course. They are superfans who regularly attend games and derive personal enjoyment from following the team. But most residents compelled to subsidize the stadium don’t fit this description. The only way the math works for them is to benefit indirectly — by attracting legions of free-spending fans from elsewhere, or to raise the national profile of their community in ways that promote growth and development.

    That’s always the promise. It’s rarely the result. “Nearly all empirical studies find little to no tangible impacts of sports teams and facilities on local economic activity,” the professors concluded, “and the level of venue subsidies typically provided far exceeds any observed economic benefits.”

    On other issues, competing philosophical camps may hurl competing studies at each other. That’s not the case here. In 2016, three scholars affiliated with the left-of-center Brookings Institution wrote that “decades of academic studies consistently find no discernible positive relationship between sports facilities and local economic development, income growth, or job creation.”

    Tim Carney, a senior fellow at the right-of-center American Enterprise Institute, made a similar point in a 2022 column. “A city or county does not see net economic growth from subsidizing stadiums,” he wrote. “This is one of the most consistent findings in economics.”

    Now, I wasn’t born yesterday. And I’m hardly new to the stadium beat. Although the case against sports subsidies is solid, I knew full well that advocates of a Carolina team will lobby aggressively to grab our money to fund their pet project. Some politicians will fold quickly (as Governor Cooper already has). But others will understand that a tax dollar spent on a baseball park represents a tax dollar not spent on a core public service, or not available to taxpayers to spend on a good or service of their choice.

    Fiscal conservatives should be ready for a long fight. We should block any attempt to use state revenues or regional authorities to subsidize a ballpark. And we should urge our city and county officials not to get distracted by shiny objects like sports franchises. They have far more important issues to work on.

    Editor’s Note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history (FolkloreCycle.com).

  • uac021815001.gif When it comes to unique entertainment, Better Health’s Evening at the Theateris hard to beat. This annual fundraiser supports Better Health and its mission to provide for the unmet healthcare needs of Cumberland County residents through assistance, referral and education; it does it through an evening of fun and laughter. Boasting an over-the-top 1970s Vegas theme, the event is Feb. 28 at Highland Country Club.

    The evening would not be complete without a casino and a performance by none other than the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley or, in this case, Elvis tribute artist Wayne Euliss.

    The evening begins with heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks from 7-8 p.m.

    “The casino is open then and there is lots to do,” said Better Health Executive Director Judy Klinck.

    The show starts at 8 p.m. and runs until about 9:15 p.m. Long-time favorite Cassandra Vallery is the opening act with Elvis as the main show. Coffee and dessert will follow after the show and the casino will remain open until 10 p.m.

    Upon their arrival at Highland Country Club, each ticketholder will receive a $10,000 voucher that they can cash in for chips to use in the casino.

    “At the end of the night the person who has won the most in the casino will receive a prize,” said Klinck. “We have one prize — it is a gift basket of premium liquors donated by board members.

    ”Euliss, aka Elvis, grew up listening to the King, but he never really planned on becoming an entertainer.

    “My mom was a big Elvis fan. She was in high school in the ‘50s and she had an influence on me,” said Euliss. “Growing up, I would hear his records and I did sing some as a teen. I would goof around at parties and do Elvis impersonations, but I never pursued a career. When I would imitate Elvis and goof around, people would tell me I sound a lot like him.”

    It is quite a leap from goofing around and entertaining friends to becoming a professional tribute artist and for Euliss, it was a sweet gesture to his wife that changed things for him.

    “About 10 years ago, on a whim, I decided to surprise my wife at her birthday party,” he recalled. “I rented a cheesy suit and sang her a song and did my best Elvis impersonation. After that our friends and then their friends started asking me to come to perform at their birthdays and it just grew from there.”

    Now Euliss is featured in theatrical pieces, works at festivals and performs up and down the East Coast from New York to Florida.

    “I stay pretty busy with it, but I have worked for UPS for 24 years. I have to limit myself to weekend performances,” he said. “I do take Valentine’s Day week off though. I am always really busy that week.”

    As Euliss has prospered in his role as Elvis, he has committed to delivering the most authentic experience he can, right down to the flashy embroidered jumpsuits.

    “I have them custom made by the company that bought all the original designs and patterns of Elvis’ suits,” he explained. “They are custom made and it is an exact replica of the suit Elvis wore.”

    Like many performers, Elvis reinvented himself several times through the course of his career. Euliss, though, sticks with what works for him and focuses on the Las Vegas version of Elvis in the 1970s. Euliss’ three-piece band accompanies him during the performance.02-18-15-cover-story.gif

    “We do a full-blown live Vegas-style show like Elvis did in the ‘70s,” said Euliss. “I sing the hits like “Hound Dog,” “All Shook Up,” “Burning Love” and a lot of other hits from his three-decade career. If you have seen videos of him during that time, he gave out silk scarves to some of the ladies in the audience and I do that, too. I realize I am not Elvis but when you are trying to recreate the image on stage, this is part of it and it seems to work for the audience, too.”

    For almost two decades, Better Health has entertained Fayetteville with its Evening at the Theater. The show supports a great cause and for many it has become a much anticipated tradition.

    “We look forward to seeing a lot of the same people come back year after year and support our shows,” said Klinck. “I look forward to getting everyone checked in so I can watch the shows, too. They get better every year.”

    There is also a raffle as part of the event. You do not have to be present to win. Tickets are $10 or three for $25 and can be purchased by calling Better Health. The top prizes are: A suede wine carrier, accessories and picnic set with three bottles of premium wine, valued at $300; a14K gold drop pearl necklace with diamond accents, valued at $250; and a Renaissance European Day Spa package: manicure, pedicure and massage, valued at $150.

    Last year Better Health helped 350 people live a healthy life with diabetes and touched 1,080 kids and parents to prevent childhood obesity. The organization loaned medical equipment to 291 families, saving countless dollars and keeping serviceable items out of the landfill. Better Health provided assistance to 1,423 individuals for prescriptions, emergency dental extractions, medical supplies, vision exam and eyeglasses and gas vouchers to out of town medical appointments.

    Tickets to Better Health’s 18th Annual Evening at the Theater’s Viva Fay Vegas are $75 per person and can be purchased by calling 483-7534. Better Health is a United Way Community Partner.

    Photo: What happens in Vegas helps save lives in Fayetteville, as Vegas comes to town during the Better Health Evening at the Theater fundraiser at Highland Country Club.

  • chamber 1Without a doubt, Nat Robertson, President/CEO of the Fayetteville Area Chamber of Commerce, and staff celebrated their 125th Anniversary in style last week at The Carolina Barn, where over 300 attendees representing local Fayetteville businesses, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations gathered together for the Chamber's Annual Awards dinner.

    Before Robertson joined the organization, the Chamber suffered from dwindling membership, a lack of relevant programming, and poor leadership.

    Wow! What a difference a year makes! Robertson is breaking records in making the Chamber relevant to the business community and growing its membership. In addition, he is initiating new programs, fine-tuning existing ones, and offering many new value-added benefits to Chamber members.

    His hard work and dedication manifested when they celebrated this highly anticipated event. If there were any doubts about whether our Chamber was on the right path in rebuilding and fulfilling its vital role as an advocate for businesses and community, they exist no longer.

    With 15 Chamber of Commerce Achievement Awards and dozens of well-qualified and deserving nominees, it was evident that the Chamber did the due diligence needed to select the most deserving recipients.
    For ample proof, you only had to look no further than the recipient of the Realtors Cup, former President of the Fayetteville Technical Community College, Dr. Larry Keen—and Mac Healy as one of three George Breece Legacy Award honorees.

     

    Keen retired from FTCC after 16 years at the helm. The Realtors Cup is the highest honor and most prestigious Chamber award. The Longleaf Pine Realtors organizations sponsor it. It is presented to the individual who has contributed outstandingly to the Fayetteville community's economic, civic, and cultural growth.

    In addition to being a great guy, that pretty much defines Dr. Larry Keen to a tee. The fifty-plus past recipients of the Realtors Cup read like a distinguished Who's Who list of men and women who positively influenced and enhanced our quality of life.

    As mentioned, the other notable indication the Chamber carefully evaluated the qualifications of their honorees was naming Mac Healy as one of the recipients of the George Breece Legacy Award.
    This award honors individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the Chamber and the community. No one does that better, in my opinion, than Mac. He is probably the most generous and humble servant this community has.

    Undoubtedly, Mac continually goes above and beyond when it comes to investing energy, time, resources, and commitment to the Fayetteville community. He follows in his father's footsteps.
    Fritz Healy was also a great benefactor to the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Mac is a legacy, and he will leave a legacy. Fritz Healy would be proud. As the adage says, "The apple never falls far from the tree."

    Some might say that Mac should be considered for The Realtors Cup. However, he's already been bestowed that honor in 2017. Our community needs more people like Larry Keen and Mac Healy.
    To all the Chamber 2023 Annual Award winners, we say "Congratulations." My singling out Healy and Keen was only to accentuate that our Chamber of Commerce is dedicated and committed to recognizing and honoring the people, businesses, and organizations making this community enjoyable and liveable.

    Make sure you read the complete list of Chamber Award winners on page 8. You will see for yourself: The Chamber Got it Right!

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • Gallery 208 located at Up & Coming Weekly on 208 Rowan St. is open to the public weekdays from 9am - 5pm. Stop by to experience art and sculpture from local and regional artists. For more information, call 484-6200.

     

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  • pexels anna shvets 3962261"Woe is me” is much in the air these days, likely ginned up by the 2024 election cycle.

    Actually, it is more like “woe is us,” as millions of Americans decry the direction they see our nation and the world taking. Here are some of our Chicken Little fears. Our culture is increasingly violent, facilitated by out-of-control gun ownership—more guns than Americans.

    Covid threatened our lives, and human-induced climate change threatens to make the earth uninhabitable. Technology in general and A.I. in particular could get so smart, they could take control of everything, even if we humans fail to realize it. Our nation is on the brink of being overtaken by a possibly deranged, fascist dictator.

    And what if ongoing global conflicts trigger World War III? Is it wise to turn life-threatening issues such as A.I. development, climate change, and space exploration over to the private sector?

    The list of woes goes and goes.

    Tyler Austin Harper, an assistant professor of environmental studies at Bates College in Maine, recently published an article in the New York Times, addressing what he terms “extinction panics.” Working from the adage that everything old is new again, Harper asserts that such panics occur about every hundred years and that this one has arrived right on schedule. The last one struck us in the 1920s.

     

    The extinction panic of the 20th century has much in common with the one we are experiencing. The world had just survived a flu pandemic, estimated to have killed 50 million people across the globe. There were no effective treatments, much less vaccines to prevent it. The US economy seemed to be roaring, but it got so heated that it ultimately crashed in 1929, triggering the Great Depression.

    Fueling that extinction panic was the spread of fascism in Europe, which by 1939 had blossomed into what became World War II and which ended with the world’s first atomic explosions. More than 200-thousand people died almost instantly, with hundreds of thousands more maimed and/or sickened.

    It is almost impossible to miss the parallels.

    Harper quotes from HG Wells’ 1928 book, The Way the World is Going, which still resonates a century later. “Human life is different from what it has ever been before, and it is rapidly becoming more different….Perhaps never in the whole history of life has there been a living species subjected to so fiercely urgent, many-sided and comprehensive a process of changes as ours today. None at least that has survived. Transformation or extinction have been nature’s invariable alternatives. Ours is a species in an intense phase of transition.”

    Hard to argue with that.

    Harper himself seems more optimistic than Wells. He writes in the Times, “as for machine-age angst, there’s a lesson to learn here, too: Our panics are often puffed up, our predictions simply wrong.

    Human life and labor were not superseded by machines, as some in the 1920s predicted. Or in the 1960s or in the 1980s, two other flash-in-the-pan periods of A.I. hype. The takeaway is not that we shouldn’t be worried but that we shouldn’t panic. Foretelling doom is an ancient human hobby, but we don’t appear to be very good at it.”

    As for this writer, the threats seem very real and increasingly urgent. But our “species,” as Wells identified us, has indeed survived millennia by using our big brains and probably some dumb luck.
    We do see what is facing us, and if we really are smart, we will choose to act on these threats, not to ignore them.

  • 15a Cape Fear Studios is holding their annual military themed Alpha Romeo Tango show through March 21 at the Cape Fear Studios exhibit space in downtown Fayetteville.

    “The artwork itself does not have to be military themed,” said Steve Opet, Cape Fear Studios board president.

    “The artists themselves are military affiliated. The show is open to active duty, retired, veterans, all six branches of the military. It is also open to dependents and people 18 and over who are children of military affiliated people. We’ve accepted art from people who they themselves aren’t military but their fathers were WWII veterans.”

    Alpha Romeo Tango is a show inspired by the nearby Fort Bragg and military community. 15b

    “Alpha Romeo Tango” spell “art” in the military phonetic alphabet. When artists submit their pieces for the A.R.T. show, Opet asks they attach a short bio telling how the artist is affiliated with the military.

    “Right before COVID hit, the presenter for the awards was Col. Murray Mallett-Stein. When she was the presenter, she came down, put on her dress blues and gave a speech about importance of art in our community and the importance of art in the military community,” said Opet. “Last year was our first year since Covid having an in-person show. State Rep. John Szoka was the presenter in 2022.”

    15c A.R.T. was held online for two years during the COVID pandemic, and during that time, Opet was the presenter for those who attended the online shows. Opet himself is also retired military.

    “There are some really, really nice pieces (that get entered),” Opet said.

    The work on display ranges from beginner to accomplished artists, all with one goal in mind: bringing together art and the military community.

    A.R.T. is on display at the Cape Fear Studios on Maxwell Street until March 21. Cape Fear Studios is a nonprofit organization run entirely by the artists themselves.
    For more information about Cape Fear Studios and A.R.T., visit https://www.capefearstudios.com/

  • 18b This spring, Cumberland County Public Library will take part in North Carolina Reads. This annual series features five books that explore issues of racial, social and gender equality as well as the history and culture of North Carolina.
    Monthly discussions of the selected titles will take place at Headquarters Library, 300 Maiden Lane in downtown Fayetteville. All sessions are scheduled on Saturdays.

    Participants will receive free copies of each book in the series, and light refreshments will be available at the meetings.

    The series kicked off Feb. 18 with “Carolina Built” by Kianna Alexander. This novel is based on the life of Josephine N. Leary, an American entrepreneur who was emancipated in 1865 and set out to build a life of her own and a future for her family.

    The remainder of the 2023 schedule is:

    • 2 p.m. March 18: “Game Changers: Dean Smith, Charlie Scott, and the Era That Transformed a Southern College Town” by Art Chansky. This is the story of how basketball coaching legend Dean Smith and Charlie Scott, the first Black scholarship athlete at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, helped transform a university, a community and the racial landscape of sports in the South.
    • 2 p.m. April 15: “Money Rock: A Family’s Story of Cocaine, Race, and Ambition in the New South” by Pam Kelley. This gripping tale of a family swept up in the 1980s cocaine epidemic shows how racism, segregation, the war on drugs and mass incarceration help shape individual destinies.
    • 2 p.m. May 20: “Under a Gilded Moon” by Joy Jordan-Lake. Set near the turn of the 20th century, this novel explores community tensions arising out of the construction of the Biltmore Estate in western North Carolina, as seen through the eyes of a young woman with a foot in both the Appalachians and New York.
    • 2 p.m. June 17: “Step It Up and Go” by David Menconi. This book’s subtitle is “The Story of North Carolina Popular Music, From Blind Boy Fuller and Doc Watson to Nina Simone and Superchunk.” The author explains how original music is as integral to the Tar Heel State’s character as barbecue, beaches and basketball.

    North Carolina Reads is a program of the North Carolina Center for the Book and provided by North Carolina Humanities. NC Humanities will also host virtual monthly events featuring guest speakers, including book authors and topic experts.

    To register, visit www.nchumanities.org/program/north-carolina-reads/. For more information about Cumberland County Public Library’s series or to arrange pickup of the books, contact Amanda Dekker at 910-483-7727, Ext. 1409. To learn about all library programs, call 910-483-7727 or visit www.cumberlandcountync.gov/library.

     

     

  • 13 Common Roots: Many Branches is a touring exhibition featuring artists who are members of the National Alliance of Artists from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The exhibit has more than 75 pieces on display in the Rosenthal Gallery at Fayetteville State University and the Ellington-White Contemporary Art Gallery in downtown Fayetteville. Rosenthal Gallery has more of the works on display.

    The show is curated and coordinated by Dwight Smith. An artist himself, Smith has some of his works displayed in this show. He’s been a professor at Fayetteville State University for 15 years, where he teaches a variety of subjects from Renaissance to modern art and painting. Smith runs the Ellington-White Contemporary Art Gallery and curates shows at the Rosenthal Gallery.

    Up & Coming Weekly had a chance to sit down and discuss the Common Roots exhibition with Smith. We asked him why he felt it was important for this exhibit to be held at the Rosenthal Gallery.

    “We don’t have a lot of artistic venues in this area for our students to see high quality art,” he says. “Working with Black organizations like the NAAHBCU and National Conference of Artists, I’m able to create more opportunities and I’m always trying to find ways for our students to view high quality artwork from a variety of artists.”

    This touring exhibition features artists from HBCUs all around the country, especially North Carolina. Common Roots is on display until March 4, and is free and open to the public.
    The doors to the exhibition stay open throughout the day, allowing students and faculty to see high quality art at any given time. Moments like this mold artists and allow them to stay inspired throughout their educational journey.

    Celebrating Black History Month

    The Common Roots exhibition couldn’t have been held at any better time — in the middle of Black History Month, a time to celebrate, recognize and appreciate Black history and the impact it has on our country. There are many ways to celebrate this month, and one way to celebrate is to see Black creativity through art.

    U&CW asked Smith what he hopes students take away from this exhibition. He says, “I hope that the students see the potential for artistic growth and I hope this provides them with security within themselves to create the artwork they’re going to create. I really want them to understand that there are a lot of different styles and ways to make art in this exhibit, and they all work.”

    Smith has been an artist for more than five decades, celebrating his 50th year of art a couple years ago at the Arts Council in downtown Fayetteville. His love for art grew as a child in school where he was able to have an art curriculum that allowed students to take art classes in elementary, middle and high school. He had his first art show when he was 19, then went on to further his education and received his Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Arts and Master of Fine Arts.

    Being involved with art most of his life, Smith acknowledges that being an art professor and being able to help his students grow as artists can feel like a full circle moment for him. U&CW asked if he gets more joy from showcasing his own work as an artist or teaching his students and watching them learn.

    “I like both! I never thought I’d be an art teacher. I was asked to be a guest painting instructor back in 2007. I’ve enjoyed being able to work with the students and I really love being able to teach the knowledge to my students that I’ve gained over the years from people that have helped me grow and become the person that I am today,” Smith says.

    “I love showing my work and exhibiting, it gets me to a lot of different places round the world, but I love teaching the student, too.”

    Representation Matters

    Having representation in the Black community is extremely important. So often, the African American community gets boxed into what they can or can’t do or can and can’t be. Smith’s active involvement in so many artistic ventures in the city paired with his academic accolades, he is able to be that representation for his students at a historically Black university, as well as younger artists he encounters while networking in the community.

    Smith doesn’t take his duty as a Black role model in art and the teaching profession lightly. “My responsibility is to Black people, and the Black community. As a senior Black man, it’s my job to show and present the highest quality of art possible to the Black community and Black students to help them grow and to enrich their opportunities and exposure to things. Many times, we don’t have the exposure that we need to grow, but our job is to ensure we give as much exposure as we can. It’s my job to be a role model to my students.”

    There are many talented Black artists on display in Fayetteville during this Black History Month by teachers, students, freelancers and hobbyists. It’s truly amazing to see art being celebrated this way in our city and we know the art scene will continue to thrive with great artists and teachers at the forefront.

    Common Roots: Many Branches is filled with all kinds of art mediums including large scale photography prints, mixed media paintings and even sculpture work. Rosenthal Gallery is located on the FSU campus at 1200 Murchison Road. The Ellington–White Contemporary Art Gallery is located at 113 Gillespie Street. For more information call 910-483-1388.

  • 12 Actress, director, and activist Nadine Labaki said of filmmaking: “Cinema is not only about making people dream. It’s about changing things and making people think.”

    Throughout its 130-year history, film has been a universally beloved form of entertainment and a crystal clear lens by which to view society.

    A film can be a window to another world, far away places, and an opportunity to see into the lives of others. In collaboration with The Arts Council of Fayetteville and Cumberland County and its Black Culture Experience, The North Carolina African Film Festival is coming to Fayetteville from Friday, Feb. 24 to Sunday, Feb. 26 at the Volta Space in Downtown Fayetteville.

    The Black Culture Experience, which runs from February through March, is “a series of compelling programs selected by the Arts Council that educate, uplift and empower communities of color,” shared Christy McNeil, Director of Marketing for the Arts Council.

    The festival focuses on filmmakers from Africa and the African Diaspora who bring stories from the continent to life in innovative, compelling ways. According to their website,

    “The art of cinematic storytelling manifests through treasured tales of social issues, economic disparities, conflict resolutions and global inequalities faced by communities of African descent to learn from the past and visualize all the possibilities that advancement brings.”

    Film festivals, at their core, are a celebration of art and an opportunity for audiences to experience stories that might go otherwise unseen. The idea of “connection,” using the past to inform the future, and closing cultural gaps are just a few of the festival’s aims since its debut in 2020.

    This year’s films offer an exciting array of languages, settings and issues that are perhaps specific to African culture but speak to humanity as a whole.
    Olive Nwosu, in a blend of Yoruban and English, explores the complexity of returning home after the death of a parent in her film “Egúngún.”

    “Mmam Moeketsi,” directed by Reabetswe Moeti, tells the brutal true story of wage politics in South Africa. Other films on the docket deal with the fear and uncertainty of being undocumented, strained family relationships, and mental illness — topics that should resonate with audiences from every corner of the globe.

    In addition to the film screening, festival-goers can attend artist-talk sessions, various workshops related to film and filmmaking, and several networking opportunities.
    For aspiring filmmakers, the North Carolina African Film Festival offers a chance to see the fine machinery of filmmaking up close and an opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade.

    The North Carolina African Film Festival offers the audience an intimate gaze into the lives of Black people as told by Black people. These aren’t stories about Africa from the distorted lens of Hollywood but an opportunity to walk hand in hand on the streets of Soweto or the villages of Nigeria with the people who call them “home.”

    For more information about the festival and a full list of films visit https://www.ncafricanfilmfestival.com/. The Volta Space is located at 116 Person St.

  • 11b Free public book boxes have been popping up around neighborhoods over the past decade, giving kids and adults access to books. They can take a book or leave a book. Now imagine that same concept but with art.

    The Little Art Box, located in the Haymount neighborhood, showcases local art from kids and adults alike. You can put in what you’d like and take something if you love it.

    Meredith Talian, the creator and curator of the Little Art Box, came up with the idea after seeing a woman in Seattle do a similar project. Talian thought about making something similar for Fayetteville.
    Last September, the Arts Council gave a mini-grant to the Little Art Box that supported a local carpenter to build the box and art supplies for the box. In January, the box was open for business.

    “I've had people at it every single day,” Talian said.

    People can put in anything they or someone else has created — a piece of art, a handmade craft, a child’s creation, a plant cutting, or anything creative.

    This tiny community gallery is a place for professional artists, kids, hobbyists, amateurs, and just about anyone who can paint on paper, color a rock or make a cute little pot.

    “I was most excited when the very first person put something in about, I want to say, like an hour after I posted that it was open. I had a lady come by and put cuttings in, and I thought that was really, really special."

    "We've had a lot of bead art that's been really cute, like little keychains, and those have been really popular. So that's been really fun. And then I had my first piece by an actual artist,” Talian said. 11a

    Those who walk or drive by the box can also take a piece of art home with them.

    “When you just take stuff like you don't have to keep it forever, [you can] just enjoy it. Do whatever you want with it, and kids are just going to keep putting it out there. So that's the biggest thing is just getting people to take stuff from it. But that's getting better too. People are taking things, so it's fun.”

    Below the main box is a drawer with craft and art supplies for kids and adults.

    Talian is doing themes for the different months for the art kits. For February, there are watercolor postcard kits, ideal for sending someone love.

    “The art supplies go pretty fast,” Talian remarked. “I've gotten donations just dropped off at my door of art supplies. That's been great.”

    People can also donate or buy supplies to help keep the Little Art Box stocked. These supplies can be paint, glue sticks, leftover construction paper, or whatever art supplies you want to donate. There is also an Amazon wishlist for their monthly craft kits, which can be accessed at https://amzn.to/3lcRnp7.

    Updates on the Little Art Box can be seen on Facebook and Instagram at @thelittleartboxfayetteville. The Little Art Box, which is open at all hours, is located at 221 Woodcrest Road.

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        Times are tough all over.And in order to survive this uncertain economic climate, businesses are cutting back, including in vital areas such as health insurance.
        However, here in Cumberland County, some entities are trying to educate the public that when it comes to beating back the high costs of health insurance coverage, a little investment in prevention now will go a long way toward preserving the bottom line further down the road.
        Leading the proactive charge toward a future of lower health costs is the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce. On Jan. 15, the Chamber announced the launch of a new health plan exclusive to Chamber members — ChamberCare. According to the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce, “ChamberCare, administered by WellPath and in partnership with Doctor’s Direct Health Care, gives small businesses big business benefits along with affordable premiums and access to a strong, local health network comprised of local physicians and the Cape Fear Valley Health System.”
        The crux of the Chamber’s plan is Know Your Number — a disease risk assessment tool that employs patented next generation morbidity modeling for identifying the risk for onset of chronic disease and disease complications.
    Gary Cooper, director of special projects for the Chamber, says the program is typically only available to much larger companies and is expected to save small business thousands through preventive measures.
        “What makes ChamberCare unique is that premiums that WellPath provides to our businesses will be as competitive, if not cheaper, than any other carrier that currently does business in Cumberland County,” said Cooper, “but it carries an added feature to it that is a wellness piece called Know Your Number, where Doctor’s Direct will go to the employer and will take vitals of all the employees on the healthcare plan — height, weight, cholesterol count — all those vitals, and they will, with the assistance of physicians in the community, come up with a plan for them to be more healthy. So, in the long run, that’s going to be better for the small business healthcare plan because their employees are going to be more healthy and eventually they’ll see their health premiums decrease because of the health of their employees.”
        Cooper says that among those in the community singing the praises of the plan is Mike Nagowski, president of the Cape Fear Valley Health System.
        “He (Nagowski) sees this as another way to help eliminate some of the uninsured costs that they write off every year,” said Cooper. “About 60 percent of all uninsured Americans are employed by small businesses … which means at some point they’re going to have to have healthcare and if they don’t have insurance and they don’t have means to pay for it, then folks like Cape Fear Valley will treat them but they will have to write them off. So Mike was very excited about the fact that we have this plan. He sees it not only as a benefit to Cape Fear Valley but to all citizens because we own that hospital … So it’s a way of making it more profitable.”
        The program is available only to Chamber members and can be sold only by insurance salesmen and brokers who are Chamber members. Cooper says that currently, seven different groups have received quotes under the ChamberCare plan, with one business that is very close to actually implementing the plan.
        Not only are local businesses already showing interest in the plan, but a handful of groups across the state have, according to Cooper, expressed “envy” over the ChamberCare plan.
        “Since Jan. 15, I have talked to the Raleigh Chamber, the Asheville Chamber, the Wayne County/Goldsboro Chamber,” said Cooper, “and they are all envious of fact that we were able to put something together because they have all been looking at this or trying to develop something like this for a number of years and have not been able to come up with it.”
        This idea of using an ounce of prevention to prevent a pound of illnesses is not unique to the Chamber. The city of Fayetteville also utilizes a wellness plan to save money on health costs … both for the city and its employees.
    Terrie Hutaff, the city of Fayetteville’s human resources director, says the city’s projected healthcare costs for the current fiscal year are $10.6 million, with the city’s share being $8.4 million — that’s for 1,200 employees and 130 retirees.
        However, Hutaff says the city has started a wellness program utilizing biometric screening through third party administrator United Healthcare to lower future health costs. The program has been carried out in several phases: phase one was a survey to employees asking about health-related issues with the answers sent to United Healthcare for a follow-up with employees who had significant issues. Phase two is voluntary biometric screening, with incentives for employees who participate. Next year, Hutaff says the city hopes to move toward charging premium differentials for people who participate in the biometric screening.
        “What biometric screening gets us is those people who may be unhealthy and don’t even know they have issues but will now find out about it,” said Hutaff. “We are also going to start this year through risk management to offer some different wellness discounts … exercise classes … those types of things; we still have a good portion going toward lifestyle issues, so those are the people we’re going after, as well as those people who are unhealthy who may not currently be receiving treatment because they didn’t realize they had high blood pressure or diabetes.”
        Hutaff says the city has received a grant to help pay for the medicine needed by workers suffering from diabetes and high cholesterol. She says this program — which started in the city of Asheville — prevents serious complications by covering the pharmacy co-pays for those who can’t afford the medicine and would simply go without.
        “It seems to us to be very smart to pay for the co-pay for those types of illnesses instead of paying for, say, open heart surgery,” said Hutaff. “In the short term it may cost us but in the long term if it saves us one claim we can more than recoup our cost of paying for the co-pays for those types of medicines.”

  •    Established in 1997, 316 Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill is one of Fayetteville’s best-known and best-loved seafood restaurants. Located at 316 Owen Drive, the menu sets the tenor for what you can expect by proudly proclaiming “shopping coastal markets daily to bring their customers the freshest fish available.”
       From mahi-mahi to grouper to red snapper — 316 Oyster Bar & Grill offers an extensive seafood selection. It’s especially famous for its top-of-the-line oysters, hence the name.
       {mosimage}The building, inside and out, displays a unique style: lofty palm trees and glowing overhead velvet lights offer a retro dining experience and charming ambiance. Leather booths wrap stylishly around the edges of the room, though I took my seat at one of the more centrally located tables. The comfortable, laid-back atmosphere and the restaurant’s artsy midnight, scarlet, and neon accents make it an out-of-the ordinary dining experience. Adding to the atmosphere is a nonsmoking area for those of you who can’t tolerate tobacco plumes with your talapia.
       A long list of appetizers includes oyster Rockefeller — oysters tipped with spinach and bacon; alligator bites — spicy alligator nibblers with a tangy sauce; and, perhaps the restaurant’s signature dish... raw oysters on the half shell, served by the half-dozen or dozen. For those of you who desire something a little less intense to start your meal, crispy golden chicken fingers are also available in a number of styles. The portioning was just enough to keep me satisfied until the entrees were delivered.
       I enjoyed the distinctive Cajun flavoring found in the restaurant’s seasonal shrimp and sausage gumbo — a seafood and meat soup that includes celery, tomato and okra. My server, James, graciously brought out a sample and I was so impressed I decided to order a cup with my entrée. I just so happen to be a gumbo person, so this won my vote for best menu item.
       A signature entrée is the restaurant’s seafood grill  a savory combination of shrimp, scallops and salmon (grilled or blackened), which mixes well with the restaurant’s fresh leafy salad.
       The lobster grill is not only fresh, but has an outstanding, tender texture and added spices, such as garlic, Cajun, and black pepper. Can I have seconds?
       Other items that can be found “swimming” around on the menu are filet mignon, black angus beef rib eye and lobster fettuccini, as well as various entrées offering a combination of two or three seafood options. Items across the menu are a little above average in pricing, but the delectable entrees, portions, environment, and staff make the experience rise above the cost.
       The service far exceeded expectations — gregarious, attentive and quick to replenish my drinking glass.
       Because of the diversity of people who gather at 316, it’s a particularly pleasant place to take guests from out of town — especially if your guests love seafood. And if you’re so inclined, be sure to treat yourself to a drink from the full-service bar; specialties include a Cosmotini — a martini concocted with vanilla Stoli, Grand Marnier, cranberry juice and a squeeze of orange. The selection of beer on tap is especially diverse. And for those of you who are a bit daring, the Rooster Shooter is calling your name: a shot of raw oysters, beer and horseradish. If you can knock down this incredibly intense shot, you can leave with the glass in hand.
       In short, 316 Oyster Bar & Seafood offers an attentive, friendly and knowledgeable staff serving some of the best seafood you’ll find.
       I cannot wait to dive in again!

    Contact Victoria Alexander at tim@upandcomingweekly.com
  • 19 Danny Anderson and Wife The Rev. Danny Anderson hails from the state of West Virginia, but his entire preaching career has been spent in North Carolina.He recently added Highland Baptist Church in Hope Mills to his resume as he became the church’s pastor in mid-February.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • pexels caleb oquendo 4883870Get ready to be blown away by the electrifying sounds of the Blazin' Brass concert! On Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m., the talented brass and percussion sections of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra will take the stage to deliver a performance that will leave you in awe. This is a musical event that you won't want to miss!

    The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra is known for their exceptional talent and their ability to captivate audiences with their musical prowess. Their brass and percussion sections are no exception.

    “This performance includes 2 percussionists and 14 brass musicians (5 French horns, 4 trombones, 4 trumpets, 1 tuba),” says Anna Meyer, the FSO’s executive director.

    The highlighted compositions showcased in the program feature Ottorino Respighi's "Ancient Airs and Dances Suite" and Eric Ewazen's "Symphony in Brass."

    Ottorino Respighi's "Ancient Airs and Dances Suite" is a collection of masterful pieces that pay homage to the music of the Renaissance and Baroque eras.

    As you listen, you'll be swept away by the intricate melodies and rich harmonies, feeling as though you're strolling through the grand halls of a medieval castle or dancing at a lavish courtly ball. Respighi's ability to capture the essence of these ancient melodies and bring them to life is truly remarkable, and you'll find yourself captivated by the beauty and elegance of each movement.

    The piece is a series of three suites. The group will perform a movement from each of the three suites.
    Another gem in this program is Eric Ewazen's "Symphony in Brass," a powerful and dynamic piece that showcases the versatility and brilliance of the brass section.

    From the commanding opening notes to the intricate interplay between the different brass instruments, this symphony is a true testament to the range and expressive capabilities of this often-overlooked family of instruments. Ewazen's composition is a tour de force, combining elements of classical and contemporary styles to create a truly unique and exhilarating musical experience. The symphony builds in intensity, leading the listener on a thrilling journey that culminates in a triumphant finale.

    The stunning Haymount United Methodist Church will serve as the backdrop for this upcoming performance. The FSO has previously held performances at this venue, including their "Holiday Brass" concert last season.

    Tickets range from $5 to $32 and can be purchased on the FSO’s website: https://www.fayettevillesymphony.org/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • 2023 CeCe 4 HannahCorwinThe incomparable CeCe Winans is coming to the Crown Theatre on Wednesday, March 6, to debut her brand-new album More Than This, featuring her new hit single That’s My King. Fans are encouraged to grab tickets early, as Winans usually sells out her events.

    VIP tickets are already sold out, but those wanting to attend can still find tickets ranging from $35 to $75 at Ticketmaster.com.

    Doors open at 6 p.m., with the concert starting at 7 p.m..

    CeCe Winans's career spans over three glorious decades, garnering accolades and awards around the globe. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Winans grew up in the church singing, a common start for many artists past and present. Throughout her career, she has accumulated 15 Grammys, 16 Stellar Awards, and 27 Dove Awards, a number that not many artists can match or supersede.

    That’s My King is the first single of Winan's new album.

    “..it’s about inspiration. We need to be encouraged. We need to be reminded that when you believe, there are benefits that come with that. We understand that the God that we serve is the creator of all things and he has all power, he has all wisdom and you’re a daughter of the King. And this song proclaims Jesus is King. It’s got a little boast in it,” Winans said of her choice to make this the first single of her new album.
    CeCe Winans started her music career alongside her brother BeBe in the early 80s singing with a gospel group, but by the late 80s, they started carving out a space for themselves musically.

    The duo made their mark with their self-titled debut album BeBe and CeCe Winans in 1987. Over the course of their lengthy career, they released not only gospel songs but R&B as well. The singing sensation doesn’t just sing. She has also appeared in the acting arena, including the 1994 episode of Martin entitled The First Noel. The episode featured the performers as themselves during a Christmas special gone wrong. The episode was a success and an experience that Ms. Winans is reminded of by fans to this day. She has also made appearances on Living Single, 7th Heaven and The Tonight Show stage when Jay Leno was still at the helm. She has performed at the White House and countless Christmas specials, gospel celebrations, and awards shows.

    Count on Me, her duet with the late, great Whitney Houston, for the soundtrack of the classic hit Waiting to Exhale, garnered her a secular audience and racked up playtime on the airwaves, hitting the top 10 on the Billboard top Pop, R&B, and Contemporary.

    Her longevity as an artist has led to her induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, a space on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the Nashville Music City Walk of Fame.

    CeCe Winans and her brother parted ways as a music duo in 1995 to pursue their solo careers. Winan's solo career continues to thrive, 29 years later.

    Her discography as a solo artist is massive. Her debut album, Alone in His Presence, dropped in 1995 and set the tone and pace for the 15 albums that would follow, including More Than This, which will be released in April. Her fourth album, Alabaster Box, was released on October 19, 1999, under Winan's label WellSpring, and executive produced by her husband Alvin Love II.

    Her solo albums have earned her quite the reputation for winning at awards shows, taking home an NAACP Image Award, Soul Train Award, and Essence Award.

    The titles that Winans holds most highly are those of mother and wife. She has two children with her husband. While music has been a big part of Winan’s life, it has not been the only venture. She and her husband founded Nashville Life Church in Nashville, Tennessee.

    She is also the founder of Generations Live! Women’s Conference. A one-of-a-kind Christian Women’s Conference, the aim is to bring together different generations of women to worship and learn. The conference will be held in Nashville, May 10 and 11 at Belmont University, a Mother’s Day gift that mothers and daughters can enjoy together.

    “We’re better together. Being ministered to separately is awesome and it has its place. But it’s really important that we understand that it’s a ministry of us together. There are things that my mother carried that I got to get. There are things that I carry that my daughter has to get. There are things that my daughter carries that I have to get. God made it that we are stronger as a family unit,” Winans said.
    Winans is also a best-selling author, having written 6 books, including her latest, Believe For It: Passing On Faith To The Next Generation debuting in the Christian Top 10.

    The Goodness Tour marks CeCe Winans's first tour since 2022. After two years, she is hitting the road and packing churches and small venues all over America. While Winans could easily pack a stadium, she is very intentional in where she stops on her tours.

    “We did churches on my last tour. The first half we did churches and in the second half we did arenas. We did about six arenas, which was awesome and both have their advantages and disadvantages. I think the churches have advantages and disadvantages. You can’t get as many people in there but the advantage is, it feels like church…and reaching people in areas where they maybe can’t make it to the major cities,” Winans said of her tour stops.

    There is no sign of Winans slowing down anytime soon. Touring until May and a women’s conference, while leading a church… there is nothing this woman of God can’t do.

    For more information on the Generations Live! Conference, and tour dates and to download the new single visit https://cecewinans.com/.

  • 23 01 Danielle NovakDanielle Novak

    South View • Softball/volleyball • Senior

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

    23 02 Davin SchmidtDavin Schmidt

    South View • Soccer• Senior

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

  • 17 Brower ParkHere are some Hope Mills news odds and ends taken from recent reports compiled by Town Manager Melissa Adams:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

  • pexels eva bronzini 6068494If you are not aware, this year is known as The Year of the Dragon. The Lunar New Year was formally observed on February 10th. The Lunar New Year marks the start of the new year according to the lunar calendar.

    The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar that combines the Moon's phases and the Earth's orbit around the Sun. It is traditionally utilized for religious observances, festivals and agricultural planning.
    In contrast to the majority of other calendars, the Chinese calendar does not utilize a continuous numbering system for years. Instead, it employs a cyclical naming convention, where names are repeated every 60 years. This cycle aligns with the five repetitions of the Chinese zodiac, which consists of 12 animals. This year’s animal is the dragon.

    The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra aims to draw attention to and celebrate the start of the Year of the Dragon.

    “It is one of the most important and celebrated holidays in several Asian countries. The holiday is rich with cultural significance, symbolizing the beginning of a new year filled with luck, prosperity, and happiness,” commented Meghan Woolbright, the marketing and office manager of the FSO.

    The upcoming performance will showcase "The Year of the Dragon" composed by Philip Sparke. Originally composed for a brass band in 1984 and subsequently adapted for a wind band, "The Year of the Dragon" is a vibrant musical composition consisting of three movements.

    Also planned for the concert is a performance of "Korean Folk Song" composed by John Barnes Chance. This musical composition is inspired by a traditional melody that the composer encountered during his time in Seoul, Korea, while he was serving in the U.S. Army.

    This program is part of the Fayetteville Symphonic Band’s concert series.

    “The Fayetteville Symphonic Band is a community of instrumentalists who are serious about keeping good wind band music in Fayetteville. The band’s membership is around 55, consisting mostly of wind and percussion musicians. The director of the band is Dr. Daniel McCloud, who plays in the Fayetteville Symphony’s percussion section and also is their Assistant Conductor,” explains Anna Meyer, the executive director at the symphony.

    An exciting addition to this performance will be The Fayetteville Symphony’s collaboration with New Century International Elementary School's Chinese Immersion program.

    At New Century International Elementary School kindergartners enter a Chinese immersion program. By the time they complete fifth grade they are fluent in both Chinese and English. This program not only offers students the opportunity to become bilingual but also promotes acceptance of different cultures and customs.

    "Year of the Dragon" will take place on Tuesday, March 5 starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Huff Concert Hall at Methodist College. 

    Admission is free. For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1714584462383046

  • 22 01 Vernon AldridgeThe schedule is set for the annual Cumberland County Schools Football Jamboree, with few changes from last year’s event.
    This year’s games will be Thursday, Aug. 13 at South View High School and Friday, Aug. 14, at Terry Sanford High School. That will be the first athletic event held in Terry Sanford’s rebuilt stadium.

    There is no rain date for either scrimmage. A final decision on ticket prices will be made at next month’s Cumberland County Schools athletic directors meeting.
    Vernon Aldridge, student activities director for the Cumberland County Schools, said all of the non-Cumberland County schools that took part in last year’s jamboree asked to return this season.

    22 02 Bill SochovkaOne of the main reasons may have been a change Aldridge made last year, switching the format from what most jamborees do in having four teams on the field at the same time, each pair playing on half the field.

    Last year, Cumberland County changed to a full-field format for each scrimmage session. Aldridge indicated that was a hit with the coaches.

    “It allowed them to open up their playbooks,’’ Aldridge said. “It also allowed them to know they could return punts, and to get in some snaps out there with the kicker
    and punter.’’

    Pine Forest football coach Bill Sochovka, who has spent 25 years at the school, the last 13 as head coach, echoed some of Aldridge’s points about the advantage of full-field
    scrimmages.

    “It gives a really good sense of where your kids are in terms of game preparation,’’ he said. He added it’s a benefit for younger players, especially quarterbacks, who get a better sense of the speed of the game on a full field.

    “You coach all year, do your 7-on-7’s, then all of a sudden you’ve got a full rush,’’ Sochovka said. “It also helps when you break down film the following week.’’

    Another big plus since Aldridge expanded the county scrimmage to bring in more outside teams is Cumberland County Schools don’t have to see someone they’ll play in the regular season.

    “You don’t want to do that,’’ Sochovka said of meeting a regular-season opponent in a scrimmage setting.’’

    Here is the schedule for the 2020 BSN Cumberland County Schools Football Jamboree:
     
    Thursday, Aug. 13 at South View High School
    5 p.m. - Lumberton vs. Douglas Byrd
    6 p.m. - Hoke County vs. Overhills
    7 p.m. - Union Pines vs. Gray’s Creek
    8 p.m. - Clinton vs. Pine Forest
    9 p.m. - Seventy-First vs. South View

    Friday, Aug. 14 at Terry Sanford High School
    5 p.m. - Apex Friendship vs. Triton
    6 p.m. - St. Pauls vs. Westover
    7 p.m. - Richmond Senior vs. Cape Fear
    8 p.m. - Scotland vs. Terry Sanford
    9 p.m. - E.E. Smith vs. Jack Britt
  • 13 01 Sharifa Johnson Sharifa Johnson thinks the direction modern education has taken is putting the instruction of children in an unpleasant place.

    “We are taking all the fun out of learning,’’ she said. “We are really trying to focus on test-taking and not creating thinkers.’’

    That’s why she’s created a program called Books N’ Bops, which she feels will put more fun in the learning process but not overlook the importance of  educating young people at the same time. 

    Johnson has scheduled a series of Books N’ Bops sessions at the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center on Rockfish Road.

    The next session will be Saturday, Feb. 22, with another session scheduled Saturday, March 21.

    13 02 bnb logoThere will be sessions for two different age groups. The first, at 9:30 a.m., will be for children ages 3-5. The second, for children ages 6-8, will be at 10:30 a.m. Each session will last 45 minutes and the cost is $10 per student.

    To sign up, parents should come to the recreation center office during normal business hours.

    A minimum of five students and a maximum of 15 will be allowed to take part in each class, so parents are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible to assure the class can be held.Johnson started Books N’ Bops eight months ago, drawing on her many years of experience as both an educator and a dancer.She’s been a teacher at all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten through the college years, for a total of 15 years in that role.

    Her dancing career is even longer. Now 37, she got her first taste of dance when her mother took her to see "The Nutcracker" at age five. “I fell in love, so she took me to dance class,’’ Johnson said.

    In the 32 years she’s been a dancer, Johnson said she’s tried just about every discipline there is. “I’ve done ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop and African,’’ she said.

    She attended North Carolina A&T in Greensboro before graduating in 2005 with degrees in English and secondary education. She returned to earn a masters degree in English and African-American literature.

    Johnson sees Books N’ Bops as a way of educating the whole child, but using a simple method to do it. The lesson starts with Johnson reading the children a short book.

    13 01 Sharifa Johnson She and the children discuss different aspects of literature. “If it’s fiction, we talk about things that kid will still be tested on, but we do it in a really fun way,’’ she said.

    After the reading and discussion are over, Johnson teaches the children an originally choreographed dance that is connected to the story they just finished.

    The dance is also a way of instilling confidence in the children as they are given the opportunity to perform. Johnson said connecting the reading element with dance movements creates a long-lasting learning impression. 

    “You’ll remember that dance,’’ she said. “If you hear a song, you’ll remember you did that dance to that. You’ll have a connection to the book and you’ll remember what you were talking about.Because it was a fun activity and something you actually enjoyed doing, the movement helps to put it through the whole body, so the whole body understands the story.’’

    One of the real strengths of Books N’ Bops, Johnson said, is she can adjust it to work with all kinds of age groups, even age groups that might be a little far apart.

    “If you tell me you have a group the ages of five to 12, I can find a book that will engage everyone,’’ Johnson said.

    “I’ll make the dance where it’s easy enough for the younger ones, but the older ones can enjoy it as well.’’

    Johnson said she’s also working on a writing and dance program for older children.

    As for deciding what book to read from, Johnson said she tries to gear it with whatever the popular curriculum is with local teachers in that age group.

    “I’ve done a lot of day cares,’’ she said. “If you’re talking about dinosaurs that week, I’m going to go out and find a dinosaur book.’’

    Johnson said she typically visits local libraries to choose her books, which can vary from the preferred topics of the day to classic books available for children.

    “I have to think about what age group I’m talking to,’’ she said. “That also determines the length of the book I get because their attention span is different.’’

    Johnson said her program is flexible and can be adapted to any setting outside of the traditional school environment that is child friendly. “I can make it come together,’’ she said. “I can be everywhere in the community.’’

    In addition to doing traditional teaching settings, Johnson recently held a Books N’ Bops birthday party. She said she is also able to do church events.

    To find out more about what Books N’ Bops is about, visit Johnson on her Books N’ Bops Facebook and Instagram accounts.

    She can be contacted via email at booksnbops@gmail.com or 919-869-0210.

    “I love teaching and I love dance and I get to share my joy,’’ Johnson said. “Whether it be a kid who finally performs or they actually get literacy concepts, the lights are going off.

    “I just want everyone to love to learn and to love to read and love literacy.’’

  • pexels radomir jordanovic 1644888Assisting and empowering local women are the goals of the Women's Business Center of Fayetteville at the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development.

    Since 2022, the WBC's #HERFayetteville events have aimed to empower women through mentorship, education, networking and collaboration. All events are being organized by the Women's Business Center of Fayetteville.

    Efforts to celebrate #HERFayetteville 2024 focus on "Heart, Equality and Resilience" and commemorate the March observances of International Women's Day and Women's History Month. Each day consists of virtual and in-person events.

    In a 2023 Up & Coming Weekly interview, CEED Executive Director Suzy Hrabovsky shared her excitement for # HERWEEK's return.

    "This is a week-long celebration of what women have done, what they can do, celebrating each other and coming together. So often, we hear negative things about women's empowerment, but this is just an inclusive, celebratory pat on the back and a time just to be happy and excited about what we've done and to continue to move forward and take a little time to catch our breath," Hrabovsky said.

    The March 2-8 events have specific themes correlated as hashtags; as attendees go or participate in an event, they are encouraged to use the hashtags for their social media posting. Here is an overview of what to expect for #HERWEEK 2024.

    Day One: Sat., March 2
    #HERMoney; #HERWheels Car Show; #HERBeauty and Wellness
    #HERWEEK Fayetteville starts its debut day in 2024 with a trifecta of tempting choices.
    • In partnership with Cumberland County Public Libraries, the WBC brings the Financial Literacy Community Library Tour to town for the #HERMoney focus.
    • Next, the center joins with wellness co-op Blissful Alchemists and the Southern Lux Sistas With Jeeps club to showcase some amazing jeeps and cars at the #HERWheels Car Show. The event features vendors, a kid's area, wrenching workshops, trophies, guest speakers, and more.
    • Blissful Alchemists also sponsors the #HERBeauty and Wellness expo. A health and beauty extravaganza with over 40 vendors, the event offers essentials tailored to the wellness needs of women.

    Day Two: Sun, March 3
    #HERSpirit
    • This virtual event focuses on spiritual wellness and women empowerment and what that means for women seeking balance and spirituality in their everyday lives. Register and receive updates from sessions with life coaches Dr. Patrice Carter and Cammy Kennedy.

    Day Three: Mon., March 4
    #HERService
    • Through this virtual event, the WBC proudly highlights the female workers supporting the community as firefighters, EMS workers, teachers, police officers and military personnel.
    "We've done a bunch of interviews with different women in the community, from teachers to veterans to women who are firefighters, women who are at the 911 station, just women doing different services in our community," Hrabovsky said of #HERService in the same interview.

    Day Four: Tues., March 5
    #HERImpact and #HERPitch
    • The Greek Hellenic Center at 614 Oakridge Ave., in Fayetteville, is the host site of the 2024 #HERImpact and #HERPitch programs, featuring brunch, a motivational program and the WBC's business pitch competition where numerous Fayetteville women will vie for the chance to win grants of up to $2,500 per pitch. The WBC aims to assist socially and economically disadvantaged females in starting and expanding small businesses.

    Day Five: Wed., March 6
    #HERBusiness
    • The fifth day of #HERFayetteville is about having fun while business networking. The citywide Business Scavenger Hunt encourages citizens to visit various business locations — a list will be available — to take photos and post the images online, tagging the businesses and the WBC's social media pages. Participants receive a point for each visit to go toward points in a media raffle.

    Day Six: Thurs., March 7
    #HERSafety
    • Silhouettes Firearms Training, 1165 N. Bragg Blvd., Spring Lake, invites the women of Fayetteville and Cumberland County to its first #HERSafety Sip & Equip event. Attendees will engage with Silhouettes Firearms Training owner and personal safety consultant Andréa Williams as they delve into the world of personal safety.

    Day Seven: Friday, March 8
    International Women's Day 2024
    #HERSports
    • By collecting inspiring testimonials from local women's sports affiliates — management, team and female players — the WBC shows its support of the women in the sports industry and Fayetteville's new semi-professional soccer team, Fayetteville Fury. Sign up to listen in!

    To find information on #HERWEEK Fayetteville event fees and to register, see https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/herweek-fayetteville-3095349.

  • 21 EENobody’s cranking up heavy machinery and clearing land just yet, but the Cumberland County Commissioners recently addressed the idea of some day having to relocate E.E. Smith High School.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • 12 Hope Mills recreationWhen Stephen Kessinger worked at the Hoke County Parks and Recreation Department, he collaborated with Maxey Dove of the Hope Mills Recreation and Parks Department to hold a season-ending basketball showcase pitting the top youth recreation teams from each county against each other. 

    After joining the Hope Mills staff less than two years ago, Kessinger said he and Dove agreed the basketball event was something they needed to keep going.

    Next month, for the fifth year in a row, the Hoke vs. Hope Mills basketball showdown will continue.

    This year’s event will be held March 3-4, a Tuesday and Wednesday, with four games scheduled in the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department gymnasium on Rockfish Road.

    Play begins the first night at 6 p.m. with the 8U Junior Pee Wee game, followed at 7 p.m. by the 10U Pee Wee game.

    The following night at 6 p.m. will be the 12U Midget game. The final game at 7 p.m. will feature the 15U juniors.

    Kessinger said the idea for having the basketball showdown came from the tradition in recreation baseball and softball where all-star teams that advance into regional and state play are chosen at the end of the season.

    There is no playoff format like that for basketball, so Kessinger said the idea was to give the basketball teams a chance to compete beyond the regular season. Unlike the all-star concept in baseball and softball, the teams that take part in the Hoke-Hope Mills games are teams that competed during the year. In the baseball and softball all-star competition, the coaches of the all-star team picFk their squad from players who competed on various league teams during the regular season.

    The league champion from four different age brackets in each county advances to the one-game showdown, which has always been held in Hope Mills since the Hoke County recreation department doesn’t have its own gymnasium, Kessinger said.

    Both counties follow the same general basketball rules, with a minor difference in the rules involving how players are substituted into the game. For the one-game showdown, those rules are waived and coaches can substitute however they like.

    All teams are required to make sure that every player on the team gets to participate in a portion of each quarter of the game, Kessinger said. No admission is charged and all the games are open to the public. Kessinger said the Hope Mills gym seats about 300 people and noted that there’s usually a packed house by the time the second game begins each evening.

    When some people have to stand in order to see the game, Kessinger said the recreation department staff encourages them to make sure and not stand too close to the court in order to make sure the teams and the officials have enough room to move safely up and down the court.

    The Hope Mills recreation staff provides all the basketballs. All competing players are urged not to bring their own basketballs to the game.

    Parking will be available in front of the recreation center and in the various lots close to the Hope Mills Town Hall complex.

    Kessinger said the recreation staff was careful to schedule the games on days when there were no other events taking place at Town Hall or the recreation center.

    “A lot of parking spaces should be available Tuesday and Wednesday,’’ he said. 

    All the games will have referees paid for by the Hope Mills recreation department. The recreation department has also purchased individual medallions that will be presented after each game to the members of the victorious team.

    Kessinger said the Hoke-Hope Mills games have been enjoyable for players and coaches. “I think they enjoy the competition, getting to play a team they don’t play all year long,’’ he said.

     For any questions about the Hoke-Hope Mills basketball showdown, contact the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department during normal business hours, Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. or Sunday from 1 p.m. until 9 p.m.

    The telephone number is 910-426-4109.

  • pexels pixabay 51159Time to spill the beans. There's no point beating around the bush about it. Fasten your seat belts because Up & Coming Weekly is about to give you the best bang for your buck. Defined as "an expression in the usage of a language that is peculiar to itself either in having a meaning that cannot be derived from the conjoined meanings of its elements," by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, idioms, or turns of phrases as some might know them, exist around the world in varying ways to express the everyday shared experiences between people.

    One such expression is "It's all Greek to me." As it would appear, most languages and cultures across the globe have a phrase or way of saying they don't understand something or that a particular concept is entirely foreign. If you were Russian, you might instead say, "Eto dlya menya kitayskaya gramota," which roughly translates to "This is Chinese writing to me." Meanwhile, those in China might instead say something akin to, "This is ghost writing to me," indicating that the person has no hope of understanding whatever is being discussed. Coming around to Europe, a German might say, "Das kommt mir spanisch vor," meaning, "That sounds Spanish to me."

    It goes to show that even in something trivial, like expressing our lack of understanding, we inadvertently come closer to one another through that shared and common experience. But what other idioms exist in different languages that we might also understand? Here are some interesting and fun variations of common sayings that you can use to express those vague feelings that arise in everyday interactions.

    "A chattering bird builds no nest."
    A popular idiom and proverb used by Cameroonians and Ugandans, the phrase expresses the futility of words before actions. We might use the common saying, "Talk is cheap." Both go to express the fact that talking about something is less important than actually doing the work.

    "I think my pig whistles."
    This phrase in German is a way to express one's surprise or indignation at something thought extremely unlikely or seen as impossible. Our variation on this phrase would be, "When pigs fly," which similarly expresses one's belief that something is near impossible.

    "Gold coins to a cat"
    A Japanese phrase meaning to give something useful to an unappreciative audience. However, we might know it instead as, "To cast pearls before swine," which indicates that a certain action or expression to a specific group of peoples is futile or meaningless because the audience either does not, or cannot, appreciate what is being shown to them.

    "To not have hairs on one's tongue."
    In Spanish, this is one way to say that someone speaks bluntly or is direct with their approach and words. Our culture might instead say someone "is a straight shooter" or "they don't know how to bite their tongue."

    Whether it be a turn of phrase, a common saying, or just a unique expression of a common occurrence, idioms exist across all cultures, languages, and societies to add a sense of comedy, brevity, and sometimes simplicity to express the understanding of complex or common experiences. Though we might express things in different ways, U&CW agrees that we all seem to be cut from the same cloth.

  • 20 02 George StackhouseWestover High School’s Traymond Willis-Shaw has been named to the North Carolina roster for this year’s Carolinas Classic All-Star basketball game.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • 19 01 nelly victorIt’s barely been three years since Victor Fontanez was a South View High School senior with a dream.

    Today he’s a barber to celebrities based in Atlanta and looking to continue growing his brand at the still youthful age of 20.

    His story starts like the story of a lot of young people from his generation. As he approached his final days at South View, his plan was to follow the path of many of his classmates and enroll in college.

    All his fees were paid at UNC-Pembroke and he was about to enroll when he started thinking of ways to make some money on the side to fund his college dreams.
    He was working at a restaurant in Hope Mills, washing dishes and waiting tables, but he didn’t plan to continue that job in college, so sitting in the chair at his barber’s one day, he asked the barber for advice.

    “He told me if I learned to cut hair, I could make money the rest of my life,’’ Fontanez said.

    19 02 trae young So in his senior year, he started giving haircuts in his mother’s garage and planned to continue doing the same thing during his college days to serve as a way to make a few dollars on the side.

    But something happened. Cutting and styling hair became more than a way to make money. Fontanez found himself falling in love with what he was doing.

    “By the time I was ready to graduate, I knew this was the path I wanted to take,’’ he said. “God definitely put me on that path.”

    At the last second before enrolling at UNC-Pembroke, he got all of his money for his college tuition refunded. He went to Fayetteville Technical Community College, enrolled in barber school, and as he put it, never looked back.

    Upon graduation from FTCC, he took a job at a small shop in Hope Mills and continued to hone his skills.

    After about eight months there, he realized if he wanted to continue to grow his brand, Hope Mills wasn’t going to be a large enough arena for him to compete in.
    “You’ve got to feed the beast,’’ he said. As much as he loved home, he felt the need to pursue wider opportunities for himself.

    He saw Atlanta as a perfect fit. “It was close to home and still a Southern state,’’ he said, “plus all the opportunity for celebrity clientele and athletes.’’

    He moved there cold turkey, as he put it, with no family or friends to turn to for assistance, save one important contact.

    One day while he was still working at the restaurant in Hope Mills, a young man who had recently been chosen in the NBA draft happened to stop by the restaurant to eat. It was Dennis Smith Jr., who currently plays for the New York Knicks.

    When Smith went to the restroom, Fontanez waited outside to introduce himself.

    He told Smith that he was a barber, and that if Smith ever needed to have his hair styled to look him up. Fontanez reached in his wallet and pulled out the last business card he had and handed it to Smith.

    “At the end of the day, it’s all about building relationships,’’ Fontanez said. Since that meeting, Smith has been a friend and supporter of Fontanez and his business. While Smith was with the Dallas Mavericks, Fontanez flew to Dallas and cut hair for the team prior to one of its media day events.

    He’s got a long list of celebrity clients, including stars like the rapper Nelly, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks and the body guard of the late rapper Nipsey Hussle, among others.

    Fontanez said as far as what kind of stylist he is, you can’t limit it to a single cut or type of client. “Every haircut is individually designed for that person,’’ he said. “There isn’t one style for everybody.’’

    If he has a preferred style, Fontanez said he leans toward clean, shaped lines. But his real concern, beyond making sure each customer has the right look, is continuing to build his brand in Atlanta and beyond.

    “I believe in God’s pace,’’ he said. “I can’t really tell where I’m going to be next. As soon as I finish accomplishing what I need to accomplish in Atlanta, another door will open for me. For right now, I’m focused on what I need to get done in Atlanta.’’

    In addition to his job as a hair stylist, Fontanez continues to grow his name in his role as an ambassador for BaByliss PRO, a line of hairstyling tools affiliated with Conair.
    Looking to the near future, Fontanez wants to set up a foundation to hold workshops in Fayetteville and other cities to show other young people like himself how to become entrepreneurs and turn their craft into a brand like he has.

    “It started out with just being able to give somebody a haircut,’’ Fontanez said. “I made them look good and feel good. Now I want to share that message across the world and affect other people in different parts of the world.

    “I enjoy the impact. I feel I’ve been given a lot.’’

    Picture 1: Rapper Nelly (left) with Victor Fontanez (right)

    Picture 2: Atlanta Hawks basketball player Trae Young

  • 423147249 1629874184474521 428441042618749622 nAmong the bustling goings of downtown, there is a serene retreat that transforms the mind, body, and soul, from entrance to exit. Blissful Alchemist, located at 414 Ray Avenue, is a space like no other in the area.

    A boutique, a hair salon, a tanning salon, a yoga and meditation studio, a salt room, a holistic health cooperative, and an event space, there is not much that this place doesn’t do or provide. On March 2nd, from noon to 2 p.m., Blissful Alchemist is hosting a Yoga and Sound in the Salt Room, an elevated yoga experience utilizing three services found in the space. This occasion was masterfully crafted to release tension and uplift the soul, not to mention the physical benefits of movement in the salt cave. Everyone is invited to this class, whether they are new to yoga and sound bowls or those practicing for years. This class can be modified for anyone. The cost of the class is $14. Those interested can secure their spot online at https://www.blissfulalchemists.com/s/appointments.

    For those unfamiliar, yoga, in its Western practice, is an intentional movement of the body to release negative feelings and has proven physical benefits. Sound bowls, which can be considered musical instruments, are metal or crystal bowls that resonate sounds at different frequencies depending on how they are played.

    Salt caves are man-made versions of the natural phenomena of water dissolving rock salt, creating a cave. The use of salt caves has proven to improve respiratory health, the immune system, mental health, skin health and some recurring minor issues like sinusitis and congestion. Information on all services can be found and booked via the website.

    Blissful Alchemists was co-founded by Brittany Campbell. An Ohio native, entrepreneur, and military wife, Campbell has dedicated time to creating a cooperative space for other women-owned businesses to thrive.

    “Blissful Alchemists was created between my business partner Carolyn and I. We wanted to bring together parts of different aspects of our life. I began with beauty. She began with spirituality. And we knew together that the mind, body, and spirit are just so important and all together. You’re not going to feel good on the outside unless you feel good on the inside,” Campbell said. “Community is so powerful that we knew that by bringing more people together, the more that we could really help and do. When you come together, you become so much more powerful and connected as a tribe. And I think we have gotten so far away that, it was time to bring it all back together… we have all the beauty treatments you need and also are incorporating so much spirituality, yoga, breath work, meditation, reiki and acupuncture, to be able to fuel our emotional bodies, our spiritual bodies, our physical bodies and it’s just been a dream unfolding, with a lot of challenges but the community is building and growing. People are coming in and knocking on our doors looking and seeking for a spiritual place to be...we are a beacon of light.”
    Blissful Alchemists isn’t just one individual business, it’s a collective of businesses and brands, housing 20 diverse and brilliantly talented women.

    “Giving women the power to create their own financial freedom, I think that is a huge thing. We have over 20 women in here and over half of them are their own business owners. When you come together you can thrive. When you can lean on one another. Being solo I think can be so lonely and being in the entrepreneurship world can be lonely, so you feel like you are crazy and you feel like you can’t do it. When you are connected to people who are experiencing the same things, it can be beneficial,” Campbell said of why the space is important to her and the community.

    There are still 7 spaces available for rent and those interested should inquire onsite. Campbell’s passion for helping other women be successful business owners extends far beyond creating Blissful Alchemists. She also has a clothing line, Babes Support Babes, that completely funds sick, family and maternity leave for those women in the collective. The hope is for the brand to expand and allow Campbell to fund other women business owners.

  • 16 britney watsonBritney Watson

    Pine Forest  • Cross country• Junior

    Watson has a  4.25 grade point average. Her favorite subject is science. She loves R&B and hanging out with friends and family. Her inspiration for track is to follow her sister's footsteps. She runs outdoor track and loves the 100-meter hurdles.


    16 02 Colby BlackwellColby Blackwell

    Pine Forest • Swimming• Senior

    Blackwell has a 4.38 grade point average.  He will attend UNC-Wilmington and major in Coastal Engineering. His favorite swimming events are the 100 breast stroke and 400 freestyle relay.  Science is his favorite subject. He won the Coaches Award for swimming. He loves hanging with friends and playing tennis.

  • 18 Building business rally graphicThe town of Hope Mills is open for business and moving forward with new energy.

    That was the message Chancer McLaughlin and other representatives from the town had to share recently when they attended the Building Business Rally at the Ramada Plaza in Fayetteville.

    The purpose of the rally was to connect contractors and vendors with organizations that have projects in planning and money to spend on them.

    McLaughlin, who is the planning and economic development director for the town, said Hope Mills currently has about $37 million worth of projects scheduled over the next five years.

    The Building Business Rally gave contractors in Fayetteville and the surrounding area a chance to connect with the Hope Mills town staff at the rally.

    McLaughlin said the town receives bid from companies located around the state and from states like South Carolina or even Florida. While the town is looking for the best bid, McLaughlin said it wants to make sure some of those bids are coming from area businesses.

    “We would like to engage the local businesses and local contractors to come take advantage of these opportunities,’’ McLaughlin said. “We are saying these projects are here.’’

    The rally wasn’t just about big construction projects, like the estimated $16.5 million public safety building for the police and fire departments that the town plans to begin work on this year.
    Smaller projects are also involved. At last year’s rally, Hope Mills connected with a company that installed water coolers in town offices.

    “We realized we didn’t have any (coolers) in the offices at the governmental complex,’’ McLaughlin said. “That ended up being a contract for the police station, fire station, town hall, parks and recreation and public works.’’

    McLaughlin said smaller contracts can cover everything from janitorial services to landscaping to catering to providing security at construction sites.
    The people at the event who were officially representing Hope Mills were McLaughlin, public works director Don Sisko and deputy public works director Bruce Clark.
    Also attending to support the town staff who were on hand but not involved in direct negotiations with any of the contractors at the event were Mayor Jackie Warner and Commissioner Jessie Bellflowers.
    McLaughlin said he’s already seeing positive results from attending the rally.

    “I’m getting emails right now,’’ he said. Those sending the emails include businesses that want to get on the Hope Mills list of vendors along with organizations that want to learn more about business opportunities available in Hope Mills.

    The pending public safety building alone made the Hope Mills table at the rally a popular stop for many of the businesses attending. Among the interested businesses asking about the public safety building were firms involved with landscaping, general contractors and janitorial services, McLaughlin said.

    In addition to the public safety building, McLaughlin said the town has a number of other significant  projects that attracted attention. The list of big ticket items that the town will be looking at in the coming years includes the long-proposed development of Heritage Park, which after the public safety building is the most expensive endeavor under consideration. There are also smaller projects involving the public works department as well as the stormwater department.

    McLaughlin said the public safety building and the development of Heritage Park appear to be the two items on the list that are closest to having work actually start as soon as this year. Also on the drawing board is completion of a new town museum.

    The town remains open to engaging local contractors anyway it can, McLaughlin said. “We want to increase our bidding opportunity with local contractors,’’ he said. “We do think that’s important. That helps to stimulate the economy, growing the local businesses.’’

    He thanked the various organizers of the Building Business Rally, including PWC and NCWorks. Other sponsors were the Greater Fayetteville Chamber, the Fayetteville State University Construction Resource Office and the Small Business Development and Technology Center.
    McLaughlin said he’s always anxious to hear from any local businesses that want to do business with the town.
    He welcomes phone calls from all interested parties. He can be reached during regular business hours at 910-426-4103. McLaughlin’s email address is cmclaughlin@townofhopemills.com.

  • giselleJust a few months ago, Katryna Kukhar, a Ukrainian ballerina, was performing on a stage in Kyiv. Multiple times during the performance, an air alarm would go off. The dancing would stop, and everyone would find their way to the bomb shelter. At some point, the performance would begin again. Shortly back into the performance, they would be met with another air alarm.
    “We had six air alarms per day,” Kukhar said. “It was a very difficult time.”

    Kukhar explained that despite the war and all that comes with it, the people of Ukraine still crave the things that bolster Ukrainian culture. To her, keeping the culture alive is one of the best "home front weapons."
    “People in Ukraine still want to go see performances,” explains Alexander Stoyanov, a fellow danseur and Kukhar's husband. “ … It’s just a small piece of Ukrainian life now.”

    Kukhar and Stoyanov are part of the Grand Kyiv Ballet that will grace the stage at the Crown Theatre on March 7 for Giselle. For these two ballerinas, there are a few important things in life — their love for one another, their two children, ballet and Ukraine. Like the ballet they are about to perform, the main plotline of their life is a love story.

    “Katryna was already working in the National Opera. I just came from ballet school. First day when they opened the door, I saw her and fell in love,” Stoyanov said.

    He decided from then on he would bring her sweets everyday to convince her of his love. He recounted that this lasted about a year.

    “He would like to kill my body,” Kukhar says laughing.

    In the upcoming ballet, Kukhar plays the main character, Giselle, and Stoyanov plays Albert, the leading male role. For both of them, this is a role they have played many times all over the world in countries stretching from Europe to South America to the United States.

    During their tours, Kukhar and Stoyanov felt it was necessary to share information about the war in Ukraine with others.

    “For us, it was an important mission because not all countries in the world really know all the truths,” Stoyanov said.

    Before the war, the couple said they had plans for five years or more into the future. The changes in their country and the uncertainty from the war has changed a lot of that.

    “We had plans for our children’s lives. We had plans for our life. When it started, all our plans disappeared,” Stoyanov said. “We now live just for the near future. We don’t know what will happen with the world tomorrow.”

    “Everyone is waiting for peace,” Kukhar said. “It’s a very complicated question for us now.”

    For now, the duo plans to remain in the United States with their two children and continue doing ballet. The hope is to share Ukrainian culture, art and with that, ballet. They feel Giselle will bring a taste of Ukrainian ballet and a great story.

    “We would like to bring some positive emotion for people,” Stoyanov said.

    This is what they are hoping for during the tour of Giselle — positive emotion. Stoyanov said they would love for people to come for the two hours to watch a piece of Ukrainian art through its ballet dancers.

    “They must have a rest. They must relax. We’d like to touch their heart, their soul, deep inside. This is our main goal,” Stoyanov said.

    “Theatre is like a church. People come for their soul,” Kukhar said.

    Giselle is a story about a peasant girl who falls in love with a nobleman disguised as a commoner. Stoyanov describes it as a story about life and about love.

    “This is the best, magic love story. It’s full of drama. It’s full of mystery. Most magnificent classical ballet in all the world," said Kukhar.

    For Stoyanov and Kukhar they said they can draw a lot of parallels from this story and the situation in their home country. In particular, Stoyanov details a moment of resolution in the story, an emotional moment and the dawning of a new day.

    “In the sunrise, all bad things disappear,” he said.

    “It’s very important for us to bring belief in the future,” she said.

    For more information about Giselle, visit www. crowncomplexnc.com. Tickets are on sale and range from $48 to $88. The show will only be performed on March 7th at 7 p.m.

  • 15 andy karcherAndy Karcher has been in the Fayetteville area since 2007, moving here from Ohio. But it didn’t take him long to learn about the rich football history at E.E. Smith High School.

    “It’s something that stood out to me,’’ he said, and led him to apply for the position of head football coach for the Golden Bulls. He was approved as the school’s new head coach by the Cumberland County Board of Education last week.

    Karcher replaces Deron Donald, who stepped down from the head coaching position at Smith in December. In his four seasons with the Golden Bulls, Donald was 16-31. 

    He managed two trips to the state 3-A playoffs, including one last season. At one point under Donald, Smith suffered a 17-game losing streak, but it ended the 2019 regular season with a 43-0 win over Cumberland County rival Cape Fear. The Golden Bulls finished the 2019 season 4-8 overall and 4-4 in the Patriot Athletic Conference. That put them in a three-way tie for fourth place with Pine Forest and Gray’s Creek.

    A little over a month after leaving Smith, Donald was named the new head football coach at Smithfield-Selma High School. He inherits a program there that has gone 1-10 each of the last three seasons and 8-102 for the last 10 years.

    Smithfield-Selma hasn’t had a winning season in football in 12 years.

    Karcher, a graduate of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, has worked as a football coach at a number of area high schools.

    He spent two years at South View Middle School when he first came to the area, following that with a short stay at Cape Fear High School. From there he went to Triton High School, then returned to Cumberland County for a couple of years on the Pine Forest High School staff.He has served as an offensive coordinator and spent his years at Pine Forest coaching the offensive line.

    In addition to being impressed with the history at E.E. Smith, Karcher said he found the community to be strong, along with the Golden Bull alumni association.

    “The backing for the program is there,’’ he said. “They have the kids, they have the athletes, to be successful.’’

    But one area where Smith is clearly lacking is raw numbers of students. According to the latest average daily membership figures provided by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, E.E. Smith is the smallest of the 10 public senior high schools in Cumberland County that field athletic teams.

    The Golden Bulls have an enrollment of 1,153 students, which makes them, along with Douglas Byrd High School, the only schools in the county with under 1,200 students enrolled.

    Four Cumberland County schools that are also members of the Patriot Athletic Conference with Cape Fear — Pine Forest, South View, Gray’s Creek and Cape Fear — have enrollments topping 1,500 students. Pine Forest has 1,705 with South View at 1,642.

    “Obviously, the numbers do make it a little bit more interesting, a little bit more difficult,’’ Karcher said. But he is hopeful that with some success on the field, he will be able to attract as many candidates as possible to come out for the football team.

    As far as offensive philosophy, he describes himself as a ball-control coach. “I’m definitely going to have a good running game in place,’’ he said. “We also have enough athletes that we’ll throw the football around and kind of spread some people out when we need to.’’

    Defensively he said he prefers downhill, physical football with players that will fly around and make plays.

    Karcher said he’s hopeful to be working at E.E. Smith as quickly as possible so he can began offseason workouts with his new players during the offseason skill development periods.

    He said E.E. Smith principal Donell Underdue and Pine Forest principal David Culbreth are working together to make it possible for him to begin his new role at E.E. Smith before the end of the current school year.

    It is too early in the process, Karcher said, to try and speculate on any changes forthcoming with his assistant coaching staff at Smith. He said he will try to determine the best course of action concerning the staff as the situation progresses.

    Karcher feels the timing of his hire bodes well for giving him the maximum amount of time to work with his players during the spring offseason along with the summer to make the installation of his offensive and defensive schemes go as smoothly as possible for his team.

    The last dead period of the school year before summer began Feb. 12 and ends March 3. During dead periods, all sports that are out of season are not allowed to hold so-called skill development sessions.

    Karcher is hopeful that by March 3 he will be on campus at E.E. Smith and be able to begin working with his new team.

    “We’ll recruit the hallways and get more guys out playing,’’ he said. “We want to hit the ground running come spring and summer ball.’’

    The first official playing date for the 2020 high school football season for NCHSAA member schools is Aug. 17.

  • 15 parish volvo Editor's note: When the following article was written, the Parish House had not yet been torn down. The house was demolished on Jan. 28.

    Hope Mills Mayor pro tem Kenjuana McCray and commissioner Pat Edwards are both weary of a group of town citizens who continue to point fingers and complain about plans to demolish the Parish House donated to the town by the former Christ Episcopal Church.

    Both agree that now that the current board has twice voted to have the building torn down, it’s long past time for the town to move forward on multiple projects that will preserve the true history of the mill village.

    McCray noted that many of those who support saving the Parish House were members of the Hope Mills Historical Preservation Commission. Multiple members of that organization either resigned or did not re-apply to remain on the commission after the last election when McCray was elected and both Edwards and Mayor Jackie Warner were reelected.

    “This is the same group of people that said they wanted nothing to do with the town,’’ McCray said.

    She also noted some members of the commission who have stepped down are in possession of property that was donated to the town for use in the proposed town museum. “I have not heard any follow-through about them returning any of those items,’’ McCray said.

    McCray said if she had been a member of the commission, she would not have stepped down simply because of one point of disagreement with elected town officials.
    “There is a whole lot of historical preservation we can do,’’ McCray said.

    McCray added she does not understand the full reasons why committee members stepped down or didn’t re-apply, but she does read a lot into the conduct of the former members of the commission and the way they have treated her and other members of the current Board of Commissioners since the election last November.

    “I’m going off their behavior, the things they have done since I was elected,’’ McCray said. “As far as being cyber bullied or harassed for a decision I made, it does not make me listen to you anymore.’’

    McCray noted she was initially receptive to overtures made by former commission members to the board when a representative of Preservation North Carolina was invited to Hope Mills to tour the Parish House and speak to the board about possible options for saving it.
    “We do preserve history,’’ McCray said. “We are saving the (Christ Episcopal) church. We have a town museum. We are investing in our history.’’
    McCray thinks many people in Hope Mills are misinformed about what those who support saving it repeatedly refer to as the historic Parish House, citing that it is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
    In fact, the building itself is not on the list of historic buildings that are located in the downtown historic district. McCray has researched the subject and found the building’s real history to be suspect.
    “I challenge the historical value of the building,’’ McCray said. “It was rebuilt in 1985. It has burned multiple times. Most people don’t know there’s termite damage. There’s mold. All these things have to be repaired.’’
    McCray noted that the church, which will be saved and is next door to the Parish House, and the proposed Heritage Park on the adjacent property are in desperate need of parking. The land where the Parish House is presently located  provides that space once it is demolished.
    “You’re going to have this beautiful church and Heritage Park and you’re not going to have proper parking,’’ she said, if the Parish House was allowed to remain.
    As for those who argue to save the building, McCray said she has not heard any concrete plans from them on what they want to do with the building if it was restored or how they plan to raise the money that would be needed to restore it. Base figures suggest it could cost at least six figures to make the building stable. Hope Mills commissioner Bryan Marley, a veteran firefighter, said if a thorough inspection of the building was ever done, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to suggest the figure to fully restore the building could reach $500,000.
    McCray said this is the third Board of Commissioners that’s wrestled with the Parish House dilemma. She feels it’s time to move forward. “There are a lot of other projects we can work on,’’ she said. “I think if the community rallies around to make those projects successful, that’s the best way to move forward.’’
    Commissioner Edwards said the heart of the debate over the Parish House has nothing to do with history. She thinks it all stems from personal animosity many of the members who stepped down from the preservation commission have toward Mayor Warner.
    “If our mayor was not Jackie Warner and did the very same things she’s doing now, they wouldn’t be going through all of this,’’ Edwards said.
    “She wants what’s best for the town and they can’t see that,’’ Edwards said, noting that the previous board which frequently voted 4-1 against anything Warner supported had two years and a consistent voting majority on the board to deal with the Parish House and did nothing.
    “Now they are coming back at us because we want to demolish it, and we had planned to do that back in 2016,’’ Edwards said.
    Edwards said the current board has made its plans for a positive future for Hope Mills clear, and hopes the citizens will be supportive. “There are so many possibilities, if we could get turned loose and start on it,’’ she said.

  • A Yellow Beanie Project is excited to share the news of their upcoming production of The Vagina Monologues by V, previously known as Eve Ensler. The staged reading of V's play will be directed by Claudia Warga-Dean The performance will take place on two nights at two different locations and are free to the public:

    — Friday, March 8 at 6 p.m. at Dirty Whiskey Craft Cocktail Bar at Dirtbag Ales in Hope Mills

    — Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. at The Arts Center of Fayetteville/Cumberland County in Downtown Fayetteville

    A Yellow Beanie Project started in 2020 during lockdown due to CoVID by Michael Curtis Houck. With a lack of live theater and events, A Yellow Beanie Project, like many creatives, turned to producing digital work.

    “I started producing digital work with free release on YouTube and social media, offering a stipend, however small and whatever I could afford, to local artists. This was mostly experimental spoken word and monologues. During our first year, we also staffed and produced two short films,” Houck explained.

    After positive feedback from the artists he had worked with, Houck believed there was a future for his organization and in 2022 he obtained a 501(c)(3) status and has been operating as an arts-focused non-profit for two years, mostly focused on life events.

    Even though A Yellow Beanie Project’s next event is a live theater play, Houck feels that his organization is more than just a theater company.

    “We also don’t want to be pigeonholed as a theater company; we’re multidisciplinary. Our board is made up of millennial-aged professionals with experience in theater, music, dance, filmmaking and literary forms. To date, we’ve produced and released (live or digital) 9 projects. Only three have been theater projects (Party at Jay’s, Rocky Horror Show, and Frankenstein). The Vagina Monologues will be our 10th project, and our 4th theater project,” said Houck.

    The Vagina Monologues is a compilation of personal narratives that explore various aspects of the female experience. Originally written in 1996, this play garnered significant acclaim for its profound impact.
    The relevance and importance remain intact as new monologues are included to illuminate the global challenges women encounter. For instance, in 2003, the monologue titled "Under the Burqa" depicted the life of an Afghan woman living under Taliban rule. In 2004, "They Beat the Girl Out of My Boy...Or So They Tried" recounted Ensler's encounters with women whose gender identity differed from their assigned sex at birth. The year 2004 also marked the first-ever all-transgender performance of the play.

    A Yellow Beanie Project took on The Vagina Monologues as their next project after several actors had inquired if there were any theaters planning to do it in the region for the spring because they were looking to audition. After some research and concluding that no one in the area was making plans for the play, it was suggested to the board that it be the next production.

    “While it has been our model to have me, our creative producer, lead most of the artistic projects during our start up, I turned this one over to someone who can lead the project with a viewpoint in line with the content. One of our board members, Claudia Warga-Dean is taking the reins here,” said Houck.

    This is not the first time Warga-Dean has collaborated with A Yellow Beanie Project. Back in 2022 she and Houck co-directed Party at Jay’s, an immersive experience based on The Great Gatsby. Warga-Dean has also co-directed and directed a number of plays at FTCC, Gilbert Theatre, and at Gray’s Creek High School where she taught theatre arts for 9 years.

    Both Houck and Warga-Dean believe that The Vagina Monologues are still relevant to perform today and has kept up with the cultural changes affect woman as well as keeping a spotlight on the sexual harassment and violence women, unfortunately, continue to encounter.

    “The script has had revisions over the years as, especially as it has been attached to the V-Day movement, a global initiative to end violence against women. In 2024, The Vagina Monologues continues to provide a platform for amplifying diverse voices, challenging ongoing societal stigmas surrounding sexuality and gender, and advocating for inclusivity and empowerment for all individuals. We are thrilled to have a cast diverse in age, race and gender expression. To add to the 2024 relevance, we’ve brought on two guest speakers who will speak before the show, Adirenne Trego and Dominique Jeanette Womack, two brilliant local figures,” Houck explained.
    Warga-Dean holds the same conviction.

    “It isn’t fiction. It is a show developed by drawing on interviews that the playwright conducted with over 200 women. With all the reports of sexual harassment and sexual violence becoming known, it is evident that this play speaks truth. Actors will line up to audition and the audience will come out to see it. It is performed annually to bring attention to V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls. This play has been performed all over the world and it will continue to be performed. It is timeless because the truth of what it says has impacted so many,” said Warga-Dean.

    To conclude, we asked Warga-Dean about the visual representation of femininity in the year 2024.

    “That’s a tough, complex question. It is hard to pin down and define. I will say, I learned so much from my students when I was teaching. Just how outspoken they are and how unwilling they are to fall prey to social conventions, especially social conventions surrounding gender. I think, in 2024 we are realizing that gender is a personal journey, and it is not so black and white. It is not neatly packaged. Maybe that’s it. It’s unique to the person,” explained Warga-Dean.

    She also believes that the A Yellow Beanie Project’s production of The Vagina Monologues will reflect the changing definition of what it means to be a woman or female in today’s world.

    “Absolutely! That’s what we should strive to do as theater artists. Everyone’s stories should be told.

    Luckily, I am working with the wonderful Michael Houck, and he is such an advocate for inclusion, and we have a theater community who is a part of that belief as well,” said Warga-Dean.

    To get tickets to The Vagina Monologues visit A Yellow Beanie Project website at: https://www.ayellowbeanieproject.com/. To learn more about V-Day visit: https://www.vday.org/.

  • 14 01 Bowlers Cumberland County was one of the first school systems in the state to begin offering team bowling to its students years ago, and that has been reflected in the success the county has enjoyed competing in the sport at the state level.

    This year, the county brought home a pair of state championships as the boys from Gray’s Creek and the girls from Terry Sanford were recently crowned winners at the state finals at Sandhills Bowling Center in Aberdeen.

    In addition to the team success, Terry Sanford bowler Rolf Wallin captured individual honors as he was the boys state champion in the same event.

    Here’s a closer look at the championship efforts of both teams.

    Terry Sanford

    Susan Brady is in her second year coaching the Bulldog girls. She was a little apprehensive about her team’s chances in the state tournament when she learned one of her top bowlers, Avery Schenk, was going to be unable to compete in the tournament due to a cheerleading commitment.

    An interesting footnote: Schenk is the granddaughter of Howard Baum, longtime owner of B&B Lanes and one of the originators of high school bowling in Cumberland County.

    Terry Sanford defeated a tough Lumberton team in the semifinal round of the state tournament, then took on county rival Cape Fear in the championship match.

    Going into the 10th frame, Terry Sanford was clinging to a 142-140 lead.

    14 02 canaddyBrady was hopeful that her anchor bowler, Zoe Cannady, was going to lock up the win for the Bulldogs, but she was unsuccessful.

    Fortunately for the Bulldogs, so was the final bowler for the Colts, leaving Terry Sanford with a two-pin victory for the championship. “I didn’t have much of a visual reaction,’’ Cannady said of the clinching moment for the Bulldogs. “It ended up okay. I felt a lot of pressure and missed that spare. I had to hope for the best.’’

    Cannady, who bowls for Terry Sanford but attends Cumberland Polytechnic High School, felt the Bulldogs had a great team that encouraged each other during the final match.

    Brady said until the final frame, every ball Cannady had thrown had resulted in either a strike or a spare for Terry Sanford. A junior, Cannady will return next year. The major losses for Terry Sanford will be seniors Katie Silas, Abby Carson and Reagan Johnson.

    “We’ve got pretty high chances,’’ Cannady said of the Bulldog hopes for another title next season.

    Cannady made the All-State team along with fellow Cumberland County bowlers Jayda Gignac of Jack Britt, Ariel Williams of Douglas Byrd and Donna Kerechanin of South View.

    14 03 Rolf WallinMeanwhile, on the boys’ side, the Bulldogs’ Wallin rebounded from a fourth-place finish in the conference tournament to capture the individual state title.

    Michael Toler, who coaches the Bulldog boys, said Wallin has always been a consistent bowler.Toler said Wallin came up to him during the conference tournament and predicted he was going to qualify for the state tournament. “He did exactly that,’’ Toler said. “He was cool and consistent all the way through.’’

    Wallin went over to the Sandhills Bowling Center before the state championship match to get a feel for the lanes. “When I figured out where to go and adjusted, I had a pretty good game,’’ he said. “You have to adjust every single time your ball isn’t hitting exactly where you want it to go.’’

    Wallin didn’t appreciate how big a deal a state championship is until he began receiving accolades from classmates and teachers. 

    “You have to put pressure aside and just bowl your game,’’ he said.

    Joining Wallin on the All-State boys team from Cumberland County were Terry Sanford teammate Alex Schenk, Douglas Byrd’s Brandon Mesa-Turner and South View’s Nick Robertson.

    Gray’s Creek

    Kris Williams gave himself a hard act to follow as coach of the Gray’s Creek boys bowlers. This was his first season coaching bowling, and he concluded it with a state championship.

    Williams said he approached his role of coach as being more of a manager, with the task of setting the five-man bowling lineup for each match the major role he had to perform.

    One thing that made it easy was the bowlers he had to work with. “They are blessed by the good Lord with some natural talent,’’ he said. “They can do things in the bowling lanes that most people can’t do.’’

    Williams also said the team had good chemistry. “They really get along and are used to working together,’’ he said. “They really do support each other, more than just cheerleading.’’

    The Bears suffered a bad day as a team in the conference tournament, losing two straight to a South View team that was on a hot streak.

    Williams expected better after the Bears were second in the regular-season matches. After that disappointing loss there wasn’t even time for an extra practice before the state tournament began.

    But the Bears rebounded with what Williams said was a true team effort. “One thing that struck me about the whole season, these kids love to compete,’’ he said. “That’s one thing you want in any sport.’’

    Sparking Gray’s Creek in the finals were regular-season MVP C.J. Woodle and Gio Garcia.

    “C.J’s got all the natural skills and ability and puts in all the work,’’ Williams said. “Gio has a lot of natural talent and is a natural leader.’’

    “We were kind of upset we didn’t win the conference,’’ Garcia said. “We knew we still had a good chance at state. We had to step up our game and be more consistent.’’

    Gray’s Creek defeated Hoke County and Jack Britt en route to the title.

    Woodle said a lucky break in the sixth frame of the finals helped get Gray’s Creek untracked and sparked the team to the win. “I’m proud of my whole team, how much practice they put in,’’ he said. “It means the world to come home to Gray’s Creek and say we were the state champions.

    “I feel we have another state championship team next year.’’

     

    Picture 1: Gio Garcia, C.J. Woodle, Hunter Cole. 

    Picture 2: Zoe Canaddy 

    Picture 3: Rolf Wallin

  • 14 arts councilThe Hope Mills Creative Arts Council will hold a meet and greet on Saturday, Feb. 8, from noon until 2 p.m., at Marci’s Cakes and Bakes at 5474 Trade Street in downtown Hope Mills.

    Elizabeth Blevins, executive director of the council, said the purpose of the meeting is to try and grow the organization’s membership and to reach out to artists of every genre possible to involve them in the council’s projects.

    The goal of the event is also to connect with possible volunteers and contributors who can help the council jump start its efforts to share art throughout the Hope Mills community.

    The group will soon be holding a photography workshop, scheduled to run from February through May, for teenagers. The goal is to hold other teaching workshops in different fields of art.

    Blevins said the council has created a dozen different committees dealing with an assortment of planned projects but needs more people on board to make them happen.
    “We are trying to increase the visibility of Hope Mills as a destination,’’ Blevins said, “not only by incorporating art into the landscape as often as possible, but by providing opportunities for the community and visitors to participate in art in some form or another: concert performances, theater, art workshops, art shows.’’

    Blevins said art is somewhat of a foreign ground for Hope Mills and the council is testing the waters to see what really resonates with the local population and what types of art they’d like to see more of.

    She said the group would like to explore things like poetry slams, dance, basic writing workshops, anything and everything they could possibly create and introduce art to the community.

    “That’s another reason for the meet and greet,’’ she said. “You don’t have to be an artist or interested in volunteering. If you want to come in and talk to us, I would really love to see this happen in the Hope Mills community.’’

    One topic the council has been discussing is the creation of a Hope Mills choir. “We’d like to have our own group of musicians that would come and perform at various events,’’ Blevins said. “Maybe just as background music, ambience.’’

    Blevins said one reason the group needs more volunteers is it wants the council to establish a visible presence in town parades.

    “We’ll need volunteers to be in the parade as part of the float, create the float and the costumes,’’ she said. “We are hoping to connect with art lovers, art enthusiasts, volunteers. Anyone that has an idea is welcome to talk to us. We want to share with them the ideas we have put on the table and the goals we’ve set for this year, hopefully get them excited about it and be a part of it.’’

    Blevins said the group has had a pretty good response from local artists so far, but added the ones they have connected with to this point are all non-Hope Mills residents.
    “That is something we are hoping to change,’’ she said. While the group is open to all artists from Cumberland County, they especially want to promote those with a direct Hope Mills connection.

    “If you’re an artist from any genre, we want to talk with you,’’ Blevins said. “We would be very interested in doing artist showcases where we secure a venue for artists and put their work on display.’’

    Blevins stressed the council is not limited to promoting any one genre of art. “We’re always open to artists, musicians, actors, anyone from any area in Cumberland County,’’ she said.

    The council has discussed big projects like murals in public areas around town, but for now those are a bit too expensive to pursue. “Because we are working on nonprofit status and are a startup, we don’t have that kind of money right now,’’ Blevins said.

    They are applying for grant money, and if that comes through, they will hopefully be able to get aggressive on installing the town’s first mural sometime in the near future.
    If anyone has questions about the council’s goals or the meet and greet, the email address is hopemillscac@gmail.com.

  • 2023 BHB Scholarship Presentation Photo Credit Tywanna FrazierGet glammed! Get your stylish hat and outfit ready! Come party in style and with a purpose at the Fort Liberty Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.'s 15th Annual Big Hat Brunch. The event is set for Saturday, March 16, at the Iron Mike Conference Center, 2658 Rock Merritt Ave. on Fort Liberty. The event runs from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

    The Big Hat Brunch is one of the chapter's defining events. It debuted in March 2010 as an annual scholarship fundraiser. The event has risen in popularity year after year, attracting many attendees, including notable community leaders. Some of The Big Hat Brunch's previously featured themes include Community Diamonds, which acknowledged outstanding female local leaders; From Brunch to the Ballot Box, motivating attendees to the polls; and Moving Forward in Unity with NC State Senator Val Applewhite, who served as last year's keynote speaker.

    This year's Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. BHB theme, expected to draw 500 attendees, is "Continuing the Legacy, One Scholarship at a Time." La’Tanta (L.T.) McCrimmon, APCO's Governor Director of Legislative Affairs, will deliver this year's keynote speech.

    "We're focusing on continuing the legacy of our sorority," said Shelia Wilson, this year’s committee chair.
    The event has a meaningful purpose, as the chapter's "party with a purpose" motto ensures that eligible high school students receive financial assistance to attend college. The Big Hat Brunch has raised over $75,000 in scholarships to give to deserving high school students each year, contributing to reducing the cost of college expenses.

    Wilson also announced that this year's event will commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 2nd Lt Lisa Nicole Bryant scholarship. "We present this scholarship, biannually, to a Fayetteville State University student," she shared.

    Bryant, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, was on temporary assignment at Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty), as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. She had a promising career before her tragic death on July 10, 1993, at the age of 21, in a Fort Bragg residence hall. “The chapter will be honoring the story of the Princeton University graduate, and she will never be forgotten”, shared Wilson.

    When asked about the essence of giving back to the community while preserving the legacy of the Big Hat Brunch, Wilson responded, "It feels like this is the service that we signed up for—to be able to be part of a legacy that continues to help, academically, for our students and to help make the burden of college fees a little lighter."

    In addition to presenting scholarships, the event will include vendors, a purse auction, the infamous hat parade, music, food, and much more.

    The committee's behind-the-scenes work, according to Wilson, is likened to planning a big party with a purpose. It's a fun, stylish party while supporting high school seniors and Bronco students' academic financial needs so they can make a global impact in their professional endeavors.

    To attend the event, purchase tickets through PayPal for $63.00 (including PayPal fees) at dst.fbaac@gmail.com. Civilians are welcome to attend the event, but will need a visitor’s pass to gain access to the installation. Guests can get a pass through the Visitor Access Center at the All American Gate on Fort Liberty, or online by visiting FORT_LIBERTY_VISITOR_PASS_REQUEST_USING_ONLINE_PRE.pdf (armhttps://home.army.mil/liberty/application/files/6816/8372/2450/FORT_LIBERTY_VISITOR_PASS_REQUEST_USING_ONLINE_PRE.pdf y.mil).

    For more information, contact dst.flaac.bhb@gmail.com or 910-551-4708.

  • 22 01 William PryorWilliam Pryor

    South View •Basketball/tennis• Senior

    Pryor has a grade point average age of 4.5. He has been accepted to Harvard. A member of the International Baccalaureate Academy, he is student body president and an inductee of several honor societies. He also serves on the Superintendent’s Student Voices Council and the Hope Mills Mayor’s Youth Council.


    22 02 audra sweetAudra Sweet

    South View• Swimming• Sophomore

    Sweet has a 4.33 grade point average. She is in the International Baccalaureate Academy and has been on the A honor roll every semester at South View. She is active in the Health Occupations Students of America. She enjoys theater. She plays bass in the school orchestra. A writer, Sweet is a published poet. She is active in scouting and volunteers at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and Balm in Gilead.

  • pexels elevate 1267700The 2024 national Girl Scout Cookie Season commenced on Jan. 9th, marking an opportunity to show support for these young girls as they acquire important entrepreneurial and life skills such as goal setting, interpersonal abilities and financial management.

    While Girl Scout cookies are undeniably delicious on their own, they also make a great accompaniment to beer! If you're a fan of delicious treats and a cold brew, then you're in for a real treat! Girl Scout cookies and beer pairing is the ultimate combination for those looking to indulge in the perfect sweet and savory experience. When it comes to pairing Girl Scout cookies with beer, the possibilities are endless.

     

    Thin Mints

    These minty chocolate delights pair beautifully with a rich and robust stout. The smooth, velvety texture of the beer complements the crispness of the cookie, creating a sensational taste sensation that will leave your taste buds wanting more.

    Beer Suggestions:
    • Shooter McMunn's from Lost Rhino Brewing Company
    • It's My Island from Pocock Brewing Co.
    • Shaft House Stout from Dostal Alley

     

    Trefoil

    For those who prefer a lighter cookie, the trefoil is a perfect choice. These buttery shortbread cookies are best enjoyed with a refreshing pilsner or lager. The light and crisp flavors of the beer enhance the subtle sweetness of the trefoil, creating a harmonious balance that is simply irresistible.

    Beer Suggestions:
    • Happy Amber from MadTree Brewing 2.0
    • ESB from Hillman Beer
    • Bull Kelp ESB from San Juan Island Brewing Co.

     

    Caramel deLites/Samoas

    These coconutty caramel delights are a fan favorite, and they deserve an equally impressive beer pairing. The richness of an amber ale or brown ale perfectly complements the decadence of the Samoa. The caramel notes in the beer enhance the caramel flavor in the cookie, while the slight bitterness cuts through the sweetness, creating an unforgettable taste experience.

    Beer Suggestions:
    • Potter's Clay from Four Saints Brewing
    • Amber Ale from Full Sail Brewing Company
    •Fat Tire Amber Ale from New Belgium Brewing

     

    Peanut Butter Patties/Tagalongs

    The Tagalongs are all about that perfect balance of sweet and salty. The creamy peanut butter filling adds a rich and nutty flavor, while the smooth chocolate coating provides just the right amount of sweetness. A hoppy IPA can provide a refreshing contrast to the sweetness of the chocolate coating.

    Beer Suggestions:
    • Hazy Little Thing IPA
    from Sierra Nevada
    • IPA from Goose Island
    • 90-Minute IPA from Dogfish Head

     

    Do-si-dos/Peanut Butter Sandwich

    This cookie features a crisp and buttery oatmeal exterior, with a smooth and creamy peanut butter filling in the center. It's a match made in cookie heaven. For those who enjoy a rich and indulgent experience, try pairing your cookie with a stout or porter. The dark roasted malts in these beers complement the nutty flavors of the peanut butter, while the slightly bitter finish helps to balance out the sweetness of the cookie.

    Beer Suggestions:
    • Special Double Cream Stout from Bell's Brewery
    • Breakfast Stout from Founders Brewing Company
    • London Porter from Fuller's

     

    S’Mores

    This delectable treat is inspired by the beloved campfire snack, double dipped in a creamy icing before being enveloped in a scrumptious chocolate coating with a graham cracker sandwich that is filled with a combination of chocolate and marshmallow. For a delightful pairing, instead of opting for a sweet or roasty stout to accompany the chocolate, graham cracker, and marshmallow, try a tart and fruity sour.

    Beer Suggestions:
    • Sour Brainless on Peaches from Epic Brewing Company
    • Kriek Ale from Cascade Brewing
    •Blackberry from Upland Brewing Company
    •Passion Fruit Sour Ale from Breakside Brewery

     

    Lemonades

    These tangy delights are best enjoyed with a light and citrusy wheat beer. The zesty flavors in the beer enhance the refreshing lemon taste of the cookie, creating a flavor combination that will make your taste buds dance with delight. It's like a summer picnic in every bite.

    Beer Suggestions:
    • Oberon American Wheat Ale from Bell's Brewery
    • Sunny Little Thing Citrus Wheat from Sierra Nevada
    • LightSky Citrus Wheat from Blue Moon Brewing Company

    Whether you're hosting a cookie and beer pairing party or simply looking to treat yourself to something special, pairing these beloved cookies with beer is a surefire way to elevate your snacking game. So grab your favorite box of Girl Scout cookies and crack open a cold one - it's time to indulge in the ultimate sweet and savory pairing!

    If you need help finding Girl Scout Cookies in your area use the Girl Scout’s Cookie Finder:
    https://www.girlscouts.org/en/cookies/how-to-buy-cookies.html

  • 21 lacrosse Wes Davis is on a mission to get young women to put down their smartphones and trade them in on a lacrosse stick.

    “Girls lacrosse is the fastest-growing sport for high schools around the United States for four years in a row,’’ he said.

    His love for the sport led him to approach the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Parks and Recreation Department eight years ago to ask them to start a lacrosse program.
    “They said they were starting but only had four or five girls sign up,’’ Davis said.

    So he went on a recruiting mission to elementary and church league basketball teams.

    Davis feels girls’ lacrosse shares common ground with the sport of basketball, calling it more of a finesse game and less physical than boys’ lacrosse.
    “We use the same skill set as basketball and soccer,’’ Davis said. “We run set plays. We run zone defense. We do the pick and roll.’’

    Davis wound up with 19 girls that first year who agreed to give lacrosse a try. Two years later he began the Fayetteville Flames club lacrosse team for girls.

    “It was a way for girls playing in the spring to play in the summer and the fall,’’ he said.

    Through his work with the Flames, offseason opportunities for girls have continued to grow.

    Last spring he had about 135 girls involved in his program.

    The spinoff is visible in the local high schools as Cape Fear, Terry Sanford and Jack Britt have girls’ teams. Davis said Fayetteville Academy is planning to field a girls’ team this year.

    Meanwhile, Davis is continuing plans to offer offseason opportunities for lacrosse players. His Flames program will conduct a short season in the summer, from around May 7 to June 7. That will be followed by a more extensive program during the fall, which will run from around August 24th until Nov. 1st.

    In the meantime, both high school and recreational lacrosse are getting set to start up for the spring, with the program at the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Parks and Recreation Department and the local high schools fielding teams scheduled to kickoff this week on Thursday, Feb. 13. “They provide the equipment for you, which is pretty awesome,’’ Davis said of the recreation program.

    Interested athletes at the high schools with teams should contact the school athletic director or lacrosse coach. Anyone interested in the parks and recreation program should call the lacrosse director, Robert Corzette, at 910-433-1393.

    Davis said one of the biggest challenges in growing the sport locally is finding good coaches, but they’ve been helped in that effort by Fort Bragg, where a number of people with experience playing and coaching the sport are stationed.

    He also said the lacrosse program at Methodist University has been supportive of the local club program.

    Davis said the recreation department program is especially important because it exposes the girls to competition from established lacrosse areas in the state like Pinehurst, Raleigh, Apex and Holly Springs.

    He hopes more girls will take part in the sport and see it as a possible avenue to a free college education. “We’ve had a lot of girls get college scholarships,’’ Davis said, noting that seven girls from the Flames program are competing at either the Division I, II or III level.

    One of them is Davis’ daughter, Mattie Davis, who signed with Jacksonville University, a traditional women’s lacrosse power. Jacksonville was 17-4 last year, won the Atlantic Sun Conference and qualified for the NCAA tournament.
    Davis has scored 104 goals in her career at Terry Sanford with one season left.

  • pexels aleksandar pasaric 1388030Get ready to be transported to Spain at the Fayetteville Symphony's fundraiser "A Night in Spain" on Thursday, Feb. 22 at Studio 215. Attendees will be treated to an exclusive performance by Concertmaster Fabián López, and his accompanist Inara Zandmane.

    Violinist Fabián López possesses an exceptionally impressive background. He has extensively traveled throughout various regions including the United States, Europe, China and South America, establishing himself as a renowned soloist, chamber musician and instructor.

    In his capacity as a soloist, he has showcased his talent alongside orchestras in the United States, Spain and France, such as Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla, Hebert Springs Festival Orchestra and Orquesta Filarmonica de Málaga. Moreover, he has held the position of concertmaster for the Greensboro and Asheville Symphonies in North Carolina.

    Inara Zandmane has performed regularly with López. She is renowned as one of North Carolina's top collaborative pianists. She has shared the stage with notable artists including Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Augustin Hadelich, Ray Chen, Sergei Antonov, Yura Lee, Martin Storey, Paul Coletti, Ian Clarke and Branford Marsalis.

    In addition to her regular performances with the Blue Mountain Ensemble, she also frequently collaborates with saxophonist Susan Fancher in duos.

    The incredible pair will showcase their talent against the backdrop of Studio 215. Situated in downtown Fayetteville, Studio 215 is a delightful venue featuring exposed brick walls, high ceilings with arch beams, indoor balconies, and a captivating spiral staircase.

    With its modern industrial charm, the space provides an intimate setting for this special occasion, and ample parking is available.

    Attendees will be further transported to Spain with a fantastic array of delicious food from The Downtown Market of Fayetteville and exquisite wines from Leclair's General Store. The culinary offerings will include a generous charcuterie table accompanied by flavorful Spanish-inspired dishes such as garlicky shrimp, patatas bravas, croquettes, and chorizo balls.

    The wine selection will feature a diverse range of albariño, tempranillo and cava sourced from vineyards in Spain.

    The doors will be open at 6 p.m., allowing guests to enjoy drinks, small bites, and socializing. The performance is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

    General Admission tickets are priced at $75, while a VIP Table for two with preferred seating is available for $250. To purchase tickets, please visit the website fayettevillesymphony.org. All proceeds from ticket sales will go towards supporting the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.

  • 20 Football genericTwitter can be a wonderful thing, especially when you heed the advice of Coach Herman Edwards, one of my heroes, and don’t press send before you transmit something ignorant into cyberspace.

    One of the best ways Twitter is helpful is as an archive to record statements and promises people have made in the past to see if they’ve lived up to them.

    It was just five years ago in late January when the Atlantic Coast Conference released its 2015 football schedule. I happened to save a portion of the press release from the North Carolina High School Athletic Association on Twitter, when that schedule included Friday night college games going head to head with high school football.

    Here is what the statement said:

    “At the NCHSAA we believe Friday nights should be reserved for high school football as the tradition has been for a long time. The ACC has indicated this should not be a regular occurrence, but there are contractual obligations out of our influence and control. We will maintain our focus and hope fans, parents and supporters of high school football will continue to attend local games on Friday nights in the fall.’’

    Fast forward to late January this year, when the ACC released the 2020 football schedule.

    Let’s quickly examine that second sentence. “The ACC has indicated this should not be a regular occurrence, but there are contractual obligations out of our influence and control.’’

    Why am I immediately getting an image of Pinocchio with the growing nose from the insurance commercials?

    On the 2020 ACC schedule, from Friday, Sept 4. until Friday, Nov. 27, there are eight Friday night football games. That includes a doubleheader on Friday, Sept. 4, and six games that will take place during the thick of the regular season.

    Most people have given up on fighting the Friday college football trend, saying it’s a lost cause and that the colleges will never walk away from all that money and exposure.
    I’m not among them. Neither, fortunately, are some of the college football coaches.

    One who has spoken out frequently against the Friday night games is the University of North Carolina’s Mack Brown. As soon as it was announced his Tar Heels will host North Carolina State on Friday, Nov. 27, Brown issued a statement saying he disagreed with playing college football on Friday nights and is lobbying for that game to be scheduled for an afternoon kickoff so it won’t interfere with the state playoff games that will be held that evening.

    Other people who’ve given up, including many in the media, tell me I’m complaining for no reason. I heard some talking heads on a regional radio show say they didn’t see college games on Friday having much impact on high school football. They noted with the advance of technology you can easily watch a college game on a mobile device while you sit in the stands at a high school game.

    That may be true in some locations, but not everywhere. I’ve been to a few high school stadiums in my day, and most of them didn’t have the benefit of free Wi-Fi for everyone to plug in and use their smartphones without draining the data they’ve purchased.

    I bet that’s especially true in the rural areas of the state where small, unsuccessful football schools count heavily on every dime they get from gate receipts when people come to the game to watch.

    Yes, diehard fans are going to show up for high school games. I won’t argue that. But high school football pays the way for the entire athletic program at a lot of schools, and it needs every walkup ticket from casual fans it can get.

    Throw in an inviting college game on TV on Friday nights, add some inclement weather, and it’s likely going to hurt everybody’s gate.

    College football coaches have some clout, and I beg them to make use of it. Band together. Don’t let voices like Mack Brown and a few others be the only ones out there in the wilderness with me complaining this is wrong.

    Reach out to your boosters, your alumni, your average fan, and preach to them that this dog does not hunt and it’s time for the NCAA to stop desecrating the rich tradition of Friday night high school football with the college brand.

    Let’s give Friday nights back to the high school coaches and players.

    Whenever the Fayetteville Sports Club announces its newest Hall of Fame Class, after the congratulations are handed out, one of the first things I hear is, “Why is so and so not in the Hall of Fame?’’

    The best answer I can give is they likely haven’t been nominated. The committee that picks the Hall of Fame members is not omniscient and doesn’t have a crystal ball that shows every viable candidate when it sits down to vote.

    If anyone has a candidate in mind that should be considered, nominations are welcome, but it should be much more than an email saying this person deserves to be chosen. Anyone who’d like to nominate someone for the Hall of Fame can send the information to me at earlucwsports@gmail.com and I’ll forward it to the committee.

    Please include as much background information on the candidate as you can, including major athletic accomplishments, providing documentation for why the individual should be chosen.

    This year’s class will be honored on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. at Highland Country Club. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by contacting Ashley Petroski at Nobles and Pound Financial at 1315 Fort Bragg Road. The number is 910-323-9195.

    Members of the class are Melanie Grooms-Garrett, Neil Buie, Brent Sexton, Roy McNeill, Jimmy Edwards Jr. and Bob Spicer Sr.

  • Fifties“I was the hero for a little while,” Drew Ziegler says laughing.

    “We learned enough to be dangerous.”

    Ziegler and his wife often used to find themselves at events where people were dancing. He decided to enroll in Roland’s Dance Studio classes.

    “Eventually, I got brave and purchased a beginner’s package," he said.

    Now, about thirty years later, Ziegler is the president of Cape Fear Ballroom Dancers, and he and the others are preparing for their monthly dance event. This month, of course, the center is around Valentine’s Day. The event will be held at Roland’s Dance Studio from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17. The admission for the night will be $20 and will include some light food.

    “We typically do a group lesson,” he says. “It depends on if we have one of our members that is an instructor attending. It’ll be right in the middle.”

    The Cape Fear Ballroom Dancers, which has about 50 members, hosts a dance every month. Eight times a year they host monthly dances at Roland’s Dance Studio on the third Saturday of every month. Each quarter, they host a dinner dance at Highland Country Club, usually accompanied by live music. All the events are open to the public and those of any dancing expertise.

    “Some of the members will dance with [attendees] and show them a few steps … a lot of our members haven’t taken a formal lesson. Who cares? No one has a clipboard. People just have fun.”
    For the members and Ziegler, dancing is all about showing up and having fun. Ziegler looked at dancing, now and when he began, as an elegant adult activity — something he and his wife could do for date nights. He has since found it useful in many places and all sorts of events.Fifties

    “When we go to other places, when we go on a cruise … we can jump out there and dance and have a good time.”

    The members of Cape Fear Ballroom Dancers encourage anyone to come out, celebrate Valentines Day and have a good time at the upcoming dance.

    For those worried about having a partner to dance with, Ziegler says not to worry — there are many members spreading dances around.

    “There will be no wallflowers,” he says. “No one is sitting on the sidelines. It’ll be a good workout.”
    For more information on this and any upcoming dance, visit www.capefearballroomdancers.org

  • 18 01 abby carson Abby Carson
    Terry Sanford • Bowling/Track• Senior

    Carson has a grade point average of 4.21. She is a starter on the Terry Sanford bowling team. She plans to attend Fayetteville State to study nursing and participate in track and field. 

     

     

    18 02 joannaJoana Ferreira
    Terry Sanford • Swimming• Senior
    Ferreira has a grade point average of 4.4. She ranks 19th in the senior class and was a marshal in 2019. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Academy of Scholars and Global Studies. She has more than 300 hours of community service and is active at her church. She took part in the AP Capstone Program at Terry Sanford. She plans to attend East Carolina University and pursue a degree in nursing.

  • pexels fauxels 3184183Some people say that I’m an old-fashioned girl, but I believe in love and all that it means. There’s nothing like making a concerted effort to have dinner and a fruitful conversation with the one you love, especially when the love is genuine and impassioned.

    Fontashia Johnson had an avid vision for an event where individuals would network, build connections, create lasting memories and be in community with one another as they spread love in a good way. With this in mind, Johnson is hosting Dinner in Love on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
    “The purpose of this event is to bring people together in community, connection and love with gratitude,” said Johnson, owner and founder of Dinner in Love. “People will come together to enjoy a meal prepared by themselves unless they purchase an a la carte menu option while having conversations, making connections and celebrating each other.”

    Johnson added that the objective is for the individual to prepare a meal alone or with someone else and they will bring that meal to the event. If they choose to purchase a meal, the meal will consist of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, string beans, rice and cornbread.

    The ticket includes entry to the event, an appetizer, a drink, dessert and wine/champagne will be provided for a heartfelt toast. The budding event is rooted in love.

    “When I think about Dinner in Love, I think of having dinner with a loved one or an in-law, not just for a holiday, but we can do this every day,” said Johnson. “It is different when it comes to being in community with people that you don’t necessarily know but have an opportunity to network, grow and have authentic conversations that you may not necessarily have any other way.”

    The networking affair comprises a gratitude portion, self-love activities, music, dancing, food and drinks, a variety of connection activities based around love languages, raffles, mindfulness practices and more. “One of the activities that people will partake in is similar to when you are celebrating Thanksgiving,” said Johnson. “One of the traditions in my family is that we allow each family member to say a person or a thing that we are grateful for.”

    She added, “We will take a moment to show some love and gratitude for at least one thing that you are grateful for.”

    The love ambassador shared that individuals will participate in a mindfulness practice activity.

    “It will be a practice in the way of nonjudgmental awareness and really coming into the present moment before we partake in our meal together,” said Johnson. “There is also some element of surprise to what people will expect when they get there because this is something that we hope to continue doing.”

    In 2017, the trailblazer started her nonprofit, Financial Awareness Counseling and Teaching Services. “The purpose of FACTS is to teach mindfulness, financial literacy and workplace readiness skills in underserved communities,” said Johnson. “I would go to different communities to teach individuals all of those things and now it has shifted into meeting people where they are.”

    “I now go to where there are mobility issues and we want to be known as the organization that brings those teachings to you.”

    Looking to keep up the momentum of Dinner in Love, the mindfulness educator has a prepense plan that aligns with her purpose of spreading love in the world in any way that seems fit.

    “We hope to continue doing this event in different cities and areas to bring people together over a meal in love and connection with one another,” said Johnson. “We have to take moments of pause to really be with what’s happening in the moment, put some things aside and really love on each other.”

    The event will be held at 8175 Cliffdale Road, Suite 113. General admission is $50. The dress attire is formal/business casual. For more information call 919-295-2230.

  • Two former Douglas Byrd High School football standouts have been honored with induction into major sports halls of fame.

    Former Eagle Donnell Woolford has been selected for induction into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in Raleigh while Earl “Air” Harvey has been picked to be inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia. The two were high school teammates at Byrd in the early 1980s and helped form the foundation of an Eagle program that would play for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4-A football championship five times during the 1980s and 1990s.
    Here is some background information on both inductees.

    17 01 donnell woolfordDonnell Woolford
    Woolford called his selection to the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame a humbling experience and a great honor.

    A native of Dunn, Woolford toured the world with his military family before returning to Fayetteville to play high school football at Douglas Byrd under Bob Paroli.
    Byrd was the final stop in a long coaching career for Paroli that started at Benson in 1958. At one point, Paroli was the winningest high school football coach in North Carolina history. During his career, he coached in three North Carolina All-Star games, the East-West coaches game, the Shrine Bowl and the former North-South game sponsored by the North Carolina Jaycees.

     “I was proud to be an Eagle and under the mentorship of Coach Bob Paroli,’’ Woolford said. “He was a great coach. He stayed on you and made sure you did the right thing.’’

    Woolford called Paroli the support and foundation of his career.

    Woolford was a standout running back during his playing days at Byrd, but when he arrived at Clemson University in 1985, he decided to switch to defensive back. Woolford was personally recruited to come to Clemson by former Tiger head coach Danny Ford, who led Clemson to the school’s first national championship in college football in 1981.

    Woolford was twice chosen to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference first team, helping Clemson win three ACC championships.

    In addition, he was a second team All-American and a consensus All-American in his final two years with the Tigers. He finished his career with 10 interceptions. Also a punt returner, he averaged 15.5 yards per return and scored two touchdowns in 1987.

    In Woolford’s final three seasons at Clemson, the Tigers compiled a record of 28-6-2. They finished in the top 10 in the national college football rankings in 1987 and 1988.
    Upon graduation, he was the No. 11 overall selection in the 1989 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears. Woolford was attending a family cookout when he got the call confirming he was drafted from Bears Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Mike Ditka.

    Woolford spent 10 years in the NFL, nine with the Bears and one with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

    Woolford was chosen to the Pro Bowl in 1993 and named All-Pro in 1994.

    He once owned the Bears’ record for interceptions by a cornerback with 36. He also was credited with 603 tackles.

    As part of the NFL’s observance of the league’s 100th anniversary, the Bears selected their top 100 players of all time. Woolford made the list
    at No. 78.

    Woolford and the rest of this year’s North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame selections will be officially inducted on Friday, May 1, at the Raleigh Convention Center.

    17 02 Earl HarveyEarl Harvey

    This is the second hall of fame that Harvey, another former Douglas Byrd standout, has been chosen to. He was previously picked for the CIAA Hall of Fame in 2016.
    Harvey played his college football at North Carolina Central University. It was while he was there he earned the nickname “Air” for his prowess as a passer.

    He was a four-time first-team All-CIAA pick at quarterback from 1985-88.

    In 1985, he was the first rookie quarterback in the history of the CIAA to throw for more than 3,000 yards.

    For his performance he was chosen to the Black College Sports All-American second team. He was also named the Black College Sports Freshman of the year, completing 188 of 392 passes. He threw for 22 touchdowns and ran for seven more.

    Harvey set records for NCCU, the CIAA and NCAA Division II. His marks included 690 career completions, 10,621 passing yards, 10,667 career total offensive yards and 86 career touchdown passes.

    In all, Harvey broke 15 NCAA Division II career records and held eight NCAA Division II single-season records.

    Twice during his college career at North Carolina Central, Harvey was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award, which recognizes the NCAA Division II football player of the year. He finished third in the voting for the award in 1988 and fifth in 1986.

    In 1988, he was chosen as an American Football Coaches Association All-American. He led North Carolina Central to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
    Harvey and the rest of the 2020 Black College Football Hall of Fame class will be inducted on Feb. 22 at the College Football Hall of Fame in
    Atlanta, Georgia.
  • uac020812001.jpg Kids of the ‘80s — or anyone who appreciates the musical sound of that especially big-haired decade — are in for a treat when Rock of Ages comes to the Crown on Feb 14. The fourth in a series of fi ve shows presented by Community Concerts, this particular performance promises to be huge. If you’re new in town or have somehow missed the last 75 years of amazing entertainment that Community Concerts brings to town each concert season, Rock of Ages is a great choice for a first show.

    The musical is set in 1987 on the Sunset Strip. Sherrie, a small-town girl, comes to L.A. to make it big. Drew, from South Detroit is drawn to Hollywood for the same reason. The two meet — and they fall in love to the songs of the ‘80s. Songs by Journey, Night Ranger, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and more recount the emotions, drama and excitement of their love story/adventure.

    Nominated five times for a Tony Award, Rock of Ages brings back fond memories for fans of the big-hair bands of the ‘80s.

    “We are really excited about Rock of Ages,” said Michael Fleishman, attractions director for Community Concerts. “This show is a huge hit on Broadway and is being made into a movie starring Tom Cruise and Alec Baldwin. It’s something we believe our audience will really enjoy.”

    Some other big names in the film include Julianne Hough, Malin Akerman, Catherine Zeta Jones, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti and Mary J. Blige. Fans of the stage version can enjoy the show in theaters on June 1.

    “Tickets have really starting jumping on this show,” said Fleishman. “This is a great thing to do for Valentine’s Day. It is something a little different. Instead of waiting at your favorite restaurant for an hour, this is a chance to hear all the music of the ‘80s in a really fun and upbeat show.

    ”Dominique Scott couldn’t agree more. He plays the part of Drew in Rock of Ages and is lookin02-08-12-roa-logo.jpgg forward to putting on a top-notch show when they come to the Crown.

    “My favorite part is the audience’s reaction to the show,” said Scott. “People really love it. There is a general sense of excitement about the show. People who know nothing about the story or music when they walk in all walk out having had a good time. By the final number the crowd is up on its feet laughing and clapping and enjoying the show.”

    Scott says that the cast loves the response they get from the audience at each performance and that the synergy that develops between the cast and the viewers can be pretty intense.

    “It is breathtaking to perform in front of thousands of people every night. They know all the songs for the most part and by the end everybody is standing up and dancing and having a good time,” he said. “There is a certain energy that we share with the audience back and forth from the stage and it is something that is really special and breathtaking — and something that I look forward to every night.”

    Now in its 76th season, Community Concerts is not only Fayetteville’s oldest arts organization; it is comprised of an all-volunteer workforce dedicated to bringing quality entertainment to Fayetteville and the Fort Bragg/Cumberland County community. With a keen ear tuned to what interests and excites its audiences, the group has steadily expanded and grown as similar community groups around the country have fallen by the wayside.

    Clearly, community is the operative word in the organization’s name. Beyond great entertainment, Community Concerts also supports programs that02-08-12-roa-photo-9.jpgbenefit local citizens.

    The Boy’s and Girl’s Club receive generous support from Community Concerts as do deserving seniors. Local children benefi t from music clinics and a music scholarship fund. Each year the group recognizes local performers and musicians in the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame.

    “There are so many people in our community who have contributed to the quality of life here,” said Fleishman. “They’ve entertained us, taught our children and brought the love of music and entertaining into the lives of our citizens. These are people who deserve to be recognized and it is only right for us to do that.”

    In the end, making Fayetteville a better place is what matters to the volunteers who drive Community Concerts. Being able to make meaningful differences in the community, provide great shows for their audiences and still have a great time is one of the reasons Fleishman has stayed with the group for so long. Every year is a new adventure and every show is a chance to make the audience cheer — and Rock of Ages is a show that he expects will have people on their feet throughout the night.

    “This is a very fun show. It was a big hit on Broadway and it is going to be a big deal with this movie coming out,” said Fleishman.

    The 2011-2012 season comes to and end on Friday, April 14 when the incomparable Patti LaBelle comes to the Crown.

    Rock of Agesstarts at 7:30 p.m. at the Crown. Tickets are available to all Community Concerts shows at www.community-concerts.com/contact-us and at www.atthecrown.com.

  • 406451523 1342303883245912 5769753468581857869 nThe Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra intends to highlight the significant contributions of Black composers and artists through their upcoming concert titled "Celebration of Love." This special event, scheduled for Friday, Feb. 23, is a tribute to Black History Month.

    “It’s important that as an arts organization, we bring greater diversity to the ranks of performers, composers, and audiences to help change the face of classical music. It’s also equally as important to make the music of black composers as accessible to all people regardless of background or ethnicity,” expressed Meghan Woolbright, Marketing and Office Manager of the FSO.

    Attendees of the concert will enjoy a one-hour musical performance featuring compositions by Florence Price and Antonín Dvorák. These pieces will be brought to life by a talented string quartet comprising Megan Kenny, Dennis Malloy, Nate Leyland and Anne Leyland.

    Florence Price is recognized as the inaugural African American female composer in the field of symphonic music. Additionally, she holds the distinction of having her composition performed by a prominent orchestra. Throughout her career, Price created an impressive repertoire consisting of more than 300 pieces, including four symphonies, four concertos, choral compositions, art songs, chamber music and solo instrumental works.

    Antonín Dvorák became the initial composer from Bohemia to gain global acclaim. He was renowned for his ability to transform folk elements into Romantic music of the 19th century. Ever since its groundbreaking debut at Carnegie Hall in 1893, Dvorák's Symphony No. 9, also known as the "New World Symphony,” has captured the hearts of audiences across America. This orchestral masterpiece is renowned for its innovative incorporation of African American musical elements, marking a significant milestone in the history of classical music.

    The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra is excited to be partnering with the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church where the concert will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 6 to 18. Tickets can be purchased online at fayettevillesymphony.org, and over the phone at 910-433-4690.

    Limited tickets will be available at the door the night of the performance.

  • 16 01 pine forest wrestlersParticipation by females in the sport of high school wrestling is on the rise nationally as well as in Cumberland County.

    A check with Cumberland County Schools athletic directors revealed there are 15 female wrestlers competing on varsity teams in the county this year with only E.E. Smith and South View reporting no females on their wrestling teams.

    The schools with the biggest turnout of females this season are Pine Forest with four and Jack Britt with three.

    Coaches Byron Sigmon of Jack Britt and Charles Daniels of Pine Forest both encourage females to take part in 16 02 britt wrestlers copythe sport at their schools.

    “I’m recruiting everybody, especially now that women’s wrestling has taken off in North Carolina,’’ Daniels said.

    Last year, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association held its first state wrestling championship tournament solely for female wrestlers. The second one is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 8, at Carolina Courts in Concord.

    Sigmon, who sometimes tries to recruit female wrestlers from his weightlifting class, said he’s noticed an increase in participation in the sport by females from the upper weight classes.

    Last year, a Jack Britt wrestler, Madajah Trapier, won the 152-pound state title in the first NCHSAA women’s wrestling tournament. The school awarded her a state championship ring.

    “That kind of opened the eyes of a good many girls on our team and in our school,’’ Sigmon said.

    Talking to the various girls from Cumberland County who are involved in wrestling, it’s clear they have a variety of reasons for giving the
    sport a try.

    Andrea Moore is a 113-pound sophomore in her second year with the Buccaneers. She doesn’t want boys to think the sport is just for males. “It’s for anybody,’’ she said.
    Adria Bell, a 138-pound sophomore at Britt, is the sister of former Buccaneer star Erick Martinez.

    She said a lot of older women come up to her at matches and tell her they wish they had had the opportunity to try wrestling when they were in high school.
    “Whenever I get on the mat, I’m nervous,’’ she said. “It’s teammates supporting and motivating you that helps. We can all relate to it more.’’

    Diandra Tejada brings an unusual skill set to the wrestling mat. She’s in the lowest weight class, 106 pounds. The Jack Britt newcomer just moved in from Texas and is a cheerleader, dancer and singer. She also runs track and competes in weightlifting.

    One of the things that strikes her most is how small the wrestling community is, probably because the sport is so challenging.

    “The physical part has been extremely demanding and a lot different from anything I’ve ever done,’’ she said. “I make sure I’m eating right and taking care of myself mentally and physically.’’

    Her goals whenever she gets on the mat are simple. “I just do my best to wrestle as hard as I can, so I can step off the mat and be proud of myself,’’ she said.

    At Pine Forest, Anamaria Bailey is the veteran among the female contingent. A senior in the 170 pound class, this is her fourth year on the Trojan wrestling team. She comes from a unique athletic background, participating in rugby before she switched to wrestling.

    She admits it was awkward when she started wrestling as a freshman, being the only female on the team.

    “There was always a stigma and there’s always going to be one regardless of the changing times,’’ she said. “There were always people asking questions and making weird faces. I never let it bother me.’’

    Bailey understands the natural curiosity but she’s glad the sport is becoming more inclusive.

    “I’m happy to have my girl teammates, just as much as I am for the boys to be here,’’ she said.

    Like Bailey, teammate Jewel Arrowsmith, a 126-pound sophomore, brings an interesting background to the sport. She’s a gymnast, who took up wrestling after her brother became a member of the team.

    Like most of the females, Arrowsmith said she has to overcome a lack of strength against most male opponents by emphasizing technique. “Day by day I get better,’’ she said. “I would definitely like to place in the women’s state tournament. I look forward to having a medal.’’

    Another Pine Forest wrestler, Kahala Bandmann, a 138-pound junior, also followed her brother into the sport. A soccer player, she’s convinced her work in wrestling will help her to be in excellent shape when soccer season for girls starts in the spring.

    She said she tries to overcome any shortcomings with strength by outthinking her opponents, but admits that can be hard. “You get carried away when you’re in the moment,’’ she said. “You have to stay focused.’’

    That focus includes not being caught up in the fact she’s facing a male opponent on the mat most of the time. “Your goal is just to beat them,’’ she said. “You’re not thinking about how close you are to a guy or anything else that goes through your head.’’

    Hailie Misplay, a 132-pound freshman, plays softball and feels wrestling is helping her get stronger and improve her power at the plate.

    She knows most of the males she faces will be stronger than she is, but that’s not something that she worries about. “I have to be smarter, quicker and out-technique them to beat them,’’ she said.

    As for the future of the sport, most of the girls feel that participation by females is only going
    to increase.

    “If they see more girls are going out to wrestle, it’s like a trend,’’ Bell said. “One starts, then more come. It’s a domino effect.’’

    Top picture from L-R: Anamaria Bailey, Jewel Arrowsmith, Kahala Bandmann and Hailie Misplay.

    Bottom picture from L-R L-R Adria Bell, Diandra Tejada, Andrea Moore.

  • 398196335 704751085022181 6020876483043733478 nThis Valentine’s Day, feel your blood chill and your spine tingle in sync with the chug of a tractor motor. Experience true terror in the hay fields of Clinton this sensual season with the team behind Hollerin’ Haunts Hayrides at their My Bloody Valentine event held annually at their farm in rural North Carolina.

    From the passionate performers, to the spooky sights and décor, Hollerin’ Haunts Hayrides hopes to bring attendees and spectators a fun and festive fright for all ages.

    “We basically want to have the best hayride in the U.S. That’s our goal. That’s our ultimate goal. We’re not going to stop working and building until we get to that,” said Jerry Johnson, a team member behind Hollerin’ Haunts Hayrides.

    The My Bloody Valentine horrifying hayride has been around since the beginning. Since it’s inception, the hayride has evolved to the point where it now has eighteen different scenes, sets, and scaled buildings meant to elevate the experience for thrill seekers.

    Many secret spooks await at this year’s My Bloody Valentine as well. According to Johnson, the team has worked extremely hard to put together a brand-new scene that will be sure to have you walking, or running, like an Egyptian. For the sake of secrecy, that’s all we can say on the matter. If you would like to uncover the ancient horrors and witness the passion behind the pursuits to petrify, you’ll just have to see it for yourself. Unknown frights aside, Johnson also shared some of the other scenes included in the hayride and walkthrough.

    “The hayride is definitely our main attraction. Our other event is our ‘Halfway to Halloween’. We also do an event where we allow vendors to come out. We do a ‘Zombie Prom’ and all kinds of different stuff like that. Basically, whenever the customers come, they get to mingle with the actors before it starts. Anytime there’s a Friday the 13th, we also do a walkthrough on the backside of the property. We have another whole path just for that,” Johnson said.

    “You can come out for yourself and experience it. You’ll get a much better feel for it rather than writing or reading about it. For us, having the hayride is a huge advantage. Anybody can ride on the hayride.”

    While its first performance has already passed, you can catch the next hayride on Saturday, Feb. 17. The event is planned to run between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Johnson and the crew invite all those interested in horror culture, haunted houses, haunting events and hayrides to come out and join them for an evening filled with fear, fun, and adrenaline pumping encounters.

    For more information on how to attend and where to buy tickets for this and future events at Hollerin’ Haunts Hayrides, please visit their website at https://www.hollerinhauntshayride.com/my-bloody-valentine/

  • pexels adrienn 1524105

     

    Do you recall a period when we didn't observe Galentine's Day? This occasion, similar to Friendsgiving, was initiated by a TV program. "Friends" brought about Friendsgiving, while Galentine's Day originated from "Parks and Rec." Leslie Knope took her gal pals out to celebrate friendship and the holiday was born.

    Round up your besties and honor your ride-or-die crew by attending a great local event. Take this opportunity to shower them with appreciation, laughter and a memorable experience.

     

     

    February 9th:
    Galentines Cooking Class- 6 p.m. at Haymount Truckstop
    http://tinyurl.com/47dtaaad

    February 10th:
    2nd Annual Happy Galentine's Floral Party- 6 p.m. at The Downtown Market of Fayetteville
    http://tinyurl.com/ym4kwva5
    February Sip & Paint- 2 p.m. at Grapes & Hops
    http://tinyurl.com/24c7vrnt

    February 11th:
    Galentines Day Brunch- 11 a.m. Village Wine Shop (Aberdeen)
    http://tinyurl.com/2p8w9d4h
    Cupid's Victim: A Galentine's Trivia Party- 2 p.m. at Atomic Orchard Salon
    http://tinyurl.com/mr25hs5x

    February 12th:
    Galentine's Pajama Paint Party- 5 p.m. at Hoke Parks & Recreation
    http://tinyurl.com/7vepb9fn

    February 13th:
    Be Mine GALentine!- 10 a.m. at Shop Cursive
    http://tinyurl.com/4a85hkj6
    Women on the Wall: Galentine's Day Edition- 6 p.m. at Triangle Rock Club (Fayetteville)
    http://tinyurl.com/56xeb6cx
    Galentines Day- 6 p.m. at Pucker Up
    http://tinyurl.com/56fp6dyr
    Galentine's Day Blast to the Eighties Cocktail Class- 5:30 p.m. at Circa 1800
    http://tinyurl.com/ycyednbe

    February 14th:
    Self-Love Galentine's Day Brunch Experience- 10 a.m. at L2 Candle Bar
    http://tinyurl.com/5n6n9em8

    February 16th:
    Galentine's Day-A Toast to Me- 6 p.m. at The Metropolitan Room
    http://tinyurl.com/2kkt44u5

    February 17th:
    Galentine's Night Out- 5:30 p.m. at Chris's Steak & Seafood House
    http://tinyurl.com/4dzhmh8r
    Galentine's Brunch- 10 a.m. at Bees & Boards
    http://tinyurl.com/j2sr4fc7

  • 366743484 697061269132590 6052724596923053493 nThe Fayetteville (NC) Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, and the Fayetteville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta is set to host the A Krimson & Cream Affair on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. This dazzling event will unfold at the Iron Mike Conference Center on 2658 Rock Merritt Avenue, promising an unforgettable evening filled with elegance and excitement.

    Attendees are invited to immerse themselves in a night of vibrant colors, captivating music and delightful company. The celebration of unity and camaraderie aims to unite members and supporters of the Kappa Alpha Psi and Delta Sigma Theta. Dwayne Robinson, Chairman of the Social Committee for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Fayetteville Alumni Chapter, shared his excitement about the event.

    "Our goal is to create a space where members and friends can come together, celebrate our rich history, and forge new connections. It's not just a party; it's a celebration of our community and giving back to the next generation,” said Robinson.

    The night promises delectable treats, refreshing beverages, and a dance floor alive with rhythm. Attendees are encouraged to dress to impress in semi-formal fashion, adding a touch of sophistication to the festivities.

    "Events like A Krimson & Cream Affair highlight the importance of community and collaboration. It's an opportunity for individuals from different backgrounds to come together, share experiences, and enjoy a night of elegance,” Robinson said.

     

    As the evening unfolds, participants can expect a journey through history. The Fayetteville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta was chartered on Sept. 12, 1953, by 11 dynamic women who recognized the need for service in the community. Embarking on its 70th year of Scholarship, Service, Sisterhood and Social Action, the chapter continues to impact Fayetteville and Cumberland County through its National Five Point Programmatic Thrust. The Educational Thrust committees of the Fayetteville Alumnae Chapter work diligently on issues such as social graces, community service and scholarship opportunities for youth in the community. Their commitment to International Awareness and Involvement, Economic Development, Educational Development, Physical and Mental Health and Political Awareness and Involvement is evident in their efforts to educate and initiate a 'Call to Action' in critical matters.

    The Fayetteville (NC) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, with its roots dating back to Feb. 25, 1957, has a rich history. The charter members, including Ernest E. Miller, Booker T. McNeil, and others, instilled principles of leadership and achievement in every field of human endeavor. The Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority have been pillars in Fayetteville, shaping the community for decades.

    As the A Krimson & Cream Affair unfolds, it not only promises an evening of elegance and excitement but pays homage to the rich history and impactful contributions of these two distinguished organizations in Fayetteville. Take advantage of this chance to participate in a celebration combining glamour, history, and a sense of community. Mark your calendars and join the Fayetteville (NC) Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, and the Fayetteville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta for a night to remember.

    Tickets for the event cost $75 and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-krimson-and-cream-affair-hosted-by-fayetteville-chapters-of-and-tickets-759705308027.

  • pexels robert hernandez villalta 128457Get ready to catch football fever because Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner!

    The teams are set. The San Francisco 49ers will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs for Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV.

    Whether you're a die-hard football fanatic or just enjoy the commercials and halftime show, there's something for everyone on Super Bowl Sunday. Don't miss out on the electrifying atmosphere and camaraderie that only the Super Bowl can deliver.

    To help you find your local game-day spot we've rounded up the best places to catch the big game with fellow enthusiasts.

    So put on your team colors and get ready to cheer on your favorite team as they battle it out for football supremacy.

    • Mac's Speed Shop at 482 N. McPherson Church Road, 910-354-2590
    https://www.facebook.com/MacsFayetteville
    — Mac’s has party platters you can pre-order if you need a gameday spread for a watch party at home.

    • Huske at 405 Hay Street, 910-437-9905
    https://www.facebook.com/huskehardwarerestaurant

    • District House of Taps at 1240 Fort Bragg Road, 910-491-6737
    — Taking reservations and are extending their hours to accommodate the end of the game.
    https://www.facebook.com/districthouseoftaps

    • Scrub Oaks at 5780 Ramsey Street, 910-884-3072
    https://www.facebook.com/scruboaks

    • Bubba's 33 at 500 Westwood Shopping Center, 910-223-2601
    http://tinyurl.com/4z3n44zw

    • Latitude 35 Bar & Grill at 1217 Hay Street, 910-485-4777
    http://tinyurl.com/5ast2n6x

    • Gaston Brewing Company at 124 Hay Street, 910-748-0580
    https://www.facebook.com/gbc910

    • Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux at 2116 Skibo Road, 910-779-4901
    https://www.facebook.com/WalkOnsFayetteville

    • Buffalo Wild Wings at 2097 Skibo Road, 910-868-1561
    https://www.facebook.com/BWWFayettevilleNC

    • KickBack Jack's at 5081 Morgantaon Road, 910-223-7676
    https://www.facebook.com/KBJFayetteville
    • Hooters at 501 N. McPherson Church Road, 910-868-0700
    https://www.facebook.com/HootersofFayetteville/

    • Carolina Ale House at 161 Glensfood Drive, 910-860-1114
    https://www.facebook.com/CAHFayetteville

    • H8ters at 2926 C Fort Bragg Road, 910-835-5881
    https://www.facebook.com/H8tersH3

    • Louie's Sports Bar at 2417 Robeson Street, 910-323-3373
    https://www.facebook.com/Louiessportspub

    Be sure to visit the Facebook page listed or call your chosen venue for further details on the big game.

  • LEVAS23 Cross Creek ChoraleLift Every Voice and Sing: A Musical Journey Through Black History is a musical performance created by Brenda Vandervort-Miller. Coming into its fifth year, Lift Every Voice is an annual mainstay of the Cumberland Choral Arts musical group production lineup that aims to celebrate black culture and share it with the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community.

    "I had begun thinking about this a few years before I actually brought it to the board of Cumberland Choral Arts. I brought it to our board in the summer of 2019 after watching Beyonce's Homecoming performance on Netflix. She started to sing "Lift Every Voice and Sing," and when I heard her hit those first few notes it was like a lightbulb went off. I broke out my iPad and created a shell of the program," said Vandervort-Miller.

    This year's theme is "The Harlem Renaissance," a time in American history during which a cultural revival of African American music, art, philosophy, literature and theater took place and forever changed the landscape of American culture on a broader scale.

    "I think what makes this show in particular great is that it's lighthearted. You'll definitely come away with something different every year. Every year has a different theme. Last year we focused on women composers and vocalists,” said Vandervort-Miller.

    The Harlem Renaissance brought about notable and famous individuals alike. This includes the likes of Langston Hughes, Louis Armstrong, W. E. B. Du Bois, Ella Fitzgerald, James Weldon Johnson and more. For those familiar with Johnson, he is the author of the poem and song, "Lift Every Voice and Sing" in which the musical takes its namesake. The song invokes times of hardship, the spirit of perseverance, the desire for justice, and deliverance from the cruelties of slavery and prejudice experienced by the Black population in America.

    This message still rings true with many Black Americans today. The words stand as a cultural and historical touchstone for the Black community, and, in larger part, for all Americans as well.

    "For me, it's part of my history and part of my culture. Growing up a Black American it's never not been a part of my cultural identity. I think I might have learned it about the same time I learned our national anthem. It's always been a part of my musical life," said Vandervort-Miller.

    The show's appeal comes from this personal perspective of sharing and appreciating one's culture. One of the art's many beauties is its ability to provoke conversations both internally and externally.

    Learning to appreciate the unique perspectives, lived experiences, and cultures of one another is an important step toward fostering a healthy appreciation for all of the things that make us similar. Our shared love for creativity and expression are just two examples of the many traits we share as human beings.

    As Vandervort-Miller puts it, "We want people to come and be informed about what the theme for that year is, but ultimately we want people to have fun, and walk away from it feeling good and rejuvenated. Our show is a light-hearted, fun performance with history thrown in."

    "The focus is to lend a different perspective to Black history and shine a light on a period within Black history for people to come and have a fun time," Miller continued.

    With a planned performance from the Fayetteville Jazz Orchestra, the musical heightens the experience with big band numbers and encourages the audience to dress in period-appropriate clothing to better immerse oneself in the time period. All of these pieces come together to promise a show that will impress, entertain and stay on people's minds.

    This year's performance, and those before it, are made possible because of the amazing organization and teamwork of members of the Cumberland Choral Arts and the team behind Vandervort-Miller working together to bring her vision of black history-inspired musical theater to the stage.

    "The support from the board of directors of the Cumberland Choral Arts has been invaluable to this project, and specifically the board president Sandy Cage and CCA secretary Cathy Thaman. Brandley Laub is another board member who has been invaluable. Alexandra Marth has also been extremely helpful in marketing the show this year and getting us in front of people and faces who might not have seen us before."

    "They have all just been absolutely invaluable. I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention our artistic director for Cumberland Choral Arts which is Dr. Michael Martin. I have an incredible support team with this organization and I cannot be more thankful," said Vandervort-Miller.

    The Lift Every Voice and Sing: A Musical Journey Through Black History show is truly something to behold. From Vandervort-Miller's spark of inspiration and love for her culture to the stage lights and opening night, Lift Every Voice and Sing: A Musical Journey Through Black History is a story not just about the history of Black Americans throughout America's history, but of their continued efforts to strive for success, excellence and have a positive influence on the communities and society around them.

    It is a story of how people come together to create things they find beautiful and inspiring and their efforts to share them with others in the hopes that they too might find their creations beautiful and inspiring.

    This cycle of inspiration and creation is something that connects us all as human beings. It allows us to experience each other's individual perspectives, beliefs and values, and to share them in kind. When we support endeavors to create art that helps facilitate that unity in expression, we are also supporting the opportunity to do the same for ourselves and for others in the future.

    Lift Every Voice and Sing: A Musical Journey Through Black History will be performed live at Fayetteville State University's J.W. Seabrook Auditorium at 1200 Murchison Road in Fayetteville. The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. and be held on Feb. 17. Tickets are$15 and are available first-come first-serve.

    For more information about the event, visit https://www.cumberlandchoralarts.org/lift-every-voice-concert/ . Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lift-every-voice-and-sing-a-musical-journey-through-black-history-tickets-788442120607?aff=ebdsoporgprofile.

  • PGCover2021 for website Resized

  • 02-20-13-circus.gifFresh salty peanuts, sweet brightly colored cotton candy and laughter are all tastes, sights and sounds associated with the circus. For people young and old the circus is a place to be awed and entertained by the amazing feats of the performers — animals and humans alike — and from Feb. 28 until March 3, the Ringling Brothers Circus will be in Fayetteville.

    The Ringling Brothers Circus has been around since 1919, and is known for its extreme and awe-inspiring shows. Cathy Carden, an elephant trainer with the circus, described the upcoming show for us.

    “It’s a really awesome high-energy show called Fully Charged. Everything lights up with color, and it’s very cool. We have a new ringmaster, David Shipman, who sings throughout the show. We have a lot of original music, some pop tunes and we have a live band, which is a Ringling tradition.”

    Almost all of the music is original music with a high-energy sound. It is upbeat. The show includes everything an audience expects from a circus. There are jugglers and animals, clowns and acrobats.

    “We have high-wire performers, and we have the globe of steel,” said Carden. “A steel globe is made out of strips of metal and you can see inside. The motorcycles get inside and ride in it — even upside down. It is one of the most dangerous acts in the circus world. They have three motorcycles in there at one time! The one we use is the smallest one in the business which means it has to be more precise and the riders have to have a faster reaction time.”

    Exotic and trained animals are another major staple of the circus. No circus is complete without an elephant, but the Ringling Brothers Circus has all of that and more.

    “We have many animals which include three elephants I have had my whole life,” said Carden. “For 39 years we’ve been together every day. It is very cool to have elephants as part of the family. We also have two camels, two Arabian horses, two Shetland ponies, one mini horse and a baby camel who is 7-months-old named Sable. He is so smart it is scary. I have 16 dogs, six of which are in training and 10 of which are performing,” she added.

    Yet the Ringling Brothers Circus has far more than standard circus fair. There are dancers and acrobats — acrobats from Russia perform on a moving platform that is elevated like a trapeze/mini stage. They do fl ips on and off of the platform as it moves.

    “We also have an award winning Cirque du Soleil personality from Russia as well,” said Carden. “He does a trapeze aerial act that is amazing. He takes a pad like a mattress and they pull him to the top of the ring and he falls and does incredible acrobatics on the way down. I have never seen anything like it.”

    Another way Fully Charged goes above and beyond in its productions is by opening up the experience to the public.

    “The one thing the kids really like is the preshow. It is free with your ticket and starts one hour before the show. They can come to the ring, meet the performers, and take pictures with them. You can see the elephants up close and come back stage and see the animals get prepped for the show and see all the props. That is one of the best parts of coming to the show,” Carden explained.

    The circus will be in town from Feb. 28, until March 3, at the Crown Coliseum. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or at the Ringling Brothers Circus website www.ringling.com or by phone at 800-745-3000. For more information, call 919-510-0641. Remember, the preshow is free with tickets and begins one hour before the show starts.

    Photo: Elephant trainer Cathy Carden has been with her elephants for 39 years.

  • It has been said that while bread may nourish the body, it is the flower that nourishes the soul. But which flower would nourish your soul the most? If you were to ask the members of the Fayetteville Camellia Club, you could probably bet that they’d say...the camellia. March 2 and 3 the FCC will host the 67th Annual Camellia Show at Cape Fear Botanical Garden, where there will be hundreds of blossoms for your viewing pleasure. Last year there were more than 1,000 blooms on display and the number of attendees reached into the 300s.

    02-27-13-camelias.gifA flower that is native to the Orient, the camellia is a blooming shrub that produces large and small, often double and wonderfully flamboyant flowers. From scarlet reds and pinks to pure whites and yellows, this fl ower is sure to please the eye. Blooming mainly in the fall and winter months, the camellia offers a respite from barren limbs and brown grass and brings with it the promise of spring.

    “I have put camellias in pots on my front porch for the winter season. They have shiny, dark green leaves and their winter flowers give a nice contrast to the usual pot of pansies,” said Cathy McCamish, the president of the FCC. McCamish is also a Certified Master Gardner with a certifi cate in Ornamental Horticulture.

    “The first camellia show I attended left me in awe,” McCamish explained. “I thought I would find a few favorite flowers to use in my landscape, only to start a never-ending wish list of camellia varieties.”

    Whether you’re already a seasoned camellia lover or just starting out, there is something for you at the show. Planned are seminars with guest speakers on Saturday and tours of the Mary McLaurin Camellia Garden on both Saturday and Sunday. Admission to the show is free. However, a $6 fee for adults and a $1.50 fee for children will apply to those who want to take the tour as it provides attendees access to the entire 78-acres of the garden. If you’re looking to buy a camellia plant, an FCC member can help you choose from a selection of the best quality. They’ll even advise you on how to care for them.

    “They can live for 50 years or more, with very little care,” McCamish said of the plant. “They’re attractive even without flowers, and their leaves stay green year-round.”

    For those of you with green thumbs, you might enjoy entering your own camellia blooms for a chance to be a prize winner. Prizes will be awarded in 30 different categories, including Novice and Best Local Unprotected. If you think your blooms have what it takes, go to the FCC’s website (www.fayettevillecamelliaclub.org) and see how to prepare them to enter by clicking on the Camellia Show tab. Contestants must have their blooms to the Orangery, at the far right of the Cape Fear Botanical Garden visitors’ center, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Saturday, March 2. Judging will conclude around 12 p.m. and the winning blooms will be marked. The overall winners will be given the honor of being displayed together in their own separate group throughout the show.

    “We hope to live up to our mission,” McCamish said of the FCC. “To stimulate and extend appreciation of camellias and to encourage and support the science and art of camellia culture.”

    The show begins March 2 from 12-4 p.m. and continues March 3 from 12-4 p.m. Attendees should go to the Orangery at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. The garden is located at 536 N. Eastern Blvd. (Route 301), Fayetteville. If you would like to sponsor the Annual Camellia Show or just want more information, go to www.fayettevillecamelliaclub.org or email them at info@fayettevillecamelliaclub.org.

    Photo: The Camellia Show  is scheduled for March 2, at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

  •  

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  •    Feeling lucky?
       Got your rabbit’s foot on and your mojo working?
       Want to put it all on black and spin the wheel just once in your life?
       Then it’s a safe bet that you’ll have a grand time — for a grand cause — at the 4th Annual Casino Night scheduled for Friday, Feb. 13, at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux.
       The annual event — sponsored by the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville, Inc., and Carolina Mortgage Center — presents an evening of Las Vegas-style gambling to raise money for a worthy cause.
       For $75, you’ll get $500 worth of “funny money” to gamble on slots, blackjack and Texas Hold ‘em, with a shot at winning top prizes, including a piece of jewelry from Carlyle, a 42-inch television and a prepaid Visa card. And your conscience can take a free ride while you play these games of chance, as all proceeds go to help out this year’s beneficiary, the Child Advocacy Center — an organization dedicated to helping abused children.
       Natalie Woodbury, executive director of Home Builders Association of Fayetteville, Inc., said last year’s event drew more than 350 gamesters.{mosimage}
       “Over the past three years we’ve raised more than $50,000 for worthy causes... last year it was Cumberland Interfaith,” said Woodbury. “It’s just like walking onto the floor of a Vegas casino. It’s done by a great company from Raleigh called All In. You can visit Vegas without buying an airplane ticket... and it would make a great Valentine’s Day treat.”
       Tammy Laurence, the executive director of Child Advocacy Center, said the money raised by Casino Night is especially important in these tough economic times.
       “The money will help us maintain our level of service to abused children and their families,” said Laurence.
       The event runs from 6:30-10:30 p.m., and the admission price includes tickets for two drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres. To purchase tickets, call 486-9700.

    Contact Tim Wilkins at tim@upandcomingweekly.com 














  • fadeless 2 From pieces of artwork traveling across the ocean and being exhibited in international galleries to having her first solo exhibition in the United States, 2022 is proving to be the year for local art teacher Aurelis Lugo.

    Lugo, originally from Puerto Rico, moved to Fayetteville two years ago with her son. She never expected to move out of Puerto Rico, especially as a single mom. But curiosity got the better of her prompting her to move to Fayetteville.

    Not long after relocating, she found a position teaching art within Cumberland County Schools.

    While painting murals for local Fayetteville Puerto Rican restaurants, she also submitted pieces of art to different local shows. So when she heard about the Fayetteville Arts Council mini-grants, she knew she had to apply, hoping to help extend her series or artwork highlighting Puerto Rican women.

    Lugo's exhibit, "Inmarcesible," featured eleven acrylic paintings on display in Puerto Rico. These pieces highlighted Puerto Rican women.

    She wanted to continue that series and highlight more Afro-Puerto Rican women who made history but still did not receive proper recognition.

    "Their stories need to be visualized; they need to be brought up again," Lugo said. "Now the thing is that the women that I'm portraying, even though they did amazing stuff, they are not recognized as they should because of two main reasons, they were black, and they were women."

    The exhibit received funding from the Fayetteville Arts Council and will be opening this weekend at Cape Fear Studios.

    The "Fadeless" exhibition will highlight nine additional women and their stories.

    Some of the highlighted women include María Libertad Gómez Garriga, the first woman to hold the position of President of the House for the Puerto Rican House of Representatives and the only woman to sign the Constitution of Puerto Rico in 1952.

    Another woman highlighted in the exhibit is Carmen Belem Richardson, the first Black Puerto Rican actress to appear on television in Puerto Rico.

    "Fadeless" also demonstrates Lugo's outreach into mixed-media paintings. She incorporates spray paint, glitter, molding and all types of materials into the images. She says this showcases her growth and the change she has experienced as an artist and person since her last exhibit.

    "Personally, it means a lot to me because it's like, another goal that I accomplished. And also because of the kind of message that I'm delivering with this. I'm not only showing my culture; I'm showing that My people have interesting people that you should know about. And they can be an example. Mainly [for] everybody."

    Lugo said that preparing for a solo exhibition is like preparing for a wedding. It's a big day, and everything needs to be perfect.

    She says she visited the North Carolina Museum of Art quite a bit while preparing for the opening of "Fadeless."

    "So this is my big thing, and it feels so different from the ones that I did in Puerto Rico. My first solo exhibition in Puerto Rico was in a gallery at a mall," Lugo said. "But this time, it feels very different. Because I'm outside my country and it's like a big responsibility. Because I'm bringing my culture, I'm letting others see how important these women are. And it's like a lot of pressure, but it's also it's a big accomplishment."

    Lugo also has other pressures, as her artwork is currently on display in London at the Boomer Gallery at Tower Bridge. Soon her artwork will travel to Rome and then this summer it will be in Spain.

    Looking to the future, Lugo is already planning her next addition to her series. She hopes to create full-length art pieces that incorporate fashion and clothing materials into her art.

    "This is like a never-ending project that I will continue working on and working on it, no matter where in the world I am," Lugo said. "I'll continue working on it because there are a lot of women that did amazing things."
    Cape Fear Studios & Gallery will be holding a gallery opening for "Fadeless" on Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. The exhibit will be open to the public until March 22.

  • Art Embodies History Damien Mathis has a nervous energy, either from years spent as an infantryman in the Marines or from all the ideas for artwork floating around his head. He would call it an overactive imagination. Whatever it is, he talks quickly and paces back and forth in his garage. There is excitement there. He becomes impassioned when he speaks about his artwork and the dramatic influence of other Black artists on history. This space has become one of his studio areas, a setting to hone his in on purpose.

    "I have enough space in here to work, so I figured I would save money and just focus on my craft," he says as he continues down one side of his garage slash studio. "Some paintings take months; some take years."

    Mathis says art is an idea, and an idea cannot be contained. For a lot of his works, the frame itself is incomplete. As he walks around, he stops at a piece of artwork, the subject popping through the portion of the frame.

    "An idea is bigger than what you know of it," he said. "When you come into something that inspires you, that's the tip of the iceberg. That's how I think about it."

    He picks up a nine-foot piece of artwork and glances it over. He begins to talk about the importance of color and how everything real is made "piece by piece." Colors are layers. Everything has layers and dimensions, even when capturing human pigments. When he speaks about it, it's as if he's traveling down his own colorful, art-filled rabbit hole that leads to a land where knowledge transfers through art.

    "You can use color to change the perspective of the room or environment. I want to show something visually and put it together."

    He then returns to pacing and continues to talk.

    For Mathis, art is a true testament to his will and patience when researching the history of the Black artists he is embodying. He has been doing a series of paintings that capture Black artists and the importance of their work. He says this is important work, but it is hard to capture history in a visually correct way. Once he does his research, he puts the pieces together with as much thought and detail as he says the history deserves.

    "I have to work backwards. I have to look into peoples' families' lives. Most of their pictures are black and white pictures," he said. "I have to do a lot of research on my end to make sure I'm visually correct."

    Mathis set out to build a career in the military with the Marines. He was an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) gunner in the infantry and served during three deployments, two of which were combat-related. On his second deployment, Mathis saw a lot of close calls and felt sure on the third deployment, he "wasn't going to be so lucky." Fortunately for Mathis, he returned home, and he did so with a perspective that saw him approaching his life differently than he had before.

    "At a young age, I was kind of thrown to the wolves … and from that point on, I could never not take things serious because I could see how serious life could be," he said.

    When Mathis returned, he felt he was still making adjustments for the years he spent in the military. His family took notice and stepped in. For Mathis, it was a battle he didn't know he "was going through at the time."

    "I went through day terrors. The whole nine yards," he said. "All of us try to play the strong role when you don't need to be that way. And that's why I took painting seriously."

    He continues to pace and explains the pacing is a by-product of years of carrying ammunition. His back pain is a physical reminder of his former life and a reminder to give art everything he can.

    Mathis first attended undergraduate school in Pennsylvania for art. The program was not right for him. He was "taught in a way you could see it coming." He wanted to feel challenged. He was searching for a teaching method he hadn't entirely found. He decided to transfer to Fayetteville State University, majoring in Studio Art. FSU is where he would eventually meet Soni Martin, Shane Booth and Dwight Smith — three professors he credits as impacting his view of the world and art. They let him be rebellious, he says, in his way.

    "Most school settings, you can be put into a box and never know," he said. "It was a different experience. They let you find yourself. Then they taught you how to control yourself."

    Mathis started with a love of drawing, but Smith convinced him to explore painting and taught him how to paint. Booth taught him perspective, and Martin taught him the intellectual side of art. He said she knew it so well; it felt like it was a part of her. He says that each of them brought him to a better understanding of himself and art.

    He has now been painting for seven years, showing his work in different states, including South Carolina, Florida and Kansas. No matter where it is, though, it has all become about one thing for him — visually showing that art can be knowledge. It can embody history.

    "Art has recorded our history in a way that stuck the emotion of it in there. It's visual glory. I didn't want to miss that within my work. I didn't want to miss the opportunity to teach someone while they are visually engaging in my work."

    And above all else, he asks himself, "what can I do in my lifetime that will stand the test of time?" Mathis admits it's a lot to place upon himself, but his experiences to this point have taught him it's a crucial question.

    It's a question he's obligated to ask for himself and those black artists that came before him.

    When he thinks of his future projects or where he wants to take his art, he does so in terms of four to six months from now, even longer sometimes. He is focusing on featuring artists like Jacob Lawrence and displaying the importance of their work. Lawrence's paintings focused on The Great Migration — the time between 1916 and 1970 when African Americans moved to the Northeast searching for better jobs.

    "I came across an artist that studied that time period. It showed me I should be doing for my generation what others have down for their generations," Mathis said, nodding his head. "There's a lot of things I feel that Black people didn't get to learn in the last 40 to 50 years. The lack of knowledge, discrimination … the whole nine. We all know."

    For him, this project now is a way to honor people from periods where they may not have had the resources to record their pieces of history. Mathis would like to help carry that history into the future. He wants to continue the passing down of knowledge visually. Mathis has a piece at the upcoming show at Gallery 208 at 208 Rowan Street.

    As for his future and where he plans to be, Mathis only has one answer — art.

    "It's just a part of you. You don't think it's a job. You think this is what I'm supposed to be doing. Life can be just a canvas to you."

  • Wunderkinds The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra has adapted significantly in the past two years due to the pandemic. And it continues to adjust based on changes with COVID-19.

    In the original season schedule, the Feb. 5 performance was a joint performance with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and the Fayetteville Youth Orchestra. One hundred musicians would be playing side-by-side in a concert called "Better Together."

    However, due to the most recent COVID-19 regulations, that 100-person symphony could not perform.

    "Our goal is really to just keep moving forward. We do not want to go backwards from COVID," Anna Meyer, community engagement manager for the FSO, told Up & Coming Weekly. "We just want to keep the momentum going that we've built. And we're willing to revise our programming to fit the current societal implications of COVID."

    While the Youth Symphony will not be performing with FSO this year, the professional orchestra wanted to highlight young people and their impact on music.

    Wunderkinds (pronounced Vunder-kids) is a German word meaning child wonders — also known as child prodigies. In the classical music world, many well-known composers people still love today were considered Wunderkinds. Wolfgang Mozart wrote his first symphony at the age of 8, and Felix Mendelssohn started composing around the age of 12.

    The FSO "Wunderkind" performance will feature a local prodigy, 15-year-old double bass player Gavin Hardy. Hardy is from Winston-Salem and won FSO's Harlan Duenow Young Artist Concerto Competition. He began playing double bass at the age of 12, and when he was in middle school, he was the first chair of the Forsyth County "All County" Orchestra for two years straight. Last year he was one of ten finalists from around the world at the International Society of Bassists Solo Competition. Hardy participated in the 15-to-18-year-old division.

    This concert will be the first subscription concert in 2022 as "Too Hot to Handel" was rescheduled for March. However, Meyer says they are still excited for people to come and support them.

    "We've seen some lower numbers than we've seen in previous years, but we've still seen a lot of community members. At our 'Messiah' concert in December, we had around 300 people there. We filled the church up to capacity. So, we are seeing people," Meyer said. "We believe that people want to be out in a safe way and support local arts in the community."

    The performance will occur at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church on Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. The total concert run-time is an hour and 15 minutes with no intermission.

    Tickets may be purchased online, over the phone at 910-433-4690, or in person. Tickets range from $5 to $25, and anyone five and younger can attend for free. For the originally scheduled "Better Together" performance, ticket holders will have their tickets automatically transferred to "Wunderkinds."

  • His Story by Angela Stout Being an Artist: A Way of Life is the newest upcoming exhibit opening at Gallery 208 on Feb. 8. What defines the nature of being an artist sounds like a riddle: "inside out, outside in." This exhibit will showcase artists with different art careers but live the riddle by remaining practicing artists. Being an Artist: A Way of Life includes a variety of styles, confirming how each artist experiences the "outside in," resulting in the expression of those experiences, "inside out."

    Being an Artist: A Way of Life is one of four local exhibits in February and March celebrating how a historically black university (HBCU), Fayetteville State University, enriches the local, regional and national cultural landscapes.

    HBCUs were founded in the 1800s to provide Black Americans an opportunity for higher education. Like all institutions across America, it was the path to becoming successful academically and professionally. Even today, black graduates of HBCUs are significantly more likely to have felt supported while in college than graduating from predominantly white institutions.

    Fayetteville State University was established in 1867. Fast forward to the present, HBCUs now provide diverse learning environments for a diverse student population. Curating Being an Artist: A Way of Life is as much my story, after teaching at an HBCU for 29 years, as it is the 20 alumni who attended FSU and were selected to exhibit together. Like all my art colleagues, I have had the honor of having the participating artists in my classes, encouraging their development, witnessing their mastery of talent. And now sharing the courage they show continuing to be artists after graduating.

    The exhibit is unique for several reasons. First and foremost, it takes courage to be an artist. Vulnerability is a consequence of expressing yourself to the public; courage requires centeredness within yourself and an assertion of self. It is rare to show a group of artists who have all attended the same university and see how their careers have unfolded due to their talent, perseverance, and courage. In the exhibit, each artist has a profile text panel explaining why being an artist is important to them and their way of life.

    Second, many parents discourage their children from majoring in visual art because of the starving artist perception that lingers in our culture. Each text panel includes different art jobs and art careers of the artists in the exhibit.

    This article below includes abridged versions of the art-related jobs, where each artist is located and answers explaining why they made personal choices for art to be their lifestyle.

    Marcela Casals:

    Professional Actor and Performance Artist, New York City, NY.

    "Being an artist is not a choice; it is the thread by which I weave my life."

    Dustan Elliot:

    Graphic Designer for Champion Media and Results Optimized, Lumberton, NC:

    "Art is simply everyday life for me. It was a huge part of my upbringing, and I want to pass that down to my children as well."

    Namera Graybeal:

    Cumberland County Art Educator, Fayetteville, NC.

    "Creativity is the core of who I am that can't be ignored."

    Carla Guzman:

    G1-12 International School, Taiwan, recently moved to Fayetteville, NC.

    "Being an artist is my career path; it is my preferred way of life."

    Beverly Henderson:

    Assistant Curator Ellington White Contemporary Gallery, Fayetteville, NC.

    "Art continues to be a form of therapy for me, allowing me to leave the cares and stresses of everyday life outside the studio doors. I love the mess, the physicality of materials."

    Babs Holland:

    Illustrator and Designer for a marketing firm, Orlando, FL.

    "I am a visual storyteller; I can't think of myself as anything else."

    Andrew Johnson:

    City of Fayetteville Graphic Production Supervisor, Fayetteville, NC.

    "Being an artist brings me joy and allows me to share those moments with others. I can draw inspiration from all aspects of life."

    Eric Longley:

    Registered Art Therapist Department of Veteran Affairs, West Haven, CT.

    "I use art every day as a healing tool both for myself and the Veterans I serve."

    Damien Mathis:

    Professional Artist, Fayetteville, NC.

    "The freedom to express the emotions we sometimes can't explain. We all have something to give to the world."

    Karmimadeebora McMillan:

    Boston Center for the Arts two-year Residency Program, Boston, MA.

    "Research and creating are an integral part of who I am along with constant curiosity and a thirst for knowledge."

    Ebony Morlte-Oates:

    UX/UI Design Intern at IBEX, Atlanta, GA.

    "Art helps me determine what emotional state I'm in, in times where I'm not even sure. Art helps me express my view of the human psyche and the state of the world spiritually."

    Vicki Rhoda:

    Art Faculty at Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC.

    "I consider my artwork political; there is always something to say! Making art makes me feel good about myself."

    Stacy Robinson:

    Illustrator and Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL.

    "I was always an artist. I teach art and make it."

    David Scott:

    Digital Projects Graduate Services Assistant at the University of Texas, Denton, TX.

    "My art allows me to be the voice of those who may never be heard. I believe art, my art, can change hearts and minds, open eyes, reveal truths and change the world."

    Shantel Scott:

    Art Specialist-Ederle Art Center, Vicenza Italy, presently lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

    "Visual imagery provides a sort of universal language by which viewers can interpret individually. Creating art is a source of catharsis. I am most myself when I am making art."

    Angela Stout:

    Painting Instructor, Cape Fear Studios, and FTCC Continuing Education lives in Broadway, NC.

    "The process of creating is what my heart desires. The act of making helps me express what I struggle to express in words."

    Amanda Stephens:

    Lead Sculptor, Kerns Studio Mardi Gras World, New Orleans, LA.

    "Art is inseparable from life. It is the most fulfilling endeavor both in the creation and the continued learning of skills and self."

    Jean Newton Unser (Dieter):

    Art teacher in NC schools lives in San Antonio, Texas.

    "As an artist, I am a collector, a maker, a participant, and support other artists be an artist."

    Aaron Wallace:

    Self Employed Professional Artist, Willow Spring, North Carolina.

    "I see my entire living space as a studio and canvas. I am lucky to have a life where I can work at my own pace and have plenty of space to create."

    Neysa Wellington:

    Master of Fine Arts in Photography graduate student, Tyler School of Art & Architecture at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA.

    "Being an artist is embracing my ancestral calling of being a visual griot. Art saved my life, but photography changed my life."

    Fruits of Trust by Shantel Scott

    Lastly, a reason for the exhibit is to share the diverse talent and styles of 20 artists. Jean Newton Unser (Dieter) from San Antonio, Texas, exhibits her refreshing approach to watercolors in a soothing painting titled Landscape. Unser's painterly work is in stark contrast to Ebony Morlte-Oates' digital work titled Layered Purging. Similar in color, Morlte-Oates' portrait is a flattened contemporary portrait evoking a psychological state of being.

    Two artists have explored the portrait genre. Shantel Scott is exhibiting a female reduced to line, black and white. In her digital vector drawing titled Fruits of Self Trust, Scott has presented us with a stylized contour drawing - an encounter with a female cosmic oracle. Scott's minimalist approach is the exact opposite of Angela Stout's. Stout is the only realistic painter in the exhibit and exhibits a meticulously painted portrait titled His Story. Stout uses light in her painting to reveal meaning about the male subject; a crackled background texture compliments the subject's strength and permanence, and gaze.

    Visitors to Being an Artist: A Way of Life should plan on spending time with the exhibit. A variety of styles and mediums to enjoy, but it will take some time to read the artist's profile text panel. The panel has an image of the artist, their art jobs, statements about attending an HBCU for their education, statements about art as a lifestyle, and links to the artists' website or instructional YouTube videos.

    The exhibit opens at Gallery 208, Feb. 8 at 208 Rowan Street from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

    The public is invited to the opening.

    The exhibit will remain in the gallery until late March. The gallery is open Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For information on the show, call 910-484-6200.

  • uac020211001.gif Following months of speculation and conjecture, the Fayetteville Museum of Art Assessment Report has been released to the community. The report, paid for by the Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County, and prepared by Diane Frankel of The Museum Group, based in San Francisco, Calif., is designed to create a way ahead for the reopening of the now defunct museum; however, current museum board members say that until the old museum is sold, nothing can be done.

    The Arts Council sanctioned the report last year, following news of the museum’s closing. Frankel has 25 years of experience in the non-profi t arena, serving as the director of graduate programs in museum studies at John F. Kennedy University and the founding director of the Bay Area Discovery Museum. As a presidential appointee of President Bill Clinton, she headed the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, D.C. This agency provides funds for museum and libraries across the United States and is the largest Federal cultural agency. Frankel works with museums as they transition from one director to another, and on their strategic planning processes and fundraising programs.

    Frankel’s task was to “assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Fayetteville Museum of Art” and to determine the support in the community for the museum.

    During her assessment, Frankel spoke with 30 people in the community, the majority of whom had some tie or relationship to the museum in the past, including members of the FMoA Board of Trustees, the FMoA Advisory Group, the FMoA Executive Committee, the Arts Council Executive Committee and staff, as well as local politicos including Mayor Tony Chavonne, Councilman Bobby Hurst, N.C. Senator Wesley Meredith, John Meroski of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Eva Hansen of the Partnership for Children, former County Commissioner Breeden Blackwell and Jeff Pettus of the N.C. Arts Council.

    During her discussions, Frankel said she found that the museum was “greatly valued by the community” and that those interviewed expressed the “need for a high-quality art museum.”

    What they also expressed is a sense that the museum staff and board had strayed from its vision and had “lost focus” when they set their sites on expansion and the requisite capital campaign needed for the expansion.

    “Most planning for the new building started long before I got there (on the board),” said Mac Healy, the current director of the board. “We were spending an inordinate amount of time trying to keep that boat afl oat, so the mission possibly took a backseat. But we continued doing our mission. Classes were going on, kids were coming and they were in the building. I would agree that there was a fair amount of attention to the new building. We believed new membership would go up, attendance would go up once we moved into the new facility, so saying we lost focus on our mission was not an inaccurate statement.”

    In the report, Frankel noted that while community leaders are “eager” for the organization to rise from the ashes like the proverbial phoenix, they want “clarity in its mission and vision,” “evidence of a committed leadership” and for the museum to be responsive to the community’s interest.

    In order to achieve those desires, Frankel wrote that the museum must follow the best practices of successful museums, including a clear vision and mission, a strong leader, a dedicated board, a well-thought through business plan, compelling exhibitions and educational program and a well-focused strategic plan.

    None of those things can occur until the current board retires the outstanding debt of $580,000. The board hopes to satisfy that debt through the sale of the Stamper Road facility, but until that time, movement forward is impossible, according to Healy.

    “My board’s main goal is to have the debt retired before a new board takes over,” said Healy. Healy explained that there is a committee of three people set up to recruit an interim board. Mary Holmes, of the Cumberland Community Foundation is the chairman of the committee. She is joined by Doug Peters of the Fayetteville- Cumberland Chamber of Commerce and Karl Legatski.

    Healy explained that the committee would seek out those in the community willing to sit on the new board.

    “They will look for a new permanent board, but the reality is that nothing will probably happen until we pay the debt off. Not many people will be willing to take on that debt,” he said. “Our hope is that the building will sale, and we can hand over a clean slate to the new board.”

    At the current time, Healy said there is no intent to sell the museum’s collection, valued at roughly $900,000, to pay off the debt.

    “The community and the new board will need to decide whether we are going to be a collecting museum or an exhibiting museum,” he explained. “There really is no formal way to dispose of the collection, but if the board decided to do that, they need the funds from the sale of the collection for operations, not to pay debt.”

    In the report, Frankel suggested the existing board step down — a conclusion that board had already02-02-11-cover-article.gifdecided on.

    “We realize that irreparable harm has been done to the reputation of this board,” he said. “We aren’t the people to go out and try to rebuild relationships in the community. The new board’s life will be a lot easier if they are debt free. They can show up and make decisions once the city decides whether it wants and will support a museum.”

    One of the key relationships that must be rebuilt is that between the museum and the Arts Council of Fayetteville- Cumberland County. Many museum supporters have, in the past, faulted the Arts Council for the museum’s ultimate demise for pulling its fi nancial support to the museum’s operating budget.

    Healy said that the board wants to put those arguments behind it, and hopes that the new board will be able to rebuild the relationship and regain financing for the facility’s operations.

    “Without that money, it will be hard to keep museum up and running,” said Healy. “The money comes to the Arts Council for the betterment of the arts. When the future board takes over, they are going to have to come to grips with that relationship.”

    Jean Moore, the president of the Arts Council Board, believes relationships can be mended, and believes that the report is the fi rst step forward for the museum’s rebirth.

    “There is a lot in that report that people knew,” she said, noting that there have been some who have been critical of the report within the community. “We needed someone who was not involved in the situation to look at it objectively and give us a way ahead.

    “Part of what Diane had to ascertain was where we had been and how much commitment there is for the museum. She had to figure out where it had been to fi gure out the steps for rebuilding,” continued Moore. “I think she did a great job. There is some talk in the community that she didn’t tell us what to do to fi x it, but that is not what she was hired to do. What she has done is put us in the right direction. She has given the new board the right direction to move in, and now they can run with it.”

    One of the biggest decisions the new board will have to make is where the new museum will be located. Healy and Moore both believe that the best location for the facility is downtown.

    Many in the community, including Healy, have their eyes on the Lundy Building, Festival Park Plaza, on the perimeter of Festival Park.

    “We had three very successful shows in the Lundy Building,” said Healy. “The city owns it and is paying $50,000 a month to keep it vacant. I haven’t spoken with the city and no one is going to enter this process without the board or a budget, but if the city wants a museum, they are going to have to step up and make it happen.”

    Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne said the city wants a museum, and he believes its ultimate location should be downtown.

    He noted that the Lundy Building is a “diffi cult proposition,” because the city does not, in fact, own it. The building was originally owned by the Lundy Group, The Chamber of Commerce and 3 Aaab LLC (SchoolLink). The city does pay mortgage and operating subsidies for the building, and shortfalls in rent when it is not occupied.

    “We have not talked with anyone, but once the museum is reorganized and the new board is in place, we would welcome talks with them,” said Chavonne.

    Photo, middle right: The outgoing FMoA Board has high hopes for the future of the museum.

  • During the past 10 to 15 years, many steps have been taken to reduce medical errors. In 1999, the Institute of Medicine published “To Err is Human,” an article about this staggering problem in healthcare. The article suggested that Congress create a Center for Patient Safety to track, monitor, and address National Patient Safety goals. This was done, and much progress has been made; but the numbers continued to be troubling.

    In 2009 the Chief Medical Officer of England cited disturbing statistics in his annual report: “When you step on a plane, your chance of dying in a plane crash is one in 10 million. When admitted into a hospital, your chance of dying or being seriously harmed by a medical error is one in 300.” One of his recommendations states, “Simulation training in02-16-11-ftcc-article.gifall its forms will be a vital part of building a safer healthcare system.”

    When did healthcare begin to incorporate simulation into education? The beginning dates back to 1960 with the introduction of the Resusci-Anne manikin for CPR training. Students at that time remember shaking the manikin’s shoulders and shouting, “Annie, Annie, are you OK?” For many years, Annie remained silent and motionless, never giving a response. Now, times have changed!

    Today healthcare education has computerized human patient simulators (HPS) that can talk (or cry, depending on their age), can display numerous heart rhythms on a cardiac monitor, and have pulses in their arms, legs, neck, and groin. Some simulators even have pulses behind the knee and can display cyanosis (a blue color around the mouth or on the fingertips) that indicates a problem with oxygenation. Students can perform a head-to-toe assessment that includes taking blood pressure and listening to lung, heart, and bowel sounds. In addition, there is one HPS that will go through the stages of labor and delivery of a baby.

    FTCC purchased its first high-fidelity adult HPS in 2005 and currently has a total of six. In 2009, FTCC received a grant to bring together a task force of instructors from the nursing, EMS, CNA, respiratory, and dental programs to design and implement a way to more fully incorporate simulation technology into the curriculums. In April 2010, one lab area in the Health Technology building exists, exclusively devoted to simulation training. In November, a full-time position was added to coordinate the lab.

    Many FTCC health students come to the simulation lab regularly as part of their training. Scenarios can be chosen to meet specific learning objectives related to their current class content, such as diabetes or asthma. Unlike clinical settings where instructors must hover closely and supervise every step, simulation lab students can be left alone to think through situations for themselves. If the student chooses a correct course of action in a timely manner, the vital signs and other indicators on the HPS will improve. Conversely, if the student makes a mistake, the conditions of the HPS can worsen and a simulated death can result. All this training takes place with no risk to any patients. It is clear to both students and faculty that teaching with simulation is one of the most exciting advancements in healthcare education.

  • 02-04-15-community-concerts.gifFans of shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars are in for a treat with the next show in the Community Concerts 2014-2015 season.

    On Feb. 11, Dancing With the Pros Live: You Pick the Winner, comes to the Crown Theatre. The show features dance styles that include the Cha-Cha, Waltz, Tango, Swing, Freestyle, Samba and the Jitterbug, bringing the glamour and pizzazz of competitive dance right to the audience.

    Some of the familiar faces in this show include Karina Smirnoff as head judge; guest star Edyta Sliwinska and competitor Chelsie Hightower from Dancing with the Stars; and host Alan Thicke, star of the hit TV show Growing Pains. Benji Schwimmer is set to compete and actor and dancer, Oscar Orosco holds a spot as one of the judges. Vocalists Joanna Pacitti, from American Idol Season 8, and Angel Taylor, from The Voice Season 2 will grace the stage, as well.

    Smirnoff is excited to return to Fayetteville.

    “I am so excited to return to Fayettville, I have been through there many times and have worked at a local studio,” said Smirnoff. “I love that we are coming to perform in a military town and I can’t wait for everyone to come out and enjoy the show.”

    The remaining competitors on the tour are dance champions Artur Adamski, Paul Barris, Tess Buchatsky, Sasha Chernositov, Dmitry Demidov, Denys Drozdyuk, Arina Grishanina, Regina Maziarz, Antonina Skobina and Anastasia Trutneva.

    For many viewers, shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars are as much about the love of dance as they are about voting for the competitors. The audience will have a say in the outcome of this show, too. Using electronic remotes, the audience can vote for their favorite dancers during the show.

    “This show is very interactive. The flow of it is super fast and the audience gets to experience several champions performing in their own category,” said Smirnoff. “As I judge, I get to offer professional advice to the performers, which as a dancer myself I always valued, but it is the audience that decides the winners. When I get to talk to the audience I always suggest that they vote for the dancers that move them and with whom they connect. It has been really fun to see how differently the audiences vote from city to city.”

    Community Concerts is half way through its 79th season. Scotty McCreery opened this year’s series in October and was followed by Sister Act in November and Trace Adkins in December. Dancing Pros Live: You Pick the Winner brings a fun twist to the season by making the audience a part of the show. Next in the lineup are The Australian Bee Gees on March 25. Smokey Robinson closes out the season on April 16.

    True to its mission to bring the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville, Community Concerts seeks out and brings fun interesting shows to the community each year. The dedicated volunteers behind this organization truly understand the value of the arts and music and celebrate their love for all things musical on a local level throughout the year.

    Each year, the organization offers a scholarship to a promising high school graduate. To date, 24 students have received scholarships from Community Concerts.

    Community Concerts supports local musicians and local children throughout the year by providing opportunities for them to perform. Voices of the Heart and Linda Kinlaw’s School of Dance have shared the stage with showcase performers in the past as has local country singer Trae Edwards.

    The Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame program, which was founded in 2008, honors musicians who have brought distinction to Fayetteville through their talents. The Music Hall of Fame inductions usually take place at one of the Community Concerts events in the spring.

    Community Concerts provides free concert opportunities to groups ranging from children to deserving seniors. In recent seasons, these have included the Vision Resource Center, Urban Ministry, The Sunshine Center, members of local fire and police departments and many more.

    Tickets for the Dancing With the Pros Live: You Pick the Winner are $50, $42 and $28. Groups of 10 or more can save $3 on tickets by calling Cena at 910.438.4123.

    To find out more, visit www.community-concerts.com.

    Photo: Dancing With the Pros Live: You Pick the Winner, a fun, interactive dance show, is on stage at the Crown on Feb. 11 as part of the annual Community Concerts subscription series.

  • 02-12-15-evening-with-stars-logo.jpgWho does not want to experience a night of red-carpet luxury? Well look no further because Hollywood glamour arrives at one of the newest event venues to hit the Fayetteville scene, SkyView on Hay, Sat. Feb 25.

    Evening with the Stars, an Oscar pre-party is hosted by the Partnership for Children, is guaranteed fun and a chance for people to come out and experience a red-carpet event. Being chauffeured in newest model from Lafayette Ford Lincoln, guests will walk the red carpet in style while being interviewed by the event’s own Joan Rivers. Great food will be provided for the guest and it’s a great opportunity to enjoy an excellent night on the town at one of the newest venues in the Fayetteville community.

    Lindsey Haire,the event’s volunteer coordinator, says the event is the organization’s fourtth annual Oscar night pre-party and the SkyView’s first event, with the exception of weddings, since its opening this month.

    “We have had great turnouts in the past and we expect to have a big turnout at this event.” Haire explains. “We will have entertainment from The World Famous Dueling Piano Show as well as delicious food.”

    SkyView on Hay Street is an excellent place to have the event. With its recent opening in February,02-15-12-evening-with-stars-1.jpgthe downtown venue is one of the most elegant venues in downtown. The chic setting is perfect for a red-carpet affair and guests should be most pleased. Owners of the venue are very excited about the event as well.

    Guests will enjoy this Oscar evening that is in support of such a worthy cause. All the proceeds for the event benefit two priority projects sponsored by the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County: Partnership’s Kidstuff and Government and Military Affairs.

    “We want people to come out and support Kidstuff and the Military Affairs,” Haire says.

    The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County is a nonprofit organization that focuses on making a difference in the lives of children in Cumberland County. The organization develops high-quality programs for children that nurture healthy development and progress. The mission of the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County is to build partnerships with families and the community so that all children have the opportunity to succeed in school and be prepared to contribute to the community’s social and economic future.

    Beginning as a partnership with Smart Start in 1993, the organization has grown into a well-respected nonprofit organization with a diverse and talented range of people who work hard to create an outstanding organization. The organization has many funded programs to help the community such as Read To Me, art-trunk parents kits, Kindermusik and Music Therapy Connection to name a few. The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County is an excellent source to gain insight on any issue related to early-childhood education, looking for large networks of teacher and childcare providers, information on accredited childcare and preschool programs or any of the latest expert opinions on the care of children up to age 5.

    02-15-12-evening-with-stars-2.jpgAfter the event on Saturday, Cameo Art House Theatre members are invited to a party at the theatre on Sunday. For no additional cost, the members also have the opportunity to watch the televised Oscars at the theatre as well.

    Evening with the Stars Oscar pre-night party begins at 7 p.m. until 11 p.m. Tickets prices range from $60 to $100. Cameo Theatre members and Fayetteville Young Professionals will pay only $40. Tickets may be purchased online by visiting www.ccpfc.org.

    Photos:  Above and right, members of the community dress has their favorite Hollwood stars.

  • 02-11-15-mozart.gifOver the years, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra has made beautiful music in our community. On Feb. 12, that tradition will continue with Mostly Mozart.

    Music has long been an integral part of our lives. It is entertaining, thought provoking and often provides a glimpse into our collective past. It also reflects truths about the human condition. Some composers are more able to provide this glimpse than others — and the truly great create music that is timeless. Mozart was one of them.

    Mostly Mozart will provide the community with the opportunity to explore the powerful music of one of the world’s greatest composers.

    Many concerts consist of the works of a mixture of composers. Mozart’s work often makes appearances in concerts of all manners, but generally nestled amongst other great composers. Concerts sometimes follow a typical theme, but it is less common to have a concert focused on a single composer.

    “It isn’t always that typical, though it depends on the orchestra. Some orchestras will categorize concerts into themes, and sometimes those themes happen to be by one composer. For this concert we decided on a Mozart-themed concert, as he is one of the well-known composers of our society,” said Julia Atkins, the marketing manager for the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.

    Another exciting aspect of this performance is the location. Locations of concerts help to create certain atmospheres for both the audience and the performers.

    “While we were thinking of what we could perform in St. John’s Episcopal Church, we figured the music of Mozart would fit extremely well for that setting. During Mozart’s time, he would perform his works in smaller, intimate settings, sometimes a church, sometimes in someone’s home as entertainment. So this fits well with what he used to do during his time, while also bringing in the more well-known classical music to this community,” explained Atkins.

    It can be easy to be intimidated by classical music and incredible composers. It may seem too complicated or overwhelming. Odds are with Mozart, that you have probably heard it before, perhaps without even realizing it.

    “We welcome anyone to our concerts, whether they are educated in the orchestral world or not. This one is especially a great concert to come to whether you are an avid classical music listener or not as it incorporates music that we have all heard at some point in our lives, whether it’s in a TV show, commercial, movie, on the radio, etc., so anyone new or experienced will be comfortable attending this concert,” explained Atkins. “If someone new would like to learn more about the performance, there are program notes listed on our website at www.fayettevillesymphony.org. There they can read the history of each piece being performed that evening. The best thing to get the most out of this performance is to just come out and make an evening of it!”

    Though dominated by familiar Mozart works, the concert is not comprised completely of a single composer, Atkins explained.

    “The Bizet Symphony in C is a similar feeling as Mozart’s Symphony in G,” continued Atkins. “By feeling I mean that it sets the same mood. The two Mozart pieces have a lighter, mellow, classical feeling, and Bizet’s Symphony in C brings in the same thing. It is why the concert is titled Mostly Mozart as the entire program isn’t all completely dominated by Mozart pieces.”

    Mostly Mozart is at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 302 Green St. on Feb. 12, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. For more information call 910-433-4690 or visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org.

    Photo: The FSO brings Mostly Mozart to St. John’s Episcopal Church.

  • uac021512001.jpg The ongoing saga of the Prince Charles started a new chapter last month, as the county began proceedings to enforce a lien on the hotel property. The lien, the result of a $77,000 debt to the city related to unpaid fines by the property’s owner, John Chen, will be satisfied via public auction unless Chen pays the fi nes.

    Chen, a New York developer, bought the hotel in 2007 for $1.9 million at a public auction to satisfy a loan foreclosure. At that time, Chen announced plans to create an apartment/business center at the hotel. Instead, he started doing internal demolition on the hotel to create low-cost apartments in the downtown sector.

    Chen failed to file the necessary permits for the work he was doing in the hotel, and the property failed city and fire inspections, resulting in the ousting of the residents and the shuttering of its doors. The fi nes began racking up when Chen replaced one of the hotel’s wooden windows with a vinyl window. Because the hotel is on the National Historic Register, as well as being designated a Local Historical Landmark, all work done on the exterior of the buiding must be in keeping with its historical construction.

    Although Chen later replaced the vinyl window with a wooden one, he had accumulated $77,000 in fi nes, and refused to pay them. A judge ordered Chen to pay the fines, and instead, he left the city and returned to New York.

    On Jan. 26, the city filed papers requesting the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department enforce the judgement through a public auction. The auction could be averted if Chen pays the fi ne; however, that does not seem likely, according to the sheriff’s attorney, Ronnie Mitchell.

    The question looming now is what will become of the grand old structure, which is starting to show signs of decay. The city, concerned for the safety of pedestrians, closed off the sidewalk in front of the hotel after external concrete fell off the building. It has been estimated that more than $500,000 is needed to bring the facility up to code.

    Fayetteville’s historical property manager Bruce Daws, believes that returning the hotel to a useable facility is feasible.

    “It is a very robust, Colonial revival structure,” said Daws, during a recent interview. “At the time of its construction, it was very elegant. Investors purchased the hotel in the early ‘90s and gutted a lot of it and reworked it.”

    Daws said the building has suffered from a lot of deferred maintenance — painting windows, caulking and replacing wood, but that the building itself is structurally sound.

    “It is not too far gone,” he said.

    Daws said the hotel is important from a local and historical standpoint.

    “The Prince Charles was built through community support,” said Daws. “The city sold bonds to construct it. It speaks to our automotive, transportation history. Fayetteville was the halfway point for North and South bound traffi c on U.S. 301 (pre I-95); and the hotel captured patrons from the Old Atlantic Coastline Railroad. It was in the city’s best interest at that time to promote itself as a halfway point and cater to the tourist trade so a new, modern hotel was constructed.”

    Daws has heard of people advocating that the structure be torn down but feels that is not the answer. “It is our responsibility to explore options to save the hotel, restore it and maintain it,” he said. “It is the only large remaining hotel in the landscape of the historic downtown — erasing it from the landscape would not be in the best interest of the district at all.”

    Daws said if the facility cannot make it as a hotel, there are other options that could prove feasible.

    “Downtown apartments are very popular. It could be converted into office space,” said Daws. “It would make a wonderful museum space. There is pretty much a free hand from a historic standpoint with the interior — the Historic Resources Commission only looks at the exterior. A building of that size has a number of different options, but the popularity of living downtown is pretty great. Downtown apartments stay full. We frequently receive calls asking if there are any vacancies in the downtown area.

    “But tearing it down is not the answer. It is a grand hotel. It has a beautiful outward appearance that adds to the charm of downtown. Once you tear it down, it’s gone forever. It is something that needs to stay in the downtown landscape,” concluded Daws.

  • uac022713001.gif Remember your senior prom? The angst of waiting on that special guy to ask you, then finding the perfect dress, planning the perfect pre-prom dinner locale and the after-prom party. For most high school students, the weeks gearing up for the prom are nerve wracking. Here’s your chance to attend your prom all over again, without the angst or worry. Join the Community In Schools-Cumberland County for an evening of fun at School House Rock: The Prom Edition.

    School House Rock is one of the most anticipated fundraising events each year. Put together by the Communities in Schools-Cumberland County (CIS-CC) and its volunteers, the event brings the community together for a night of food, fun and dancing — all in support of the CIS mission, which is to to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

    Working in more than 3,400 schools in 24 states and the District of Columbia, Communities In Schools serves more than 1.2 million students and their families each year. Locally, CIS serves students in 56 Cumberland County Schools. Communities in Schools is the nation’s leading dropout-prevention organization, and the only one proven to both increase on-time graduation rates and reduce dropout rates.

    Locally, the organization fulfi lls its mission through key programs:

    Project Reads:Research shows that on average, low-income and minority students lose two months of reading skills during the summer. To combat this problem and encourage reading, CIS in partnership with Harvard University, is studying summer reading loss with an initiative called READS for Summer Learning. Local students receive 10 books over the course of the summer, complete questionnaires, and receive additional comprehension lessons. READS for Summer Learning, a five-year study, is funded by an i3 grant from the US Department of Education. Students at 10 elementary schools are participating in the initiative.

    Yanoff Music Program:

    CIS of Cumberland County in partnership with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and Cumberland County Schools introduces classical music to all 4,500 third grade students. Created in 2004, this community collaboration brings a trio of symphony musicians into music classrooms around the county and provides each third grader with an arts field trip – a private concert with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.

    Fuller PLC:

    The Fuller Performance Learning Center® opened in the fall of 2007 providing another learning option for our high school students and community. CIS of Cumberland County and Cumberland County Schools partnered to open this non-traditional high school with grant funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Students complete assignments using an integrated online and project-based curriculum. This small learning environment serves students on a 4×4 schedule who are not succeeding in a traditional school setting.

    CIS Sites:

    CIS is the nation’s leading dropout-prevention organization and the only one proven to both decrease dropout rates and increase graduation rates. Through a school-based coordinator, CIS surrounds students with a community of support, connecting students and their families to critical resources, tailored to meet their needs. In Cumberland County, CIS serves more than 8,000 students, elementary through high school, offering a range of programming and services from enrichment opportunities and parent engagement, to mentoring and career exploration.

    Teacher of the Year:02-27-13-school-house-rock.gif

    CIS-CC proudly sponsors this prestigious event that honors CCS’ Teacher of the Year and also recognizes the district winners from each of the ten attendance areas throughout the county.

    Educational Mini Grants:

    Educational Mini Grants are a favorite among Cumberland County teachers with CIS awarding approximately $25,000 at an annual teacher-recognition luncheon each year. The program provides merit grants of up to $1,500 for teachers who have developed innovative classroom programs using special equipment, manipulatives or creative instructional materials.

    Bill Harrison Scholarship Fund:

    The Bill Harrison Scholarship Fund was established in 2008 by former Superintendent Bill Harrison in partnership with CIS – CC to assist a Cumberland County Schools graduate who plans to pursue a career in teaching.

    The success of the organization is all in the numbers. Last year, 95 at-risk students graduated from Fuller PLC. Ninety-six percent of the students working with CIS were promoted, with a 90 percent graduation rate. Students showed both improved achievement in academents and attendance at 86 percent and 72 percent respectively. That success would not be possible without the support of the community, particularly support to its main fundraiser, School House Rock, every year.

    This year’s event, again held at the Highland Country Club, will focus on proms from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s — think “Stairway to Heaven,” “Almost Paradise” and “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing.” Think blue tuxedo, puffy sleeves and material girls. If you can bring your prom back into perspective (or maybe even still fi t in your prom dress) then you are ready for this year’s event. The prom starts at 8 p.m. and goes until midnight (don’t worry, you’re an adult now, you don’t have a curfew). It features hors d’oeuvres and cocktails (yes that’s right, you don’t have to drink wine coolers in the parking lot). You can plan to dance the night away to music performed by Jump Street, a band that “stays true to its roots while performing a variety of musical genres, including classic Motown, contemporary R&B, Top 40, as well as the classic dance hits from every era.”

    Tickets for the event are $75 and can be purchased online at www.schoolhouserock.info or via mail by sending checks payable to Communities in Schools, PO Box 2882, Fayetteville, NC 28302. Your name will be added to the guest list. No tickets will be mailed out.

  •    The 2008 “G3” version of the Warmthru battery heated gloves have been updated since last reviewed here; most noticeable is the battery pocket, which is now part of the gauntlet rather than an external pocket outside the gauntlet.
       The rest of the G3 update includes minor differences in styling and abrasion protection, but the Warmthru gloves are still waterproof and windproof, passing our “bucket test”. 
       The 3300mAh, 3.7V Lithium Ion battery is claimed to last about 3.5 hours, which is about right. The battery is claimed to stabilize the heat in the gloves at 35 degrees Celsius (95 F), which is just under body temperature. 
       This means that the feeling of heat is subtle — the gloves do not provide overwhelming warmth akin to something like holding on to a heated grip. They are designed to provide enough heat to keep the hands from getting too cold to be uncomfortable, and in that regard, they do work.
       Each battery is a 50x70x15 mm block weighing 79 grams (2.75 oz.), and each glove (or glove liner) has its own battery. 
       The battery has a female connector that plugs to a wire inside the battery pocket.  Once the wire is plugged in, the gloves are “On,” but Warmthru offers an optional battery with an On/Off switch. We have a pair of each type and I don’t really miss the switch, so potential owners can save a few quid by not opting for the switched battery.
       The gloves seem a bit bulky for motorcycle use; the size large shown here runs about one size big. Each glove has thick insulation all around and a wind- and water-proof liner, making them feel about the equivalent of the big Held Freezer gloves in terms of bulk.
       The battery is held inside the gauntlet with a waterproof zipper, adding to the overall thickness. The gauntlets are also snug by design, so the Fingerheater gloves are best worn under, rather than over, a jacket sleeve.
    The additional thickness of the battery can make the gloves a bit difficult to fit under some jacket sleeves. Several local riders tried the gloves and we got together and one of the suggestions was to make the battery an external device that could be worn on an elastic or hook-and-loop armband over the jacket sleeve, then extend the wire from the glove to plug into the battery.
       This could allow the gloves to be worn with any type of jacket, no matter the sleeve thickness. It could also make the battery more accessible when riding in case the rider wishes to switch it on or off.
       The Warmthru Fingerheater batteries are CE approved and are ROHS-WEE (reduction of hazardous waste for electronic components, a European manufacturing directive) compliant. The gloves are available with battery chargers for the UK, Europe or the U.S. and the batteries are claimed to last through approx. 500 charge cycles during three years of use.
       The charger will charge two batteries simultaneously and we found that the first charge took about 8 hours, with subsequent charges taking about five hours. It is possible to order an extra set of batteries also.
       The gloves have a large swath of reflective material and the rubbery surface on the palms provides excellent grip in any type of weather or conditions that we encountered.
  • 02-05-14-fsu-raises-funds.gifBreast cancer is one of the leading diseases in the United States. With an estimated 220,000 individuals diagnosed every year, it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. According to womenshealth.gov, breast cancer affects every 1 out of 8 women and is second only to lung cancer as their leading killer in the United States. This very serious disease destroys lives, families and affects many mothers, daughters, wives and sisters across the country. Only with research, application, and the loving support of family and friends can we hope to beat this cancer and work toward a better life for all.

    Annually, a variety of events are held to not only call attention to the need for testing but also to raise funds for research to find a cure for this disease. Most people are familiar with walks and runs, but this year, Fayetteville State University is again hosting a Ball in Pink for breast cancer awareness. The purpose of this initiative is also to help raise funds and awareness to fight breast cancer and bring this plight center stage in our city. On Feb. 15, the campus of FSU will host this event as a part of its women’s basketball game against Winston Salem State University. Beginning at 1 p.m., all breast cancer survivors and their families are invited to come out and take part in this initiative. All survivors will be honored during half-time, and after the game, they and their families are invited to a reception.

    Spearheading this event is the First Lady of Fayetteville State University, Nancy Anderson, the chancellor’s wife. Those honored will get the opportunity to meet her along with the Chancellor, Broncos’ head coach, players and several others. Kevin M. Wilson, the assistant athletic director for development and marketing at the university, is one of the main organizers for the initiative. Before joining the staff of Fayetteville State University, he served as the assistant director for development at North Carolina Central University in Durham. Wilson takes great joy in knowing that all of the funds raised at the event will stay in Fayetteville.

    FSU’s funds will go to the Cape Fear Valley Cancer Center-Friends of the Cancer Center. There, they will assist with patient care, establishing support groups, and living costs for those who need aid due to the high expense of treatment. What is raised in the community; stays in the community. He went on to say that it is a goal for the university to gain further support from the local area. As well, another goal of this event is to build community leaders and use this as a platform to bring awareness for many dealing with this disease.

    Breast cancer is a destructive killer of women and families but with your help, it can be stopped. Come out and support Fayetteville State University’s Ball in Pink. This noble endeavor will not only help save the lives of those locally hurt by breast cancer but, in turn, will enrich the City of Fayetteville. For more information, on the Ball in Pink initiative or to find out how you can help via donations and support, contact Kevin Wilson at 910.672.2565.

    Photo: Fayetteville State University is set to host a Ball in Pink to raise breast cancer awareness.

  •    Over the last six months, Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County has served 260 people — all of whom were having the worst, or one of the worst days, of their lives.
       All of these 260 victims reached out to Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County (RCVCC) in their time of need, clutching for a helping hand to guide them through the nightmare of sexual assault.
       And now, RCVCC is reaching out to you.
       The organization, founded in 1976 to provide support services to victims of sexual assault, needs volunteers to help out with the facility’s 24-hour hotline for sexual assault victims, as well as serving as hospital companions and/or providing courtroom accompaniment. Volunteers also assist with community education presentations and special projects throughout the year.
       Deanne Gerdes, executive director of RCVCC, says there are no real requirements to become a volunteer... other than being 18, a good listener and showing dedication toward the client.
       And you should be emotionally ready to deal with it... to be able to separate what happened to the victim and your own life,” said Gerdes.
       And they’re not looking only for female volunteers. Gerdes says that since the overwhelming majority of sexual assault victims are women, volunteers who serve as hospital or courtroom companions should ideally be female; however, Gerdes says one of RCVCC’s most dedicated help line volunteers is a blind male. Also, men are needed to go into the schools and counsel male students on doing their part to prevent sexual assault on women as well as appropriate dating relationships.
       Getting the word out that “no means no” would appear to be especially important here in Fayetteville — a military town where Gerdes says soldiers returning from overseas sometimes have trouble readjusting to their return.{mosimage}
       “Out of the 260 victims we’ve helped in the last six months, 156 were military-related,” said Gerdes. “These victims are more comfortable sometimes going off post to talk to us.”
       Despite the number of military-related cases, Gerdes praises the staff at Womack Army Medical Hospital for the professionalism the staff shows when treating victims of suspected sexual assault.
       “Womack does a great job,” said Gerdes. “It has nine nurses trained in treating sexual assault.”
       Katie Krob RCVCC’s victim’s advocate community liaison, says sensitivity is extremely important at the hospital, on the part of both the staff and RCVCC volunteers.
       “There’s no easy way to ask the graphic questions and the examination itself is almost like an assault itself,” said Krob.
       Krob adds that local law enforcement is extremely sensitive when dealing with sexual assault victims and is a great partner with the RCVCC. One of those folks standing behind the thin blue line helping serve and protect is Teresa Currey, a victim advocate for the Fayetteville Police Department.
       Currey says the best treatment for sexual assault is prevention. She offers these tips for preventing an attack:
       • Make sure the front of your apartment or house is well lit and free of heavy vegetation an attacker can hide behind;
       • Be cognizant of your surroundings, particularly at night;
       •Travel with friends, especially when going out to bars.
       •Make sure you know plenty about your date before going out for an evening on the town.
       •Take self-defense classes.
       •Don’t ever leave your drink unattended in a bar. Both Currey and Gerdes warned that sexual predators will often slip GHB — the date rape drug — into a victim’s drink.
       And Currey and Gerdes also emphasize that parents need to be aware of who their children are talking to on the Internet, as sexual predators have become experts at accosting the young via the Web.
       And finally, Currey offers one final piece of wisdom if you are attacked: “Just survive,” said Currey. “You can recover from anything... even something as terrible as this.”

    Contact Tim Wilkins at tim@upandcomingweekly.com



































     
     







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  • 08 01 C CHESNUTTThe Lafayette Society and Fayetteville State University are partnering to present the Global Studies Lecture Series. This annual speaker series will be held virtually Feb. 25 and will feature the life and work of Charles W. Chesnutt, a successful African American writer.

    This speaker series is hosted by the Lafayette Society and the Departments of Intelligence Studies, Geospatial Sciences, Political Science and History at FSU. This series will be presented by Joshua James, Dr. Maria Orban, Dr. Blanche Radford Curry and Nicholle Young. Each presenter will discuss different aspects of Chestnutt's life, from his upbringing in Fayetteville to his ideas about race and the circumstances of the African American community during the rise of Jim Crow.

    Although he also lived in Cleveland, Ohio, most of Chesnutt’s literary works developed from his life here in Fayetteville. Chesnutt attended what is now known as Fayetteville State University when it was called the Howard School. The Howard School was intended to educate African Americans coming out of slavery; it became a top school at the time in the Fayetteville area. Chesnutt served as a principal at the school for a time.

    This speaker series aims to detail the historical richness to be found in Chesnutt’s life as it relates to the Fayetteville community. This event will be taking place virtually on Feb. 25 from 7-8 p.m. with Dr. Rob Taber, a history professor and co-advisor for the Black History Scholars Association at FSU, as the moderator.

    The Lafayette Society has also started an endowment at FSU for “the Study of the Age of Revolutions, Emancipation and Civil Rights.” When fully funded, proceeds from the endowment will be used for continued educational programming, speaker fees, student grants and faculty support. Anyone interested in contributing to the endowment at FSU can visit www.lafayettesociety.org and go to the “Outreach” tab.

    The Lafayette Society was founded in 1981 to bring historical awareness about the city’s past by bringing to life the rich history of Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier — the Marquis de Lafayette.

    Lafayette was a French aristocrat and military officer who served with George Washington in the Revolutionary War. With his ties to the King of France, he helped the colonists gain their freedom from England. The Lafayette Society was established to help preserve his history and remind Fayetteville of the role its namesake played in the American Revolution. The president of Lafayette Society, Hank Parfitt, describes Lafayette as having a “silver halo of kindness.”

    Parfitt believes studying historical figures such as Chesnutt and Lafayette can help us learn more about the efforts of those who came before us in the fight to provide freedom and equality for all our citizens.

    Dr. Gwenesta B. Melton, a local medical doctor who serves as a board member in the Lafayette Society, said learning about Lafayette is an interesting endeavor.

    “Upon careful review of his life, his stance on human rights for all people was visionary in scope for his time." Dr. Melton said. “As an abolitionist, slavery was abhorrent to him. Realizing half of humankind are women, he recognized the value and worth of women and advocated for our rights. Leadership skills came to him easily and at a young age. All these attributes make General de Lafayette an extraordinary human being.”

    “As an African American professional woman, his lessons and visions are just as pertinent now and render a glorious example of how we all can live in a world with peace and harmony. Our Society aims to teach this to all living in Fayetteville.”

    Parfitt said the Lafayette Society and FSU share a goal to “inspire students to learn history.” They plan to continue to sponsor this speaker series every February and expand the event to include more educational opportunities.

    For more information about the Feb. 25 speaker series on Chesnutt visit www.lafayettesociety.org.

    Pictured above:Charles W. Chesnutt

    Pictured below:Marquis de Lafayette

    08 02 la Fayette

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     02-04_cover.jpgClick on the photo for the Online Edition!

    William Tell has nothing on Marti Peltonen.Peltonen, a world-renowned archer who will bring his crossbow skills to Fayetteville Feb. 12-15 as part of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, does the old apple splitting trick all right— though he takes it up a notch... or rather, eight notches.
       “For the climax of my act I arrange eight crossbows around the ring and stand against a pole with an apple on top of my head,” said Peltonen. “I shoot the first crossbow, which triggers all the others and sets off a chain reaction that causes the final crossbow bolt to fly across the ring and split the apple.”
       Leading up to the climactic goring of a Golden Delicious, Peltonen shows off more “mundane” displays of skills, such as cutting the stem of a rose held in his wife’s hand from 20 feet away, and shooting a playing card held between her fingers... performing the latter with his back turned to the target, using a mirror to guide his aim.
       Not only would it be a tragedy for Peltonen if he one day missed and injured his lovely wife, Liina Aunola, it it would be a blow to the circus, as Aunola serves double duty as both Peltonen’s assistant and is a star in her own right: she is employed as an aerialist with the circus.
       “I don’t get nervous when I work with Liina,” said Peltonen. “If I ever felt nervous I would not step into the ring.”
       Both Peltonen and Aunola grew up in Finland. As a boy, Peltonen practiced archery as a hobby. The hobby became his vocation when he joined the Finnish army in 1997, where he excelled in both marksmanship and explosives.
       After leaving the army, Peltonen worked for a while in demolition, though soon became bored with blowing things up. In 2000, Peltonen decided to realize a lifelong dream of millions before him by running away to join the circus — the Sirkus Finlandia.
       He didn’t become a headlining archer right away — in fact, it took six years of training before he was ready to step into the ring on his own. Along the way he met his future wife and performing partner, Liina, who had joined the circus’s youth program despite a decided lack of playground prowess.
       “I was lousy in sports in elementary school, but I still ended up in a very athletic profession,” said Liina, who joined Sirkus Finlandia at the ridiculously young age of 11.
       Years of performing at death-defying and dizzying heights while tethered precariously to a thin rope has honed Liina’s body for her aerial acrobatics; likewise, a strict regimen of training has prepared her husband to take both their lives into his hands when he steps into the ring with crossbow cocked.
       “It’s constant work,” said Peltonen. “I rarely have time to practice because I’m too busy working. So far this year we’ve been to 23 states and traveled more than 23,000 miles... I get my practice in the ring.”
        And while Peltonen says he never gets nervous, he adds the same is not true for the audience.
       “Right before the climax, before I shoot the apple off my head, the room usually gets incredibly quiet,” said Peltonen. “I live for that moment of complete and utter silence... It is an awesome, awesome moment.”

     

    The Greatest Show On Earth

       It may not be the three-ring variety, but the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is still the “greatest show on Earth.”
       The world’s most famous circus — rechristened BOOM A RING — rolls into the Crown Coliseum Feb. 12-15, confining its action into one ring to provide a more compact, cost-effective product to the thrill-seeking public.
       Don’t worry though, while it’s one ring rather than three, the action is just as fast, furious and frenetic as you remember. It’s also much more intimate — circus-goers will enjoy an up-close and personal experience as they sit feet away from white tigers, majestic Asian elephants and acrobats from around the world.
    In addition to the crossbow wizardy of Marti Peltonen, featured acts include: Los Scolas in a gravity-defying performance on the whirling Wheel of Steel; Vicenta Pages, one of the world’s youngest performing tiger trainers, demonstrates the bond she shares with her rare white-striped Bengal tigers in a display of acrobatic jumps, balancing and even a high-five; Patti Zerbini performs alongside Asian elephants; and the Vedyashkina family presents a delightful Daschund dog act.
       One of the best things about the BOOM A RING format is it allows for an all-access pre-show, which starts an hour before show time and allows the audience to meet and get to know the performers personally.
       The performance schedule is: Thursday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 14, 3-7 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m.
       Tickets start at $15.50 and are on sale now and available through http://www.Ringling.com, Ticketmaster or the Crown Coliseum box office. Contact the Crown at 438-4100 or visit its Web site at www.crowncoliseum.com.


    Contact Tim Wilkins at tim@upandcomingweekly.com

     
     
     
     




     

  • 06 01 Installation InnerWoven“InnerWoven” is an urban knitting project curated, designed and executed by Fayetteville’s own fabric artist Kia Love. The installation can be found at Linear Park along Mason Street.

    Those willing to take a walk off the beaten path are invited to see how fiber art emboldens nature with color, textile and a tribute to Black History Month.
    Inspired by the bright colors and patterns of African wax print fabrics, “InnerWoven” is a series of five large-format knits wrapped on tree trunks in downtown Fayetteville’s greenway, Cross Creek at Linear Park.

    The temporary fabric installation highlights the importance of textiles and craftsmanship in Black culture. Brightly colored knitwork, black and white accents and unique three-dimensional elements are used to encourage the audience to get a closer look to spark their interest and highlight the importance of handcrafts.

    Kia Love dedicated the installation to all of the strong African American women who have used fiber art as a way to heal themselves, to pass along stories about their lives and most importantly their history. For centuries, Black people were among the most skilled knitters, weavers and sewists in America known for their expertise in textiles and natural dyeing techniques. Women would gather regularly for after hour knitting and sewing circles as a way to create clothing for the community and to teach to the younger generation. Children as young as five would be taught the skill.

    Love is a self-taught knitwear designer and fiber artist born and raised in Fayetteville. Her knitting journey began 19 years ago when she hit a creative rut and needed inspiration. Knitting was a way to challenge herself, regain focus and manage anxiety.

    After graduating in 2015 from Queens University of Charlotte with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture, she decided to turn her passion for hobby into a business. She launched her brand Kia Love — a women’s knitwear and home decor brand. She specializes in fashionable accessories and home décor for the daring individual who loves bold color and texture. Her custom collections emphasize craftsmanship and feminine design.

    Love is passionate about slow fashion, the healing powers of fiber arts and the importance of teaching sewing, knitting and textile design to others in her community. By sharing her gift, she strives to pass down a craft that seems to be lost in the digital age.

    She aspires to educate others on the concept of quality over quantity and most importantly, having something of your own to turn to when the distractions of the world become too much.
    “Innerwoven” was made possible by a grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County's Mini Grant program. The Cool Spring Downtown District, Fayetteville’s managing partner for the Arts and Entertainment district, joined with the artist to bring this unique installation to life in celebration of women who have “Innerwoven” fabric as a means of clothing, warmth and comfort for centuries.

    Visit “Innerwoven” at Cross Creek at Linear Park during Black History Month. For more information visit www.visitdowntownfayetteville.com or the artist’s website at www.kialove.com.

    06 02 Urban Knitting Linear Park

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    06 03 Kia Loves InnerWoven2

  • 08 Title JudgedWriting an article on a work of art is complicated for many reasons. We each bring our own perceptions, bias and learned conventions when placing value or simply looking at a work of art. The complexity of contemporary art can include an additional layer — the ethnicity of the artist.

    Making works of art and art criticism today is not simple, there are many questions one could ask for doing either activity. For me, when I think about the ethnicity of the artist and how to look at their work, Leo Segedin asks some of the right questions in his article titled "Outakes From Making It: Race, Gender and Ethnicity in the Artworld." He asks: “… Are there generally acceptable ideas about what constitutes aesthetic ‘quality’? Does each minority group have their own aesthetic standards, its own criteria?... Is there a common aesthetic within a minority that is only accessible to the minority? … What constitutes ‘minority’ art? Who defines the essence and social agenda of a feminist artist, a Latino or Black artist?”

    Why anyone, minority or not, becomes an artist can be just as complex. The quotes by Vicki Rhoda, the featured artist for this special edition of Up & Coming Weekly, answer many of Segedin’s questions. The answers are found in why she became an educator, what is important to her in the classroom and why she is an artist.

    Raised in Elizabethtown, North Carolina, Mrs. Mazie Bell Rhoda (Vicki’s mother), gave her a set of art supplies at the age of eleven years old. While at home, Vicki would sit on the steps and repeatedly draw and paint the small church across the street. To have a creative nature and be open minded is a wonderful attribute, but it was also the cause of some of the challenges in her life.

    The direction of Rhoda’s life took hold when she was in high school, she met Ms. Peggy Webb, her art teacher. Not only was Ms. Webb an excellent teacher but she was also the only African American art teacher in Bladen County in the 80s. Inspired by an African American role model Rhoda’s direction in life was permanently altered on the path to become an artist and educator.

    Since being inspired by Ms. Webb, Rhoda earned a bachelor's degree in Art at Fayetteville State University. She has taught art in the public schools for 23 years, grades K-12. For the last four years she has been on the faculty at FSU in the Department of Performing and Fine Arts teaching art education and core art classes after earning a Master of Art Education at the University of Florida. She has also earned an advanced degree as an Educational Specialist from Grand Canyon University. Rhoda is presently working to complete her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership K-12.

    Rhoda stayed enthusiastic about teaching in public schools for 23 years. When she began teaching in the Bladen County public schools during the mid-90s Ms. Webb had relocated to another county and Rhoda became the only African American art teacher in the county.

    Rhoda reflected on the lack diversity of the teachers in the Bladen County schools at that time and what a relief it was to be employed by the Cumberland County public school system. Finally she was in an educational environment where the teachers and students were equally diverse, she felt more comfortable, she could be herself.

    No matter what school she was teaching in, Rhoda knew the importance of art in the public schools and witnessed the positive effects year after year. She shared with me: “Having art programs in the public schools is as important as math and science for many reasons. The myth is that art is simply recreational. Yet, taking an art class teaches the students diversity, global literacy, aesthetics, artists and art styles, and problem solving. Students leave an art class and see the world in a different way. Not only do they express themselves creatively, but they also can become personally transformed.”

    She continued, “Certain assignments revealed many of the personal problems students were having at home or a tragedy they have suffered. When talking to the student about the assignment they felt safe about sharing an experience. Art gave them a voice they did not have. For many the arts is an outlet to succeed in ways they could not in core classes. When I left public schools, I hoped I could have touched the lives of students in ways that would make a difference in their sense of self-worth and I was able to open the door to understanding diversity.”

    Rhoda was hired at FSU to recruit for and strengthen the art education program. After her first year in academe she redesigned the art education program by developing four new classes and eliminating some classes. The changes from teaching in the public schools for so many years to teaching students in higher education is a big leap for anyone. When asked about the transition she stated: “It was difficult. In middle and high school your approach to lesson plans is very different than higher education. Although you teach critical thinking in public schools, in higher education the analysis levels are so much higher. I am working with adults, so my language (personally and professionally) is very different. I’m happy to say the attention span of students at the university is lengthy compared to the public schools and is not only expected but required.”

    Rhoda’s success as an art educator is partially due to being a practicing artist. By being an artist she can share her creative efforts; the students are able to see she is engaged in the creative process. It is the same creative process that began at the age of eleven when she drew and painted the church across the street repeatedly.

    When asked why art remained so important to Rhoda, why she became an artist and to talk about her artistic style, she shared the following: “I was a very quiet child, while being creative I was reflective and thinking about so many things in my life. Art always gave me a voice to share what I could not do verbally. Later in life, around 1996, I learned a collage technique during a workshop and have continued to work in that media. The collage technique, in some ways, spoke to me. I could readily see images and myself in the layers of paper, I could relate it to my own life, and I saw ways to express my ideas. So what you are seeing in many of the earlier works is what I could not say out loud, but through the work.”

    Rhoda continued, “In the beginning, I was trying to express who I am. Raised in a Southern Pentecostal Holiness Church, uniformity was stressed for men and women, but I always saw things differently than my family. Being an artist I found a way to express myself visually. Although my personal collages are about expressing who I am, it can still resonate with others who grew up in the South and
    are Black.”

    “I started my political work after the shooting of Trayvon Martin, I realized just being Black in America is political.
    These are my experiences, being born Black is political, people in the southern Black community just handle it differently. The slogan Black Lives Matter is not new, we have been fighting for our lives to matter as long as I have been alive and historically. It is not OK to see color, yet due to social media, systemic racism is more evident. I always wanted my students to know everyone is important and we all bring something of value to enrich each other’s lives in many ways.”

    The reasons Rhoda gives for becoming an artist answer some of Segedin’s questions. Making art is a form of self-realization and it gives people a voice to share experiences. If just being Black is political, no matter how some would deny it or be impatient with the statement, it is obvious that race, ethnicity, and visual culture are inextricably linked. Artists draw from their identity to create awareness for different reasons, some create to influence change in American culture.

    In closing, works of art by some minority artists and other artists can be complicated and even some of Segedin’s questions are folly. We cannot characterize all works of art during the period in which they are being made. Ultimately, we can know some truths about works of art, but we cannot know all truths. It behooves us to stay openminded to why artists are creating works of art, search for a truth and new meaning. In the end, the history of art will often look like what we did not understand at the time.

    Pictured: "Judged" by Vicki Rhoda.

  • 02-08-12-mike-epps.jpgAre you ready for a night of laughs and non-stop entertainment? Well get ready, because Mike Epps is live at the Crown Center on Sunday, Feb. 19. The comedian is back again to give the audience new laughs and enjoyment as part of his I’m Still Standing Tour.

    The funnyman has proven his talents numerous times in the entertainment industry. Epps’ biggest debut was his appearance on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam. In 1999, Epps received recognition for these outstanding performances on the national stage. It took the comedian to the next level. He decided then to move to Los Angeles and pursue a career in comedy. Of course, the comedian had been doing stand-up for many years. It was something he believes he was destined to do and it shows with his success in the entertainment industry.

    Fellow entertainer, rapper and actor, Ice Cube took notice of the comedian while he performed at the L.A. Comedy Store. This encounter lead to one of the comedian’s first roles in a movie, Next Friday. He played the role of Day-Day, the cousin to Ice Cube’s character, and the movie was a true comedy hit. Since his debut as an actor, Epps appeared in the movies Bait, How High and even played the voice of Sonny in Dr. Dolittle 2.

    It is safe to say that the comedian has had a great career and it continues to grow. He has truly made a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Of course, Epps still tours the country and performs at many sold-out arenas and theatres. His onehour comedy special, Inappropriate Behavior, that aired on HBO was rated the top one-hour special of the year. DVDs, of the performance, were made available to the public that same month.

    On Sept. 10, 2006, Epps switched roles and began to host HBO’s Def Comedy Jam. Epps has performed in many other movies since his debut as an actor including: All About the Benjamins, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, Soul Men, Hancock, Open Season, The Fighting Temptation, Open Season, Friday After Next and Jumping the Broom, to name a few.

    The Crown Center is delighted to see the comedian perform again for the community of Fayetteville. Garry Marshall, director of marketing and sales, stated the comedian had another performance at the Crown Center a year ago, which was very well received by audience members.

    “He is a very talented performer,” Marshall explained, “He gives a show that is very crowd-pleasing.”

    Tickets for the show are selling rather quickly and it is highly recommended that future audience members purchase tickets soon to ensure the best seats.

    “This is a reserved-seat show and the sooner you purchase your ticket the better the seats you will get,” Marshall adds.

    At the Crown Center theatre, parking is free and all normal concessions will be opened on the night of show. The comedy show will begin at 7 p.m. Call 438-4100 or visit www. atthecrown.com for ticket prices and hours.

    Photo: Comedian Mike Epps.

  • The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra (FSO) is noted in the community for its strong support of and02-08-12-faysymphony.jpgcommitment to bringing symphonic music to the young, including many who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend a concert. Just recently, the FSO held its second annual Exceptional Children and Adult’s Concert, complete with the “instrument petting zoo.” Its Holiday Extravaganza featured the Cumberland County Youth Orchestra and the Music Makers Fall Cohort, a program funded by the Youth Growth Stock Trust through the Cumberland County Education Foundation and developed by the FSO with the Boys & Girls Club and Fayetteville Parks & Recreation. And now, funded by a grant from the U.S. Embassy in Jordan, some members of the FSO, under the baton of Maestro Foaud Fakhouri, will travel to Jordan, February 16-24 to perform with the Amman Symphony Orchestra and present concerts to schoolchildren.

    The symphony will engage in three different programs while in Jordan, Fakhouri explained. The first performance is an evening concert, which is part of the Amman Symphony Orchestra’s regular season Masterworks, similar to what the FSO does here. The concert will include the overture to Verdi’s “La forza del destino,” Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite” and Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 1.”

    The second and third programs involve working with students.

    “We’re doing four other performances during the day for schoolchildren, similar to what we do in Fayetteville for our third graders,” Fakhouri said. “This project came through a grant with the U. S. Embassy in Jordan. So they want us to focus on education. That was one of the priorities that they wanted to see happen. And we’re introducing children to classical music by performing American blockbuster-movie music. The idea is that these kids may have heard of Harry Potter or Pirates of the Caribbean or Star Wars, but they would not have associated that what they heard on that movie screen is actually performed by an orchestra. I thought that this would be a good idea to sort of say, ‘You’re familiar with this music, but here’s how it’s done, and these are the instruments that make that type of sound.’”

    And Fakhouri wants to ensure that the experience will be meaningful beyond just the 40 minutes of the performance.

    “They’ve probably never been to a symphonic concert in their lives, they’re going to see this and then they’re going to go home. What do we give them to take home and extend that experience and actually get them to say, ‘I saw this instrument, and this is what I want to learn’?” asked Fakhouri.

    Fakhouri approached one of the symphony’s education coordinators as well as librarian, who plays with the FSO.

    “She created a mini booklet that we’re going to give to every one of those kids while we’re there,” he said.

    The FSO is also providing master classes to students of the National Music Conservatory as well as students at King’s Academy, a private boarding school about 45 minutes outside of Amman. Members of the FSO will stay at King’s Academy during their visit.

    This cultural exchange is not the fi rst between the FSO and musicians of Jordan.

    “For our 50th anniversary, we invited the Queen of Jordan to come” said Fakhouri. “One of the Queen’s projects is the National Music Conservatory in Jordan. We invited musicians from the conservatory to come here, and she came and saw us perform with them. She invited the symphony to go to Jordan to perform, which was funded by the conservatory.”

    Fakhouri notes that this trip is a bit different. During a guest conducting engagement, he spoke with a friend about the project, and she suggested bringing some of the musicians from the FSO again, and she would explore sources of funding.

    “The embassy was very interested, provided we did the education component. And the embassy seems quite excited to be involved in this project,” Fakhouri said.

    In addition to rehearsals and performances, the FSO will take some time to explore the historic area, including the “lost” city of Petra, familiar to many from Raiders of the Lost Ark fame; Jerash, a well-preserved Roman ruin; Mt. Nebo, where Moses stood, and of course, the Dead Sea and the baptismal site of Jesus. The FSO hopes to post updates and pictures to its Facebook page while in Jordan and then create something on the FSO website after their return.

    Fakhouri stresses the signifi cance of such cultural exchanges relative to the Fayetteville community.

    “We are taking Fayetteville overseas, and we are introducing people to what we do here and impacting their lives. What we do to represent Fayetteville is important, and the only reason we are able to do these types of projects, to take them outside, is because of the generosity of the people who support us,” said Fakhouri. “And from their support, we are able to do these programs here and get positive feedback from our community, from our children and the schools, especially with regards to education, and that’s what we’re modeling this program in Jordan upon. We’re basing it on the positive experiences and our long history with these types of projects in Fayetteville. We’re just duplicating them there for a place that really needs them. There aren’t many orchestras our size that can say that they do this type of work.”

    “There’s a lot of chaos in the world, and these types of things maybe help make people understand each other a little bit better.”

    For more information on the FSO, visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org.

  • 02-03-10-woman-in-rocker.gifThe art community in Fayetteville is a vibrant one. It is not uncommon to fi nd high quality art and exhibits year round at different venues throughout the city, in fact the Friends of African & African-American Art is sponsoring Art of the Masters: A Survey of African American Images, 1980-2000 at the Arts Council. The exhibit opened on Jan. 22 and will hang until March 6.

    The show is bigger than the art on display at 301 Hay St., though. There is a sister exhibit at the Rosenthal Gallery at Fayetteville State University.

    “People can visit Rosenthal and read the panels to learn more about the artists and see reproductions of the works” said Mary Kinney, Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County marketing manager. “Then they can come here and see the exhibit to learn more — or vice versa. To get the full effect and full benefi t people should visit both places because it is all really one big exhibit.”

    There are also events and activities scheduled through the month of February. Assistant Professor of Art at FSU, Dr. Rollinda Thomas, will give a lecture titled Style and Politics: the African American Masters. She’ll be speaking at Rosenthal Gallery Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. and again at the Arts Council at 6 p.m. on Feb. 11.

    Thomas is excited about the opportunity to speak with the public about Art of the Masters. As an educator, she welcomes the opportunity to broaden the horizons of interested parties in the community.

    “The lecture is intended to give an overview of the artistic styles of the artists,” said Thomas. “We’ll look at how the politics of the time period infl uenced their work. For instance, there is a beautiful ceramic piece that harkens back to Benin, Africa.

    ”While there is a wide range of art work in the exhibit that covers everything from modern art to more traditional and natural pieces, Thomas is seeking to open the eyes and minds of the audience to the exhibit as a whole.

    “This is a wonderful opprtunity to have the chance to share information with the public and with students,” said Thomas. “It is a chance to discuss the exhibit. I am excited about opening people’s eyes and making art accessible.

    ”Although it is billed as a lecture, Thomas is seeking an exchange with the public. The stunning presentation of African American artists not only lends itself to visually appealing to the audience, there is also an opportunity at the lecture to offer opinions and questions.

    “This is definitely meant to be interactive,” said Thomas.The lecture is family friendly.

    For more information, please call the Arts Council at 323-1776.

  • 01-12-11-fireantz-logo.gifAs you read in last week’s edition of Up & Coming Weekly, the FireAntz have some exciting hockey coming up. There are also some really unique and fun promotions coming soon. Here are just some of the highlights of what is to come:

    Saturday, Feb. 5, the FireAntz, fans and corporate partners will once again take an opportunity to pay tribute to the men and women of the military.

    The FireAntz will wear special, patriotic jerseys for the game and all of the themes of the night are in support of the military. Several of their partners have joined them in supporting the military that night; Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union, US Logoworks, Stanley Steemer, First Class Property Management, Wilson Off Road, Century 21 Agents, 4G Communications, Carpet Dry Clean and Restoration, Wolfe Audio, Century Link, Dex Knows, Master Exterminators, and Caviness and Cates. It’s su02-02-11-fireantz.gifre to be a great night and a great tribute to the military.

    Friday, Feb. 25, is Kidsville Kids Night. The singing/dancing troupe known as the Kidsville Kids will be in attendance and performing throughout the game. They put on a spectacular show and this is one you won’t want to miss.

    Tuesday, March 8 is Kids Night presented by Cape Fear Valley Health. There is a great ticket promotion for that game and the proceeds are going to a wonderful cause. Fans who donate $1 to Friends of Children will get a free ticket to the March 8 game. There will be select locations that you may donate.

    Make sure to circle these dates and check out the other ones as well. There is guaranteed to be exciting hockey, and as you can see, some really exciting promotions as well.

    Photo: FireAntz Forward Chris Leveille streaks into the zone. Photo
    Courtesy: J. Shank.

  • uac020911001.gif There’s the Kentucky Derby and the Boy Scouts have the Pinewood Derby, but a Duck Derby? You betcha — and you’re invited to participate.

    The Fayetteville Duck Derby has been in the making for well over a year. It all started with Fayetteville Urban Ministry. The organization was looking for a fundraising idea and wanted to do something different. A little bit of research and imagination — and a lot of hard work later, event co-chairs Katie Crenshaw and Aurora Alexander are ready to introduce Quacky and the whole Duck Derby experience to the community.

    They’ve made the rounds, gathered the support of local businesses and several fellow nonprofi ts and now it is time to share their vision and watch the fun begin!

    You might be asking yourself what exactly is a Duck Derby? And we can understand that, because we asked the same question. 

    The Duck Derby will take place on May 7 at Campbellton Landing. If you are on hand that day, you will see a rare site. Between 5,000 and 15,000 yellow rubber ducks will be launched into the Cape Fear River in a race to support Fayetteville Urban Ministry and many other local non-profi ts.

    To make it to the river, a duck needs to be adopted. Anyone can adopt a duck, it costs $5 per duck, less if you buy a package of fi ve or more.

    “The actual duck drop is going to be really cool,” said Crenshaw. “They’ll drop off the bridge by Campbellton Landing and the end is right about where the railroad trestle begins. We’ve timed it and that is about a 10 minute race.”02-09-11-duckderby1.gif

    The prizes are impressive — a 2011 Toyota Camry generously donated by Rick Hendrick Toyota, a Las Vegas getaway, a Myrtle Beach escape and a catered Cape Fear River cruise. 

    When you purchase a duck, your name will be entered onto a tag. May 5 is the tagging party. This is where the thousands of ducks that have been purchased by caring members of the community will be assigned numbers and prepped for the big race. Crenshaw is hoping for plenty of volunteers, since they are expecting a sizable amount of work.

    “We have a minimum 5,000 ducks to tag,” said Crenshaw. “Our goal is much higher than that though, and they all have to be tagged.”

    While Fayetteville Urban Ministry is the lead nonprofi t for this event, duck sponsors can help other nonprofi ts even if they only adopt one duck.

    Visit the website, and click on “Teams.” There will be a list of nonprofi t organizations that are participating in this event. Choose your team, then adopt a duck, or two or three — or more.

    “Choose your team and $1 for every duck you purchase will go to that nonprofi t,” said Crenshaw. “The rest will go to Fayetteville Urban Ministry. It is no cost to the other nonprofi ts to sign on. We have such a good working relationships with these other organizations and we are all working together to better the community. We just wanted to share a little bit with them. We thought ‘Let’s all combine our efforts. Let’s all work together.’”

    Organizers timed the event to coincide with the month-long celebration of Days of Glory, which occurs in May. Throughout the month of May, local organizations put together events honoring and celebrating Fayetteville’s military heritage with ceremonies, art exhibits, sport and charity events and much more.

    “This is part of the 31 day salute, and it is just so special because so many people have come together to support this in the community,” noted Crenshaw. “It is so much more than a one person event.”

    02-09-11-duckderby2.gifWhile the actual race is short, Crenshaw and Alexander are planning an entire days worth of fun on the big day. From 1-6 p.m., Campbellton Landing will be fi lled with music, kid-friendly activities and educational resources.

    “It will be an opportunity for all our non profi ts to share their mission, if they choose. We’ll have entertainment on the stage the entire day, too,” said Crenshaw. “We have Rattler Jake coming. He talks about different snakes and will educate the children. We have riverboat tours. Basically, it’s a free event with tons for the kids to do.”

    May might be a long time away, but there are other things you can do now to support the Duck Derby.

    “Just like the Kentucky Derby has the Mint Julep, we are looking for that perfect signature drink for the Duck Derby, and an appetizer, too.” said Crenshaw. “We’ve asked our local restaurants and the community to be part of this and help us with that.”

    Eleven local restaurants (Huske Hardware House, The Hilltop House, Pierro’s Italian Bistro, Morgan’s Chop House, It’z Entertainment City, Scrub Oaks, Circa 1800, Luigi’s, Riverside Steak & Oyster Bar, Latitude 35 Bar & Grill and Chris’s Steak House) are pulling out all the stops in a competition to see who can create the signature cocktail and appetizer for this event. From Feb. 11 until May 6, the community is invited to visit these restaurants, sample their creations and then vote for their favorite at www.fayettevilleduckderby.com. The winner will be announced at the derby. The possibilities are incredible, and the competition is sure to be intense, so don’t miss out on a chance have your say.

    May 7 will be here in no time, so you need to buy a duck, taste an appetizer, cast your vote and sign up to help. To do all of this, visit www.www. fayettevilleduckderby.com.

    Middle Right: Quacky the duck stands by the Toyota Camry that is the grand prize in
    the Duck Derby. Bottom Left: Tom Costello, of Hendrick Toyota gives Quacky a hug.

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  • 020613001.gif It’s halfway through the season, and the FireAntz are in top form. After taking on a new coach this year, recruiting strong players and working hard, the team is back on top of their game and currently in first place in the Southern Professional Hockey League.

    “This team is far more competitive than last year,” said FireAntz general manager Kevin McNaught. “Three years ago we went to the finals  but lost the final game. We’ve always been a competitive team, but the last two years have been down years.”

    The new Head Coach, Mark DeSantis, didn’t waste any time turning things back around. McNaught credits the coach’s ability to build good chemistry between the team members as a key ingredient. DeSantis came to the FireAntz after playing professional hockey for 16 years and then taking on the role of assistant coach in Rapid City, S.D. for three seasons.

    For DeSantis, building a good hockey team is as much about character as it is about skill. In the end, coach made the foundation of the team around three key players.

    Obviously with a guy like Bobby Reed, our captain, he was a good example of what I want to build our team around,” said DeSantis. “He is a great person, he has good character and he’s a good hockey player. That was my number one thing — getting a guy like him.”

    Andrew Small played for DeSantis his last two seasons in the Central League, and joined the FireAntz this year.

    “He is a little older, comes with a lot of experience and just wants to play a lot more,” said DeSantis. “He plays 30-35 minutes a game. Bringing a guy like him in has been good for the team.”

    Marco Emond was DeSantis’ next pick for building a strong team.

    “Marco Emond, our goalie, has won 32 championships. You want to build around this type of person; they are what we need here in Fayetteville … and you just go from there,” said DeSantis.

    Once these three players were on board, it was clear what needed to happen next.

    “We have a rising star in Josh McQuaid,” said DeSantis. “His talent is off the charts — he brings it every night. The great thing about Josh is that he just loves to score, and you can’t fault a guy for that. “

    At the moment, the FireA02-06-13-fireantz1.gifntz are at 12-1. They’ve worked hard and played their best every game, but with 19 games to go in the season, DeSantis has no illusions about what lies ahead.

    “I am very happy, but it is real tough because I know we have a real good fan base and they suffered the last two seasons,” said DeSantis. “It is a tough one to start 12-1, I mean, I love it but it is hard to make changes when you make 12-1. I know that other teams are going to get better and with this record it is tough to make changes. Our fans are great and they want to see us do well every night. But as a coach, I can live with losing if we work the other team hard and give 100 percent.”

    Don’t miss the next game on Feb. 8. The Fort Bragg Patriots — the Fort Bragg hockey team formerly known as The Dragons — is playing right before the FireAntz.

    “They are playing the Fort Benning team,” said McNaught. “On that night it will be two for one tickets for military members. One ticket will get you in to both games if you are in the military.”

    The FireAntz have a strong relationship with the military community and partner with the U.S. Fort Bragg Public Affairs Office to distribute tickets to FireAntz games among other things. Throughout the community the team partners with businesses and organizations, too.

    For example, the team has been known to attend and sponsor blood drives, food drives and fundraisers for local charities. The Feb. 10 game is a fundraiser to benefi t the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of Children. “We’ve visited the hospital and they do more than cancer related things,” said McNaught. “They do a lot of fundraising and a golf tournament to raise money for local children. We are happy to work with them and support their work.”02-06-13-fireantz3.gif

    Of course, the FireAntz love playing hockey and making every game a good time, but the team is also serious about giving back to the community, starting in the rink. FireAntz home games often include themes like military appreciation night, beach night, scout night, ladies night and more. McNaught says that the team asks a lot from the community so it is only right that they give back.

    Outside the rink, the team is always looking for ways to make a difference. “We visit about four schools a week. The players go out and visit schools and we do a lot of rec centers, too,” said McNaught. “We really enjoy getting the players out with the kids. In fact, we have more kids at our games than anyone in the league. We do one kid’s night a month.”

    After 17 years in the community, McNaught says keeping things fresh and fun is important to the team. “The biggest challenge when you are around it a lot is keeping things from being stale. We try to get the best team that we can on the ice every year. Off the ice we try to do more and more with the community. It is something to always work on and have an open mind about.”

    Find out more about the FireAntz at www.fireantzhockey.com.

    Photos courtesy of Tom Groves.

  • Music is a magical thing. It is a phenomenon uniquely human, but it is popular in every culture in one form or another. In cultures all over the world communities gather and bond over music. Musicians bring people of all walks of life together to enjoy the beauty of song. Fayetteville is no exception. For 76 years Community Concerts has brought various musicians of all different genres to the town to share their art with the Fayetteville community, with the simple goal of “making Fayetteville a better place.” The next musical group coming to Fayetteville is Kool and the Gang.

    The band was originally formed in 1964 as the Jazzicas, but changed its name in 1969. Since then, they have sold more than 70 million albums worldwide. Kool and the Gang is a group of talented musicians, who for more than 35 years has created a unique intersection of jazz, rhythm and blues, funk and pop. They have won two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits and have 31 gold and platinum albums. Some of their most well-known songs that made them famous are “Celebration,” “Cherish,” “Jungle Boogie,” “Summer Madness” and “Open Sesame.” The current members of the band are Robert “Kool” Bell, his brother Khalis Bayyan, their friends Dennis “DT” Thomas and George “Funky” Brown.02-20-13-kool-&-gang.gif

    It is truly a feat that Kool and the Gang has been able to perform and create at this level for more than four decades. “Kool” explains the success by saying, “Hard work is very important. We are extremely grateful to all of our fans. The business is extremely competitive, but we have been touring a lot and it is great to have been able to perform throughout the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and into today.”

    As glamorous and rewarding as the music business is, there are some hardships that the artists must endure for the love of their craft. “

    Waking up at 4 and 5 a.m. to go to the airport with all of our bags and go through all the TSA is hard. Tour buses are a lot nicer, but after 40 years there is wear and tear.” Kool said. Regardless, Kool and the Gang still travels and performs all over the country with the same passion and energy they performed with in the ‘70s.

    Experiencing music through concerts is different than listening at home. Seeing the music performed by the artists who created it adds an entirely new level to the sound. Kool and the Gang is skilled at bringing music to the crowds in a relatable and exciting way. Whether those attending are long-time fans or new to their sound, the performance is sure to be memorable and engaging.

    “We have very high-energy shows. We perform hits from the ‘70s and ‘80s. It is a choreographed show, but we make sure to keep the energy up while we play all the hits,” Kool says.

    Kool and the Gang will be at the Crown Theatre on Feb. 23, at 7:30 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Crown Box office at www.aththecrown.com or call 438-4100.

    Photo: Kool and the Gang is set to perform at the Crown on Feb. 23.

  • 02-15-12-ftcc-50-years-logo.jpgThe Business Programs Division of Fayetteville Technical Community College is proud to highlight four new curriculum certificates out of several that will be offered in the fall 2012 semester.

    These certificates were developed based primarily on feedback from our Program Advisory Committees and input from several other business and industry partners regarding skills and competencies needed in today’s workforce.

    Two of the certificates are business-management related, and two are information-technology related.

    Our new business-management related certificates are the nonprofit-management certificate and the project-leadership certificate.

    The nonprofit-management certificate is designed to provide individuals with the fundamental principles of nonprofit management. The course covers fundraising, stewardship, governance, leadership, marketing and legal/ethical issues related to nonprofit organizations.

    The project-leadership certificate includes learning the basics of project management, acquiring the skills necessary to lead a successful project team, utilizing the collective knowledge of groups and managing a team through the process of completing a project.

    The two new information-technology related certificates are the Microsoft desktop-support certificate and the social-media certificate.

    The Microsoft desktop-support certificate is designed to develop proficiency in end-user support skills, procedures and processes necessary to support an IT operating system. Upon completion, students should be able to prepare for industry-level certifications and utilize advanced support tools to resolve end-user problems.

    The social-media certificate focuses on using social media in a business or organizational setting. Topics include using popular social-media platforms (such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, et al, as part of marketing or branding strategies), blogging, using social-media analytical tools and ensuring compliance with industry standards.

    As an added bonus, all these certificates are positioned under the umbrella of a related associate in applied science degree, so all credit hours earned in the certificate can be applied toward completion of the related A.A.S. degree.

    FTCC is excited to begin offering these and other new certificates in the fall 2012 semester! For additional information, please contact William Griffin (dean of business programs) at 678-8564 or via email at griffinw@faytechcc.edu.

  • 15 bookIs it really just a fairy tale?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • uac022912001.jpg Does the idea of fighting crowds at the airport or standing in line at theme parks leave you cold? If so, you are not alone. In the United States, nearly one in 12 U.S. vehicle-owning households (about 7 million) now owns a recreational vehicle. That number is expected to grow by about 15 percent in the coming years.

    Why? Rowland Bostock, the promoter for the Eastern North Carolina RV Show doesn’t have all the answers to that question, but he does have some.

    “The outdoor lifestyle is a very appealing lifestyle,” said Bostock. “When you go to campgrounds, you find other like-minded people who are looking for quiet and relaxation (for the most part.) They are open and friendly and willing to lend a hand or advice.”

    Bostock said there is no better feeling than sitting quietly around a campfire at the end of a fun day and reflecting on the day and planning for the next.

    “It’s just very relaxing, and then you lay down in the comfort of your own bed with the sounds of crickets or a river putting you to sleep,” he said. “It’s just a very unique and different lifestyle.”

    Bostock said that the solitude isn’t for everyone. Some RV owners use their trailers for getting into the mix of things and tailgating at Nascar races or at football games.

    “They enjoy the excitement and camaraderie that goes along with those events,” he said.

    This is the seventh RV show in Fayetteville. Years ago there was another show, but they stopped coming and started concentrating on bigger venues. Two RV Sales owners came together with the idea of starting a local show. They enlisted Bostock, and other RV dealers from eastern North Carolina, and put the show together.

    “All of these folks work really well together and have a little friendly competition,” said Bostock.

    Just as the dealers come back year after year, so do the attendees at the show.

    “We see a lot of the same faces year after year,” said Bostock.

    Annually about 2,500 people come out for the show. That number dropped slightly over the past couple of years, because of the economy, but attendance has remained close to the 2,500 range.

    “Our dealers all have had success at the show,” he said.

    This year there are nine RV dealers participating in the show, including Fayetteville dealer, Hawley’s Camping Center. “We have a really good representa-tion from RV dealers, as well as RV parks,” said Bostock.

    Throughout the three days of the event, dealers will offer special sales on RVs. Vendors associated with the RV industry will be on hand to showcase products and prizes will be given out throughout the event.

    Bostock said some folks come out to the show simply out of curiosity, while oth-ers have been a part of the RV family for years.

    “Some people come just because it is something to do, while others come to trade in older RVs and others come who want to try out the lifestyle for the first time,” explained Bostock.

    He noted that the love of the outdoors beckons many people to the RV lifestyle.

    “There are a lot of people who don’t want to take the fly/drive vacation to busy spots,” he said. “Many of them want to take quiet vacations and just enjoy being with their families in the great outdoors. So the idea of having an RV appeals to them.”

    Bostock said pet owners are also very intrigued with the idea of camping.

    “A lot of people really love their pets and want to take them on vacation. It’s really hard to find hotels that will allow you to do that, and some of the ones that do, well, you wouldn’t want to stay in them,” he said. “With the RV, the pet can come along with no problems.”

    Bostock said that many of the first-time buyers will go for something simple like a pop-up camper. But over time, they may upgrade their RVs a num-ber of times. He noted that RVs have come a long way from their early days. These days, the RVs are spacious and have everything from full bathrooms to well-equipped kitchens and entertainment centers. With a number of slide-outs on a camper, the RV can be as spacious and roomy as some people’s homes.

    “We have some people who come in and trade up every year, and others that come every three to five years,” said Bostock. “What we see a lot in our older RV’ers is them trading down so they have a simpler set up and something that is easier to pull.”

    The Eastern North Carolina RV Show rolls into the Crown Agri-Expo Center on Friday, March 2 from noon-8:30 p.m. On Saturday, March 3, the show opens at 10 a.m. and runs through 8:30 p.m. The show closes on Sunday, March 4, with hours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Bostock said it’s a great event for people whether they are experienced campers or02-29-12-camping.jpg just thinking about getting into RVing. This year’s show will include new exhibitor’s from eastern North Carolina providing a wider selection of RVs. Speak with experi-enced sales professionals about features and benefits of owning an RV… then shop and compare for your best deal.

    Tickets to the event are $7 for adults, $2 for children ages 7-12, with children under 7 admitted free. Friday is military appreciation night, with all military admitted at half price after 4 p.m. For more in-formation, visit www.encrv.com.

    Photo: Many of the first-time RV buyers will go for something simple like a pop-up camper. But over time, they may upgrade their RVs a number of times.

  • 13 Book“It is one of the best books I ever read, maybe the best.”

    That got my attention, but when my friend told me it was a family history book, I cooled down.

     “But this one is something different. It is special. I couldn’t put it down.”

    So when she pushed a copy of John May's privately published “The Mays of Alamanns’ Creek: A Family Odyssey” on me, I agreed to read a few pages. That decision was made easier because May, a retired textile executive, is also the author of “Poe and Fanny,” an imaginative and deeply researched novel based on a portion of Edgar Allan Poe’s life. It is one of my all-time favorites.

    Still, I was skeptical. Family histories can be interesting. But, even when written by great writers, they can also be tedious or too inwardly focused to have broad appeal.
    Because May grew up in a prominent Burlington family, I thought the book would teach me some interesting regional history. Maybe I would learn more. Family histories and memoirs reach back generations, sometimes even going back across the ocean to times before the family came to North America.

    It turns out that May follows his family to times long before their arrival in Burlington, before his ancestors landed in Pennsylvania and moved to Burlington. He follows them all the way back to the 1500s in Germany.

    And if that weren’t enough, he then takes his family back to the origin of human and human-like species in Africa thousands and thousands of years ago.

    Using the results of recent findings in genetics, anthropology and other science, he builds a framework to tell stories about what might have happened to his ancestors as they migrated. Over thousands of years they moved slowly from Africa, across to Asia, then along lands beside the Black Sea, through what is now Bulgaria and Rumania, up the Danube and down the Rhine rivers winding up in a small village near Frankfurt, Germany.

    May explains how the slow migration often took place in clans or family groups. When a settled group outgrew the capacity of its surrounding land, it would break up and move far enough away to have its own separate land that could provide sufficient game and other food.

    Slowly, over thousands of years, these incremental relocations would lead to massive movements of populations.

    As he did in “Poe and Fanny,” May mixes fact and fiction. His ancestor, Jorg May, born in 1520 in Gelnhausen, Germany, managed a vineyard. That is fact. Also factual are the accounts of the uncertain times created by the religious and political upheavals that resulted from Martin Luther’s break with the Catholic Church. Based around these facts and his research about the times, May creates believable and interesting characters and stories of their lives.

    May’s story becomes more relevant when Jorg’s descendant, Daniel May, a poor German farm boy, read glowing reports about North Carolina in a publication called “The Golden Book.”

    He made his way to Amsterdam and then to Pennsylvania and down the Wagon Road to what became Alamance County. He arrived in time for the Regulator Rebellion and the American Revolution.

    Daniel’s grandson, Henry P., moved to Indiana, served in the Union Army and moved to California before coming back to Alamance to court and marry Barbara, a woman he met before the war when she was working in a textile factory. Their grandson, William Henry May, built a textile empire in Burlington. He is John May’s grandfather.

    All these stories, blended fact and fiction, set in different times and places, and so well told by May, make for an unusual and satisfying reading experience.

    Sadly, May only printed a few copies for friends and family. We may have to wait a while before more are available.

  • 12 01 berriesThe Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County presents the “Troublesome Presence”  exhibit until March 13. The intent of the exhibit is to create conversations about troublesome moments for African Americans in today’s society.

     “The exhibit, as far as the artwork that is featured inside of the art gallery, includes paintings, sculptures, videos, mixed media, photography, spoken word, poetry and movement,” said Metoya Scott, public relations manager at the Arts Council. “The exhibit features 19 pieces by 13 black North Carolina-based artists, and it is an amazing exhibition that is very thought provoking.” 

    The presenting artists are Derrick Beasley, Johnny Lee Chapman III, Dare Coulter, Andre’ Leon Gray, Jaki Shelton Green, Carly P. Jones, Stephen Hayes, Anthony Otto Nelson Jr., Nicole Oxendine, Telvin Wallace, Lamar Whidbee, Antoine Williams and Stephanie J. Woods.

    12 02 Exhibit“There is a five-minute film in our west gallery that loops all day long,” Scott said. “It is called ‘Free Market.’ It features an original poem and movement that was directed by Michael S. Williams and was filmed at the Market House in downtown Fayetteville.” In the piece, Williams speaks about the value that is placed on African Americans in history and today. 

    “With this exhibit, ‘Troublesome Presence,’ we are looking at identity, agency, introspection, intersectionality and other things,” said Williams, independent consultant, curator and founder of The Black On Black Project. “The title of the exhibition comes from a speech that Abraham Lincoln gave in 1852 when he gave a eulogy for Henry Clay, who was president and one of the founders of the American Colonization Society, in which Lincoln referred to free African Americans as a troublesome presence on slaveholders.”
    The Black On Black Project  website, https://www.blackonblackproject.com, explains why America needs to be willing to examine its stance on equality saying, “This work matters because important conversations about equity need to happen so that all community members are valued. A diverse community can be enriching, but engaging in dialogue about identity and difference is a must.

    “This work makes a difference in the lives of marginalized individuals and communities by allowing space to be seen and heard. It also makes a difference in the lives of the larger community by creating space to engage with others. When this engagement and dialogue happen, everyone’s life is enriched.”

    Williams added the idea of the exhibition is to show the antithesis of troublesome — that African Americans have not been troublesome in the United States.

     “One of the pieces in the exhibit includes  two works called ‘A Radiant Revolution II’ and ‘A Radiant Revolution III’ which are mixed media pieces by an artist named Stephanie J. Woods from Charlotte,” said Williams of the two-piece installation that is considered one work. “The work really highlights how much (black women matter) and how important black women are and how showing black women their ‘black is beautiful’ and ‘strong black girl,’ which is another phrase in one of the works, (is important).
    “There’s a piece in the show called ‘Untitled,’ and it is another video piece,” said Williams. “It features words from North Carolina poet laureate Jaki Shelton Green, dance instructor Nicole Oxendine and opera singer Carly P. Jones, who are outliers in their respective fields because you don’t see a lot of African American women in those roles. The idea is to show you have agency.    

    “Through artwork and some of our programs and workshops, we hope to showcase these 13 North Carolina-based artists and the work that they produced to show African Americans in a different light other than troublesome, but rather (as) folks who have done a lot to help the United States,” said Williams. “Through that, we hope to bring communities together to have somewhat difficult conversations about some of the things we face today.”   

    On its website, the Arts Council notes “The Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County partners with the Black On Black Project to produce an art exhibition and community programming that respond to the challenges communities of color face locally and across the country. After spending time in conversation with local leaders and members of the community, we’ve created an exhibit that aims to reflect a diversity of experiences. This partnership desires to bring more perspectives to the table for an open, honest dialogue to create an equitable future.”

    There  are four remaining events at the Arts Council in conjunction with this exhibition.

    Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. is a screening of “Wilmington on Fire.” The documentary covers the only successful coup in United States history, which happened in 1898 in Wilmington, N.C. Following the screening, a panel discussion will take place, featuring the director of the film, Christopher Everett, as well as some of the documentary’s other team members.

    Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. is a panel discussion titled “How artists can affect change in the community.” The panelists are Derrick Beasley, artist; Dare Coulter, artist; Sherris Johnson, founding director of OUR Place; Sonny Kelly, writer and performer of “The Talk.”

    Thursday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. is a panel discussion titled  “The importance of understanding and documenting history.”This panel discussion will address how the documentation of history will affect how people remember history later.

    Friday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. is an evening of spoken word. Featured poets include Ayanna Albertson, Ashlee Connors, Ashley Lumpkins and Sherris Johnson. The poetry is written in response to the “Troublesome Presence” exhibit. The spoken word event is the Arts Council’s monthly Fourth Friday event.

    The film screening and three panel discussions are facilitated by Williams.

    Seating is limited for the programming events, so attendees should RSVP by emailing admin@theartscouncil.com or by calling 910-323-1776.

     The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information visit https://www.theartscouncil.com. or call 910-323-1776.

    Picture 1: “The Blacker The Berry” by Dare Coulter

    Picture 2: “Through It All” by Lamar Whidbee

  • 10 Close up of Falling Down WallpaperTwo local galleries have collaborated to bring a thought-provoking exhibition about materials, style and content. “New Media Abstraction and Identity Politics: in Traditional and Contemporary Black Visual Art” is an exhibit that spans two galleries: Rosenthal Gallery at Fayetteville State University and Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery at 311 Gillespie St. in Fayetteville.

    Visitors to each gallery will immediately feel that each artist in the exhibit has something to communicate about a fixed experience and possibilities. In combination with the diverse materials artists use, no one will leave the exhibit without reflecting on the power of the visual image to evoke someone’s passion on a subject — more than likely a transformative experience will take place for anyone visiting the galleries.

    One can sense that each artist in the exhibit is part of a greater intent — to help people come to know or understand something by feeling it emotionally or physically. Dwight Smith, the curator of the exhibit at Rosenthal Gallery, defines new media abstraction as “a contemporary aesthetic used to examine, interrogate and re-imagine dominate cultural narratives of black experiences … contemporary artists exploring a wide range of traditional and nontraditional materials from a variety of sources.”

    Smith noted, “Looking for works that infuse elements of technology, music and pop culture, science fiction, magical realism or historical fantasy is effective in helping visual artists articulate new subjectivities as well as new realities. In this invitational 10 02 For Strengthexhibit, artists were asked to freely interpret the various ideas discussed within the theme of new media abstraction.”

    Of the 48 artists from the East Coast and Midwest, 30 works are in Rosenthal Gallery and the remaining 18 are located at Ellington-White Contemporary gallery. Included in the exhibit are new young artists, but also a “Who’s Who” of nationally recognized artists: Ben Jones, Peggy Blood, David C. Driskell, Willis Bing Davis, John Biggers, Margaret T. Burroughs, Shirley Woodson, Charlie Johnson, Louise M. Johnson, Lee Ransaw and Robert J. Stull.

    An older generation and a new generation of black artists are exhibiting together to create a wave of Afrocentric sensibility, social justice and everyday black life as the structural underpinning. There are so many excellent works of art in the exhibition that visitors will need to visit each gallery several times to absorb the range of themes and ways in which materials are used to evoke meaning.

    I did select two artists to share with readers. New generation artist Ackeem Salmon is exhibiting a large work titled “For Strength.” A mixed-media photo transfer on wood, the portrait is an enticing work on many levels. Visitors will be stunned by the classical beauty of the image. Yet upon closer examination, one will see Salmon leaves the surface rough in areas; seams of the transfer paper are evident to contrast with what the image renders possible — perfection.

    An older and established artist, Ben Jones, has two works in the exhibit that reflect his preoccupation with two themes, environmentalism and social justice. Rosenthal Gallery is exhibiting an 8’x 8’ detailed wall hanging on canvas titled “Falling Down Wallpaper.” In this work, the artist promotes the idea of saving and valuing our environment by including words from poems and painted a series of images from nature — birds and plant life.

    In contrast, Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery is exhibiting an installation by Ben Jones titled “Trayvon Martin.” The 8’x 8’ wall hanging on canvas is a grid design of hundreds of images of the slain teenager. Jones modified each image to reflect the results of social media and the variety of ways people across the county viewed the teenager. A wooden chair painted a flat black and a stack of toy guns are in front of the 8’x 8’ detailed and challenging wall hanging.

    Jones is presenting lectures, one on Feb. 7, to Fayetteville State University art students and the public at Rosenthal Gallery and another lecture for the public, Feb. 8, at Ellington-White Gallery.

    Jones is an American artist with a great interest in Cuba, where he is well-known and has had several major exhibitions. Jones has made over 50 cultural exchange visits to Cuba since the 1970s and is noted by the Granma International of Havana, Cuba, as one of the most important African-American artists of his generation. For nearly five decades, Jones’ multimedia installations have reflected his travel and research in Africa, Europe, South America, the United States and the Caribbean to include the Museum of Modern Art in New York City; Studio Museum of Harlem, New York, New York; and Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba, to name a few. He has received numerous grants and awards including two National Endowment for the Arts grants (2007 and 1974-75), The Puffin Foundation (2005) and The Joan Mitchell Foundation grant (2002) among many others. Jones has lectured at universities, museums and cultural institutions worldwide including, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Howard University, Washington, D.C.; Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Georgia; Wilfredo Lam Center, Havana, Cuba; and University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.

    Having such a powerful large exhibit as “New Media Abstraction and Identity Politics: in Traditional and Contemporary Black Visual Art” leads to a simple question, how were the galleries able to coordinate so many established and new artists in one exhibition?

    Both agencies have had connections to two established organizations that have promoted the works of black artists for many years: The National Conference of Artists and The National Alliance of Artists from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The National Conference of Artists, founded in 1959, is devoted to the preservation, promotion, and furtherance of African and African-American culture, and the creative forces of the artists that emanate from the African world experience.

    The NCA proudly proclaims its existence as the oldest African-American visual arts advocacy organization in the United States. Its members include artists, educators, scholars, exhibitors, art distributors, art collectors and gallery owners, museum personnel and supporters of African and African-American art and culture. It has national chapters in many large urban areas of the country. The newest chapter is the North Carolina Chapter, which is located in Fayetteville.

    Dr. Lee A. Ransaw, then dean of arts and letters and chair of the Fine Arts Department, along with Lamar Wilson, Director of the Ruth Hall Hodges Art Gallery, envisioned the National Alliance of Artists from HBCUs during the summer of 1999 on the campus of Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia. NAAHBCU’s mission statement defines the purpose of the organization is to bring art and art education to the forefront of member institutions and to keep these programs as institutional priorities for generations to come.

    The Alliance is committed to developing in its members, and especially students, the artistic and life skills needed to function as literate citizens in the society of today and in the future. The NAAHBCU also exists to provide comprehensive activities that offer artistic and expressive opportunities for professional artists employed or formerly employed at member institutions as well as for historians and curators, collectors and friends of the arts.

    “New Media Abstraction and Identity Politics: in Traditional and Contemporary Black Visual Art” will be on exhibit until Feb. 29. Ben Jones will be the featured guest lecturer for the exhibition on Feb. 7, at Rosenthal Gallery and Feb. 8,  at Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery.
    For more information, contact Dwight Smith, assistant professor of visual art and director of the Rosenthal Gallery, Fayetteville State University at 910-672-1795.

    Top picture: “Falling Down Wallpaper” by Ben Jones
    Bottom picture: “For Strength” by Ackeem Salmon
     
  • Editor's note: The Siberian State Symphony Orchestra has been cancelled. The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine will be at Givens Performing Arts Center on Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. The orchestra’s performance will replace the previously scheduled Siberian State Symphony Orchestra. Tickets range from $21 to $31 for adults and $8 for children.

    Siberian Symphony picLive from Russia: The Siberian State Symphony Orchestra embarked on its eight-week United States tour in January 2020. Music played by the acclaimed 80-member orchestra from Krasnoyarsk, Russia will fill the Givens Performing Arts Center on Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m.

    Led by Music Director and Conductor Vladimir Lande, the Siberian State Symphony Orchestra will play celebrated Russian classics in an enchanting symphonic evening. Included in the performance are classical music compositions by 19th century Russian composers Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky and 20th Century composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Lande is also the Music Director and Conductor for the Washington Soloists Chamber Orchestra and the COSMIC Symphony Orchestra.

    The orchestra dates back to 1977 in the former Soviet Union, winning the reputation as one of the premier orchestras of the time. After the political regime change in the Soviet Union, the Siberian State Symphony Orchestra was allowed to tour internationally and was received on the international stage with much praise.

    Considered a culturally important institution, the Siberian State Symphony Orchestra eagerly shares the musical arts of Russia with the world through concerts and albums.

    During the concert Peter Laul, award winning pianist and regular performer with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and the Lincoln Center in New York, as well as other venues around the globe, will entertain guests with a solo performance.

    Attendees will enjoy Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, Shostakovich’s "Tango" from the ballet “Bolt,” and Mussorgsky’s "Pictures at the Exhibition."

    Fun fact: Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concert No.1 was personally conducted by Tchaikovsky at the opening of Carnegie Hall in New York City in 1891. This was a rare occasion for a well-known composer of 19th Century European Romantic period music to come to the United States to perform.

    When asked how the GPAC is able to host such an internationally acclaimed orchestra, Chad Locklear, Marketing Director for the Givens Performing Arts Center, stated, “The GPAC is committed to bringing high-caliber and diverse arts experience to our community. This orchestra meets that category because it has a reputation as being one of the best in Russia.”

    “In the digital age of Netflix and social media, nothing will ever take the place of experiencing the arts live in person,” he said. “I hope attendees will come away feeling appreciative and inspired to continue to attend and support the arts.”  

    The performance is expected to last 78 minutes with a 15 minute intermission in between. The GPAC seats 1,600 people and there are discounts for groups of 10 or more and for children under age 13.

    Tickets may be purchased by phone at 910-521-6361 or online using the link found on their website. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the GPAC box office. Tickets prices are between $21-$31 for adults, $18 for children, $16 for faculty and staff, and $5 for UNCP Students. Visit https://www.uncp.edu/resources/gpac/professional-artist-series/siberian-state-symphony-orchestra for more information. 

  • uac020514001.gif FireAntz fans have a lot to look forward to this month as the hockey team readies for a series of fun-filled nights. Hockey, hijinx and heartfelt apprecia-tion come together at the rink with activi-ties that fans are sure to love. Don’t miss the 2nd Annual Weiner Dog Race Night on Feb. 7. “It is really a lot of fun,” said Jason Fleming, director of media/sales. “This was a big success last year and we already have more entries for this event than we did for last year’s.”

    It takes two people per dog to make this race work. At the first intermission every-one, including the canines, head on to the ice. One person stands at the starting line with the four-legged contestant. The other person heads to the finish line. When the race starts, the person at the finish line does their best to entice the pooch in their direction. The first three dogs to finish win a prize.

    Fleming says that the race is a lot of fun for the dogs and the people, but there is still more going on at this particular game. “We also have a pet adoption going on that night where Fayetteville Animal Protection Society comes out. Last year they brought 15 or so dogs and they all got adopted.”

    The next night, Feb. 8, is Military Appreciation Night and Race Night and is sponsored by Folds of Honor. Not only is this a chance to celebrate local heroes and their families, there will be a jersey auction at the end of the evening.

    “This is always a really fun night. We have big crowds that average 6,000 to 7,000 on military appreciation nights,” said Fleming. “We spotlight some of the drag race guys and some of them bring their cars. We set them up in the VIP parking lot. Some of the military units come out and they bring some of their equipment. People can check that out, too. The cars and military things are always popular with the fans.”

    The doors open at 6 p.m., which gives everyone plenty of time to check out the cars and equipment before the game starts at 7 p.m.

    Folds of Honor, which is affiliated with Budweiser and is the02-05-14-fireantz.gif sponsor of the game, has strong ties to the militaryand works hard to support soldiers and their families. The foundation was founded by Maj. Dan Rooney. Rooney is a former F-16 pilot, golf course owner and PGA Professional. The Folds of Honor website www.foldsofhonor.org showcases the many ways the organization works to support service members and their families: “Through scholarships and other assistance, we give back to the spouses and children of soldiers killed or disabled in service to our country. We provide healing, hope and an opportu-nity for dreams to be realized...with the support of people like you. We feel this is our duty as citizens of the greatest country in the world.”

    Feb. 11 is a great chance to mix things up midweek and take advantage of $2 Tuesday. Groups of 10 or more can call the office and get tickets for just $2. It’s a fun wholesome way to spend a weeknight with friends and family — and it’s affordable.

    The game on Feb. 22 promises to be something special. Star Wars fans should mark the calendar now for this fun themed night. “There is a local group called the 501st Legion of Storm Troopers. They are really cool and have invested in authentic Star Wars costumes. We’ll have them at the game that night,” said Fleming. “They come out deep — like 30-40 different characters.

    Throughout the game the storm troopers walk around and interact with the crowd and are available for pictures. The highlight of the night, though, is in-termission. “There is an amazing light saber duel at intermission,” said Fleming. “In the past we’ve had Darth Vader versus Luke fighting on the ice. They do a great job with the choreography and the crowd loves it.”

    Star Wars Night is such a favorite that the FireAntz team will wear specially designed Star Wars themed jerseys during the game and auction them off at the end of the night. “These are really, really cool jerseys. This is my favorite of the 60 we have done since I have been here in the last ten years,” said Fleming. “We put a Darth Vader helmet on our logo and his stick looks like a light saber.”

    The FireAntz go out of their way to make every home game a fun and com-munity-friendly event. They reach out to various groups, support local causes and try to make sure that everyone who shows up for one of their games has a good time. While all these extras are part of what makes them such a special part of the community entertainment scene, local fans also expect a good season from the team.

    This season hasn’t been without challenges. The team took on a new coach and several new players this year. Which, in the long run, Flem-ing believes will be a good thing. “It takes a little while to get to know one another and get that cohesiveness on the ice — and we have done that. Everything is looking good and we are moving forward.”

    The regular season ends March 22. There are 10 homes games remain-ing. “We are battling through injuries but still playing well,” said Fleming. “We are in the middle of the pack but we are pushing for the play-offs. The parity in the league now is really good. The competition is great. We are looking for a playoff seat. There is still a lot of hockey left to be played, so there will be moving in the standings, but we are going to keep playing our best and see where this season takes us.”

    Find out more about the FireAntz at www.FireAntzhockey.com or call the office at 321-0123 for information and tickets.

    Photo: FireAntz games are about more than hockey. They are also about having fun and supporting the community. 

  • 02-19-14-tyler-perry.gifLove is a beautiful emotion that is supposed to make you feel good, but sometimes the person you allow in your heart can cause so much pain. The Crown Center presents the latest Tyler Perry Production, Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned on Thursday, Feb. 27 –Saturday, March 1.

    Tyler must have written this play about me. The play is about Anita Lincoln, a single, successful woman who has a great job, family and friends but cannot seem to find a loving man. Anita meets Randy online and he appears to be loving and charming, but things change during a trip to Las Vegas.

    “I play the character Anita in the play and I am the woman who has been scorned,” said Cheryl Pepsi Riley. “Anita is in her 40s, an overachiever, has a good heart and has always tried to do the right thing when making decisions in her life.”

    Riley added that Anita has a best friend who sets her up on an online date and with a little hesitation she decides to go on the date with the guy. As always, it is too good to be true and from there the story gets really good.

    “It is a story that all women can relate to,” said Riley. “Women should bring their significant other with them to the show as well.”

    Riley added that women need to be wiser in their counsel about relationships because the flesh can sometimes make decisions that spiritually we would not do.

    Riley is best known for her number one hit 1998 ballad, ‘Thanks for My Child.’ After a hiatus from the music industry, she reemerged as a star in a number of gospel plays for playwright Tyler Perry. She has started “Black Velvet Mondays” which is a platform for up and coming artists which is her way to pay it forward for the next generation.

    “Everybody knows someone that has dealt with some not so wonderful relationships,” said Riley.

    “You really get the complete ride on this show and the cast is amazing.” Riley added that the singing is phenomenal and people will laugh, cry, think, question and ponder as they watch the show.

    Show times are Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., and Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $41.50 for Thursday’s show, $47.50 for Friday’s show, $48 for the 3 p.m. show on Saturday, and $51 for the 8 p.m. show on Saturday. Tickets are available online at Ticketmaster.com, the Crown Center Box Office, and all Ticketmaster outlets. For more information call 1-800-745-3000.

  • uac022614001.gif You can tell a lot about a society by the way it treats its most vulnerable members. Partnership for Children of Cumberland County’s mission is to build partnerships with families and the community so that all children have the opportunity to succeed in school and be prepared to contribute to our social and economic future. Partnership for Children’s tag line is “The support you need to help children succeed,” and it is not just for parents. “Our customers are parents, caregivers and teachers in early childhood,” said Partnership for Children of Cumberland County President Eva Hansen. “We partner with other organizations that serve kids, too, like the Autism Society, the Boys and Girls Club and the March of Dimes. Our focus is to work with families, service providers and policy makers to have the best outcomes for children.”

    On Saturday, March 8, Partnership for Children of Cumberland County is set to host its signature fundraising event of the year — The Soirée. The theme is the Roaring Twenties and period attire is encouraged, dress is semi-formal/black tie optional. Ladies, put on your flapper dresses and headbands. It’s time to dust off those dancing shoes and boogie the night away. “The food is going to be fabulous,” said Hansen. “The menus will reflect the type of foods of the era — the type of food that would be served at an elegant party in the 1920s. The Waldorf salad is just wonderful. There will be an amazing tender pot roast with truffle mashed potatoes along with a couple of choices for fantastic desserts. It will be truly elegant from the décor to the food to the band. Several guests have said they will come in 1920s attire. As an extra bonus we are having a game room so people can keep up with the UNC/Duke game that night.”

    Before guests make it through the front door, they will be met by paparazzi as they step out onto the red carpet. “We will have a car from the 20s era at the entry and paparazzi will be there,” said Hansen. “We will also have a photo area set up so people can take formal photos with 20s backgrounds or use fun props to do creative photos. The photos will be available to take home that evening. It will be an opportunity to enjoy fine dining, great conversation and a party atmosphere.”

    The entertainment includes 13-piece jazz band Orchestra Casablanca. With a song list that includes more than 300 tunes that cover several genres and features works by musical greats like Count Basie, Woody Herman, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Stan Kenton, and contemporaries Thad Jones and Harry Connick, Jr., this is an event you won’t want to miss. Guests can dance to period and contemporary music throughout the evening.

    In addition to great entertainment and a five-course dinner, guests can look forward to a raffle that has some impressive offerings. “We have great raffle prizes that include a trip to Savannah, a trip to Disney, jewelry, a stay at the Embassy Suites in Raleigh and a Hilton Head package,” said Hansen. “The Wine Café is putting together a downtown date night package and A Little Panache is doing some cool things, too. It should be a swanky and decadent night — very Great Gatsby. We chose the 1920s theme because we are celebrating our 20th year and we knew we could have fun with it.”

    The Soirée is sure to be an elegant night to remember. The fact that it is for a great cause is a bonus.

    Partnership for Children of Cumberland County has a vision for local children — a community committed to the health, safety, happiness and education of all children and their families. Based on decades of research that shows the first five years of a child’s life are critical to their development, Partnership for Children of Cumberland County focuses a lot of time and energy on providing ways to improve child health, family support, and access to high quality child care and education. Programs are built around the organization’s four primary goals: advancing the well-being of children and making sure they are healthy and prepared to succeed when they enter school; strengthening families by helping caregivers, nurturers and teachers help kids prosper; raising the quality of early care and education and building partnerships by providing options, resources, and support collaboratively to help children and families reach their full potential. Partnership for Children of Cumberland County works with many businesses, government organizations and other nonprofits to bring the most current and useful resources to the community.“02-26-14-soiree-pic.gif

    Our theme for the year is 20/2,000 — 20 years championing the first 2,000 days,” said Hansen. “That is the time between a child’s birth and when they start kindergarten. Ninety percent of a person’s brain development happens in the first 2,000 days of life. Children will learn and grow no matter where they are. The question is, what are they going to learn and how are they going to grow?” Additionally, a persons brain develops more rapidly in the first five years of life than in any other time in life — 700 neural connections are formed each second. Children in low-income families understand 3,000 words by the age of four compared to children from higher income families who understand more than 20,000 words by the same age.

    Partnership for Children of Cumberland County has seen many milestones in helping area kids, including recognition as a best practice model of Smart Start. Partnership’s KidStuff at the Dogwood Festival is an effective outreach to the community at large. In 2011, Partnership for Children was one of three nonprofits recognized by the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits as exemplary stewards of the public’s trust and resources. The organization’s child care resource and referral services help families find quality child care. Partnership for Children of Cumberland County is one of the first organizations in the state to implement the N.C. Pre-Kindergarten program previously known as More at Four. Fundraisers like The Soirée have helped to raise more than $300,000, increasing private sector investment in the community. More than 375 total volunteers have contributed to Partnership for Children of Cumberland County. The creation and full ownership of the Partnership for Children Resource Center is a resource where 16 like-missioned organizations with more than 80 programs serve children, families, early childhood educators and service providers.

    While the impact of Partnership for Children of Cumberland County is substantial, the money raised at The Soirée is earmarked for two outreach projects — the government and military affairs program known as Forward March and the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County’s Kidstuff area at the Dogwood Festival. Both are important projects with a broad reach.“

    Our government and military affairs is about the advocacy and education on early care and education for policy makers and the Forward March Conference held in conjunction with Snyder Memorial Baptist Church and Southern Regional Area Health Education Center,” said Hansen. “This helps professionals inside and outside the gates to be better equipped to serve and support military families and veteran families who have been involved with 12 years of deployments. This will be our fifth year for the Forward March Conference.”

    The Kidstuff area at The Dogwood Festival is a favorite for many young families because it offers a fun space to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the festival, which can be overwhelming for kids under five and their families, too. “Kidstuff is focused on very young kids and their families,” said Hansen. “It provides interactive activities for the kids. It is free, and we use this opportunity to get surveys from parents telling us what their experiences are and what their needs are. We use that to plan activities and confirm if we are on the right track. It is a huge outreach and a way to share resources in a way parents are receptive to. It is one thing to distribute flyers, it is another to have the kids come and families have fun experiences together. The parents can talk to our partners about resources like the Autism Society, Army Community Services and Cumberland County Library programs. We’re excited the PNC Grow Up Great interactive exhibit is again available. Many of our partners have fun activities and information and booths there. Summer camp and summer activity information will also be available. A lot of times parents say ‘I had no idea these were available!’”

    Like many nonprofits, the joy that comes from making a difference is priceless, but there is always more work to do at Partnership for Children of Cumberland County. There are many ways to help, though. Make a monetary donation, volunteer, support the organization online, reach out and share your experience and attend local events like the Soirée. Find out more about Cumberland County Partnership for Children at www.ccpfc.org or call 867-9700.

    Photo: The Soirée is sure to be a fun-filled night. Last year the event raised more than $100,000 for Partnership for Children of Cumberland County.

  • 02-13-13-huske.gifSince 1957, a small club in Los Angeles has been rocking the music world. The Troubador has welcomed and launched the careers of musicians like Bob Dylan, Elton John, the Eagles, Neil Young, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, The Knack, Guns and Roses and Pearl Jam. It’s stage is legendary, a place where the dreamers, the poets, the singers and musicians go hoping for a chance to make it big. A lot of them do.

    You might ask what The Troubador has to do with Fayetteville, N.C., and the answer is simple. Fayetteville is also a place where dreamers, poets, singer and musicians are looking for their big break. And for a lucky few that search starts on the wooden fl oor of Huske Hardware House.

    Since 2011, Huske has played host to a singer/songwriter competition that brings some of the areas brightest and best to downtown to share their talent and their souls. Held each Wednesday night, the competition has grown with each iteration, and this year it’s gone over the top. The first iteration, was put together in the hopes that it would draw area performers. The idea was brought to Huske owner Josh Collins by Greg Biltz, a musician and emcee of the event, who saw the need for such a venue in the community. Over the years, the competition has brought hundreds of talented writers/performers to the Huske stage, many of who have gone on to bigger and better things. Biltz thinks this year will be no different.

    “Nobody does it any better,” said Biltz, prior to the second night of the competition, “not in Raleigh, not in Wilmington. This is where it’s happening.”

    From its small beginnings (Collins put up a $2,000 cash award), the competition has bloomed and taken on a life of its own. This year, Huske has teamed up with PCG Nashville, a Nashville-based development company, to give performers a leg up in the industry. PCG Institute is an innovative artist development company dedicated to addressing the unique needs of the recording artist. The artists and managers at the institute take what they call a “customized scientifi c approach to development, producing balance in all areas of the artist’s mind, body and spirit.” They look beyond the music and ensure that aspiring musicians have “the skills, knowledge and strategic planning needed to achieve success in the music business.”

    The addition of PCG Nashville to the competition has resulted in changes in the way the competition is judged and the way songwriters enter. There are now two categories for contestants to enter. The fi rst is for performers between the ages of 12 and 30. Performers who enter in that category will compete to win a $15,000, six-month scholarship to the PCG facility in Nashville. Those over 30, will compete for a $3,000 cash prize. Collins explained that the addition of the scholarship category will allow young artists to gain the experience and shaping needed to really succeed in the industry. Collins’ daughter, Summer, is currently enrolled in PCG, and is learning a lot about the industry and is making the necessary contacts to move forward with her career.

    The finales of this year’s event will be judged by Bernard Porter, who is the president of PCG. With more than 25 years in the industry, Porter is recognized nationwide for his skills in artist development, and in fact, was instrumental in signing Jason Aldean to Broken Bow Records. Collins believes having someone of Porter’s standing in the industry involved in the competition will bring more attention to the performers who are competing.

    As in year’s past, performers have the opportunity to sing two songs. The fi rst song can be a cover, but the second song must be an original. Each week, the top two performers will move forward in the competition, with everything coming down to the fi nale in late March. Sign-ups for the event begin at 7 p.m. each Wednesday night, with the showcase beginning at 8 p.m. For updates on the competition, visit Huske Hardware House on Facebook and check out information about the competitors in upcoming editions of Up & Coming Weekly, one of the sponsors of the competition.

    Photo: Nathan Fair at the grand finale of the 2011 competition.

  • 02-20-13-charles-chestnut.gifWith the celebration of Black History Month throughout February, Professor Charles Anderson of Methodist University will share the contributions of African-Americans throughout Fayetteville’s history on Feb. 23, at 2 p.m. at the Museum of the Cape Fear. Professor Anderson is an adjunct faculty member at Methodist University and was an adjunct faculty member on the Fort Bragg campus of Central Texas College.

    “The history of the African-American in Fayetteville begins in 1754 when the fi rst black was recorded on the tax rolls. Over the last 250 years, the African-American has been essential in weaving the fabric of Fayetteville,” said Anderson.

    The presentation will highlight E.E. Smith, Charles Chesnutt and Lewis Leary among others. E.E. Smith was born into slavery in 1852. He availed himself of educational opportunities and was able to study in public schools and eventually became a teacher at the age of 22. He graduated from Shaw University in 1878 and was licensed to preach. In 1883, at the age of 36 he became the principal of the State Colored Normal School in Fayetteville. He was also Secretary to the State Colored Baptist Convention, commissioned as a Major in the North Carolina Guard and in 1888 he was appointed United States Minister and Consul-General to Liberia. He was a multi-talented man who excelled in all aspects of life.

    “The adage of ‘a thousand mile journey begins with a single step’ is apropos. From being sold in the marketplace to occupying the White House indicates the strides African-Americans have made. My vision is we get away from color and get to people. A contribution to the well-being of mankind is colorless,” said Anderson.

    Charles Chestnutt is best known for his novels and short stories exploring the myriad issues of racial identity in the post-Civil War South. His parents, both “free persons of color,” were from Fayetteville and moved to Ohio. He had white ancestry and was able to “pass” but elected not to. When Chestnutt was 9-years-old, the family moved back to Fayetteville and at 13 he became a pupil-teacher at the Howard School. He subsequently became an assistant principal at what was to become Fayetteville State University. He was a prolifi c writer whose books focused on the post Civil War South. He was a realist, and on occasion he challenged the status quo. While well-respected by his literary peers, novels he had penned failed to generate sales. In 1901, he became more politically active and joined the newly founded National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and became one of the 20th century’s most prominent activists and social commentators.

    “We have made strides but there is a distance to go. I fi rmly believe we are slowly but steadily moving towards ‘we the people.’ Moving towards Dr. King’s hope that ‘no longer will a man be judged by the color of his skin.’ Moving towards Rodney King’s plea of ‘Why can’t we get along?’ In history, there is an underlying message of hope and that is what I wish to share,” Anderson explained.

    Lewis Leary was born in Fayetteville, N.C. in 1835. He lived a short but full life. At the age of 22, he moved to Oberlin, Ohio, and married. He became involved in the abolitionist movement the next year and eventually joined John Brown’s ill-fated attack on the Federal Arsenal in Harpers Ferry, W.V. He was shot and survived long enough to get a message to his wife, who did not know he was participating in the raid. Leary passed away at the age of 24. He was a man of deep principle and hope.

    “There are many others of note who are part of the African-American history in Fayetteville. Isaac Hammond was a member of the Light Infantry in the Revolutionary War. Henry Evans was the pastor of the fi rst black church in the area. Many of the stones, bricks and mortar in the Market House were laid by a black master brick mason. Fayetteville has a rich history and I am excited about the direction we as a city have and where we as a people are headed,” said Anderson.

    For more information, please visit www.nccultervents.com or call 910-486-1330.

    Photo: Charles Chesnutt

  • 02-27-13-soiree.gifChildren are the future leaders of the community, and because of this, educating them is a community effort. Many brilliant and ultimately successful people have come from low-income families, but it is often only because of the motivation from a member in their community that they’ve risen to positions of infl uence and power. Every child deserves a chance to learn and to achieve their dreams — regardless of their home situation or socio economic status. Since 1908, The Partnership for Children has been supporting just that by helping children from low-income backgrounds succeed in school.

    In previous years the organization held a fundraiser in conjunction with the Academy Awards. This year they are trying something new — a Soirée.

    “The meaning of soirée is an elegant party that is held in the evening. We created the soirée and each year the theme is a little different, this year we are going to kick this off with a Parisian theme: A Night in Paris. We know people will feel the French flare,” said Partnership for Children Communications and Development Administrator Tina Newcomb.

    Tickets for the Soirée are $100 each. This pays for a beautiful dinner, a lovely night of entertainment, and great programs that reach the local community.

    “The funds are for two outreach programs that we have. We are funding The Partnerships Kidstuff Activity at the Dogwood Festival as well as working with government and military affairs. This engages elected and military leaders to make sure civilian and military families and children get the support they need. We’ve received much engagement from legislators and local government, too.” Newcomb explains.

    For entertainment, there will be a Dueling Piano Show. The entertainers will take song requests for a donation of $5. The pianists compete to see which one can play the most requests. To further support the cause and for a chance to win fabulous prizes, raffle tickets will be sold for $10 and $20. Prizes will feature wonderful travel packages, local dining, a trip for four to Disney and a trip for two to Paris. The event organizers will accept payments in cash, debit and credit cards the night of the event. And for all the sports fans, there will also be a viewing room to check on the score of the ACC Duke versus Carolina game.

    The Soirée will be held at the Embassy Suites, with a start time of 6:30 p.m. Attire is semiformal. Cocktails will be served from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., every guest will receive a drink ticket, but there will also be a cash bar. Starting at 7:30 p.m., dinner will be served, and guests will have assigned seats for the dinner. The Embassy Suites is located at 4760 Lake Valley Dr., Fayetteville.

    Tickets are $100. To purchase them, stop by The Partnership For Children or go to website, www.ccpfc.org, which is a purchase-secure site. Sponsorship packages are still available. For more information, contact Debbie Holland at dholland@ccpfc.org or via telephone at 910-867-9700.

  • Meetings

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

    Veterans Affairs Commission Thursday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

    Board of Commissioners Monday, March 4, 7 p.m., Luther Board Room, Town Hall

    Board of Commissioners Saturday, March 9, 8 a.m., Camp Rockfish Retreat Center (Budget workshop for fiscal year 2019-20)

    Board of Commissioners Monday, March 18, 7 p.m., Luther Board Room, Town Hall

    Lake Advisory Committee, Tuesday, March 19, 6 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

    Activities

    Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Senior programs at the Parks and Recreation Center. The Senior programs for people ages 55-plus who are residents of Cumberland County have resumed. The rec center was closed in mid-September after Hurricane Florence. Various activities are now back and are scheduled Monday through Friday throughout the day. For details on times and days, check the schedule at www.townofhopemills.com, call the rec center at 910-426-4109, or email Kasey Ivey at kivey@townofhopemills.com.

  • 13TrafficThere’s finally a light at the end of the tunnel for drivers in Hope Mills — or, to be more accurate, there are a couple of extra passing lanes.

    The North Carolina Department of Transportation recently held an information session to get residents’ input and share details about its new plan. The North Carolina DOT plans to widen both Rockfish and Golfview Roads and install a couple of roundabouts to help ease traffic congestion.

    “Our local leaders and local transportation agency (Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) requested that we make this a priority that we widen these roads and somehow improve them,’’ said Andrew Barksdale, a spokesman for North Carolina DOT.

    The best news for Hope Mills is that the roughly $12 million needed to make the project happen is already funded. The only bad news is the project won’t get started until the summer of 2022. Barksdale said the estimate is it will take from two to three years until the widened road will be finished.

    For now, DOT is still seeking input from both local government officials and people in the Hope Mills community on any changes or tweaks that need to be made to the plan that the state has already mapped out for the roads.

    Barksdale said the state no longer builds fivelane roads with four lanes for normal driving and one center turn lane. “It has to be an extreme, unusual circumstance due to topography,’’ he said, for a five-lane road to be built.

    The current practice is to construct four-lane roads with a raised median in the center.

    The plan for Golfview and Rockfish roads is to do the same, adding two roundabouts at critical locations.

    One roundabout would be at the intersection of the two roads. The second would be at a current traffic bottleneck at Rockfish and Park Boulevard at the entrance to Rockfish Elementary School, Brower Park and Hope Mills Municipal Park.

    “You’ve got all these issues out there,’’ Barksdale said, referring to the busy intersection. “The school. Ballfield. Town Hall. We don’t need people flying through there speeding. People are crossing back and forth.’’

    A sidewalk is already under construction on one side of the roadway.

    Roundabouts provide a safer option for traffic, forcing drivers to slow down and also making it easier for pedestrians to cross the street because they can go halfway first and safely stop if needed.

    “It’s a good fit for the right intersection,’’ Barksdale said of the roundabout. “The project overall is going to decrease congestion during peak travel times and improve safety.’’

    Barksdale said widening a road, as is planned for both Rockfish and Golfview, and adding a median reduces the risk of serious T-bone type accidents.

    Barksdale stressed the design that has been put forward by the state DOT is preliminary. Public input on any needed changes to the design will be accepted until mid-March.

    “We can still tweak it based on feedback from everyone involved, including emergency services, town officials and property owners,’’ Barksdale said. “We feel this is the right plan for this use. We need people to be safe going through there because of all the uses.’’

    One potential conflict to the plan is a project the town of Hope Mills has in the works to build a combined police and fire department complex near the current location of the existing buildings for both. They are also located in the area where the road project will take place.

    An official target date for starting the police-fire complex hasn’t been set, according to Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner. But it could start as soon as 2020 if the town secures funding and likely would take only a year to build.

    If the town delays its start of the police-fire complex, Barksdale said, the North Carolina DOT would coordinate with the town to avoid adding to traffic problems or interfering with driveway access for police and fire vehicles. “It’s all part of the planning process,’’ he said.

    People who were unable to attend the information meeting held earlier can still offer their input about the project. The two contacts are Sean Matuszewski and Steve Scott.

    Contact Matuszewski by emailing him at spmatuszewski@ncdot.gov or by mailing him at P.O. Box 1150, Fayetteville, 28302. He can be reached by phone at 919-364-0603.

    Email Scott atsscott@sepiengineering.com or call him at 919-573-9929.

  • Meetings

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

    Parks and Recreation Committee Monday, Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

    Appearance Commission Tuesday, Feb. 26, 6:30 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

    Activities

    Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Senior programs at the Parks and Recreation Center. The Senior programs for people ages 55-plus who are residents of Cumberland County have resumed. The rec center was closed in mid-September after Hurricane Florence. Various activities are now back and are scheduled Monday through Friday throughout the day. For details on times and days, check the schedule at www.townofhopemills.com, call the rec center at 910-426-4109, or email Kasey Ivey at kivey@townofhopemills.com.

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

    Promote yourself

    Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 17Chef Glenn Garner2   Glenn Garner has an idea for families with homebound senior relatives who are looking for better meal-time options when it’s hard to get out to eat.

    Garner, a veteran in the food truck and catering business, is rolling out a new service. It’s aimed especially at seniors and anyone who may be stuck at home and would like good food prepared for them that they can refrigerate and reheat.

    His plan, which he says is still in the developing stage, is to deliver diner-quality meals twice a week to people in their homes. Menus will vary for each meal. He’s planning prices of $5.99 for breakfast, $6.99 for lunch and $7.99 for dinner.

    Garner stressed his program should not be confused with any government-connected food delivery service. “It’s out of my pocket,’’ he said, referring to how the service is paid for on his end.

    While his target audience is home-bound senior citizens, he said anyone is welcome to sign up. "Could be it’s people my age (late 50s) who don’t want to cook,’’ he said. “So I’m delivering twice a week, four-day and three-day packages.’’

    Garner said the reason for twice-weekly deliveries is to guarantee freshness and good taste. He’s experimented with a variety of menus and came to the realization that the food he’s serving isn’t as good after a maximum of four days in the refrigerator.

    “I’ve been working for the last 10 years to get a menu that will work and taste just as good coming out (to my restaurant) as it will coming out of the microwave at the house,’’ he said. “The four days is a stretch. By that fourth day, you need to have stuff we know is going to hold up.’’

    He added that there’s not a safety issue with the food after that long. Rather, he can’t promise four days later that the food will taste as good as the dishes he serves fresh to his restaurant customers. His opinion is based on close to 40 years as an operator of food trucks, catering businesses and restaurants.

    All the food will be prepared at Garner’s newest restaurant, The Diner, by Chef Glenn and Company. It is located in the former Becky’s Cafe at 3740 South Main St. in Hope Mills. “We (will) put it in to-go microwaveable containers,’’ Garner said.

    Sample options for breakfast include boiled eggs, scrambled eggs or an omelet. Meats for breakfast include bacon, sausage links, sausage patties or corned beef hash. Hash browns or home fries will also be available.

    For those who want a simple lunch, he plans to offer a cold sandwich every day with chips and a fruit bowl. He’s got some bad news for hardcore vegetable eaters, though. “We can’t do broccoli or asparagus,” he said. “That’s out of the question.’’

    Garner stressed that in the early stages, things are going to be fluid. He said he’ll have to see how it works and how it’s received.

    At the time of this writing, he was scheduled to share information about his planned service, along with menus, at a meeting of local health care providers who work primarily with the senior community.

    “They know if their customers at home need food service,’’ Garner said. He added that with the exception of government-based programs, there’s not a lot available for the homebound seniors group when it comes to economical food delivery choices.

    He said he knows one local family of three who are all disabled and have restaurant food delivered by a company that specializes in that area, charging a delivery fee in addition to the cost of the food. “They were paying from $60 to $70 per meal,’’ he said.

    Garner said his initial target delivery area will be Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Raeford and Gray’s Creek, with the possibility of adding Spring Lake at a later date.

    In a perfect world, if the idea takes hold, Garner would like to prepare his meals in a facility separate from The Diner and deliver them in his own fleet of trucks.

    He stressed he’s not looking for government support. “To have good, quality food, it’s not a hot dog or a peanut butter and banana sandwich,’’ he said. “It’s not what I want to do. That’s where I’m going to draw the line. I don’t want to serve an inferior product to make a dollar.’’

    To inquire about signing up for Garner’s delivery service, call 910-705-2664. He can also be reached by email at ggarner2045@aol.com or on his Facebook pages, The Diner by Chef Glenn & Company or A Catered Affair by Chef Glenn & Company.

    Photo: Glen Garner

  • 16Jackie Warner copy  When Jackie Warner was first elected to be mayor of Hope Mills in 2011, she had heard vaguely about an organization known as the Cumberland County Mayor’s Coalition.

    Now serving as vice-chairman of the organization, Warner feels the coalition plays a vital role in allowing the mayors of nine municipalities in Cumberland County to work together for the betterment of their individual communities and the county as a whole.

    Warner feels the coalition was especially important in helping the mayors work to resolve differences over the allocation of revenue from county sales tax to the various communities.

    The concern over the sales tax issue dates back to the early part of 2000 when annexation became a big issue around the county and there was ongoing debate about how to split up the revenue.

    Warner said under its two previous mayors, the city of Fayetteville argued it wanted to get 100 percent of the sales tax revenues from the annexed areas.

    The Mayor’s Coalition argued for a more equitable split, basing the allocation on a per capita arrangement so each of the nine communities in the coalition would get a proportional share.

    The nine communities in the coalition are Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Spring Lake, Linden, Falcon, Wade, Godwin and Stedman.

    Warner said her early memories of the Mayor’s Coalition meetings were that they were little more than a feel-good kind of affair, where the mayors gathered quarterly to simply share a meal and talk about what was going on in their communities.

    Warner credits former Spring Lake mayor Chris Rey with helping change the direction of the organization. She and Rey came aboard at about the same time, and Rey was elected chairman of the coalition.

    “He was the one who got the spirit going,’’ she said. “He wanted to make our coalition a unified team that could get some recognition for all the small towns.’’

    Warner said that, for the most part, the mayors have made a good effort to be in attendance at nearly every meeting.

    The current chair of the coalition is longtime Falcon Mayor Cliff Turpin. Warner said she worked with Turpin and other mayors, along with representatives of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, to reach a resolution on the sales tax agreement.

    Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin played an important role in finalizing the agreement.

    Serving as mayor pro tem of Fayetteville before eventually being elected mayor outright, Colvin frequently attended meetings of the coalition over the last several years and developed a good rapport with the other members.

    “That’s how we got more familiar with Mitch and could talk with him about it,’’ Warner said of Colvin’s regular appearance at the meetings. “We had some sales tax committee meetings with Glenn Adams and Jeannette Council (of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners).’’

    Warner said the mayors also interacted at county-wide ethics training sessions they all attended. “That’s been the good thing, the show of unity,’’ Warner said.

    In addition to hearing from each other, Warner said the mayors also got input from people like Robert Van Geons of the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation.

    “They talk to the mayors and try to locate properties or things in their area that would be good (to try and) come into Cumberland County,’’ she said.

    Warner said meetings have dramatically improved as far as the substance of matters discussed over the last several years.

    Each meeting has a printed agenda that may include a variety of presentations about topics of interest to all of the municipalities in the county. “Everything we do is to try to get information for everybody,’’ Warner said. “It’s information for all of us, especially with economic development.’’

    The meetings aren’t just limited to the nine mayors, Warner said. They are allowed to bring guests from the town staff.

    When a municipality hosts one of the quarterly meetings, that town’s entire group of elected officials, like the Board of Commissioners in the case of Hope Mills, is invited to attend.

    Warner said she routinely brings Hope Mills town clerk Jane Starling with her and has also brought town manager Melissa Adams.

    In addition to the regular quarterly meetings, the mayors also hold called meetings, as they did last December to deal with the sales tax situation.

    One of the biggest benefits of the meetings is sharing news of economic development opportunities that may not work in one area of the county but would be welcomed in others. Warner cited the failed chicken plant of some years back that would have been a wanted addition by some of the county’s rural communities because of the jobs it offered.

    “The idea is to try to boost the whole county by representing all of us and not just Fayetteville,’’ she said. “We know we live under Fayetteville’s shadow, but with each of our small towns growing, we want them to start to look at us for opportunities, too.’’

    Warner said another benefit of the coalition is the sharing of ideas between the communities — things they’ve tried that worked and things that weren’t as successful.

    “Cliff Turpin showed us an issue they had with a drainage ditch,’’ Warner said. “There’s always something that has happened in one of the towns they can share, like special events. Often the mayors can just identify with each other, what’s going ideas and we can share them.’’

    The mayors also hear presentations by the state legislators from Cumberland County. “When the legislators come to the mayor’s coalition, they know they are speaking to everybody,’’ Warner said. “It’s a neat feeling that we are strong now because we speak as one.

    “It’s no longer a social group. Now it serves a purpose. We get good information, and we come away with something that will help us.’’

    Photo: Mayor Jackie Warner

  • Meetings

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

    Historic Preservation Commission Wednesday, Feb. 13, Parks and Recreation Center

    Board of Commissioners Monday, Feb. 18, Luther Meeting Room, Town Hall

    Board of Commissioners Tuesday, Feb. 19, Luther Meeting Room, Town Hall. Special meeting to discuss proposed Donut Hole annexations and recommendations from Town of Hope Mills Plan Review Committee.

    Parks and Recreation Committee Monday, Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

    Activities

    Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Senior programs at the Parks and Recreation Center. The Senior programs for people ages 55-plus who are residents of Cumberland County have resumed. The rec center was closed in mid-September after Hurricane Florence. Various activities are now back and are scheduled Monday through Friday throughout the day. For details on times and days, check the schedule at www.townofhopemills.com, call the rec center at 910-426-4109, or email Kasey Ivey at kivey@townofhopemills.com.

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

    Promote yourself

    Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com

     

  • 13Kretzu  When Dr. Bob Kretzu leaves Hope Mills United Methodist Church in June, the town of Hope Mills will be losing more than a pastor.

    At least that’s the opinion of Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner, who’s a member of Kretzu’s congregation at the church.

    “He has been an asset to the town of Hope Mills,’’ Warner said. “He went out and helped organize events during the lake festival. He was very involved not only at the church but in the arts and cultural events.

    “That was the other plus, his willingness to serve. He will be sorely missed.’’

    Kretzu, 66, is planning to retire from congregational ministry and relocate his family to the Asheville area. This did not come about suddenly, he said, adding he has been thinking about it as far as 10 years back.

    A father of four, with children ranging in age from 43 to 33, Kretzu said he’s ready to spend more time with his extended family while still being active in the United Methodist Church in the Asheville area.

    From his earliest days at Hope Mills, Kretzu felt the need to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Rev. Dennis Sheppard, who followed the teachings of Methodism’s founders by stressing something called social holiness.

    “I think most Methodist ministers feel responsible for relating to the other Christian churches in the area and being involved in the community,’’ Kretzu said. “Dennis had done a great job of that, being involved in the community, reaching out to other pastors. He headed the clergy association and asked if I wanted to continue that, and I said absolutely.’’

    Kretzu took things a few steps further by getting involved in the Lake Festival Committee and helping organize activities, including Church at the Lake and Jazz and Art at the Lake.

    “Because of my art background, they invited me to provide leadership in Jazz and Art at the Lake,’’ Kretzu said. “I had been involved in arts councils before in different communities. I really enjoyed that.’’

    Kretzu said he will miss the small-town atmosphere in Hope Mills and its trademark events like the annual Fourth of July and Christmas parades.

    “That’s wonderful,’’ he said. “That’s wholesome North Carolina.’’

    Something else he said he will miss is the area’s large military presence, the largest he’d ever ministered to as a pastor.

    He encourages whoever follows him at Hope Mills to get involved with community leadership and the lives of other pastors in the community.

    “This church has been involved in the ALMSHOUSE from the beginning,’’ he said. “That’s a wonderful local cooperative ministry.

    “You need to be intentional about blocking time for devotions and getting out in the community, getting to know the neighbors, serving the community. I see a lot of pastors who don’t seem to have time for that.’’

    As for his retirement plans, Kretzu said he loves being a pastor and there are specific areas of ministry he’d like to focus on. Those include discipleship, small group work, evangelism, mission work and teaching.

    “The bishop in the western conference is a former district superintendent of mine,’’ Kretzu said. “I feel like I’ve got connections there. We’ll see what doors the Lord opens up.’’

    Photo: Bob Kretzu

  • Meetings

    For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Town Clerk Jane Starling at 910-426-4113. Until the Parks and Recreation building has been repaired following damage from Hurricane Florence, some meetings may be moved to Luther Meeting Room at Town Hall at regular dates and times. Those meetings are noted with an asterisk below.

    Board of Commissioners Monday Feb. 11, Luther Meeting Room, Town Hall This is a meeting to receive findings of a comprehensive plan and proposed master plan for the Hope Mills Golf Course.

    Historic Preservation Commission Wednesday, Feb. 13, Parks and Recreation Center*

    Parks and Recreation Committee Monday, Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center*

    Appearance Commission Tuesday, Feb. 26, 6:30 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center*

    Veterans Affairs Commission Thursday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center*

    Activities

    For more information on these activities, contact Meghan Hawkins at 910-426-4109. 

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

    Promote yourself

    Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

     

  • 15CreekGenStore Looking for someplace in the Hope Mills area to grab a snack where the staff is committed to its work and they all have hearts of gold? Look no further than the newly-opened Creek General Store at Gray’s Creek High School.

    The store is the latest project of Miller’s Crew, an organization founded by Terry Sanford High School soccer coach Karl Molnar and his wife, Kim.

    Miller’s Crew is named after the Molnars’ son, who is autistic. The purpose of Miller’s Crew is to establish vocational training and vocational labs in educational settings for adolescents with special needs.

    By doing this in an educational setting, the hope is to give participants the chance to practice specific skills that will carry over into the workforce when they graduate high school.

    Miller’s Crew already has stores, or labs as they prefer to call them, set up at Jack Britt, Pine Forest, Terry Sanford, Seventy-First and West Bladen High Schools. Another lab is near completion at Westover High School. Miller’s Crew has also been contacted by Union County Schools near Charlotte about doing labs there.

    Lisa Stewart, the principal at Gray’s Creek, met with Kim of Miller’s Crew last summer to begin planning for the lab at Gray’s Creek.

    “I thought it was an amazing opportunity for our students, teachers and community,’’ Stewart said. “It’s something that will benefit our students and  let them learn some life skills.’’

    Molnar said the lab at Gray’s Creek is one of the smaller ones in the Miller’s Crew program, which got its start in October of 2016.

    Some labs, like the ones at Jack Britt and Pine Forest, are larger and include stations for stocking groceries. The one at Pine Forest has a bicycle assembly station.

    “The whole point of these labs is to create as many jobs within that setting so the children can be trained and feel comfortable being trained,’’ Molnar said.

    The lab at Gray’s Creek is under the leadership of occupational course of study teacher Ali Arostegui. Arostegui and her students surveyed the faculty at Gray’s Creek to see what items they’d like to be on sale at the Creek General Store.

    The store can only sell pre-packaged food items, so the teachers opted for selections including coffee, pastries, muffins, granola bars and peanuts among other similar items.

    “Ms. Arostegui has done a great job training the students,’’ Stewart said. “She’s been training them most of the first semester. We wanted to open the second semester.’’

    The store is located in a converted teacher workroom at Gray’s Creek, on the first floor of the school building near the atrium.

    The store can only be used by teachers because of restrictions placed on what kind of food can be sold to students during the school day. Typical store hours are from 8:45 a.m. until 11 a.m.

    If teachers can’t leave their classroom to get to the store, the students running the store are allowed to make deliveries to a teacher’s room.

    The startup stock for the store was provided by Miller’s Crew through grants that have been awarded to the organization. The goal is for the Creek General Store to become self sustaining and be able to use the profits it makes to restock the store.

    “When that door opens and the kids are in Miller’s Crew Gray’s Creek aprons, they have the purest of grins and are happy to see you,’’ Stewart said. “If that doesn’t warm your heart, you must not have one.’’

    There are about a dozen Gray’s Creek students currently working at the store, Stewart said. The goal is to add students from another class of special needs students later.

    “The biggest benefit for Miller’s Crew and the Creek General Store is they are able to learn how to work as a team,’’ Stewart said. “They’re able to learn how to serve other people. They are pouring coffee, getting food ready, taking their money, making change, prepping for the day, getting inventory ready.

    “They take pride in their jobs, and that’s most important.’’

    There’s a sign painted on the wall of the store that says it all, Stewart said. “Opportunity. Community. Bear (as in Gray’s Creek Bears) essentials.’’

    For any school interested in learning more about bringing a Miller’s Crew lab to their school, visit www.millerscrew.com.

  • 02-05-14-mu-loyalty-day.gifHigher education is a great investment that has many rewards. It is not always easy to afford the rising cost of tuition and that is why Meth-odist University is holding its 2014 Loyalty Day Scholar-ship campaign on Tuesday, Feb. 25. It is so important that Fayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson proclaimed Feb. 25 Methodist Loyalty Day.

    The idea began in 1955 when the fundraising was done by the community. Indi-viduals would walk door to door and ask for money to start a school at Methodist. “It is an annual tradition that Methodist has been doing since before the school was founded,” said Krista Lee, director of annual funds. “All of this is made possible by our foundation board.” Lee added that the foundation board goes out and recruits team members and they are put into teams and there is a competition to see which team raises the most money. The foundation board is made up of business owners and community leaders from all walks of life in Cumberland County.

    The fundraising campaign raises money and 100 percent of the donations are given to students to help them pay for their college education. The students are selected by a myriad of criteria: merit, academics, scores from high school and other components handled through the financial aid office. The goal this year is $150,000. More than 95 percent of Methodist University students receive financial assistance and the University devotes more than 29 percent of its budget to scholar-ships. In the 2012-2013 academic year, Methodist University awarded $17.3 million in financial aid to students. There is also a plan for many major structures on campus to be renovated and exciting new academic and athletic facilities will be built.

    “This is the largest fund-raising effort that we do,” said Lee. “We have 136 volunteers in our community who have volunteered to go out and they are given assignments to the people they know in the community.”

    Lee added that they talk with people about making a donation to Methodist for student scholarships.

    Each year a Loyalty Day supporter of the year is selected. The person selected is someone who has supported Loyalty Day for many, many years. The name of the person will be announced at the Loyalty Day luncheon on Feb. 25. Tim Richardson, area vice president of First Citizens Bank, is the Loyalty Day chair this year and will be speaking at the luncheon.

    “You can give cash, checks, stocks and land,” said Lee. “You name it and we will accept it because no amount is too small and every bit makes a difference.” Lee added that there are many individuals in the community that give every year to help Methodist succeed because they see the jewel Methodist is and want to invest in it and help Methodist grow. Please make checks pay-able to Methodist University. For more information call Krista Lee at 630-7169 or email her at klee@methodist.edu.com.

    Photo: Each year supporters of Methodist University come together to raise funds that are used to help students pay for education and expenses.

  • 14Gina Currie with singing bowls  Get Twisted Yoga on Trade Street in Hope Mills has taken the words of The Beach Boys’ hit “Good Vibrations” to a new level.

    The staff offer a specialized kind of relaxation using crystal singing bowls. In short, music provided by different tones each bowl plays is designed to help get the body in harmony with the surrounding world.

    Kyle Jackson, who operates the 1910 Apothecary at the same location as Get Twisted Yoga, described it as vibrational healing that has been around for thousands of years, dating back to the monks of Tibet.

    “Each crystal singing bowl has its own tone and unique sound,’’ Jackson said. The bowls come in various sizes, going down as small as a cereal bowl and as large as a punch bowl. “There are lots of different shapes and sizes,’’ he said. “They are a little bit different in design and a bit taller than they are wide.’’

    The bowls are also made of different materials. Some are metal. Some are crystal. The bowls are usually empty, although sometimes water is placed into them to change the tone each one makes.

    In trying to explain exactly what the vibrational healing is about, Jackson said everything in the world, from fixed structures to people, has its own vibration. “Using different things that have different types of tones can bring harmony to those vibrations, including people and spaces,’’ he said. “It’s like doing a reset of their personal vibration.’’

    Get Twisted Yoga is planning to schedule vibrational healing sessions starting in March. The initial plan is to hold them on Saturdays and ask those participating to make a donation for each session rather than setting a flat fee to start.

    The sessions will be led by Gina Currie of Raeford, a certified yoga instructor.

    Each session at Get Twisted Yoga will be limited to 20 people because that’s as many people as the studio can handle once everyone is in place on a yoga mat.

    Jackson said no previous yoga experience is needed to take part in a vibrational healing session. “We get you in the studio and get you relaxed,’’ Jackson said. That simply involves getting everyone in a comfortable position on the floor on a yoga mat.

    “We adjust them and make sure they have blankets or whatever they might need to be comfortable,’’ Jackson said. “There’s a little guided meditation at the beginning. Gina gives an explanation of the purpose and what those participating may or may not experience, and then she begins playing the singing bowls.

    “We want to make this available to everybody who would like to try it,’’ Jackson said, adding they plan to offer it at least once a quarter if demand continues.

    Kimberly Ratcliffe is a Get Twisted Yoga client who recently took part in a demonstration of vibrational healing. A 20-year veteran of the U.S. Army, she said it’s a good treatment for anyone involved in a high stress lifestyle.

    “You can walk into a yoga studio or class like this and quiet your mind, come out of that class and be completely refreshed,’’ she said. “I think that’s what a lot of people need to understand.’’

    For more information about the vibrational healing sessions, visit the Get Twisted Yoga page on Facebook or go to www.1910apothecaryyoga.com.

    Jackson is also available by phone at 910-835-6833.

  • uac020415001.gif Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire is an American classic. So it is only suiting that this brilliant play is brought to life in a theater that prides itself on presenting quality works:

    The Gilbert Theater. The Gilbert Theater is set to open A Street Car Named Desire — its third play of the season — on Feb. 13. Following the smashing success of the season’s comedic opener, Nunsense, and a warm welcome for the traditional favorite A Christmas Carol, the Gilbert tells an intense tale with this classic.

    Artistic Director Robyne Parrish sets the stage. “Blanche DuBois (Amanda Brooke Lerner), a fading, though attractive Southern Bell — a troubled woman trying to find her place in the world. Blanche arrives at the doorstep of her polar opposite sister, Stella (Staci Sabarsky) and brute of a man brother-in-law, Stanley (Chris Daftios),” explained Parrish. “Blanche is shocked by her sister’s low-class lifestyle of living and Stanley’s aggressive behavior. Blanche’s efforts to impose herself between them only enrages the animal inside Stanley. Mitch (Nathan Pearce), Stanley’s friend, himself alone in the world, sees Blanche as a beautiful and refined woman. Blanche’s secrets slowly catch up with her and the world she knows and lives in rapidly falls apart.”

    Sabarsky is no stranger to the Gilbert stage. She played Maureen in Rent. This season she carries the role of Stella.

    “What I love about Stella is how well-rounded and multi-dimensional she is,” said Sabarsky. “At times she is strong at others she is weak, but she is always interesting and integral to the storyline. It’s easy to say that this is Blanche’s story, but really it’s about the dynamic between the two sisters and Stella’s husband, Stanley. I always love delving into the relationships between the characters in a play and Williams’ characters are so rich and never boring. That’s one reason why I believe this piece of American theater is still so relevant today.”

    A performing arts teacher by day, Sabarsky also directs. When it comes to acting though, it is all about making a connection.

    “I love that theater, in particular, is a shared experience with the audience. For those few hours, we take a journey together. It’s magical … it’s never the same. And, for those few hours, you get to step into someone else’s skin and experience what their life is like,” she said. “Tennessee Williams is one of America’s best playwrights. He understands the dynamics of relationships and his work is still touching and relevant more than 60 years later.”

    Sabarsky could not have said it better. In many ways, having a shared experience is what the Gilbert Theater is all about. Since its early days in Lynne Pryer’s (the founder of the theater) home, then moving from one location to another, people who make the Gilbert Theater the place the community so dearly loves have worked tirelessly to reach out to and train performers, playwrights and directors and engage and entertain the community.

    “The Gilbert is a place to come and grow as an artist. We are a very inclusive, open community. One of our main goals of late is diversity. We create more opportunities for actors and other artists who have been historically underrepresented on and off the stage,” said Parrish. “And while we do welcome guest artists occasionally, for example the two New York City actors in Streetcar, we are very much a community-minded organization that showcases local talent. Ninety percent of our artists annually are made up of locals.”

    Director Brian Adam Kline is eager to open the show.02-04-15-street-car-named.gif

    “We have a brilliant cast and look forward to affording the opportunity for the community to experience Tennessee Williams live and in color. If you love any of the films you will love the play,” said Kline. “Travel back in time with us and experience this legendary piece of theatre.”

    “We cannot tell you how excited we are to present this breathtaking story as our feature classic this season,” Parrish added.

    The cast includes two Equity actors, Amanda Brooke Lerner as Blance and Chris Daftios as Stanley.

    Other performer are:

    Stella: Staci Sabarsky (Rent, Maureen)

    Mitch: Nathan Pearce (Carol, Company)

    Yudor Forbes, Deanna Robinson, James Merkle, Brandon Shane Bryan, Michael Carney, Kaley Morrison, Justin John, Maria Forte and Joanne Mason represent on stage as well.

    In addition to stage performances, the theater hosts The Gilbert Repertory, a resident repertory company of a 12-14 actors who call the Gilbert Theatre their artistic home. Artists are admitted to the program by audition only and the repertory only accepts new members every two years.

    The Repertory has its own show every season and members also direct and write.

    Gilbert Glee is the Gilbert’s youth company. Through the Glee initiative, the Gilbert aims not only to entertain, but also to educate young people by engaging them with timeless literature through expressive theatre and music. Glee runs September through June and culminates in a performance in June 2014.

    Parrish has big plans to connect with the community this coming year in new ways, as well.

    “We plan to partner with Cumberland Peace to bring a staged reading of VESPA which deals with end-of-life challenges in April,” she said. “We will also partner with the Cape Fear Museum on the annual Poe House Halloween event in October. Our season is only halfway through and next season is going to be the best yet! A hint about our fall opener — it involves monsters.”

    To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.gilberttheater.com or call 678-7186.

    Photo: he cast of the A Street Car Named Desire, on stage at the Gilbert Theater, are deep in rehearsals as they prepare to bring an American classic to the stage.

  •    Going in, I expected Revolutionary Road (119 minutes) to be a movie that could only be enjoyed after a hefty dose of Prozac. It looked like the sort of heavy handed overly (and overtly) emotional tripe that gets award recognition but otherwise lacks appeal (see Atonement, Road to Perdition, and Mystic River). Surprisingly, within minutes of the opening credits, I was deeply engrossed in the story. What if Jack didn’t die at the end of Titanic? Would he and Rose have lived happily ever after, or would the blush of young passion have faded to dishwater during their struggle to make ends meet? The trailer promised a glimpse into the darker side of suburbia, and it certainly delivered.  However, the trailer failed to reveal the subtle acting skills of Leonardo DiCaprio (who apparently can act), from whom Director Sam Mendes gets an outstanding performance. Kate Winslet deserves all the award nominations she is receiving, and she was shamefully overlooked for the Oscar nomination. 
       {mosimage}The film opens at a party, where April (Winslet) catches Frank Wheeler’s eye (DiCaprio). We skip to Connecticut in 1955, where April’s dreams of acting have been reduced to starring in a poorly received community play, and their promising relationship has turned to verbal sparring and poorly concealed hate. Since that first meeting, April has forced herself (or been forced) into the disappointing and unfulfilling life of a housewife while Frank works at a job he seems to hate in order to support her.
       April suggests they move to Paris, and despite the tragic air of the whole movie, it really seems like the two will recapture the lost promise of their youth and find a way to lead mutually fulfilling lives instead of being stuck in their mutually destructive roles. They begin to tell people of their plans, only to be met with open criticism and hostility. 
      Then, their friend Mrs. Helen Givings (Kathy Bates) introduces the couple to her son (The awesomely crazy Michael Shannon from the awfully awesome Bug). He, at least, approves of their plan, and it seems like these two crazy kids are really gonna make it work…but this is not that kind of movie.       
      In the final analysis, the film reads like a contemporary take on a too often idealized time in America. To my surprise, it is actually based on a novel by Richard Yates from 1962.  Mendes does great things with the material, and the story is incredibly involving.  The actors strike just the right emotional tone, making this film a must see.
      Despite the lack of the spectacular Nina Simone song playing over the trailer (“Wild is the Wind” for those of you who were going crazy trying to remember the title), the soundtrack nicely complemented the overall aesthetic of the fifties. The dialogue is letter perfect, skillfully integrating the appropriate slang and accent of the period. The sitting room, dining room, restaurant décor and knick knacks are nicely done, and a close eye for detail is evident throughout the film. The story kept me guessing, and while the climax is not a huge surprise, the foreshadowing is subtle enough to keep the audiences in suspense. Overall, an excellent film.   


    Contact Heather Griffiths at editor@upandcomingweekly.com


  • 12MasseySculptureEditor’s Note: Up & Coming Weekly Senior Staff Writer Earl Vaughan Jr. is a native of Massey Hill. He spent the early years of his life on Princeton Street off Southern Avenue next to Massey Hill Baptist Church. Had his father not entered the ministry and moved away from Fayetteville in the early 1960s, Earl likely would have been in the final graduating class of Massey Hill High School in 1972.

    A three-year project came to fruition Saturday, Feb. 16, at Carroll Memorial Baptist Church in Massey Hill.

    Organizers of the Massey Hill Heritage Discovery Project, along with current and former residents of the area, gathered to see an artistic tribute to the community dedicated at the nearby roundabout on Cumberland and Camden Roads.

    It might take a few trips around the structure to see all the elements involved. Each element is designed to tell the story of Massey Hill and its history as a community built around the long-departed textile industry.

    The project started about three years ago. Representatives of the Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County first reached out to former Fayetteville mayor and Massey Hill resident Tony Chavonne about the possibility of putting some artwork  in the roundabout once it had been completed.

    “Tony got real excited at the thought we could actually have some control over what was going into the roundabout, rather than just a piece of art,’’ said John Jones, another product of Massey Hill and former co-worker with Chavonne at The Fayetteville Observer.

    Chavonne and Jones first met at the Massey Hill drugstore to talk about possibilities for the artwork.

    “It snowballed from there,’’ Jones said. “We developed a group to see if we could get some community input.’’

    One decision was made early, Jones said. The artwork was going to be something recognizable — something people in the community could look at and remember the community they once knew.

    Jones was blunt about what he was looking for. “I didn’t want to be involved in this and (then) when it was all said and done, as I’m riding down Southern Avenue with one of my friends, we look over and say, ‘What the heck is that?’” he said. “If we’re going to do this, it’s got to speak to Massey Hill. It’s got to speak to the community.’’

    The group met with a number of artists before settling on Michael Waller and Leah Foushee-Waller of Hillsborough.

    Waller was previously best known for creating a two-ton metal sculpture of a bull for the city of Durham, North Carolina.

    Jones said the Massey Hill committee conveyed to Waller and his wife that they weren’t looking for something abstract; they wanted something that would tell a story.

    The committee held a community meeting in the gymnasium at Massey Hill High School so people could share ideas and bring pictures and artifacts for Waller and his wife to see.

    Then Waller toured the area, from the mills at Tolar Hart, Lakedale and Puritan to Massey Hill High School and other local landmarks.

    “You could see his mind working,’’ Jones said. “He was taking snapshots that automatically trigger your memory of Massey Hill.’’

    That process led to the decision of what things would be rendered in Waller’s metal sculpture at the roundabout: The smokestack. The schoolhouse. The old mill village. The water tower. The church. A football player.

    Off to the side, on an adjacent property, is a sign paying tribute to the sculpture and the many people who made it happen. Beneath the sign are just more than 300 bricks, paid for by various people, each paying tribute to a friend or relative.

    One of the best stories involves a brick bearing the name (SEE ME) West, assistant principal, 1972. Jerry West was an assistant principal at Massey Hill High School in its final years as a traditional high school.

    West made the morning announcements daily, and at the end of these announcements, he would instruct students who needed a little extra attention for various transgressions to “see me” in the office.

    “He called a few weeks ago and we were talking about what to put on his brick,’’ Jones said. “He said, ‘Just put See Me West.’ People died when they saw that.’’

    Jones said he’s been involved with a lot of fundraisers over the years, but he can’t remember one that was more fulfilling than this one.

    When the sculpture was finished, a man walked up and asked Jones how much of his tax money went into it. Jones replied, “That didn’t cost you a dime. It came out the peoples’ pockets because they wanted to do it.’’

    The whole project was a cooperative effort of the local committee, the Arts Council and the Cumberland Community Foundation, Jones said.

    There is an unfinished look to the work, with its bare metal and unfinished edges, but Jones said that’s intentional.

    Someone asked what color they were going to paint it, and Jones replied it wouldn’t be painted.

    “This is the way it’s going to look,’’ he said. “Somebody joked, this isn’t Haymount Hill. It’s Massey Hill. We’re not going to polish it up.

    “So it reflects that.’’

  •  

    10Morgan Hunkele The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra’s 2018-19 offerings have ranged from a focus on “Star Wars” film score composer John Williams to classical Mozart. In its second-to-last concert of the season, Saturday, March 9, FSO pays tribute to the armed forces — and highlights young, local musicians.

    “FSO, March!” features stirring military music spanning a range of time periods and contexts.

    The concert includes works by John Philip Sousa and Gustav Holst. Both composers wrote rich military marches for the U.S. and Great Britain, respectively. Sousa is perhaps best known for composing “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”

    According to FSO Music Nerd Joshua Busman, the concert also features songs written about specific combat experiences.

    “Tchaikovsky’s ‘1812 Overture’ celebrates the Russian defeat of Napoleon’s invading forces during the bitter winter months of 1812,” Busman said. “And Irving Berlin’s ‘God Bless America’ was conceived as a hymn to honor those serving in the First World War. (It was) written while Berlin himself was serving in the Army at Camp Upton.”

    Audience members will also hear music written for the Revolutionary War film “The Patriot,” for the Vietnam War film “Platoon” and for the World War II video game franchise Medal of Honor.

    Every year, FSO highlights the next generation of musicians in our community with a “side-byside” concert. This year, “FSO, March!” is that concert. The Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra gets to play onstage, side-by-side, with the FSO. This group, led by FSO trumpetist Dr. Larry Wells, is comprised of local musicians ages 13 to 20.

    “There is no better classroom than the stage... surrounded by lots of teachers,” Wells said. “Students... can learn from all musicians — not just those on their specific instruments.

    “Case in point: probably my most impactful lesson I ever received came from a violinist who taught me about phrasing and how bowings affect the music. While I’m a trumpet player, this one lesson made me a much more aware musician.”

    FSO President and CEO Chris Kastner said “FSO, March!” was an obvious choice for the side-by-side due to the iconic music it features. She said standards like “God Bless America” and other songs in the concert are essential for any musician’s repertoire.

    Wells agreed. “These are pieces that young musicians need to learn, not only because they are relevant to this concert, but also because they might literally play them 500 times in their career,” he said.

    The performance will also highlight the winner of FSO’s 2018-19 Harlan Duenow Young Artist Concerto Competition. The competition, named in honor of FSO’s longest-serving conductor, is open to statewide competition from musicians ages 12- 21. This year was specifically open to pianists and string players.

    The 2018-19 winner, 19-year-old pianist Morgan Hunkele, will play the first movement of Beethoven’s “Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat” during the first half of the concert. Viola player Ludwig Jantzen, who attends high school in Greenville, took second place.

    “Morgan is an immensely talented pianist studying at North Carolina School of the Arts,” said FSO Music Director Stefan Sanders. “The FSO is proud to play a part in the development of North Carolina’s young musical talent with (this competition).”

    “FSO, March!” takes place Saturday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m. in Methodist University’s Huff Concert Hall. Arrive at 6:45 p.m. for a pre-concert talk to learn more about the historical context of the evening’s music. To purchase tickets, which range from about $10-$26, visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org.

    Photo: Morgan Hunkele

  • 09cos The Cumberland Oratorio Singers will bring the music of three music masters to life at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 8.

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart got an early start in his music career. When he was 3 years old, he used to watch and listen as his father gave keyboard lessons to his older sister. By age 5, Mozart was proficient enough on the keyboard and violin to begin composing the first of his many works. Although he lived for only 35 years, he remains one of the most influential and well-known composers of the classical era.

    Franz Schubert also started taking music lessons at home from an early age. Although Schubert’s compositions are prolific and varied, he is known for popularizing lieder, or art songs, in which romantic poetry is set to music.

    From a young age, Johannes Brahms received music lessons from his father, who was also a musician. By age 10, the young Brahms was performing piano in public. His teacher complained that he could be a great pianist except that he spent too much time composing.

    Brahms became a piano virtuoso and a renowned composer of piano compositions, chamber music and choir compositions for both the male and female voice. Like Schubert, Brahms also composed and popularized many lieder. Although Schubert’s and Brahms’ compositions are heavily influenced by classical tradition, they belong to the romantic era of musical history.

    The Cumberland Oratorio Singers will present the works of these three composers in “A Night with the Masters” March 8. “This will be part and parcel of the classical and romantic music that COS customarily performs,” said Jason Britt, the group’s choir director. “We’ve done jazz and Christmas so far this season, and we’ll be doing Broadway later on. But ‘A Night with the Masters’ showcases the type of music we’ve been primarily performing over our 23-year history.”

    “The Masters’” program will feature a Mozart mass, “Vesperae de Dominica,” sung entirely in Latin. There will be two selections by Schubert: “An Sylvia” and “Lebenslust.” Brahms will be represented by “Three Leibeslieder Waltzes” and “O Wusst Ich Den Weg Zurluck.” Both the Schubert and Brahms selections will be sung in German.

    According to Britt, several of the selections are art music, or lieder. A six-piece orchestra and an organ will accompany the choir. “Snyder Memorial has a fantastic organ so we want to take advantage of that,” said Britt.

    Britt has not chosen the soloists for the evening. “They will be picked from the choir via auditions at the end of February,” Britt said. As demonstrated by COS’ earlier performance of “Messiah,” the vocal purity and professionalism of Cumberland County’s classical chorale society assures the audience of stunning performances no matter who is selected.

    Other than for season ticketholders, all tickets for “A Night with the Masters” will be available at the door for the March 8 performance. The price of admission is $15 for the general public and $5 for students. Learn more about COS by visiting its website, www.singwithcos.org.

  • 11BorisK  The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, along with Piedmont Gas, presents Boris Kodjoe’s “True to Yourself” Black History Month Talk Series on Saturday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. at Fayetteville State University’s J. W. Seabrook Auditorium.

    “The purpose of this event is to have really deep, candid conversations with industry executives and TV/ film actors to pretty much explore their challenges and difficulties as well as their successes as being an African-American,” said UniQue Webster, development director of the Arts Council. “Last year we had Tichina Arnold and casting director Winsome Sinclair.

    “So, basically, this experience is also supported by video, and we hope that Boris will include some of his vignettes and video outtakes … to support the talk.”

    Webster added that another part of the talk is audience engagement. With that in mind, there will be a Q&A segment toward the end of the event.

    Webster went on to explain the vetting process for choosing a speaker for this event. “We have a Black History Committee chaired by Attorney Cull Jordan III. We came together to explore some options and came up with our top five choices that we chopped down to three,” she said.

    Webster added, “We looked at the success of the actor, some of their challenges, and we made sure they had an amazing and compelling story to tell.”

    Kodjoe grew up in Germany and excelled in sports. He became one of the best tennis players in Germany. A chronic back injury, however, forced him to explore other options. After earning a degree in marketing from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Kodjoe was signed by the Ford Modeling Agency in New York, where he became one of the most recognized male supermodels.

    He took acting classes while modeling, and Hollywood took notice. Kodjoe was featured in “Love and Basketball” and the hit TV series “Soul Food,” for which he won three National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Award nominations. He continued to appear in many movies and drama series as well as a Broadway debut.

    In 2010, Kodjoe and his brother, Patrick, launched World of Alfa, a clothing company offering the luxury of high-quality, custom-made shirts and suits at affordable prices.

    Boris and his wife, Nicole Ari Parker- Kodjoe, established the Sophie’s Voice Foundation in honor of their daughter, Sophie, who was diagnosed with Spina Bifida at birth. SVF helps families affected by the birth defect and educates all women of childbearing age about the importance of folic acid in protecting unborn children from this 75 percent preventable birth defect.

    “We encourage everyone to come out to enjoy an amazing show,” said Webster. “We make it so that you leave with something new about the person. We want you to come with your questions and leave with some motivation and inspiration.”

    For more information, call the Arts Council at 910-323-1776.

    Photo: Boris Kodjoe

  • 022416-jeff6.jpg

    Fayetteville Developer D. Ralph Huff III has added his voice to those in support of Fayetteville’s $35 million Parks & Recreation Bond Referendum March 15. He’s imploring more than 200 friends and fellow business people to support and vote for the issue. The Greater Fayetteville Chamber is also on board. “This makes business sense,” Chamber Chairman Brian Kent says. The Fayetteville Regional Association of Realtors also endorses the referendum in a resolution “encouraging citizens of Fayetteville to support these investments in our community.” Local sources also indicated that the Fayetteville Home Builders Association would more than likely support the bond referendum. 

    “This is a call to action from me to the people that I know and respect and I’m asking you to join me by coming out publicly for the local parks bond,” Huff said in a mass mailing. Ralph and Linda Huff are recognized in North Carolina as respected business and community leaders and philanthropists. They’ve built more than 4,000 homes as well as commercial and multi-family developments. In his letter, Huff notes that Fayetteville has fallen behind Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Asheville and Wilmington in the development of community amenities. 

    Mayor Nat Robertson says he is grateful for Huff’s support. “Mr. Huff’s commitment to Fayetteville is evident by his investments here. He understands that for our community to grow, and for us to be competitive, our amenities also have to be equivalent to what our peer cities offer,” Robertson said. Huff contends the lack of amenities resulted in many military families who relocated from Atlanta following the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Act choosing not to live in Fayetteville. Huff knows the real estate market intimately and contends enlisted military families and officers “are choosing Whispering Pines, Aberdeen, Pinehurst, Carthage, and Seven Lakes,” to live rather than Fayetteville.

    The letter also addresses objections some have raised. He cites an unnamed former city council member quoted as saying “Why build more parks and pools……?”  His response: “We need a better place to live for all of our citizens.”  He also notes that with the closure of Dark Branch Swim and Racquet Club there are 1,000 families which no longer have a convenient place to swim and play tennis.  

         Huff is not completely supportive of some of the projects in the bond issue. He favors a safer place in the old Fayetteville area for tennis courts and a pool. “I do not consider Mazerick Park to be that location.” He says he’s only heard objections from one respected business leader/friend who doesn’t agree with him because he thought it should be more specific. “I for one would have been more aggressive than the current council, but at least we have a good beginning,” Huff said. The N.C. Homeowners Alliance, the Fayetteville Regional Association of Realtors and the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville will conduct a forum on the referendum at a luncheon March 10 at the Kiwanis Recreation Center, 352 Devers St. 

        Fayetteville City Council voted unanimously in December to hold the referendum. Proposed projects include two senior centers, a tennis complex, a sports field complex, two skateboard parks, a Cape Fear River park, seven splash pads and several neighborhood park improvements. Passage of the referendum would result in a maximum ad valorem tax rate increase of $.135 per hundred dollars of property valuation.  Huff points out that’s $20 a year for the average home in Fayetteville. That’s the cost of attending a movie, or buying three packs of cigarettes. As for the cost of floating a bond, “Today’s interest rates are lower than they have been in my 40 years in the business,” he says.  Huff adds “My partners, my bankers and I own $145,000,000 worth of real estate in this country” and a tax increase affects few people more than me.


  • 09Warhol 1Visit the David McCune International Art Gallery at Methodist University to take in the works of artist Andy Warhol at “gallery goes POP: Warhol,” on display until April 12. The exhibit, which opened Feb. 7, features 34 of Warhol’s silkscreen paintings from his various art series. The McCune gallery provides an intimate setting for viewing a sampling of works by the famed artist and pop icon.

    “This really is a great exhibition that lends itself to not only adults, but obviously children as well,” said Silvana Foti, director of the gallery. “We’re trying to get school children involved.”

    Warhol, an American artist, is nearly synonymous with the term “pop art,” an art movement that gained ground in the United States in the late 1950s. Warhol used his background in commercials and advertising to transform everyday items into iconic art recognized by millions.

    Although Warhol died in 1987, he remains one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. In just one example of his lasting impact on pop culture, the 2019 Burger King Super Bowl ad featured Warhol eating a Whopper while touting the “have it your way” slogan by telling people to #EatLikeAndy.

    Most people are familiar with Warhol’s famous works: Campbell’s Soup Cans, Coca-Cola bottles and Marilyn Monroe. But this exhibit goes far beyond that. Yes, there are some of the expected iconic paintings of subjects like Grace Kelly and Ingrid Bergman. But there are also many surprises.

    Prints of other American pop culture figures grace the gallery, including a classic Santa Claus, the Wicked Witch and Superman, which are part of Warhol’s “Myths” series.

    Twelve pieces from his “Cowboys and Indians” portfolio are also on display. They pay homage to Western lore and include John Wayne, Annie Oakley and Geronimo as they’ve never been seen before. There are also works from Warhol’s “Flash” series and more.

    A lively twist at the exhibit is its sound accompaniment. Methodist University musician and music department employee Yaroslav Borisov created a soundtrack collage that features commercials and sound bites from characters and movies to match the art on display. This soundtrack helps to the viewer connect with the art on another level.

    Nicole Dezelon, assistant director of learning at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, travelled to Fayetteville to conduct educational workshops with visitors earlier this month. She said, “I hope visitors to the exhibition will take away that same sense of wonder and intrigue about the ‘everyday’ that Warhol had. He erased the boundaries between high and low art and made art accessible to the masses."

    Dezelon continued, “Warhol said, ‘Once you ‘got’ pop, you could never see a sign the same way again. And once you thought pop, you could never see America the same way again.’

    “Once visitors see this exhibition, they will never see Warhol in the same light again. …It tells you a whole different side of who you may think Andy Warhol is. Somebody who misses this exhibition will really miss something spectacular.”

    The 34 silkscreen images in this show are on loan from The Cochran Collection, a private collection based in Georgia, and the Ackland Museum at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

    David McCune International Art Gallery is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturdays from noon until 4 p.m. It will be closed March 4-11. A donation of $10 per person is suggested to help cover the cost of the exhibit.

    To learn more, visit davidmccunegallery.org.

  • 08Annie WarbucksFrom Mary Kate Burke’s soft rock introduction to the final curtain, the opening night performance of Cape Fear Regional Theater’s production of “Annie” was nothing short of spectacular, often drawing cheers from the full house.

    With the book by Thomas Meehan, lyrics by Martin Charmin, music by Charles Strouse and a setting in the midst of the Great Depression, the adventures of a young orphan in search of her parents touches on a theme still relevant today. The contrast between Hooverville, where Annie takes refuge, and her life as a guest in Oliver Warbucks’ mansion emphasizes the vast gap between the very rich and the majority of citizens just struggling to eat and keep a roof over their heads. Yet, despite the dire circumstances in which the musical is set, the message of “Annie” is hope.

    The Orphan Ensemble captivates from the very beginning. Lily Hogge, playing the title role, has an amazing vocal range for such a young girl. She plays Annie with tomboy-ish enthusiasm and transitions seamlessly from wistfulness to defiance to winsomeness as the situation demands.

    Thanks to the orphans, the mood never descends to pathos. Their superb rendition of “It’s the Hard Knock Life” and subsequent heckling of Miss Hannigan convince the audience these are resilient little girls determined not to let the circumstances of their lives break them.

    Erin Fish’s Miss Hannigan, a role she played on the national tour, is the villainess we all love to hate. Yet there is a certain upbeat cheerfulness to her chicanery. Fish plays Miss Hannigan for laughs, of which there are plenty, which allows the audience to see her as overwhelmed by all the little girls in her charge, rather than evil.

    Greg King, as Rooster Hannigan, and Jodi Bluestein, as Lily St. Regis, ooze a greasy, bumbling, minor criminality from the first moment they set foot onstage. Not to put too fine a point on it, but their “Easy Street” number reminds us of why we really play the lottery.

    Robert Newman’s character transitions believably from the gruff, enormously rich and influential Oliver Warbucks to the openly affectionate “Daddy.” This is in large part due to Newman’s seeming lack of celebrity ego and to the positive onstage chemistry between Newman and his young co-star.

    Newman is believable as a successful, no-nonsense businessman with time for little but work when we first meet his character. We watch him mellowing before our eyes as his character goes from bellowing his disgust at President Roosevelt to humbly asking for the president’s help on Annie’s behalf.

    Finally, we watch him opening himself to the charms of his winsome assistant, played by Becca Vourvoulas, and expressing completely believable affection for Annie.

    Newman brings star power to Fayetteville, having appeared for 28 seasons as Joshua Lewis on the longrunning TV program “Guiding Light” among many of his stage, film and television credits. Yet there was no sense of his celebrity status evident onstage at CFRT on opening night. He is a generous actor. He commanded the stage when appropriate to his character and managed to be just another member of the cast whenever the script called for some other character to take center stage.

    Newman, Fish and Pegues are supported by a cast of talented actors, a few of whom appeared for the first time at CFRT on opening night.

    Artistic direction for all CFRT productions is provided by Mary Kate Burke. “Annie” is ably directed and choreographed by Robin Levine, assisted by Sebastiani Romagnolo. Both the set, designed by Charles Glenn Johnson, and the costumes, designed by Sarah Harris, are simple yet evocative of the era in which the musical is staged. Musical direction is supplied by Jillian K. Zack. The orchestra is superb, taking care to enhance rather than overwhelm young voices.

    “Annie” runs through the evening performance on Sunday, Feb. 24, with a special Sensory Friendly performance scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 10. Contact the CFRT Box Office at 910-323-4233 Tuesday-Friday from 1-6 p.m. for more information and ticket prices.

    Photo: Robert Newman as Daddy Warbucks; Zoi Pegues as Annie

  •  

  • 02-02-11-hairspray.gifHave you ever sat in the theatre and had to physically restrain yourself from getting up and dancing? If not, then you obviously haven’t made it to the Cape Fear Regional Theatre yet to see the musical production of Hairspray. Because if you had of found yourself sitting in the seats of the theatre, you would defi nitely have found your toes tapping and your hips twitching.

    The latest production staged by the CFRT’s talented staff is a certifi able box-offi ce hit. I caught the show on a preview night, and while the CFRT staff took great pains to explain that a preview is really just a warm up, other than some minor sound issues, I didn’t see a lot to fault.

    The cast, which has enough energy to light several city blocks, sang their hearts out, while dancing their butts off. The show, set in Baltimore in the ‘60s, has a rich dialogue that can make you laugh out loud, but can also break your heart. And the music, well as you read earlier, the music can also make you soar.

    Director Tom Quaintance has done a great job of bringing a relatively young cast together in a very short amount of time. With just three or four weeks to pull the show together, Quaintance and crew should be extremely proud of the job they’ve done. The dancing, choreographed by Todd Michael Smith, an original member of the Broadway cast of Hairspray, was beautiful and very energetic. The cast Ponied, Mashpotatoed and Twisted their way throughout the twohour production.

    The vocals were executed beautifully, and I’ve got to tell you this cast has some chops.

    At center stage most of the performance was Amy Rowland, a student at the University of North Carolina-Pembroke, who plays Tracy, the chubby Baltimore teen who turns the town upside down with her big hair, her dancing and her desire to integrate the daily dance show. Rowland, a music major, spends four or five hours in class singing every day, and then comes to the theatre and puts on one heck of a show. The petite Charlotte native has a great vocal range and she has a really big voice for such a small girl.

    Also getting high marks in the vocal department is Joy Ducree Gregory, who plays Motormouth Maybelle, the quick talking DJ, who spins records in her record store for the black teens, while the white kids dance on TV. Gregory, a Wilmington resident, stopped the show with her performance of “I Know Where I’ve Been,” an epic song that refl ects on the changes she has seen throughout her life, and the changes yet to come. This performance had the audience sitting on the edge of their seats, and brought home the tensions and pain of that segregated time.

    Fayetteville resident Alexis Dove Chieffet, playing Velma Von Tussle, did a great job of creating the character that everybody loves to hate. Her show-stopping moment came during the first act when she belted out “Miss Baltimore Crabs.” This song and this scene are laugh-out-loud funny.

    I would be remiss not to mention Richard Pruitt, a New York actor, who plays Tracy’s mom Edna. Pruitt, a big teddy bear of a man, made the transition to Edna beautifully. His mannerisms were great, and his comedic timing superb. I really loved his interaction with Ken Griggs, a CFRT regular, who played his husband. The two played off each other nicely. Of particular note was their performance of “You’re Timeless To Me.”

    The supporting cast did a wonderful job and put everything they had in the show. They seemed as energized at the end of the show as they were at the beginning. And that’s saying a lot.

    If you haven’t made it down to the theatre yet to see this great production, don’t worry, you still have time. The show runs through Feb. 13, but I would suspect if word-of-mouth works, tickets are going fast. So dance your way downtown so you can catch the beat and while the evening away with the “Nicest Kids” in town.

    For show times and dates, visit www.cfrt.org.

  •  Too often, the governed feel a disconnect with the governing.
    Elected officials are perceived as being ensconced behind the fortess-like walls of Capitol Hill, isolated and removed from their constituents.
       Well, those walls will officially come tumbling down Feb. 9 when the citizens of Cumberland County get the opportunity to meet, greet and (gently) grill the folks calling the shots in D.C., as a who’s who of North Carolina-based politicians — U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, U.S. Congressmen Mike McIntyre, Larry Kissell and Bob Etheridge, and N.C. Sen. Tony Rand — will be at Fayetteville Technical Community College for a Congressional Community Conversation — a forum free to the public.
       The event is sponsored by the county’s three leading schools of higher learning — FTCC, Methodist University and Fayetteville State University.
       The program is the brainchild of a group of private citizens, including local attorney Gardner Altman Jr., who sees the public forum as an opportunity for input into the decisions that affect our lives.
       “We wanted to get these folks together in one place and let them know that they represent us,” said Altman. “This will allow our elected officials to take a few minutes to listen to the concerns of their constituents and our community. So many people have told me that they don’t get an opportunity to talk to their elected officials... Well, here it is.”
       The program will run from 4:30-6 p.m. and will be held in the Tony Rand Student Center on the campus of FTCC, which seats more than 600. A host of local officials and politicians will also speak, as well as introduce the visiting politicians. Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne will welcome everyone, followed by an overview of the program and the introduction of Brig. Gen. Paul Dordal, who will give a presentation on perhaps the single most important issue confronting the future of Cumberland County — Base Realignment and Closure.
       “I will discuss the latest as far as what we have done and what we still need from the government as far as getting funding for BRAC,” said Dordal. “These politicians have been so supportive of our efforts to do what is best for Cumberland County as the BRAC deadline bears down, but more is needed to be done.
       {mosimage}“For example, our latest information shows us that there is probably going to be the biggest influx of families moving into the western part of the county,” said Dordal. “Right now, it looks like Jack Britt is going to be the most popular school system of choice for these families and there will be an influx into gated and/or golf communities such as Gates Four. We need to get federal funding to improve our infrastructure and we need to make our case to these politicians.”
       After Dordal’s presentation, Hagan is scheduled to speak for 20 minutes, followed by Etheridge, McIntyre and Kissell, all of whom are scheduled to speak for 5-7 minutes. There will then be a question and answer session with questions from audience members lasting approximately 20 minutes. According to Altman, questions will be written down on index cards by audience members and submitted to the moderator.
       Kissell says he is particularly looking forward to the event, both to meet with his constituents and to pick up pointers from his fellow congressmen.
       “I think it’s important to communicate with the voters... and not just to answer questions... but to really listen,” said Kissell. “And I can’t wait to share a stage with Congressmen Etheridge and McIntyre — there’s a lot I can learn from them.
       And the BRAC discussion will be very important. I am a big supporter of Fort Bragg and want to help make this transition as smooth as possible.”

    Contact Tim Wilkins at tim@upandcomingweekly.com

  • 02-23-11-fanteractive-with-football.gifSo you’re a football fan. You attend the games. You follow the players, can recite their stats –– where they came from, their strengths, weaknesses, records. You know precisely where the game was won –– or lost. Think you have what it takes to pick the next great quarterback or running back? Well, you may have your chance! A new subscription-based service, Fanteractive, offered through the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL), the minor league that includes the Fayetteville Force, hopes to create the ultimate fan experience and bring the fans as close to a team as possible. Andrew Bondarowicz, president & CEO of Fanteractive, LLC explained this new approach to bringing the fan experience to a whole new level.

    “I’ve been an NFL-certifi ed agent since 2004, so one of the things I noticed is that it’s become very apparent that scouting is in the eyes of the beholder,” said Bondarowicz. “A player that one person may think fi ts may totally not be the right fi t for a different team, for a different coach. We were at a college all-star team back in 2006, and there was one quarterback that everybody was screaming about. ‘He’s going to be all pro one day.’ He gets drafted in the second round of the draft, has a mediocre career so far and you look back and say, ‘Well, what was everybody raving about?’ It’s just the luck of the draw. A year later, ESP [Entertainment & Sports Plus, a national, full-service athlete and entertainer management fi rm] comes out with a players report that the best general managers in the business only get it right 55-60 percent of the time interviewing the top draft picks.”

    Bondarowicz reasoned that perhaps fans could offer better odds.

    “More and more, there’s such an appetite for the business side of the sport — not just football, but any sport. We’re all obsessed with what kind of contracts the players get, what kind of deal did they sign, what kinds of trades get worked out between teams, and it’s a whole drama that fans never get to be a part of. We can all talk about what we think is the best thing to do, but when’s the last time the GM of an NFL team called up the fans and said, ‘What do you think we should do?’ What we want to do is create the ultimate fan experience. With Fanteractive, we have a database of players where fans can go in, write scouting reports, familiarize themselves with players who are available so that they can make decisions and recommendations to the coaching staff on the players that we want to bring in. We’re not going to be able to accomplish it for this year, but in future years, we’re going to have a fan draft, where fans are literally going to draft a number of the players who are going to come in for training camps, and then have the fans make decisions on the fi nal rosters.”

    After all, where would the players and the league be without the fans?

    “At the end of the day,” Bondarowicz said, “the fans are the ones who are our customers. They are our profi t, so what better way to give our fans what they want than to allow them to weigh in on the process? We have football coaches, we have closet football coaches, we have guys who have never played the game or never coached the game, but they have an eye for talent. It’s a pretty systematic process that we’re putting into play, and when you have 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 people weighing in on a player saying, ‘Hey, I think this guy’s pretty good,’ chances are, he’s going to be halfway decent. When you look at the NFL, the second biggest event on the NFL calendar, second only to the Super Bowl, is the NFL draft. What we’ve patterned our Fanteractive after is to simply recreate that on a minor league level.”

    Fanteractive within the SIFL is live for the first year, so not every option of the system will be available in its02-23-11-fayetteville_force_v2_final.gif “kick-off.”

    “For this year, what fans will have the ability to do is to essentially interact with the players and coaching staff during the season. They’ll be able to work with the coaches on roster decisions. They’ll make decisions on the fi nal rosters at the start of the season. They’ll be involved in certain game-playing decisions,” said Bondarowicz. “We’re trying to work in certain in-game elements, for example, when it’s fourth and one, and whether we should take the fi eld goal or go for it. We want to incorporate some of those elements to really get fans into the game.”

    Bondarowicz also explained that although the system is ready to go “full boat,” the fans will necessarily encounter a bit of a learning curve as they share the responsibility of providing their valuable input.

    “We want to give the fans as much opportunity as possible, so we have to scale it back to administrative feasibility. From the fan perspective, we have to bring the fans along the way, too. We almost have to coach up the fans along to a certain point where they understand the decisions they’re making. They’re understanding the implications of some of those decisions from a player personnel perspective. It can’t be a popularity contest. You have to try put the best players on the fi eld. You have to look for the right parts to put into a system, so just because somebody may be a hometown hero, there may or may not be room on the roster for him, depending on what the team’s needs are going to be, so it’s a change in mindset from the stands just as much as anybody else.”

    And the cost for fans to have their say? A bargain, especially when compared to the cost of owning one’s own franchise –– a $50 fee for the season. The option is included in the ticket packages for season-ticket holders. Response to the Fanteractive system has been positive, and it’s being extended to all players and ticket holders across the league –– potentially tens of thousands of people.

    “People who are on the system really like it because the system itself incorporates the social media aspect,” Bondarowicz said, “so it’s kind of like Facebook wrapped up within a whole larger system. Right now, fans are voting on some of the league rules, player celebration rules, like how far are we going to let players go as far as celebrations, making some decisions about playing the ball off the wall. We’re giving the fans the ability to go through a full gamut of decisions, and it’s on a league-wide level.”

    Although the Fanteractive system is essentially being done in the SIFL this year, Bondarowicz sees the application advancing into other sports as well.

    “It’s really to infuse technology and fans back into the games. One of the challenges you have with minor league sports is that a lot of fans don’t really know who the players are, so you go to a minor league baseball game, and you go there because it’s affordable family entertainment, and you watch the game, but you don’t necessarily get engaged in the games in the same way because a lot of times, there’s just not as much information available. The history of the players is not as traceable to you. This is just one of the ways to really kind of make minor league sports relevant in a different way. You give people a reason to care. You care who your quarterback is or who your second string guy is because you’re making decisions on him, so you want to make sure you got the best players available. We’re also working on an element where the cheerleaders will essentially be selected by the fans, so it’s through the same premise; you go through, and you scout and you judge criteria, such as dancing ability, appearance, poise, character, and you assemble a team. We’re a Dancing with the Stars and American Idol generation now, where we tell you those things,” said Bondarowicz. “So we really make this fun. We really want to make this interactive and create a whole new experience.”

    No more will fans be relegated only to painting their bodies in bold team colors, sporting jerseys and hats and waving giant foam hands promoting their favorite team as “number one.”

    Fanteractive puts them right in the game from behind the scenes. For more information, visit www.fanteractive.com and www.fayettevilleforce.net.

    Photo: Fanteractive, a new subscription-based service hopes to create the ultimate fan experience.

  • 18b In recent years, many businesses have made a concerted effort to create more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces.

    Those efforts have thus far met with mixed results. An analysis of more than 1,000 large firms in 15 countries conducted by McKinsey & Company found that one-third significantly improved their diversity between 2015 and 2020.

    Though that's good news, it also means two-thirds did not improve significantly, which underscores how much more work must be done to create more diverse workplaces across the globe.
    Efforts to build more diverse workplaces may prove more successful if companies revisit the many reasons why the pursuit of such a goal is worthwhile.

    Diverse workplaces impress employees and prospective employees. A 2021 CNBC/SurveyMonkey survey found that 80% of workers want to work for companies that value diversity, equity and inclusion. Companies that gain a reputation for such values may be more successful at retaining their existing employees, thus driving down costs associated with hiring and training new employees, and be in better position to attract qualified candidates who prioritize positive culture when looking for new opportunities.

    Diversity benefits the bottom line. The positive impact of diversity on the bottom line provides more motivation for businesses to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive. In a report released in May 2020, McKinsey & Company found that firms in the top quarter of gender diversity on executive teams were more likely to experience above-average profitability than peer firms in the bottom quarter. Firms in the top quarter of ethnic and cultural diversity also outperformed fourth quarter firms by 36% in regard to profitability. Such data supports the notion that investing in a more diverse workplace is a sound investment that's likely to produce a strong and quantifiable return.

    Multicultural diversity can facilitate expansion. Firms looking to expand into new overseas markets can benefit from a culturally diverse staff. Such staffs can provide invaluable insight and experience regarding local laws and regulations. Familiarity with overseas cultures, including local languages and cultural practices, also can help companies attract qualified local candidates and become competitive more quickly.

    A diverse staff can lead to a more diverse offering of products. It makes sense that a more diverse staff can contribute to a more diverse offering of products. A more diverse staff increases the likelihood that a company will have a wider range of skills at its disposal, and such a staff also provides companies with a more expansive range of perspectives reflective of a wider customer base. Companies can utilize such diversity when developing new products and adapting to ever-shifting markets.

    A more diverse workplace is a goal for many companies. Accomplishing such a goal can help companies in numerous ways, each of which can ultimately benefit the bottom line.

  • 18a Spring brings a lot of buzz with honeybees. In the winter they cluster together to stay warm, and the worker bees vibrate their bodies to generate heat.

    The queen bee rests all warm and comfy with temperatures ranging from 90 to 100 degrees, not too bad for the royal treatment. The cluster has two parts which are a dense outer mantle and a loose inner core where the bees have more room to move around. The cluster expands or contracts depending on the temperature.

    Winter is the hardest season for the bees with the greatest loss and even the best beekeepers can encounter challenges to keep the colony alive. However, as in everything with nature, it is part of the cycle of survival. Winter survival depends mainly on food storage or if the colony enters the winter with a virus or disease.

    Once Spring begins to emerge and temperatures begin to rise above 65 degrees the days begin to lengthen sources of pollen and nectar emerge for the brood. As Spring progresses the colony expands with the pronation of young bees and field worker bees begin to collect the nectar and pollen to expand and nourish the colony.

    There is a lot of activity in the colony as the queen increases drone egg-laying for the worker bees and drones while the bees prepare for a new queen. The royal kitchen is busy in the hive with a few bees that have been selected for the higher court and fed a special gland food called “Royal Jelly’” and the rate of development accelerates. The number of queen cells varies with races and strains as the new queen or queens emerge.

    The colonies are still busy as new combs are produced for honey storage. The royal court assembles for the new queen to emerge and before the nectar begins to flow the colony will swarm during the warmer hours of daylight while the old queen and her entourage fly to the limb of a tree and begin scouting for a new home to assemble.

    The remaining bees are the parents of the colony and work the fields to collect nectar, pollen and water plus they care for eggs, larvae and food and guard the entrance. The emerging drones receive nourishment for a population to mate with the queen. When she emerges, she has nourished herself because she has rivals for the queen position. Alas, mortal combat begins, and it becomes survival of the fittest.

    The queen that survives flies out about a week later to mate with one or more drones in the air. The males do not survive this intense ritual, but the queen returns to the nest as the queen mother and shortly begins to lay eggs while she is being cared for by nurse bees.

    Honey bee trivia

    They can fly up to 15 miles per hour. A worker bee makes an average of 1 and ½ teaspoons in a lifetime and a pound of honey is made by two million flower visits. Honey bees are the only bee to produce food for humans. They visit 50 to 100 flowers in one trip.

    Honey is a natural energy booster, a mixture of minerals, and antioxidants, is antibacterial and works in preventing fatigue, and can boost athletic performance. Honey bees do not typically sting unless threatened
    Live, love life and honey bees.

     

  • 5 We will probably never know how much of our money was squandered during the pandemic by reckless politicians. But here are two damning numbers to start with: $400 billion and $855,000 per job year.

    The first is a reasonable estimate of unemployment-insurance payments either improperly paid or stolen by fraudulent claimants. As you may remember, one early congressional response to the onset of COVID-19 was to add a bonus of $600 a week to UI checks and to make it easier for people to claim those benefits.

    Essentially, politicians turned UI into an honor system. Of course, dishonorable people pounced.
    A few days ago, the U.S. Department of Labor’s inspector general announced that at “the low end” $191 billion was paid to people who didn’t qualify but that missing data and delayed reporting prevented a full accounting.

    Matt Weidinger, an American Enterprise Institute scholar and former staffer at the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, puts the total amount of improper UI payments at closer to $400 billion, or 40% of the total.

    “Significant shares were likely stolen by overseas criminal gangs, including in China and Russia,” Weidinger observes, and their schemes often began by stealing identities.

    That’s what happened to me. I teach part-time at Duke University. A couple of years ago, university officials contacted me to ask why I, an adjunct faculty member, had filed an unemployment-insurance claim. I assured them I’d done no such thing. I submitted paperwork to Duke and reported the incident to law enforcement. Alas, it is my understanding that at least some UI payments were paid to my identity thief, anyway.

    Now for the other number: $855,000 per job year. That’s the estimate AEI scholar Stan Veuger and University of California-San Diego economist Jeffrey Clemens put on the amount of COVID-era federal aid distributed to states and localities to prevent government layoffs divided by the number of positions that could reasonably be construed as “saved” per year by that aid.

    As I’ve argued many times before, the federal government’s multi-trillion-dollar fiscal response to the pandemic was panicky and excessive.
    North Carolina was among the jurisdictions that received far more (borrowed) federal cash than was needed to cover revenues lost or new expenditures truly necessitated by the disease itself and the economic consequences of COVID-era shutdowns.

    The best defense of all this is that politicians were mistaken but acting in good faith, that hindsight is 20-20. It’s a poor defense.
    Critics warned at the time that expanding the eligibility and amounts of UI benefits would have adverse consequences, both wasting money and slowing reemployment, and that states and localities didn’t need the massive sums Congress was about to throw at them.

    But many politicians had long sought to expand unemployment insurance and the federal government’s role in funding state and local governments. They capitalized on the crisis — with other people’s capital.
    The only way to prevent this from happening again is to erect legal guardrails.

    Veuger and Clemens suggest, for example, that Congress should either institute preset formulas instead of a discretionary process for granting aid or that federal grant programs should be converted to loans that states and localities must repay.

    Such steps are worth taking but we need to be thinking even bigger.

    With unemployment insurance, for example, we ought to devolve the program more comprehensively to state governments, forbid any extended benefits funded by Washington, and make it more expensive for states to borrow federal funds when their UI trust funds run out.

    That will encourage state policymakers to police fraud more aggressively and keep their benefits in line with fiscal realities.

    More generally, we need to get the federal government’s finances under control.

    There should be a constitutional requirement that its operating budget be balanced, and that it borrow only to fund physical capital such as federal buildings and military assets.

    Let’s do something. The next crisis will again test the willpower of politicians. They’ll fail again.

    Editor's note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history. They are available at FolkloreCycle.com.

  • 4 Spring is on the way, and here in Fayetteville, that usually has us looking forward to participating in and celebrating the 41st Dogwood Festival.

    This award-winning Festival has quite a history in our community, and anyone who claims to be a true Fayettevillian has some time or somehow participated in, sponsored, or in some other way supported this event.

    The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival should be something our city leaders are proud of. City leaders should implement ways to take advantage of its decades of success and notoriety. Competent Fayetteville leadership would be rallying around the Festival and using it to promote, market and brand our community throughout the state.

    Unfortunately, Mayor Mitch Colvin and his Council colleagues only pay lip service to supporting this successful community event while their actions of late reveal how they feel about the event, its organizers and the community.

    Actions always speak louder than words. Many may remember last year when Mayor Mitch Colvin and Council members Shakeyla Ingram, Courtney Banks-McLaughlin, and former Councilman Larry Wright criticized and berated the young Dogwood Festival Director Sarahgrace Snipes Mitchell.

    The assault on Mitchell came when she went before them to request a measly $15,000 in support of this citywide event. An event that will cost hundreds of thousands to produce. The council's verbal assault on her was unprofessional, mean-spirited, and passionate, centered around the concerns that musical entertainment acts were not "diverse" enough and failed to reflect the city's population.

    It's a noble cause to look out for all the citizens of Fayetteville and to be passionate about it. But it is not becoming for Mayor Colvin and Council members to gang up and criticize someone trying to do their job. And all she was asking for was $15,000.

    How much do Mitch Colvin and the City Council really care about this city or a 41-year tradition that has brought joy, fun and quality entertainment to hundreds of thousands of people, not to mention the positive economic impact on the city, especially those who have invested in our historic downtown area?

    On Feb. 15, at the Aevex Veterans Club in Segra Stadium, Sarahgrace Snipes Mitchell and the Dogwood Festival Committee held their official Festival Media Night where they recognized the corporate sponsors and thanked the dozens upon dozens of businesses, organizations, vendors, craftsmen and artists for coming together with their time, talent and financial resources to make this year's event a huge success.
    It was a lovely gathering, but it lacked a “WOW factor” that gets everyone excited for an upcoming event. It is my opinion that the “WOW factor” element was absent from the event because the CITY WAS ABSENT FROM THE EVENT!

    Actions speak louder than words! That evening Mitch Colvin and the entire City Council were missing from the most significant Fayetteville event announcement of the year.

    Not a single member of the Council took the time to support, recognize or thank the efforts of hundreds of citizens that came together to showcase the assets, personality and hospitality of our city. That behavior speaks volumes to the leadership they are NOT providing. Our city is at a critical crossroads.

    If you follow what actions (and non-actions) occur in City Hall, it's evident that collectively the Council lacks integrity, intelligence and common sense. Several critical and highly sensitive issues are being decided on concerning our city, and I see bias, racism and good ole boy politics taking precedence over what is right and good for the citizens of Fayetteville. Fayetteville deserves better.

    We are becoming a media desert. Real critical news is still not getting out to the public. Yes, now we have better coverage of boards, meetings and what goes on in City Hall, but this is far from investigative reporting.

    As a result, the bad guys keep getting badder, and the residents continue to be the victims without a voice. Actions speak louder than words!
    Our leaders are NOT showing up in the community. They are not at the theatre or the art openings; they are basically AWOL from the community. Why? Because they don't want to face the public in fear that they may have to state their position on a proposal or, heaven forbid, explain why they voted the way they did on an issue.

    They are AWOL from the community because they do not want people to know how out of touch they are with the community. Fayetteville has a leadership problem that must be addressed and remedied if our community is to take on the challenges of the 21st century.

    I close by saying we have a Fayetteville election in November. Pay attention to the leadership decisions now and ask yourself if we can do better. We can. We must.

    I love this community as much as you do, or you wouldn’t be reading this newspaper.
    Again, I want to thank Sarahgrace Snipes Mitchell and her staff for a job well done. The 2023 Dogwood Festival will be a great event!

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 19 Jan. 27 was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, established 17 years ago by the United Nations. Jewish communities tend to put more emphasis on Yom HaSho’ah [in April], in Hebrew “Holocaust Day,” which was inaugurated in 1951, just 6 years after the collapse of Nazi Germany and the liberation of their concentration and death camps spread across Europe.

    Beyond being older, it may make sense for the Jewish community to have a unique day for commemorating the Holocaust, which includes its own religious elements. Yet, there may also be a value in an annual occasion dedicated to its recognition and education under the auspices of the nearly universal international organization of nations.

    Being in February, and coming just two weeks after Martin Luther King Day, we Americans find ourselves in the midst of Black History Month. Our nation, even before its founding, has had a long, complicated, and far too often profoundly troubling history with those of African heritage. We continue to wrestle with the challenges caused by what is frequently referred to as America’s original sin.

    Undoubtedly, there is real value in recognizing both the many, usually unappreciated, contributions of African Americans to our nation, as well as in understanding the historical reality and ongoing suffering caused by slavery and its aftermath, which has impacted not only the Black community, but whether we realize it or not, the United States as a whole.

    At its best, times dedicated to remembering, highlighting, and better comprehending the suffering endured by any group, should help us not only to improve our understanding of them, but also to recognize and respond appropriately to all who suffer.

    Alarming to me, especially since I perceive it to be on the rise, is the seeming need among some in the Jewish and Black communities to debate whose suffering has been the greatest. And this debate is shared by other communities, here and around the globe, who also have experienced too much suffering.

    But, it is a pernicious and pointless exercise. It is impossible to settle definitively such an argument. Even worse, I find it perverse for anyone to want to win the battle for the greatest suffering.

    Yet most disturbing to me is the accompanying implication of this absurd competition, which minimizes the suffering of another community if I can “prove” that my community has suffered more.

    No one has a corner on the market of suffering. There is plenty of suffering here and around the world, now and in the past, and we should have sufficient compassion for all who suffer, without feeling the need to quantify the depths of someone’s pain before we will deign to accord them a morsel of sympathy.

    It is true that different cases of suffering may require different approaches to attempt to alleviate them. It may even be true that in a world with finite resources, we may have to make hard choices about how and when to allocate the resources we do have. But, we should care about everyone’s suffering, whether or not we are always yet in a position to deal with it as we would like.

    Let us never undermine the reality and genuineness of pain and suffering; whether our own or anyone else’s. We are all entitled to compassion and caring; and we should both give it and accept it freely.

    The nature of humanity seems that one or another form of suffering will always be with us. Yet, let us also make it the nature of humanity that we always seek to combat suffering, to the best of our ability, wherever it exists.

  • 10 Progress has no patience. I recall my dad with his slide ruler. One day, he came home talking about a new invention called a calculator. Despite its limited functions of only being able to add, subtract, multiply and divide, he saw it as a passing trend, worrying that it would make people at school less intelligent and more reliant.

    Little did he know, this “fad” would become a revolution of the 1970s. The 1980s brought us the personal computer, while the 1990s introduced the World Wide Web, and the iPod.

    The 2000s saw the rise of the iPhone, YouTube, Facebook and the cell phone camera. By the 2010s, this thing called “privacy,” was dead.

    Jumping to 2023, I want to explain two terms. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). AI is the demonstration of intelligence by machines, as opposed to humans and animals. (ML) is the study of building methods that can improve performance on tasks by using data. To further explain this, ask your phone or Alexa.

    In November, a company by the name of OpenAI launched “ChatGPT” and it quickly gained popularity, with over a million subscribers in just five days. It is seen as a major disruptor in the information revolution.

    For reference, it took Facebook about a year to reach that.

    Last week, I set up a free account for ChatGPT to help me write this article:

    Me: “Write a 300 word article for a newspaper about how communication forms have changed since the beginning of cave men and how ChatGPT and AI is a new change but we as humans have always evolved in different ways to communicate for clarity and speed.”

    Within 30 seconds, ChatGPT’s response:

    “Communication has come a long way since the days of cavemen. From simple grunts and gestures to written language and advanced technologies like ChatGPT and AI the way we communicate has continuously evolved to meet our needs for clarity and speed.

    In the beginning, cavemen communicated through simple grunts and gestures, which were limited in their ability to convey complex ideas. As human civilization developed, so did the forms of communication. The invention of written language, such as hieroglyphics and cuneiform, allowed for more detailed and accurate communication. This was followed by the invention of the printing press, which revolutionized the way information was disseminated, making it more accessible to the masses.

    With the advent of the digital age, communication forms have undergone yet another transformation. The internet and social media have made it easier than ever to connect with people from all over the world, and new technologies like ChatGPT and AI have introduced new possibilities for communication. ChatGPT, for example, is a powerful language model that can understand and respond to natural language inputs, providing more natural and human-like interactions.

    But as technology has changed, so too have the ways in which we communicate. The rise of text messaging, instant messaging, and social media has made it easier for people to communicate quickly and easily, but it has also led to a decrease in face-to-face communication and an increase in misunderstandings due to the lack of nonverbal cues.

    Despite these changes, one thing remains constant: the human desire for clarity and speed in communication. From cavemen to the present day, we have always sought ways to communicate more effectively and efficiently. And as technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more advancements in the way we communicate in the future.”

    Me: “How will chat GPT change the job market in the next five years?”

    ChatGPT: “ChatGPT and other AI language models are likely to have a significant impact on the job market in the next five years by automating many tasks that previously required human labor, especially in industries such as customer service, journalism, and data entry. At the same time, there will likely be new job opportunities created in areas such as AI development, management, and ethics. However, it is important to note that the exact effects of AI on the job market are difficult to predict and will depend on factors such as the pace of technological advancement, government policies, and the willingness of workers to adapt to new technologies.”

    The U.S. has been in an information revolution since the invention of Morse Code. Today, our smartphones provide us with voice, data and video communications. It also provides music, navigation, Hollywood film quality, a mobile newsroom, entertainment, financing and a platform for the mobile office.

    The use of language models such as ChatGPT raises concerns of potential cheating in the education system. As the model can generate text based on prompts, students may use it to generate answers to questions they do not know. Educators need to consider changing their teaching methods to encourage critical thinking and correct question-asking. Currently, AI is not advanced enough to provide reliable answers, but this may change in the future.

    The CEO of Microsoft said they have already invested $1 billion into ChatGPT, with plans to integrate it into their applications. He also said they plan on investing up to $10 billion. The CEO believes the job market will shift, but it’s unclear who will adapt and who won’t.

    How do educators stop students from using AI? I don’t think they will. It is probably hopeless because it answers questions based on how you ask the question and how the user refines its responses with each iteration, making it difficult to stop its use in education.

    AI platforms like ChatGPT have the potential to enhance learning for anyone with basic knowledge by providing answers to questions. These platforms, along with Google, YouTube, and social media sites, can be used as a source of information and knowledge sharing.

    Henry Ford had an eighth grade education.

    Me: “What did Henry Ford say about a 6 grade education?”

    ChatGPT: “‘Why is it every time I ask for a pair of hands, they come with a brain attached?’ He went on to say that he preferred workers with a sixth-grade education because they were trained enough to read and write, but not so much that they thought they knew everything and were difficult to train. In other words, Ford valued practical skills and a willingness to learn and adapt more than a high level of formal education.”

    Author's Footnote: For this article, I used a Macbook Pro, Microsoft Word, Google, YouTube, the internet, ChatGPT, Grammarly, Alexa, a master’s degree, and 20 years of experience in IT. At no time did I use the Dewey Decimal System.

  • 7 Congratulations, Gentle Readers! Always wanted to be like Mike? Michael Jordan, Carolina’s greatest basketball player of all time?

    What? You can’t dunk the ball? Well, no matter, you can be like Otzi the Iceman who enjoyed pancakes 5,300 years ago.

    Now is the most wonderful time of the year — the 49th Annual Cape Fear Kiwanis Pancake Festival. It occurs March 3 and 4 from 7 a.m. to noon at the Greek Orthodox Church and Hellenic Center conveniently located at 614 Oakridge Avenue.

    For only $7 it’s all you can eat pancakes, sausage from local pigs, and coffee plus the thrill of seeing your friends and neighbors enjoying a sugar high while covered in maple syrup.
    Don’t miss out on this exciting event. Dine in or take out. These delicious pancakes are selling like hot cakes.

    You interject: “How can I, a mere resident of early 21st Century America, be like Otzi the 5,000-year-old Iceman?”

    First, a bit of history how Otzi fits into the pantheon of pancake lore. Then some pancake factoids to whet your appetite for Kiwanis pancakes.

    Once upon a time, back at the end of the Copper Age, some 5,300 years ago, Otzi left his wife Harriet back at the cave. He began a hike across the Italian Alps to seek his fortune.
    Unfortunately, Otzi came across a band of brigands who were up to no good. After 53 centuries, the trail has gone cold as to exactly what happened to Otzi. It is clear he came to a sudden and tragic end.

    In 1991, two German hikers walking across a snow field in the Alps came upon Otzi’s body half buried in the ice.
    Initially, the authorities thought Otzi was the remains of a recent lost climber. After further examination, it turned out Otzi was over 5,000 years old. He was older than the pyramids, older than Stonehenge, even older than Joe Biden.

    When Mr. Science got hold of Otzi, he did what scientists always do: Autopsy our man. Otzi had an arrowhead embedded in his shoulder and multiple stab wounds. The bad guys had done him in.

    Overall, for a guy who had been dead and a frozen mummy for 5,000 years, Otzi was in surprisingly good shape.
    He still had his bear skin hat, clothes, some weapons, and his AARP card. Fun Fact: Otzi had 61 tattoos.

    Mr. Science examined the contents of Otzi’s stomach which contained most of his last meal. The autopsy determined Otzi had consumed the Copper Age equivalent of pancakes at breakfast of his last day.
    Gentle Reader, even if you can’t be like Michael Jordan, you can be like Otzi. Come enjoy pancakes at the Cape Fear Kiwanis Festival without the need to be shot by an arrow, stabbed by bad guys, or frozen for 5,000 years. All you have to do is show up at the Greek Orthodox Church to dig in to the world’s finest pancakes and sausages

    As promised, some colorful facts about pancakes. Pancakes have many aliases: hoe cakes, buckwheat cakes, johnny cakes, journey cakes, griddle cakes, and flap jacks.
    Pancakes have been around even before Otzi. Archeologists have found evidence of pancakes in 30,000 year old ashes of ires of Stone Age Dudes and Dudettes.

    Ancient Romans probably invented the modern equivalent of pancakes in the First Century by mixing up milk, flour, spices and eggs.

    William Shakespeare wrote about pancakes in his play “As You Like It” in a conversation when Touchstone tells Rosalind: “Of a certain knight that swore by his honor they were good pancakes, and swore by his honor that the mustard was naught. Now I’ll stand to it, the pancakes were naught and the mustard was good, and yet the knight forsworn.”
    Why anyone would want to put mustard on pancakes is anybody’s guess. If people were putting mustard on pancakes back in Shakespeare’s time, it is no wonder they are all dead now. What a waste of a good pancake.

    The French version of pancakes, Crepes Suzette, was invented by accident in 1895 when a Paris waiter accidently set pancakes on fire while preparing dessert for the future English King Edward 7th.

    Wonder why we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday before Lent begins? During Lent Christians are supposed to think about Easter and avoid eating rich foods. Shrove Tuesday was the last day for Christians to use up eggs and fats by making pancakes before the Lenten fasting period. Shrove Tuesday’s alias is Mardi Gras for those keeping score.

    Shrove Tuesday Pancake Races are big in the United Kingdom. The contestants race carrying a frying pan while flipping a pancake three times. The origin of the race allegedly began on Shrove Tuesday in 1445 when a lady was making pancakes and heard the church bell ringing. She left her house and ran to the church still carrying her frying pan with pancakes in it.

    So, what have we learned today? Finally, something worthwhile. Head over to the Kiwanis Pancake Festival at the Greek Church for some mighty fine eating with your friends.
    Happy Belated Shrove Tuesday.

  • 6 Should businesses weigh in on political controversies? According to a recent Gallup poll, the general public is closely divided on the question, with 48% in favor and 52% opposed. Not surprisingly, young people are friendlier to the idea — but even their preferences are more nuanced than a single yes-or-no question can convey.

    That’s one of the findings of a new study from Wake Forest University’s Center for the Study of Capitalism. Coauthors Christina Elson and Kylie King worked with YouGov to survey 2,000 people aged 18 to 41. In generational terms, that classifies the respondents as either Millennials or Gen Z.

    When Gallup asked young people whether “businesses in general should take a public stance on current events,” most said yes. But the Wake Forest University study revealed more subtleties. “Businesses in general” is obviously a broad description, and the phrase “a public stance on current events” could mean different things to different people. One respondent might be thinking about a multinational manufacturer and another about the sign shop down the street. And one respondent might be thinking about race relations or LGBT rights while another might want businesses to weigh in on transportation, tax policy or school reform.

    To get more specific, Elson and King tested this proposition: “The CEOs of big businesses should be more involved in solving social problems.” A plurality of young people (43%) liked the idea while 29% were opposed and 31% described themselves as neutral. The professors also tested this one: “People should keep their personal views on social issues out of the workplace.” Most Millennial and Gen Z respondents actually said yes (56%), with 19% against and 26% neutral.

    Moreover, when it comes down to choosing where they want to work, most young people quite sensibly say salary and benefits are the most important considerations (64%), with another 20% picking flexibility of work schedule, 11% opportunities for advancement, and only 5% citing a prospective employer’s “involvement in social issues important to me.”

    Both surveys confirm that older folks with conservative views tend to be the least in favor of business leaders involving themselves in public issues. I’m a conservative in my 50s, so you might guess that’s my view. But it isn’t — at least not precisely.

    In today’s world, I suspect it is simply impossible to maintain a strict separation between politically charged debates and the workplace. I’ve also spent much of my career encouraging business executives to be more vocal in support of free enterprise, infrastructure reform, and other critical issues that shape the business climate.

    We don’t need silence from our civic leaders, be they in the public or private sectors. We need prudence.

    One prudent practice is to stay in one’s lane. It’s rarely going to be constructive for the head of a tech company to spend company time or resources lecturing the rest of us about abortion or the war in Ukraine. But it would be entirely appropriate, and probably instructive, to hear from that CEO about the quality of science education or how housing affordability affects her ability to hire talent.

    As for hot-button social issues, while they are best discussed outside the workplace, leaders can through counsel and example help their employees and customers accept the inevitability of good-faith disagreement when such issues do come up. Across a wide range of subjects, it is possible for two people to reach different conclusions without either being ignorant, stupid, or evil.

    Our public discourse has become coarse, unproductive, and deeply unfulfilling. One reason is that we’ve over-politicized so many aspects of our lives, including the workplace. Prudent leaders can help change that by speaking both more constructively and less frequently.

  • 5 Just like our great nation, the State of the Union address has a unique history surrounded by traditions and pageantry. In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson gave the first in-person address since the 18th century.

    President Harry Truman’s address was the first to be broadcasted on television in 1947. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan invited the first guest to sit in the gallery and be referenced in his speech. The State of the Union has evolved from an address only given to leaders within our government, to one that incorporates and is delivered to you, the American people.

    Regardless of politics, I always look forward to the State of the Union. It is the only time when members of the House of Representatives, Senate, Supreme Court, President’s Cabinet, Diplomatic Corps, and our nation’s top military leaders are all in the same room. The press box is buzzing with members of the media. The House Gallery is full of special guests invited by members of Congress and the White House. Sitting in the House Chamber surrounded by the bright lights brought in by television networks, you feel like you are on the set of a Hollywood movie or at the Super Bowl. The air in the room is electric as everyone is on the edge of their seats waiting for the President’s arrival.

    As I was waiting for the speech to begin last week, I was thinking about you. I was thinking about you and your family and the struggles you have faced over the past year. I hoped President Biden would lay out real solutions on how to reduce inflation, tackle Washington’s out-of-control spending, solve the crisis at the Southern border, and stand up to adversaries like China. Instead, the President’s speech sounded like a lot of recycled rhetoric.

    What the President doesn't understand is that families in North Carolina are hurting. Inflation has cost the average household an extra $10,000 over the last two years. What could you have done with that money in your pocket or savings? Additionally, energy prices this winter are the highest they have been in 15 years, while a record amount of Americans say they are worse off financially since Biden took office.

    One of the major drivers of inflation is Washington’s reckless spending and inability to tackle our national debt. The greatest threat to our future is our growing national debt, which has surpassed levels that have not been seen since World War II. Unfortunately, the President did not lay out any strategy to tackle our debt or reduce spending.

    Raising the debt limit without making reforms is not the answer to fixing our current debt crisis. Think about your own children, grandchildren, or other teenagers you know. When a child maxes out a credit card, you don’t simply raise the card’s spending limit and allow their spending to continue. You make changes so they know the importance of creating a budget and sticking to it for the future. As we stare down another debt limit increase, Republicans are ready to work with the President on a new budget framework focused on fiscal restraint and responsibility.

    Instead of addressing the state of our border and national security, President Biden told the American people that the border is secure. Ignoring this crisis has been the strategy of the Biden administration since the beginning, which has led to nearly 5 million illegal migrants and thousands of pounds of fentanyl to enter our nation over the last two years.

    Furthermore, the President failed to address China in a meaningful way — especially following the spy balloon incident. A Chinese spy balloon was able to travel freely across our nation and near sensitive national security sites, including Fort Bragg. The balloon caused air space over our state to be closed for a period of time before it was finally shot down. Yet the fact that the balloon entered U.S. airspace at all is unacceptable. On Thursday, I was proud to stand with my House colleagues and vote to condemn and denounce the Chinese Communist Party’s use of a spy balloon to collect intelligence on our country — a direct violation of our sovereignty.

    From the economy to the border to national security, the State of our Union continues to be challenged under President Joe Biden and hardworking American families like yours are paying the price. Washington Democrats’ inability to address these ongoing crises directly impacting the wallets and safety of you and your family is inexcusable. America is the greatest nation on Earth and our state of the union should always be strong. I believe our country is at a turning point where we have the opportunity to come together to address these problems you and your family face every day.

    Challenges to our economy and national security have certainly set us back, but rest assured House Republicans have solutions to set our country on the right track. As your Congressman, I will never stop working to make sure you, and our union, are strong, prosperous, safe and free.

  • 4 Allen New N.C. Supreme Court Justices Trey Allen and Richard Dietz have eight years to prove their dedication to limited constitutional government.
    An early case involving felon voting rights suggests they have a good chance of passing the test.

    Allen and Dietz joined their five state Supreme Court colleagues on Feb. 2 for oral arguments in Community Success Initiative v. Moore. In that case, plaintiffs argue that all felons who have completed active prison time should be allowed to vote in N.C. elections.

    A decision in the case is weeks or even months away. But questions and comments from both Allen and Dietz suggest they are approaching the case from a proper 4 Dietz constitutional perspective.
    Article VI, Section 2(3) of the N.C. Constitution deals with “disqualification of felon.” It says no felon “shall be permitted to vote unless that person shall first be restored to the rights of citizenship in the manner prescribed by law.”

    The General Assembly writes the laws. The current law for re-enfranchising felons dates back to 1973. It says felons regain voting rights once they complete all aspects of their sentences, both inside and outside prison.

    That 1973 law marked a liberalization of the re-enfranchisement process. Prior to its passage, N.C. felons had to jump through additional hoops to regain the right to vote.
    Yet many left-of-center activists oppose the current rules. They believe any felon who has completed active prison time should be able to vote.

    Rather than pursue that goal through the General Assembly, the body that has the power to write new laws, some activists went to court. They argued that the felon voting standards violated the state constitution.
    It’s noteworthy that the Community Success Initiative case didn’t challenge Article VI, Section 2(3). It would be hard to claim that a section of the state constitution violates the state constitution.

    Instead, opponents took on the 1973 law. They called it racially discriminatory. Two members of a three-judge trial-court panel agreed. The panel struck down the law, then took the unusual step of declaring that all felons who had completed active prison time would be able to vote in upcoming elections.

    The N.C. Court of Appeals delayed implementation of that change. But a split 2-1 appellate panel allowed felons outside prison walls to register and vote in last November’s election. Advocates have said the ruling applied to roughly 56,000 people.

    The state Supreme Court must decide whether trial judges got the decision right. Felon voting advocates answer yes. Legislative leaders say no.
    During oral arguments, Dietz outlined a key problem with the felon voting activists’ case. If the 1973 law violates the state constitution, that doesn’t open the door to more felons voting.

    “Isn’t the remedy under our constitutional doctrine that we would declare the act of the General Assembly unconstitutional? It’s a nullity,” Dietz said. “And the General Assembly must re-enact a constitutional version of the statute.”

    Dietz later questioned the notion that judges could rewrite felon voting rules from the bench. “It seems that our constitutional doctrine is pretty clear that in North Carolina we don’t try to get into the minds of legislators,” he said.

    “We declare something unconstitutional and then tell that other branch of government, ‘You need to try again. You enacted a law, and it was unconstitutional. Enact one that is not unconstitutional.’”
    A Washington, D.C.-based lawyer arguing for felon voting responded that such a ruling could “wreak havoc” on North Carolina’s elections. It would eliminate voting for any felon who ever has had his rights restored.

    Yet that is the only way a court could address an unconstitutional law. Judges cannot invent a new law to replace the old one.

    Allen made that point when he followed Dietz’s commentary.

    “Here’s my basic concern with the remedy,” Allen said. “The constitution in Article VI says felons shall not vote unless their rights have been restored in the manner prescribed by law.”

    “The default is no felon voting except in the manner prescribed by law,” Allen said. “Where is the law that prescribes that felons can vote — or may vote — simply upon being released from incarceration?”

    “The trial court seems to have imposed a remedy that’s beyond the authority of a court,” Allen added.

    “The courts can’t grant the restoration of voting rights to felons. The constitution expressly provides that those rights can only be restored by law. The authority to adopt such a law rests with the General Assembly, not with any court.”

    It’s unclear whether a majority of the court will find fault with the 1973 law. If so, Allen and Dietz’s comments suggest they will not be inclined to have the state Supreme Court rewrite the law on its own. That’s a job for legislators.

    Voters elected Allen and Dietz last November to eight-year terms on the state’s highest court. They will have plenty of opportunities in the years ahead to demonstrate their judicial philosophies.
    In this early case, they have signaled an adherence to reading what the N.C. Constitution says and following it where it leads.

  • 19Each year Christians embark on spiritual journeys that culminate with Easter celebrations.

    Easter is preceded by a period of six weeks that begins on Ash Wednesday in Western churches and ends the Thursday before Easter Sunday. In Eastern churches only, Lent begins on the Monday of the seventh week before Easter and ends on the Friday nine days before Easter.

    During Lent, some Christians participate in fasting, repentance, self-denial, spiritual discipline and other preparations for Easter. According to the resource Learn Religions, the Lenten season was established to serve as a time for reflection on Jesus Christ, particularly to be more aware of His suffering and sacrifice.

    On Ash Wednesday, some Christians mark their foreheads with ashes made from palm fronds, as symbols of sorrow and mourning for their sins.
    Periods of fasting and abstinence also are part of Lenten observances. The fasting likely serves as an imitation of Jesus Christ’s fasting in the wilderness for 40 days and nights before beginning his public ministry.

    During that time, Christ was tempted by Satan and wrestled with temptation.

    During Lent, individuals also prepare simple meals and avoid ingredients that would be considered luxurious. In accordance with that, Fridays during Lent are set aside as meat-free (including poultry) since meat long has been considered an indulgence.

    Furthermore, people often “give up” something they enjoy, whether it’s sweets, alcohol or celebratory behaviors. For some, Sundays throughout Lent are excluded from the fasting and abstinence requirements because they are times to enjoy Mass, which is a celebration. Therefore, if one gave up chocolate for Lent, he or she can enjoy it on Sunday.

    Lent is supposed to be a time of repentance, but not shame. Instead, sinners seek cleansing from their sins and contemplate what the Lord did when He sacrificed Himself on the cross.
    Protestants also take part in Lent, but Catholic churches are particularly associated with the more well-known Lenten requirements.

    Parishioners may notice that Mass is different during Lent. The Gloria, a prayer normally used after the penitential rite near the beginning of the service, is omitted. Furthermore, suppression of the word “Alleluia” also occurs, and any hymns containing the word “Alleluia” are avoided.

    In 2023, among Western churches, Lent begins on Wednesday, Feb. 22 and ends on Thursday, April 6. Easter will be celebrated on Sunday, April 9.

  • 18February is known for Valentine’s Day, but it is also a month for heart health awareness.

    In the U.S., heart disease ends in mortality approximately every 40 seconds. In 2022 there were more than 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests nearly 90% percent of which were fatal.
    The leading factors for heart disease are high blood pressure and low density cholesterol or LDL, which is known as the bad cholesterol that builds up plaque in our coronary arteries.

    There is a second type of cholesterol known as the good cholesterol, HDL, that assists in cleaning out the bad cholesterol and keeping the arteries balanced.
    Cholesterol is a fatty wax substance produced in our liver and found in certain foods. It is important in building cells, making hormones, and an important contributor to making vitamin D. When you eat too much food containing cholesterol, trans fats, and saturated fats the liver begins to make more cholesterol than it needs and begins to clog our arteries

    When we flip over the package and read 0% cholesterol, we may think that is okay if we eat this bag of chips. But read on to see the amount of fat, sugar and salt contained.
    Fat falls into the category of trans and saturated fat. Trans fat has been mostly eliminated in foods, but saturated fat is still present in many of the foods that we eat.

    Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and they come in the form of butter, cheese, coconut oils and red meat with a high amount of saturated fat.

    A recent challenge that involved a 5k with a leading doughnut maker encouraged the participants to eat a dozen doughnuts in the mid part of the race and then finish. One of these doughnuts has no cholesterol but out of 190 calories that person consuming a dozen doughnuts has consumed 2,280 calories with 132 grams of fat and 60 grams of saturated. The recommended allowance per day for fat intake in a 2,000-calorie diet is less than 65 grams of fat and less than 20 grams of saturated fat. Although it may be an isolated incident, the amount of fat that we eat each day mounts up.

    We are not always what we eat but the question is who, how and why we are at risk for potential heart disease. Genetics may be one of the reasons we may have an inherited risk for heart disease if we have parents or siblings who have had heart disease. Men fall into the category of age younger than 55 and women 65 with genetic cholesterol issues.

    Factors that increase the risk of high blood pressure, cholesterol and metabolic syndrome are diabetes, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle and our diet.
    We cannot do anything about our genetics but we can be aware of our diet and what foods can increase our risk of heart disease since sugar, salt and fat are part of the everyday American diet, especially in processed food.

    Healthy comes in all sizes but a large amount of weight gain results in visceral fat around your organs which results in an increased effort for your body to keep up, putting strain on your heart which can result in heart disease.

    Live, love life and be healthy.

     

  • 17Whether you’ve spent a lifetime operating your business or have just recently taken the reins, when it comes time to sell, you want the experience to go well and achieve a successful transaction.
    And by going well, people typically mean without a lot of headaches, and, of course, financially capitalizing on your time and hard work. Achieving those goals becomes much easier when you enlist the aid and support of an experienced business broker or advisor.

    Business advisors are experts in the field, offering help and insights for every step of the sale. They typically have years of experience to offer you during the process so that you achieve all your goals.
    While the reasons for opting to work with a qualified broker are many, here are the top five:

    Valuing your business

    The first reason that you should consider working with a business advisor is they evaluate your business and determine a probable sale price.
    You want to value your company realistically, of course, but there are numerous factors that go into determining not only a fair price but one that is in line with the current market. This includes advising you on the best time to sell and marketing your business for sale to maximize profits.

    Finally, a business advisor is a great source of advice and guidance on all aspects of business, as the following reasons demonstrate.

    Preparing the business

    Next on the list of reasons you should consider working with a business advisor to sell your company is they will help you get all the business’s legal and financial records in order.

    Business advisors have a network of professional partners that they can recommend for all manner of experts that may be required during the sale of your business, such as accountants, lawyers, financial advisors, and property and equipment appraisers.

    Additionally, because business advisors have assisted in numerous other business sales, they can manage your expectations of the process, ensuring that all aspects of the sale run smoothly and identifying potential pitfalls and addressing them before they potentially kill the deal.

    Finding the right buyer

    For many entrepreneurs, a big concern revolves around vetting potential buyers for their business. A qualified business advisor can assist in that process. This includes helping you market your business to find the best buyer. In line with vetting concerns, many business owners hope to keep the sale of their business as confidential as possible to avoid issues with their employees, suppliers, and clients.
    Brokers also make every effort to market a business’s sale and conduct the process confidentially.

    Managing the details

    When you need your car worked on, you go to a trained mechanic because you want someone who understands cars and is experienced in making repairs.

    It’s the same when it comes to selling your company. Brokers are experts in selling a business, with an understanding of all the financial ins and outs of a sale.
    Deciding to part ways with a company you created can be an emotional process and a business advisor is an objective partner that can guide you.

    Getting the best price

    The final reason to work with a business advisor is to maximize your profit. Brokers have experience negotiating with buyers when it comes to selling a company. They know how to take advantage of all relevant opportunities to get the best price for your business and avoid potential deal killers during the sale process.

    Last, but not least, a business advisor can also serve as a valuable resource to help you plan for your next steps once the sale of your business is finalized. Just because you are selling one company doesn’t mean that you are walking away from the business world after all. A business advisor can assist you in taking on whatever your next challenge may be.
    There is a lot involved in selling a business. Having a professional to guide you can help ensure the sale goes smoothly and you maximize your profit. Business advisors are available to help facilitate the process. Many offer a free consultation today to get you started.

    Editor’s note: Ashley Kelsey is a Business Broker at Transworld Business Advisors of Eastern North Carolina. For more information call 910-302-6447 or visit www.transworldeast.com.

  • From elegant ballroom dancing to striking salsa moves, come out and support Fayetteville’s02-29-12-dancing-with-stars.jpg superstars as they dance and boogie the night away. The Center for Economic Empowerment and Development hosts Dancing with the Fayetteville Stars on Saturday, April 14, at the Crown Expo Center.

    The event was voted best fundraiser in 2011 by Up & Coming Weekly readers. That honor is not a big surprise to those who have participated in or attended previous events. CEED put a lot of hard work and energy into the event, which helps make a difference in our community.

    Originally called the Women’s Center of Fayetteville, The Center for Economic Empowerment and Development is a non-profi t organization that was established May 20, 1990, when a small group of women in the Fayetteville community came together and generated a facility focused on community service. The organization has an emphasis on bringing people and organizations together, without confl ict, to resolve important issues for relief in the community. CEED is dedicated to assisting women and men by helping them fi nd their own strength to succeed. The mission of CEED is to promote growth, productivity and well-being through counseling, education, information and advocacy programs.

    The organization has attained success since its beginning, with the creation of three programs: Women’s Business Center, the New Choice Program and the Lease to Home Program. All of these amazing programs have a goal of success, which is an important key to life.

    Dancing with the Fayetteville Stars is an important fundraiser for the organization because it focuses on raising money to support the Lease to Home Program. Lilliana Parker, marketing manager at CEED, explained that each year the organization has a goal of raising more money from the fundraiser than the previous year.

    “Last year we raised $120,000 and we focus on increasing our budget each year,” Parker says. “We have a goal of making $160,000 at this year’s fundraiser.”

    Parker discusses the importance of sponsorship and its signifi cance when raising money for the fundraiser.

    “Usually we have 1,000 tables, and depending on the level of sponsorship, that determines the amount of tickets a person can receive,” Parker explains. “Sponsorship levels range from copper level which costs $300, to platinum level which is $10,000.”

    Volunteers are a huge focal point in making the fundraiser a success. Because CEED’s mission is focused on helping the community, volunteering is a big part of the event.

    “We have a good amount of volunteers for the fundraiser who help out for the event as well as volunteer dancers,” Parker adds. “Usually we have about 40 volunteers for the event.”

    Parker said the fundraiser will be a night of fun and enjoyment for all who attend. But the most important part of the night is raising money to help those individuals with low income.

    The Lease to Home program is CEED’s innovative program that focuses on assisting those transitioning from homelessness to becoming homeowners. Who doesn’t want to be able to have a safe place to live and call their own? The Lease to Home program offers affordable living and a safe place to live for all walks of life. To date, the program has successfully helped 46 families become homeowners. With the money raised from the fundraiser, CEED hopes to rehabilitate and provide safe, affordable housing for families in need.

    “Every year, through our fundraiser, we are happy to present a new home for those low-income families,” Parker says. “It is very tangible and very fast.”

    CEED’s one night of entertainment and dance brings optimism and bliss to families for a lifetime.

    The fundraiser sweeps the dance fl oor at 5:30 p.m. at the Crown Expo Center. For more information about sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, visit www.ncceed.org or contact the offi ce at 323-3377.

    Photo: Dancing with the Fayetteville Stars was voted best fundraiser in 2011 by Up & Coming Weekly readers.

  • 6The “problem” with freedom is that other people may do things that trouble, annoy, or even anger you. In a free society, you have no legitimate authority to stop them.

    Strictly speaking, that’s not a problem. It’s a solution. Throughout human history, much suffering has derived from a lack of freedom.
    One faction obtained government power, wielded it to impose its values on others, and then either successfully or unsuccessfully made its imposition stick with violence or intimidation.

    Another faction, aggrieved, eventually obtained power of its own, and the cycle of strife recurred.
    Freedom is necessary for living together peaceably in a world of conflicting values — which is, in fact, the only world we’ve got.

    If you are free to worship Baal and I am free to worship God, one of us is likely to be in dire moral peril. But at least I am not also fearful of being tyrannized or killed for acting on my beliefs, and you can say the same.

    Moreover, in a free society I have more than just the right to worship as I please. I also have the right to attempt to evangelize you, just as you have the right to try to sell me the full Baal-Believers benefits package, complete with free Ginsu knives for ritual sacrifice (did you know they can cut through these tin cans as easily as through a ripe tomato?)
    Of course, in a free society, there’s nothing that says one has to listen. Therein lies the “problem.”

    In my experience, liberty lovers fail to appreciate how difficult it is for most human beings to handle not being listened to, and to be confronted with the fact that others are doing something self-destructive or wrong but can’t be enjoined from continuing.

    Such psychic pain is also an inalienable facet of human nature. It can be excruciating.

    Yielding to the temptation to use government coercion to make this pain go away is wrong — no less than yielding to other kinds of injurious temptations — but surely one can understand why it happens.
    It has become fashionable in modern society to attribute this behavior primarily to religious conservatives, typically portrayed as puritanical busybodies or hypocrites. But I find at least as much willingness among groups on the political Left to use governmental coercion to impose their beliefs.

    On public university campuses, they restrict free speech and require participation in tendentious diversity training.
    In legislative bodies and regulatory agencies, they seek restrictions on advertising, either because they don’t like the products being sold or they don’t like consumers are smart enough to understand the claims made.

    They claim the right to impose restrictions on wages, prices, working hours, and other conditions of employment regardless of what the parties to an employment contract may seek or think is fair.
    They think it’s okay to force taxpayers with strongly held moral or religious views to fund obscene art or social-justice activism but think it’s outrageous that taxpayer money goes to educational institutions and social-service nonprofits that teach or adhere to traditional views.

    Freedom isn’t easy. It requires us to be grown-ups, to settle for living in a society in which some people, no matter how hard we try, just aren’t going to do what we say or believe what we believe.
    It requires hippies to respect the rights of fundamentalists, and those with less to respect the rights of those with more, and gays to respect the rights of straights, and pacifists to respect the rights of hunters. Yes, it also means the reverse in each case. It works both ways.

    Yielding to the temptation to coerce inevitably creates a more serious problem than the problem of learning to live with daily annoyances and outrages — just as yielding to a strong temptation to drink or overeat can make one feel good in the short run but cause severe harm in the long run. I guess it’s time for a new 12-step program.

  • 16mark burksMark Burks

    Cape Fear • Track and field/football/ swimming/wrestling • Junior

    Mark has a 4.1 grade point average. He is a member of Campus Life, the Creative Writing Club and the History Club. 

     

     

    17morgan nunneryMorgan Nunnery

    Cape Fear • Softball/golf • Junior

    Morgan has a 4.2 grade point average. She is a member of Student Government Association, Future Business Leaders of America and HOSAFuture Health Professionals.

  • The Homeless Highlight National Issues

    5We all see homeless people among us, a sad and shocking reality in the United States, boasting the world’s largest economy.
    Some of them will get back on their feet, but others, many of whom suffer from serious mental illnesses, will not.

    The cold, hard truth is that the United States, including North Carolina, does not have a working mental health system.
    New York City Mayor Eric Adams shocked his city and the nation late last year when he announced that police and medical officials would round up and involuntarily provide “care” to unsheltered people deemed to be in “psychiatric crisis.”

    As far as I can tell, New York City is the only locality attempting such detentions, although homelessness among the mentally ill is common across our nation, especially in our cities.
    Individuals in crisis whether talking to themselves and others, whether behaving erratically and/or aggressively can make us feel uncomfortable, even frightened.

    But they are human beings with rights, and hauling them off without their consent should make us equally uncomfortable.
    The underlying problem is that beginning in the mid-20th century, communities across America began dismantling large, often state-run mental institutions for a concept called community care.
    Decades into this, it has become clear that with a few exceptions, there is no such thing as community care. People with serious mental illness may get a bandage here and there, but true, effective treatment does not really exist.

    If Mayor Adams has done nothing else, his edict to round up mentally ill homeless people has shown the spotlight on one of ugly failures in modern American life.

    Telling Tales

    5aU.S. Representative George Santos (R-NY) is nothing if not a top contender for the title of King of the Whoppers.

    So far, he has lied about where he attended both high school and college; said that he was a star volleyball player on a team that never existed; said that his mother lived through 9-11 in New York when she was actually in Brazil; claimed false marriages; and lied about forming a charity for animals and apparently cheated a disabled vet out of medical treatment for his vet dog.
    Whew!

    My eastern North Carolina grandmother had a special word for lies. She called them “teewaddies,” as in grabbing a little girl by her shoulders, looking her squarely in the eye, and hissing, “Margaret Dawson, don’t you ever tell me a “teewaddy” again.

    George Santos should have had such a grandmother, but — oops! — he said she died in the Holocaust.
    She did not.

    Considering a Tattoo?

    5bLongtime Up & Coming Weekly readers may remember that for quite some time this columnist had a “thing” about tattoos.
    Coming from a non-tattoo generation, she simply did not understand them or why one might want one. She has since mellowed a bit, but still no personal tatts. Nonetheless, she recently found some helpful hints for those considering body ink, and here are a few.

    Research your tattoo artist’s work before lying down on the bed. Do you like his/her style? Are the designs and colors you want available?
    Are the materials used safe for you or are you possibly allergic? Can the artist test your skin with the various inks? Are you vaccinated against Hepetitis B?

    Some tattoos are more painful than others, depending on where they are on your body. Are you prepared for that and for tattoo aftercare?
    Will you regret your tatt in 10, 20 or 30 years? Tattoos mark a specific moment in time, and we all change and evolve.

    Will the 50-year-old you love what the 20-year-old you did?
    Do you know that tattoo removal is expensive, painful and does not always work?

    All good questions to ask before you hand over your skin to an “artist.”

  • 15BowlingGetting hot at the right time can be critical when pursuing a championship of any kind. No one made that point better recently than the boys’ bowling team from South View High School.

    The Tigers were a less than impressive third in the regular season race in the Patriot Athletic Conference.

    But postseason was a different story. The South View boys rolled their way to victory in the conference tournament and continued their hot streak Feb. 15 at the Lumberton Bowling Center, capturing the state bowling championship.

    The Tiger hot streak got started in the finals of the conference tournament against Pine Forest. South View bowled three games in the last round and had scores of 175, 200 and 200.

    That earned South View a trip to the state tournament, but the team still had to dodge a near debacle to have a shot at the championship.

    The format in the state tournament was to bowl four games as a team against the entire field. After that, the four teams with the highest pin count advanced to the next round.

    “We made the top four by three pins,’’ South View coach Mike Maddox said.

    As the fourth seed in the field, South View had to face top-seeded and home team Lumberton in the next round. “We kind of limped in and got hot,’’ Maddox said. The Tigers beat Lumberton and advanced to the finals against Pinecrest, where South View got the win and the championship. They beat the Patriots in the finals 161-154.

    Maddox gives much of the credit for South View’s success this year to senior Hunter Hicks. Hicks has been the Tiger captain and anchor bowler for the last two years and a team member for four years.

    In team bowling, five players roll two frames each per match. The anchor bowler bowls the fifth and 10th frames. The 10th frame is crucial because if that bowler can strike or spare, he gets an extra ball to add to the team score.

    “You want your best bowler, and he certainly fits that bill,’’ Maddox said. “We’ve been riding that horse a couple of years now.’’

    Hicks began bowling with family more than a dozen years ago. “It’s something you can always improve on,’’ he said of bowling, “little adjustments to improve the game.’’

    Hicks said he and some of his teammates went to Lumberton prior to the state championship to get a feel for the lanes there.

    He bowled in the individual competition in the state championship match but struggled near the end and didn’t finish among the leaders. But he didn’t allow that to affect his performance in the team round.

    “My mind went straight to the team,’’ he said. “I thought we had a good chance of winning it.’’

    Hicks said he couldn’t ask for a better way to complete his final season with the team than them bringing home the state title.

    He plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and become a social worker. Pembroke doesn’t have a bowling team, but Hicks hopes to change that. “I plan to get hold of the United States Bowling Congress and look at starting a team at Pembroke,’’ he said.

    Photo:  L-R: Coach Mike Maddox, Josh Packer, Nick Riley, Nick Roberson, Hunter Hicks, Connor Schneider, Joshua Hicks, Jordan Hicks, Isaac Palakawongse, Shaakir Williams, Jaycee Wynne

  • 4A parade of teachers and activists stood in front of the long table of senators Monday night, Feb. 6, labeling parents as abusive, volatile, unsafe adults whose involvement in their children’s difficult journeys in self-discovery would lead to suicide, self-harm and death.

    The militant message boldly asserts that parents are the enemies, and secrecy between schools and children should be ordained by the state.
    During the Senate Rules Committee hearing about the Parents Bill of Rights, Democrat state Sen. Julie Mayfield said children face “withering inquisitions from parents” about their gender confusion, painting parents as berating outsiders instead of concerned family members.

    Senators were asked by activists to trust schools as secret keepers of “affirming spaces” and that asserted any attempt for parents to be informed about pronoun changes was “policing queerness.”
    Sen. Amy Galey, the Republican bill sponsor, reminded attendees that SB 49 makes provisions for rare instances where children might be subject to abuse if parents learn about their child’s chosen identity. But that provision wasn’t quite enough to satisfy anti-parental rights activists, who want parents left out in the cold while school employees usurp the moral and emotional guidance of other people’s children.

    In the last two months, there have been 13 documented sex crimes by North Carolina school employees, one charge for larceny, four for assault, one for being drunk while teaching, and another for child pornography. Considering the number of crimes, with the majority being sexual and assault charges, the school system and their activists are in no position to claim moral authority over parents.

    In fact, between the sexual assault by school employees, the bullying, violence, and drug use, it seems schools are one of the least safe spaces for children.
    Speakers in favor of SB 49 gave shocking examples of why transparency is needed, detailing graphic sexual storylines in books offered in schools and gender confusing books aimed at kindergartners.

    A retired Orange County school teacher of 16 years said in a statement to the committee, “these books in media center would make grown people blush… We are supposed to protect our children, not harm them.” She added that being asked to use alternative pronouns contributed to her decision to retire early.

    NC Values Coalition executive director Tami Fitzgerald told the committee that Charlotte Mecklenburg School District started using “Welcoming Schools” in 2016, a teacher development program directing teachers to incorporate sexual orientation and gender identity into lesson plans.

    Sen. Amy Galey has been the “mom representative” for many — she speaks on behalf of most moms in the state. Very plainly, Galey said in a press conference, “It baffles me to think that this bill could be divisive, quite frankly. I cannot understand why it would be controversial to say that children 5-6-7-8-9 years old should not be taught about sexuality or sexual activity in a public school classroom.”

    The campaign to shut parents out while school administrators provide pornography, keep secrets, and indoctrinate children is indeed baffling. It’s especially troubling that the pattern follows grooming tactics, which include gaining access, trust development, isolating children from parents, and desensitizing children to sexual material by slowly exposing it to them. If you reference the Pavement Education Project’s website at www.pavementeducationproject.com/ you can see examples of pornography and books on gender ideology by county and school in North Carolina.

    As one speaker put it, there is no academic value in teaching children about gender fluidity or showing them sexually explicit material. Schools should stick to academics and leave cultural issues to the family.

    None of this happens suddenly; it’s been a slow drip of agenda-driven curriculum brought to parents’ attention largely during COVID shutdowns. The activists paint themselves as victims of parents who are in the wings, waiting to violently abuse their children because of gender confusion.

    Teachers who spoke positioned themselves as necessary parental surrogates, the first adults who should rightfully respond to students’ personal struggles.
    The character assassination of parents is simply a way to gain exclusive access to children, cutting out parents to influence an agenda.

    Thankfully, the Senate passed S.B. 49. As the House considers a response, I hope members will consider the harmful toll educational agendas have taken on our children.
    While test scores continue to fall, mental health problems and gender confusion continue to rise. Schools are failing in their mission to provide a solid education that will prepare students to become productive, educated members of society.

    They should leave moral and personal matters to families.

  • 14wrestlingDallas Wilson and Jared Barbour took somewhat different paths to their goals, but in the end, both realized the same dream: capturing North Carolina High School Athletic Association individual state wrestling titles.

    The Cape Fear High School pair brought home their championships in the annual NCHSAA state meet at the Greensboro Coliseum, winning in the Feb. 16 finals at the Greensboro Coliseum.

    For Wilson, it was his second state title in as many seasons. He won the 138-pound class with a 12-0 major decision over Joshua Felix of North Henderson.

    Barbour had a more difficult time in his title match, beating Morgan King, also of North Henderson, 7-4.

    Wilson finished the season 50-1, Barbour 50-2.

    Heath Wilson, the father of Dallas and the coach of the Cape Fear wrestling team, had two main worries as his son pursued his second state title.

    “Don’t let negativity seep in,’’ Coach Wilson said. “There are a lot of avenues that it could — everything from weight cutting to workouts.’’

    Coach Wilson said his biggest concerns for his son were the pressure of repeating and the possibility of injury. An ankle injury just before the championship round last season almost derailed Dallas’ title bid.

    Dallas said pressure took a toll on his mindset at times during the season, but the day of the finals, he had a couple of hours to gather his thoughts because his championship match was one of the last ones scheduled.

    He thanked teammates like Barbour and another state finalist, Triston Chapman, who dueled with him in practice. He said there were also wrestlers from his club team who pushed him and boosted his confidence.

    In the title match, he got the first takedown and jumped to an early 3-0 lead. “Once I went up 8-0, I knew I had it in the bag,’’ he said.

    Dallas plans to take some time off but said he will definitely be back on the mat by March at the latest. “I’m trying to win a national title,’’ he said. “I’m trying to get up there with the top dogs.’’

    After two years of missing out on the championship chase, Barbour made a decision that he was going to push for a state title in his final season at Cape Fear.

    “I didn’t want to go into a tournament worried about a kid,’’ he said. “I wanted to walk in knowing I was tough enough and good enough to beat anybody.’’

    He took weightlifting classes at Cape Fear and was pushed by Colt football coaches Jacob Thomas and Jordan Vann. He also got instruction in club wrestling from Kyle Narburgh. “He pushed me and taught me what I needed to do to be a state champ,’’ Barbour said.

    He honed his mental edge as he pursued the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. “I would come off the mat straight to Boy Scout meetings,’’ he said. The two disciplines weren’t always fun, but he said he realized he had to drive through both.

    Although his title match was close, Barbour never felt out of control. “I never felt I was losing,’’ Barbour said. “When he escaped and took me down, I knew what I had to do. I felt pretty confident.’’

    Barbour hopes to wrestle in college but he’s made no definite plans. He leaves Cape Fear proud to be part of establishing a new wrestling legacy for the tradition rich Colt program.

    “To be in the top three (as a team) the last two years... means a lot,’’ he said. “Bringing in better coaching staff with Garrison Matthews and Kyle Narburgh the last two years, I think we are definitely moving up.’’

    In addition to the state titles won by Wilson and Barbour, the following Cumberland County wrestlers placed in the top six in their weight classes in this year’s NCHSAA individual wrestling championships.

    4-A

    120 - Kevin Wanovich, Jack Britt, 6th

    145 - Tremaine Jackson, South View, 6th

    160 - Denzel Carrucini, Jack Britt, 6th

    195 - Erick Martinez, Jack Britt, 2nd

    3-A

    126 - Triston Chapman, Cape Fear, 2nd

    220- Ray Dixon, Douglas Byrd, 2nd

    220 - Nick Minacapelli, Cape Fear, 3rd

    Photo: Dallas Wilson and Jared Barbour of Cape Fear High School pose with their championship brackets on the floor of the Greensboro Coliseum.

  • 16College is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be expensive for you. The financial aid experts at Fayetteville Technical Community College will help you find a scholarship that is just right for you.
    The best thing about scholarships, is that unlike loans, you don’t have to pay scholarships back.

    Are you a North Carolina resident who doesn’t have enough money to pay for college?

    If so, you should apply for the Golden LEAF Foundation Scholarship. It provides up to $2,250 per year for students living in one of the qualifying counties, which are listed on the application. You can use this scholarship to pay for tuition, books, child care, and even transportation so you can get to school.

    Would you like to get paid to go to parties?

    If so, you should apply for the prestigious Tom McLean Ambassadors Scholarship Program. As a student ambassador, you will help people understand what FTCC is all about and how FTCC benefits the community. Along the way, you will build relationships with community leaders, develop leadership skills, and get lots of great pictures for social media. The rigorous application process includes grade verification, an essay, and a panel interview. Student Ambassadors receive a $1,000 scholarship.

    Did your parents serve in the military?

    If so, you may be eligible for the North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs Scholarship. This scholarship is available to the children of veterans who died, were captured, or became disabled during their military service. If you don’t qualify for this scholarship, that’s OK. Veterans and the children of veterans are eligible for many other educational assistance programs. FTCC was recently named the most military friendly large community college in the nation, so we are experts in helping veterans and the families of veterans.

    Do you want to earn big bucks, driving big trucks?

    If so, you need to apply for the State Employee Credit Union Bridge to Career Program. This scholarship will help you pay for your commercial driver license training program. When you are done, you will have everything you need to begin a highly paid career on the open road.

    Do you hate filling out applications?

    So do we. That’s why the continuing education division no longer requires applications for some scholarships. These scholarships can be used to pay for a wide variety of programs including welding, veterinary assistant, medical billing, and many more. Some programs can be completed online. Scholarships are first come, first served, so enroll today before the money runs out.
    These are just a few of the scholarship opportunities at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

    If you are ready to learn more, visit www.faytechcc.edu/ to begin your journey with FTCC.

  • 20Zaryen McGilvary   

    Zaryen McGilvary

    Seventy First • Track and field • Junior

    McGilvary has a 3.7 grade point average. He’s active in the Seventy-First Junior ROTC and volunteers at local food banks.

    21Emily Mikkelsen 

    Emily Mikkelsen

    Seventy First • Soccer • Sophomore

    Mikkelsen has a 4.08 grade point average. In addition to soccer, she is active in National Honor Society and Art Honor Society. She also is interested in photography and volunteers at a local horse stable.

  • 7 Welcome back to the wonderful land of Greek Mythology. We all know about man-eating tigers. It turns out tigers aren’t the only critter who chows down on people.

    Today, Gentle Reader, you shall learn about man-eating horses. These horses are not convivial like “My Friend Flicka,” brilliant like Roy Roger’s Trigger, talkative like Mr. Ed, or airborne like Shadowfax in “Lord of the Rings.” These are carnivorous equines.

    Let us compare and contrast man-eating tigers with man-eating horses. First, a recap of the sad Las Vegas tale of Siegfred & Roy. Oct. 3, 2003 was Roy’s 59th birthday.
    The show began like any of the other 30,000 previous Siegfred & Roy shows. Like most things in life, everything was fine until it suddenly wasn’t.

    Their nearly 400-pound tiger Mantacore, for reasons known only to the tiger, left his position on the stage and began to walk toward the audience. As there was no barrier between the audience and the tiger, Roy jumped in front of Mantacore to stop him from eating several tourists. Roy’s bravery of protecting the audience resulted in Mantacore grabbing Roy’s arm.

    When Mantacore finally released Roy’s arm, Roy tripped over the tiger. Mantacore then grabbed Roy’s head in his mouth and tried to carry Roy off stage. Roy ultimately survived the attack with serious injuries. While he was still conscious, Roy said, “Don’t shoot the cat.” Roy was one of the good guys. Mantacore was just doing what tigers naturally do.

    Now back to today’s theme of man-eating horses. Do you remember the story of the Mares of Diomedes? Of course, you don’t. Neither did I until I read up on them recently. Allow me to explain. Once upon a time, King Diomedes of Thrace owned a herd of man-eating horses. Why anyone would want to own a herd of man-eating horses is beyond the scope of this column. Crank up your willing suspension of disbelief. Just accept there was a herd of man-eating horses in Thrace. Pro tip: Alexander the Great’s very own horse Bucephalus was an offspring of this herd. No one but Al could ride the spirited Bucephalus. There is no record of Al’s horse eating any humans so it is safe to assume Bucephalus was a vegetarian. Which reminds me, do you know how to tell if someone is a vegetarian? Answer: They will tell you. Ba dum dum.

    Enough digression. Back to mythology. As one of Hercules 12 labors, Herk (as his buddies called him) had to steal the Mares of Diomedes. It is unclear if there were Stallions of Diomedes, but since Bucephalus eventually appeared, it is likely there was at least one stallion. The horses were wild and crazy. Their untamed personalities were attributed to their habit of eating strangers who got too close to them. The horses were chained up to a manger all day while guarded by Diomedes’ soldiers. This lack of exercise in all likelihood contributed to their cranky nature. In addition to eating people, the horses breathed fire. Capturing them could be a little bit tricky for anyone.

    There are several versions of how Herk handled this task. In Story A, Herk gets a posse together to fight Diomedes’ soldiers. Herk and the posse beat the soldiers and capture the horses. Unfortunately Herk doesn’t realize the horses are man-eaters. He leaves the horses to be watched by his faithful boy pal Abderus. Man-eating horses do what they do. Abderus becomes horse chow. After capturing Diomedes and returning to the barn, Herk learns that Abderus is no more. Irritated beyond belief, Herk feeds Diomedes to his own horses.

    Story B reports Herk cut the horses’ chains himself. Herk chases the herd onto some high ground. He digs a ditch flooding the area thereby corralling the horses on the hill. Diomedes then tries to escape. Herk captures him, killing him with an axe, and feeding him to the horses.

    Story C says Herk fed Diomedes to the horses before he released the horses. Diomedes’ soldiers find out their King is Purina Horse Chow. Highly disturbed, they attack Herk. Herk releases the herd to charge the soldiers. The soldiers turn tail, skedaddling out of there not wanting to become horse chow themselves.
    Regardless of which version is true, it turns out that once the horses consume human flesh, they chill out and become docile. Sorta like the hippies in San Francisco dining on edibles. Herk was then able to duct tape the horses’ mouths shut to turn them over as part of his tasks for his Scavenger Hunt for King Eurystheus.

    So, what have we learned today? Once again, not much. Keep one thought, if you see a fire-breathing horse, don’t try to pet it. You have been warned.

  • 19Cecilia chafin  Cape Fear’s Cecilia Chafin and Pine Forest’s C.J. Collins both started the Cumberland County high school bowling season as newcomers to the sport locally. But that didn’t wind up as a liability as both were champions in the season-ending conference bowling tournament earlier this month.

    Chafin and Collins both rose from being No. 3 seeds in the step ladder finals to claim the championships.

    Chafin defeated top-seeded Jordan Locklear of Overhills 178-154 in the final match to take the girls championship title.

    Collins also beat the No. 1 seed, Terry Sanford’s Jack Cooney, by a 205- 183 score in their title match.

    While Chafin and Collins may have been new to team bowling at their schools, both entered the season as veterans of the sport.

    Collins is a freshman at Pine Forest, but he said he’s been bowling with family and friends for more than 10 years.

    Chafin has been bowling for nine years but only recently arrived in the Fayetteville area because of her family’s military connection. High school bowling had never been offered where she lived before. She arrived in town too late to bowl last year, so her senior season at Cape Fear turned out to be her only chance at competing for her new school.

    “Bowling is just really fun to me,’’ Chafin said. “The more I bowl, the better I get and the more I want to improve.’’

    The typical high school regular-season bowling match is different from bowling as an individual. In high school matches, everyone contributes to a team score, and each bowler on the team only gets to roll two frames.

    “When it comes to a school team, it’s a lot more intense,’’ Collins said. “You try harder and want to do the best for your team.’’

    In the season-ending conference tournament, the top five bowlers, male and female, qualify to compete in step ladder fashion for the individual title.

    En route to her victory, Chafin beat second-seeded Zoe Cannady of Terry Sanford, 173-170, then downed Locklear in the final.

    Chafin said she kept her cool in the match with Cannady and felt her confidence growing. “I made sure I was hitting my mark every time,’’ she said.

    Collins topped South View’s Hunter Hicks 172-149 before downing Cooney in the title match.

    Collins is a two-handed bowler, which he feels gives him more spin on the ball and makes strikes easier when the ball reaches the pocket.

    Chafin already plans to enroll at Fayetteville State University next year and become a member of the school’s successful bowling team.

    “I’m hoping to learn a lot more about my technique and how I can improve,’’ she said.

    Collins plans to continue bowling at Pine Forest. “I just need to do what I did this year, go out and have fun,’’ Collins said.

    Here is the Cumberland County All-Conference bowling team.

    BOYS

    First team

    Jack Cooney, Terry Sanford; Hunter Hicks, South View; C.J. Collins, Pine Forest; Jacob Ezzelle, Pine Forest; Noah Hash, Pine Forest; Ammon Janet, Gray’s Creek.

    Second team

    Tommy Cooney, Terry Sanford; C.J. Woolley, Gray’s Creek; Nick Roberson, South View; Damien Perkins, Gray’s Creek.

    GIRLS

    First team

    Jordan Locklear, Overhills; Zoe Cannady, Terry Sanford; Cecilia Chafin, Cape Fear; Emily Gibson, Pine Forest; Belle Johnson, Pine Forest.

    Second team

    LeeAnne Robbins, South View; Maya Ervin, Terry Sanford; Abagayl Gowen, Gray’s Creek; Nicole Grossmick, Douglas Byrd; Regan Duncan, Cape Fear.

    Photo: Cecilia Chafin

  • 6So Fort Bragg is going to be renamed “Fort Liberty.” Why such a bland name? We commemorate great American military leaders by naming bases and installations in their memory. Don’t we have enough highly regarded military leaders and heroes to honor?

    I can think of plenty of deserving U.S. military leaders worthy of the honor. But the reality is our “woke” politicians and their backers detest people that have risen to acclaim and respect because they overcame difficulties and achieved success by diligence and competence. They want us underlings to sit back while they, alone, plot the course of progress and rewrite history.

    So why not “Fort Fredendall?” General Fredendall was the U.S. Army commander at the catastrophic defeat of U.S. forces at Kasserine Pass in February 1943. Major General Lloyd Fredendall is the epitome of the mediocrity and passivity that the “woke” types want to impose on us. Anyhow, Fredendall was relieved of command.

    I agree that Fort Bragg’s name should be changed. But not because it honors a Confederate. Braxton Bragg left his glorious success behind him in Mexico. As a Confederate commander, Bragg arguably accomplished more to bring General Lee and the Confederacy to Appomattox Court House than the majority of the Union’s generals.
    Bragg’s only success was at Chickamauga, but only because James Longstreet’s corps arrived to exploit the collapse of the Union line. But Chickamauga would see the rise of Union general George Thomas.

    Bragg went on to lose more battles. At Chattanooga, George Thomas’ troops swept Bragg’s Confederates off of Missionary Ridge, in a rout that ended his field service. But Bragg was restored to command just in time to lose Fort Fisher and Wilmington. With the loss of Wilmington, the Confederacy’s last seaport and essential trade were cut off. Bragg then capped his career by his troops’ arriving too late at the Battle of Bentonville, the last major battle of the Civil War.

    So when Camp Bragg was set up when the USA entered the First World War, naming the Army base after a native North Carolinian made sense, but full of sarcasm and irony.
    So Fort Bragg is named for a dud.

    A far more fitting name for the U.S. Army’s largest base would be George Thomas, the “Rock of Chickamauga” and the hero of Missionary Ridge and Nashville. There used to be a Fort Thomas in Kentucky, but it was closed in the 1960’s. George Thomas is far more deserving of the honor. As a Union commander, born in Virginia, he spans the North-South cultural divide and embodies the qualities we all need to emulate: competence, courage and conscience. Here is an American hero that personifies the qualities that should unite us. But politicians, both “woke” and other, always seek to divide us.

    And why stop at Fort Bragg? Cumberland County, that includes much of Fort Bragg, also needs to be renamed. William Augustus — Duke of Cumberland — was King George II’s youngest son. Like Braxton Bragg, William Augustus was a military commander of dubious talent. After losing the Battle of Fontenoy, the Duke of Cumberland was recalled. But in 1745 he returned to the field at the head of a small British Army to deal with Charles Stuart — Bonnie Prince Charlie.

    The Duke of Cumberland’s small force defeated the Highlanders at Culloden in 1746, where he earned the nickname “Butcher.” No need to go into details here; every true Scot knows the history. So naming this county, with its long association with Scottish settlement, after the Duke of Cumberland is an incredible gaffe.
    Even in England, Cumberland County is no more. It and Westmorland (another name associated with an odious history) County were merged in 1974 to make the new county of Cumbria. So why not “Culloden County” instead?

    While the “woke” crowd is celebrating their great victory in their campaign to erase American history that they find distasteful, they of course have no regard to the actual expenses of their achievement.
    So what is Fayetteville going to do about Bragg Boulevard? Change its name too? Who cares what that is going to cost the county, city, and, perish the thought, the people and their businesses?

    This has not been thought through competently. That is the price of being “woke.”

  • 18football  A change in how the clock is started when returning to play and the option of adding instant replay to state playoff competitions highlight the high school football rules changes for this year announced by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

    Neil Buie, regional supervisor of football officials for the Cape Fear region, thinks the new rules about what was the 25-second clock that times the period before the next play begins will have the biggest impact on the game this fall.

    The purpose of the rule is to establish more consistency in the time period between downs.

    “From referee to referee, there is a real difference in when the clock is blown ready for play,’’ Buie said. In the case of a referee who quickly sets the ball ready for play and starts the clock, as many as 15 or 20 more plays can be run per game than in a contest with a referee who is slower to mark the ball ready.

    Under the new rule, as soon as the ball is declared dead by an official, the 40-second clock begins ticking. But there are exceptions. It will be set to 25 seconds before the extra point attempt after a touchdown, at the start of a quarter or overtime, after an inadvertent whistle, after a charged time-out or following an official’s timeout or other stoppage of the clock by the referee for any other reason.

    Buie thinks some training of clock operators will be needed to deal with the timing changes.

    Another minor problem could be resetting the 25-second clock to 40 seconds. Most modern 25-second clocks can be adjusted with little difficulty to display a 40-second countdown. If schools have older clocks, however, they might need to purchase new control panels or have the old one updated.

    Another issue officials often encounter at schools is that the 25-second clocks don’t work. Buie wonders if the back judge will have to be responsible for the 40-second clock if it’s not working.

    Another potential major change is the addition of instant replay to state playoff games if approved by that state’s athletic association. For North Carolina, this would require action by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

    Buie thinks it’s likely that replay could only be implemented at the state championship level when the NCHSAA plays its football title games at various major college stadiums around the state.

    He’s doubtful it could be implemented at a high school stadium in a playoff game because there likely would not be enough camera angles to make it worthwhile. He added it would also be difficult to either have someone in the press box looking at a monitor or have someone bring a laptop to the field so one of the officials could view it.

    A rule change that is not a big deal to players, coaches and officials but that definitely brought smiles to members of the media involves the numbers on football jerseys. Effective with the 2024 season, the numbers must be a single solid color that contrasts with the body color of the jersey.

    In recent years, many schools have started wearing jerseys with numbers the same color as the body of the jersey, with the number faintly outlined by a contrasting color. In other cases, schools wore white jerseys with numbers of a light color, like gold or yellow on white for example, making them difficult to read from a distance.

    Trey Edge, who does radio play-by-play for DK Sports, Inc., praised the new rule.

    “It is long overdue,’’ he said. “One of the reasons we do high school broadcasts is to publicize what the kids in Cumberland County are doing. It is difficult to do that when you cannot get correct numbers, especially when there is a scrum of a lot of people.’’

    Edge said when the numbers almost bleed into the jersey in a fast-moving game, it becomes a challenge to make out something as simple as who is carrying the football. “It should not be that difficult,’’ he said. He called the new rule a big win.

    Other changes to high school football rules announced by the NFSHSA include the following:

    • Tripping a runner is now officially illegal. A runner was not previously mentioned in the definition of tripping.

    • The horse-collar tackling rule, which prohibits grabbing inside the shoulder pads to take down a runner, has been expanded. Grabbing the nameplate area of a runner’s jersey immediately below the rear collar is also illegal.

    • A legal scrimmage formation now requires only five offensive players on the line, not seven. Also, there can be no more than four offensive backs. It’s hoped this change will allow the officials to have an easier time watching for legal and illegal offensive formations.

    • The penalty for illegally kicking or batting a ball has been reduced from 15 yards to 10 yards.

    For a complete list of the football rules changes for 2019, go to www.nfhs.org. Click on the link for activities and sports at the top of the page and then choose football.

    A survey conducted by the NFSHSA in 2017-18 showed 11-player football is the most popular sport for boys in the United States. There are 14,079 schools fielding teams with 1,036,842 boys participating nationally.

    There are some 30,000 boys taking part in sixman, eight-man and nine-man football. In addition, there are some 2,500 girls playing high school football, which results in a total of 1,068,870 players taking part in the game at the high school level.

  • 5 According to the latest-available set of comparable data, North Carolina ranks 33rd in the nation in “deaths of despair” — that is, in the combined rates of suicides, fatal drug overdoses, and alcohol-induced deaths. In 2020 our age-adjusted rate was 55.5 deaths of despair per 100,000 residents, slightly higher than the national average of 54.8.

    There are steps policymakers can take to ameliorate the problem. Unfortunately, much of the commentary lately about deaths of despair is based on facile and politically charged analysis. Some mortality indicators exhibit strong correlations with age. To respond effectively to a phenomenon such as rising deaths of despair, we need to understand its causes. Looking only at raw data can lead to misunderstandings.

    For example, the two Princeton University scholars who helped coin the phrase “deaths of despair,” Anne Case and Angus Deaton, argue that the trend is primarily a reflection of rising inequality, inadequate social programs and weak labor unions. Our free-enterprise system, they argue, once “lifted countless people out of poverty” but “is now destroying the lives of blue-collar America.”

    A 2019 staff report from the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress threw cold water on their thesis. A careful examination of age-adjusted rates going back to the early 20th century reveals a “lack of correspondence” between economic indicators such as poverty or inequality and the death rates in question.

    For one thing, age-adjusted rates of suicide and alcohol-induced deaths (such as cirrhosis of the liver) were about the same in 2017 as they were in 1975. They also declined from the mid-70s to around 2000, then went up again. These patterns don’t comport well with attempts to finger capitalism as the culprit. “It is very difficult,” the report notes, “to find such trends that improve over the 1970s and 1980s, then worsen after either 1990 or 2000.”

    The trendline looks very different for drug-induced deaths. The rate rose consistently but rather gradually during the last four decades of the 20th century then shot up dramatically during the first two decades of the 21st century. What’s changed? Both the potency (and potential lethality) of illicit drugs and the widespread overuse of opioids.

    In other words, if you’re looking for a public-policy lever to pull, you’re more likely to get results if you pull the one marked “discourage drug abuse” instead of the one marked “strengthen labor unions.”
    More generally, North Carolina can do a better job of making it easier for residents to obtain high-quality treatment for mental illness and addictions. Government funding can and should play a role here, to be sure, though a recent John Locke Foundation study argues persuasively that loosening the state’s certificate-of-need laws would also enhance the number and geographical distribution of treatment options.

    To the extent deaths of despair reflect a lack of social connection, however, I think private associations need to take the lead in remedying it. Consider a study published a couple of years ago in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s psychiatry edition. It found a strong association between death rates and church attendance. For women,
    regular attendance was associated with 68% lower rate of deaths by despair. For men, the difference was about 33%.

    Naturally, we can’t just assume a causal relationship from the correlation. There was no experiment here in which the researchers identified depressed or lonely people and then randomly compelled some to go to church and others to stay home. But based on other empirical evidence for religion as a social determinant of health, I think it’s fair to conclude that faith-based institutions are integral to any realistic strategy for reducing deaths of despair.

  • 16Sara Baxley 

    Sara Baxley

    Terry Sanford • Bowling • Senior

    Baxley has a 4.63 grade point average. She’s a three-year starter for the Bulldog bowling team. In addition to serving as the team’s captain, Baxley is a member of National Honor Society as well as Health Occupations Students of America at Terry Sanford. She also works as a Cape Fear Valley Junior Volunteer.

     

    17Tommy Cooney 

    Tommy Cooney

    Terry Sanford • Bowling/Baseball • Junior

    Cooney has a 4.09 grade point average. He is a three-year starter for the Bulldog bowling team. Tommy has also led the Terry Sanford Marching Band as its drum major for the past two years and is a pitcher for the Terry Sanford baseball team. Tommy is also involved in the Kiwanis Club’s Clean Up Streets and Parks group.

  • uac022212001.jpg Each year the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville hosts the Carolina Home and Garden Show connecting area businesses in the housing industry with the community. The event runs Feb. 24-26 and promises to be full of exciting exhibits. Vendors representing every facet of the home and garden industry share the latest and greatest gizmos, gadgets, technologies and design trends to hit the market as well as tried and true products that have satisfied customers for years. You don’t have to be in the housing market to benefit from a trip to the Carolina Home and Garden Show. Throughout the weekend, guests speak on a variety of topics ranging from bees to lawn-care to gardening. Speakers include local experts as well and the Do It Yourself Network’s Jason Cameron.

    Marshall Perry, director of marketing and sales at the Crown is looking forward to the event. “I’ve been in other markets and seen similar shows, but there is so much variety in this one and so many unique vendors, this will easily surpass other shows like this,” he said. “The speakers they have lined up are interesting and are speaking on relevant topics. This is going to be a great event, I encourage everyone to come out and join us at the Crown on that weekend.”

    With more than 60 vendors registered to attend, the Carolina Home and Garden Show can answer all your home and garden questions in one visit and have you equipped for whatever project, renovation or upgrade you have in mind — indoors or out.

    “We have some new vendors that we are really excited about,” said Natalie Fryer, Home BuildersAssociation of Fayetteville executive officer. “Two that come to mind are Backyard Etc. She has some really nice garden furniture that I think people will be drawn to. Green Biz is a local nursery. They’ve been with us for years and they opened a retail shop this year called Green Side Up Garden and Gifts. I expect people will be able to find some really unique and fun things for their gardens at their booth.”

    If this season is more about ideas than projects, there is plenty of fresh perspective and inspiration to be had at this event. Not only do the vendors have products on display, many also have information and resources designed to assist the do-it-yourselfer.02-22-12-carolina-home-&-garden.jpg

    “While the HBA doesn’t have any raffles for this event, I believe that some of the vendors have prizes, gifts and drawings going on,” said Fryer.

    The guest speakers lined-up for the weekend have plenty of interesting topics to share with attendees. On Friday, Feb. 24, Kenny Bailey from the Cooperative Extension presents “Bees as Good Neighbors” at 1:30 p.m. At 3 p.m. Colby Lambert, also of the Cooperative Extension, speaks about “Trees in the Home Landscape.” Local gardening expert, Roger Mercer offers specifics on “The Best Perennials for Sun & Shade” at 4:30 p.m. Fryer noted that one of the strengths in having events like this is that it pulls the community together. “The Cumberland County Master Gardner Program is sponsoring some of our local speakers,” said Fryer. “PWC is sponsoring all of the events on Saturday, and we are really excited about that.”

    On Saturday, Feb. 25, Jason Cameron of the DIY Network is scheduled to speak three times throughout the day. Cameron is a licensed home improvement contractor, finish carpenter, personal trainer, writer, actor, TV personality and fitness model. Cameron currently hosts Desperate Landscapes on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. and Man Caves on Fridays at 9 p.m. Both shows are on the DIY Network. He also worked as one of the carpenters on TLC’s While You Were Out for three years. Cameron is scheduled to speak at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

    “We don’t know for certain what Jason is speaking about, but he is licensed home improvement contractor and when he was at the Home and Garden Show in Asheville he was very entertaining,” said Fryer. “We are really looking forward to having him h02-22-12-jason-cameron.jpgere. We had Roy Underhill as a guest for the past several years and decided to change it up a bit, so this should be a little different from what we have been doing.”

    Daylily fans are in for a treat on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. when Roger Mercer returns to the Carolina Home and Garden Show for “How to Grow Daylilies for Summer-long Color.” Jack Dewar rounds out Saturday with a presentation titled “Camellia Secrets” at 5:30 p.m.

    Sunday’s three presenters follow an outdoor theme with topics ranging from lawn care to gardening. At 1 p.m. George Quigley speaks about low maintenance lawn care. At 2:30 p.m. Charles Allen of Green Biz Nursery follows with “Before Green was Cool.” George Quigley returns at 4 p.m. with gardening advice in “Eat What You Grow.”

    With so much to see and do it’s easy to anticipate spending several hours at the event, so bring some money for a snack. The food court vendors are prepared to give customers plenty to munch on throughout the weekend.

    The Carolina Home and Garden Show runs from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $6; children under ten are free. Find out more at www.carolinahomeandgardenshow.com.

    Photo: Jason Cameron of DIY Networks Desperate Landscapes and Man Caves, is scheduled to speak on Saturday, Feb. 25, and the Carolina Home and Garden Show.

  • 11a Each March, Women’s History Month highlights the contributions of women throughout history.

    Women have played a vital role throughout the history of the world, even during eras and in countries where they have been marginalized and their freedoms limited.

    There’s no shortage of milestone moments in women’s history, and the following are some everyone can appreciate and commemorate this March and beyond.

    Marie Curie wins the Nobel Prize: In 1903, chemist and physicist Marie Curie and her husband, Pierre, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work involving radiation. Curie became the first woman to win the distinguished prize, but she didn’t stop there, winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911. That made Curie a trailblazer of a different sort, as she became the first person to win or share two Nobel Prizes.

    American women are granted the right to vote: The passage of the Nineteenth Amendment of the Constitution on August 18, 1920, guaranteed all American women the right to vote. The passage of the amendment, which was a byproduct of the hard work of women who had been fighting for suffrage for decades, enfranchised more than 25 million American women in the months ahead of the 1920 presidential election.

    Though this was a momentous event for American women, the United States was not the first nation to grant voting rights to women. That distinction belongs to the colony of South Australia, which allowed women to vote in local elections in 1861.

    Women serve in the armed forces during World War II: WWII has inspired countless books and Hollywood productions, but few have recognized or emphasized the role women played in that conflict. 11b

    11c That’s unfortunate and misleading, as the U.S. Army established the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps on May 15, 1942. Later known as the Women’s Army Corps, or WAC, this women’s branch of the U.S. Army was initially led by Colonel Oveta Culp Hobby, who later became just the second woman to serve in a presidential cabinet.
    Roughly 150,000 women served in the WAAC or WAC during World War II, with some stationed in Europe, North Africa and New Guinea.

    The National Organization for Women is founded: An American feminist organization, NOW was founded on June 30, 1966 and has since left an indelible mark on American society. Since its inception, NOW, which has an estimated membership of roughly half a million, has fought against discrimination and for equal rights for women.

    Iceland makes equal pay the law of the land: In 2018, Iceland became the first country in the world to mandate that men and women in the same job be paid the same amount. This marked a major step forward for women, who have historically been paid less than their male counterparts holding the same positions.

    Women’s History Month is a great time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions women have made throughout world history.

  • 9 Jackie Warner is an enthusiastic and energetic Carolina girl. And like Jack in the fable “Jack and the Beanstalk,” she traded her successful teaching and education administration career for the seeds to plant that would produce a solid Hope Mills community and quality of life.

    Like Jack’s magic beans, the seeds she planted in the Hope Mills community were allowed to grow and prosper. Jackie Warner’s proverbial beanstalk grew and grew, with the sky being the limit. As she climbed her beanstalk using education, knowledge, common sense and love for the community, she took the Town of Hope Mills to new heights of influence, prosperity and respectability.

    When Jack reached the top of his beanstalk, he was confronted by a mean and ugly giant. When Jackie reached the top of her proverbial beanstalk, she too, was confronted by unethical malcontents. These nasties have tried to undermine her authority, destroy her reputation and impugn her integrity using the anonymity of social media to spread gossip, lies, tasteless photos and cruel parodies of her.

    For the most part, until now, her detractors are primarily nameless, faceless cowards who second guess, criticize and undermine Jackie and the Hope Mills leadership. In the process, they manage to stifle Hope Mills’s progress while doing a major injustice to the thousands of citizens, businesses and organizations of Hope Mills that deserve better.

    Jackie Warner’s character, goodwill and countless accomplishments have enabled her to defend her reputation without deserting the Town, its citizens, or her beanstalk of success. She has never backed down and has always been confident and professionally content, dealing with and addressing her detractors. Two are former Hope Mills Commissioners and former political candidates — Jessie Bellflowers and Meg Larson.

    Larson filed a lawsuit against Warner, accusing her of violating public records laws when she used her personal Facebook as her mayoral Facebook page and blocked people from that page.
    In January, during the Hope Mills Commissioners meeting, Mayor Warner read a written public apology to Larson and constituents for blocking access to her and other social media constituents. Mayor Warner did so with confidence, class and dignity — characteristics not found in her detractors. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember any apologies to the Mayor when social media showcased photos of Jessie Bellflowers and

    Meg Lawson publicly disrespecting Warner during the election period. I recall that the images, still available on Facebook, had Meg Larson dressed in a creepy clown outfit posing in front of a Warner for Mayor campaign sign with arms extended, giving her the “finger” with both hands. This, too, is protected by the First Amendment. However, it doesn’t show sophistication or class, but it indicates the type of harassment Warner endured. Given Larson’s behavior, it is ironic but revealing the hypocrisy when she is quoted saying: “In a small town like Hope Mills, it’s almost a bullying tactic to treat your citizens like this,” Really?

    Warner made a mistake. Of course, ignorance of the law is no excuse. (Recently: Just ask Trump, Biden, and Pence.)

    Warner understands and knows the law now, and she has apologized. However, the question remains: Will her harassment stop?

    What I find interesting and want to share with our Up & Coming Weekly readers is that despite all the harassment, bullying, slander, lies, falsehoods, lawsuits, administrative and policy roadblocks, and petty distractions caused by local malcontents, Mayor Jackie Warner has continued to climb the beanstalk of success by providing years of honest and dynamic leadership to the Town. Leadership that has translated into notable prosperity for Hope Mills and its citizens.

    Within the past year, Warner led the Hope Mills Commission in a direction that netted the Town over $4.5 million from the state; the $17 million Hope Mills Public Safety Building is about to be completed; a $750 thousand all-inclusive Playground and Splash pad is on the way; renovations of the Thomas Oakman Chapel have been completed with work about to begin on Heritage Park.

    All of this, plus residential building permits are at record levels, dozens of new businesses have come to locate in Hope Mills, and music, art and culture are becoming prominent and a permanent part of the Hope Mills quality of life. All of these things result from hard work, dedication and leadership from someone who truly cares about the community.

    Without a doubt, those few Hope Mills detractors attempting to undermine Warner by causing chaos and divisiveness within her administration are collectively incapable of achieving such successes. So, they can continue to rant, rave and scream “Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum” at Mayor Jackie Warner’s beanstalk of success. But the local Blunderbores and Gogmagogs do not affect her, and like Jack’s giant, they will eventually get their just rewards.

    Ok, you may ask: What’s with the beanstalk metaphor? Well, perhaps I let my imagination get the best of me. However, when you think about it, there is a parallel between Jack and Jackie and a solid moral to both stories. Jack made a mistake by selling his family’s only cow for beans. But, he planted them and grew a beanstalk which he climbed. At the top, he encountered the mean, nasty giant, but also discovered a magical hen that laid golden eggs. Running for his life he outsmarted the giant and ultimately destroyed him. He returned home a hero, safe and sound and wealthy beyond belief. In other words: Jack took a bad situation and using his wits, intelligence, daring and perseverance turned the situation around that culminated in a happy ending.

    Like Jack, Jackie also made a terrible decision; however, she planted her Hope Mills beanstalk seeds and it grew to great heights of success due to being cared for and nurtured with respect and love. At the top of her success, the nasties appear to discredit and destroy Jackie so they can take control and get credit for the Town’s progress.

    Unlike Jack’s situation, Jackie’s plight has lasted for years. However, in the end, Jackie has succeeded in fending off the nasties and simultaneously provided the leadership that has taken Hope Mills to new heights in prosperity and development, raising the quality of life for all its citizens.

    Unlike Jack, who returned home a triumphant hero, Jackie Warner, a real-life Hope Mills hero, is already home.

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 15Madajah Trapier Jack Britt wrestler  Jack Britt’s Madajah Trapier and Pine Forest’s Anamaria Bailey were part of North Carolina high school athletic history recently.

    Trapier and Bailey were among a handful of female wrestlers from Cumberland County to take part in the first official statewide invitational tournament for female wrestlers.

    They were the only two from Cumberland County to stand atop the awards platform at the end of the competition; Trapier won the 152 pound championship while Bailey placed second in the combined 160-170 pound category.

    Trapier got her start in wrestling in middle school at Anne Chesnutt but didn’t return to competition until this year when she tried out for the team at Jack Britt.

    “My dad wrestled in high school but never got the chance to go to state,’’ Trapier said. “I wanted to wrestle and continue his legacy.’’

    In North Carolina, there’s been no separate division for girls to wrestle head-to-head, so they have to compete with boys in their own weight class.

    “I like the fact that girls are underestimated,’’ Trapier said. “I can show that technique beats strength any day and girls can do just as good as guys.’’

    At the state tournament, there were only three girls in Trapier’s weight class, two from Hoke County and one from Overhills. Instead of being paired up in brackets, the four girls wrestled in a round robin format.

    Trapier beat Hoke’s Melanie Jones and Madeline Ramallah and Jasmine Davis of Overhills, winning all three matches by fall to take the championship.

    “I got a chance to watch their moves,’’ she said of her three opponents. “I saw what technique they were using, and I was able to depict what I could use when it was my turn to go against them.”

    Trapier said it took a few days for her to realize she had won a state championship — the first one for high school girls in North Carolina history.

    “I was really happy and proud of myself,’’ she said. “I’m hoping I (can) go to nationals in Texas and get the opportunity to wrestle in college.’’

    Bailey, a junior at Pine Forest, is no stranger to rugged sports, having played rugby before an injury forced her to stop. Her brother and his friends talked her into giving wrestling a try. She’s in her third year wrestling with the team at Pine Forest.

    “It was definitely a challenge, but I think it made me better,’’ she said. “When I started wrestling, it helped me challenge myself not only physically but mentally.

    “Without wrestling, I wouldn’t have the right discipline to put me on the path to greater things.’’

    After a first-round bye, she won by fall over Ashley Boggess of Pisgah. But she lost by fall to LaSean Boyd of Overhills in the championship match.

    Despite the setback, Bailey is already looking ahead to her senior year at Pine Forest.

    “Everybody wants a better record and to be able to win more,” Bailey said. “That’s what my thing is ‑ let them know I was a better wrestler than last year.’’

    In addition to Trapier and Bailey, the following Cumberland County female wrestlers took part in the recent state tournament but did not finish in the top four in their weight class: Tina Silva, South View, 113; Emmaline Morgan, Terry Sanford, 113; Andrea Moore, Jack Britt, 120.

    Photo: Madajah Trapier

  • What Men and Women Need to Know About Heart Disease

    February is National Heart Month and we want you to be informed. Knowledge allows you to make choices about your health. This information is relevant for everyone!

    The term heart disease encompasses a number of health conditions, including valve and rhythm problems, called atherosclerosis, or the tende02-29-12-senior-corner.jpgncy to form plaque in the arteries. Atherosclerosis is also sometimes called coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease can also cause angina — chest pressure or tightness associated with shortness of breath that occurs during exercise — and it is the leading cause of heart attacks.

    Who Gets Heart Disease?

    Heart disease affects men in their early 60s and 70s and women around 10 years later. The later onset in women is thought to be due to the protective effects of the hormone estrogen, which women have in abundance through their childbearing years and which gradually declines after menopause.

    What Causes Heart Disease?

    Heart disease is caused by an inflammatory process that is the result of a number of different factors. Some of the biggest culprits are cholesterol, nicotine from smoking cigarettes, LDL particles from cholesterol and high levels of glucose (blood sugar). All of these irritants can inflame the delicate lining of the arteries. In response to the inflammation, the arteries start to form plaque.

    A heart attack occurs when plaque becomes so inflamed that it ruptures, breaking off and forming a clot that blocks the artery and cuts off the blood flow to the heart. About 50 percent of the heart attack victims do not survive, and the other 50 percent of the cases need to be rushed to the hospital for treatment. A drug to dissolve the clot, angioplasty to open up the artery, or surgery are the treatments available.

    How Can Heart Disease Be Reversed or Prevented?

    The best preventative treatment is a diet high in Omega-3 fish oils, low in trans fats and that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables and fiber and no fried, greasy foods. Also, aiming for 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a week and maintaining an ideal weight are important preventative measures.

    People who really get strict with their diet and exercise and live the right lifestyle can shrink plaque. They may not be able to completely erase it, but as long as you prevent the progression and stabilize the plaque so it’s no longer inflamed and not likely to rupture, then you’ve really accomplished a lot. Of course, there’s some genetic predisposition to heart disease.

    How People with Heart Disease can be assisted?

    A person with issues related to heart disease, whether a senior or not, could benefit from hiring a professional caregiver who could maintain the home, plan and prepare healthy meals, drive to appointments and keep the individual engaged in activities. This assistance could be for a few days or ongoing, depending upon the situation.

    What to do now?

    Now that you know more about heart disease consider your personal situation, consult your physician and make adjustments under his/ her care.

    Photo: Heart disease is caused by an inflammatory process that is the result of a number of different factors. 

  • 10 Dating back to social media usage that began in 2006, the social movement often referred to as “#MeToo” has done much to draw attention to violence against women.

    Such violence was perpetrated prior to 2006 and has persisted even as the #MeToo movement has inspired women across the globe to share their stories in public.

    Greater public understanding of the scope of violence against women may compel further action to combat such brutality.

    • Estimates from the World Health Organization indicate that three in 10 women worldwide have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.
    • WHO data indicates that 27% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 who have been in a relationship report that they have been subjected to some form of physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner. The organization UN Women indicates that, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 243 million women in that age bracket experienced such violence.
    • A WHO analysis of prevalence data from 2000-2018 found that as many as 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners.
    • Data regarding non-partner sexual violence is more limited, but the WHO indicates 6% of women across the globe report having been sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner.
    • A 2013 study from the WHO examining the health burden associated with violence against women found that women who had been physically or sexually abused were 1.5 times more likely to have a sexually transmitted infection compared to women who had not experienced partner violence.
    • A 2021 report from the United Nations indicated that domestic violence against women increased to unprecedented levels in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Commission on COVID-19 and criminal justice indicated a greater than 8% increase of such violence following the onset of lockdown orders in 2020.

    Violence against women remains a significant yet wholly preventable issue.
    Women in need of assistance in the United States can contact the National Domestic Violence hotline 24/7/365 at 1-800-799-7233.

  • 14John Michael Wright  After two years away from coaching high school basketball, Bill Boyette quickly returned to what he does best, building championship squads that focus on defense and fundamentals.

    That’s the case with his first team at Fayetteville Academy, which has compiled a 23-3 record as it prepares for a postseason run that includes the top seed in the upcoming North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 2-A basketball tournament.

    According to the MaxPreps rankings from Monday, Feb. 11, the Academy is the No. 6 rated boys basketball team among all public and private schools in North Carolina and holds the No. 1 ranking among NCISAA 2-A teams.

    Fayetteville Academy opens the playoffs at home Thursday, Feb. 14, at 6:30 p.m. against either Wayne Christian or Rocky Mount Academy.

    It’s not surprising that with the success the Eagles have enjoyed this year, Boyette said he found it pretty easy to shift from coaching public school basketball most of his career to returning to the game at the private school level.

    “Basketball is basketball for me,’’ Boyette said. “The private school sector is a little bit different. I’ve learned those ropes and learned something new every day.’’

    Boyette said Fayetteville Academy athletic director and former Eagle basketball coach Chip Bishop helped him make the adjustment. For Boyette, it was just a joy to get back into the game after being gone from Terry Sanford High School the past two years.

    “It’s something I missed,’’ he said. “Physically, those two years I sat out I didn’t even feel like myself. It’s been a great experience for me and I’ve really enjoyed it over here.’’

    Boyette saw the potential early on for the Eagles to have a good season. “We’ve taken baby steps,’’ he said. “We have gotten better as the season progressed. They have seen things working in game situations that we try to stress every single day in practice. I think right now we are playing our best basketball, which is what you want to be doing at the end of the season.’’

    Two players who have had a big role in the Eagles’ success are point guard John-Michael Wright and power forward Wills Onyeodi.

    Boyette called Wright the best finisher at the rim he’s ever had, despite the fact Wright barely stands 6 feet tall. “He’s athletic and he knows the game,’’ Boyette said. “He’s smart, very humble, and he’s averaging about 22 points per game. He could score more if he wanted to, but he’s very team-oriented.

    “He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do from the point guard position.’’

    Wright was recently honored at an Eagle home game for scoring 2,000 points in his career.

    Onyeodi, a senior like Wright, is a native of Nigeria and has been in the United States the last four years.

    “He’s skilled in a lot of ways and brings a lot of life and personality to the team,’’ Boyette said of Onyeodi. He called him and Wright “treasures to coach.’’

    Onyeodi called Boyette a passionate coach. “I was very privileged to be one of his players,’’ Onyeodi said. “He really helped us grow as a team, grow as individuals.’’

    Onyeodi quickly learned about the emphasis Boyette puts on playing defense. “It’s the No. 1 thing he teaches,’’ Onyeodi said. “We just love it. We have to play defense to win games.’’

    Wright felt it took the Eagle team a couple of practices to pick up on what Boyette was trying to teach them. “We got along quicker than we thought,’’ Wright said. “The way he taught it makes it easier.’’

    Wright said his only concern approaching the postseason is how committed Fayetteville Academy will be to playing four quarters of defense.

    “Some games we’ll play two quarters, take off a third and teams will make a run,’’ he said. “We’ve got to be able to finish and play all four quarters.’’

    Wright said he will focus on continuing to be the team leader and not crack under pressure.

    “That’s about it,’’ he said. “Staying a leader and keeping my team intact.’’

    Boyette’s biggest challenge will be finding out something about the teams Fayetteville Academy will likely see in the postseason.

    Assuming the Eagles get the top seed, they’ll have a bye in the first round, then a maximum of two home games before advancing to the semifinals at Cary Academy and the finals at Raleigh Christian.

    “We’re a confident team right now,’’ he said. “I like our chances of progressing in the tournament.’’

    Assuming the Eagles get the No. 1 seed in the tournament, their first home game in the state playoffs would be Thursday, Feb. 14, versus an opponent yet to be determined.

    Photo: John-Michael Wright

  • 9 Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Seymour assumed responsibility as Fort Bragg’s Garrison senior non-commissioned officer, Feb. 24 at the Main Post Chapel — the same chapel that he married his wife, Candace,17 years ago.

    “My family and I are truly humbled to be here today,” Seymour said. “However, in 1997, if you had asked that 19-year-old paratrooper from Augusta, Georgia that if he ever thought he’d be a command sergeant major, let alone the Fort Bragg garrison command sergeant major — he probably would have told you, you’re crazier than two squirrels in a walnut tree. My family and I are excited to get to know and serve you. I look forward to continuing the collaboration and innovation efforts in improving the quality of life for service members and their families on this installation.”

    Having served on Fort Bragg most of his career, Seymour joins the Garrison Command team after serving as the operations sergeant major for the 82nd Airborne Division Artillery. Other previous assignments include cannon crewmember, ammunition team chief, gunner, howitzer section chief, Chief of Firing Battery/Platoon Sergeant and First Sergeant at Fort Bragg. He also served as the Operations Sergeant Major, 6th Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment at Camp Casey, Korea.

    Seymour deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism during Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve.

    “I’m excited for the next chapter,” Seymour continued. “This is the crown jewel — the centerpiece of this power projection platform that we call the center of the universe. And what makes the center of the universe great? The people. This is a phenomenal team who works hard, around the clock, every day to help meet the needs of our service members and their families, veterans and retirees.”

    The assumption of responsibility ceremony is rich in symbolism and heritage within the military. It reinforces the role of the noncommissioned officer in the Army, highlighting his or her role as a bridge between the commander and the formation's enlisted soldiers.

    “The people of this installation have made Fort Bragg what it is today,” Seymour said. “It’s more than just a name, it’s the people who have served on this installation and continue to live the legacy of Fort Bragg as we transition to Fort Liberty. The biggest thing to take away from this, is that that legacy of you unit or organization is still alive. Fort Bragg lives in this room, Fort Bragg is shown through our comradery, and the honor of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we enjoy. That is the reason why Fort Liberty will continue to live.”

    Seymour’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart with two oak-leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze service star, Iraqi Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars, Combat Action Badge and the Master Parachutist Badge. He was also awarded the 3rd Brigade Combat Team Jump Master of the Year 2010.

    “As the Fort Bragg Garrison looks to the future — a future with a new name and a new focus, I cannot think of anyone better than CSM Seymour,” said Col. John Wilcox, Fort Bragg garrison commander.

    “Together we will set the standards of the garrison team to be part of the installation of the future — one that is ready, relevant and resilient; and above all one that is innovative.”

  • 18Uncye Simpson 71st scholar athlete 

    Unyce Simpson

    Seventy-First • Bowling • Sophomore

    Simpson has a 3.8 grade point average. In addition to being on the bowling team, she is involved with highway clean up with her church group. She also visits nursing homes.

    19Angel Aviles 71st scholar athlete

     

      Angel Aviles

    Seventy-First • Bowling • Senior

    Aviles has a 3.9 grade point average. He is active in Skills USA and is also a member of the Academy of Scholars. He also works at a local restaurant.

  • 6 During a Fayetteville Public Works Commission meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 22 City Councilman Deno Hondros asked the utility board to forgive repayment of $4 million that PWC loaned to the city in 2020.
    Hondros, who is also the City Council’s liaison to PWC, clarified in an interview after the meeting that he was speaking for himself and not representing the city or the City Council as a whole.

    The loan was intended to help the city through the economic struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Last month, PWC Chief Financial Officer Rhonda Haskins wrote to city Chief Financial Officer Jody Picarella asking the city to “promptly repay the $4 million to PWC.”
    According to the initial written loan agreement, the city would have to repay PWC’s loan if it received pandemic relief funds from another source. Fayetteville has received more than $40 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, federal legislation enacted in March 2021 that sent money to state and local governments as a way to help recovery from the pandemic.

    Hondros asked that PWC rescind this part of the agreement.

    “My ask,” Hondros said at Wednesday’s meeting “is to rescind the ask or to reconsider the ask of the repayment of that.”

    Hondros argued that the city and PWC’s money all comes from Fayetteville taxpayers.

    “At the end of the day, it’s the same pot of money — whether the county raises taxes, whether PWC raises rates or whether the city raises taxes,” Hondros said.

    After Hondros’ request, PWC Treasurer Wade Fowler said that under the PWC charter, the $4 million, if not repaid by the city, may be considered an impermissible transfer.
    PWC spokeswoman Carolyn Justice-Hinson, in an email, echoed Fowler’s comments. She said the loan was made in compliance with the charter.

    “That is a factor that will affect whether consideration can be given to the request,” Justice-Hinson said.

    Fowler said during the meeting that it may be possible to extend the date for repayment.

    In March 2020, Mayor Mitch Colvin declared a state of emergency because of COVID-19. That April, the mayor requested relief funds from PWC to help address the city’s hardships in addressing the pandemic.

    Typically, PWC’s charter does not allow additional transfers of cash from PWC to the city, but a state of emergency order, along with a written agreement between the parties, allows for an exception. Colvin requested the money under this exception in the charter.

    The city and PWC agreed to terms of the loan that May on the condition it be repaid.
    Hondros said at the meeting that he was requesting forgiveness of the repayment in an effort to build a partnership with PWC.

    “I think it will show a good-faith effort on PWC’s part,” Hondros said.

    PWC Chairwoman Ronna Garrett thanked Hondros for his request.

    “It takes a lot of courage to come before the board to ask for something like that, so thank you for your courage and representation,” Garrett said. “I appreciate the courage and the transparency and the intent to partner and break down silos. We, too, have the same goals and vision.”

  • 17Dean Smith  The night of Tuesday, Jan. 29, was a busy one for high school athletics in the Fayetteville area.

    There was the usual slate of high school basketball we see this time of year.

    There were also multiple local wrestling teams competing in the first two rounds of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association dual team state tournament.

    There was something else going on Tuesday night, too.

    Atlantic Coast Conference basketball. A lot of it.

    North Carolina visited Georgia Tech. North Carolina State was home for a big game with Virginia. Clemson also hosted Pittsburgh.

    I know I’m a voice crying in the wilderness, but it’s a sad thing to see the college game invading what used to be a sanctuary for high school basketball on Tuesday nights. Tuesdays are always a tough night for high schools to draw a decent crowd anyway. School obligations sometimes force students and their families to stay home.

    It was not that long ago that the great Dean Smith, longtime coach at the University of North Carolina, did everything in his power to make sure his Tar Heels avoided Tuesday and Friday basketball games.

    When there was a Tuesday game on the schedule, the ACC would send out a heads up to schools so they could possibly try to alter their schedules and move the game to a different date.

    No more.

    Of course, this is no real surprise. College football has made regular encroachments into the once hallowed ground of Friday night high school football. College football plays nationally-televised games regularly against the sport most high schools rely on to make the biggest payouts at the gate and thus bankroll the whole athletic program.

    If the college football powers that be are going to ignore the plight of cash-strapped high school programs without showing any sympathy, the least they could do is make cash contributions to state high school organizations. The funds could possibly be shared with the schools to help keep their athletic programs afloat.

    Of course, despite the millions of dollars floating around in college bank accounts, they claim they can’t afford to compensate their own athletes for their time, so I guess paying high schools is out of the question.

    ----------------------------

    • It’s time to start signing up for the sixth annual Bulldog Bash, the Al Munoz Memorial 5K run held in memory of the late Terry Sanford High School cross country coach.

    This year’s event is scheduled Saturday, March 16, at 8 a.m. The annual run/walk will begin and end at the Terry Sanford High School campus.

    To register, go online to Active.com and search for the Al Munoz Memorial 5K.

    • The Gray’s Creek High School baseball team is holding its annual golf tournament on Saturday, March 16, at Cypress Lakes Golf Course.

    There will be a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. The format is four-person captain’s choice.

    Tournament entry costs $65 per player. Lunch is included in the entry fee and will be provided by Paradise Acres.

    For more information on the tournament, call Ronnie Shipman at 910-736-6996.

    All proceeds from the event will go toward field and equipment upgrades for the Gray’s Creek High School baseball team.

    Photo: Dean Smith

  • 9a Angelo Aldoph, a seventh grader at Max Abbott Middle School, is the winner of the Cumberland County Schools' Championship Spelling Bee. Saint Patrick Catholic School seventh grader Emily Staneata won second place honors.

    Julia Lim, a fifth grader at Cumberland Academy K-5 Virtual School, was the third place winner. Fifty-nine students competed in the Preliminary Level II Spelling Bees, which concluded Feb. 10 with the championship competition at the Educational Resource Center. Parents, teachers, fellow students and staff eagerly watched the group of participants one-by-one step up to the microphone and demonstrate their 'spelling power' to the crowd.

    Nine students competed in the Championship Spelling Bee after winning their school’s level I and district’s level II competitions. Angelo correctly spelled "crustaceans" to capture the win. Courtesy of CCS, Angelo will go on to compete in the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee this summer in the Washington, D.C. area. The semifinal and final competitions will take place on May 31 and June 1, respectively, and will be televised on the ION and Bounce networks.

    In addition to qualifying for the national competition, Angelo won the following prizes:

    • The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award, a 2023 United States Mint Proof Set provided by Jay Sugarman, chairman and CEO of iStar Financial, in honor of his father
    • The Britannica Online Premium, a one-year subscription for the premier online resource from Encyclopedia Britannica
    • The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online, a one-year subscription for the official word source for all levels of competition for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

    At the start of the competition, students were welcomed and encouraged to "B-E-G-I-N" spelling by School Board Chairwoman Deanna Jones. The competition, which involved nine public and private local school spellers, lasted 13 rounds. CCS' Psychological Services Coordinator Lisa Craver served as the pronouncer for each of the 10 spelling bees during the competition. 9b

    The district and The Fayetteville Observer provided judges for each Bee. The Fayetteville Observer's Opinion Editor Myron Pitts; Food, Dining and Business Reporter Taylor Shook; and Production Manager Kiffany Cain were tasked with tracking every word and verifying spelling accuracy for the Championship Bee.

    At the close of the competition, CCS Chief Academic Officer Dr. Stacey Wilson-Norman commended the students on their resilience to keep going no matter what!

    “Today’s competition is a demonstration of our students’ determination and hard work," said Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr. "I know we will see these spellers in the future as our leaders!”

  • 16Wilsons  Editor’s note: This story was written prior to the completion of the third and fourth rounds of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association dual team wrestling playoffs. On Thursday, Jan. 31, Cape Fear defeated Gray’s Creek and West Carteret to advance to the 3-A state championship against St. Stephens High School Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Greensboro Coliseum Fieldhouse. Jack Britt was eliminated by Wilmington Laney in the third round of the 4-A playoffs on Thursday.

    The worrying season has arrived for Heath Wilson and high school wrestling coaches like him.

    Wilson heads the highly successful wrestling program at Cape Fear High School. This is the time of year when he’s concerned most of all about accurately timing the peak performance of his wrestlers as they begin the quest for team and individual honors in the different levels of state competition.

    As outlined in the Editor’s Note above, Cape Fear recently advanced victorious in its battle in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s dual team championships.

    Cape Fear was among the top contenders for the 3-A title, and Wilson freely admits that’s been a focus of his for some time, to bring another state wrestling title to Cape Fear.

    The school’s only team wrestling championship was won back in 1984, before the dual team playoffs were created. Wrestling was an unclassified sport at that time. Mike Stanbridge led Cape Fear to a championship in the state tournament in Winston- Salem, even though the Colts didn’t crown a single individual champion in that tournament.

    These days, there are technically dual team and individual state tournament state champions, although the NCHSAA recognizes the dual team winner as the team champion. But the leading team in points in the state individual tournament can also claim bragging rights — plus it’s the only shot for individual wrestlers to achieve personal glory.

    That’s why Wilson is so concerned about when his wrestlers will peak.

    “That’s always a worry,’’ Wilson said. “I want them peaking at the right time. Are they going to peak at the duals but not at the states and the regionals? It’s pretty much a guessing game. You want to minimize the wear and tear on the kids.’’

    Individual regional competition in this year’s NCHSAA tournament will be held the weekend of Feb. 8-9 at various sites, with the state championships in all four classifications in Greensboro on Feb. 14-16.

    Wilson thinks he has five wrestlers with legitimate shots at a state individual title, headed by his son, Dallas Wilson. At 138 pounds, Dallas is seeking to earn back-to-back state championships. The other four are Nick Minacapelli at 220 pounds, Jared Barbour at 170, Triston Chapman at 126 and Jeremiah Smith at 145.

    Two other wrestlers Wilson thinks could fare well are Austin Hunt at 195 pounds and Kevin Pate at 182.

    “It’s just a matter of doing the work, putting the work in, and these guys are putting the work in,’’ Wilson said.

    Following is a list of Cumberland County wrestlers who are ranked in the top ten in their respective weight classes by rankwrestlers.com.

    The rankings and records shown below were those posted on rankwrestlers.com as of Wednesday, Jan. 30.

    4-A

    120 — Kevin Wanovich, Jack Britt, seventh, 21-5.

    138 — Dustin Eldridge, South View, fourth, 27-6.

    145 — Tremaine Jackson, South View, sixth, 35-10.

    160 — Denzel Carrucini, Jack Britt, seventh, 27-9.

    170 — Chad Jernigan, Jack Britt, ninth, 26-7.

    195 — Erick Martinez, Jack Britt, fifth, 29-3.

    3-A

    126 — Triston Chapman, Cape Fear, third, 35-5.

    132 — Lydell Canady, Westover, eighth, 32-2.

    138 — Dallas Wilson, Cape Fear, second, 38-0

    170 — Jared Barbour, Cape Fear, third, 38-2.

    220 — Ray Dixon, Douglas Byrd, second, 35-1; Nick Minacapelli, Cape Fear, fifth, 25-4.

    TEAM

    Cape Fear is currently ranked third in the rankwrestlers. com 3-A rankings behind No. 1 Southeast Guilford, No. 2 Piedmont and No. 3 St. Stephens.

    Photo: Dallas Wilson, left and father/coach Heath Wilson of Cape Fear wrestling

  • Donate Blood Today St. Ann Catholic Church in downtown Fayetteville will host a blood drive Saturday, Feb. 18.
    The drive will be from 9 a.m. to noon at the church, 357 N. Cool Spring St.

    Donors are advised to each a healthful meal before giving blood, according to a news release.

     

    The also must present a photo identification.

    To sign up, text Don Bennett at 845-216-1242 or email at dfbennettjr@gmail.com,

    Donors will receive a free T-shirt or toboggan while supplies last.

  •  
     
    Cape Fear High School will try to win its first-ever state dual team wrestling title and the fourth in Cumberland County history Saturday.
     
    The Colts travel to Greensboro to face Hickory St. Stephens in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A dual team championship match at the Greensboro Coliseum Fieldhouse.
     
    It will be one of four state championship matches held at the Fieldhouse Saturday. 
    Cape Fear and St. Stephens will clash for the 3-A title at 3 p.m. at the same time Uhwharrie Charter Academy and Robbinsville meet for the 1-A championship.
     
    Competition for the other two state titles will be held at noon when Croatan and West Lincoln wrestle for the 2-A championship and Wilmington Laney and Northwest Guilford duel for the 4-A title.
     
    Gates open for all matches at 11 a.m. and admission is $8.
     
    It has been 35 years since Cape Fear won the only state wrestling title in school history. That was in 1984 at Winston-Salem Parkland High School when wrestling was still an unclassified sport and the dual team championships had not been created.
     
    Cape Fear, under Mike Stanbridge, won the individual tournament team title against all the wrestling schools in the state despite not winning a single individual championship in the meet.
     
    The dual team championship, which pits one school head-to-head against another in playoff style brackets, didn’t start until 1990.
     
    Previous winners of the dual team title from Cumberland County were Seventy-First, coached by David Culbreth, in 1999 and 2000.
    John DeWeese led Jack Britt to the dual team title in 2015.
     
    Cape Fear and St. Stephens have not met each other in competition this year, but Colt coach Heath Wilson and his wrestlers saw the St. Stephens team in the Holy Angels tournament in Charlotte over the Christmas break that Cape Fear won.
     
    Wilson said St. Stephens is similar to Cape Fear as it has depth throughout the lineup.
     
    Matchups will be critical, Wilson said, as both teams attempt to avoid a situation where a loss could result in a pin and a maximum of six points for the opposing team.
     
    He said in Thursday’s Eastern Regional final win over West Carteret, Cape Fear was able to minimize pinning situations and just give up three points in the key matches.
     
    “It will come down to that,’’ he said. “We’ve got to wrestle like we did last night and I think we’ll win it.’’
     
    Both teams have multiple wrestlers ranked in the top ten in TheNCMat.com rankings.
     
    Cape Fear’s best include Triston Chapman, No. 3 at 126 pounds; Dallas Wilson, No. 1 at 138; Jeremiah Smith, No. 10 at 145; Jared Barbour, No. 1 at 170; Austin Hunt, No. 10 at 195 and Nick Minacapelli, No. 8 at 220.
     
    St. Stephens best include Jovanny Urzua, No. 8 at 113; Graham Ormond, No. 5 at 126; Blake Baker, No. 2 at 138; De’Untae Henry, No. 5 at 152; Ivan Vengal, No. 3 at 160; Jordan Boiling, No. 10 at 170; Dakota Metcalf, No. 2 at 182 and Salvador Gilvaja, No. 1 at 195.
    Cape Fear principal Lee Spruill is planning a sendoff Saturday morning for the team when it departs the main parking lot at Cape Fear at approximately 11 a.m. He asks that anyone who would like to support the Colt wrestlers to be in the main parking lot at Cape Fear by 10:30 a.m.
  • 13 The goal to find more local foster families has not only failed for Cumberland County’s Department of Social Services, but it has become a bigger focus.

    Last year, Cumberland County and the Department of Social Services collaborated on the “Not Perfect … Just Willing” campaign. This campaign aimed to create more awareness for families and adults in Cumberland County to take an interest in being a foster family. The goal was to raise the number of foster families from 51 to 115.

    That number is currently 47 — a step backward for the department, according to Delores Long, the Division Director of Children's Services for Cumberland County’s Department of Social Services.

    According to Long, 585 children were needing some care. That includes the young adults who aged out (ages 18 to 21) but still received some services.

    According to Long, at the end of December, 208 children were placed in family foster homes. Eight were placed in family foster homes of a relative, three were placed in adoptive foster homes, and 134 were placed in other home settings.

    But there still isn’t enough room to fit all those children. That means 197 children are being placed out of the county, and 19 are placed outside North Carolina.

    “The only children who could be in those 47 licensed homes are children who have no identified mental health or behavioral health needs. So that's why it’s called family foster homes. So they are the only ones who will qualify for those homes. If children have been identified as having higher needs, they wouldn't qualify to be in those family foster homes anyway. They would have to be in therapeutic homes,” Long said.

    Last year, Long told the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners that 275 children were placed out of the county and 42 were placed outside of the state.

    “Due to the limited number of placements that children have available to them now across the state, I don’t see any time soon that stopping. We will probably always have a need for kids to go outside of the state, even outside the county, just because of treatment facilities. Cumberland County doesn’t have an abundance of treatment facilities. So when it comes to that, children will always have to go outside the county and sometimes outside the state just because their needs are so severe that we cannot find them placements within the state,” Long said.

    One positive for Long is the fact that unlike many in the rest of North Carolina or in the country, children are not sleeping or staying at the Department of Social Services. Cumberland County’s DSS owns a residential group home facility that is certified. That facility, Safe Landing Group Home, has room for six children at a time.

    “We do allow those children to reside there while they are awaiting placement so that they have a home-like environment to be in,” Long said.

    The typical wait time in the residential facility varies depending on the needs of the child. According to Long, level two and level three children tend to have longer wait times, even as long as six months. Children who need to go to a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility may have the longest wait.

    There is another building that can be used to house children if Safe Landing Group is filled, but that is an office building and not a certified home.
    In 2022, over 10,000 children were in the foster care system in North Carolina, according to iFoster, a nonprofit foster care resource organization.

    Not Perfect … Just Willing

    In order to be a foster parent with Cumberland County, you must be at least 21 years old, get fingerprinted and have a criminal records check, complete a TIPS-MAPP course, complete an application, be reviewed by the NC Division of Social Services, complete foster home licensing, have no prior abuse or neglect reports, and re-license every two years.

    Another issue for foster families is that in Cumberland County, many families move due to work and the large military population here, and licenses don’t transfer over state lines.

    The campaign to get more foster families that launched last year in the county, and this year across North Carolina, keeps emphasizing that you do not need to be a perfect person to become a foster parent.
    You do not have to own a home or have a certain amount of income to be a foster or adoptive parent. You can be single, partnered, married, divorced or widowed. They are asking for people to provide children with stability, connection and time.

    “I think the biggest thing about foster care is that foster care is a temporary living arrangement, so it is not designed to be long term. Ideally, we work to try to reunify children with their parents that first 12 months of them being in custody. So we need homes that understand that this is a temporary arrangement, but they're willing to be truly temporary parents to our children,” Long said.

    “We want people who are going to have these children in their homes and treat them as if they're their own children. However, understanding that it can be short-term. And so that’s just the biggest thing. We don’t want children just to be housed somewhere. We want them to actually be part of the family’s home.”

    While reunification is the main goal for the Department of Social Services, that rate was 36.84% at the end of their fiscal year, June 30. Long says a lot of that has to do with the justice system. Once children are separated from their parents, it is up to a judge to make that final determination to reunite families.

    For more information on becoming a foster parent, visit the Cumberland County Department of Social Services online at https://www.ccdssnc.com/child-services/.

  • 11A Fayetteville City Council discussion on the cost of gun violence locally appeared to get personal during a work session at City Hall on Feb. 6.

    Councilman Mario Benavente and Councilwoman Courtney Banks-McLaughlin had requested that the council direct city administrators to “quantify the economic and societal costs associated with gun violence in the city.” Benavente told his fellow council members that he wants the staff to analyze gun violence in the years 2012 to 2022.

    “Our community has struggled with the fact that homicides have increased 9% in Fayetteville, reaching a new high in 2022 with 44 lives lost,” Benavente said. “This is, of course, in stark contrast to other types of crimes in the city that are trending downward. While we know gun violence nationwide has become a growing issue, now is the time to better understand our unique situation by getting the data we need to implement informed prevention strategies.

    “While we do get some information from the police regarding gun violence, we can put a number on the number of intentional, interpersonal violence incidents,” he continued. “We can put a number on how many intentional self-harm incidents there are, and we can put a number on unintentional injuries. However, just knowing these numbers does not reach the surface of the issue of gun violence in Fayetteville. I want us to arm our new police chief with the data that he needs developing his department’s priorities.”

    Benavente encouraged fellow council members to review the results of a study by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation Prevention Institute, which addressed gun violence in Santa Clara County, California, over a 20-year stretch.

    Gun deaths in that community were 60% self-inflicted, according to Benavente. A third were young people between ages 18 and 34. In nonfatal shootings, he said, two-thirds of emergency-room visits were by patients ages 18 to 34. All in all, he concluded, the cost of gun violence in Santa Clara County was $100 million a year, according to the study.

    “So how much in Fayetteville?” he asked rhetorically. “Experts around the country have had success when they treat gun violence as a public health crisis. And it truly is. A public health approach to gun violence is what Prevention Institute is offering to cities across the country, and our community deserves to know we are ready to do what is necessary to keep them safe. So, conducting this study will be a huge step forward in this regard.”

    Banks-McLaughlin then said she supports the idea.

    “It’s needed,” she said. “We need to find out how much it costs, how many individuals lost their lives, the background and research for it, so we can come up with solutions. I mean, this hits home for me. I just lost my daughter four months ago. And that affected my family. And not just my family, but the community. Other families have lost their children and loved ones. So, I definitely support this effort. I think this will help figure out a way — preventative way — to decrease these numbers of crimes being committed, especially (among) our youth. I hope we can receive support from council.”

    Banks-McLaughlin has said little in public about her daughter's death.

    Coryonna Young, was 15 and a 10th-grader at Seventy-First High School. She was found with a fatal gunshot wound in the 2000 block of Maitland Drive on Oct. 21, Fayetteville police said. The people involved were juveniles who knew each other, authorities said. The shooting happened inside a residence.

    Banks-McLaughlin and Benavente are pushing for a collection of data on fatal and nonfatal gun violence and gun possession in the city over a decade.
    Like other places nationwide, Fayetteville has seen an uptick in gun violence and homicides. The Fayetteville Police Department has implemented initiatives to address the issue.

    But some of the numbers have continued to rise.

    Councilman Derrick Thompson said he initially opposed a study similar to the one in Santa Clara because he said it was Monday when he received an information packet on the proposal. But after Banks-McLaughlin spoke, he said, he changed his mind during the work session.

    “Sometimes, it touches you,” Thompson said. “It makes you change your mind. Councilman Banks-McLaughlin, as our counterpart, has lived with this. So, I’m going to support this motion to do a study.”

    Benavente noted that the Santa Clara study was gathered over 20 years, but he recommended 10 years for a similar Fayetteville study “because it made sense for us.”
    Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Dawkins said there are few similarities between Santa Clara and Fayetteville.

    “What I recommend you do is what they did. They went to the district attorney,” said Dawkins. “They went to their county commissioner group. I recommend that you go before the county of Cumberland. We’re talking about, yeah, we can do another study. We’ll all read it, and then it’ll go on a shelf.”

    Dawkins said he would recommend that the council consult with the Cumberland County school board because dealing with gun violence “starts with better education.”

    “Invest in school structurers. Invest upfront. I just want to remind the council that we want to spend money and save the world and help people, and that’s great. But this is not our responsibility,” Dawkins said.

    “This, I think, starts with the county, which is your health, education and welfare.”

    Dawkins said Cumberland County gets funding that the city does not get to address issues such as gun violence.

    “It starts with schools,” he added. “Encourage the adoption of gun safety policies.

    “At some point, it takes personal responsibility. So, if you want to protect your family in your home, you’ve got to make sure that a gun is not available for a child or a young person to get or play with. Because consequences occur,” Dawkins continued.

    “I’m not going to support another study … just to make ourselves feel good. I’m not going to do it.”
    Ingram responded.

    “To say that we don’t have any type of responsibility as it relates to gun violence, our police officers are responding, and our Fire Department is responding. They have to clean it up. That is a budget that we have to pay for. So, it is costing the city a hefty amount of dollars,” she said. “To say our city has no responsibility to help with the gun violence issues, that’s just disrespectful, and it’s wrong.”

    Mayor Mitch Colvin said that whether the council likes it or not, gun violence impacts the city.
    Councilwoman Kathy Jensen said a Fayetteville study on gun violence could be “part of our toolbox. … We really need to think about this.”

    Banks-McLaughlin then addressed Dawkins’ comments.

    “I’ve got to take a deep breath,” she said. “First, I do want to say that everyone is entitled to their own vote. So, we all know that. But what I am going to do is correct the individual who you all know is the mayor pro tem. For you to make those comments, which is so disrespectful to me as a mother who lost her child … (and) other family members who’ve lost their loved ones; to put the blame on the family members, that’s ridiculous.

    “It does fall on the city,” she said. “We oversee public safety. So, it is our job to ensure that we do everything we can do to protect our city.”

    The council voted 9-1, with Dawkins the lone dissenter, to move forward with the study.
    Because the council cannot take formal action at a work session, the matter will be taken up again at its regular meeting on Feb. 13.
    After the meeting, Dawkins said that his comments were misinterpreted.

    “They were starting to say what I didn’t say,” he said. “All it is is a conversation for staff to come back to council to say what it costs. It will be hundreds of thousands of dollars. I also want to say to other members (that) I’m sorry they misunderstood me.”

  • 10Methodist University is adding to its already-successful menu of online degree programs — offering five additional online programs beginning this fall.

    MU’s online programs strive to bring excellence and affordability together. Not only do they provide the same high-quality instruction as its on-campus programs, but the online programs also deliver a cost-effective, flexible option for working adults, active duty military, their families and anyone else looking to advance their careers.

    Each MU online course is taught by the same expert faculty as its on-campus offering, a sharp contrast to many other online programs in the nation that are taught by online-only faculty. Like on-campus students, online students also have access to a dedicated enrollment counselor who can guide them throughout the entire process.

    With fall registration in full swing, now is a perfect time to consider one of Methodist University’s 22 online programs. Among them are five new online programs, which MU handpicked using extensive market research of future job opportunities along with faculty expertise.

    Among the additions are one undergraduate program and four graduate programs (which are pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges):

    • Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sport Science
    • Master of Education in Educational Leadership with a Specialization in Instructional Technology
    • Master of Criminal Justice
    • Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
    • Doctor of Nursing Practice: Executive Leadership

    Methodist University is also adding five minors to its online offerings: Computer Information Technology, Criminal Justice, Health Care Administration, Psychology and Social Work.
    Interested students are encouraged to apply for the new undergraduate and graduate programs immediately with a deadline of July 31 for the fall semester. Visit the website to get started https://online.methodist.edu/how-to-apply/.

    “The new online graduate programs and undergraduate program will allow students who are unable to complete a face-to-face program due to family, work or military commitments to pursue a fully online program and prepare for successful careers,” said Beth Carter, MU’s vice provost for Online & Extended Learning.

    Along with the new programs, MU also offers online degrees in areas like Social Work, Accounting, Business Administration, Computer Information Technology, Health Care Administration, Marketing, Psychology, and much more. To see the full list, visit https://online.methodist.edu/programs/

    About Methodist University

    Methodist University is an independent, four-year institution of higher education with approximately 2,000 students from across the U.S. and more than 50 countries. MU offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs (including doctoral-level options) on campus and online. MU has been named the “No. 1, Most Diverse University in North Carolina,” To learn more about Methodist University, please visit methodist.edu.

  • 9According to the agenda for the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday, Feb. 6 Town Manager Scott Meszaros was supposed to be recognized with an award from the International City/County Management Association in honor of 25 years of service in local government.

    Instead, Mayor Jackie Warner announced that Meszaros had resigned effective immediately. Neither Warner nor Town Attorney Dan Hartzog Jr. would comment on the resignation, citing personnel policies.
    Meszaros, whose family moved to Hope Mills from Alaska, became Hope Mills’ town manager on June 1, 2021.

    Meszaros signed a contract that provided a base salary of about $129,000 a year and promised an increase and health insurance. Meszaros’ contract was set to expire in June. On Nov. 7, the commissioners voted to increase Meszaros’ pay by $5,000 a year.

    Warner said that Chancer McLaughlin, the town’s director of planning and economic development, will be the interim town manager “until such time as we can go through the process to hire a town manager.”

    In a statement to the board, McLaughlin said: “I appreciate your confidence, and I will proceed with a very clear version of transparency between our board and our staff. And I look forward to working with the board and town of Hope Mills.”

    Meszaros could not be reached for comment Monday night.

    In other town business, the board voted unanimously to:

    • Authorize the town manager to negotiate with CHA Consulting Inc. on an agreement for professional design services related to the Hope Mills Sports Complex.
    • Change a board policy to mandate that anyone who wishes to add to the council’s agenda must submit the request to the appropriate department.
    • Accept a request from Mauricio Melgar Andrade to annex 1.2 acres known as Park Garden Court.

    The board met for a closed session for an hour and 13 minutes at the opening of the meeting, citing personnel business.

  • 8bThe Friends of the Cumberland County Public Library will host their next book sales event on Feb. 20 for members only and Feb. 24 to 26 for the public at the Headquarters Library, 300 Maiden Lane.

    Cash, credit cards and checks are accepted and the money earned at the book sales helps to fund library programs.

    Besides early admission to the book sales, members also receive early notices of future book sales and author events at the library. Individual memberships start at $15 per year.

    Members can also join the team of volunteers who prepare for book sales, work at sales, serve on the board and attend events.

    The Friends of the Cumberland County Public Library, Inc., is a nonprofit. For more information or to become a member of Friends of the Library, visit their website https://cumberlandcountylibraryfriends.com/home-2/ or call 910-483-7727, ext. 1304, and leave a message.

  • 8a The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 6 heard a presentation telling them of new services planned for the county library system.
    Library Director Faith Phillips updated the commissioners on library system operations, programs, and services based on a community assessment from 2019 and 2020, staff conversations and community feedback.

    At the Headquarters Library, Phillips told commissioners, the plan is to align with the federal emphasis on STEAM — science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
    The West Regional Library will have a space for teenagers, seating areas, and a storytelling area.

    The East Regional Library will have a teen space, and the Bordeaux branch will have a children’s area.
    Service initiatives will include an internship program with ServiceSource — a nonprofit agency that serves people with disabilities and other barriers to employment — and Cumberland County Schools for students in the Works for Me occupational program.

    And in a partnership with ServiceSource, the library will open a coffee shop at the West Regional Library, for which people with disabilities will be hired.
    The emphasis will be workforce development and job skills training, Phillips said.

    The library also will partner with Alliance Health to provide adult mental health first aid to all library staff in March and April.
    Training will be provided in coding, robotics, cybertechnology, and vocational and career development, as well as financial aid preparation for college.

  • Greater Life of Fayetteville Greater Life of Fayetteville is hosting a monthly program aimed to produce positive outcomes for parents and their children. The next workshop is Feb. 23.

    The vision of Greater Life of Fayetteville is to provide a community that guides and assesses the needs of program participants. GLOF commits to supporting and encouraging positive interactions with school officials, teachers, adult volunteers and staff, through youth mentoring programs.

    Along with programs for kids, GLOF also has programs and supportive tools for parents. GLOF’s parent programs are designed to help parents navigate educational, community and family dynamics. Parents also have the chance to acquire basic financial information/classes.

    These programs are free to the community.

    The upcoming workshop, which is parents only, will target finances. According to Georgeanna Pinckney, president and CEO of GLOF, this session will give parents insight on where their financial positions are and how they want to move forward.

    William Neill, author and financial coach, will be speaking at this workshop to discuss the do’s and don’ts of controlling your personal finances. This session will be held on Feb. 23 at 600 Orange St. in Fayetteville from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m.

    At the end of the monthly workshop, there will be a celebration for the parents who completed their monthly goal. Parents will receive a graduation certificate, gifts and be able to share their success story.

    “What this does is it gives support from one another to see how they reach their goals. To some, it is like a community family support group because your idea may help someone else meet their goal or vice versa,” said Pinckney.

    Other workshops will be held in March, April and May. For more information about the parent workshops, visit www.greaterlifeoffayetteville.org or call 910-364-9531.

  • vecteezy railroad crossing 771382 CSX Corp. will temporarily close multiple railroad crossings downtown this week for routine railroad maintenance, according to a city news release.
    Six railroad crossings will be closed affecting Hay and Russell streets. Blount Street will not be affected.

    More than 15 railroad crossings will be closed on the “Vander Spur” affecting Hay Street and all intersections on Russell Street, the release said. Multiple closures are necessary because the work will be done in close proximity at about the same time.

    In total, more than 20 crossings will be closed across the city through Feb. 18.
    CSX plans to move farther east, requiring closings on several of state secondary routes, such as Sunnyside School, Sids Mill and Old Vander roads as well as N.C. 53 and N.C. 210 east of Interstate 95, the release said.

    Other closings will be on Whitfield Street southeast of Robeson Street; Moore Street between Orange and Chatham streets; and Cumberland Street north of Ramsey Street.
    Detour signs will direct traffic around the closures.

    The track closures will last approximately two days. Drivers should expect delays and longer commutes, the release said.
    For more information, contact CSX at 800-232-0144 or csx.com.

  • blood donor N1601P38005H 1 Cumberland County Public Library will host a Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center blood drive on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Headquarters Library, located at 300 Maiden Lane in Fayetteville.

    This event is open to the public. Donors are urgently needed as blood levels dropped to historic levels during the pandemic and are still recovering.

    Donors will receive a free T-shirt, one AMC movie ticket, and candy (while supplies last). Bring a form of photo identification and remember to eat a nutritious meal before donating blood.

    To sign up, contact Traci Cardenas at tcardenas@cumberlandcountync.gov or 910-483-7727, ext. 1347. Walk-ins are also welcome.

    For more information about giving blood and donor requirements, visit capefearvalley.com/blood/index.html.

    For more information about the library, please visit the library’s website at cumberlandcountync.gov/library or visit them on social media.

  • scam alert The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office has issued an alert about a phone scam in which callers pretending to be Sheriff’s Office employees demand money.

    The calls are being reported across the county, according to a news release. The callers claim to be Robert Jefferson or Richard Jefferson and say they work for the Sheriff's Office, the release said. The callers sound convincing and may seem to know a lot about their targets, but they are not calling on official business, the release said.

    The scammers call from different phone numbers and alter the caller ID to make it look like the Sheriff's Office is calling, the release warned. They use different employee names and ranks and may leave an “urgent” callback request if no one answers the phone.

    Victims are told they owe money, and the scammers demand that the debt be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card/gift card or wire transfer, the release said. If victims refuse to cooperate, they are threatened with arrest, deportation, or suspension of a business or driver's license.

    In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting, the Sheriff’s Office said.

    The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office issued these precautions:

    • ∙The Sheriff's Office will never call to demand immediate payment or call about a jury summons unless a summons has been mailed to the call recipient.
    •  The Sheriff's Office will never require a specific payment method — such as a prepaid debit card — for a fine.
    •  The Sheriff's Office will never ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone or in person.
    •  The Sheriff's Office will never threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to arrest someone for not paying a debt as demanded.

    Anyone who believes he has received such scam calls should immediately contact the N.C. Attorney General’s Office at 877-5-NO-SCAM or 910-716-6000 or the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office at 910-323-1500.

  • 17Psalm 98 boldly commands readers to “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth!”

    With their newest gospel album, “He Is,” Central Baptist Church Choir of Dunn seeks to do exactly that. Together with friends and other artists, the CBC has recorded an album of original songs and a few classics to delight their fans and those who may be new to their music.

    Released on Jan. 6, the album is a “dream project” of Central Baptist Church’s Worship Pastor Darren Hughes. Featuring acts such as The Mylon Hayes Family, Soul’d Out, Suzanne Hise, The Ben Rochester Family, Roy Harris, and the Nelons — a personal favorite of Hughes —“He Is” is a labor of love years in the making.

    “It took some time and persistence to get them all involved, but all of them were very accommodating and kind to be part of this,” Hughes shared with Up & Coming Weekly.
    According to the church’s official website: “The Gospel of Jesus Christ is available for anyone at any age.” This record is a “reflection of our intentionally multigenerational church allowing kids, millennials, grandparents, and anyone in between to worship God.”

    A beloved mainstay of the region, the Central Baptist Choir, which boasts over 100 voices, has been stomping feet and clapping hands since the mid-1980s, continuing the powerful tradition of downhome southern gospel music.

    While Hughes admits it’s a large undertaking to guide a choir of such size together in harmony each week, he feels incredibly rewarded when “people are engaged in singing to and worshipping our God.”
    Hughes, who’s been the Worship Pastor for CBC for the past six years, also wrote three of the albums’ songs (“Come Expecting,” “The Way, The Truth, The Life” and “Choose Jesus”) and is excited to see his work and that of his peers come to life through the production process and potentially influence people’s lives.

    In addition to the album’s original titles, songs such as “I’ve Never Been Sorry” and “The Great Physician” are sure to ring a bell for some. In a nod to the generational diversity within the CBC, listeners will even be treated to an appearance by the children’s choir on one of the tracks.

    For some, the album’s enigmatic title might be puzzling, but its ambiguity isn’t an accident. While “He Is” is a complete statement, the unfinished declarative leaves room for Him to be whatever is needed.

    “The album is called ‘He Is’ which may initially sound incomplete, but the reality is — He is everything good and holy,” Hughes said. "He fills any need any of us has, and the album just scratches the surface of all He is.”

    The album is available to download in its entirety on Amazon and iTunes, and the CBC’s music can be found on popular streaming services such as Spotify and YouTube. The next single, “The Way, The Truth, The Life” featuring Soul’d Out, began streaming in January.

    Physical copies of the album are available for purchase on the church’s website at https://cbcdunn.com/music/.

  • In November of 1991, Disney released the animated movie titled Beauty and the Beast. Immediately, audiences all over the world fell in love with the romantic and heartwarming tale. Not only have audiences loved this story for years, with copies still being sold worldwide, but the movie also won critical acclaim as well.

    Beauty and the Beast won a Golden Globe and was also the first animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award. In 2002, Beauty and the Beast was also selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” The stunning success of this animated musical made it clear that the story was loved, so Disney branched out and also made Beauty and the Beast available for production on the stage.02-06-13-beauty-logo.gif

    The NETworks production of Beauty and the Beast, a musical, will be live on the stage at the Crown Coliseum on Feb. 9. NETworks Productions was founded in 1995 by Kenneth Gentry, Seth Wenig and Scott W. Jackson. Since then, the company has produced more than 50 big-name productions all over the globe. Their works include Little Women, The Wizard of Oz,and Hairspray. The company is known globally for its skill in putting on theatrical productions that are exciting, engaging and beloved by audiences. NETworks productions continues to build their reputation of producing excellence by presenting Beauty and the Beast, the musical based on the Disney animated movie.

    Like the movie, the stage production appeals to all ages. From 5-year-olds to 70-year-olds, anyone who comes to see the show will be entranced.

    Natasha Katz, the lighting designer for the show says, “This particular version is not an exact replica of the film but it is extremely close to allow the audience to use their imagination more.”

    Beauty and the Beast is a story of love. Belle is a young French woman who delights in books. The Beast is a prince who was transformed into a beast by a witch who was disguised as a traveler. He must win the love of Belle or face remaining in his altered state for the rest of his life. Belle learns to look past the Beast’s exterior into his kingly heart and falls in love with him, breaking the spell and returning him and his castle back to their original glory.

    For the younger audiences, the beauty and magic of the show is sure to dazzle. For the older audience members, there is a play between good and evil that will add meaning and a new layer to the traditional and well-loved story.

    “There is a dark side to the show, which makes any fable or fairy tale exciting. From a lighting point of view the dark side needed to be explored. In truth, you can’t have light without dark, or happiness without unhappiness, or courage without fear. “Katz explained.

    Tickets can be purchased online at crowncoliseum.com. For more information, contact (910) 438-4100, this number can also be used to purchase tickets. The Crown Theatre is located at 1960 Coliseum Dr.

  • 10Methodist University received a $514,093 grant that supports college students through recovery programs. As primary grantee, MU is one of nine colleges and universities in the state that recently received a total of

    $3.2 million in collegiate recovery funding from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

    MU will use the funding across two years to develop the collegiate recovery programs at both Methodist University and at Fayetteville Technical Community College, employing two full-time North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialists and four student ambassadors starting in Spring 2023.

    “With this grant, we are preparing to create diverse, positive and inclusive collegiate recovery programs by providing education on substance abuse, addiction and recovery while providing safe spaces and social activities that are alcohol- and drug-free for students, faculty and staff,” said Cynthia Lally, director of Campus Recreation and Wellness at MU, who will direct the program.

    MU’s new collegiate recovery program will be called “Roaring4Recovery,” a familiar name for the Monarchs community. In 2020, Mitzi Averette, assistant professor of Nursing, collaborated with undergraduate students to create Cumberland County’s first collegiate recovery gathering called “Roaring4Recovery.” The all-volunteer group hosted many gatherings and special events on MU’s campus but remained open to the greater Fayetteville area — welcoming students from MU, FTCC and Fayetteville State University. In 2021, it became an official student organization at MU.

    Averette will play a key role in the new “Roaring4Recovery” program. Under her guidance, Averette will ensure a smooth collaboration between MU, FTCC and important community partners.

    “Being in long-term recovery myself while working in higher education for more than 20 years, bringing collegiate recovery to Cumberland County became my passion and mission. This grant accomplishes that goal,” Averette said.

    The partnership between MU and FTCC continues a strong relationship between the two institutions, which already developed a transfer agreement in 2021. Methodist University will administer the grant while hiring, supervising and providing training for the collegiate recovery program’s new staff. However, both institutions will ensure the following outcomes under “Roaring4Recovery”:

    • Deliver weekly alcohol/drug-free social activities on both campuses throughout the year
    • Train for institutional leadership on the importance of and methods for supporting students in recovery
    • Creating alcohol/drug-free places on campus for students to live, study and socialize
    • Evaluate the impact of collegiate recovery support on students’ academic performance

    The program is expected to be available to more than 20,000 MU and FTCC students across Fayetteville — representative of 6% of Cumberland County’s total residents, a population with higher-than-state-average rates of mental health distress, alcohol driving death and drug overdose deaths.

    Methodist University’s new Director of Counseling Services, Mark Gronski, will help provide mental health and counseling support for the new program.

    “This program supports MU’s mission of helping improve our students’ overall well-being by focusing on our support of students in their journey of recovery from substance use,” Gronski said.

  • Music Makes a Difference

    Listening to a good song can help turn an okay day, or even a not-so-good day, into a great day. The key is finding a song that we can really relate to. This week we’re going to look at the story behind a few new songs out on Christian radio. Hopefully you’ll find one or two that relate to you right where you are.

    “Strangely Dim” - Francesca Battistelli 02-20-13-buzz.gif

    When talking about “Strangely Dim” Battistelli wants it known that the song was inspired by her dad. She shares, “He’s in a place in his life where he is just waiting on God for a lot of things. We’ve all been there to some extent. I’ve found in my life that if I’m looking down at the things I can’t control and the things that stress me out, I can get discouraged. Just like the old hymn said, if I turn my eyes on Jesus, that’s where hope is, that’s where clarity is, and that’s where he is. No matter where you are, if you focus on Him, the things of this earth will pass away.”

    “Kings & Queens” – Audio Adrenaline

    Written by Juan Otero and Kevin Max, the title track from their upcoming release personifies everything Audio’s Haitian project Hands & Feet represents as an organization. “We shot the music video in Haiti at our homes in the village of Cyvadier with all these beautiful Haitian children,” Will McGinniss says. “It’s so amazing to think of how God surrounds these children, the vastness of their potential and how he’s writing this huge story in their lives. They are God’s little ones, and they will impact their culture from the inside out with God’s love. We tried to capture that idea in the vastness of the landscape, the ocean and the cliffs, the greenest greens and in purple the color of God’s majesty.”

    “You’ll Find Your Way” – Andrew Peterson

    This song is based on Jeremiah 6:16:

    This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls...”

    As Peterson was thinking about his 12-year-old son Asher, with everything that was in store for him, his heart began to melt. He was wishing he could protect him from the darkness in the world. Knowing he can’t, Peterson still hopes that Asher “will remember that church matters, and the gospel is true, and that there’s a God that’s the source of everything beautiful… and that he’ll have a place that he will return to. And it’s the old roads that lead you home.” Some thoughts on a few new Christian songs from the artists who wrote them.

    Photo: Francesca Battistelli

  • 9a A former director of the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission will receive its Lifetime Achievement Award, according to a city news release.

    The announcement of 2023 award winners was made Feb. 1.

    Anthony Wade was the chief human relations officer for the city and county from 2016 until his retirement last year, according to the city’s website. He also is a former director of human resources for the county.

    An Air Force veteran, Wade created and directed an award-winning equal opportunity treatment/human relations program for the Air Force’s Air Education Training Command while on active duty, according to the city. Wade is a past president of the National Association of Human Rights Workers.

    The Human Relations Commission says its awards recognize “excellent work and commitment to promoting positive human relations throughout the city and county,” according to the news release.

    Other Community Award winners announced Wednesday are:

    • Educator Award: Kenjuana McCray, dean of arts and humanities at Fayetteville Technical Community College.
    • Individual Award: Antonio Gardner
    • Religious Leader Award: Sharon Thompson-Journigan
    • Humanitarian Award: Takieyah Mathis
    • Youth Award: Ryanne Squibb
    • Industry/Business Award: Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County
    • Organization Award: Miller’s Crew
    • Military Award: Members of the 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group at Pope Field

    Award winners will be recognized at a luncheon at 11 a.m. Feb. 15 at Cape Fear Botanical Garden, 536 N Eastern Blvd.

    Tickets are $25 and are available at the Human Relations Department at the Festival Park Building, 225 Ray Ave., Suite 100. Sponsorship tables are available for $250. No tickets will be sold at the door.

    Money raised at the reception will support a scholarship for Cumberland County high school students pursuing college degrees, the release said.

  • 9A contemporary art piece has been installed in the rotunda of Fayetteville Reginal Airport, part of airport renovations completed in December, according to a city news release.
    The artwork offers “a memorable experience when passengers are traveling to and from Fayetteville,” Deputy Airport Director Deontae Watson said in the release.
    “Migrate” is the work of Angelique Jackson, co-founder of Jancik Arts International. Jackson shaped and printed graphics on 80 mirror-like metal panels to mimic birds flying around the perimeter of the rotunda and gradually moving skyward, the news release said.
    Jackson was chosen for the project by a committee of airport commissioners.

  • cumberland county logo Cumberland County officials on Thursday, Feb. 2 met to discuss plans to move forward with plans for a new homeless shelter.

    The Board of Commissioners’ Homeless Advisory Committee met to discuss plans for the shelter. County board Chairwoman Toni Stewart also chairs the advisory committee. Other committee members include Commissioners Veronica Jones and Michael Boose. Boose did not attend Thursday’s meeting.

    After a brief update by county Engineering Director Jermaine Walker on the status of the project, interim County Manager Renee Paschal suggested that commissioners and county administrators determine "what we want to see" in a homeless shelter before asking architects to submit design plans.

    Stewart suggested the county engage Fayetteville Technical Community College on ways the school can advance the project. Last year, the county gave FTCC $2 million in federal American Rescue Plan money to move toward an adult learner program, Hope, Opportunity and Prosperity through Education. The program provides accelerated training to Cumberland County residents who do not have a college degree or sought-after work skills.

    “So, the first order of business is to sit down with FTCC?” Paschal asked.

    Commissioner Jones suggested the county develop its own action plan for dealing with the homeless issue in Cumberland County. However, Paschal steered the discussion back to a more focused and time-sensitive plan to build a homeless shelter and determine “what we can afford and what the building will look like,” she said. She recommended setting qualifications for both a design and a feasibility study that would address what services the shelter would provide.

    Paschal said the county does not yet have a budget for the shelter.

    “That is the main reason for moving ahead with a feasibility study to determine the size and probable cost,” she told CityView after the meeting.

    The county received $1 million in state funding for the project, she said. Ensuing discussion centered around whether the county should come up a plan for what the homeless shelter should look like or use outside services. Walker suggested that the county could hire an architect to develop a plan for what the shelter would look like and what services it would provide to the community.

    Jones recommended that county staffers look at other "sizable" cities, including Baltimore, with homeless shelters in place. County administrators will forward recommendations of the Homeless Advisory Committee to the full Board of Commissioners so that other commissioners can have input on the committee's proposals.

  • road construction 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.

  • ScissorsCuttingRibbonHC1607 source 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 Logo 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.

  • hope mills logo 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 logo 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.

  • For many in our community, it seems as though the search for a great job will never end. While this02-13-13-ftcc.gifsituation may in large part be the re-sult of a slow-moving economy, it may also be that many simply do not know exactly what they want as a profession/career and may not know how to get there.

    Fayetteville Technical Community College offers many solutions to this occupational dilemma, with opportuni-ties available to anyone interested in improving their oc-cupation or wishing to simply start over and pursue a new career path. A new program offered by FTCC’s Continuing Education division is the Natural Hair Care Professional program. Whether you desire a career change or you are currently working in this field and would like to continue and seek your licensure, FTCC has a perfect solution for you!

    Natural hair care is a growing business because many people have begun moving away from chemical use on hair and are wearing hair naturally, in the form of twisting, wrapping, ex-tending or locking. The North Carolina Board of Cosmetology is the governing board of Natural Hair Care specialists, and as a result of rise in this business, the board is requiring that all specialists currently practicing in the field and all operating natural hair care shops become licensed. Individuals who began practicing before July 1, 2010 can submit proof to the board that the natural hair care specialist was actively engaged in the practice of natural hair care prior to July 1, 2010. They must also pass a practical and written exami-nation conducted by the board and pay the required fee to be issued a license without having to go to school for the 300-hour Natural Hair Care curricu-lum. However, specialists who began practicing after July 1, 2010, will be required to attend a 300-hour training course before they can sit for the state board’s examination.

    The Natural Hair Care Professional program at FTCC has been built around the high standards of the N.C. Board of Cosmetology for those entering or currently practicing in the field. Each aspect of this program has been carefully planned, from those representing the very best of instructors to areas represent-ing top-notch facilities. A major benefit through this program is that it is offered to the community at an affordable cost. FTCC offers support and encouragement to individuals in the community who want to improve their lives through edu-cation that will result in a positive, rewarding career path. Students in the Natural Hair Care Professional program will not only gain a full understanding of the Natural Hair Care profession, but also the knowledge needed to successfully pass the state board exam. Major topics covered in the class will include safety and sanitation, business ethics, manage-ment styles and the most current styles and techniques of natural hair. Students who complete the program at FTCC will gain a strong knowledge and understanding of how to run a successful Natural Hair Care business.

    Are you are interested in a career that will allow you to utilize your creative abilities and comfortably support your family financially? Would you like to become licensed and increase your chances for success in this field? Do you need a career that will be flexible with your busy schedule? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then don’t delay, call us today! To learn more about FTCC’s Natural Hair Care Professional program or how to register, please call Kim Allen at (910) 678-0033 or e-mail to allenk@faytechcc.edu. Contact us today and let us help you be on your way to a new career!

    Photo: Natural hair care is a growing business because many people have begun mov-ing away from chemical use on hair

  • F02-20-13-black-history.gifor the past nine years GOTDAD Inc., has sponsored the Black History 4ever Quiz Bowl and African Americans in the Military Appreciation Day. This year the celebration falls on Feb. 23, with several events scheduled throughout the day.

    The fun starts at 9 a.m. with the Black History 4ever Quiz Bowl. Age categories are 8-9 years old; 10-12 years old; 13-15 years old and 16-18 years old. There is a study guide as well as registration information available at www.blackhistory4ever.com. The questions are in True/False, multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank formats. Students answer the questions independently and earn points for each correctanswer. The event is free to participants and lunch is provided to the contestants. There is a study guide available for each of the age groups. Not only does the guide provide an itinerary of events for the day, it has the information that is required to compete in the quiz bowl.

    The study guides contain an alphabetical list of people and important places and events covering everything from Charles Sifford, to Shirley Chisholm to Zulu Nation, the02-20-13-black-history2.gifTuskegee Airmen and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In addition, contestants are tested on military ranks of the U.S. Army, government, business and economic terms and definitions. The older contestants are responsible for knowing similar information but at a more advanced level as well as African American college life information like the names of different fraternities and more.

    Also starting at 9 a.m. is a health fair that is open to the public. There will be educational information and vendors at the fair. Both the Black History Quiz Bowl and the Health Fair are scheduled to take place at The John D. Fuller Recreational Center.

    Don’t miss the African Americans in the Military Appreciation Day Program at noon. This event honors local Fort Bragg active veteran African Americans. Wounded Warriors of all races are also honored at this event.

    The activities end with a “Ride to Freedom” convoy from The John D. Fuller Recreational Center to the North Carolina Veterans Park and the Airborne and Special Operations Museum. At the park and museum there will be tours, storytelling, and the opportunity to meet veterans from the community.

    GOTDAD is a group of fathers — both military and civilian; married and divorced — who recognize the importance of leading a balanced life. They understand the challenges of managing both family life and work even when work sometimes included deployments and hectic schedules. GOTDAD is an acronym for Giving Opportunities Through Dedication and Devotion.

    Living up to their mission of finding balance in life, GOTDAD members believes that keeping families safe is a priority and provides anti-abduction and rape prevention classes to women and children. The name of the program is called Flight or Fight.

    Find out more at www.BlackHistory4ever.com or www.gotdad.org.

  • uac021214001.gif The Real Housewives of television fame have nothing on Georgia Rogers Farmer when it comes to entertaining. Farmer headlined Better Health’s Annual Evening at the Theater last year and was such a hit that she’s been invited back to perform at the fundraiser again on Feb. 22.

    A singer, actress and variety show performer, Farmer has a spot-on delivery as well as remarkable sense of humor. The fact that she loves singing and performing helps, too.

    “I started singing when I was really young. I have always loved to sing,” said Farmer. “I got into musical theater after college. I stumbled on cabarets when I worked on a cruise ship 14 years ago. They were looking for someone to fill in at the last minute, so I was like ‘well, I’ll do it.’ That is how the whole cabaret thing got started with me. It was really fun.”

    The variety and freedom that a cabaret show offers the performer is perfect for Farmer. This form of theatrical entertainment, consisting mainly of political satire in the form of skits, songs and improvisations, provides great opportunities to engage the audience, which is something Farmer loves to do.

    “I always make crafts and prizes for the audience. I make stuff that is really fun,” said Farmer. “I always enjoy this gig. I did it last year and there are three musicians who played that I had never met until I rehearsed with them. They are great — incredible. That is very exciting for me. I was very nervous last year because I am used to playing with the same people. It was perfect. They all really played fantastically. The band includes Steve Menendez on piano and Steve Boletchek on bass.”

    “We are out of our minds with excitement,” said Robin Sledge, program manager and director of exercise programs and Eat Smart Move More. “We know how funny and talented she is. I went last year and fell in love with her act.”

    One of Sledge’s favorite bits was a number about a meek little mild girl who finds the perfect place to live. “She loves it because it is so calm and sedate and it even has a window seat where she can sit and read,” said Sledge.

    “Then an opera singer moves in downstairs so she switches to operatic voice. The meek girl starts talking about the opera singer and goes back and forth between them switching voices flawlessly. Then a jazz singer moved in upstairs. She juggled all three back and forth between the three voices seamlessly.”

    Last year’s performance also included a song about bacon. “She came out into the audience with a tray of bacon cupcakes and started handing them out,” said Sledge. “She is so funny and so talented. We all had the best time.”

    The theme this year is Real Housewives and it promises to be entertaining. Farmer took her inspiration from the Real Housewives television series. “I am a big fan of the real housewives, reality shows, which are ridiculous,” said Farmer. “I though ‘As much as I watch them, I am going to try to make it work.’ I decided to take a shine to them and really bring it home and show what a real housewife does. It is more real reality. I thought it was a catchy title, though.”

    Better Health Executive Director Judy Klinck is excited to have Farmer back for a second performance. “Anyone who saw it last year will know why we are having her back. She has a variety of material and we wanted more. We are in a new venue this year at SkyView on Hay. We are excited about that but we are using the same format as last year. When guests arrive they will have hors d’oeuvres and drinks and02-12-14-cover-story.gifget to socialize for an hour. Then we watch the show, which is about an hour and we have dessert and coffee afterwards. It’s a good variety show and that is one of my favorite kinds of entertainment. We don’t have this kind of entertainment in our area. I think this a unique opportunity for a fun night out.”

    Klinck credits Cassandra Vallery for bringing such a fun show to the area. “We really thank Cassandra Vallery, who has been producer of our shows for seven years and has been magnificent in her part in the show,” said Klinck. “She is helping in several ways. We owe her everything for this show being so wonderful. Georgia is amazing but it was Cassandra who introduced us to her.”

    This event is the main fundraiser for Better Health and the proceeds support many of the programs at the organization. Like the name implies, Better Health’s mission is “to provide for the unmet healthcare needs of Cumberland County residents through assistance, referral, and education.”

    Founded in 1958, Better Health offers a variety of programs to the public free of charge. The Emergency Medical Assistance program offers help with prescription medications, tooth extractions, orthotics, medical equipment, gasoline assistence for out of town medical appointments and disposable incontinence supplies, ostomy supplies, testing strips, syringes and more for qualified clients. Medical equipment loans are available for free for up to six months. Items include walkers, canes and crutches, wheelchairs, bathroom aids, bedside commodes and hoya lifts. Hospital beds or scooters are not available. Diabetes services include diabetes monitoring clinics with education sessions three times/week, take Charge of Diabetes 7-week self-management class, glucometer training, exercise classes for diabetics, diabetes and blood pressure screening, diabetic supplies (limited), foot care clinics, vision screening for eye disease and medication review. The Eat Smart Move More childhood obesity prevention program is “A four part educational program to provide children with the skills to improve eating and physical activity behaviors to achieve a healthy weight. Eat Smart, Move More is offered in schools, churches, summer programs and other groups at no charge. The program consists of four sessions of approximately 45 minutes each, including a healthy snack.

    Better Health is a United Way agency. Find out more about this organization at www.betterhealthcc.org or call 483-7534..

  • 02-19-14-fourth-friday.gifThough February is the shortest month of the year, it is packed full of exciting events. Besides Valentines Day, this February will also have a 4th Friday celebration on the 28th. Downtown Fayetteville is a lively destination every day of the week, but on 4th Fridays the activities extend into the night.

    4th Friday fun will start a little early this month with the 7th Annual Bread and Bowl’s event. In support of Operation Inasmuch, the Hay Street United Methodist Church offers an opportunity to support the community and enjoy a hearty meal of chicken Brunswick stew. Operation Inasmuch helps the church reach beyond its walls to help those in need. There are two options for meals. A $20 meal is served in a handmade pottery bowl created by local artist Greg Hathaway and other talented local potters. The Inasmuch volunteers also serve a $10 meal in a freshly baked bread bowl. Each meal includes chicken Brunswick stew, a brownie and tea or coffee. Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The dinner hours, which are 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., allow patrons to go directly from dinner to the fun of 4th Friday, which begins at 6 p.m. The Hay Street United Methodist Church is located at 320 Hay St. Tickets and more information are available at www.FAOIAM.org or by calling 433-2161.

    Fascinate-U is a gem in downtown Fayetteville, and a must-see for any 4th Friday participants with kids. This museum is focused specifically on children and provides a fun and educational experience. Every 4th Friday, Fascinate-U also offers a free event for families to enjoy. Beginning at 7 p.m., Fascinate-U will host Family Fun Maracas. Children are invited to create their own maracas with the provided supplies and can bring them into the museum for some musical fun. Fascinate-U is located at 116 Green St. For more information visit www.fascinate-u.com or call 829-9171.

    The artistic culture in downtown Fayetteville is also on display during 4th Fridays. There are multiple galleries downtown, and they are all open late.This month, the exhibit at the Arts Council, a staple in Fayetteville visual art, celebrates African American culture and artists. The exhibit is entitled The Pilgrim-age: A Lifetime of Collection by Dr. James and Juanita Pilgrim. The exhibit is generously on loan from Dr. James and Juanita Pilgrim. All of the art work was created by African-American artists, and pays homage to their great skills and passionate representations. Some of the featured artists are William Tolliver, Jonathan Green and Paul Goodnight.

    “The Army Ground Forces Band’s Freedom’s Groove will play at the Arts Council during 4th Friday this month from 7 to 9 p.m. We’re calling our program a A Celebration of Dance,” said Mary Kinney, marketing director of the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. “We are excited to have members from two dance groups, Cape Fear Ballroom Dancers and Swing Dance Heritage Club, who will help get the crowd going during 4th Friday. They will mingle on the dance floor to keep everyone swinging and moving to the music.” Admission to the Arts Council is free. The museum is located at 301 Hay St. For more information, visit www.theartscouncil.com.

    For those interested in history, stop by the Market House, which is in the center of downtown. This beautiful building also acts as a museum. It has a rotating exhibit for each month that focuses on an aspect of the area’s history that includes a permanent exhibit called View from the Square, which explains the history of Downtown Fayetteville. The Market House is located at the convergence of Hay, Gillespie, Person and Green Streets.

    Each 4th Friday the Downtown Alliance, in conjunction with downtown businesses, offers a Fanatics Card that offers discounts, prizes and more. Stop by the Downtown Alliance and pick one up. They are free.

    Photo: Stop by Hay Street United Methodist Church for a warm bowl of soup in a custom painted bowl before heading to 4th Friday.

  • 09IMANI WINDSFayetteville State University presents Grammy-nominated Imani Winds Tuesday, March 6, at 7 p.m. at J. W. Seabrook Auditorium on the FSU campus.

    “Imani Winds is actually coming back because they did a residency for us back in 2010 for a year,” said Dr. Don Parker, FSU interim chair for the department of performing and fine arts. “They did some collaborations with the community (and) with FSU and worked with our students in terms of technique.”

    Parker added that the group premiered a piece that was an original work, and they restructured it so that it would be a part of something that they were doing for Fayetteville State involving the choir and jazz program.

    “Our performances are very spirited, soulful, virtuosic and very much something that is somewhat unexpected,” said Monica Ellis, bassoonist of Imani Winds. “I think a lot of people don’t think they are going to enjoy it because, if you don’t know our group or never heard of us, you would just think that these are primarily black folks playing classical music.”

    Imani Winds is a quintet that features a clarinet, flute, oboe, bassoon and a French horn. The group has been performing for more than 20 years. They have bridged a gap between American, European, Latin and African styles. The group began in New York City. “All of us were in New York for graduate school either at Juilliard, Mannes School of Music or Manhattan School of Music, and it was our flute player, Valerie, who had the initial idea of the group,” said Ellis. “It was her brainchild to put together a wind quintet made up of musicians of color and (that) us having similar cultural backgrounds would... bring a certain style, interpretation and flavor to the classical repertoire.”

    The group has received numerous awards and collaborated with incredible musicians and icons, particularly in the jazz world.

    “Jazz musicians have an affinity for our sound and what we bring, which is a really big sound,” said Ellis. “We want to have an intimacy about the music we play, but we also want to have a robust, big and juicy sound that you can sink your teeth into and not have the notion that classical music is supposed to be light and fluffy stuff.”

    Parker said, “This concert will be a nice little reunion because many of the students who were involved with Imani Winds when they initially were here will come back to see them because they are like family now. We want everyone to come out and enjoy this great event.”

    Admission is $10 for the public and free for FSU students. For tickets call 910-672-1724. For more information, call 910-672-1571.

  • This week’s buzz once again centers on Winter Jam. We will look at the tour’s history, check in on02-26-14-winter-jam.gifthe success it is having this year, and hear from an artist new to the lineup — Lecrae.

    Since its formation by NewSong in 1995, The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular has featured many of the top names in Christian music, including TobyMac, Third Day, Newsboys, Steven Curtis Chapman, Skillet and more! Originally called January Jam, Newsong has been bringing this high-energy tour to Fayetteville for nearly 20 years now. When NewSong began Winter Jam, it was based on the idea of removing cost barriers, so more people could attend, be encouraged by the music, and hear the gospel. That continues to be the emphasis to this day.

    It has become so successful that Winter Jam has been the most attended tour in the world for the first quarter each of the last three years! Earlier this month the tour was attended by around 18,000 people in both Knoxville and Greensboro, and was enjoyed by more than 30,000 people at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

    New to Winter Jam this year is hip-hop artist Lecrae. Recently featured on the My Hope America project produced by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Lecrae loves to tell his story everywhere he goes.

    He recently shared how some of his friends responded not long after he decided to give his life to Jesus. “My friends said, ‘You are just changing. I don’t know what’s going on with you. You want to do the right thing all the time.’ And I was like, ‘I don’t know what to tell you.’ And they were like, ‘Man, I can’t wait til the old Lecrae comes back.’” Lecrae continued, “I’ll never forget hearing that sound. They were scared they had lost me. And they were like, ‘Man, you’re giving up everything!’ And I was like, ‘Actually, I’m gaining everything!’”

    About the Winter Jamtour, Lecrae says “It’s awesome! It’s slowly becoming a little family as we get to know each other better. Myself and another artist, I won’t mention his name, have even started to do some collaborative work together. It’s been a blast just being able to hang out. I just give God the glory.”

    Lecrae joins headliners the Newsboys along with Tenth Avenue North, Thousand Foot Crutch, Plumb, Newsong, Colton Dixon, Love & The Outcome, Everfound and Derek Minor as Winter Jam comes to the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville on March 13th. The cost is only ten dollars at the door.

    Get all the details you need at www.jamtour.com.

    Photo: Lecrae

  • 16Marcis Cakes 2When people pass by Marci’s Cakes and Bakes on Trade Street in Hope Mills, owner Marci Mang fears many of them jump to an incorrect conclusion.

    “A bakery experience is something everyone should be able to enjoy and not be afraid that this is going to be too expensive to take my kid there,’’ she said. “We have items that start at just $1.’’

    From the most ornate wedding and special occasion cakes to cupcakes, cake pops and even healthy snacks, Mang offers the full gourmet pastry experience and even a place just to come and sip blended drinks, chat with friends or read.

    Mang, a military spouse who has lived in the Hope Mills area for 20 years, took an interest in baking when she enrolled in classes through Morale Welfare Recreation to learn about making birthday cakes for her children.

    That turned into work at a bakery, then making cakes on her own and, finally, opening the business at Marci’s some three years ago.

    “I love making special occasion cakes for my clients,’’ she said. “I love being part of their memories and their events. We are helping to create the memories.’’

    But Marci’s Cakes and Bakes isn’t just about people coming in for special orders and walking out the door. She also welcomes customers who come to the store to spend some time there.

    “We have coffee, tea and frappes,’’ Mang said. “We do cold cappuccinos and blended drinks.’’

    There is seating inside the business, and Wi-Fi is available. “We have a Bible study that meets here a couple of days a week,’’ she said. “We have a few realtors and photographers that meet here with clients. We encourage them to come in, sit down, bring your book and hang out.’’

    All the visitors to the shop will find a variety of confectionary delights to tempt them.

    “We bake every day and try to change our menu every week,’’ Mang said. “We always try to have a few gourmet cupcakes and unique brownies. I always try to have at least one pound cake and a cheesecake – cakes that everyone knows and loves – as well as cookies and bar desserts.’’

    People who are health-conscious aren’t left out. Mang includes an offering of what she calls power balls that feature ingredients like chia seed, flax seed, raw honey, natural peanut butter and unsweetened coconut.

    “We try to do something for everyone,’’ she said. “We have specials every day of the week.’’ Mang said she’s even willing to attempt recipes that faithful customers email to her at marcimang@gmail.com.

    We’re constantly trying new recipes and definitely respecting our customers’ requests,’’ she said.

    As for special orders like wedding and other cakes and large orders of cupcakes, Mang shoots for a 72-hour turnaround time. Prices begin at $24 for an 8-inch round cake and $28 for a sheet cake.

    How much more expensive the cake can be depends on the specific requests of the customer, but Mang stressed prices are flexible. “If somebody comes to me and wants a quote on a cake, I’ll say let’s talk about things on it that are most important to you,’’ she said. “Then we can come up with some other ideas to cut down on what else I have.’’

    For further information on the shop and what it has to offer, visit the Facebook page at Marci’s Cakes and Bakes. In addition to email, you can call Mang at the shop at 910-425-6377.

  • 11venusinfur splashFrom the jump, I don’t like this guy. He’s a pretentious jerk with a genuine chip on his shoulder when it comes to women. He thinks women are stupid and shallow and uncultured. He says, “Most 24-year-olds sound like 6-yearolds on helium.” As a 24-year-old myself, that kind of generalization grinds my gears. And this is just the first 5 minutes of the Gilbert Theater’s production of David Ives’ “Venus in Fur.”

    But as the drama unravels, irritation transforms into a ticklish delight for sitting in what is perhaps one of the most feminist plays I’ve ever seen. It’s rough around some production edges, but for a two-person play, the actor and actress truly attempt to rise to the occasion.

    The play is a reimagining of the 1870 book by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, which has all the kinky flourishes of the S&M world, but wrapped up in high-brow Victorian mystique.

    The stage adaptation, however, could not be farther away from the perspective of an S&M voyeur. It begins with the aforementioned jerk, a playwright/ director named Thomas, played by Justin Matthew Toyer. He’s bemoaning over the phone how there are no actresses built for his adaptation of this dusty classic.

    In walks Vanda Jordan, played by Nicki Hart, with bags of costumes over her shoulder and a ton of excuses. She’s late for her audition as the Victorian dominatrix. That’s of no consequence, though, because she’s game to start now. And by god, does the game begin.

    Unlike with Thomas, Vanda is hilariously vulgar and sharp. I think it’s safe to assume the rest of the audience liked her as well I did – especially when she says such relatable stuff as, “Usually I’m real demure and shit.” Hart demonstrates a rare clarity of presence onstage. Meaning she’s there, not just pantomiming to be there.

    As they begin to read lines together, the figurative power play of the story turns into a literal one between the two.

    Vanda knows just how to bolster Thomas’ ego, offering a few insights here and there, making some jokes at her own expense. When it becomes glaringly obvious that Vanda knows the subtext of the story better than Thomas, the tide starts turning. She starts to direct the director before eventually having him read as and be punished as Vanda himself. It’s a play that can put itself in a woman’s often-compromising position, but then gives her the agency to see herself out of it.

    Hart and Toyer in the main roles are to be applauded for their efforts – though one could argue you can’t often feel the sexual tension from their situation. It’s more so a political tension.

    Hart definitely had the tougher task of switching vicariously between the British-Victorian Vanda accent and what can only be described as the New Jersey Vanda accent – all the while standing in nothing except some fabulous lingerie. The ending was a disappointment in this wardrobe regard, though. Let’s just say, in Thomas’ humiliation finale, it would have been only right to strip him down to his bare essentials.

    Still, rarely is a story so fascinating to me that I’m forced to imagine motivations of the story before the story. But “Venus in Fur” made me do just that. I couldn’t help but wonder if the script was really dropped on Vanda’s agent’s desk. Was her name ever really Vanda? Is she some kind of feminist vigilante that shows up at auditions to dismantle male writers’ baseless points of view on women?

    All of the above I hope are true.

    “Venus in Fur” plays at the Gilbert Theater until Feb. 17. Call 910-678-7186 for tickets and for more information.

  • 02-05-14-seague-transitions.gifSegue is a one-day, high-energy event for youth choirs sponsored by Snyder Memorial Baptist Church on Feb. 8. The event showcases more than 200 singers and includes an orchestra. This experience provides the interaction and inspiration students need to take their choir ministry to the next level and concludes with a pub-lic concert at 6:30 p.m.

    Segue is a cooperative effort between Campbell University Divinity School and Snyder Memorial Baptist Church. It is designed to help youth choirs in North Carolina. Dr. Larry Dickens, the Duncan Professor of Church Music at Campbell University Divinity School, started the fes-tival two years ago after seeing a need for a youth choir festival in the Eastern part of the state that would help local churches launch successful youth choir ministries. “We hear of churches throughout our region that need help initiating or reviving a youth choir ministry. This event provides the energy and insight needed to help choirs segue to the next level of per-formance and participation,” said Dickens. The festival seeks to not only involve teenagers musically, but also emotionally and spiritually throughout the day.

    “I am working directly with the students, but also, we want to use this event to support and be a resource throughout the region,” said Dickens. “One of my passions is youth choir ministry. Segue is designed to help build a choir ministry where perhaps there has been an interest but just getting it started is where they were struggling. This was designed as an incubator to grow interest among teens and to encourage directors. Some of the choirs that attended our first event three years ago have grown from five or six members or to 30 plus members.”

    This year’s Segue festival involves eight choirs from across the state from sev-eral different denominations. Each year an honor choir is selected to showcase what youth choirs can accomplish. This year’s honor choir is CrossFlame from St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Hickory, N.C., directed by Ron Sinclair. The past two Segue youth choir festivals were held at New Hope Baptist Church (2011) and Butler Chapel at Campbell University (2013). Snyder Youth Choir and the youth choir of First Baptist Church Southern Pines were featured as the honor choirs in past years.

    “This event is not just music-driven. We are trying to impact lives for teens through choral art and inspire their own faith through this experience,” said Dickens. “We are inviting the community to come hear the choir which is accompanied by an orchestra. They don’t need to buy a ticket or make a reservation. Just come. It’s free and we want to share this with the community.”

    For more information about the festival visit www.snydermbc.com or call the church at (910)484-3191.

    Photo: The Honor Choir is part of the showcase at Segue each year. This year’s Honor Choir is CrossFlame from St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Hickory, N.C.

  • 09CFRT SeussA Cat with a hat, and a boy with ideas,

    An elephant on a nest – wait, is this for real?

    A trio of bird-girls and monkeys, say what?

    A typical show at CFRT, this certainly is not.

    On adventure with Horton to save a planet of Who’s,

    But first we deal with a trial, an egg and a sour kangaroo.

    It’s excitement in Haymont not normally seen,

    With a Circus of tricks to make even the Grinch green.

    JoJo shows us the way with his very first think,

    And brings to life this menagerie

    – you’d better not blink!

    This Cat with striped hat is a treat to behold,

    His voices and movements, they never get old.

    In the air we find Mayzie, on ropes and on rings,

    And her voice is truly a-Mayz-ing when she sings.

    Not to be outdone, another bird named Gertrude

    Steals our hearts with her devotion to Horton, the elephant dude.

    Poor Horton, he’s clueless, but loyal and decent.

    He’ll do the right thing, you can bet 100 percent.

    Those Wickersham boys are nothing but trouble,

    But gifted with stunts and stilts, they might even juggle.

    The costumes are fit for dance and for flight,

    With designs of feathers and colors to delight.

    Cast and crew are talented, even gifted I’d say,

    You’d better get your ticket – do not delay!

    The word will spread ’round the ‘Ville soon enough,

    This show is a sensation – that’s not even a bluff.

    The Director pulled together a fantastic display,

    The theater “Rained” down with applause as they say.

    About Dr. Seuss, really, nothing you need know,

    Before going to catch this magnificent show.

    Suitable for all ages and colors and creeds,

    This joyous tale is just what we need.

    Cape Fear Regional Theatre presents “Seussical The Musical” in collaboration with 2 Ring Circus. The show is directed by Melissa Rain Anderson with music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. The show stars Ben Franklin, Ally Ivey, Lani Corson, Paul Urriola and Tess Deflyer.

    The show runs through Feb. 25 at CFRT with special events for families, military, a VIP experience and a sensory-friendly performance. For more information, visit cfrt.org or call 910-323-4234.

  • Due to the weather, the Gallery 208 opening reception scheduled for tonight has been moved to Feb. 18 at 5:30 p.m.

     

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  • uac021914001.gif Home owners and renters alike are sure to find something to love about this year’s Carolina Home Show. With more than 60 vendors offering the latest in home-related trends and technologies, there is plenty to see and do at this weekend-long event. Mark the calendar for Feb. 22 and 23 and come out and enjoy the day.

    “This is our 15th year,” said Natalie Fryer, executive officer at the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville. “Not only will we have all the vendors that people look forward to each year, we are also excited about adding the Healthy Living Expo to this event.”

    The show has a reputation for bringing in vendors that offer the latest products and best information about trends in the homebuilding industry and routinely draws visitors from as far away as Raleigh, Wilmington, Pinehurst and Columbia, S.C. The vendors love it, a fact that is proven by the high return rate. “I believe in homebuilders and they believe in the show,” said Kevin Shortridge, chairman of the Carolina Home Show. “I think it brings good publicity to our area, it brings in several visitors to the show and it gives businesses a chance to show what they can do.”

    The visitors love it, too, if attendance is any indicator, along with the fact that admission to the event is free. “Usually 3,000 – 4,000 people come through the doors, which is great,” said Shortridge. “Homeownership is the largest investment you will make in your life and people are always looking for the newest technology or ways to make it look better. Landlords tend to look for products that will help keep the value of the home up, people looking to sell usually look for things they can do to add value to the property before they sell it, people who are planning to stay in their homes are often looking to personalize it and make it their own and renters usually gravitate more to garden projects and things like that — and we have things here that will accommodate all of these groups. And then this year we also have the Healthy Living Expo, as well, which is one more thing that people can enjoy while they are here.”

    The Carolina Home Show vendors offer the latest innovations and design trends that include cabinetry and countertops, flooring, sunrooms and additions, energy efficiency, heating and A/C, windows and exterior products. Each day also features speakers that offer tips and information about gardening and lawn maintenance.

    On Saturday, the Healthy Living Expo, sponsored by Beasley Broadcasting, runs from 10 a.m. to 602-19-14-homeshow.gifp.m. Roger Mercer will speak about Camellia breeding at 11:30 a.m. followed by George Quigley at 12:30 p.m. Quigley is scheduled to speak about low impact lawn maintenance. Don’t miss Charles Allen at 2 p.m. for a talk about ground covers for hard to grow areas. Myra Norton talks about container gardening at 3:30 p.m. and outdoor living design at 5 p.m.

    Mercer returns on Sunday at 11 a.m., to discuss tactics for choosing hardy foliage. If you can’t make Quigley’s presentation about low impact lawn maintenance on Saturday, it is offered again at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. Allen presents plants for fencing alternatives at 2p.m. and Quigley closes out the presentations for the event at 3:30 p.m. with smart tree planning tips.

    While the Healthy Living Expo is a new addition to the event, Fryer and Shortridge are both excited about it and see it as a bonus for people who come out to the event. “The Carolina Home Show is already a one-stop-shopping kind of event and it just makes sense to build on that and add to it where we can,” said Shortridge.

    Whether you are in the market for new products, researching a special project or upgrade, considering what to plant this spring or looking to get out and enjoy something different, you are sure to find something interesting at the Carolina Home Show. Vendors offer give-aways, demonstrations and more. It’s free to get in. The Carolina Home Show is Feb. 22-23 at the Crown and is open Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit www.carolinahomeandgardenshow.com/attendees.html for more information.

    Photo: The Carolina Home Show is a great place to check out the latest trends and technology in all things home and gar-den related. The event features more than 60 vendors, exhibits and educational sessions as well as free admission to the Healthy Living Expo.

  • 02-26-14-ftcc.gifHealthcare has always been a field that is both challenging and rewarding. As technological advances in medicine are made, healthcare fields are broadened, and eventually, new disciplines are created. Most people are familiar with branches, such as nuclear medicine or radiography; however, many have never heard of Respiratory Therapy.

    Respiratory Therapy focuses on the respiratory system. But what is not always understood is that the respiratory system does much more than take in oxygen to be distributed throughout the body and help the body by exhaling waste gases. When an individual has problems with breathing, such as asthma, this condition disrupts the state of internal balance, or homeostasis, which in some cases can be life threatening. Aside from an understanding of the respiratory system, the respiratory therapist must also consider many aspects of the cardiovascular system, which involves how oxygen is taken to the rest of the body. The relationship between the heart and lungs is so significant that some hospitals refer to the respiratory therapy department as “cardiopulmonary.”

    Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Respiratory Therapy program equips graduates with the skills to work within this expanding branch of healthcare. Through a combination of lecture, laboratory and hospital clinical rotations, students learn the basic physiology of respiratory therapy needed for patient assessments, oxygen therapy, diagnostic procedures and ventilator management. Graduates will have an in-depth understanding of the anatomy and pathology of the respiratory system for identification, treatment, management and rehabilitation of diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema and interstitial lung disease — just to name a few. Through the program, students will have the opportunity to enhance their critical thinking skills for troubleshooting and equipment manipulation.

    After earning an associate of applied science degree with a concentration in respiratory therapy at FTCC, students are qualified to take the required national boards, the Certified Respiratory Therapist and Registered Respiratory Therapist exams. Graduates who successfully earn CRT certification may then apply to the state agency for licensure and begin work in most states. The advanced credential of Registered Respiratory Therapist involves a two-step examination process that may be attempted after the CRT certification is obtained. The RRT credential is not only a professional achievement but also a monetary benchmark. According to salary.com, a CRT’s median annual salary in the Fayetteville area is around $52,000, while RRTs earn approximately $4,000 more per year.

    If you are an ambitious problem-solver who is looking for a challenging, exciting, and dynamic career in healthcare and are team oriented and enjoy helping others, then respiratory therapy may be the profession for you.

    Visit our website at www.faytechcc.edu to learn more about the Respiratory Therapy program as well as other opportunities available to you at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Email hollomaj@faytechcc.edu with questions about the training at FTCC that can lead to your future career in Respiratory Therapy.

    Photo: Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Respiratory Therapy program equips graduates with the skills to work within this expanding branch of healthcare. 

  • 02-04-05-chuggington.gifSince the very first person rode the very first set of tracks, trains have been intriguing for children and adults. One way that this manifests is through television shows, particularly for children. A relatively new television show that brings the excitement of trains and valuable life lessons to kids across the world is Chuggington. Perhaps even more exciting is the opportunity for fans to experience the adventures of their favorite Chuggington characters live with Chuggington Live: The Great Rescue Adventure coming to the Crown Theatre on Feb. 13.

    “This is a high-energy, multimedia show,” said Rori Nogee, who plays the character Lori in the show. “It’s interactive and fun. Kids love it. It’s a chance to see the latest Disney Jr. characters and the audience gets to be a part of the story.”

    Chuggingtonis a popular animated children’s show that focuses on young trains called trainees. They strive to learn and to train in order to join the Chug Patrol. They are faced with challenges that teach them important life lessons like the value of friendship, hard work, determination, teamwork and courage. The show has been translated into 36 different languages and in the United States it is broadcasted through Disney and Disney Junior Channels.

    “While the show typically appeals to young boys, I love that my role is that of a strong woman,” said Nogee. “It sets a good example for them and falls right in line with the other themes in the show like the value of hard work, determination and team work.”

    Chuggington Live: The Great Rescue Adventure is a 75-minute, two act musical full of fun and excitement for fans of the friendly trains. In the show, the three trainees Koko, Wilson and Brewster are starting on their advanced training to become part of the Chug Patrol. However, Koko needs help after she gets into some trouble at the Rocky Ridge Mine. Wilson puts his new skills to use to help save his friend. The show focuses on the importance of courage and determination when facing large challenges. The trains share with the audience important life lessons.

    The show is full of new songs and fan favorites from the TV series. The onstage trains are as mechanically marvelous as their real-life counterparts. They have working mouths, eyes and an interactive animate background. This is an incredible opportunity for new fans and old. For those who have experienced the show before, it is an exciting way to experience familiar characters. For new viewers, the adventure is an exciting show with great new friends.

    Chuggington Live: The Great Rescue Adventure will be at the Crown Theater at 7 p.m. The theatre is located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. Ticket prices range from $20 to $45. Tickets are available through ticketmaster.com, The Crown Box Office or by calling 1-800-745-300. For more information, visit www.crowncomplexnc.com, http://lifeliketouring.com/chuggingtonlive or call 910-438-4100.

    Photo: Chugginton Live: The Great Rescue Adventure is on stage at the Crown on Feb. 13.

  • 19 The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Executive Director, Cameron Ingram, has signed a proclamation outlining the 2023 striped bass harvest season in the Roanoke River Management Area.

    The entire Roanoke River Management Area will be open for harvest of striped bass April 14 to 17 and April 22 to 23. The daily creel limit is one striped bass per day. The minimum length limit is 18 inches, and no striped bass between 22 and 27 inches may be possessed at any time.

    The Roanoke River Management Area includes the Roanoke River and tributaries from the Roanoke Rapids Lake Dam downstream to the Albemarle Sound, including the Cashie, Middle and Eastmost rivers.

    In 2020, a stock assessment of striped bass in the Roanoke River/Albemarle Sound indicated that the stock was overfished, and overfishing was occurring. To conserve and rebuild the striped bass population in the Roanoke River, this year’s harvest quota is 12,804 pounds. The six harvest days outlined in the proclamation were selected using past angler creel data with the goal of anglers having an opportunity to harvest fish throughout the river.

    “Since 2006, we’ve seen declines in the abundance of Striped Bass, specifically, dramatic declines in the abundance of fish larger than 30 inches. These larger, older fish can produce over 1 million eggs per spawn. River flow is also important to having a successful spawns and high egg survival rates. NCWRC staff work weekly with staff from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide the best possible flow for spawning fish on the Roanoke River. Larger fish and river flow during critical spawning periods are keys to rebuilding the Roanoke River-Albemarle Sound Striped Bass population,” said Chris Smith, District 1 Fisheries Biologist with the Wildlife Commission. “However, appropriate flows alone will not help. The current management actions are intended to increase striped bass survival on the spawning grounds. Over time we anticipate the population will rebuild including larger older females which are very valuable to the population.”

    Anglers can continue to catch and release striped bass throughout the spring. To reduce handling stress on fish that are released, the Wildlife Commission recommends anglers use a single barbless hook or a lure with a single barbless hook, which is a requirement when fishing in the upper Roanoke River above the U.S. Highway 258 bridge near Scotland Neck from April 1 through June 30.
    Signage will be posted at boating access areas along the Roanoke River to notify anglers of the changes to the open harvest dates. More information can be found using the agency’s online BAA locator.

    N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission     

    Since 1947, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has been dedicated to the conservation and sustainability of the state’s fish and wildlife resources through research, scientific management, wise use and public input. The Commission is the state regulatory agency responsible for the enforcement of fishing, hunting, trapping and boating laws and provides programs and opportunities for wildlife-related educational, recreational and sporting activities.     

    To purchase or renew a fishing, trapping and hunting license and renew a vessel registration visit www.ncwildlife.org.     

  • 17 As part of its ongoing Black Culture Experience, The Arts Council of Fayetteville and its subsidiary, We Are The Arts, will host this year’s BlackLIT Book Fair on March 18 at the Volta Space in downtown Fayetteville.
    Now in its second year, the BlackLIT Book Fair “continues to be an intentional effort to motivate, highlight, reaffirm, and empower cultures and the younger generation by making literacy relatable and relevant in communities of color.”

    Working to close the significant reading gap present within the black community, the BlackLIT Book Fair works to showcase and uplift the lived experiences of African Americans as expressed through fiction, self-help, romance, empowerment, poetry, children’s books, and a variety of other genres.

    Data pulled from the National Assessment of Educational Progress suggests an initiative like this couldn’t be more timely. In 2019, the Nation’s Report Card showed that only around 15% of Black 8th graders were at or above a proficient reading level.

    The numbers don’t look much better after high school, as around 23% of Black adults are considered to be low literacy according to a 2019 report from the National Center for Education Statistics.
    Boosting literary engagement is of crucial importance within the Black community and critical to its long-term success.

    Literacy improves mental health, builds life-long learning and critical thinking skills, creates jobs, and is a powerful tool against poverty. The BlackLit Book Fair will host a number of activities, reading, panels and presentations for readers and writers of all ages throughout the day.

    The Children’s Read-Aloud “inspires children and their parents to learn, grow and explore the world through the pages of a book,” shared Christy McNeil, Director of Marketing for the Arts Council of Fayetteville.
    Six African American storytellers are slated to appear during this time and offer dynamic readings designed to grow the imaginations of their audience while fostering a love of reading and an expanded view of the world.

    As an added incentive, all children in attendance will receive a BlackLit Voucher which can be redeemed for one free children’s book of their choosing at participating vendors as long as supplies last.
    For poetry enthusiasts, The Literary Cafe: Poetry By The Hour will create an opportunity for authors and aficionados to engage in conversation over refreshments as “poetic expressionists read excerpts from their books.”

    And for those writers of color, both emerging and established, the BlackLIT Book Fair will offer a Professional Writers Panel to offer advice and guidance around the ins and outs of the publishing world. Topics include “distribution, access to funding and small business loans, and other aspects of artist development,” according to the event’s website.

    The BlackLIt Book Fair is an opportunity to support Black authors, discover new perspectives, and bolster the audacious notion that stories of color are stories worth reading and the world is better served by sharing them.

    The BlackLit Book Fair is free to attend and open to the public. The Volta Space is located behind 116 Person St. in downtown Fayetteville.

    For more information about the BlackLit Book Fair, visit https://www.wearethearts.com/blackculture.

  • 16 “Rhythm is our universal mother tongue. It’s the language of the soul”
    – Gabrielle Roth

    Music has always played a major role in my life. I grew up listening to music, singing in choirs and dancing to all kinds of beats. One of my favorite artists was Michael Jackson, who captivated me with his unique voice, smooth dance moves and the ability to tell stories through music and movement.

    I have been following the rhythm, not only in music, but also in life, for as long as I can remember. That’s why I’m excited about the theme “Rhythm of a Story” for the Cumberland County Public Library’s 14th Annual Storytelling Festival.

    Throughout March, library programs will promote storytelling through various lenses while celebrating diverse cultures. All events are free and will highlight rhythmic talents and stories from various cultures, encouraging children to explore, embrace and express their own stories through rhythm. Join us and enjoy story times, guest performances and arts & crafts during the month of March.

    The festival kicks off at Festival Park on March 4 from 2 to 4 p.m. There will be games, music and performances from local artists and organizations.
    The featured presenter will be Carolina Storyteller, a bilingual performer born and raised in Cali, Colombia. Her stories explore the myths, legends, folktales, historical narratives and literature of Latin America and Hispanic cultures.

    Carolina Storyteller will also perform March 3 at West Regional Library located at 7469 Century Circle in Fayetteville. Other performers for the festival include Lee Bryan, “That Puppet Guy” and Greg Whitt.

    Bryan specializes in puppet performances and will be at North Regional Library, lcoated at 855 Mc Arthur Road, on March 6, and the Hope Mills Community Branch, 3411 Golfview Road in Hope Mills, on March 7.
    Whitt promotes life in rhythm and harmony through an interactive experience called Drum for Change. He will perform at East Regional Library, located at 4809 Clinton Road, on March 23 and Cliffdale Regional Library, located at 6882 Cliffdale Road, on March 30.

    The Storytelling Festival is supported by a mini grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, in part by contributions from community partners, and through grants from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County and the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources.

    For more information on these programs and more, call 910-483-7727, visit any of our eight locations or check out our website at www.cumberlandcountync.gov/library.

  • 14 The smell of fresh popcorn permeates the air as individuals line up for the snack, ready to purchase wine, beer, soda or candy as they prepare themselves to enjoy the Kaiju-Quest Film Series on Wednesdays at The Carolina Theatre of Durham.

    Jim Carl, Senior Director of Film Programming at The Carolina Theatre of Durham, has curated a film series for kaiju film fans called, Kaiju-Quest.

    What in the world is ‘Kaiju?’

    The Japanese word ‘kaiju’ means “strange creature” or “giant monster.” There is a plethora of kaiju films.
    Carl said American audiences think of Godzilla when they hear kaiju. He explained that there are many movies not necessarily from Japan that have “giant monsters” or “strange creatures” that can embody the word, kaiju.

    “Kaiju can be a monster underwater or in space,” he said.

    He said to think of the monsters in “Pacific Rim,” “The Host” or the queen alien in “Aliens.” The giant shark in “Jaws” can also be considered a kaiju.

    “It doesn’t have to necessarily be a towering monster tearing down skyscrapers and national monuments,” Carl said.

    Retro Film Series

    In 1998, Carl started the Retro Film Series at the theatre.

    “Throughout that series, we bring probably 100 films— classics — back to the screen that range from horror to action to westerns and sci-fi,” he said.

    While a lot of classics are on streaming services, he said the theatre has cultivated an audience that enjoys coming back to see classics on the big screen. The requirement for a movie to be seen in the retro series: it must be 20 years old or older. There are other sub-series under the Retro Series where he hones in on niches like horror, noir and animated Disney films that are hard to find.

    “At some point over the last few years, I started noticing that when I ran a foreign action film in its original Japanese version, attendance was huge,” Carl said.

    He stated he wondered if there was an audience willing and clamoring to see some of the old Godzilla films.

    “Not just to bring them back, but retro-rize them,” he said. “So I created the Kaiju-Quest Film Series.”

    Retro-rize

    To those in Fayetteville who are worried about the hour-and-a-half drive to Durham on Wednesdays, the experience may be worth it. When they screen Kaiju-Quest titles at The Carolina Theatre of Durham, they are not just showing you a classic film on a screen. Carl’s goal is to provide an experience.

    Before the film starts, audiences are given an introduction to the film, door prizes, movie trivia and trailers from the film’s opening night in Japan. You read that correctly. He has trailers from when these kaiju films first opened in Japan. He researches the trailers and compiles them for the series.

    For example, if the theatre showcases “Godzilla vs. Hedorah” which premiered July 24, 1971, attendees will get a “retro” experience. Attendees will watch montages of happenings related to the 1971 premiere. They will get an introduction from Carl, the door prizes and the trivia about the film. A title card comes up on the big screen which reads, “Tonight is July 24, 1971. It is the opening night of ‘Godzilla v. Hedorah’ at theatres across Japan.

    Then a title card appears on screen announcing audiences will see trailers of Japanese movies which were playing in theatres during July 1971. As if you were indeed in attendance on that film’s opening night.
    Then the featured film will begin.

    Toho’s Agreement

    This current season’s edition of the Series began in January and ends June 21, with eight films being shown. The reason Carl is doing this is because of Toho.
    Toho, a production studio company in Japan (imagine Warner Bros or Disney), owns the rights to the original, uncut Japanese Godzilla films. According to Carl, very few of these movies have been available in America for theatrical screenings for decades. He said while there are uncut, original Godzilla films that can be found on some streaming services, some people have never had a chance to see these classic films on the big screen.

    Two years ago, Toho entered an agreement with an American distributor named Janus Films. The agreement outlines that for a certain number of years, Janus will have theatrical rights to screen many of the original Godzilla films in America.

    Carl said at some point in the future, the agreement with Janus Films will expire and these movies will no longer be available for exhibition in the United States.

    “While that agreement is still in place, I’m trying to screen as many of these original Japanese language, uncut films. There are so many of them.”

    He does his best to spread them out during a typical six-month season.

    “You want to spread them out over a few months to give audiences a chance to discover the Series and tell their friends,” he said.

    If they miss one kaiju film, there’s another one coming down the pipeline. In the inaugural season of Kaiju-Quest, he screened 10 films from July to December 2022. Between January and June 2023, he will showcase eight films. Another installment will run from July to December 2023.

    Carl does occasionally make exceptions to his 20-year rule for films such as Toho’s 2016 “Shin and Godzilla.” He explained many people didn’t have the chance to see it at movie theaters during its brief theatrical run in the United States.

    Picture Perfect

    The theatre has a photo booth where guests can stand in front of a green screen for free photos. Stills from that evening’s films can be utilized as the backdrops. They can email or use a QR code to access their photos.

    Carolina Theatre

    Carolina Theatre has live events, film festivals and a two-screen arthouse cinema. They do present first-run Indie movies like Oscar contenders and Oscar shorts. They are a repertory theatre — bringing back classic movies to the big screen for new generations — like “E.T.,” “Casablanca,” and “The Goonies.”
    All these Series are curated and produced by the Carolina Theatre and are not a traveling series. For more information about the Series, visit https://carolinatheatre.org/series/kaiju-quest- film-series/.

  • 13a Assisting and empowering local women are goals of the Women’s Business Center of Fayetteville at the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development. As part of a new annual tradition, the event, HERFayetteville aims to empower women through mentorship, education, networking and collaboration. These events are being organized by the Women’s Business Center of Fayetteville.

    Efforts to celebrate #HERFayetteville will focus on Heart, Equality and Resilience while celebrating International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month.
    Suzy Hrabovsky, the Executive Director of the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development, said that she is excited to bring this event back after a successful launch last year.

    “This is a week long celebration of what women have done, what they can do, and celebrating each other and coming together. So often we hear negative things about women empowerment, but this is just an inclusive, celebratory pat on the back and a time to just be happy and excited about what we've done and to continue to move forward and just take a little time to catch our breath,” Hrabovsky said.

    The event starts on March 5, and each day has a specific theme. The themes are correlated as hashtags, so if people go or participate in the event, they can use the hashtags when they post about it on social media.

    Day One: #HERImpact

    Join CEED and the Women’s Business Center of Fayetteville on March 5 at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden for a morning full of delicious brunch and motivation. In honor of the launch of #HERWeek, they will be hosting inspiring female leaders in our community to celebrate the accomplishments of women in Fayetteville.

    “We will have someone there from the SBA talking about the women in business. And we'll have a panel that’s talking about impacts women have made here locally,” Hrabovsky said.

    At the time of publication, the panelists had not been named yet. Meraki Creative will also be at the brunch with interactive booths. The brunch starts at 10 a.m. Individual tickets are $35.

    Day Two: #HERHealth

    As the name suggests, the day is focusing on women’s health. CEED is offering Women's Health Expo sessions with Origins Naturopathic Health and Wellness — holistic team and medical partners from Fayetteville throughout the day. They will be highlighting not only physical health but also focusing on women’s mental and spiritual wellness. 13b

    Topics that will be discussed include breast health, the lymphatic system, movements, hormones, sleep, diet, general health and chiropractic health. Tickets are $25.

    Day Three: #HERPitch

    Join the Women’s Business Center at Volta Space March 8 to listen to aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their amazing business ideas to a panel of Fayetteville professionals. Think of it like “Shark Tank,” but for local women entrepreneurs. CEED Capital and Women of Power Society will award up to $10,000 in prizes to the entrepreneurs with the best pitch. Last year, eight competitors presented plans. Three business owners were awarded grants in the competition.

    For more information about registering call 910-323-3377.

    Since March 8 will be International Women’s Day, HERWeek Fayetteville will celebrate with an International Women’s Day Parade. The parade will be celebrating women from different cultures, nations and heritages. There is a $5 fee for parade entry.

    Day Four: #HERBuild

    The Women's Business Center of Fayetteville is partnering with Habitat for Humanity as part of the annual Women’s Build event. This event on March 9 will have stations where women can learn how to build and construct a home. Participants can learn the basics of plumbing, drywall and electrical work.

    The class aims to give women the confidence to make home repairs and home improvements without having to spend hundreds of dollars for a professional to do it for you. No experience is necessary. There will be lunch, speakers, raffles and more to celebrate female entrepreneurship by learning new abilities, and sharing your support using the #HERFayetteville hashtags!

    There will be a $25 fee. For more information and to sign up, go to https://www.fayettevillenchabitat.org/womensbuild2023.

    Day Five: #HERService

    This day is completely virtual. The Women’s Business Center of Fayetteville will be showcasing the female workers who support our local community. On their social media pages, the Women’s Business Center of Fayetteville will highlight firefighters, EMS workers, teachers, police officers, and military service members.

    “We’ve done a bunch of interviews with different women in the community, from teaching to veterans to women who are firefighters, women who are at the 911 station, just women doing different services in our community,” Hrabovsky said.

    For more information about the events during HERWeek Fayetteville, go to https://www.wbcfay.org/

  •    The Community Concert Series brings some of the brightest stars in entertainment to our community, so it should come as no surprise that the series is welcoming the unforgettable Natalie Cole to the Crown this month.
       Cole, daughter of Nat King Cole, has been a force on the musical scene for quite some time. Her peformance in Fayetteville will spotlight some of Cole’s greatest hits, but it will also showcase some of the iconic hits of her father, including the “duet” between the pair.
       The album that featured the duet, Unforgettable... With Love, came out in 1991. The jazz collection set a new standard for reinventing the Great American Songbook. The CD, which captured six Grammys, including  Album and Record Of The Year, spent five weeks at No. 1 and sold more than eight million copies in the U.S. alone.
       Yet instead of exploiting the moment and rushing out a second volume, Cole thoughtfully took a step back, devoted herself to several other stellar projects, and waited until she felt ready to return to the songs that fulfill her heart and soul. The time is now.
       “Timing is everything, and I wasn’t in a hurry to make this kind of a record right away,” Cole says. “Something about now just seemed the right time. There is never a guarantee of success when you are ready to put out a record — especially one like this. You have to go with your gut, but I didn’t want to be shamelessly chasing after the success of Unforgettable…With Love, so I waited.”
       Still Unforgettable proves to be more than worth the wait: A co-venture between Natalie, DMI Music and Rhino/WEA, Cole lovingly wraps her unparalleled supple voice around 14 standards. On this, her 21st studio album, Cole also takes the reins as producer for the very first time.
       {mosimage} Just as she lovingly partnered with her late father, the legendary Nat King Cole, for a posthumous duet  on the title track on the 1991 masterpiece, this time they reunite on the delightful “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home,” first recorded by Cole’s father in the early ‘50s.
       “If there was going to be another ‘duet’ with Dad, I felt it should be something more whimsical, fun and light,” Cole says. “At the same time, I was looking for a song that would also be familiar to a certain type of audience. I think this is going to work just as well. It’s adorable and loving between parent and child. It feels like he’s right there with me. How do you top that?”
       There’s only one way — by surrounding “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home” with songs that are on par, songs that are stars in their own right and come with rich and varied histories of their own. On Still Unforgettable Cole looked beyond songs made famous by her father. “I decided to go deeper into the American Songbook and not just get songs from my father, but also from Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr. and Peggy Lee.   The lyrics of these songs are about life. As a singer, they take me and my audience on a winsome journey.”
       To step back into time and enjoy those classics, you have only to purchase a ticket to the show, which is slated for Saturday, Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Crown Box Office and range in price from $24 to $36. For more information, visit the Web site www.communityconcerts.com.
  • 12a The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 670 is hosting the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Luncheon Thursday, March 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will be held at VFW Post 670 on Doc Bennett Road.

    “This year marks the 50th anniversary of American combat troops withdrawing from Vietnam on March 30, 1973,” said Amelia Smith, VFW Post 670 quartermaster and point of contact for the event.

    “I am the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and I can remember the bitterness my father sometimes expressed about the treatment that he and others in his community received upon their return from Vietnam.”

    She added, “A few years ago, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted a huge Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans event and it was overwhelming to watch the guys who did not know one another act as if they had known each other for years. I have not seen any event like that before nor have I seen or heard of one happening since.”

    “I realized that nothing was happening in Fayetteville for Vietnam Veterans, so last year we put together a luncheon and about 75 people attended,” said Smith.

    “We did not have an official guest speaker, but we did have some awesome support from the local community.”

    Smith added, “The one thing that I noticed during last year’s luncheon is there were not any females that claimed to have been in Vietnam during the war.”

    This year’s goal is to have women who were in Vietnam during the war attend the luncheon so they can be recognized and appreciated.

    “These ladies suffer from the same health problems as the men, have similar or the same mental health concerns and deserve to be recognized,” said Smith. 12b

    “For this year’s event, we have the support of Methodist University’s ROTC, The Fayetteville Sound, Rolling Thunder and a special guest speaker.”

    Sponsors for the event include the Cumberland County Veterans Council, BluSky Restoration and Tom Biggerstaff.

    “The sponsors and groups have definitely made it a lot easier to pull this event together,” said Smith. “I am so excited to see the Vietnam Veterans, both men and women, come out and have a couple of hours to feel appreciated on the 50th anniversary of the withdrawal from Vietnam.”

    The event is free and space is limited. The deadline to RSVP is Wednesday, March 8.
    According to the national website, the mission of the VFW is to foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts. To serve our veterans, the military and our communities. To advocate on behalf of all veterans.

    The VFW vision is to ensure that veterans are respected for their service, always receive their earned entitlements, and are recognized for the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made on behalf of this great country.

    For more information or to RSVP, call or text 910-709-8306, email 670vfw@gmail.com or stop by VFW Post 670 to let the bartender know your name and that you want to RSVP for the event.
    For more information about VFW Post 670 membership and events visit https://vfw670.org/di/vfw/v2/default.asp?nid=1.

    The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a nonprofit veterans service organization comprised of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. There are three qualifiers for membership in the VFW, as set out in the National Bylaws. An individual must meet all three in order to become a member.

    • 1: Must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. National.
    • 2: Must have served honorably in the Armed Forces of the United States and either received a discharge of Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions) or be currently serving.
    • 3: Service in a war, campaign or expedition on foreign soil or in hostile waters*. This can be proven by any of the following:
      • An authorized campaign medal
      • Receipt of Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay (verified by a military pay statement)
      • Service in Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days

    This information is usually available through a veteran’s DD-214. If other information is needed or if a veteran’s DD-214 is not complete, they can contact the National Personnel Records Center online or at 314.801.0800 to request more information.

    More detailed information on VFW eligibility can be accessed at https://www.vfw.org/join/eligibility.
    If you are not eligible for membership in the VFW but you have a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling or spouse who would be eligible then you may apply for membership in the VFW Auxiliary. You can learn more at www.vfwauxiliary.org.

  • Click the Image for UCW's Online Edition!   

        The 2009 Carolina Home & Garden show is all about the green: being green, buying green, saving green.
    Sponsored for the 10th year by the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville, the 2009 Carolina Home & Garden Show, scheduled for Feb. 27-28 and March 1 at the Cumberland County Crown Center, is putting an emphasis on the “garden” portion of its title.
        {mosimage} We have several companies this year that deal with environmental issues,” said Natalie Woodbury, executive officer of HBAF,” including PWC, which will have exhibits concerning the ideas of water conservation.”
    Woodbury said there will be 73 vendors at the three-day event, including one company that will really put the “green” into the Carolina Home & Garden Show — Green Biz Nursery and Landscaping, Inc.
        Located on 120 acres off Wilmington Highway, Green Biz has landscaped local lawns and provided plants for contractors and nurseries up and down the East Coast for nearly 30 years. Green Biz will bring a little bit of the outdoors indoors at this year’s home and garden show, providing all the landscaping for the event.
        “Since it’s a home and garden show, we’re going to bring the outside in,” said Charles Allen, owner of Green Biz. “We plan on bringing as much greenery and flowers and landscape … beds and such … into this building as we can. We want to try and give it a little more of a garden show aspect; the last couple of years it’s been more of a builders show.”
        Allen says decorating the Crown Center for the show is about more than just aesthetics: he says a lack of green — as in money — is convincing more and more homeowners to get “back to the country.”
        “I feel like even though things are kind of tight people are going to be able to do some things in their yard and those things are going to be maybe using smaller plants,” said Allen. “The same plants will always have the same kind of appeal. People will always like evergreens, they’ll always like berries and flowers and they might just go for something a little smaller. I feel like there will be less vacations taken abroad and across the country … more day trips, more stay at home cook-out type things and they’ll actually do a little more on their own property. And I think you’ll see people do a lot more remodeling, which should really be a good thing for this show. Instead of buying a new house they’re going to redo a room or add a room. Instead of doing a completely new landscape they might do just some clean-ups and pruning.”
    Allen says homeowners can use strategically-placed greenery to save on electricity bills: planting the proper trees around a home can keep it cooler in the summer; and, he adds, folks with green thumbs can save greenbacks by making their own mulch rather than purchasing pine needles and wood mulch.
        While it might seem contrary for a businessman to suggest folks cut back on purchasing some of the products his business is built on, Allen sees himself as more than just a tree salesman or pusher of pansies — he thinks of himself as a conservationist who just happens to make a living working with plants; a caretaker rather than an owner of the very land his business sits on.
        “Most of my customers from a retail aspect have always been kind of green-minded,” said Allen. “This farm was settled in the late 1600s. People had been on it before that based on arrowheads and pottery shards we’ve found; people have been here forever.
        “We’ve got green spaces where we feed turkeys and deer and bobcat and the quail,” said Allen. “I’ve got bluebird houses up. It’s all interconnected.”
        Allen also toes the line when it comes to recycling. Everywhere you look on his 120 acres you see concrete shoring up banks and used as riprap; old blacktop filling in potholes on dirt roads; canals funneling irrigation runoff and rainwater back into a pond to be used again; plastic pots that have been used over and over to hold several generations of plants.
    “We recycle everything,” said Allen. “It’s very important to me that as we move through this world … we’re not here for very long … that we leave something that’s better than what we found.”
        Woodbury adds that Allen’s theme of conservation will be extended to even the youngest visitors at the 2009 Carolina Home & Garden Show.
        “Saturday, Feb. 28, is Kid’s Day, sponsored by PWC,” said Woodbury. “There will be kids’ seminars from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. It’s very hands-on; in the past they’ve have made bird feeders and planted flowers.”
        Other special days include Senior Citizens Day on Friday, Feb. 27, sponsored by Piedmont Natural Gas, and Military Appreciation Day on Sunday, March 1, sponsored by Gore Built Homes — service men and women with a valid military ID will receive a $5 food voucher to use in the food court at the show.
        Admission to the 2009 Carolina Home & Garden Show is $6 — children 10 and under will be admitted free. For more information, check out HBAF’s Web site, www.carolinahomeandgardenshow.

  • 18a You have the right to remain silent.

    Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. You can decide to exercise these rights and stop answering questions at any time. Do you understand each of these rights as I have explained them to you?

    Many of us have heard those statements, but few of us fully understand them.

    On March 13, 1963, police arrested Ernesto Miranda on charges of rape and kidnapping after a witness identified him in Phoenix, Arizona. Following his arrest, the police brought Miranda in for questioning on a larceny charge.

    During his two-hour interrogation, police did not advise Miranda of his constitutional rights to an attorney or to remain silent. Nonetheless, Miranda signed a written confession affirming knowledge of these rights and admitting to the crimes.

    On June 27, 1963, Miranda was convicted of rape, kidnapping and robbery.

    Miranda appealed his conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court, which reviewed the case in 1966. The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision written by Chief Justice Earl Warren, ruled that the prosecution should not have introduced Miranda's confession as evidence because the police failed to first inform Miranda of his right to an attorney and his right against self-incrimination.

    Today, the Miranda Rights remain, in the words of Chief Justice Earl Warren, “the essential mainstay” of our legal system.
    To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the arrest of Ernesto Miranda and the start of a three-year saga that culminated in the Supreme Court case of Miranda v. Arizona, Fayetteville Technical Community College filmed a historical reenactment of the key moments in the Miranda ordeal.

    Please join us at Cumberland Hall Auditorium, located at 2211 Hull Road, on the FTCC campus on March 7 from noon to 3 p.m. for “Making Noise About Silence,” the world premiere of FTCC’s educational film about the Miranda decision.

    After playing the short film, legal and law enforcement experts from our community will share their thoughts on the Miranda case. Members of the panel will then answer audience questions.

    Why is this educational event significant? What you learn at this event might be the only thing that keeps you — or someone you love — out of jail.

    The event is open and free to the public. Guest speakers include:

    • Hon. James F. Ammons, Jr., Resident Superior Court Judge, 12th Judicial District
    • Chief Deputy Casper “Jack” Broadus, III, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office
    • Billy West, Cumberland County District Attorney •Cynthia P. Black, Esq., Cumberland County Public Defender
    • Larry Vick, Esq. Col (Ret.), U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps
    • Chief Kimberle Braden, Fayetteville City Police Department

    For more information about this event or to reserve a seat, call 910-678-0043.

     

  • 17 The Greater Sandhills Chamber announced the opening of the Enclave Stress Recovery Center in Southwind Plaza in Spring Lake. The center provides a restorative environment for individuals seeking to manage stress and improve their mental health.

    The Enclave features a Himalayan salt suite, an indoor garden, a beach room and an open floor for co-working and group sessions.

    “Stress is a growing problem that affects everyone at some point, so we are thrilled to bring our unique services to Cumberland County,” said Executive Director Taneshia Kerr. “At The Enclave, we believe that wellness is a holistic journey, and we are committed to providing quality care, while helping our members achieve their best selves.”

    The Enclave Stress Recovery Center offers a variety of immersive therapy suites, and other evidence-based therapies, including Christian counseling, aromatherapy, mindfulness practices, art therapy and stress management events.

    “Each suite gives you the chance to immerse your senses,” Kerr said. “You can experience a relaxing time away, minus the road trip.” Enclave members can move from suite to suite at their own pace, alone or with friends. Members can enjoy a chair massage, do yoga, use meditation to refocus, have a complimentary drink with a book, or lay back and actively do nothing.

    Speaking on behalf of the Greater Sandhills Chamber, Executive Treasurer Nisla Love described Kerr (who serves as President of the Chamber) as a giver. “It is an honor that you’re able to share and pour in to [the community] in this way,” Love said.

    Mayor of Spring Lake Kia Anthony expressed gratitude for being at the site of the first location of the stress recovery center. “Mental health is very often overlooked so our town needs this place,” Anthony said. “I am so excited as the mayor of this community to see us growing and bringing in new businesses. I am excited to see such a need being filled with access to a safe place.”

    The Enclave is also home to Fayetteville Christian Counseling. The Center is now accepting new members and they are available for private events and use by other wellness instructors and therapists.

    The Enclave hosted a Galentine’s event earlier this month and plan a variety of events in the future, typically aimed at de-stressing and self-care. Up next on March 12 is Take Care Sis: A Day of Rest! The event, hosted by Ki and Kiki of Take Care Sis will include yoga, massages, sound bowl healing, self-care tips and more fun surprises. Each participant will also receive a swag bag.

    Take Care Sis will be Sunday, March 12 from 1 to 4 p.m. To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/take-care-sis-podcast-presents-a-day-of-rest-tickets-541979704887
    For more information about Enclave Stress Recovery Center, call 910-339-0437 or visit www.EnclaveStressRecovery.com.

    The Enclave is located at 1169 N. Bragg Blvd. in Spring Lake.

  • 02-04-15-fireantz-2.gifThe FireAntz’s Jan Safar has been explosive on the ice this season, leading the league in scoring as a defenseman, recording two goals and 20 assists for 22 points through his first 30 games.

    Safar, born in Prague, Czech Republic, is a passionate 27-yearold who immediately fell in love with the game of hockey at the young age of 7. His love for the game of hockey has only grown from the time his grandpa taught him to skate. Safar looks up to his grandpa for planting that seed, which then blossomed as his love for the game of hockey grew.

    As a talented defenseman for the Antz, Safar has proven to be quite the team player as he leads the team in assists. Safar’s game day routine consists of waking up early, going for a light skate, followed by a pasta platter for lunch around 1p.m. and a good snooze.

    He has enjoyed his time here in Fayetteville and says that Military Night was his best experience since coming to town.

    “It was a great atmosphere,” he said. “The fans were great; really fun to play that game.”

    Safar hopes that his love and passion for the game of hockey will assist him “to lead the FireAntz to win a championship in the future.”02-04-15-fireantz-1.gif

    In his spare time, Safar enjoys the finer things, a little bit of cooking, going for walks, watching movies and working out. He’s a huge fan of sushi and his favorite restaurant in Fayetteville is Shogun.

    Safar’s hockey career has landed him far from home, which allows him little time to see his two younger sisters and the rest of his family. It’s a huge sacrifice that the average fan may not consider when attending games. Many of the FireAntz players share this common trait, which is what makes the bond of these teammates so unique — they’re a family.

    In the off-season, Safar spends time with his girlfriend in Canada, training for hockey and teaching at hockey schools when he can.

    Fast Facts About Jan Safar
    Favorite Song:  Hideaway by Kiesza
    Favorite Movie  Braveheart
    Favorite Sports Teams:  Sparta Praha and Toronto Maple Leafs
    Favorite Sports Aside From Hockey: Tennis and Skiing

    Photo: Jan Safar, a native of the Czech Republic, is a talented defenseman, who leads the
    FireAntz team in assists. 

  • 15 The Cape Fear Kiwanis Club is once again bringing breakfast to locals for a good cause. From 7 a.m. to noon on March 3 and 4, guests can enjoy some tasty pancakes and sausage. Guests will be able to either eat in at the Greek Orthodox Church and Hellenic Center, located at 611 Oakridge Avenue in Fayetteville or take their food to go.

    Tickets are $7 per person and all proceeds benefit our children and community! The Kiwanis Club of Cape Fear’s annual Pancake Breakfast was started by John S. Poulos.
    Poulos is also the founder of Superior Bakery, located in Hope Mills, which is now run by his son, Nicko.

    Since the first pancake breakfast, the turnout gets bigger and bigger every year, according to Steve Goodson, this year’s chairman of the Pancake Breakfast.

    “It’s just a fun thing for everybody to socialize, eat, meet and greet each other, and have a good time, ” says Goodson.

    Goodson is responsible for making sure that everyone eats well and has an enjoyable experience at the pancake breakfast. Participants that would like to order for a large group can call ahead and the order will be ready for pick-up the days of the event. There are also sponsorship opportunities for local businesses and organizations. If you would like to promote your business on the days of the event, banner spots are available for $100.

    Kiwanis Club
    Kiwanis is a worldwide service organization appealing to people with a desire to be personally involved in making their community a better place to live.
    The Kiwanis Club of Cape Fear was organized in 1960 and is one of more than 7,000 clubs in over 80 countries.
    The Kiwanis Club is focused on serving the children and youth of Cumberland County. They do this through service projects, fundraising events, sponsoring school-based service leadership programs, grants to nonprofit organizations, and scholarships for college-bound students.
    For more info visit the Kiwanis Club of Cape Fear’s Facebook Page at https://m.facebook.com/people/Kiwanis-Club-of-Cape-Fear/100057491266577 or call 910-624-4949.

     

  • The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum presents a bus tour on Monday, Feb. 16, from 9 a.m. – noon that will highlight the life and contributions of a true Renaissance man, Dr. Ezekiel Smith.02-11-15-dr.-ezekiel-smith.gif

    “The tour is something that will happen after we open the panel exhibit at the museum that will open on February 3,” said Bruce Daws, director of the local history museum. “It will chronicle the life of Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith, better known as E. E. Smith, and his role as an educator, principal, Baptist minister, soldier, statesman and businessman.”

    Dr. Ezekiel Smith was born the son of free blacks in Duplin County on a farm. He received no formal education due to the laws prohibiting blacks to receive an education, but he learned from his white playmates. After the Civil War, he attended a school in Wilmington and in 1869, he moved to Wayne County and attended a school equivalent to high school while becoming a teacher himself. He became the U.S. Ambassador to Liberia and President of Fayetteville State University. E. E. Smith High School is named in his honor. He was a man of many talents. He organized and operated the Carolina Enterprise, the first newspaper in the state for blacks. In 1883, he was selected to succeed Charles W. Chestnutt as the head of Fayetteville State Normal School which is now Fayetteville State University. He was the pastor of First Baptist Church in Fayetteville for six years.

    The bus tour will start and end at the museum. The route entails traveling to various locations pertaining to Dr. Smith. “It will stop at the post that Dr. Smith occupied on Blount Street that is currently owned by the city of Fayetteville,” said Daws. “People will have the opportunity to go inside to get a view of it before any restoration takes place.” Daws added that participants will get to view the Orange Street School, Ashley Heights, Worth Street, Fayetteville State University, Brookside Cemetery and other locations.

    “There has been a lot of searching around trying to compare 1914 and 1930 maps to current maps to try and find an address or location,” said James Greathouse, senior museum specialist. “It is interesting because we have some old writing talking about what the area looked like and I think we will be able to bring it alive.”

    It takes a lot of hard work from historians to find out information about people who lived many years ago in the past. “This has been a great learning opportunity for the staff that will translate back into the community, “said Heidi Bleazey, museum specialist. “It is a huge collaboration between faculty, staff, the libraries at Fayetteville State University and Maiden Lane, the city of Fayetteville’s Community Development, Orange Street School Foundation and the Museum of the Cape Fear.” Bleazey added that the history of the area is what they do, but you feel like you are moving around uncovering and discovering something and that is exciting.

    The cost of the bus tour is $3.00 per person payable on the morning of the tour. There are a limited number of seats for the bus tour and pre-registration is required. For more information call 433-1457.

    Photo: Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith, better known as E. E. Smith. 

  • 14 Blake Shelton is back on the road this year and is bringing his Back to the Honky Tonk Tour to Greensboro Coliseum Thursday, Feb. 23. Joining the superstar on the tour will be Carly Pearce and Jackson Dean.

    Blake Shelton

    Shelton has ranked among Pollstar’s Top 200 North American Tours nearly every year for the past decade. The beloved recording artist is indeed going back to the honky tonk with his latest single “No Body,” which became the most added song at country radio when released. The song is “soaked in ‘90s country vibes,” according to Billboard, and its official music video features line-dancing at a country bar — complete with Shelton sporting his signature mullet.

    This latest single continues to add to his impressive resume of music. The song comes on the heels of his album “Body Language Deluxe,” which features his Platinum-selling 28th country radio chart-topper, “Happy Anywhere” featuring Gwen Stefani.

    As a coach for the Emmy Award-winning television show “The Voice,” Shelton is an eight-time champion. He and Carson Daly teamed up to executive produce and star in a new celebrity game show,

    “Barmageddon,” which finished its first season on USA Network in January.

    Carly Pearce

    Rooted in the classics, Carly Pearce left her Kentucky home and high school at 16 to take a job at Dollywood. She has grown into an artist who embraces the genre’s forward progression. Confident in what she wants to say, the committed songwriter has resonated with fans and caught the attention of music critics from Billboard, NPR, Rolling Stone.

    The New York Times included “29: Written In Stone” on their 2021 year-end Best of Lists. Pearce performed the collection in its entirety throughout her sold-out The 29 Tour. She also appeared on Kenny Chesney’s Here And Now Tour 2022.

    Lighting a fire with her debut album “Every Little Thing” and the Platinum-certified history making title track, Carly’s 2X Platinum- certified “I Hope You’re Happy Now” with Lee Brice won both the CMA Musical Event and ACM Music Event, plus ACM Single of the Year.

    Returning to host ACM Honors, the reigning ACM/CMA Awards Female Artist/Vocalist of the Year and Grand Ole Opry member (fittingly invited by Dolly Parton) is clearly living out her childhood dream. For more information, visit carlypearce.com.

    Jackson Dean

    Odenton, Maryland native Jackson Dean is a singer/songwriter known for his old school, gritty style of country. Jackson has a daring and carefree spirit, having moved out at 18 years old to live in a cinderblock, concrete floor, one-room shack on the back of his grandfather’s property with no heat and no plumbing. Bringing that same sense of adventure to his songwriting, Jackson writes both independently and alongside the likes of Luke Dick and Casey Beathard.

    Following the release of his debut collection “Jackson Dean,” Jackson continues to show people how real music can be with atmospheric, musically forward album “Greenbroke” out now. Featured on the soundtrack for Netflix’s “The Ice Road” and in an episode of Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone,” the stomping “Don’t Come Lookin’” made its mark as his first single at country radio.

    Following an early career of local performances in his hometown, Jackson has joined bills with superstar acts like Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Brantley Gilbert, Kane Brown, Jake Owen and Brothers Osborne. For more information, visit www.jacksondeanmusic.com.

    More information and tickets to the Back to the Honky Tonk Tour, visit www.blakeshelton.com.

  • 02-25-15-fayetteville-academy.gifFayetteville Academy was established in 1970, and since then, it has maintained a sparkling record as an incredible learning institution. The faculty and staff maintain small class sizes and cultivate an atmosphere that encourages creativity and learning. In addition to receiving funding through tuition, the academy strives to foster excellence through its events. On March 6, Fayetteville Academy is set to host Auction 2015.

    “Money raised will help support several upcoming academic, athletic and art initiatives. Through Auction 2015, we will ensure Fayetteville Academy’s continued growth and maintain our tradition of excellence as we prepare our students for their futures,” Bill Jordan, chairman for the 2015 Auction Committee, said.

    This is a silent auction. “All items up for auction will be on display for guests to view the night of the auction. Each item will have a bid sheet, which allows each guest to place their bids for the particular item they are interested in taking home. At the end of the evening, the guest with the highest bid wins that item,” explained Jordan.

    A wide variety of items are up for auction, which have been donated by community members. According to organizers, there is something for everyone.

    “Items include beach weekends, jewelry, gift cards, sports memorabilia and sporting event tickets to name a few,” said Jordan.

    Ray Quesnel, the headmaster of the school, sees this event as more than a fundraiser. “The auction, which we have every other year, is an opportunity for the community to come together — both internally and with outside friends — this is a great friend builder and a chance to get in touch with and get to know the people in the community,” said Quesnel. “We make it a fancy and fun night for everyone.”

    “Our theme this year is ‘Derby,’ and we hope everyone will dress up in their best bowties and derby hats,” said Jordan. “Awards will be given to the best dressed and best hat of the evening. We have sponsors who have generously donated food for the evening including B&B Catering, Inc., Bombay Bistro, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Elliotts on Linden, Hilltop House Restaurant and Catering, Pierro’s Italian Bistro, R Burger and Sherefe’. Beer, wine and spirits are being provided by Healy Wholesale and Paddy’s Irish Public House. There are also plenty of activities planned, which include a tuition raffle, casino tables, video horse races, horse shoes, corn hole and the live and silent auctions.”

    Without fundraisers like the auction, the Fayetteville Academy would not be what it is today. It is necessary for continued growth and to maintain the many inspiring programs that so greatly benefit the students. This knowledge motivates everyone who is involved in organizing this event.

    “Being involved with the auction allows me to support Fayetteville Academy and the work they are doing with their students. It is very rewarding to see the money raised by this event and other academy fundraisers actually being put to use for the benefit of both students and faculty,” Jordan said.

    Quesnel noted that the proceeds from the auction will be used for continued improvements on campus — to improve facilities and programs.

    “This is our biggest fundraiser. We are looking forward to a good time. The support so far has been amazing and we appreciate it so much,” concluded Quesnel.

    The auction is set for March 6, at 6 p.m. and it is open to the public. The event will be held on the Fayetteville Academy campus located at 3200 Cliffdale Rd. Tickets can be reserved ahead of time by contacting Sonya Jenkins at 910-868-5131, ext. 3312. The tickets are $60 per person. Raffle tickets are also available for purchase for the chance to win one year of tuition or $2,500. For more information, visit www.fayettevilleacademy.com.

    Photo: Organizers of the Fayetteville Academy’s  biannual fundraiser ( pictured above: Bill Jor-dan, Auction Chair, Sonya Jenkins, Director of Alumni Relations and Publications and Emily Schaefer, Acquisitions Chair) are planning a racing good time with Derby Hats and outfits. The silent auction is on March 6 at 6 p.m. on the campus of the academy.

  • 12b Country vocalists, post-grunge bands and a Michael Jackson tribute highlight performers coming for the 41st annual Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, organizers announced Feb. 15.

    Ax throwing and a giant rock wall will also be part of the fun at the April 27-30 festival. Executive Director Sarahgrace Mitchell and the festival board of directors presented a preview of the three-day festival at Segra Stadium.

    Live music, food vendors, a BMX bike stunt show, and a street fair with local performers are on tap throughout downtown Fayetteville as local restaurants and shops welcome thousands of visitors.
    Musical acts are among the best draws for Fayetteville’s biggest festival, including local acts and national names who will perform on the main stage at Festival Park.

    Ashland Craft and David Nail will be the main acts on Friday night, April 28.

    With hits like “Make It Past Georgia” and “I Smoke Weed,” Craft has made a name in country. She will hit the stage at 8 p.m. with her deep, bluesy voice and guitar-heavy set. Her modern country blues style is likened to her influences, Miranda Lambert and Bonnie Raitt.

    Friday night headliner David Nail hit it big with fun-loving songs like “Let It Rain,” “Whatever She’s Got” and “Red Light.” His style of country music will have fans on their feet.

    The fireworks show Boom and Bloom will follow Nail’s performance. Saturday will bring local acts starting at 2 p.m. in Festival Park before the night gets a post-grunge edge with rock bands LIT and Buckcherry.

    “My Own Worst Enemy” was a hit for California-based LIT in 1999, and the band has maintained a strong radio presence since.

    Another California band, Buckcherry, will take the stage at 9 p.m. with well-known hits like “Everything.” On Sunday, the national tour of “Who’s Bad: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience” will kick off at 7:30 p.m. after a series of local acts beginning at 2:30 p.m.

    One of the local acts on Sunday will be the Throwback Collaboration Band, featuring lead singer Adolph Thomas and guitarist Duce Thomas playing R&B and soul. Based in Fayetteville, the band has been together four years and has played at festivals across the state.
     

    “We play ’70s and ’80s Motown dance-style music,” said Adolph Thomas.

    A limited number of front-row seats are on sale at www.thedogwoodfestival.com. Of course, the music is just one part of the fun at the festival, as activities will extend throughout the downtown area.
    A festival tradition, “The Cork and Fork: A Premier Food and Wine Event,” is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. April 27 at Festival Park. Tickets can be purchased at the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival website. A silent auction will benefit this year’s nonprofit partner, Fayetteville Urban Ministry.

    Other favorites returning to the festival include the Airborne Aerial entertainers, performing Saturday near the Festival Park Plaza food court. On Saturday and Sunday, BMX stunt shows will take place on Hay Street, between City Hall and the Hotel Prince Charles, and Ring Wars Carolina will stage wrestling tournaments at Ray Avenue and Hay Street.
     

    A car, motorcycle and truck show is scheduled on Sunday at Market Square, Person Street and Green Street. Interested motorists can register their vehicles for the show at the festival website.
    Two children’s areas, the KidZone sponsored by Carolina Fun Factory and the Midway, which will host carnival rides for children and adults, will be at the corner of Mason Street and Ray Avenue.

    New activities planned this year include the Axes and Armor Hatchet House, where the adventurous can throw axes for free. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on Gillespie Street.
    For more information about the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, including how to purchase tickets for front-row seating or the Cork and Fork event, visit www.thedogwoodfestival.com.

  • On Friday, Feb. 26, it’s time again to experience the artistic and entertaining side of historic downtown Fayetteville for02-17-10-4thfriday.gifFebruary’s 4th Friday. Culture and creativity connect as many artistic venues and restaurants open their doors to exhibit unique galleries, serve great food and drinks, present talented artists and offer many exciting crowd-pleasing activities. 4th Friday Celebration of the arts and downtown is presented by the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. The event highlights are sure to be visually and sonically stimulating as local artists, as well as special guests from across the country come to Fayetteville to share their work.

    This 4th Friday, there is something to peak the interests of all ages and much to enjoy for many different tastes. Appropriately timed for the season, Fascinate-U Children’s Museum has free admission and activities planned for kids during which they will be making snowfl akes! Marketing and Development Director, Emily Polley says, “The children will be able to look at many different snowfl akes and discover more about the history. In addition to exploring the exhibits, they’ll have fun folding and cutting their own snowfl akes to take with them.”

    There will also be plenty to engage the attention of adults as they visit the lively streets and venues downtown, such as the Cumberland County Headquarters Library where a special musical guest and friends will be presented. “We’re looking forward to hearing Brian Morgan, a Grammy-ominated performer who plays a variety of music on acoustic guitar,” says Kelly Tomita, narketing and communications canager of CCHQL. “Morgan studied under jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd at North Carolina Central University and will entertain us with Jazz, R&B, Funk and Gospel. He’s bringing 45RPM, a group of young vocalists that he put together ages 11-18 who will be performing live music from the ‘70s and ‘80s. We hope families will come out to enjoy this experience with us.”

    Cape Fear Studios proudly presents a Fine Crafts Show. Artists who work with wood, metal, ceramics, fabrics and more have been invited from different areas to showcase their unique projects. Brian Bortz out of Durham, N.C. will exhibit his marvelous wood creations. Joel Honeycutt shows his versatile talent in ceramic art, from exotic sculptures to more traditional pieces such as beautifully crafted dishes. The Pixie Ladies from California share their themed quilts and Nancy Nicholson will be sending her stained glass pieces from New York. “Our own Erica Stankwytch Bailey, curator of the event, handpicked the artists after seeing them at American Crafts Council shows in Baltimore, Philadelphia and other cities,” says Chris Castner, executive director of CFS. “The reason Bailey wanted to put this together is to show how fi ne and sophisticated craftwork can be. It goes beyond cute and country. We’re excited to show these amazing works of art that use traditional techniques with unique artistic flair.”

    Free events, complimentary refreshments and talented people will come together in the heart of Fayetteville this 4th Friday. Bring your friends and family downtown to see the nationally touring exhibition, Art of the Masters: A Survey of African American Images, 1980-2000. For more information contact 910-323-1776 or visit www.theartscouncil.com.

  • 16From finding the right house to getting the best performance out of mortgage lending, home buying is the biggest purchase of many people’s lives. Unfortunately, the process can be overwhelming.
    On Feb. 18 at 9:30 a.m., Bill Snuggs of Be Snugg At Home Realty (powered by EXP Realty) and Susan Zeiber of Mortgage Source of Fayetteville, Inc. welcome home buyers and sellers to their home buying seminar at the West Regional Library, located at 7469 Century Circle on the west side of Fayetteville.

    This seminar has been designed with the customer in mind, the perfect opportunity to learn about the home buyer’s market from realistic, experienced and trustworthy players.

    “We want to help people realize” that they shouldn’t be afraid of buying a home, Susan Zeiber explains. “In fact, we can help you rehabilitate less-than-perfect credit.”

    Since 1998, Zeiber has been the owner of Mortgage Source of Fayetteville, Inc. Known primarily for Veteran’s Administration loans, she is equipped to meet whatever loan program suits your needs.

    “We’re not here to judge anybody,” she says. "We’re here to help [you] buy a house.”

    Susan practiced mortgage lending for 20 years at banks and lending institutions in Fayetteville before opening Mortgage Source.

    “Home ownership is the key to a stable,” wealth-building life, Snuggs says matter-of-factly. If you live in a house, you pay a mortgage.

    “The difference is it’s either “your mortgage or your landlord’s mortgage,” he quips. Known for his no-nonsense approach to customers, Snuggs has been a realtor in Fayetteville since 2008.
    Owning a home is building personal equity that can be used “to pay for college for your kids, or you can use that equity to subsidize your own retirement,” he says.

    Snuggs served in the Air Force for 20 years and in the federal civilian sector for 11 more, attaining the position of Budget Officer for the National Labor Relations Board.
    In the home buying business, finding somebody that you trust makes all the difference in the world, he says. He and Zeiber work together to do right by the clients.
    Since 2010, they have built a business relationship when Zeiber was able to close three loans that were deemed impossible to finance by Snuggs' old mortgage department.

    “That’s what I wanted to say about Bill,” Susan says. “Bill has integrity, and, you know, integrity is what you do when nobody is looking.”

    This home buying seminar is free, it’s open to everybody, and there will be coffee, biscuits and door prizes. The seminar is roughly three hours long.

    “Buying or selling a house is stressful enough,” Snuggs says. “Susan and I try to” take out as much stress as possible.
    The realtor and loan officer plan an informal seminar “because it makes us approachable,” Zeiber explains. “People are afraid to talk. They think that they’re being judged . . . and they feel like their entire life is on somebody’s desk.”

    “Even though homebuying is scary, it’s doable, and we will be there for you every step of the way,” she adds.

  • 15In honor of Black History Month, the Fayetteville History Museum is highlighting Saint Joseph’s Episcopal Church. The church was officially chartered in 1873, which means it is celebrating its 150th anniversary.

    Saint Joseph’s Episcopal Church, located at 509 Ramsey Street, is the second oldest Episcopal congregation in Fayetteville and the oldest African American Episcopal congregation.

    According to Saint Joseph’s, in the late 1860s, several founding members were also involved in the founding or operation of the Howard School, which evolved into the first State Normal School (teachers’ school) in North Carolina. This later became Fayetteville State University. Saint Joseph’s parochial school was separate and one of the first local schools for people of African descent.

    The church later was the space that held USO and NAACP meetings for Black residents of Fayetteville.
    Heidi Bleazey, the Historic and Natural Resources Manager at the Fayetteville History Museum, says the church was vital to the community.

    “There’s this beautiful nestled church in this corner of a busy, busy Ramsey Street that so many people drive by. And then you consider 150 years of not only building a faith community on that space but building a community and bringing to the needs of that community,” Bleazey said.

    The church has survived three fires. The first fire was in 1917, which destroyed the first rectory and parish house. The second fire in 2005 destroyed their large gazebo.

    The most recent fire in 2015 severely damaged the quarter of the church nearest the main entrance and the entire sanctuary was damaged due to water from the fire. The church was restored in 2017.
    The church is known for its Queen Anne-style architecture, the stained windows from Tiffany & Co., and a pipe organ that was built in 1857. The organ was damaged in the 2015 fire but has been restored and now uses electricity.

    The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

    “These old buildings are register buildings, they’re seen as spaces where time is frozen, and this is a unique space where time continues to move, and people continue to live and breathe life into that space. But it's also a snapshot into the past at the same time there,” Bleazey said.

    “But here are people that are doing daily church business there. And suddenly, it’s the longevity of the community, and the congregation are why that building and that congregation have reached the age that they have,” she said.

    “That’s why they're celebrating 150 years, and their commitment to service and the community is kept active and kept them functional and kept that building of importance.”
    Saint Joseph’s will be celebrating 150 years as a parish on May 26 through May 28. They will be preparing an Anniversary Book to commemorate this historic occasion.

    “We plan to do a mayoral proclamation for the Sunday that’s closest to the 28th,” Bleazey said. The celebration is ongoing, and the Fayetteville History Museum exhibit will be up for a year.

    She added that the parish of Saint Joseph’s intends to celebrate all year long as well. The Fayetteville History Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free to the public. The Fayetteville History Museum is located at 325 Franklin Street in downtown Fayetteville. The museum is part of the Historic and Natural Resources of Fayetteville Cumberland Parks and Recreation.

    For more information, visit www.fcpr.us/historymuseum or call 910-433-1457.

  • 14It’s time to dust off the VHS of “Sixteen Candles,” “Ferris Bueller's Day Off,” and time to grab neon-colored items for an 80s party at Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery on Feb. 25.

    The winery’s Totally Bodacious 80s Glow Party may be the flair to spark anybody’s week. The event has a $10 cover charge that can be pre-purchased on the winery’s website. Guests will be able to purchase their own drinks from the bar using cash or a credit card.

    According to Derrick Rice, the winery’s events director, guests can expect to have a great time as they enjoy music from a DJ, and drink specials and refreshments from the 80s.

    “The purpose of the Totally Bodacious 80s Glow Party is to bring a pit of nostalgia and fun to those who remember the 80s as the best musical and outrageous fashion era,” Rice said.
    He said it is an event for people to let loose and enjoy themselves.

    This enjoyment may come from attendees dressing up for the two contests — Best 80s Movies Costume and Best 80s Costume. He explained how the two differ from each other.

    “One is for the overall 80s costume and the other is for an 80s movie costume where the guests can depict their version of some popular 80s movie or television characters,” Rice said.

    The event would not be an 80s event if dancing was not involved. Attendees can learn the “Thriller” dance while there.

    “There will be a professional dance instructor on hand to teach the moves to Michael Jackson's “Thriller” music video,” he said.

    Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery is located at 195 Vineyard Drive in Elizabethtown. For more information call 910-645-4291 or visit https://www.capefearwinery.com/

  • 18Fayetteville’s professional indoor soccer team, Fayetteville Fury will kick off their second season home opener against Memphis on Feb. 18 and 19 at the Crown Coliseum.

    For those who did not know professional indoor soccer is a thing, the Fury is a part of the National Indoor Soccer League. The league was created in 2021 and Fayetteville Fury is one of the many teams in the organization that has men’s and women’s divisions.

    Their season kick off is against the Memphis Americans. The Men’s and Women’s divisions will have 24 regular season games. After the home opening weekend, the Fury will be on the road until the next home games on March 10 against the Central Florida Crusaders. It is rare for one sports ticket to get someone into a men’s and women’s game.

    Andrew Haines, NISL owner said, “We are the only league in the country that does that at the professional level. All tickets get you into both games.”

    During the inaugural season, the Fayetteville Fury Men’s team won a championship title. Haines discussed how this being the league’s second season proves that the sport is real and not just a concept.

    “We produced a quality product for the community, and our Men’s team won the league championship,” Haines said. “We are in building mode and excited to kick off our second season.”
    The League’s Affect on Fayetteville

    “Our league and teams all affect each other,” Haines said. “Our successes and failures are shared. Our front office and coaches from around the league all work together behind the scenes... off the field we are one family with a common goal.”

    To learn more about the league or purchase tickets, visit www.fayettevillefury.com/.

    About the National Indoor Soccer League

    The NISL was founded in January 2021 by a group of seasoned sports team/league owners with over 50 years of ownership experience. The league features both a Men’s & Women’s Division, competing in double header game days over a 16-game regular season that takes place between January and April. Current teams include Central Florida Crusaders, Columbus Rapids (Georgia), Fayetteville Fury, Memphis Americans, Rome Gladiators (Georgia), and Tampa Bay Strikers.

    The NISL is committed to promoting and supporting member teams, while providing an avenue for players, coaches, and front office staff to develop their skills and gain exposure for opportunities at higher levels, all while providing high-quality, affordable entertainment in the communities they call home.
    For more information, go to www.nislpro.com.

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      Observers say a plan to turn a Fayetteville antebellum mansion into a school was an exercise in futility. The operator of a private academy wants to convert a Morganton Road home known as Fair Oaks into a small, private middle school. Christy Pettit took on dozens of Haymount’s wealthy residents at a public hearing last week and lost. Her request for a special use permit was turned down by the Fayetteville Zoning Commission in a unanimous vote. Pettit will take her case before Fayetteville City Council on March 29.

    According to the Fayetteville Convention and Visitors Bureau, E.J. Lilly began construction of Fair Oaks in 1858. It stayed in the family for 100 years and was most recently owned by Dr. and Mrs. Albert Stewart Jr. The five-bedroom, four-bath, 4,700 sq. ft. mansion is located on a one-and-a-half-acre lot with several out buildings at the fork of the Fort Bragg Road crossover, which is in the heart of one of Fayetteville’s oldest neighborhoods. The house incorporates a Georgian plan with Greek Revival and Italianate elements. 

    During General Sherman’s occupation of Fayetteville in 1865, some of the Union troops camped on the grounds. It’s said that Sherman and his officers occupied the house itself. A silver tray bearing bullet holes of Sherman’s soldiers, who used the tray for target practice, still remains in the Lilly family. 

    Pettit has an option to buy the house for $599,000. The two-story white house has been on the market for three years. Pettit said she would preserve the structure and renovate the bathrooms and kitchen. “This house is slowly deteriorating,” Pettit testified at the Zoning Commission meeting. Her interest in the house is two-fold: Pettit told the Zoning Commission she has an interest in preserving history while providing quality education. She would like to add to her private school known as First Impressions Academy across town with a second campus. 

    The Zoning Commission agreed with city staff that Dobbin Avenue, which provides access to the property, is too narrow to accommodate the traffic that would be generated by a school. Staff recommended denial of the special use permit because of what planner Greg Harmon said would be traffic issues. Dobbin Avenue is off Morganton Road. It leads to Lilly Avenue, a short lane at the rear of the property. Dobbin Avenue and the parallel Magnolia Avenue are almost unique in Fayetteville. They were built in the 1920s in the “horse and buggy days” and would not meet city street standards today. 


  • 15On Saturday, Feb. 18, voices will rise up in song at the Cumberland Hall Auditorium as members of the Cumberland Choral Arts hold a concert honoring Black History Month.

    The concert, which will start at 7:30 p.m., will be a mix of classical pieces, spirituals, hymns and contemporary music. This will be the third year members of the choir have held
    the event. Lift Every Voice and Sing began as an idea from Cumberland Choral Arts member Brenda Vandevort-Miller.

    “When I did this in 2020, it was really done very selfishly,” Vandevort-Miller said. “Being part of this community and going to different Black History Month events, I found that there were a lot of similarities in the events that were being offered.”

    “The focus was on things that most people would know about from general education. It’s a lot of Martin Luther King Jr., lot of Rosa Parks and Frederick Douglass. With this being a military town a lot of focus is on Buffalo Soldiers,” she said. “And all of those things are great and it is important for those stories to be told and to continue being told. But I wanted to offer something different. I wanted it to be focused more on music because there is a lot of Black history with music at large.”

    Lift Every Voice and Sing will be broken down into three parts. The first part of the concert will focus on classical and 20th century pieces. Corey Leak will be performing “La Donna E Moble” by H. Leslie Adams. Monique Butler McLeod will be performing a Puccini piece, “Vissi Darte Vissi Damore.”

    Vandevort-Miller will be peforming a piece titled “I Have a Dream.”

    “It is Dr. King’s speech set to music, composed by Phyllis Luidens Reed. I did it on a live stream two years ago, but I have yet to do it in front of a live audience, I’m excited to see how it is received,” Vandevort-Miller said.

    The second part of the concert will be gospels, spirituals and sacred music. Pieces such as “City Called Heaven,” performed by Dr. Denise Murchison Payton from Fayetteville State University will be sung. “I Walk With God” and “There Is a Balm in Gilead” will also be performed. Corey Leak and Chris Colon, members of Cumberland Choral arts, will be doing an arrangement of “Amazing Grace.” The final part of the concert will feature this year’s theme, Ladies Night.

    “We are concentrating on music that is either written by or traditionally performed by Black women,” said Vandevort- Miller. “There will be a little Chaka Khan in there, Aretha and Whitney.”

    Five soloists from Cumberland Choral Arts are the main performers of the concert, but they will be joined on stage by the Fayetteville Tech and Fayetteville State University Choirs.

    The Cross Creek Chorale, the smaller auditioned ensemble within the Cumberland Choral Arts, will also be making an appearance. The show will include some spoken word and monologues from different shows that are Black centered.

    “It bridges a lot of gaps that you won’t necessarily get from your school, or your church or events in the community,” said Vandevort-Miller. “The goal is always to offer a different perspective on Black history and enlighten the community about things they didn’t know previously.”

    Cumberland Choral Arts is the premier community choir within the Sandhills region. It began in 1991 as Cumberland Oratorio Singers by Alan Porter. He put together a group to sing Mozart’s "Requiem" during the bicentennial of Mozart’s death. It was supposed to be a one time event, but people enjoyed themselves so much that the choir was born. Five year ago, the group changed their name to Cumberland Choral Arts. Dr. Michael Martin is currently the choir’s director.

    “The name changed to make it a little more accessible. I think the feeling was that we were only doing these mass pieces that were serious and stodgy and that’s not the case at all,” said Vandevort-Miller. “We do a little bit of everything like the Blue Grass Mass that will be closing out our season.”

    The choir is available for people to join, all they have to do is fill out an interest form and set up a time to sing for Dr. Martin to familiarize himself with someone’s voice and decide where to place them within the choir. A prepared piece isn’t necessary, stressed Vandevort-Miller. Cumberland Choral Arts encompasses the smaller, auditioned ensemble of the Cross Creek Chorale. A youth choir is also now a part of the mix, the Campbellton Youth Chorus.

    For more information on how to join, visit https://www.cumberlandchoralarts.org/join-cca/

    Lift Every Voice and Sing will be held on Fayetteville Techinal Community College's campus at the Cumberland Hall Auditorium on Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and are $15. For tickets or more information visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lift-every-voice-and-sing-a-musical-journey-through-black-history-tickets-514993498417?aff=ebdsoporgprofile.

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    Local Government Terms Could Change

    Fayetteville City Council has voted 8-2 to hold a referendum in November on whether its members should be elected to four-year terms of office. Councilmen Bobby Hurst and Kirk deViere voted against changing their two-year terms. Bill Crisp, Council’s longest serving member, is also opposed but he voted with the majority to put the matter to a vote of the people. 

    Longer terms were Councilman Larry Wright’s idea. He also wanted term limits placed on members, but City Attorney Karen McDonald said that’s not allowed. State law permits cities, towns and villages to use either partisan elections or nonpartisan elections. Fayetteville and most other cities have nonpartisan elections, according to the N.C. Institute of Government. This form of local government emerged during the Progressive Era as a way of removing politics from city elections. 

    A few cities including Albemarle, Charlotte, Kinston, Lincolnton, Winston-Salem and a handful of others have partisan elections. If four-year terms pass in the fall in Fayetteville, they would be staggered with some members elected in alternate two-year cycles. Council members also have the authority to change elections to partisan contests if they choose.


     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Are Domestic Murders Preventable? 

    Fayetteville’s third homicide of the new year was the outgrowth of a domestic dispute, according to police. Thomas McNair, 67, of 1018 Ellis Street, was found dead at his home last week. He was stabbed to death, said Police Lt. David McLaurin. Monaca Holt, 40, also of Fayetteville, was charged with second degree murder and jailed without bond. They were “involved in a verbal altercation which ended with Monaca Holt stabbing Thomas McNair,” according to McLaurin. 

    Homicide is far and away the leading cause of death for black men, more than car accidents, suicide and diseases combined, according to Dr. Charles H. Hennekens, a professor at Florida Atlantic University. “Death is inevitable, but premature death is not. This is a devastating epidemic,” said Hennekens.  Minnesota Police Sgt. Randy McAlister wondered: Is it possible to proactively identify those most at risk of being killed by an intimate partner? He had just wrapped up a domestic homicide investigation. He studied the concept, and four years later his department introduced a domestic violence intervention program.

    They call it the Lethality Assessment Program, which involves a structured 11-question interview of domestic violence complainants at the scenes of assaults. The questions are designed to elicit crucial information about the abusive partner, including previous incidents of violence. 

    Supporters believe these assessments are critical preventive tools in addressing intimate partner violence, which results in nearly one out of every seven murders nationally, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Based on the interviews, if police identify a victim at apparent increased risk for murder, an officer makes an immediate phone call to a trained counselor who is able to discuss safety concerns with the victim. 


     

     

     

     

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    Real-Time Bus Arrivals

    The Fayetteville Area System of Transit launched a new high tech customer service this month. It’s called Transloc, and is available on home computers and smart phones (fast.transloc.com). Bus riders can actually watch buses move along a map in real time. They’ll see bus locations, bus stops and accurate arrival times. “The state-of-the-art app allows patrons to not waste time waiting for the bus,” says Assistant FAST Director Kelly Blazey. Users can easily set favorite routes and stops and receive personalized alerts. Of course service outages, traffic and weather conditions can sometimes make times unpredictable. But being able to watch the progress of the buses live at home or on smart phones reduces wait times. “Riders can actually text inquiries to receive predicted arrival times for all routes serving the bus stops they’re interested in,” Blazey added. Patrons can also tailor their phones and computers with digital bus stops they use regularly. Multiple connection points are available for added customer convenience. 


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    Nextdoor Goes to the Country

    Cumberland County Sheriff Earl “Moose” Butler has announced that the Sheriff’s Office is introducing the Nextdoor citizen crime prevention website for county residents. City Police initiated the Nextdoor concept locally several months ago. Now, the sheriff’s office is using the social medium so neighbors can communicate confidentially among themselves. Local Emergency notifications are also made available on Nextdoor. Because it’s a closed membership site, neither law enforcement nor non-members can eavesdrop on posts. For developments in your neighborhood or your community watch, the sheriff’s office can connect residents with one another to “build stronger, safer neighborhoods throughout Cumberland County,” said Butler. 


  • 14Throughout his illustrious, history-making career, William Shakespeare is credited with having written around 37 plays. Beginning Feb. 17, the Gilbert Theater in downtown Fayetteville will attempt to perform them all.

    With only three actors and 97 minutes, the Gilbert will take the audience on a hilarious speed-run through the Bard’s catalog with their performance of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).” The production will run from Feb. 17 through March 5.

    According to actor Chris Walker, the play is a “distillation of the works of Shakespeare jammed together to create a farce — a comedy of immense ridiculousness.”
    Walker, along with Dan Adams and Linda Flynn, round out the cast of three who will race through costume changes, character transitions and hilarious interpretations of the good, the bad and the obscure in Shakespeare’s canon.

    “It’s a lot of fun,” Flynn confided. “But it’s a lot of work. The challenge is there are so many words and characters and just so many costumes — it goes pretty fast.”

    The play is London’s longest-running comedy, written by Daniel Singer, Adam Long and Jess Winfield in the early 1980s. Its over-the-top energy, break-neck speed, and reliance on self-parody make it an ideal play for those who don’t know much about Shakespeare or feel alienated from his work due to the difficulty of the language.

    “You don’t need to know anything about Shakespeare to enjoy this play — though who doesn’t know a little something about Shakespeare?” Walker mused. “It’s so universal; it’s something we all learn in one way or another.”

    The play’s director, Lawrence Carlisle III, has been trying to bring the play to the Gilbert stage since the spring of 2020. The play was scheduled to debut in March of that year — then the world shut down due to the pandemic.

    “When I took over as artistic director in 2020, this was the second show of my tenure,” he explained. “We postponed it a few times but eventually had to cancel the entire season.
    I really enjoyed directing the show and knew I wanted to do it again someday.”

    Now, three years later, Carlisle is excited to share his vision. Those attending should prepare themselves for some sword-fighting (both good and bad), jokes (both good and bad), and more than a little audience participation.

    “That’s part of the comedy,” said Walker. “It’s supposed to be over the top.”

    The play is rated PG-13 and best suited for audiences of middle-school age and up — perfect for a post-Valentine’s Day night date, secondary-school field trip, or a group of friends looking for something fun to do on a Friday night.

    “The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged)” isn’t intended for hard-boiled literary purists or those looking to better understand Shakespeare’s work. Its purpose is a bit more straightforward, and its goal is very simple: it’s intended to make people laugh.

    “I picked it because it’s funny, and I prefer comedy most of the time,” Carlisle said simply. “You shouldn’t take any of it too seriously.”

    Tickets range from $13.25 to $21.25. For tickets and showtimes, visit the theater website at https://www.gilberttheater.com/. The Gilbert Theater is located at 116 Green St.

  • 13Valentine’s Day is upon us, and Fayetteville and surrounding areas have some unique and fun options for everyone. Here is your list of family and date night ideas to celebrate love, for this weekend and on Valentine’s Day itself.

    Valentine’s Carriage Rides
    Surprise your special someone with an intimate carriage ride through the Cool Spring Downtown District. They will bring their
    beautiful Queen Victoria Carriage to the district and provide private carriage rides on Feb. 11, from 1 to 9 p.m. at the Cool Spring Downtown District’s office (222 Hay Street, across from Pierro's Italian Bistro). Each private carriage ride will take you on a scenic 15-17 minute ride through the district in 20-minute intervals.
    Private carriage ride tickets will be a flat fee of $75 per private carriage ride. Tickets can be bought online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/valentines-carriage-rides-tickets-525919608707?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb. If you have any questions before you purchase your tickets, please call the Cool Spring Downtown District’s office at 910-223-1089.

    Hearts and Hops: A Family Valentine’s Celebration
    Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom is hosting a family-friendly Heart Day celebration. Attendees can buy flowers and baked foods by Sugarfix, as well as paint several crafts with Paint & Create with Sarah.
    The event will start at noon and end at 5 p.m. on Feb. 11. Dirtbag Ales is located at 5435 Corporation Drive. For additional information, call 910-426-2537.

    13a Cookie Decorating Class
    Join Pink Flower at Hugger Mugger Brewery for a special Valentine’s Day cookie decorating class. The class will be two hours long, and you will be decorating six sugar cookies.
    The cost is $50 a person, or $90 for two people. A beverage of choice will be included for each ticket. All skill levels are welcome, however this class is geared towards beginners. This event will be on Feb. 12 from 3 to 5 p.m. For more information, go to forms.gle/yAjbn54FGx38yS5m8.

    Valentine’s Day Grab Bag
    If you have a service member or a spouse who would appreciate a Valentine’s Day treat, Fort Bragg USO is here to help celebrate that special person in your life! Cupid has dropped off bags filled with chocolates, date night cards and yummy treats for your favorite sweetheart!
    Quantities are limited. Must be able to pick up on Feb.14. Limit one gift bag per household, it includes activities for couples. Pickup will be at the Fort Bragg USO office on Fort Bragg. If you have any questions, please email rtaylor@uso.org for more details.

    Valentine’s Day Cookies and Crafts
    Join the Chick-Fil-A crew at the Cross Creek Mall for a little Valentine’s Day fun. They will be decorating cookies and making heart-themed crafts. There may even be a special visit by their very own cow. The free event will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 14.

    Cocktails & Charcuterie13b
    Enjoy a curated hands-on experience at Dirty Whiskey as they present a mixology class, Cupids’ Edition! During this experience, you will learn how to construct two specialty craft cocktails. Class includes all the ingredients to make two pre-determined drinks, one-on-one instruction, and a charcuterie plate, as well as a Dessert Charcuterie.
    The drinks that will be made are a Valentine's Mule and a Berry Lovely. There will be the traditional Charcuterie Platter, and for the first time, the Dessert Platter will include desserts such as cheesecake, macaroons, fresh fruit and more. Tickets are available only to guests ages 21 and over. Gratuity is not included in the ticket price. Tickets can be bought at www.simpletix.com/e/cocktails-and-charcuterie-cupids-edition-t-tickets-122505. The event will take place on Feb. 13 at 6 p.m.

    Valentine Cocktail Party
    Enjoy a special night out at Roland’s Dance Studio for this special date. The evening includes cocktails for two, dessert and light hors d’oeuvres, a five-minute private lesson, a group class and social dancing until 10:30 p.m.
    The event is $75 a couple, and you must reserve a spot ahead of time. For more information, call 910-423-2623. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and social dancing will end at 10:30 p.m.

    13cArt of Love
    Join Black Canvas on Valentine’s Day evening for the Art of Love, a couple’s art event. When you attend the Art of Love event, they will provide everything you need to have a memorable experience at the Black Canvas with your Valentine.
    No art experience is necessary. They will provide everything you need, including all supplies for painting with acrylics, a positive art studio environment, the best vibes in Fayetteville with DJ Wolf spinning R & B blends, and food. E & Z Forrest Sweets will be catering with light bites, and as always, Black Canvas serves complimentary adult beverages of wine, cocktails and mimosas. You must be 18 years of age or older for the event.
    Tickets are $50 and can be bought at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-of-love-tickets-519151956477?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb. The event will take place on Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. and will be at 805 Elm Street.

    Couples’ Valentine’s Dinner & Dancing
    Abundant Life Ministries invites you to join them for an elegant night of romance, dinner, dancing and fun at the Iron Mike Conference Center on Fort Bragg. Dinner will be served beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 18.
    Dinner will be a choice of New York strip steak grilled topped with French onion demi-glaze or oven roasted marinated half chicken. Each meal will be served with salad, roasted seasonal vegetable blend, herb roasted baby red potatoes and dessert. Enjoy entertainment during dinner and dance the night away with DJ Square Knot!
    The dress code is semi-formal to formal. Dinner for two is $100, and tickets can be bought at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/couples-valentines-dinner-dancing-tickets-527895338167?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb.

  • 12It’s February, folks — the love month! And Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, is the centerpiece of the 28 days of romance and affection. Despite this, for those without a significant other to wine, dine and share the love with, sometimes the signature date feels like just another day. Let me tell you that you are a special someone, and so are your gal-pals! So read on for some ideas on taking your cupid experience from drab to fab! Valentine’s Day might be for lovers, but Galentine’s Day, Feb. 13, is for
    the girls!

    Morning Mojo
    What better way to start the day with your besties than at The Friend’s Table? Located at 225 Green St., Suite 100, the café features an espresso flight of four flavors sure to jump-start your day. The mimosa flight option is perfect for sharing if you aren't a coffee lover. With six juice flavors, you might as well order two, get all the juice options and share! If you are anything like my girlfriends and me, you'll order two of both and enjoy all of the flavor options. We are known to be a little gluttonous, but Galentine’s and Valentine’s Days only come once a year.

    Foodie Favorites12b
    With Valentine’s Day landing on Tuesday this year, some taco action is only appropriate! Blue Moon Café at 310 Hay St., in Downtown Fayetteville, dishes up some of my favorites.
    It has the best nachos, too, if you are down with things “a little destruction.” If you are going out on Monday for Galentine’s Day, Blue Moon has a setting for a beautiful five-course meal that night and two more on Valentine’s Day. Tickets went on sale in January, so check availability before you go,
    For my Northside ladies, the short drive to Ay Wey Mexican Kitchen + Tequila in Dunn is hands down the best! This restaurant has become my go-to for Taco Tuesday and beyond. Do yourself a favor and order the sweet corn as your side and the spicy margarita for your sip!

    12cCreate and Relate
    To tap into my creative side, I recently went to SipLee Art in Eastover and had the best time! What I loved most was that each woman in our group could choose what to craft — no cookie-cutter approach here. Options included garland, door mats and door hangers, all items customers could paint, create and customize to their heart's desire. Some in my group made seasonal décor while others chose to go generic; I love the flexibility and the options. I have participated in group craft classes before where everyone worked on the same project; let me tell you, it is hard to get a group of women to agree on what to craft — or anything else, for that matter!
    We brought snacks and drinks to add to the afternoon for more fun. Don’t worry about your painting skills; the sweet team here will touch up your Picasso, and you will be surprised by your finished project. SipLee’s Art address is 3465 Murphy Rd., Fayetteville. Book your spot on their Facebook page to attend a class.

    DIY Dreams
    Another fun way to get hands-on is at Hummingbird Candle Co., located at 240 Hay St., in Downtown Fayetteville. Sign up for a candle-making experience or inquire about an offsite private event to make your own 80-hour-burning candle. You can choose from various scents and pour your candle from start to finish. Fun! And remember the bubbly, as your favorite adult beverages are also welcome. Walk-ins are accepted but reserving your spot ahead of time is encouraged, especially if you are coming with a group.

    Perfect Pampering12a
    What is a girls’ day without some pampering? Move over mani-and-pedi services; it's time for body treatments and blow outs! You will be glowing by the time Team Venetian is done with you. The Venetian European Spa and Salon, located at 6200 Ramsey St., #150, offers a few options for body treatments, ranging from a hydrating scrub to buff winter away or a body wrap for detoxification. The Venetian has you covered, literally in seaweed and green clay. The facility has a full shower in the treatment room where you can clean up nicely before heading out to continue your day.
    Book a wash and blow out if you're looking for something with a little less mess. Imagine the dread of washing and drying your hair in someone else's hands while you sit back and enjoy a glass of wine — the stuff dreams are made of!

    Fayetteville and the surrounding areas have more to offer than we sometimes realize. No need to drive to other cities and counties for a day or evening out with your gal pals, as fun and memorable experiences exist all around Cumberland County. Mario Quintana said it best, "Don't wait for someone to bring you flowers. Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul." So, grab your girlfriends and gear up for excitement. Cheers to you and yours this Galentine's Day!

    Editor’s note: Mary Baggett is a licensed North Carolina real estate broker. This article first appeared in the February issue of Women’s View Magazine.

  • 11bFebruary 14 is a day dedicated to love. And for couples who are pondering their futures together, Valentine’s Day may seem tailor-made for wedding proposals.

    According to a survey of 1,000 married adults by James Allen, an online diamond and bridal jewelry retailer, people really love getting engaged on Valentine’s Day. Forty-three percent of Millennials report favoring Valentine’s Day for proposals — whether they’re doing the asking or being asked.

    There are a few things to keep in mind when considering whether or not to pop the question on Valentine’s Day. Here are some ideas for planning the proposal. Make it your own. Even if the proposal is taking place on one of the most popular days of the year to get engaged, interject some personality into the occasion. Include important elements that are dear to the person to whom you are proposing, such as favorite flowers or a preferred restaurant. Restaurant reservations may be hard to come by on Valentine’s Day, so you may want to select a more private meal at home or something catered unless you want to share your proposal with a crowd.

    Visit possible locations in advance. Think about where you would like to propose and visit those areas at different times of the day. Timing a proposal during sunset with the rays creating a warm glow on a park bench or on the incoming tide can make it more magical. Adjust proposal area plans for busier crowds expected on Valentine’s Day.

    Have the ring at the ready. Jewelry shops are in demand around Valentine’s Day, so be sure to choose and have the ring sized well in advance of the proposal. This ensures the ring will be ready in time. If the ring will be a surprise, get hints beforehand to understand your loved one’s design tastes. Consider bringing a friend along when shopping to offer support and advice.

    Use chocolate to your advantage. Boxes of chocolate are ubiquitous on Valentine’s Day. Nestle the ring inside of a box of truffles or another favorite confection and have the question “Will you marry me?” attached to the inside of the box.

    Hire a photographer. Work with a photographer to capture the moment, whether it’s a professional photographer or a friend enlisted for the task. This way you can be fully immersed in the moment as it unfolds, and then look back on the experience from a different perspective when the photos are printed.

    Valentine’s Day is a popular time for wedding proposals. With a little planning, the occasion can be even more special.

  • 11aValentine’s Day is a bright light in the middle of the winter . Come February 14, sweethearts celebrate their love and affection for one another on this day devoted to happy couples.

    The origin of Valentine’s Day has generated much speculation over the years. Most early accounts do not point to heart-shaped boxes filled with chocolates. Rather, a few distinctive tales may paint the picture of early Valentine’s Day, and they have nothing to do with stuffed animals or romantic dinners.

    One of the earliest records of the term Valentine’s Day is traced to the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was a fertility festival. This annual event held on February 15 included animal sacrifices and priests called the Luperci who would take pieces of animal hide and touch it to the foreheads of women in the hopes it would make them more fertile.

    Fortunately for the squeamish (and the sacrificial animals), Pope Gelasius I ended Lupercalia and replaced it with St. Valentine’s Day by the end of the fifth century. Two or three St. Valentines? Most people attribute the origins of Valentine’s Day to the holiday’s namesake, St. Valentine. But it seems that Valentine was the surname of a few different individuals.

    According to History.com, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus. One Valentine was a priest during the reign of Emperor Claudius II, who decided that single men made better soldiers than those with families or wives. Claudius outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine disagreed with the decree and would perform marriages in secret.

    Others believe it was St. Valentine of Terni, a bishop beheaded by Claudius II outside of Rome, who was the true namesake. Yet another Valentine may have been jailed and fell in love with a jailer’s daughter while in prison. He portedly wrote to her, beginning the first Valentine card or letter tradition.

    Other stories say the imprisoned Valentine actually was writing to a blind woman he purportedly healed, and signed the note “from your Valentine.” It is hard to know who is who in regard to the name Valentine, as the stories and the people behind them are used interchangeably.

    Some historians believe they actually are the same person rather than several Valentines, while others insist there were multiple martyred individuals. However you slice it, the defiant actions of one or more people named “Valentine” set the course for centuries of romance to follow.

  • Fly tying Workshop 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. poppers

    “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

  • 13photo Cherri StouteCherri Stoute said for much of her life she’s had a camera in her hand doing either photography or film.

    Since 2016, she’s had a studio to go with it.

    Stoute operates The Studio on Trade Street, a business she found several years ago when she was looking to connect with fellow photographers and filmmakers in the area.

    She became a member, and since becoming the owner, she’s kept a lot of the features that the business offered when she first joined.

    She offers memberships to photographers who don’t want the headache of setting up their own studio at home or in a business location.

    “They have access to the studio 10 to 20 hours a month to do their own sessions,’’ she said. “They don’t have to worry about what goes wrong with the building.’’

    The studio offers just about everything a photographer needs to practice the craft. There are strobe lights, continuous lights, cloth and seamless paper backdrops, props and couches.

    There’s also a comfortable dressing room for models that includes a makeup dresser. There’s also a bathroom.

    “They can do full makeup here,’’ Stoute said. “They just bring their own stuff.’’

    Stoute also provides coffee, drinks and snacks.

    “It’s a comfortable place to relax,’’ she said.

    But there’s more to the studio than just the building.

    Behind the studio there’s an open field, and when the weather warms up sufficiently, Stoute said it’s an excellent outdoor location for photographs.

    Photographers can also bring the bulk of their equipment to the studio and leave it there. Walking around Hope Mills in the vicinity of the studio, there are a number of attractive brick buildings that provide good backdrops for all sorts of pictures. Now that Hope Mills Lake has been restored, it puts a backdrop with water into play again, too.

    Stoute also uses the studio for teaching purposes. Through Fayetteville Technical Community College, she offers a class on fundamentals of digital photography. She also gives instruction on lighting with flash, studio lights and strobes.

    For those who have no photography talent, Stoute makes her services available to take pictures.

    Her primary subject matter is people, pets and places. She doesn’t do weddings and prefers studio work, but she will visit individual homes to take photos of the family pets.

    She also films commercials suitable for airing on television or posting on a website.

    “A lot of what I’ve done is for the internet,’’ she said.

    There are several ways to contact Stoute if you’re interested in renting studio time or her photography or film work.

    Email her at thestudioontradestreet@gmail.com. Visit her on the web at thestudioontradestreet.com. Call her at 910-759-3616.

    Photo: Cherri Stoute

  • 12 Hope Mills small bizThe town of Hope Mills is starting a monthly award to honor local small businesses.

    At a recent meeting of the town’s board of commissioners, Mayor Jackie Warner appointed commissioners Meg Larson and Pat Edwards to head the committee that will screen the nominations and assist with making selections of which businesses to honor.

    Larson feels the purpose of the award is to recognize the community’s small businesses for exceptional customer service and to showcase how they’ve gone above and beyond to give back to the community.

    “I think it’s important to recognize their contributions and help promote economic development.... They also provide a service that contributes to the quality of life for the citizens of Hope Mills,’’ Larson said.

    She added Hope Mills is a community that works together, and the small businesses add to the hometown feel.

    “The small businesses we have here have been around a long time,’’ she said. “It’s important to recognize them, that they’ve stuck it out. It’s hard to compete against the prices of some of those big box stores.’’

    From her personal perspective, Larson said, small businesses offer a special opportunity to develop a close relationship between the employees and the consumers. “It’s like you have the ability to pick up the phone and say, ‘Hey Debbie, hey Robin,’” Larson said. “The customer service is obviously more intimate than when you go to a large store.’’

    The town is soliciting nominations from local citizens for businesses to consider for the award. Forms that contain details on making a nomination are available at the Hope Mills Recreation Center or online at townofhopemills.com.

    There are specific requirements for a business to be nominated that are listed on the form.

    They include the following:

    • Must be located with the town limits of Hope Mills.

    • Must have fewer than 100 employees. • Must have been in business at least one year.

    • Must have an active role in the community through community service and giving back to the community.

    Larson said anyone with questions about the award can contact her and fellow commissioner Edwards. Their contact information is available at the town of Hope Mills website.

    Photo: Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner appointed Commissioners Meg Larson (left) and Pat Edwards (right) to head up the new smallbusiness awards committee.

     

  • 14 Zip jerkyKenny Howell was literally almost everywhere in the early years of 2000 promoting his homemade Uncle Zip’s Beef Jerky.

    You could see him at high school and professional sporting events in his trademark white apron and chef’s hat selling the original flavor of his jerky.

    His business peaked when he made an appearance on the hit TV show “Shark Tank” in 2011. He didn’t get the big cash prize while on the show, but he did get a so-called “Oprah bounce” from the national exposure that was both a blessing and a curse as the orders that emanated from a national show were sometimes too much for a small business to handle.

    Then came tragedy when Howell fell ill and passed way in 2014. The business floundered for a time until childhood friend Jeff Harris stepped in to right the ship.

    Now, from its location on Trade Street in Hope Mills, Uncle Zip’s is back in business, with the original flavor of jerky and more for sale, and a slightly different direction for the business than the one Howell had established.

    When Howell passed away, Harris tried to keep the business going with co-packing, getting someone else to produce the product and selling it.

    That proved ineffective, so Harris decided to return to the roots Howell had established, making the jerky himself.

    “We make it all right here in small batches,’’ Harris said. “Kenny always said homestyle, like if you make a small batch at home. It’s going to taste just like that.’’

    Harris doesn’t promote Uncle Zip’s with the flair that Howell did, but he returned to Howell’s original flavor of jerky, which is flavored with soy and, in Harris’ words, is still awesome.

    He’s expanded the line of flavors considerably. Selling almost as well as the original jerky is a teriyaki flavor that’s marinated in pineapple, Harris said. He’s also added hot chili lime, mesquite smoke, sriracha and habanero.

    His daughter, Jenna Harris, has an interest in culinary work. Harris found some recipes Howell had hidden away, and Jenna tweaked one of them to be a spicy version. Harris said he can’t keep it in stock.

    If making a decision on which flavor to buy is a problem, Harris said that’s no worry. There’s a tasting table located in the company’s Trade Street headquarters. “You can get a cup and taste the flavor before you buy,’’ Harris said. “It’s made daily.’’

    Uncle Zip’s is currently open seven days a week, normally from noon until 7 p.m. weekdays and from noon to 5 p.m. on weekends.

    You can walk in and buy the product, or visit the business website at www.unclezipsbeefjerky.com.

    Harris takes orders for the product over the internet. Depending on his personal schedule, he may actually bring your order directly to you.

    You can also find it available for sale in a variety of local businesses, from small food markets to bars and bowling lanes.

    To find out more about Uncle Zip’s and what it has to offer, visit the Facebook page by searching the business title in the Facebook search bar.

  • In a beautiful program of music centered around the spiritual, awardwinning opera singer and North Carolina native Cheryse McLeod Lewis celebrates the rich history and heritage of African Americans on Thursday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. at the J.W. Seabrook Auditorium on the campus of Fayetteville State University. Admission is free.

    “This is part of our fi ne arts series,” said Dr. Earnest Lamb, chair of Fayetteville State University’s02-02-11-cmlewis-red-gown-5.gifDepartment of Performing and Fine Arts. “She will present a program of African-American spirituals and other music by African Americans, including a musical setting (by Lee Holby) of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. She will also sing three pieces with the University Concert Choir.”

    Originally from Greensboro, Lewis earned her bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Vocal Performance from Carnegie Mellon University, her master’s of music in Vocal Performance from The University of North Carolina-Greensboro and her Professional Artist Certifi cate from the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute at the North Carolina School of the Arts.

    She has performed with Asheville Lyric Opera, South Carolina Opera, Connecticut Opera, UNC-Greensboro Opera Theatre, Capital Opera Raleigh, Central Georgia Opera Guild, Greensboro Opera, Opera Carolina, Piedmont Opera, The Opera Company of N.C. and Houston Ebony Opera. Lewis also appears and records with the Inspirata Quartet and her duo group, Eleganza, in addition to performing as a soloist. She is the recipient of several prestigious vocal competition prizes.

    “What we have is basically a home girl (sic) coming back to the state and visiting our campus,” Lamb said. “It’s important that our students get a chance to interact with another African- American opera singer and get another perspective of what’s possible as far as music careers. The day before the concert, she will give a master class for our students. Anyone can attend on Wednesday at noon. She probably will talk about what it’s like to be a professional musician, especially being in opera, what kind of preparation that she needs. We are looking forward to her sharing her professional life and passing that experience on to our students.”

    For more information, call the FSU Ticket Offi ce at (910) 672-1724, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., or visit www.uncfsu.edu/fah.

  • Rumors — we all love to hear them. We like to get people’s take on them. Some of us like to spread them. Rarely, if ever, what starts the rumor is what makes it completely around the circle.

    This month, The Cape Fear Regional Theatre takes a comic look at Rumors through the eyes of playwright Neil Simon, and if the show lives up to the interview, this is going to be one show you don’t want to miss.

    02-23-11-rumors.gifDirected by Dirk Lumbard, a Cape Fear Regional Theatre veteran, the play revolves around the anniversary party of the deputy mayor of New York. Set in the ‘80s, the play puts the lives of the affluent under a microscope and opens it up for all of us to laugh at.

    “We have an ideal cast for this production,” said Lumbard. “It was fantastically cast. This is a very strong cast. We have the best of Fayetteville’s talent, with a couple of New Yorkers thrown in.”

    The play tells the story of four couples who are attending an anniversary party for their best friends. The play opens with the sound of gunshots, and where it goes from there is the stuff that comedy is made of.

    “This is Neil Simon doing farce,” said Lumbard. “And it is excellent. We watch as everyone tries to cover-up what has happened and try to take care of their friend. It’s just a lot of fun.”

    Lynne Rosenberg, a New York actress, plays the wife of Robbie Gay, a Wilmington, N.C., actor who had audiences rolling in the aisles in last year’s production of Peter Pan.

    “We are both lawyers. Robbie plays a very by-the-book litigator, while I am more content to be behind the scenes,” explained Rosenberg. “So when we arrive at the party, I don’t know what to do so I proceed to medicate myself by getting riproaring drunk.”

    As the attorney for the deputy mayor, Gay’s first thought is how to protect the politician’s reputation.

    “I set the ball rolling,” said Gay. “I make up the first lie that we tell, but I haven’t communicated it to my wife. So we are both lying and trying to send clues to each other.”

    The second couple to join the party is played by Bjorn Thorstad, also of New York, and the CFRT’s own Nicki Hart.

    “We were in a wreck on the way to the party,” said Thorstad. “We arrive at the party thinking we are the victims.”

    While they are at it, they add to the rumors by suggesting that the deputy mayor may have been having an affair.

    Even though the story is set in 1987, Hart points out the relevance today with the stories that break on an almost daily basis about the personal lives of politicians.

    “This play is still really relevant,” she said. “And this cast is phenomenal. You really have to be on it because they are all acting and reacting so quickly. We laugh at each other all the time.”

    Lumbard noted that the four couples all have unique personalities, and that the audience will be able to identify them with people they know, maybe even themselves.

    “You are definitely going to see somebody you know up on that stage,” said Lumbard.

    CFRT’s production of Rumors runs from February 25-March 13. Tickets are $10 – preview; $18 – Fridays and $21 Saturdays; $16 – Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Show times are 8:15 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sunday evening. Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. CFRT’s traditional discounts of $1 are available for seniors 55 and older, active-duty military and their dependants on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturday matinees.

    Buy your tickets online! Go to www.cfrt.org. To make reservations, call 910-323- 4233.

  •    On Monday night the city-appointed Fayetteville Museum of Art Task Force presented its recommendations to the Fayetteville City Council during its work session. The council took no official action on the recommendations but will take it up at an upcoming meeting for action.
       The task force was formed at the request of City Councilman Ted Mohn after opposition was raised to the park’s construction  in Festival Park and questions were raised concerning the museum’s ability to pay for the construction and the sustainment of the facility. The task force, composed of individual’s recommended by the city council, the museum and the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, has been meeting for several months. They were tasked with determining the financial viability and sustainability of the proposed new museum facility, recommending a site for the museum and ensuring proper parking was available at whatever site they recommend.
       On Monday the task force chairman, local banker Scott Baker, brought the recommendations to the council.
       In regards to the financial sustainability of the project, the task force reported that its members, after careful scrutiny of the museum’s current and past financials and its sustainability reports, did not believe the proposed $15 million facility was sustainable.

       Throughout the task force’s discussions, the topic of financial sustainability has often turned acrimonious. Task force members appointed by the museum — Meredith Stiehl, Mark Sternlicht and Ralph Huff — have contended that the museum’s financials and sustainability of the project have been studied in detail by professionals and were not and should not be a part of the task force’s discussions.
       Other members, led by Linda Devore and Dave Wilson, have been adamant that the financials were at the heart of the tasking by the council. Devore has frequently pointed out that the sustainability report was created using numbers that were questionable, including sales in the museum gift shop and attendance.
       During the task force’s final meeting on Jan. 26, Sternlicht again argued that the museum had presented a sustainability study that involved budgets and projected incomes for the new facility and how money would be raised and generated to fund it. “That seems to me to be the only information we have on the issue of sustainability,” said Sternlicht.
       Devore countered that information in the study was not credible and would have a bearing on the sustainability. She added that since the study was conducted in 2006 many factors have shifted in the economy. She pointed to the fact that the museum’s study used increased attendance numbers to project revenue, but noted that attendance numbers at the museum are decreasing. “We have every reason to believe that trend will continue in that direction” she said.
       Following limited discussion, the task force voted that the project was not sustainable. Sternlicht voted in opposition on the sustainment issue, a visibly upset Stiehl abstained and Huff was not in attendance.
    In regards to site selection, the task force had initially agreed to recommend three sites — a 1-acre site in Festival Park in the proposed facility’s current location, a second 1-acre site realigned closer to Ray Avenue and a site in the city-owned AIT parking lot.
      Devore made an impassioned plea for the task force to come together and make a unanimous recommendation to the council. Devore said one of the reasons she wanted to be on the task force was to try and rescue the project. She said that everyone on the task force, no matter their opinion on the current proposed project, wants a museum downtown. She added that the park cannot be built without public support for the project, and that the construction of the project in Festival Park would not garner public support. She asked the museum to use the 1-acre site within Festival Park that they have the deed for as a bargaining chip. “You have three years and three months left on the deed. You need to consider it as a bargaining chip,” she said. “Dr. Pennik (the chairman of the museum board) says no significant fundraising can be done in the three years and three months. At that time you will have lost your bargaining chip. You can use it now to facilitate a swap to entice the city to swap for an alternative site. I would like to see that happen. I would like to see this project succeed.”
       She asked the task force to unanimously recommend the AIT site as the best site to get a fresh start on the project. “I think you will find that this site will work. The public will support it and the museum will be built,” she said.
       George Breece asked Sternlicht and Stiehl and museum director Tom Grubb to comment on the idea.
       Sternlicht, an attorney who works with the museum board of directors, noted that the fixation on three years and three months was not appropriate, adding that the city and the museum have a contract and the time on the contract is extendable if the museum was unable to build because of acts beyond their control. He noted that the city’s action in failing to convey the property and by forming the task force is responsible for the museum’s inability to raise funds for the project.
       Devore said she was “really disappointed by the museum’s stance,” stating, “I think this means that there isn’t going to be a museum built downtown, so I really don’t see your end game.”
    Stiehl dropped a veritable bombshell on task force members when she said that recommending the AIT site would limit the museum by giving it no alternative negotiations. She added that the limiting recommendation wasn’t much of a lifeline at all.
       “If we are going to have credit for a bargaining chip, let us bargain with it and don’t take away our ability to bargain with it,” said Stiehl.
       Breece asked if there were other locations the museum was considering. That discussion centered on the Festival Park Plaza, otherwise known as the Lundy Building. After further discussion, the task force agreed to recommend that site as the fourth possible site to the city council.
       During a telephone interview prior to the task force’s presentation, Mayor Tony Chavonne said the city did not own any part of the Lundy building, but rather had a master lease on the facility. With this arrangement, the city would pay the rent on the privately owned facility if it could not be rented. He said to date the city has not had to pay any rent.
       The 300,000 square-foot building, which is the headquarters of Schoolink and a law firm, has a large square footage of the facility that is not rented.
       Since the task force’s Jan. 26 meeting, many in the community have argued that the museum could begin a staged move to downtown by offering some programming and events in the empty facility.
       No action has been taken by the museum or the city on this idea; however, the task force did recommend the site as the fourth location in its presentation to the city.

    Contact Janice Burton at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

  •   Fans of the American Girl dolls and accessories will definitely want to attend the American Girl Fashion Show on Saturday, March 21, and Sunday, March 22, at Haymount United Methodist Church in Fayetteville. The fashion show will teach children how clothing has changed over the years to reflect history, culture and the individual style of girls.
      American Girl is a line of dolls and accessories based on preteen girl characters from various periods of American history. Pleasant Rowland began selling them by mail order in 1986. Fourteen million American Girl dolls have been sold, along with 123 million books about the dolls.
      The company’s flagship line is a collection of historical 18-inch dolls that come with books and accessories. The dolls, representing 9-10 year old girls, live through important times in American history and provide a child’s perspective of significant events in American history.
      The fashion show will feature more than 124 girls wearing historical and contemporary outfits based on the American Girl series. The money raised by the fashion show will benefit the Child Advocacy Center of Fayetteville, which works to prevent child abuse as well as developing outreach plans.
      {mosimage}Tammy Laurence, executive director of the Child Advocacy Center, says this is the third year the show had been held for the center and that last year’s fashion show was a “huge” success.
      “We think it will be even bigger this year because we’ve got folks coming not just from Fayetteville, but from Charlotte and Wilmington and all across the state,” said Laurence.
      The girls chosen to participate in the American Girl Fashion show won a previous competition that Laurence said had many contestants from throughout the region. All contestants will be wearing clothes that are one of two sizes: 6x or 10.  All the fashion show participants are from 8-10 years old.
      In addition to the fashion show, there will be tea parties,  a hair salon for the dolls and a special birthday party. Also, American Girl products will be for sale or they may be pre-ordered on the brand’s Web site, www.americangirl.com, and picked up at the fashion show. Refreshments will be served and there will be door prizes.
      There will also be a raffle ticket drawing offering a chance to win a number of American Girl prizes, including: a Just Like You Doll; the Kit and Ruthie Best Friends Collection;  Kit’s Tree House; the Bitty Twins; and the Bitty Baby Starter Collection.
      In cooperation with American Girl, any catalog order you place now will benefit the Child Advocacy Center, with 5 percent of the order’s total going to the organization. Orders must be placed between March 6 and April 5; use the special key code 162440.
      The American Girl Fashion Show will be held March 21 at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.; it will be held March 22 at 3 p.m. The event will be in the New Life Center at Haymount United Methodist Church, 1700 Fort Bragg Road. Tickets are $30. For more information, call (910) 486-9700. The event is recommended for ages 6 and up.

    Contact Tim Wilkins @tim@upandcomiongweekly.com

  • “Oh, the places you’ll go!” Dr. Seuss


    Literacy is vital. We want our future youth to be excited about reading and develop a routine to read every day, and that is why Kameo Events NC presents Dr. Seuss’ Inaugural Birthday Parade and Family Fun Day Saturday, March 4, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Main Street in Spring Lake. North Carolina’s first lady, Kristin Cooper is the Grand Marshall of the parade. dr seuss clipart original 587343 1

    “We first started talking about the idea of a parade in 2015. In 2016, right before Thanksgiving, the Town of Spring Lake gave their blessing to host the parade. We have been full speed ahead since,” said Kristy Sykes, owner of Kameo Events. “A few years back I worked with Cumberland County Association of Educators on a Read Across America event that was held at the former Holiday Inn Bordeaux, and that was a great event.” Sykes added that she kept thinking about what could be done to keep encouraging local youth in learning the fundamentals of reading and continue to make it fun for them. 

    The National Education Association’s “Read Across America” is a nationwide annual reading awareness program that aims for every child to celebrate reading on March 2. Various events will be held across the country and students everywhere will participate in activities that promote and encourage reading.


    The parade step off will be at 9 a.m. at the Bragg Boulevard Bridge. The route will continue to Spring Lake down Main Street and end on Ruth Street. “This will be the first parade of its kind in the area and the first parade in Spring Lake,” said Sykes. “It will conclude with a family fun day of activities at the Spring Lake Recreation Center.” Sykes added that parade participants are asked to have a Dr. Seuss theme, but they have the option of not doing so.


    The day will feature food, fun and vendors. Activities include bounce houses by Mega Play, mascot appearances, author Dr. Elondra Napper, Crafty Parties, the Cumberland County Public Library, Fascinate-U Children’s Museum, Book Your Next Adventure, Steps to the Future, Jungle Gym Playground and more. Various vendors such as Pink Zebra, It Works, Park Lane, LuLaRoe, Usborne Books, The Produce Box, The Renaissance Day Spa and more will be there with information and items to sell. The food entails pizza by Fazoli’s, Green Eyez Street Foods, Dusty Donuts and more.


    “I would like to thank our sponsors for their support of this inaugural event,” said Sykes. “We look forward to seeing everyone on March 4.”


    Parade entries will be accepted until February 24. For more information about parade entries, sponsors or vendors email kameoeventsnc@gmail.com or call 797-9568.

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  • The Fayetteville FireAntz are in action in a trio of home games in the following weeks. So check your calendars and head out to one of the three upcoming home games to support your Fayetteville FireAntz.

    On Friday, Feb. 17, the Fayetteville FireAntz will host a very special night for the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society. Game time is 7:30 p.m. and will be against the Huntsville Havoc. 02-15-12-fireantz-logo.jpg

    The FireAntz will honor one of the most progressive shelters in North Carolina, a shelter which prides itself on its policy of no-Kill. The Fayetteville Animal Protection Society has been rescuing and sheltering animals for 28 years and is a great place to visit if you are looking for a new addition to your family or unable to keep your current pet.

    FAPS was once known as Animal Haven of Cumberland County, but changed its name after several years, and a great deal of discussion, to Fayetteville Animal Protection Society to better reflect the area the shelter serves, and to speak of its interest in humane education, spay/neuter outreach and legislative changes in regards to the treatment of animals.

    With your help, FAPS continues to grow as one of the most progressive shelters in the state of North Carolina. Its focus not only includes creating and providing a safe haven for animals, but also the further education of the community to prevent the problems associated with unwanted pets through a spay/neuter outreach and humane education programs which are available to both adults and children.

    The following week, Wednesday, Feb. 22, the FireAntz will host its 5th Annual Public Safety Night. This game will be against league rivals, the Knoxville Ice Bears. Multiple counties will have emergency-vehicle displays in the North VIP parking lot.

    Children and adults will have the chance to learn all about these emergency vehicles and will get to see the inside workings of the emergency vehicles.

    Also that week, Friday, Feb. 24, the FireAntz will be celebrate their 10-year anniversary. The game begins at 7:30 p.m. and will see the FireAntz taking on the Augusta Riverhawks. The FireAntz will sport special anniversary jerseys, which will be auctioned off after the game. Come out, support and celebrate with us!

    You can check out the rest of the season to find game times, FireAntz community visits and upcoming events at the website www.fireantzhockey.com or you can contact the FireAntz Office by phone at 321-0123.

    Gather your friends and family to come out and enjoy Fayetteville FireAntz hockey where fire and ice unite!

  • As a society, we ask a lot of educators. In return it’s only right to provide teachers with the resources and support they need to get the job done well.

    That is the job of the Cumberland County Education Foundation. The foundation seeks to promote and support community awareness of issues critical to the success of our public schools; to facilitate funding of innovative programs not typically funded that offer excellence; and to recognize teachers, administrators and volunteers of outstanding distinction.

    On Saturday, March 3, the Cumberland County Education Foundation hosts its annual fundraiser School House Rock, a fun way to celebrate excellence in Cumberland County Schools and raise funds for the02-29-12-80s-rock.jpgprograms sponsored by CCEF.

    Get out the hairspray and leg warmers ladies; and gents it’s time to rummage through the closet for that Members Only jacket and slip on the wayfarers — the theme for this year’s School House Rock is the 1980s.

    With entertainment by ‘80s tribute band, The Breakfast Club, the evening promises to be totally rad. Formed in 1993, The Breakfast Club is all about the music of the original MTV generation and has been hailed by the Wilmington Star News as “better than the original artists.”

    “This is our signature fundraiser,” said Cindy Kowal, executive director of the Cumberland County Education Foundation. “I do have to give credit to (Cumberland County School System Superintendent) Dr. Till; When he came on board three years ago we met and talked about fundraising … and he said ‘I think people just like to have fun and go to a good party.’ He was right.”

    The first School House Rock was a great success, and last year was even better. Kowal recalled that it was such a good time in part because people really got into dressing up and embracing the ‘70s theme. “Last year, if you were not in costume you really were the odd one out. Everybody was dressed in bright colors; there were afro wigs and things like that. There was really good music, starting with Woodstock and going into the disco generation. People had a lot of fun with the costumes — from Bob Marley to John Travolta. It was a big hit,” she said.

    Kowal is excited about the ‘80s theme for this year’s party, and anticipates it will be just as successful.

    “We are back this year bigger and better and expect everyone to have a totally awesome time. Parachute pants and big hair are strongly encouraged,” said Kowal. “Be Tom Cruise, be Michael Jackson, be Ronald Reagan, we don’t care — just come and have a great time with us,” she added.

    Funds raised at School House Rock benefi t the CCEF, which sponsors programs that serve students, support teachers and engage the community.

    Students benefit from programs like Communities In Schools, which is the nation’s leading drop-out prevention program. CIS serves more than 3,000 students locally with things like enrichment opportunities, mentoring, tutoring, community service and career exploration. Other supported programs include:

    The Fuller Performance Learning Center, The Yanoff Music Initiative, a joint venture with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra that introduces classical music to all Cumberland County Schools third graders; the Teacher-of-the-Year Program, educational mini-grants provided by CCEF.; and the CCEF Science, Math and Engineering Explorations Grant Heavy hors d‘oeuvres and cocktails are included in the $75 ticket price for School House Rocks.

    “This event really does reach out to the community to support our mission,” said Kowal. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www. ccedfoundation.org.

    Photo: Supporters of education gathered for a ‘70s flashback at the 2011 School House Rocks. 

  • 02-08-12-mardi-gras.jpg“We’re going to party with a purpose,” Brandon Price says with a laugh when talking about the Find-A-Friend Program Spring Mardi Gras Ball. This is the third year for the Mardi Gras Ball, which benefi ts Fayetteville Urban Ministry’s Find-A-Friend Summer Camp. The ball is Saturday, Feb. 18, from 7 p.m. until midnight at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux.

    “Expect a first-class event,” says Price, Find-A-Friend’s mentor coordinator. “It’s a black-tie event. We’re featuring the Methodist University Jazz Band. It’s an awesome jazz band. Later in the evening we’ll have a DJ. We’re going to have a good time.”

    Find-A-Friend has been serving Cumberland County since 1982. The program works with at-risk youth through after school programming, intensive interpersonal-skills workshops and mentoring.

    After the effort the children put into learning new life skills, summer is the time to have some fun and test what they’ve learned. Find–a-Friend mentors take them to local restaurants, the Asheboro zoo, the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science, the planetarium in Chapel Hill, Fort Fisher Qquarium and The Climbing Place. “… and we do lots and lots of swimming,” said Price.

    Life skills aren’t the only objective though. Life experience is also a goal. Price explains, “We recognize that some of our kids have never ordered off of a menu. When we take them to a sit-down restaurant, we’re teaching them how to order off of a menu and ask for things properly and use manners rather than yelling across the room. We are always in teach mode. We do things that they wouldn’t normally get to do.”

    The talent show at the end of the summer is a way for the children to celebrate their new found poise and confidence. Price recounts the story of a young girl who arrived at Find-A-Friend with “no, not even low, self-esteem.” She hid her full figure behind gothic clothing. By the end of the summer, she was participating in the talent show in a red dress and heels. It brought her mother to tears.

    Another young man came to Find-A-Friend as a high-risk 13-year-old. He was born to a very young mother who was struggling to raise her son. Through the support of Find-A-Friend, the young man graduated from high school and is now entering the military.

    Find-A-Friend supports more than 200 children a year and about half of them attend the summer camp. With the help of the community, Price would like to see those numbers rise. The ticket price for the ball is the equivalent to paying for one child to go to summer camp. “Anytime that anyone donates to Urban Ministry or Find-A-Friend, those funds go directly back into our community. We are working with kids from this community. We have an open door policy. Anybody, at any time, can walk through our doors to see what we do and see what their money does,” Price says.

    If you would prefer to work directly with the children, Find-A-Friend is always seeking mentors, especially male mentors. Price stresses, “It’s not a ‘their problem, their community’ issue — it’s our community. We all have a responsibility to give through time, talent or treasure. There is always a way you can get involved with Find-A-Friend.”

    Mardi Gras Ball tickets are $50.00 per ticket or two tickets for $80.00 and can be purchased at the Find-A-Friend offi ce at 725 West Rowan St. Tickets can also be purchased via the telephone by calling 910.483.4661.

    Photo: Fayetteville Urban Ministry hosts a Mardi-Gras party on Feb. 18 to raise money for the Find-a-Friend program.

  • Controlling Blood Pressure is One Key to Heart Health

    02-15-12-senior-corner.jpgHigh blood pressure can lead to more than just heart problems. Among other things, it is directly related to decreased cognitive functioning, according to research. That’s why it is important to carefully monitor a senior with high blood pressure.

    Q. My 75-year-old widowed mother just had a physical and her doctor said her heart is in great shape. She does have borderline high blood pressure, though, so the doctor prescribed a medication. Are there other things she could do?

    A. It sounds as if your mother has taken good care of herself if her heart is in such a healthy condition. One important component of good heart health is blood pressure, and the risk of high blood pressure does seem to increase with age, according to the American Heart Association. In fact, 90 percent of Americans over the age of 50 have a lifetime risk of high blood pressure.

    High blood pressure can lead to other problems, too. Increased blood pressure in older adults is directly related to decreased cognitive functioning, particularly among seniors with already high blood pressure, research reveals. This means that stressful situations may make it more difficult for some seniors to think clearly.

    Dr. Jason Allaire is an assistant professor of psychology at N.C. State University and co-author of a study on high blood pressure and cognitive function. Allaire explains that study subjects whose average systolic blood pressure was 130 or higher saw a significant decrease in cognitive function when their blood pressure spiked. However, Allaire notes, study subjects whose average blood pressure was low or normal saw no change in their cognitive functioning-even when their blood pressure shot up.

    So how do you navigate around high blood pressure and its consequences? Your mom’s doctor will be her best source of information for lifestyle and diet changes.

    “High blood pressure remains an epidemic in the United States, but it can be prevented,” said Lawrence Appel, M.D., lead author of an American Heart Association scientific statement, published in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

    “By improving their diet, people can reduce their blood pressure and put a major dent in their risk of stroke, coronary heart disease and heart failure,” said Appel, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

    The statement also recommends combining an overall healthy diet with weight loss, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, limiting alcohol consumption, lowering salt intake and increasing potassium intake.

    The National Heart, Lung and Blood institute Health Information Center recommends following its Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) plan. The DASH eating plan is rich in fruits, vegetables, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, seeds and nuts. Talk to your doctor about whether the DASH plan will work for you. The plan also recommends being moderately active for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.

    If your mother lives alone, you might want to consider a companion for her. Encourage her to develop a relationship with someone who shares some of her same health interests and concerns.

    Here’s hoping your mother has many more years of healthy heart living.

    Photo: One important component of good heart health is blood pressure. 

  • 02-29-12-ftcc.jpgWant to earn money to pay for your education? Scholarships are defined as “money that does not have to be repaid or free money earned because of per-formance.” Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC), businesses, religious and civic organizations, employers, philanthropic associations, individuals, colleges and universities, community agencies and foundations offer free money in the forms of scholarships, stipends or grants to fund educational goals. Do you assume that scholarships are unavailable to you because you do not have a 4.0 grade-point average? This is not only a fallacy, but will stop you from researching and applying for scholarships.

    What is required and when is the best time to apply for scholarships?

    FTCC’s curriculum areas of study (business programs, college transfer, general-education programs, engineering, public service, applied technology programs and health programs) offer numerous scholarships. Many of these scholarships may require no more than maintaining a “C” (2.0 GPA) or enrolling in relative programs. Yet, all educational scholarships, stipends or grants require that you take the initiative to research scholarship availability, complete the application process and meet deadlines (often beginning as early as January for consideration during the fall semester). Imagine the feeling of success (master student equals mas-ter employee) when you inform a potential employer that you financed your educa-tion through scholarships, stipends or grants.

    How do I find scholarships that pertain to me?

    The Financial Aid Office, Career Center at FTCC, College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC.org), online scholarship search engines, individual consults with colleges and universities, Google searches and sundry websites have numerous scholarships for which you may qualify. Include information that is unique to you, such as gender, ethnic background, academic achievement, demographics and major. You will be surprised by the diversity of scholarships available. Scholarship categories are almost endless and are inclusive of allied-health professionals, left-handed people and dislocated workers. Scholarships are available for teaching, nursing, accounting, fashion designing as well as business majors, high school graduates and minority scholarships, first-generation college students, single parents, creative writers, wacky scholarships, working moms and/or women over 50 years of age, moms going back to college and for heads of households.

    How progressive and motivated am I?

    Because many students are not willing to research and expend the time and effort to apply for scholarships, there are hundreds of millions of dollars in scholarship mon-ies available in the United States, and many — if not most — of these scholarships are attainable by regular students with regular accomplishments. The processes of working diligently toward academic progression, willingly conducting research, following directions when completing scholarship forms/assignments and meeting required deadlines in the pursuit of excellence are all opportunities that master students embrace. Students who go beyond what is expected to experience successful educational goals are usually students who receive awards and/or free money (scholarships) to pursue higher-educational goals.

    Will a scholarship enhance transferable skills and help secure employment in a global economy?

    Earning scholarships and other educational awards demonstrates transfer-able skills for which Fortune 500 business enterprises willingly pay megabucks. Students who receive scholarships for outstanding academic performance are the individuals who usually get the most lucrative jobs and/or enroll into bachelor and graduate degree programs. Why don’t you cash in on the financial and employability re-wards of scholarships?

    Photo: Scholarship categories are almost endless.

  •    Cape Fear Studios recently sent an invitation to the art faculty at area community colleges and universities to show their works. The invitations were well received. Area colleges came out in full force to exhibit paintings, sculptures, prints and mixed-media works to showcase their styles.
       The exhibit, North Carolina College Faculty, includes works from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Methodist University and Meredith College. The exhibit represents a cross-section of artists from all over the country who work in the region, instruct young artists and remain artists themselves outside the classroom.
    Whoever visits Cape Fear Studios will immediately see there are as many ways to explore a subject in contemporary art as there are subjects. From the contemporary computer-generated art scrolls of John and Margie Labadie from UNCP, to the shadow box, mixed-media work of Peggy Hinson at Methodist, visitors to the gallery will see that variety is the essence of today’s contemporary art.
       The exhibit is a full range of concepts, structure and methods — all possibilities that connect area faculty with contemporary visual form. Each work is an investigation about something, a mark making choice, a personal expression. All the works exude an essence —  clarity of connection with material and a personal commitment to a style. 
       {mosimage}As best exemplified by the exhibit, the hallmark of academic programs is an intersection of tradition and innovation. Where some instructors play with paradoxical space, others remain true to linear perspective. On the gallery walls, the narrative hangs next to the abstract and design.
       For Shane Booth, a professor at Fayetteville State University, the narrative element in his newest body of work focus’s on HIV awareness. His subjects are veiled in dim light, the somber tone self-evident. In comparison to the bright colors in Brandon Sanderson’s lithograph titled Observation, one first sees the whimsical; but upon closer inspection the narrative in Sanderson’s print is also serious in meaning, something catastrophic looms. Sanderson joined the faculty at UNCP to teach printmaking.
       James Biederman and Janette Hopper, both from UNCP, paint in similar tones, earth colors and halftones. Biederman paints in a nonobjective abstract manner, no less a master of color, you find yourself in a somewhat brooding abstract space for this exhibit. Hopper retains the landscape as a point of reference in her paintings.
       Where Biederman and Hopper investigate the mid-tones of a palette, Sean McDaniels from Fayetteville Technical Community College rounds out the exhibit of paintings with his high key palette and mark making — bold mark making across the canvas sculpt the representational form in space. His colleague, Lyn Padrick, in FTCC style, also uses a bright watercolor palette to describe her subjects of everyday genre. 
    Silvana Foti from Methodist University is exhibiting her mixed-media images. Primary colors and pattern move across an accordion, paper space held in place by her use of brass flat rods, an open grid across the surface of the work.
       In strong contrast to Foti, Socorro Hernandez Hinek and Carla Rokes rely upon the minimal and shape to evoke meaning. Hinek, from FSU, is exhibiting a fresh set of mono prints. Hinek’s notable ceramic sculptures were left back in her studio. For this exhibit she shows us how her minimalist, monochromatic mono prints prints are very different from her highly textured and colorful sculptures.
       Carla Rokes from UNCP, like Hinek, also utilizes negative and positive shapes in her work. Unlike Hinek’s prints, Rokes exploits color to create meaning. Her work is playful, design is her underlying structure.
       I was happy to see three artists exhibiting works in the round: Stephen Robinson and Adam Walls are from UNCP; Warner Hyde is from Meredith College. Walls is exhibiting a steel, free-standing sculpture. Elongated and broad linear elements hold a large sphere in place. An upward movement toward the larger sphere is balanced when the eye is drawn to the much smaller sphere located in his design. Negative space for Walls is equal to his positive elements, both a play of negative-positive balance.
       Robinson and Hyde deal in ceramics. Both of their works is organic in form with earth colors as part of their overall commitment to clay. Whereas the clay body in Hyde’s forms is integral to his work, the slick glazed surface of Robinson’s work is still connected to an earthen palette. Both artists seem to be preoccupied with mass and openings in their work; yet they approach the form quite differently.
       Too many artists to cover everyone, but I had to reserve space for a new printmaker in Fayetteville. Julie Niskanen is the new printmaking instructor at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Commuting from Raleigh to teach at FTCC, Niskanen combines the modern printmaking technique of spit-biting to the mezzotint tradition. Both techniques are fundamentally tonal.
       Illusionary Reflections, the intaglio by Niskanen, represents the majestic possibilities of the print as an art medium. Traditional line gives way to soft veils of subdued greens, grays and black spreading across the picture plane. The soft fleshiness of the work is only surpassed by her deft drawing hand. Quite frankly, I find her prints irresistible — they are poetic and sensitive.
       The exhibit at the Cape Fear Studios is free to the public and will remain in place until Feb. 25. While you are in the front gallery, don’t forget to go to the exhibit at the back of the gallery space and see the work of Rick Kenner. Kenner is the recipient of this year’s Lois Ferrari Student Scholarship Competition.
       Kenner competed against area college and university students for the scholarship and a chance to exhibit his work along with the faculty. His work is strong, but most importantly, his work is memorable. We, at Fayetteville State University, were so pleased that one of our students is the recipient of this year’s prestigious and competitive award.
       To see the North Carolina College Facultyexhibit and a body of work by Kenner, you will need to visit the Cape Fear Studios in historic downtown. The studio is located on Maxwell Street between Franklin and Russell Streets. Studio hours are Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and closed on Sunday. For more information, call (910)433-2986 or e-mail the studio at capefearstudios@yahoo.com.

    Contact Tim Wilkins at tim@upandcomingweekly.com
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        Appearances are not always an indicator of what lies beneath the surface. The downtown art boom of the last decade seems to have come to an unsettling halt. A second downtown gallery will be closing its doors to art exhibitions. Local artists and art organizations are looking for places to exhibit.
        The Fayetteville Museum of Art’s plan to relocate in Festival Park is temporarily on hold until fundraising can recover from the blows it took from local politics. At a time when there are more talented artists in Fayetteville then ever before, I don’t think one can blame the economy for all the artistic woes in Fayetteville.
        {mosimage} Even in this economic climate there is a silver lining if one looks a little deeper than appearances. You have to look closely at what is being unveiled locally and nationally.
        Nationally, the arts are part of the federal economic stimulus plan. As reported by Americans for the Arts, “The Economic Recovery bill package includes an additional $50 million in support of art jobs through the National Endowment for the Arts grants. We are also happy to report the exclusionary Coburn Amendment language banning certain art groups from receiving any other economic recovery funds has also been successfully removed.”
        Locally, the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County seems to be reexamining its role in the arts. The earlier idea of being predominantly a distributor of funds to art agencies has become one of leadership in a different way. 
        The present exhibit at the Arts Council — Distinguished Visions, Timeless Traditions — was a huge step toward the advocacy of educating the public about the rich history of African-American artists in art history and in contemporary art. The exhibit reads like an art history book, a who’s who of significant artists, spanning from the 1930s to the present.
    Certainly there have been solo and group exhibits of significant African-American artists at the Arts Council, but never before has there been an exhibit by artists that spans over 60 years.
        The concept for the exhibit, according to Calvin Mims, arts services coordinator at the Arts Council, “started last year with a conversation with some of our local collectors. They began to tell fascinating stories about knowing certain African-American artists in their youth and how some of them went to school with a particular artist and started collecting their early, unknown works.”
        He continued, “We then thought that it would be an educational experience for the public to share in viewing some of the work collected by local educators, doctors, lawyers and others. Works that are steeped in the memories of magical moments spent with the artist, hearing them tell those stories of their life as an artist and hearing that artist tell the story about why the work was created. This all gave rise to the idea of an ongoing educational experience in African-American art.”
        Distinguished Visions, Timeless Traditions is the result of that effort to showcase the works by collectors; but it is also the beginning of a new initiative at the Arts Council. Confirmed by Deborah Mintz, president of the Arts Council: “The council is committed to developing an appreciation of African-American art by supporting programs, exhibitions and education. The spin-off of Distinguished Visions, Timeless Traditions will be a new affiliate membership called “Friends of African and African-American Art.”
        According to Mintz, “Friends of African and African-American Art will help our community focus on the extraordinary talents of African-American artists in our region and across the country. We are calling on the community to lead in this endeavor.”
        Mintz continued, “For many years, the Arts Council has been serving primarily as a launching place for new and aspiring artists. Today, as several local galleries have closed their doors, visual art opportunities in our community are dwindling. In response to requests from many local artists, the Arts Council is expanding its visual art component.”
        A timely effort, FAAAA according to Mims is “a special membership category at the Arts Council, committed to raising public awareness and appreciation for the artistic legacy of indigenous Africans and peoples of the African diaspora. The group serves as a catalyst to ensure that these outstanding artistic contributions will be enjoyed and valued by future generations. It is an effort to enhance the community’s cultural experience with African-American Art.”
        Mims talked to me about the benefits of FAAAA and how the Arts Council plans to establish the new affiliate.
    “The Friends will promote an understanding and appreciation of African-American art through exhibitions, educational programs and social events,” she said. “They will develop unique exhibitions, lectures and symposia on American art to enhance the public’s knowledge of African-American contributions to the arts, while exploring American history, society and creative expression from an African-American perspective.”
        The primary focus, according to Mims, “will be to fund an exhibit each year during Black History Month and develop a schedule of informative events and activities to occur throughout the month of celebration. Members of the affiliate will raise funds and seek sponsors to underwrite the programs and exhibits for Black History Month, outside the regular sponsorship stream for the Arts Council. 
        A steering committee will develop, select, and plan exhibit content, select guest lecturers, and create a youth education component. Committee membership will include Arts Council board members, artists, art educators and civic leaders interested in African and African-American art and artists. The Arts Council Arts Services Coordinator will serve as a resource and assist the committee in its work.
        The Arts Center is preparing to launch the FAAAA membership drive in late March. The Apprentice level ($25) or higher is a prerequisite for joining the Friends of African and African-American Arts. In addition to your Arts Council membership level, Friends Individual membership is $25 — all tax deductible.
        Members in FAAAA will enjoy benefits and arts enrichment opportunities. Not only are you supporting the arts, but members will be invited to participate in Friends meetings and social events, invitations to special lectures pertaining to African-American art by internationally, nationally, and locally prominent artists and scholars, and attend previews of gallery exhibitions. Members of Friends will take a role in building an understanding and appreciation of African and African-American art in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.
        While the details of when and how FAAAA will be premiered at the Arts Council are still underway for March, there is plenty of time to see Distinguished Visions, Timeless Traditions. The exhibition will remain up at the Arts Council until March 21.
        Before entering the Art Council’s freshly painted gallery spaces, don’t expect to see large contemporary works of art. The works by all the artists are modest in scale, but significant in who is being exhibited. Original images that range from prints, drawings, watercolors, mixed media and paintings represent major African-American artists that have been historically important for some time.
        When first viewing the images, the narrative subject dominates the galleries. Upon closer inspection visitors will see two distinct styles. The narrative competes with a group of abstract artists from the Michigan area.
        The narrative begins with a compelling photograph by Ph.H. Polk. Untitled, the black-and-white photograph, captures the image of a dark man with eyes in the shadow of the brim of his worn hat. The man’s name in the photograph is George Moore, his penetrating eyes create depth in the image, mystery in the story.
        Although the portraits of Polk resonate with visual and emblematic power and are beautiful beyond words, it was his photograph of the First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt who visited the Tuskegee Army Air Field in 1941 that many people are familiar with. In this candid photograph, Polk documented Mrs. Roosevelt getting ready to take a ride in the back seat of an airplane, black pilot Chief Anderson at the controls. Mrs. Roosevelt requested a photograph to take back to Washington, D.C. to show President Roosevelt.
        For over 50 years, as a photographer, Polk focused on life at Tuskegee Institute. As an artist and a teacher, his photographic legacy included portraits of everyday people and many significant people, including George Washington Carver and Dr. Martin Luther King.
        Although few African-American women during the 1930s were practicing artists, and art museums in the segregated South were closed to African Americans, Elizabeth Catlett pursued her goal of becoming an artist by enrolling at Howard University in 1931. Elizabeth Catlett is an artist whose is known for her contributions to the graphic medium.
        In this exhibit there is a relief print by Catlett titled Survivor. A limited edition print, the defiant women in Survivor echoes the politically charged message of many of Catlett’s works — the lives of everyday people, the heroines and heroes of African-Americans.
        Catlett is a master of the relief print and one who uses the medium as much as the message to forge her power of the image. Her technical proficiency is the underpinning of her command of design, form, and content.
    The exhibit also includes many prints by John Biggers, a famous artist from North Carolina. A muralist, teacher, printmaker and easel painter, Biggers is widely known for his images that use recurring themes and objects: the shotgun house (a style in southern black low income housing), Afro-centric symbols; women are always portrayed to denote hope and strength.
        Everything in Biggers images promotes optimism and power. Biggers has been noted as “drawing inspiration from African art and culture, from the injustices of a segregated United States, from the stoic women of his own family and from the heroism of everyday survival.”
        The who’s who of narrative artists in Distinguished Visions, Timeless Traditions includes Charles Bibbs, Hughie Lee-Smith, Betye Saar and William Pajuad. In addition, there is a large body of abstract work from the Michigan area.
    Local artist Dwight Smith was eager to explain how he had come to know all the artists in the exhibit and many, many other historically important artists.
        Smith reflected, “As a young artist in the late 1960s, I joined the National Conference of Artists, a specifically African-American group of artists in academia and professional artists involved in networking. Being from Michigan, I, just like many other artists in the exhibit, was a member of the Michigan Chapter of the National Conference of Artists. Some artists in the exhibit were mentors of mine. Our chapter met once a month and the conference met once a year.
        “I never missed a conference. At any conference you would meet noteworthy artists who were already beginning to be added to art history books, people like Martin Puryear, Romare Bearden, John Biggers — everyone who has made a distinct contribution to the history of art in some way was a part of the conference at some time. Any artist who was doing anything came through that organization.”
        Smith was very clear on the early purpose of the conference and how the organization changed.
        “During the late 1960s and early 70s there were no venues to learn about African-American art — networking was the best way. In networking we knew what type of work was being produced in the studio, we learned who was working in the museums, who was writing the books and who was collecting African-American art. We also did quite a bit of picketing of museums since they weren’t showing African-American artists during that period.”
        Although several of the narrative artists might be better known, the abstract artists in the exhibit reflect a style. Smith pointed out that he, Charles Finger, Shirley Woodson, Al Hinton, Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts and Hugh Grannum are all from the Michigan area, represent the Michigan chapter of the National Conference of Artists, and everyone knew each other.
    Distinguished Visions, Timeless Traditions is more than just a collection of works. It is a cross-section of those artists who have pioneered the African-American voice in art. For information on Distinguished Visions, Timeless Traditions and Friends of African and African-American Art call the Fayetteville and Cumberland County Arts Council at 910-323-1776 or visit their Web site www.theartscouncil.com.

  • Two exhibits in Fayetteville’s downtown galleries are a sharp contrast in content, yet the influence of technology moves seamlessly among the works of art in both galleries. Viewers will see everything from the computer-generated images in the form of traditional Asian-style wall hangings to the many photographs in the 2nd Annual College Faculty Invitational at Cape Fear Studios to the outdoor landscape painters at Olde Towne Gallery, which also use photography as a tool.021010painting-by-gail-harris.jpg

    A wonderful contrast of the traditional and new tool usage, both exhibits reminds us how we revisit approaches in art while moving forward. We still fi nd it fulfi lling to explore the traditional in a technology saturated culture by painting or drawing the landscape. A square ceramic teacup sitting on an inverted pyramidal saucer is still enticingly beautiful.

    A large percentage of the faculty in the invitational exhibit probably do not know each other. In contrast, the four artists showing at the Olde Towne Gallery exhibit titled Road Trip, have painted together for years and are longstanding friends. The difference attributes to the overall aesthetics of each exhibition.

    Nineteen faculty members from local and regional higher-education institutions are participating in the invitational: the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Methodist University, Fayetteville State University and Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C.

    UNC-Pembroke was well represented in the Faculty Invitational. Design instructor Carla Rokes and printmaker Brandon Sanderson are exhibiting computer-generated graphic images ranging from the abstract to the fi gurative with a twist of dark humor. Dong Jun Shin demonstrates his expertise in ceramics. Margie and John Labadie have their lengthy computer-generated scrolls on the gallery walls. Ann Horton and Jo Ann Hart are exhibiting photographs of nature. Tulla Lightfoot has a landscape painting on display, while Janette Hopper has two mixed-media monoprints.

    From Methodist University, Peggy Hinson is exhibiting one of her large mixed-media shadow boxes in a work titled The Sacrifi ce of the Lamb. Kerry Scott Jenkins is showcasing the art of typography; and Silvana Foti is sharing a new body of work — abstracts, which mix thin brass rods with computer graphics and water-based paint.

    Painter Dwight Smith represents Fayetteville State University with his large, rhythmic, mixed-media collage. Jonathan Chestnut is exhibiting a single work in computer graphics. Shane Booth and Socorro Hernandez-Hinek are both exhibiting their new photographs.

    One lone faculty member from Meredith College, Warner Hyde, a ceramist, returned to this year’s exhibition with one of his large organic forms, fl ower-like, but titled Fungal.

    Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Sean McDaniel shares his fi gurative water-color studies, while the new member of the art department, Chuck Lawson, participates with a two-dimensional design titled Dance, Dance, Dance.

    The variety of works in the exhibition exemplifi es the infl uence of technology in this group of artists — the use of the camera and the computer. Prevailing themes include religion, abstraction and design.

    Unlike the artists in the Faculty Invitational, the four artists participating in Road Trip exemplify how similar can have many variations. Road Trip includes the works of Sandie McFarland, Rose Kennedy, Gail Harris and Annette Sczczkutek. The exhibit is the result of participating in a long weekend workshop in “plein air” landscape painting with landscape artist William Jameson.

    Road Trip is an enjoyable exhibit and is the result of an interesting circumstance. The “plein air” painter Jameson was featured in American Artist Workshop magazine and called Harris and Szczekutek to participate in a long weekend workshop that would be documented, then appear in the publication. The four friends decided to participate together as a group.

    Working in different mediums, the four artists worked side-by-side each day, while Jameson regularly visited them to review their progress and give constructive instruction. Szczekutek worked in oil paint, while Harris, Kennedy and McFarlane used oil, pastels or watercolors.

    I asked McFarlane if she could highlight what she learned with Jameson about working outside and directly from nature. McFarlane was quick to remark: “We worked on site, had one-on-one demonstrations by the instructor. He talked a lot about value and artistic license in a work of art. I learned a great deal about using a limited palette — a view fi nder — so I am not distracted by all the details in nature around us. This allows me to do a sketch quickly to capture the values in a situation where light changes and to use negative shapes as a reference source.”

    While you visit Road Trip, look carefully on the information table in the gallery and you will see a copy of American Artist Workshop. Six pages are fi lled with how-to-do text, Jameson’s palette choices, his “12 things to remember about outdoor landscape painting,” and many pictures of Jameson working with the four local artists.

    All of the works in the gallery are examples of what Jameson wanted his students to remember about outdoor landscape painting. They all used a “limited palette, worked from big shapes to little shapes, dark values to light values, cool colors to warm colors.” Each artist identifi ed in their work a “center of interest, established a horizon, observed atmospheric perspective, and positioned themselves with the sun on their left or right side.”

    The workshop took place in South Carolina’s low county islands of Seabrook, Kiawah and Wadmalaw. The light in each painting becomes more signifi cant than the subject. Each artist worked to capture light that happens when dense foliage opens up to a small pond, an open sky or a watery vista. The wash of light across the surface of a building is more important than the type of building.

    With the changing light, each artist needed to take a photograph of the place and the time of day so they could complete the painting or drawing later, after the light had changed so drastically from when they started on the work. Many of the artists fi nished up to five or six pieces.

    Anyone interested in undertaking a “plein air” approach to painting will have the opportunity to attend a local workshop by Diane Johnson (founding editor of Plein Air Magazine). The workshop is hosted by Cape Fear Studios and will take place on April 23-25. For information on the workshop, visit the Cape Fear Studios Web site at www.capefearstudios.com or call the studio at 433-2986.

    The 2nd Annual College Faculty Invitational is an annual event and will remain open until the third week of February. Road Trip will remain open until Feb. 24. Both exhibits are free and open to the public Monday through Saturday.

  • 02-17-10-ftcc-art.gifThe value of a national competition in a city the size of Fayetteville or on the campus of a college or university is the chance to see what artists are doing from around the country. In one gallery, you can see what an artist in New York, New Jersey or Idaho is doing and what kinds of mediums people are using to express their ideas.

    It took the leadership of Seán McDaniel , chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Fayetteville Technical Community College, to undertake and host a national competition for the FTCC Gallery and the community.

    Knowing how much work it takes to be an instructor, artist and chairman of a department, I wondered why he would he undertake the task. He was succinct in his answer.

    “The competition provides our students and viewing community the access to works created by artists from a broader spectrum and enhances the educational experience,” he said. “Both are the goals of FTCC. I also wanted to expand the exhibition possibilities of the FTCC Gallery so there would be more exhibition opportunities in Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the region.”

    He also shared how pleased he was with the response from artists and “how it was interesting to be on the coordinating side instead of being an artist entered an exhibit.” The juror selected 16 works from the more than 100 works submitted. The exhibit represents artists from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Idaho, Florida, North Carolina and the District of Columbia.

    He continued, “This has been a great learning experience for me. Having participated, as an artist, in hundreds of competitions, I certainly appreciate the opportunities much more! The reception is scheduled before 4th Friday starts in the downtown area, so I hope people will show their support by stopping by the FTCC Art Gallery on Feb. 26th before going downtown that evening. You just start the night-out a little earlier.”

    No small task to coordinate a national competition, the results is an exhibit fi lled with a variety of subjects and approaches to working in the visual arts. The following prevalent themes seem to run throughout the exhibition: investigating or interpreting nature, abstraction as solace and exploring issues identity. 

    The abstract acrylic painting by Elizabeth Leal from Greensboro, N.C., immediately draws attention to itself. Her large painting is minimal in style and limited in color — predominately blue. No reference to the nature we see around us, her painting titled From Matter to Spirit brings us to a nonverbal moment, a moment without visual distraction and commotion — abstraction as solace.

    The photographs by Trinity Sullivan from Idaho Falls, Idaho, are also evidence of using abstraction to evoke contemplation. In her photograph titled Sky of Zeus, the artist has taken a close-up photograph of painted metal, the upper half of the image is simply off white, the lower half resembling a blue and white sky. Two jagged, diagonal lines of rust cross the two sections, the title suggests an action by an ancient, mythic Sky God.

    In the works of several of the artists, the theme of identity unifi ed their work in purpose. Lovell Pulley, an artist from Spring Hope, N.C., challenges our perceptions about racial stereotypes.

    Using a very limited palette of black, gray and red, Pulley challenges the racial self-stereotyping from within the African-American community. In his computer graphic work titled The Uncle Tometer, Pulley has created a barren fl at background of gray pebbled texture. On the left side of the image is a thermometer with the red mercury rising after passing phrases like “listening to more than black music, arriving on time, having a large vocabulary, not an avid eater of soul food” and at the top is “dating outside the race.”

    TH Gomillion from Washington, D.C., celebrates the African heritage in his casted bronze portrait titled We Are. Mounted on a piece of polished marble, Gomillion’s portrait includes the details of a traditional African male style of adorning oneself. Gomillion’s portrait evokes the presence of ancestry.

    Kendra Sumler from Fayetteville, explores the identity of a young woman in the medium of computer graphics. Works titled Pieces of Me and Forced Identity portray the same individual in a collage-like composition. The same individual is portrayed as having a series of expressions. The expressions seem to question, challenge and are often fi lled with angst.

    The ceramic forms by Amanda Small from Chapel Hill, N.C., are poetic in their low fi red, oozy, abstract forms. Her work titled Genesis appears to be an interpretation of the beginning of life. Instead of the Garden of Eden, Genesis appears as a beautifully poetic gnarl of pea-like pods emerging from or into a form with tentacles. The grace of the form and use of earth colors reinforces the idea of birth or a beginning.

    While Small encourages the viewer to see nature through a new lens, Shane Booth, of Fayetteville, exhibited a print from his new body of work. Instead of using himself as the model, he has switched to bulls!

    In Booth’s work, the lone human fi gure has been replaced by a lone bull. The photograph is in high contrast, black and white. The dark bull fi lls the picture frame, off center. We see the bull from an angle beneath the massive animal. The bull’s wet nose drips from the shiny rich blackness of the form against a stark landscape. Booth’s photograph evokes strength and will without being romantic or idealized. The strength and resolve of the image mesmerizes you.

    There are many more works to examine in the 1st Annual Juried Exhibition at FTCC’s Art Gallery. The juror for the competition was Chuck Lawson, a new instructor in the fi ne art program at FTCC. Lawson will address his selection for the exhibit during the opening, Feb. 26(4th Friday) between 5-7 p.m. in Gallery 366A, Cumberland Hall on the campus of FTCC.

    If you are not able to get to the opening reception, the exhibit remains up until March 12. For gallery hours or information on the exhibit call Seán McDaniel at 910- 678-0042 or email him at mcdaniels@faytechcc.edu.

  • 02-02-11-music-as-weapon.gifOn Wednesday Feb. 2, rock artists, Korn and Distrurbed rolled through the Crown Coliseum on the fifth annual Music as a Weapon Tour. The tour will also feature metal heavy-weights Sevendust, and a relative new comer to the hard rock scene, In This Moment.

    ITM features the only female rocker on this top-tier tour, Maria Brink. Maria’s platinum blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that match her soul piercing voice quickly gives way to a canvas of tattoos that helps her blend in with rest of her So-Cal metal mélange.

    The five member band that formed together five years ago in Los Angeles have had success touring with the god-father of metal Ozzy Osbourne, and they continue to reach new audiences with their latest release, A Star-Crossed Wasteland. Wasteland is the group’s third offering produced by Kevin Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, Five Finger Death Punch), and brings together the group’s eclectic tastes and influences to produce a uniquely dark and melodious sound that is beginning to solidly define the group. The singles “Just Drive,” “The Promise” and “Gun Show” have helped the album reach #40 on the Billboard Top 200.

    Chris Howorth, founding member and guitarist, says the dynamic of the group has led to the evolution of their sound.

    “My influences are more traditional metal, like Pantera and Metallica, but Maria brings unique tastes like Mazzy Star and Massive Attack,” said Howard. “As we all push to have our influence felt, it blends into the unique sound that we have now.”

    While Music as a Weapon is not the bands first big tour, as they’ve done arena tours with Ozzy, toured with Korn on the Mayhem Fest, and rocked last summer’s Warped Tour, the band is enjoying gaining new audience and new fans with the Weapon Tour.

    “We love the music and realize that can be a very powerful tool,” said Howard. “We all just want to make an impact, so we’re going out there every night trying to have the best show we can. Even now we still get new fans come up to us after the show who haven’t heard of us, but they fall in love with the music.”

    As the band bring its arsenal of metal to Fayetteville, Howard says they look forward to playing in another military town.

    “We’ve played Hooligan’s in South Carolina (outside of Fort Jackson), and we’re always super-excited whenever we see it on the tour,” continues Howard. “The military crowd always brings this great energy to the show and we just have an awesome time.”

    Photo: Music as a weapon comes to the Crown Coliseum on Feb.2.

  • Mama (Rated PG-13) 5 Stars02-06-13-movie.gif

    When I heard that Mama (101 minutes) had been pushed from a 2012 release to a 2013 release, I got worried. Unless they are avoiding a Harry Potter movie, when studios start playing with release dates it’s usually a bad sign. See: Red Dawn, World War Z. Happily, this was an exception to a normally reliable rule because Mama was pretty darn good.

    Guillermo del Toro, sticking close to his comfort zone, produces a film that is thematically linked to his favorite themes of small, sad children touched by the supernatural. Sitting in the director’s chair is first time director Andre Muschietti, who created the short upon which the feature film is based. He does a fantastic job with the story and he knows how to make creepy kids even creepier. However, I was not in love with the big creature reveal of Mama because CGI tends to look like CGI — horror is much scarier when unrealistic effects are kept in the shadows.

    The film opens with an abandoned car. It is 2008, just after the finan-cial crisis, and a man named Jeffrey (Nikolaj Coster-Waldeau) has just finished indulging in a killing spree. He takes his children and heads as far from civilization as he can get. Some strange things happen on the way to nowhere in particular, and the children end up alone in a cabin with no supplies.

    Time jumps five years forward. A couple of young hipsters are still invested in the case of the missing girls and their dad. Uncle Lucas (also Nikolaj Coster-Waldeau) lives with Annabel (Jessica Chastain, con-tinuing her quest to appear in every movie released this year), and they get very excited when a couple of mountain men find the girls living in an isolated cabin.

    So, much as I like the movie … here’s the thing: I can totally buy into supernatural intervention keeping otherwise helpless children alive; I don’t know if I buy into the cabin going undiscovered for five years since it was in walking distance of the car crash that investigators certainly should have found, but did not. I mean, maybe I’m naïve, but I think when it comes to tracking down a guy that kills a bunch of people and then kidnaps a couple of kids, the police would maybe show a little interest in finding them.

    Anyway, mountain men. They find the car crash, find the cabin and find the girls. Victoria (Megan Charpentier) and Lily (Isabel Nelisse) are filthy and fast and creepy and have a tendency to sway as if preparing to pounce. They are brought back to civilization with very little language and few basic skills. Dr. Dreyfuss (Daniel Kash) turns them into his pet project and suc-cessfully argues that Annabel and Lucas should get custody. Annabel is thrilled. She tries her best, and despite a few growing pains it seems like Uncle Lucas is going to make it work. But then things get creepy.

    The girls make surprisingly rapid progress in behaving like civilized children (Victoria more than Lily), and the family moves into a huge home subsidized by Dr. Dreyfuss and filled with recording equipment. Too bad this is a horror movie be-cause of course, things must become horrible. Uncle Lucas falls down the stairs while investigating spooky goings-on, leaving an ill-prepared Annabel to play mommy with two girls who need more attention than she wants to offer.

    Overall, this is a solid horror hit that also plays with themes of forgiveness, loss, change and inadequacy. Chastain delivers one of her best efforts and the two kids do a good job with material that would be beyond the years of most children their age. Heads up, in avoiding the obvious clichés the director made sure there was no standard happily ever after Hollywood ending.

    Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

  • MOVIE 43 (RATED R) 3 Stars02-13-13-movie.gif

    Way back in 1977, a little anthology movie called Kentucky Fried Movie hit the scene and appealed to the 12-year-old boy living in all our hearts. It featured such classic skits as “Catholic High School Girls in Trouble” and “A Fistful of Yen.” Anthology movies are more likely to go direct-to-video, but for one brief shining moment in 1977 this tasteless little gem won the hearts and minds of the people.

    If you have fond memories of Kentucky Fried Movie, or your sense of humor is that of a 12-year-old boy, you’ll probably love Movie 43(90 minutes). It is completely and utterly without redemption, hitting all the envelope-pushing buttons imaginable. Now, I admit I wasn’t totally in love with it but I am willing to bet there are a ton of people who will snort soda out their noses at least once or twice during the movie.

    In total, the American release includes 14 skits, each with its own director and writers (too many to list here). “The Pitch” is the book-end skit that ties everything together, with a guy named Charlie Wessler (Dennis Quaid) pitching a variety of offensive plots to a movie executive named Griffen Schraeder (Greg Kinnear).

    First up is “The Catch,” with Kate Winslet on a blind date with Hugh Jackman. She is enchanted by his every word and gesture until she fig-ures out why he is still single. It is a pretty disgusting joke that might work in a five-minute-long SNL sketch, but was already done to much better effect on the “Freak Strike” episode of South Park.

    Next, “Homeschooled” features Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts trying to carry a sketch while Jeremy Allen White does his best to suck the life from it. All in all, one of the weaker entries, and the one that follows isn’t much better. Anna Faris is a coprophiliac and Chris Pratt is her reluctant partner. They are married in real life, but have zero chemistry onscreen.

    Next, Kieran Culkin plays opposite Emma Stone in a wanna-be Lynchian piece, “Veronica,” that was at its funniest when the actors were making the least amount of sense. Trying to tie it together with a classic romantic ending detracted from all the beautiful absurdity.

    “iBabe” goes for cheap laughs (in a movie admittedly full of them). I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say it was sexist on purpose, but poor directing took away the satire and flattened any social commentary into pancakes. “Superhero Speed Dating,” featuring Kristen Bell, Jason Sudeikis and Justin Long, was probably my favorite entry. It wasn’t that great, but superheroes trying to live real lives are always good for a laugh and I really like Kristen Bell.

    The skits got weaker as the film progressed, although “Middle-School Date” was good enough that I wouldn’t object to seeing Elizabeth Banks direct a feature film. Objectively speaking, Terrence Howard in “Victory’s Glory,” was the sharpest tool in the shed, but it went on a bit too long. Just when it seemed the movie was over, a final skit aired, “Beezel.” If you leave when the first set of credits roll you won’t miss much.

    Overall, with so many big name stars this is worth checking out, even if it has been called the worse movie of the decade. Yes, it is not great — but that is because the writers held back. They danced along the edges of taboo, but never quite manage to hit the nerves they’re aiming for. Perhaps if they had left in the skit featuring the necrophiliac morgue attendant, we would have seen the magical moment of complete repulsion that would have redeemed the whole thing. Maybe if the skits had been tied together (as they were in the British release) by the three teenagers searching for a film so of-fensive it would end civilization, more Americans would like it. But then again, perhaps not.

    Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

  • 02-30-13-fireantz.gifThe Fayetteville FireAntz, through 40 of 56 games played, had a tremendously successful season, so far. They boast the Southern Professional Hockey League’s leading scorer, Josh McQuade (34 goals and 26 assists), as well as one of the elite goaltenders in the league, Marco Emond, who has been among the goaltending leaders all season. Add the fact that they have the top-scoring offense and one of the best defensive units, things have looked good this season.

    The FireAntz also have had the luxury of remaining relatively healthy throughout the season, only losing a handful of man-games due to injury. Additionally, due to the fact that they’ve been amongst the league leaders in the standings all season, their roster has remained mostly intact. They’ve had players called up to higher leagues who have returned, and some who have stayed but Head Coach Mark DeSantis did such a good job assembling the roster, from day one, that they haven’t had to cut a single player.

    The FireAntz, collectively, have a much bigger goal in my mind, however, than success in the regular season. With only 16 games remaining, seven at home, the playoffs are right around the proverbial corner and that is where the FireAntz are placing their focus.

    “We are just trying to win each and every game.” Defenseman Kyle Frieday said, “Obviously, we are trying to stay healthy but we just want to keep rolling into the playoffs.”

    The FireAntz, in their 11-year existence, have won one SPHL Championship, in 2006-07. They are looking to repeat that feat this season.

    “We are playing hard every shift, every night.” Forward John Clewlow added, “We are trying to play our best hockey as we get to the playoffs.”

    With the FireAntz only four points out of first place, they are trying to capture home-ice advantage for the playoffs. Each round of the playoffs contains an odd number of games and the higher seed will host the deciding game of the series, should it go that far.

    There are only seven home games remaining for the FireAntz this season. Come out and support your Fayetteville FireAntz as they look to capture another SPHL Championship. For more information about tickets go to the FireAntz Web site at www.fireantzhockey.com.

    Photo: The FireAntz are playing hard to make it to the playoffs.

  • 02-06-13-distinguished-speaker-1.gifIf you haven’t made it to hear any of this year’s distinguished speakers in the Fayetteville State University Distinguished Speakers series, it’s not too late. The series kicked off with Dr. Bob Zellner, who spoke on Jan. 22.

    “The Distinguished Speaker Series was started by the Fayetteville State University chancellor about five years ago,” said Director of Public Relations Jeff Womble. “His thought was to bring speakers to the campus for the students, faculty, staff and community and to bring more people to the campus to give them and idea of the things we have to offer.”

    The program has been a huge success, drawing nationally known speakers like Roland Martin, Donna Brazile and Al Sharpton.

    At the end of each spring semester, the chancellor and members of the staff get together and come up with a list that they feel will be a benefit and enjoyment to both the students and the community.

    “He wants this to be a process where the audience can come hear the speakers and get something out of it,” said Womble.

    Prior to each speaker’s visit, audience members can choose to participate by writing questions on an index card. After the speaker has concluded his talk, questions are chosen from the cards and the audience has a chance to interact with the speaker.

    On Feb. 9, Dr. Cornel West is scheduled to speak at 1 p.m. at Seabrook Auditorium. A graduate of Harvard and Princeton universities, West has taught at Union Theological Seminary, Yale, Harvard and the University of Paris. He has edited 13 books and written 20. West appears frequently on the Bill Maher Show, Colbert Report, CNN and C-Spanas well as on Tavis Smiley’s PBS TV Show. West’s books include Race Matters, Democracy Matters, and his latest publication, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud, a memoir.

    He’s has appeared in more than 25 films and documentaries.02-06-13-distiguished-speaker-2.gif

    “Dr. West is highly respected in academia and is always making political commentary,” said Womble. “We are not sure what he will speak about, but we are certain it will be enlightening.

    ”Hilda Pinnix-Ragland is scheduled to close out the 2012-2013 series on March 12. She is the Vice President for Corporate Public Affairs for Duke Energy, the nation’s largest integrated utility headquartered in N.C.

    Pinnix-Ragland works with officials at the local, state and federal levels to develop energy policies that are good for both consumers and businesses. Her numerous awards include appointments by former N.C. Governor Beverly Perdue to the Budget Reform and Accountability Commission and to the Governor’s Transition Team; the NC 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award; the Distinguished Alumni Award from N.C. A&T State University. Pinnix-Ragland was recently awarded the 2010 BOBB Award in Energy presented by the American Academy of Business and Commerce.

    Pinnix-Ragland was chosen to speak in honor of Women’s History month, which is celebrated in March.

    Like previous speakers, Womble expects that Pinnix-Ragland will be warmly received.

    “The community certainly enjoys and embraces this program and it is a benefit to our students,” said Womble. “That is most important. Anytime we find a program that works this well for both the students and the community, we want to do everything we can to support it.”

    For more information about Distinguished Speaker Series, visit www.uncfsu.edu/govandcommunity/events/Speakers%20Series/speakerartsseries.htm. To purchase tickets, call 672.1474.

    Photos: Top left: Dr. Cornel West. Bottom right: Hilde Pinnix-Ragland.

  • uac021313001.gif For the past 14 years the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville has hosted the Carolina Home Show every spring. Vendors and experts in all things home-related gather at the Crown ready to assist in making every house a home and every home a more personal and distinct place. This year the event takes place Feb. 23-24, and there are some exciting changes that are designed to make the show even better.

    “We are not charging admission this year, we think it is better for our vendors and will attract more people,” said Kevin Shore, event chairman. “We always have about 3,000 people show up but the vendors have always said ‘Let’s not charge admission and see who else will come,’ so we are giving it a try this year.”

    Home Builders Association Executive Officer Natalie Fryer added that, “This year we really tried to pull in the real-estate community. There will be real-estate agents there that can answer questions about home buying and selling. We also have some builders in the show.”

    So whether you are looking to buy, sell, build, update or improve a home, there will be experts at the Crown ready to answer questions and share their expertise.

    While many areas of the country have not hosted home shows this year because of the economy and the national dip in home prices, Shore noted that this is not the case in Fayetteville.

    “It is amazing to me how this community always pulls together and continues to put on great events for Fayetteville and the surrounding area. We pull people from Wilmington, Raleigh, Southern Pines and even South Carolina. We get a lot of people coming from outside this area, which is exciting,” said Shore.

    No matter what a person has in mind — from indulging in the latest technologies and trends in home design to getting ideas for how to organize a room — there is no project, idea or budget too big or too small. This event has something everyone can use.

    “If you think you have seen it before, you should still plan to come, every year there is something new,” said Shore. “It is good to see what you can do to your home and get ideas about what you can do to make your house a home. We have such a variety of vendors from bath renovation specialists to masons to handymen and home improvement businesses to carpenters. There will be vendors who can take you from start to finish and do an entire project or even build a house for you to people who can show you how to do things yourself and give you the tools and ideas you need to be successful in your project.”

    In addition to great vendors, the weekend is packed with informative talks and presentations.

    “These are local people who are experts in their fi elds, and they will be speaking on a variety of topics,” said Fryer.

    Saturday’s topics include “Potted Plants: Problems and Joys” by Roger Mercer; “Yes! You Can Buy a House” by Steve Cohen; “Yes, You Can Get Money to Buy a House” by Kevin Rodriguez; “The Finishing Touch Your Home May Be Missing” by CJ Malson; “Stage, Show, Sold!” by Jay Dowdy; “Plan. Plant. Protect.” By George Quigley; “Staging Your Home to Sell” by Lorna Ricotta; “You Can Build Wealth by Investing in Real Estate” by Zan Monroe; “Year Round Color for Your Yard” by Charles Allen; and “Organizing Your House to Function” by Lorna Ricotta. Sunday, the topics scheduled are: “Plants in Pots: Problems and Joys” by Roger Mercer; “Buying a Home is Easier Than You Think” by Doug Nunnally; “Build Wealth by Investing in Real Estate” by Zan Monroe; ”Why Shade Matters” by Charles Allen; “Staging to Sell and Beyond” by Donna Clayton-Lloyd; “How to Get Money for the Home You Want to Buy” by Melody Spaulding; and “Grow What You Eat” by George Quigley.

    Besides all the vendors, the products, the experts and the education, many of the vendors are offering raffles and giveaways at their booths. All in all, the presenting sponsors, First Alliance Mortgage and Carolina Mortgage, along with Shore and Fryer are expecting a big crowd and a top-notch event.

    “What I have enjoyed about being a part of this is the amount of local vendors that are willing to come together in one venue to promote their trade,” said Shore. “There are a lot of proud vendors and tradesmen in our area. If you think you have seen it all before, come anyway. There is always some new technology, idea or trend that comes from home ownership and renovation. It is good to see what you can do to your home and get ideas about what you can do to make your house a home.”

    The show lasts from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24. It’s free. Find out more about the Carolina Home Show at www.carolinahomeandgardenshow.com

  • 16Lauren Moore Jack Britt

    Lauren Moore

    Jack Britt • Basketball •

    Senior

    Moore has a grade point average of 4.6. This past season for Jack Britt, she eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for her career. She also has a career total of over 700 rebounds for the Buccaneers, who qualified for the state 4-A playoffs.

     

     

    17Kelvin Armstrong Douglas Byrd

     

    Kelvin Armstrong

    Douglas Byrd • Basketball •

    Junior

    Armstrong has a 3.75 grade point average. He is a member of Douglas Byrd’s Academy of Green Technology.

  • SportsThe Fayetteville Sports Club will hold its annual Hall of Fame induction banquet Wednesday, March 7, at Highland Country Club. Social begins at 6:30 p.m. and the banquet at 7 p.m.
     
    Scheduled for induction are longtime Pine Forest coach Jim Farthing, Fayetteville Academy athletic director and former basketball coach Chip Bishop, Terry Sanford tennis standouts Margit Monaco Hicks and Lisa Monaco Wheless and the late Buck Melton, high school official.
     
    Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by contacting Ashley Petroski at (910) 323-9195 at Nobles Pound Financial, 1315 Fort Bragg Road.
    Annual memberships in the Sports Club are also available at $150, and memberships include attendance at the banquet.
     
    Petroski can also be reached via email at ashley@npfp.com.
  • 15Neil Buie regional supervisor of officialsTemporarily removing players who are wearing improper equipment from the game is the biggest change for high school football rules this fall.

    The National Federation of State High School Associations recently announced the changes in the rules made by its football rules committee, which met in January.

    Under the new rule, players found to be missing proper equipment or not wearing it properly have to be removed from the game for at least one down. The exception to the rule is if the improper equipment is the direct result of a foul by an opposing player.

    In a related change, the head coach must confirm all of his players are legally equipped and won’t use illegal equipment during the game.

    The same penalty for violating the rule remains in effect, an unsportsmanlike conduct call on the head coach.

    On free kicks and scrimmage kicks, a new penalty option was added, allowing the receiving team to accept a five-yard penalty from the succeeding spot.

    Another change clarifies that the defenseless player rule no longer applies to the passer until a forward pass is thrown. Once a pass is thrown, the passer is considered defenseless until the play ends or the passer participates in the play, like becoming a blocker.

    Neil Buie, regional supervisor of football officials for the Southeastern Athletic Officials Association, isn’t surprised the rule changes weren’t extensive this year.

    “I don’t think they want to come out with anything major multiple years in a row,’’ he said. “We did the targeting thing. Let’s let that sink in and let the officials get used to it. The next thing you may see is to eliminate all blocks below the waist. That’s knee injury city.’’

    There has been much publicity lately about a national shortage of officials. Buie said it hasn’t reached crisis proportions in North Carolina as far as he knows, but there is always a need for good officials at the high school level.

    What Buie fears is officials who get needed indoctrination to officiating in the recreation leagues are being scared off by disrespectful behavior on the part of parents.

    The recreation level is important to officiating because Buie said it’s hard for new officials to break in at the high school level. “It’s got to start at the recreation level,’’ he said. “Having officials better paid, treated better and protected.’’

    Photo: Neil Buie, regional supervisor of football officials for the Southeastern Athletic Officials Association

  • 02-12-14-fantasia.gifFantasia Barrino made her debut into the American music scene in 2004 on the popular show American Idol. She won the competition and quickly became a hit in the music industry, at only 19 years old. By 2006, she had three Grammy nominations and in the same year played herself on Lifetime Television in Life is Not a Fairy Tale. Additionally, by February of 2012 she had sold an impressive 2,842,000 albums. Get ready Fayetteville, Fantasia is coming to town on Feb. 16.

    Fantasia was born in High Point, N.C., in 1984. Professionally, she is referred to just by her first name, Fantasia. Her primary style is soul music and she strives to infuse every song she sings with love and a piece of her spirit. As a child, Fantasia was steeped in gospel and blues. This is partially thanks to her grandfather’s love of B.B. King. She was inspired by Billie Holiday, Josephine Baker, Elton John, Ella Fitzgerald, Luther Vandross, Anita Baker, Bonnie Raitt and Queen. These inspiring artists helped shape her style of music; her voice and passion make her totally unique.

    Fantasia has also faced struggles in her career. In 2007, she was hired to perform in the Broadway production of The Color Purple. Her performance was met with much excitement. Unfortunately, she had to miss several performances. Eventually, it was found that she had a cyst on her vocal cords. After a successful surgery she was able to return to music in full force. By 2008, she had two more Grammy nominations and began working on her new album. Her dedication to her craft and her incredible voice makes her a true star, and Fayetteville will be lucky enough to see her in person.

    The concert starts at 7 p.m. and is at the Crown Coliseum located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 1800-745-3000. They can also be purchased online with ticket master at http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0E004B7A0EF3BEDA?brand=crowncenter. Tickets will cost between $55-$75. For more information visit the following website www.atthecrown.com/index.php?s=fantasia.

    Photo: American Idol winner for the 2004 season and Grammy nominee Fantasia is set to perform at the Crown on Feb. 16.

  • 02-06-13-exhibit.gifPablo Picasso once said that, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

    Well, Harvey Littleton seems to be one of the few with the solution. Now 90-years-old, Littleton remains a thriving artist. From pottery to glassblowing to vitreography, he has showcased his talents as a man with multiple crafts. However, it is his mastery of vitreography that will soon capture the eyes of art-lovers all across Fayetteville.

    Harvey Littleton & Friends is a new exhibition of vitreograph prints from Littleton and other nationally and internationally known artists, such as Dale Chihuly, Erwin Eisch, Herb Jackson, Clarence Morgan and Tom Nakashima, among others. For the first time ever, Fayetteville has the opportunity to experience these dynamic works first hand at the David McCune International Art Gallery on the campus of Methodist University.

    Each print is made its own by the individual techniques the artists use when embedding their images onto a plate of glass that is then run through a printing press, creating the unique art that is vitreography.

    Now known as the father of the Studio Glass Movement, Littleton has transformed from the young boy in his father’s lab at Corning Glassworks to famed mentor and legendary artist. It wasn’t known some years ago that little Littleton would stray from his father’s dreams of becoming a physicist and gravitate toward a more expressionist form of work.

    While glass as art may seem like a relatively normal form of representation today, it wasn’t always so. Glass was formerly believed to be an industrial material meant only for use in factory facilities. However, in 1962 Littleton helped level the playing field when he conducted two seminal glassblowing workshops at The Toledo Museum of Art. Then just a year later, in 1963, he taught the first university program for glass in the United States at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. But the best was still to come.

    In 1974, Littleton developed what is the modern printmaking technique for vitreography. Just a few years later he opened up his own glass studio in Spruce Pine, N.C., where he would invite artists of all forms to come and make vitreographs using his etching press.

    Silvana Foti is the executive director at the David McCune International Art Gallery where the exhibit will be held. She had the opportunity to meet Littleton when she was passing through Spruce Pine visiting different galleries.

    “I met Harvey Littleton in the ‘80s,” she said. “I never forgot that he had a studio and in 2009, I went back for a workshop.”

    During her return trip to the Littleton gallery, Foti was able to study with master printer Judith O’Rourke, another talented vitreographer.

    Foti considers herself fortunate to be able to bring such a timely art to Methodist University.

    “This exhibition is bringing the Fayetteville area a form of art that has been around for 50 years and we’re very excited to be hosting the show,” she said. “These artists are the cream of the crop in vitreography.”

    The exhibit is scheduled to open Thursday, Feb. 7 at the David McCune International Art Gallery in the William F. Bethune Center for Visual Arts at Methodist University. There will be an opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m., with a gallery talk at 7 p.m. by Littleton’s daughter, Carol Littleton Shay. Admission is free.

    The gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. Appointments are also available. The exhibit will be on display through April 7. For more information, visit davidmccunegallery.org.

    Photo: Moonbeam Dancing by Erwin Eisch.

  • 14WrestlingThree Cumberland County high school wrestlers brought home state championships this month, and for each, it was a special journey.

    Cape Fear’s Dallas Wilson followed the footsteps of his dad and head coach Heath Wilson to become Cape Fear’s first-ever sophomore state champion, winning the 3-A 132-pound championship.

    Teammate Michael Vernagallo completed the rare feat of back-to-back perfect seasons and state titles, winning the 3-A 160-pound championship.

    Pine Forest’s Daniel Peede finally attained the 4-A 152-pound championship after a painful near miss last season and battles with confidence this season.

    Heath Wilson won his state title for Cape Fear in 1990 and spent the last 11 years watching son Dallas work for his chance at a championship.

    “He’s probably the biggest part of it,’’ Dallas said of his father. “Every day after practice, he takes me home and we have conversations in the truck. We fantasized about the day I’d win a state title, and it happened.’’

    The atmosphere at the titles won by father and son were much different. Heath won his in the confines of the gymnasium at Greensboro’s Grimsley High School. Dallas found himself in the parade of champions before the state finals, inside the cavernous Greensboro Coliseum.

    “My butterflies were going crazy,’’ he said. “I got my head right and he told me to relax.’’

    Dallas did have to overcome a scare at the state finals when he injured his ankle during the semifinal match and felt it go numb. “It was hurting bad,’’ he said. “I was warming up for the finals and I don’t know how I’m going to wrestle. Adrenalin took care of it and I stuck it out for one more match.’’

    He may miss baseball season recovering from his injury, but he plans to hit the summer wrestling circuit to start preparation for next season.

    “I do have bigger goals than just the state tournament and state titles,’’ he said.

    That doesn’t surprise his father. “He’s looking for the next hill to climb,’’ Heath said. “It’s not a state championship. It’s a national title. After that it will be something else. And I’ll continue to be impressed.’’

    Vernagallo continued to impress, too, putting together his second consecutive unbeaten season and second straight state title for the Colts.

    “It’s been a goal of mine for a long time,’’ he said.“I’m glad I could get it done.’’

    He admitted the pressure of going unbeaten for a second straight year began to get into his head as the season progressed.

    “I had to stay focused and know what I did would work,” he said.

    Vernagallo has already signed to wrestle for Clarion University in Pennsylvania next season. He plans to redshirt and compete at the 174-pound level the following season.

    He chose Clarion because of its wrestling culture. “Wrestling is huge there,’’ he said. “Everyone up there loves it. They even have cheerleaders. I want to work on being stronger, making my technique better and getting ready for the college scene.’’

    Getting ready for college was a concern of Pine Forest’s Peede. After losing in the semifinals of last year’s state tournament by a single point, he was anxious to capitalize on his final chance at a state title.

    “I had a lot going on with school and college applications,’’ Peede said. “It was definitely a busier time.’’

    He had other concerns. Just before the conference tournament, he suffered a back injury. He had to manage pain as he recovered and tried to fight his way back to the state tournament. “This year, the big thing was to get there and win it, taking everything one match at a time,’’ he said.

    He didn’t stumble in the semifinals this season, maintaining positive thoughts and pinning his semifinal opponent in just 1 minute, 13 seconds en route to reaching the state finals.

    I had to go out there and stick to what I knew and the things that got me there,’’ he said.

    He plans to wrestle at the college level, but he’s not sure where. He’s waiting to hear back on an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. If accepted there, he plans to walk on to the wrestling team.

    He’s also being recruited by Virginia Military Institute, where they are considering him for a partial scholarship. A four-year ROTC scholarship would cover the rest of his expenses there.

    “I want to thank my coaches, teammates and family for the support,’’ he said. “I want to give a big shoutout to coach Charles Daniels. I appreciate all the time and effort he’s put in to me.’’

    Photo: Dallas Wilson (left) with dad and coach Heath Wilson (right)

  • 02-19-14-circus.gifFor centuries the circus has captured the imagination. The daring shows of agility and strength combined with amazing and exotic animals are enough to make everyone from children to adults smile. The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey names are some of the oldest and most famous in the circus business, and for good reason. On Feb. 27-28 and March 1-2, this famous travelling entertainment venue is coming to Fayetteville to present the Super Circus Heroes show.

    One of the main attractions of this event is the Lopez family. This tight-knit family of 12 has been wowing crowds for years, and this is their second year with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. They specialize in a high-wire performance and another crowd favorite, the motorcycle globe. The hollow steel globe is the smallest of its kind in the United States. It is only 12 feet in diameter. This makes their act even more challenging and thrilling when they cram motorcycles into it and they zoom around inside at dangerously fast speeds. “There is room for 1-2 cycles only but they wanted to do more crazy and cool things,” said Maria Dominguez, a performer in the Lopez Family Troupe. “It takes a lot of practice and focus. For me, I have to focus because it is hard to [manage] the speed. You can’t go too fast or too slow but if you like the job it is fun and gives you good adrenaline.”

    The high-wire act performed by the Lopez Family is just as daring. They perform acrobatic stunts and even sword fight 25 feet in the air and without a net. It takes copious amounts of practice and years of experience to master. The performers practice on average 1-2 hours a day, and many of them grew up in the circus. “My family is from Chile. My dad got a contract in Mexico and I knew my dad worked in the circus. In 1997, I went to Mexico to be in the circus, too, and I never got home,” Dominguez said. She has 14 years of experience on the high wire now.

    The high wire and motorcycle globe are breathtaking, indeed, but the there is still more to enjoy. There are traditional acts like trained animals and acrobats. There are also some newer things like karate performances. At this circus even the most traditional acts are thrilling and given a new edge.

    Before the show even begins, there is a lot of fun to be had. “Every ticket has entry to the preshow where people can come and meet all the performers and take pictures. You can try on the costumes and see the motorcycles. You can also meet the Lopez Family and try the low wire that is one or two feet high. We can teach people how to do the low wire. We open the back stage area and all the families can go back and see the animals and the performers and what it takes to put the show together. That part is very fun because you can see behind the scenes and how they do everything for the show,” Dominguez said. Patrons can also take pictures and ask all the performers questions.

    Feb. 27-28, the shows start at 7 p.m. March 1 will have performances at 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7 p.m. March 2 will have shows at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. All performances are held at the Crown Coliseum located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information visit www.ringling.com.

    Photo: Ticketholders are invited to a preshow event where they can meet the performers, try on costumes, see the animals and even learn a few circus tricks -- like how to walk on the low wire.

  • uac022013001.gif Fayetteville is a city filled with people and artists who are originally from locations around the world. Gallery 208 celebrates this international benefi t by hosting a one-person exhibition titled New Paintings by Liviana Casotti. Born and trained in Italy, Casotti has resided intermittently in Fayetteville over the past 18 years.

    Visitors to the Feb. 28, opening at Gallery 208 will meet the artist and may recognize her as someone who attends most of the gallery openings in the area — she is always in attendance at the Gallery 208 openings. If you don’t know Casotti, her paintings are just as intriguing as her artistic journey.

    Born in Lucca, Italy, Casotti studied art in her hometown and later earned an art teaching degree in Florence, Italy. The Italian lifestyle and her early art experiences were steeped in classical western tradition, her studies in art included the rigors of drawing and painting from life, the fi gure and still life. Academics centered on understanding the theory and techniques of masters of the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries.

    Her life and art career took a turn when she married and moved to Lawson, Okla. She then studied art and earned a bachelor’s of fi ne art from Cameron University in Oklahoma. Upon completion of her degree, she moved to California and began studying art at San Jose State University. I met Liviana when she moved to Fayetteville in 1996. An exuberant and effervescent individual, Casotti’s passion for art, politics and thinking out-of-the-box was always, and still is, contagious.

    Over the years, she has exhibited in group invitationals at the Arts Council and at two venues which no longer exist — the Fayetteville Museum of Art and a one person exhibition at the Architect’s Gallery. Knowing her history in the area, I was interested in sharing her views of the arts in Fayetteville and how studying art in the United States infl uenced her approach to painting.

    When I stopped by Casotti’s studio she was working on a still life; the natural light from the window was just right, her canvas painted with patterns of bright turquoise, many shades of green, complements of reds and orange, a dab of yellow here and there. Similar to her earlier work, her palette is still key; but a new system of exaggerated patterns is now part of her work, fixating on the affects of color and light. It is easy to see the patterns in the metal kitchen appliances of her still life; her choice of objects is always symbolic.

    Her still life is organized with kitchen tools and appliances, often dog leashes and bowls — all metaphors for, according to Casotti, “part of a world that is in my past and cannot be retrieved but is in my memory. I cannot retrieve better days, nor revive people and animals lost during my life but I can put bright colors on my painting and depict objects of nostalgia to diffuse the longing. A search for order, but the realities of disorder are present in the compositions as in my life.”

    Quick to share her views about content and meaning, Casotti explained that her work today is about “truth and life, order and disorder — a painting will evoke both. My painting evokes nostalgia, a feeling or refl ection on a pleasant and safe past, a time of life that was innocent, simpler and even happier.”

    I asked her how studying art in the United States was different than when she studied in Italy.02-20-13-livana-cassoti.gif

    “That’s easy. In Italy they have a very traditional academic approach while the schools I attended in Oklahoma and California focused more on the intellectual idea of exploring meaning and content. Although drawing is taught in the lower-level art courses, in the United States the upper-level courses focus on the many different approaches to contemporary meaning and introduce you to the variety of styles which are still prevalent,” she explained.

    Although Casotti often returns to Italy to visit, her home has been Fayetteville for the last 10 years, so I was interested in knowing what she has observed in the visual arts locally and how, if any, it has changed or remained the same.

    “I see galleries come and go in Fayetteville, now it seems there are very few left at this time,” she said. “The closing of the Fayetteville Museum of Art has had a huge negative impact on the arts in the area. It seems as if too many art venues are focused on creating revenue instead of bringing exhibitions to the area which broadens our idea of what is happening nationally and internationally in the arts. On the other hand, I think Gallery 208 has always been committed to the arts in the purest sense and hosts excellent exhibitions – art for art’s sake of high quality”.

    The public is invited to meet Casotti and view her new body of work during the opening reception of New Paintings by Liviana Casotti at Gallery 208 on Feb. 28, between 5:30 and 7 p.m. Gallery 208 is located at 208 Rowan St. Regular hours to view their exhibits are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For those who cannot make the opening reception, the exhibit will remain open through the third week in April.

    Photo: The works of Liviana Casotti will be on display at Gallery 208.

  • 18 Erwin Montgomery Pine Forest

    Erwin Montgomery

    Pine Forest • Basketball •

    Junior

    Montgomery has a 3.71 grade point average. In addition to playing basketball, he’s a member of the Trojans’ Builders Association.

     

     

     

     

    Tishera Owens Grays Creek

    Tishera Owens

    Gray’s Creek • Basketball/ volleyball/track •

    Junior

    Owens has a 4.0 grade point average. She volunteers time working with children in a daycare center. She plans to go to a four-year school and major in psychology. She’d like to get an academic scholarship and play college sports.

  • 17 Zinzili Kelley Douglas ByrdThe sky figured to be the limit for Douglas Byrd longjumper Zinzili Kelley after she stunned the crowd at last year’s Carver Classic with a leap of 19 feet.

    “She came in second in the regionals and was ranked No. 1 for the states,’’ said Robert Freeman, Kelley’s track coach at Byrd.

    But something happened when Kelley got to last year’s outdoor state track meet. “She didn’t hit the podium,’’ Freeman said. “I think she had anxiety.’’

    Whatever the problem was, it was gone recently at the 3-A state indoor meet at the JDL Fast Track complex in Winston-Salem.

    Kelley didn’t equal her Carver performance of last spring, but her leap of 18 feet, 1.25 inches was enough to give her the long jump championship in this year’s 3-A indoor meet.

    Kelley didn’t get a lot of competition prior to the state meet. She only competed in two so-called polar bear indoor meets this season. They call them polar bears because they were both held outdoors, on the same track at Reid Ross Classical High School where the Carver meet took place.

    When she got to this year’s state indoor meet, where she finished fourth a year ago, Kelley figured it would be best to stay ignorant of her competition.

    “I didn’t want to know who I was competing against,’’ she said. “I did not know how far they jumped. I didn’t look at the performance list. It will make me nervous.’’

    Kelley said she enjoyed jumping at the JDL complex in Winston-Salem. “It’s different from being outside,’’ she said. “It’s softer and I could feel the board more. The facility itself is great.’’

    With the indoor season over and outdoor track season about to start, Kelley is counting on the benefits of the indoor season helping her this spring.

    “In the indoor season, we’re more in the weight room and carrying tires,’’ she said. “When the outdoor season comes, I have that strength.’’

    She hopes that strength will carry her to a chance to compete in track at the University of South Carolina, where former Douglas Byrd coach Curtis Frye has built a nationallyknown track program.

    “I’m from South Carolina and always wanted to go there,’’ she said. “I want to be a lawyer.’’

    Freeman thinks her next stop could be as a state champion in the outdoor season. “She should be in the rankings for state if she doesn’t get any jitters or stage fright,’’ he said. “She’s a top contender.’’

    Photo: Zinzili Kelley

  • 16 Jayne brothersAfter a season of setting records and leading Terry Sanford to the first Patriot Athletic Conference football title, the Jayne brothers are officially breaking up the band.

    Andrew Jayne put the final touches on parting company with twin brother Christian when the former signed a national letter of intent to play football at Davidson College as a receiver. Christian had earlier sealed his commitment to join the baseball team at East Carolina University as an outfielder.

    The two made headline after headline as a pass and catch combination for the Bulldog football team, but Terry Sanford football coach Bruce McClelland doesn’t think their splitting company will keep them from still making news.

    “You put goals in front of them and they just chew them up,’’ he said.

    Andrew Jayne will be walking into a totally new situation at Davidson as the Wildcats just hired a new head football coach in January, naming Scott Abell from Washington and Lee University to take over the program.

    Andrew was recruited by the previous Davidson coaching staff and will try to fit into an offense that emphasizes the triple option and runs sets with two receivers.

    “The new staff loves his versatility,’’ McClelland said. “He can play tight end or H-back. He still has the speed to play wideout.’’

    “They made it clear whoever is best will play,’’ Andrew said. “They’ve given me a workout schedule that starts in about two months.’’

    Though the brothers will be at schools hundreds of miles apart, Christian said they’ll continue to be there for each other and always have each other’s back.

    While he’s convinced college baseball was the right choice for him, Christian said he’s going to miss being involved with football.

    “It’s just that whole football atmosphere,’’ he said, “leading the team, leaving the huddle. I will miss it, eventually.’’

    But he’s looking forward to starting his career with the Pirates. “I’d like to get at least a 3.5 and come in and start,’’ Christian said. “The biggest thing is to get accustomed to the whole college deal.’’

    Photo: Andrew Jayne, seated, signs national letter of intent to play football for Davidson College. Standing L-R are his father Scott, brother Christian who will play baseball at East Carolina and mother Katrina.

  • 15 Terry Sanford bowlersBack in what she calls her younger days, Terry Sanford bowling coach Sherrie Peterson was a regular league bowler who once rolled a high game of 277.

    Those memories appear to be rubbing off on the girls and boys she’s coaching as both the Bulldog girls and boys teams recently rolled their way to victory in the Patriot Athletic Conference bowling championship.

    “They are the best group of kids,’’ Peterson said of her current teams. “They always come prepared, and they are eager to practice. They are the top students in the school.’’

    The victory by the boys’ team came as no surprise to Peterson. The Terry Sanford boys have a history of success and returned a number of players who qualified for the state playoffs last season.

    The girls were less of a sure thing. “We only had three returning bowlers and a lot of young bowlers, three ninth-graders,’’ she said. “I was definitely excited the girls got to that level and won.’’

    One of the key players in the Bulldog girls’ success was freshman Zoe Cannady.

    Cannady, who has been bowling for nine years, said she felt she bonded with her teammates and Peterson well in her first season with the Bulldogs. “You need to improve what you do when you bowl, even if you think you’re the best there is,’’ she said. “There are still things you can learn.’’

    Senior Andrew Walker helped lead the Bulldog boys to victory. In the conference title match, he came up with three critical strikes in the tenth frame to seal the victory. Walker has a rich bowling lineage. His grandfather Junior Edge and his great grandfather Tom Iuliucci were both longtime bowling proprietors in Fayetteville.

    Walker credited team chemistry as the main reason for Terry Sanford’s success on the boys’ side. “Nobody graduated from last year,’’ he said. “We pretty much had the same team. We just have to have high spirits. Usually that will work and keep our skills on point.’’

    The Bulldogs will lose some key players this year, but twins Tommy and Jack Cooney, both freshmen, will return to lead next year’s squad.

    “They are going to have to hold up most of the team,’’ Walker said. “Hopefully we’ll have some others come in.’’

    Peterson thanked Nancy Schenk, director of league bowling for Cumberland County Schools, for her leadership of the bowling program. She also thanked both B&B Lanes and Lafayette Lanes for allowing all of the county bowlers to practice and compete there.

    Photo: Front row, L-R: Abigail Walker, Olivia Jones, Autumn Edge, Zoe Cannady, Avery Schenk, Maya Ervin. Back row, L-R: Samuel Hatch, Gavin Chavis, Andrew Walker, Coach Sherrie Peterson, Thomas Cooney, Jack Cooney. Not pictured: Will Rosser.

  • 21Amelia Cureton Douglas Byrd

     

     

    Amelia Cureton

    Douglas Byrd • Soccer •

    Junior Cureton has a 4.0 grade point average. She is a member of the Academy of Finance, National Honor Society and ROTC color guard and drill. She also serves as a mentor in the Student-to-Student program.

     

      

    22Patrick Baker Hoyt Grays Creek

     

    Patrick Baker Hoyt

    Gray’s Creek • Swimming/ soccer/tennis •

    Senior Hoyt has an unweighted grade point average of 3.54. He plans to attend a four-year university with a scholarship to play soccer. He went on a mission trip with his church to Tennessee last summer, volunteering his time to help build homes for the less fortunate.

  • 19Bruce McClelland Terry Sanford20Duran McLaurin Seventy First

    The 2017 football season ended earlier this month with the playing of Super Bowl LII. But for high school coaches in North Carolina, the 2018 season will be getting underway soon thanks to changes last spring in N.C. High School Athletic Association rules.

    At its meeting last May, the NCHSAA Board of Directors removed the last obstacles to offseason football practice, allowing coaches to work with their full squads during the months football isn’t in season.

    There are a few limits for safety reasons. If the coaches decide to practice with players wearing helmets and shoulder pads, they must have an athletic trainer or first responder present. No body-to-body contact is allowed in offseason workouts.

    Coaches have different ideas on how to schedule their offseason practice sessions.

    Cape Fear coach Jake Thomas said his team won’t begin offseason workouts until after the spring sports dead period, which is the first two weeks official practice begins for spring sports teams: Feb. 14-March 7.

    “We’re going to go into more of a conditioning phase and do workouts after school with the guys who are not playing a spring sport,’’ he said. “I want most of my guys to be playing a sport in the spring.’’

    Once spring break draws closer, Thomas said, the Colts will be doing work with specific offensive and defensive units.

    One of the benefits of the offseason sessions, since it won’t be possible to have the whole team out because of spring sports, is the chance for individual work. “You can start working on fundamentals and putting the foundation in,’’ Thomas said.

    E.E. Smith coach Deron Donald also plans to wait until the dead period is over before starting workouts. “We’ll go two or three days a week,’’ he said. “No helmet. None of that. Real light, working on technical things.’’


    Donald liked the idea of using the expanded workout sessions to focus on teaching the basics of the Smith system.

    “Learning is very important,’’ he said. “We’ll be doing a lot of teaching. Once we start in May, then we’ll come up with helmets and shoulder pads.’’

    Terry Sanford coach Bruce McClelland said his early workouts will focus on individual work since so many of his players will be involved with spring sports.

    “The ones that don’t play baseball (and track) we’ll go slowly with,’’ he said. “Toward the end of May, we will do our team or spring training thing.’’

    McClelland also sees the offseason workouts as a chance to give players new or inexperienced with the Terry Sanford system a jump start.

    “Some of the kids that haven’t ever played football we’ll try to get acclimated to what we do,’’ he said. “We want to keep them in shape for the summer grind like we did last year.’’

    Seventy-First coach Duran McLaurin is taking a different approach from some of his fellow coaches. The Falcons are already doing some limited work outside, in addition to traditional offseason weightlifting.

    “This is going to be a pilot year,’’ McLaurin said, referring to how coaches will learn how best to use the new offseason workout rules for their football program. “The more work you get in, the better you can be.’’

    McLaurin agreed with the other coaches that he wants his football players to be either playing for a spring sports team at Seventy-First or on the field with him and his coaches for offseason workouts.

    “None of our guys will be sitting around this spring,’’ he said.

    Photos: Bruce McClelland and Duran McLaurin

  • Jack Britt checkJack Britt High School recently presented a check for $1,000 to the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center. Funds were raised through the sale of Pink Out shirts, and all fall sports teams hosted a Pink Out game.

    Pictured from left to right are Sheila Molina of the school’s booster club; Jack Britt athletic director Michael Lindsay; Britt volleyball coach Leigh Ann Weaver; and Sherry Jackson of Friends of the Cancer Center.

  • 18Que Tucker NCHSAAThey don’t make the headlines, their names are not in the box scores, and they don’t make the allstar teams. But perhaps the most important individuals in high school sports are the contest officials.

    In fact, there would be no organized competitive sports at the high school level without the men and women who officiate these games every day across the country. Subtract the dedicated people who officiate high school sports, and competitive sports would no longer be organized; they would be chaotic.

    In some areas, high school officials are retiring faster than new licenses are being issued. And junior varsity, freshmen and middle school games are being postponed – or even cancelled – because there are not enough men and women to officiate them.

    Anyone looking for a unique way to contribute to the local community should consider becoming a licensed high school official. For individuals who played sports in high school, officiating is a great way to stay close to the sport after their playing days have ended. Officiating also helps people stay in shape, expands their social and professional network and offers part-time work that is flexible, yet pays. In fact, officiating is a form of community service but with compensation.

    Another benefit of officiating is that individuals become role models so that teenagers in the community can learn the life lessons that high school sports teach. Students learn to respect their opponents and the rules of the game and the importance of practicing good sportsmanship thanks, in part, to those men and women who officiate. And the objectivity and integrity that high school officials display is an example that every young person needs to observe firsthand.

    In short, communities around the country are stronger because of the life lessons that high school officials help teach the next generation.

    We need dedicated men and women to become involved so high school sports can continue to prosper for years to come.

    Individuals interested in learning more about becoming a high school official, and those who are ready to begin the application process, can do so at www.HighSchoolOfficials.com.

    Photo: Que Tucker

  • 20Kevin McLaughlin

    Kevin McLaughlin

    Cape Fear • Basketball •

    Senior

    McLaughlin has a 3.75 grade point average. He’s active in the Student Government Association, the Student-Athlete Advisory Council and the Student-Athlete Summer Institute.

     

     

     

    21Skylar Faircloth

    Skylar Faircloth

    Cape Fear • Basketball/ track •

    Senior

    Faircloth has a grade point average of 4.0. She’s active in Health Occupations Students of America, Key Club, Student-Athlete Summer Institute and the Student-Athlete Advisory Council.

  • 18brant parker19david li

    Brant Parker is more familiar than most with the Terry Sanford swim program. He now serves as head coach.

    Parker swam for the Bulldogs from 2007-11, first under Mark Patton and then Mandy McMillian. After one year as an assistant coach, he took over as head coach this season and had high expectations for his Bulldog boys and girls teams.

    “I never saw a group of young kids coming out of nowhere to meet expectations and actually push themselves,’’ he said.

    The Bulldog boys won the recent Patriot Athletic Conference swim meet at Fayetteville State University’s pool while the Bulldog girls took second place.

    “The whole team was committed,’’ Parker said. “We wanted to make sure everyone was good to go with their personal lives and with the sport.’’

    For the Bulldog boys, junior David Li led the way in the conference meet.

    He swam for the winning 200 medley relay team and won the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly.

    “He was a big help,’’ Parker said. “He was one of our leaders.’’

    Li started swimming recreationally in his family pool, then got serious about the sport about five or six years ago. He’s been swimming at Terry Sanford for the last three years. “It’s been an amazing experience, getting the chance to be involved with the team and getting to know them,’’ he said.

    After qualifying for the state swim meet last season, Li said he came into this season with fairly high expectations for himself.

    “I was very proud of our 200 medley relay,’’ he said.

    The Bulldogs won with a time of 1:57.37, nearly eight seconds lower than their seeding time for the event.

    “It was a big drop in time,’’ he said. “I was proud of myself for swimming the other events. There’s room for improvement, but I’m happy with where I am right now.’’

    Both Parker and Li echoed the concern of other county swim coaches and swimmers that the key for growing swimming locally is to get access to a public swimming pool. Currently, the local swimmers have to practice and compete at FSU’s Capel Arena pool and are limited by the hours that pool is available.

    Li is weary of hearing that a public pool in Fayetteville is just a dream.

    “I don’t know why it’s a dream and why it can’t become a reality,’’ he said. “They shouldn’t feel it’s out of reach. It’s a reality we can work with in the very near future.

    “Having a pool is necessary to further the swim program in Cumberland County.’’

    Photos: L Brant Parker; R David Li

  • 02-12-14-picasso-at-mu.gifLocal residents will have the rare chance to view an internationally renowned exhibit at The David McCune International Art Gallery at Methodist University.

    McCune’s Gallery will be host to PICASSO: 25 Years of Edition Ceramics from the Rosenbaum Collection, an exhibit featuring pottery created by Pablo Picasso. The exhibit will run at the gallery from Feb. 13 through April 13.

    The David McCune International Art Gallery at Methodist University hosts student, regional, national, and international artists.

    The exhibit will be available for viewing Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. There is no cost for admission to the gallery

    .Forty ceramic pieces including plates, bowls, pitchers, vases and plaques, posters and other memorabilia will be on display. The pieces were created between 1947 and 1971 at the Madoura pottery workshop in Vallauris, southern France.

    “Picasso is an artist that most people recognize, and have strong opinions about, and this is the type of show that people will travel to see,” said Gallery Director Silvana Foti. “A Picasso show is something that we would normally find in a more metropolitan area. Without the support of our community sponsors, we wouldn’t have been able to bring a name like Picasso to the gallery. This exhibit is also intriguing because we can take a less-known aspect of Picasso’s work — his ceramic art — and bring it to the public eye.”

    Part of a national tour, the exhibit’s stop at Methodist University is the only North Carolina and South Atlantic host for display.

    The gallery will host a reception to celebrate the opening of the exhibit on Feb. 13 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The reception is open to the public.

    Renowned for his paintings, sculptures and graphics, Picasso became fascinated with pottery after seeing the Madoura potters at a craft fair in 1946. Over the course of 25 years, working with George and Suzanne Ramie, owners of the Madoura studio, Picasso created 633 different plates, bowls, vases and pitchers in limited editions. Most of the pottery was created by the workshop style, a technique where the artist was paired with trained assistants to create the finished piece. From creating clay molds for the pieces and painting pieces that served as models, Picasso’s involvement in the creation process varied from piece to piece.

    Many of the pieces in the exhibit come from the personal collection of Marvin Rosenbaum, a well-respected expert in the field. Rosenbaum has traveled to the Madoura Pottery workshop in Vallauris, France. He has been collecting Picasso pieces for over 40 years and has acquired more than 100 pieces.

    The exhibit is made possible through the generosity of local sponsors including premiere sponsorship from Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority, ARCO, and Janet Parks, gallery consultant for the David McCune International Art Gallery.

    The exhibit tour was organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions. More information about the exhibit can be found on the Landau website at www.a-r-t.com.

    For more information on the David McCune International Art Gallery at Methodist University, please visit www.DavidMcCuneGallery.org or call 910-GALLERY.

    Photo: Methodist University will host PICASSO: 25 Years of Edition Ceramics from the Rosenbaum Collection, an exhibit featuring pottery created by Pablo Picasso.

  • 17Carlton Hubbard PhotographyAmey Shook has taken the girls swimming program at Cape Fear a long way in just two seasons – all the way to the Patriot Athletic Conference championship.

    Shook, who went to the University of Miami on a swimming scholarship, has been a lover of the sport her whole life.

    “I just got back into teaching and coaching recently,’’ she said after taking 12 years off to have a family. That family includes daughters Amelia and Madeline, who are both members of her Cape Fear swim team.

    She’s used her daughters to help scour the halls and classrooms at Cape Fear for swimming prospects. “I’m looking for positive kids, trying to find some well-rounded athletes who want to try something new,’’ she said.

    The hard part is convincing them to get up at 5 a.m. for 5:30 a.m. practice. “Once they come and see it for a week or two, they get hooked and stick with it,’’ she said. 

    The Cape Fear girls team obviously stuck with it, led by the efforts of Amelia and Madeline Shook.

    Both girls swam on Cape Fear’s 200 medley relay and 400 free relay teams. Amelia won the 200 free and 400 back while Madeline won the 50 and 500 free.

    Coach Shook said Madeline made sacrifices this season for the benefit of the team. “She was willing to swim whatever it took to win the championship,’’ Amey said. “She stepped aside for her sister so she could have an event to win.’’

    Madeline said it can be a little challenging when it’s 5 a.m. and time to get up for practice and your mom is the coach – but other than that, she said, swimming is swimming.

    “Both of my parents went to the University of Miami,’’ she said. “I’ve always loved swimming and always been on a swim team. My parents have tried to keep us healthy and active.’’

    Amelia said her mother talks about swimming a lot and tries to push her and her sister a little harder because she knows what they are capable of.

    “She stands in the hallway (at school) and encourages everyone to join the swim team,’’ Amelia said. “We went from having three girls on the team to 14 or 15. She tries to keep a positive attitude all the time and keep them on the team and returning.’’

    Coach Shook hopes to encourage athletes from other sports to give swimming a try.

    “We’re a tremendous cross-training sport in the winter,’’ she said. “I have soccer players, baseball players, football players and volleyball players on my team. It helps their other sports.

    “At Cape Fear, I’m continuing to spread the word.’’

    Photo: L-R: Madeline Shook, Amey Shook, Amelia Shook

    Photo credit: Carlton Hubbard Photography

     

  • 16Ike Walkere JrHow would you like to conduct your own fantasy draft of North Carolina’s best high school basketball talent? For Jack Britt coach Ike Walker Jr. this wasn’t a fantasy, it was reality. He recently helped choose the North Carolina All-Stars for this year’s annual Carolinas All- Star Basketball Classic.

    The game is scheduled March 24 in the gym at Wilmington’s Hoggard High School.

    Walker will serve as the assistant coach of the North Carolina team that will face a squad of South Carolina’s top seniors. He and North Carolina head coach Lee Reavis of Northwest Guilford recently met in Greensboro at the offices of the North Carolina Coaches Association to select this year’s team.

    The state’s public school high school basketball coaches nominate seniors from their teams for selection to the game.

    Phil Weaver, games director for the NCCA, forwarded the nominations to Walker and Reavis.

    Walker said the nominations include basic information like scoring and rebounding averages along with reasons each coach thinks his player should be picked.

    Beyond that, he had to do some homework. At Reavis’ request, Walker did some checking on players from the eastern part of the state while Reavis studied those from the west.

    “We talked to some college coaches and some assistants,’’ Walker said. “I talked to some high school coaches in the area where the prospective nominees played. We used every avenue of information- gathering we could.’’

    The team has already been selected and will be announced soon. Walker said he’s pleased with the 10 players he and Reavis chose. “We’ve got kids going to ACC schools and being recruited by ACC schools,’’ he said.

    Walker has an advantage preparing for the game as he’s been an all-star coach before. He led the East All- Stars to victory in the 2016 North Carolina Coaches Association East-West game in Greensboro.

    Walker said the biggest lesson he learned from his first all-star experience was to sell his team on the benefits of playing defense.

    “If you play good defense you can enjoy the game even more because you can rebound missed shots and get out and run in transition,’’ he said. “If you just let kids score and don’t take pride in defense, you’re taking the ball out of bounds and playing offense against a set defense.’’

    Walker said he’ll tell the players he coaches in Wilmington to respect the game of basketball. “Let’s not do what we see the NBA guys doing, which is just showing up and not necessarily competing,’’ he said. “We want to compete and respect our opponent, respect the game.’’

    The gym at Hoggard is named for Fayetteville native Sheila Boles. A Seventy-First graduate, Boles was on the first women’s basketball team at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She went on to become the first woman in North Carolina to coach a varsity boys basketball team, leading Wilmington Hoggard to the state playoffs eight times. Her record in 11 seasons was 167-121.

    She became the first female to be named a high school athletic director in New Hanover County history. She is a member of the Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame.

    Photo: Jack Britt coach Ike Walker Jr.

  • uac022515001.gif Mison Kim was just 19 when she came to Fayetteville from Seoul, South Korea. She graduated from 71st High School and has since embarked on a successful artistic career. Her work is currently on exhibit at Methodist University’s David McCune International Art Gallery at the William F. Bethune Center for Visual Arts through, April 15.

    Although Kim was always drawn to art and enjoyed creating, it was one of her teachers at 71st High School that changed the course of Kim’s life. Janet Parks recognized Kim’s talent and saw the potential for a successful art career in her. Parks took Kim under her wing and helped her navigate the application process to get into art school.

    Parks fondly remembers teaching Kim. “In 1986, Mison Kim entered my 12th grade art class. She had recently arrived with her family from Seoul, Korea. From the start it was abundantly clear that she possessed extremely strong artistic abilities,” stated Parks, former art teacher and member of the McCune Gallery Advisory Board. Parks designed an advanced art program for exceptionally talented art students seeking careers in the arts. Kim excelled in the program.

    “We have stayed in touch over the years. I’m delighted that she has returned to North Carolina to show her most recent work at the David McCune International Art Gallery at Methodist University,” said Parks.

    Kim is quick to acknowledge Parks influence on her life. “She helped me apply to schools and programs. Luckily, I got in to Pratt institute in New York with a full scholarship,” said Kim “I got several other awards, too, but it all happened because she noticed that I had talent and she knew about all these different programs. She guided me and that is how I started. If she was not there I would not be here. She really led me and guided me in every way.”

    Clearly, the support and encouragement Kim received in high school made a difference for her. In addition to exhibiting her art, Kim works in the fashion industry providing illustrations and designs to clients that include Tory Burch, Talbots, The Gap and many others. She also provides illustrations, renderings and displays and environments for clients such as Scholastic Books, Toys R Us Times Square and FAO Schwarz.

    The exhibit at Methodist University is titled Searching for the Real, and features drawings and paintings by Kim. “I named this show Searching for the Real because when I draw, I consider before I put each mark on the page and they add up. But when I do this for many years and over many drawings, I am always trying to search for what is real,” said Kim. “All the experi02-25-15-misonkim.gifences a person has combine together. Our meaning and understanding is made up of fragments that happen through our life. If I put these together, I think this is what is real. I think they will see my work as part of their experience and realize that they are part of something bigger. If they find their own place, they can find their real. I am always searching for truth — for what is real to me in what is around me.”

    For Kim, her art is not so much about the end product as it is about the process. The more she works at her trade as an artist and the more developed she becomes, the more apparent it is to her that what she is doing is about more than brush strokes on a canvas or the mark of a pen on paper. “Everyone has their own philosophy based on their own experiences and based on what they know,” said Kim. “Whatever it is that just feels th02-25-15-misonkim2.gifat is right to you — that is what your life is about. That is what I am trying to do as an artist and a person. I don’t think I will find an answer. It is about the journey.”

    As she travels this path, many artists influence her work and inspire Kim but she still seeks to be true to her own voice and vision, her own real, as she creates. One philosophy holds true for her throughout her work, though. “When the show opened at the McCune Gallery, I mentioned Matisse several times. He said that when you make a mark on blank paper or canvas, you actually cause a problem,” said Kim. “And the artist solves that problem. When I put a line or mark on the paper, I think, oh, this is a problem. Now I have to do more, put another line or mark to work with it. I end up doing more and more and more till it comes to some image that holds together and solves the problem. Then, it is done.”

    Kim also appreciates the way Matisse views his own work because he said he doesn’t paint things. He paints the difference between things. “I try to translate it to my work. I don’t paint things either — I paint abstracts: the relationship between things.”

    Searching for the Real will hang until April 15. Gallery hours are Tuesday–Friday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., closed Sunday, Monday, and school breaks. The David McCune International Art Gallery is located on the Methodist University campus in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Contact gallery director Silvana Foti for more information at 910.630.7000 or visit davidmccunegallery.org.

    Photo middle right: Mison Kim poses with one of her works. Bottom left: From fashion to books to gallery art, Mison Kim shares her passion for life thorugh colors and patterns. 

  • 561px Louis Huard The Punishment of Loki Unless you have been hiding from a Balrog under a moss encrusted rock, you have seen ads for Amazon's new TV series on the "Lord of the Rings." Several moss-encrusted decades ago, I read the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy during college. The new series takes place thousands of years before Frodo and pals graced Middle Earth. It also takes place without the guiding hands of J.R.R. Tolkien, being created from whole Mithril by writers living in the second decade of the 21st Century. Since Professor Tolkien sailed off in 1973 to the Gray Havens to join Bilbo, I am pretty sure he had nothing to do with the upcoming series. Feeling grumpy about his story being assumed by lesser writers than Tolkien, I decided to investigate the back story from whence Middle Earth emerged.

    Norse mythology is as colorful as Greek mythology is convoluted. Tolkien was a fan of Norse mythology. Today we shall wander through and mangle Viking theology.

    My first exposure to the Norsemen came in the form of an excellent 1958 movie called "The Vikings" with Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis and the star of McHale's Navy, Ernest Borgnine. The Vikings were a rough bunch with an equally tough bunch of gods. The opening of "The Vikings" recites a line from the "English Book of Common Prayer": "Protect us, oh Lord from the wrath of the Northmen." So, hop on board Mr. Peabody's Way Back Machine to head back to the 11th Century when the Vikings were doing their thing.

    Tolkien's Lord of the Rings saga was inspired by the Norse story of Andvari's magic ring. According to Mr. Google, Andvari was a dwarf who enjoyed humidity and lived under a waterfall. Andy, as his friends called him, could turn himself into a fish on demand. Why he wanted to become a fish is beyond the scope of this column. Andy owned a magic ring called Andvaranaut, which allowed him to find gold at will. One day when Andy was swimming about as a fish, he had the misfortune to be caught by the Norse god Loki. Loki strong-armed Andy into giving him the magic ring and all his gold. Naturally, Andy was not happy by this turn of events.

    Andy put a curse on his stolen ring that whoever had it would come to a bad end. It's not nice to steal from dwarves, even if they are in the form of a fish.

    Loki's background is nontraditional. When Loki was male, he was the proud father of a daughter named Hel, the goddess of the Underworld. Loki also had two sons. Loki was a bit of a jokester. Being bored one day, he turned himself into a mare and managed to get in the horsey family way by a stallion. While in his mare form, Loki gave birth to an eight-legged colt. Loki enjoyed shape-shifting and appeared as a number of critters, including a fly. He used the stolen ring to bribe Odin to give Loki a pass for killing the son of a god. A whole bunch of sword fighting, dragon-slaying and talking birds ensue from the curse of the ring. Lots of Viking folks end up with the ring, with each coming to a bad end. In one version, Queen Gurun ends up with the ring. Gurun then marries Attila, the Hun who succumbs to the ring's curse, losing his war with Rome.

    Loki's bribe to Odin ultimately led to the death of one of Odin's sons. When Odin discovered Loki's role, he and his buddies are sorely vexed. Trigger warning: Don't upset Odin. Odin turned Loki's son Vali into a wolf, who then chowed down on Loki's other son Narfi creating shredded Narfi. The gods plucked out Narfi's unchewed organs and turned them into iron bands. Odin used the iron bands to fasten Loki to a rock. Some might consider being chained to a rock with the vital organs of a child to be a pretty harsh punishment. But not the Norse gods. Oh, no. Like Karen Carpenter once sang, they had only just begun. The goddess of the moon, a lass named Skadi, wanted to get in on the action.

    She caught a giant drooling poisonous snake. Skadi tied the snake over Loki's head where it would drip venom right onto poor Loki, causing him pain and great mental anguish. This punishment lasted for quite a while until Loki's sweet wife Sigyn found Loki. She brought her favorite Calphalon pot to catch the venom as it dripped down on Loki. Sigyn is still sitting by Loki, catching venom even as you read these words.
    Unfortunately, Sigyn must empty the pot when the venom fills it up periodically.

    When she takes the pot away, the snake drool keeps hitting Loki while the pot is being emptied. The impact of the venom makes Loki shake in pain. The Vikings explain that Loki's shaking causes earthquakes.

    So, what did we learn today?

    Even if you can turn yourself into a fish, don't do it.

    Don't anger the Norse gods.

    And always be nice to your wife if you don't want venom dripped on your head.

  • Greetings,

    Thank you all for serving on the Fayetteville Ethics Committee and doing your civic duty. We have proudly published the Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper for over 25 years and have never swayed from our mission and mandate to promote, accentuate and uplift the Fayetteville community while serving its residents. Those who know me personally know I am as passionate about this newspaper as the community. Consequently, I can be highly opinionated and sometimes brutally honest when it comes to the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Up & Coming Weekly has a reputation for always striving to be forthright and honest and never a purveyor of misinformation, gossip or drama. As a community publication, we aim to bring clarification, insight and opinion to policies, issues and matters affecting the local quality of life. Again, I love this community, and it saddens me to see our City's direction under its present leadership. This love of community is why I am writing this letter and voicing my opinion. I offer my advice and recommendations as the Ethics Committee moves forward in evaluating former City Council member Tisha Waddell's allegations of potential mismanagement and corruption, as stated in her November resignation letter.

    My biggest concern is that you at the Ethics Commission may not have the full context as volunteers and Council-appointed members. You may not know what is happening at City Hall and who the people are making the decisions that raised Waddell's concerns and prompted her resignation. This lack of context could put the entire Commission at a significant disadvantage. The recently reversed and unanimous decision made by the City Council to send Waddell's allegations to the Ethics Commission has only increased citizens' suspicions that a cover-up is in the making. The reality is that the Council appoints the Ethics Committee. The assumption is that the Mayor and Council will not investigate themselves and intend to use members of the Ethics Committee as pawns to exonerate themselves and dismiss the allegations out of hand. Public opinion seems to echo that, if there is no substance to Waddell's claims of mismanagement and corruption, as the Council claims, then why not call for an independent external investigation and be done with it? If "there is nothing to see here," why not have a thorough external investigation? The Ethics Commission's previous decision to dismiss the eight charges against Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins has created even more mistrust and skepticism among citizens. It again confirmed that City Council would not investigate itself.

    Most people would agree, "Where there is smoke, there's fire." We know every member of the Ethics Commission is an upstanding, law-abiding and honest community member. Still, the fact remains they are far removed from the realities of what is taking place in our city government. Undoubtedly, the Commission wants to do its best for the residents and the community. I ask that the Ethics Commission listen intently to all the concerns and allegations brought before you. If the circumstances warrant it, call for an independent external investigation of all allegations. Once the independent analysis is complete, the chips will fall where they may. If there is substance to some or all the complaints, they can be addressed individually. At least, once an independent investigation is conducted, it really will be over and done, and Fayetteville residents will be satisfied knowing that fairness and justice have prevailed. This external investigation is the only way the truth will ultimately come out, and confidence can be restored in our City government leadership.
    Suppose the Commission finds no legitimacy to the Waddell allegations and dismisses the case like they did with Hawkins. In that case, I fear it will only cast dispersions on the Committee and cause more skepticism and mistrust among the Fayetteville residents proving the City Council will not investigate itself.

    Calling for an external, independent investigation into Waddell's allegations is the only way to put these issues behind us and restore citizens' confidence and trust in the integrity of the City government and the Ethics Commission process.

    There is much to learn from talking to residents out in the community. The unsolicited comments from city residents, city employees, downtown businesses, Fayetteville police officers and first responders speak of significant concerns with city leadership as well as concerns over escalating homicide and crime rates, the suspicious dealings surrounding the Prince Charles project and the parking deck fiasco, the halfway house Dismiss Project on Cain Rd. and the Barnhard Capital Partner's clandestine bid for Public Works Commission.

    Again, I thank you for your service to our City and community. I write this as a friend and concerned citizen. You are not obligated to heed any of the advice. However, keep in mind that the City of Fayetteville today is nothing like when most of us started building our businesses and raising our families. We must do everything possible to maintain the integrity of our local government for the sake of those who will come after us.

    A call for an independent external investigation will assure this.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    Best Regards,
    Bill

  • E/THE ENVIRONMENTAL MAGAZINE

    Could it really be true that a single large volcanic eruption launches more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than the amount generated by all of humanity over history?        
    — Steve Schlemmer, London, England


    This argument that human-caused carbon emissions are merely a drop in the bucket compared to greenhouse gases generated by volcanoes has been making its way around the rumor mill for years. And while it may sound plausible, the science just doesn’t back it up.
    According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the world’s volcanoes, both on land and undersea, generate about 200 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, while our automotive and industrial activities cause some 24 billion tons of CO2 emissions every year worldwide. Despite the arguments to the contrary, the facts speak for themselves: Greenhouse gas emissions from volcanoes comprise less than one percent of those generated by today’s human endeavors.
    Another indication that human emissions dwarf those of volcanoes is the fact that atmospheric CO2 levels, as measured by sampling stations around the world set up by the federally funded Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, have gone up consistently year after year regardless of whether or not there have been major volcanic eruptions in specific years. “If it were true that individual volcanic eruptions dominated human emissions and were causing the rise in carbon dioxide concentrations, then these carbon dioxide records would be full of spikes — one for each eruption,” says Coby Beck, a journalist writing for online environmental news portal Grist.org. “Instead, such records show a smooth and regular trend.”
    Furthermore, some scientists believe that spectacular volcanic eruptions, like that of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 and Mt. Pinatubo in 1991, actually lead to short-term global cooling, not warming, as sulfur dioxide (SO2), ash and other particles in the air and stratosphere reflect some solar energy instead of letting it into Earth’s atmosphere. SO2, which converts to sulfuric acid aerosol when it hits the stratosphere, can linger there for as long as seven years and can exercise a cooling effect long after a volcanic eruption has taken place.
    Scientists tracking the effects of the major 1991 eruption of the Philippines’ Mt. Pinatubo found that the overall effect of the blast was to cool the surface of the Earth globally by some 0.5 degrees Celsius a year later, even though rising human greenhouse gas emissions and an El Nino event (a warm water current which periodically flows along the coast of Ecuador and Peru in South America) caused some surface warming during the 1991-1993 study period.
    In an interesting twist on the issue, British researchers last year published an article in the peer reviewed scientific journal Nature showing how volcanic activity may be contributing to the melting of ice caps in Antarctica — but not because of any emissions, natural or man-made, per se. Instead, scientists Hugh Corr and David Vaughan of the British Antarctic Survey believe that volcanoes underneath Antarctica may be melting the continent’s ice sheets from below, just as warming air temperatures from human-induced emissions erode them from above.
    CONTACTS: U.S. Geological Survey, www.usgs.gov; Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, cdiac.esd.ornl.gov; British Antarctic Survey, www.antarctica.ac.uk.
    GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. archives.php.


  • pexels julia larson 6455778 The fitness industry continually evolves with apps, exercise equipment and the latest concepts in exercise science. The newest buzzword in the industry is "functional training." If you are not in the industry, you may ask what functional training is? Ask any personal trainer or group fitness instructor what functional training is, and chances are you will get a variety of explanations.

    Functional training done correctly has a huge carry over on the way we move in everyday life with benefits for everyone regardless of age or fitness level. Fitness centers have historically modeled their floor exercise stations with sectorized equipment that uses a singular motion for specific muscle groups, emphasizing muscle development based on repetitions and weight. The bodybuilding industry had and still has a significant influence on training and gyms filled with machines designed to target muscle isolation.

    Functional training enters the arena as an added approach to overall training. Fitness centers are seeing the need for functional training and making entire additions for rooms or an area with selected equipment specifically for this purpose.

    Functional training is defined as training that relates to how we move daily. Functional training consists of five daily life patterns: bend and lift, push, pull, single-leg movement, and rotation. Our movements are multi-planar. The planes of motion incorporated with the five-movement patterns are frontal (side to side), sagittal (forward and backward movement) and transverse, which is rotation. As an example, you go to the grocery store pushing your cart, back up for something you missed, select items that are high and low on the shelves, take the items and place them on the checkout, put the items back in the cart, push the cart to the car and put the bags in. Drive home, take them out, carry groceries up the steps into the house and place them on shelves. You may not realize it, but this scenario involves all three planes of motion and all five movement patterns.

    You pushed, pulled, bent and lifted, worked in a single leg motion and rotated. How does functional training help you with this scenario? Functional training significantly impacts life outside the gym and gives an added advantage in the sports arena. Fitness centers add entire rooms or areas for training that are distinctively different in concept and flow. A room might include workstations that involve multiple movements and unconventional exercises. Types of equipment might consist of a ski machine that works you in a forward motion like the movement of cross-country skiing using the triceps, back muscles, quads, glutes and core. A sled machine that requires you to push and pull from one point to the next, which involves the entire core and leg muscles to push and pull. A punching bag works the core, rotation, leg, back, arms and pectoral muscles. TRX equipment, weighted balls, rowing machines, air dynamic cycles and treadmills. Versatile workstations and a variety of equipment that is fun and challenging. Functional training is also becoming part of group fitness classes, emphasizing compound movement patterns that include weights. If you are thinking about joining a fitness center or hiring a personal trainer, inquire about functional training. It can improve your daily activities, sports games and recreation with strength stability, performance and movement patterns. Live, love life with increased movement and strength.

  • Faith Column When we first meet someone, we're often taken by their accomplishments, the way they dress or speak or even the way they enter a room. Rarely though, do we consider the forces of life and nature which made them this way. Similarly, when we see the beauty – or even the desolation – in nature, we rarely consider the long-term change or forces by which it was created. Consider for a moment the steep, multifaceted walls, stunning colors and sheer magnitude of the Grand Canyon.

    For as much beauty as it offers any beholder, it has obviously made it through a very violent past. It is living to tell the story of ice and raging waters, wind and time, which have made it the breathtaking beauty we see today. As humans, though our experiences alone do not define us, we are surely shaped, to various extents, by the waters of experience that have flowed through us, and maybe more so by our responses to them. Every one of us has a past. Measured in hours, days or years, the events of our lifetime have gradually developed us into what others see today. Our tendency is to see objects we consider beautiful without any consideration for the process of its creation. I enjoy giving gifts to family and friends that extend from one of my many hobbies (many, because I am 'blessed' with a short attention span). One of the hobbies I particularly enjoy is woodworking.

    Rather than furniture or items that require great precision levels, I prefer to make small things where the appreciation value comes from their uniqueness. If I really dug into my psyche, I'd probably discover that this actually comes from a sense of inadequacy and that unique, one-of-a-kind gifts leave less room for judgment. But more than that, I believe there can even be a somewhat redemptive quality to woodworking. One year I wanted to do something special for the people I work with at Christmas and decided to make wooden Christmas ornaments. I first pulled a few pieces of firewood from the stack near the edge of our property. After cleaning them up, I began shaping them into rectangles about eight inches long and three to four inches across. After some preparation, I secured each piece on a lathe, which causes the wood to spin at rotations up to thousands of revolutions per minute. At first, they wobble. So, I spin them a little more slowly and introduce a large chisel to take off the rough edges, causing them to be unbalanced.

    As the wood becomes a little more stable, I can increase the speed and use smaller chisels to begin the process of refining and shaping each piece into a definable shape. Eventually, I'm able to use sandpaper to make the newly formed shape smooth to the touch. This is us. This is the Grand Canyon. We are, over time, shaped with cuts both deep and shallow at the hands of a Creator. And just as one can see the beauty in one, or the wonder in another, so is the beauty of our uniqueness. We have all lived a story worth telling, and when we do, we can point people back to the Creator, who had a plan from the beginning of it all.

  • coffee Gerrymandering.

    It is a word only a sitting legislator in the majority party can love. For everyone else, it is a word that can send us into a deep sleep lasting the duration of any given election year. Yes, it is a boring concept for most of us, but make no mistake. When it comes to gerrymandering — you snooze, you lose.

    Here is a quick tutorial. The US Constitution requires an actual count of how many people live in our nation taken every ten years, and that count is called a census.

    The first census was taken in 1790 and found just under four million newly minted Americans. The 2020 census found almost 334 million of us. Census data has many uses, but their most important role is determining representation in the US House of Representatives and state legislatures.

    For example, our least populous state, Wyoming, has only one member of the US House, while North Carolina, the 9th most populous state, now has 14 members of the House to represent us in Washington.
    Redistricting based on census data is done in all states, mostly by partisan legislatures, including the NC General Assembly.

    The idea is that each citizen has roughly equal representation — that no state’s and no citizen’s political clout is appreciably greater than any other’s based on population.

    It is a simple stab at fairness that has been polluted from the birth of our nation. Simply put, the party in power at any given moment manipulates the census information to ensure that more candidates representing its point of view get elected than candidates from other parties and points of view. It has been done by political parties that no longer exist, and more recently, by both Democrats and Republicans.

    At its basest definition, gerrymandering means politicians select their voters and not the other way around.

    And why should you care? Isn’t gerrymandering just politics, as usual, no matter who is doing it? You should care because the people doing the gerrymandering may well be taking your vote away from you.

    Consider this. If you are a Democrat in a congressional or legislative district heavily gerrymandered to be Republican, there is really no reason for you to make an effort to vote. The Democrats you support are not going to be elected. It works the other way, as well, for Republicans in heavily gerrymandered Democratic districts. Gerrymandering is a theft of a basic right of citizenship — your right to vote and choose who represents you.

    But it is complicated. Over time, various and sometimes conflicting court rulings have made the redistricting process consider the rights of minority voters, the wholeness of communities both by geography and culture and other factors.

    These are often difficult to assess and balance and are virtually impossible for average voters to grasp, which translates into a national sleeping potion.

    Complicated though it is, legal redistricting and its ugly twin, gerrymandering, are facts of American life that affect each and every voter and those they love. You should care because not caring and opposing gerrymandering essentially gives your vote to others whose viewpoints and goals may well be the exact opposite of yours and may promote policies that harm you and your family.

    More cynically, if you agree with the current gerrymanderers, legislators in North Carolina and throughout the nation, the political pendulum always swings. They, and you, will eventually be on the receiving end of gerrymandering, and you may not like that — not one little bit!

    Much less painful and much more palatable is redistricting reform to rein in out-of-control gerrymandering birthed by vicious and out-of-control political partisanship.

  • sedar I previously reflected on the then-upcoming observance of Martin Luther King Day. For me, it both honors a towering American figure and serves as an annual occasion to remember his (and many others’) legacy in the continuing struggle against all forms of enmity, intolerance and inequity.

    But that weekend saw a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, held hostage on the Jewish Sabbath. Blessedly, after many tense hours, the incident ended without any loss of innocent life when the rabbi and congregants utilized previously learned security preparedness and response training. Ironically, on that Sabbath, synagogues worldwide were reading the weekly scriptural portion about Moses and God’s miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from ancient Egyptian slavery.

    Tragically, houses of worship, schools and all manner of public and private institutions must be concerned with the potential for violent attacks rather than focusing their energies solely on the purposes for which they exist. Some faith traditions, ethnic communities and distinctly identifiable groups may be at more significant risk, but disturbingly, none of us is guaranteed complete security.

    We each receive guidance from different sources, which for me means the teachings of the Jewish tradition. The Bible records that the Israelites found themselves trapped at sea with Pharaoh’s army in pursuit when leaving Egypt. An ancient Jewish legend says that Moses prayed for deliverance, but not until a single man waded into the water up to his neck did the sea split for the Israelites to pass through safely.

    The Jewish views parallel the saying, “God helps those who help themselves.” Accordingly, Jewish tradition teaches not to rely on miracles, for they are purely gifts from God and not expectations to be ordered on demand, even though sincere prayer and devotion.

    There are different opinions regarding appropriate steps in considering possible threats, but again I am guided by my tradition. Firstly, to follow in the footsteps of Moses’ brother Aaron, who Judaism teaches always sought peace and the resolution of discord. Still, it also teaches the legitimacy of self-defense if preventive measures fail. Even deadly force may be used, but only when there is no reasonable alternative, as our tradition teaches, “How do you know your blood is redder than the blood of another?”

    And when direct defensive force cannot be avoided, I still learn from another Jewish legend. After the sea collapsed on and drowned Pharaoh’s army, the Israelites sang praises of thanksgiving for their Divine deliverance. In heaven, the angels wanted to join in the songs of praise, but God objected, asking rhetorically, “My handiwork (i.e., the Egyptians) are drowning in the sea, and you recite a song?!”

    The Israelites who were saved understandably rejoiced in their relief, but others need to recognize that even while justified, human suffering still occurred.

    So, it is customary at the Passover Seder ritual-meal to diminish the symbol of joyous redemption, wine, by removing a drop from our cups for each of the ten plagues suffered by the ancient Egyptians. All human life is always precious.

  • 02-19-14-debates.gifFayetteville State University will host the 4th Annual Frederick Douglass Debates on Monday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m. in Seabrook Auditorium on the campus of Fayetteville State University. The university will debate Hampton University.

    “It is a public debate series that started four years ago at FSU,” said William Thomas, lecturer and director of debate at Fayetteville State University. “We invited another debate team from another university to come in and debate on three issues of social significance to tie in partially to Black History Month and issues that Frederick Douglass may have been interested in.”

    Thomas added that they wanted to bring two historically black colleges and universities together for the debate.

    The significant topics debated include the stand-your-ground law, prayer/religion in school and other public areas and the Affordable Healthcare Act. Stand your ground is a type of defense law that gives individuals the right to use deadly force to defend themselves without any requirement to evade or retreat from a dangerous situation.

    Prayer and religion in school entails that in the United States, school prayer is proscribed in accordance with the establishment clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution which provides the foundation for the separation of church and state.

    The Affordable Health Care Act puts consumers back in charge of their healthcare. Under the new law, a new patient’s “Bill of Rights” gives the American people the stability and flexibility they need to make informed choices about their health.

    “The debate team decided that we wanted to do something to service our community,” said Thomas. “We could use the skills that the students have in debating to help educate the community about issues that are important and timely to the community.”

    Special guest judges are Mayor Chris Rey of Spring Lake, Dr. Karla Holloway, professor of Duke University and lawyer Katherine Hudson from Legal Aid of North Carolina.

    “We invite community judges that people will recognize and that will help draw in an audience so they can come in and learn more about the issues,” said Thomas. “Winning the debate is not really the point.”

    Thomas added that the winning team will receive a glass bowl trophy.

    Invitations were sent to all of the schools in Cumberland County in order to bring students to see the debate.

    “Please come out and support the debate,” said Thomas. “Most people feel that debates are boring but it will be full of energy and it is a really entertaining event.”

    The event is free and open to the public. For more information contact William Thomas at wthomas3@uncfsu.edu.

    Photo: The 4th Annual Frederick Douglass Debates are scheduled for Feb. 24 at Fayetteville State University.

  • 1200px Pelops and Hippodamia racing News Flash: The Winter Olympics will be in full force when this column appears. The Olympics are brought to us by that paragon of human rights, Communist China. This year’s event will be spiced up by the Rona, Chinese soldiers in HazMat suits, wall-to-wall nasal swabs, and the inscrutable sport of Curling. It’s going to be huge. Have you been pondering the historic origin of this fine event? The Olympics have been around even longer than Betty White, RIP. Mr. Google reports the ancient Greeks started the festivities around 776 BC. The Greeks ran the Olympics every four years from 776 BC to 425 A.D. That works out to about 1200 years, not a bad run. After a brief pause of 1471 years, the modern Olympics resumed in 1896 in Athens, Greece, for those of you counting.

    Let’s take a ride in Mr. Peabody’s Way Back Machine to find out how the games began. Like most events that happened over 2700 years ago, the birth of the original games is shrouded in a bit of mystery. Here are three Greek stories about how the games came to be. Uh oh, herein lies yet another column mangling Greek mythology. Beware. Beware.

    Version One says the Olympics began at Olympia when Zeus defeated his father, Cronus. Cronus was not a candidate for Dad of the Year. He ate his children to keep them from overthrowing him. Zeus’ mom substituted a rock for Baby Zeus, which Cronus ate, thinking the rock was Baby Zeus. Hence the term dumb as a rock was born.

    Version Two says Hercules gets credit for the Olympics by celebrating his victory over King Augeas. The King hired Herc to clean out his stables. Herc did his job, but then the King reneged on paying him. Troubles ensued. Herc terminated the King with extreme prejudice. Then it was Party On, Herc. The Olympics were born.

    My favorite Olympic origin story involves Prince Pelops of Ionia. The Greek King Oenomaeus decided to give the hand, and the rest, of his lovely daughter Hippodamia in marriage to anyone who could beat him in a chariot race. Pelops jumped at the chance to win Hippodamia. His love for her was as overwhelming as the love felt by Claude King for Clifton Clowers’ pretty young daughter in the classic song Wolverton Mountain. Pelops’ love for her was big as the sky. He wrote her a love poem promising: “Sure as the vine twines round the stump, you are my darling sugar lump.”

    Pelops went all out to win the chariot race. In the first documented case of Olympic cheating in sports history, Pelops came up with a nefarious plan. He got a team of magic horses from his old buddy Poseidon the God of the Sea. It is unclear if the equines were originally sea horses. No matter. If magic horses weren’t enough, Pelops bribed Myrtilus the Chariot Master to sabotage King O’s chariot. Myrtilus pulled out the linchpins holding the chariot’s wheels to their axles. He replaced the pins with wax replicas. Once the race started, the heat from the spinning chariot wheels melted the fake wax linchpins causing the wheels of King O’s chariot to fall off. King O got tangled in the reins of the chariot. He was dragged to a painful gooey death by his team of horses. Naturally, Pelops won the race and Hippodamia.

    In the case of the old double-cross switcheroo, when Myrtilus came to collect the rest of his fee for waxing the chariot, Pelops refused to pay him. Instead, Pelops threw Myrtilus off a convenient cliff to his death on the rocks far below. Pelops operated on Stalin’s theory: No Man, No Problem. Or the pirates’ theory that dead men tell no tales. But the story doesn’t end there. Myrtilus’ ghost began haunting Pelops. The haunting became such an irritation for Pelops that he realized the only way to rid himself of this meddlesome ghost was to perform the ritual Funeral Games.

    Nowadays, people stand around at funerals viewing the deceased guest of honor saying: “My, oh my, don’t he look natural? He never looked that good in life,” before retiring to the Fellowship Hall to eat fried chicken, deviled eggs and potato salad. Back in Greek mythology days, people performed the precursors of Frank Costanza’s Festivus Feats of Strength by having athletic Funeral Games like races, rassling and javelin throwing.

    To get rid of Myrtilus’ ghost, Pelops put on a giant set of Funeral Games which gave birth to the Olympics. A funeral today with javelin tossing would be much more entertaining than just eating deviled eggs and discussing why the Tar Heel basketball team is so erratic. But I digress.

    So, what have we learned today? Once again, precious little. However, we can now have an enhanced appreciation of the long history of cheating in the Olympic games. The Chinese, Russian and North Korean teams’ efforts along these lines are just following the traditional Olympic Spirit initiated by Myrtilus and his waxed linchpins. Don’t get upset. Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.

  • 02-26-14-catch-baseball-fever.gifBabe Ruth hit his first home run as a paid professional baseball player in Fayetteville. Yes! George Herman “Babe” Ruth’s first home run as a paid professional baseball player happened in Fayetteville during an intra squad game as a Baltimore Oriole on March 7, 1914, in which he played shortstop. He was only 19 years old.

    To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Babe Ruth’s home run in Fayetteville, the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex has planned a re-dedication of the 1952 historic highway marker honoring the Great Bambino’s home run.

    Catch the “Fayetteville Baseball Fever” when it strikes on March 7 with the re-dedication of the highway and a vintage baseball game on March 8. The re-dedication will take place at 558 Gillespie St. at Southern Ave. at the DOT facility, and the vintage game will take place at Arnette Park, located at 2165 Wilmington Hwy,.

    Local and state officials will hold a ceremony to re-dedicate the historic highway marker on March 7 at 2 p.m. Opening on March 7, to accompany the museum’s baseball programs, is an exhibit entitled Sports in the Sandhills. It is a collaboration between the Museum of the Cape Fear and the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum and features two visits Babe Ruth made to Fayetteville (one in 1914 and one in 1935). The exhibit also features another baseball player by the name of Jim Thorpe, who also spent a short time in Fayetteville. On March 8, at 11 a.m., baseball re-enactors will converge at Arnette Park and play a Vintage Baseball double header.

    “Vintage Baseball is done by baseball re-enactors,” said Leisa Greathouse, curator of education at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex. “They are like Civil War re-enactors, but they play baseball. They play by rules from 1864, so we’re talking about the mid 19th Century. They’ll wear uniforms like the ones used during that time period, so this is like the early-early beginnings of baseball.

    “The rules are a little bit different. The hitter, as he is known today, was known as the striker — for striking at the ball. They played barehanded — no gloves, because the baseball was made a little differently, and Arnette Park had a field that met the regulations for the distances between the bases that were common during the mid 19th Century, when baseball was being played.

    “The games will continue until the double header is complete and Arnette Park will have concessions that day, so it’ll be just like going out to a baseball game.”

    Quoting Babe Ruth, as told to writer and commentator Bob Considine in 1948, Greathouse read, “Late in that game, I hit the first professional home run of my life as I hit all the others: by taking a good gander at the pitch as it came up to the plate, twisting my body into a back swing and then hitting it as hard as I could swing. The ball cleared the right field fence and landed in the cornfield beyond. I don’t have to tell you what it did to me inside, but the effect on Dunny (Manager Jack Dunn) and the others was easy to see, too.”

    Led by the Museum of the Cape Fear, the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum, the N.C. Dept. of Transportation, the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Fayetteville Parks and Recreation, and the City of Fayetteville have stepped forward to provide these programs at no cost.

    “The Sports in the Sandhills Exhibit can be seen during the museum’s regular operating hours,” said Greathouse, covering all the bases (pun intended!) in regard to the planned centennial events.

    For more information, visit www.ncdcr.gov/ncmcf/Events.aspx; www.BabeRuthFayettevilleNC.com, or call 910-486-1330. JOSE´GREEN, Intern, COM-MENTS? Editor@upandcomin-gweekly.com.

  • Downtown Alliance Well, it's big news in North Carolina when the Fayetteville/Cumberland County CEO of the Economic Development Corporation announces industry giant Amazon is bringing 500 new jobs into our community with its 1.3 million square foot distribution center. That's precisely what Robert Van Geons reported last week. This announcement marks the second Amazon facility to grace our community. An Amazon delivery center will open on Dunn Road soon. These announcements are excellent news and are a pretty good indication that Van Geons has additional positive economic news forthcoming.

    What makes the Fayetteville community so attractive, you may ask? Well, many things, but I would think the two biggest influencers are our location with easy access to the I-95 North-South corridor and a young and abundant labor force of thousands of men and women exiting Ft. Bragg each year. So, what's not to like about creating hundreds of jobs and bringing thousands of new residents into our community? With this being the case, you would think the City of Fayetteville would be doing everything possible to welcome these new arrivals by showcasing our unique local amenities that create and enhance our quality of life. Indeed, we would want to welcome these newcomers, introduce them to our diverse resources, invite them to engage in our abundant cultural activities, explore our historic Downtown, shop in our stores and eat in our restaurants. At best, you would think city leadership would not intentionally create barriers for this kind of introduction and indoctrination. You would think.

    Well, I was surprised to learn that the Downtown Alliance Vice-President C. John Malzone announced that they would be introducing and circulating petitions asking the City to eliminate evening parking fees Downtown because the Alliance feels these fees are stifling the growth and development of local downtown businesses. The Alliance is a non-profit 501(c)(6) entity of people, organizations, and businesses in downtown Fayetteville. Over the last decade, the Alliance has invested in and nurtured a hospitable, consumer-friendly downtown business district. They have facilitated many changes that have allowed businesses to grow, expand and prosper by implementing suggestions and improvements that have made the Fayetteville Historic downtown experience more inviting, exciting, and enjoyable. Outdoor merchandising, better signage and sidewalk dining options are just a few of their many accomplishments. These business and property owners are located in a Municipal Service District. The MSD requires that they pay an additional self-imposed property tax. This allows Alliance members to have a voice on how these tax dollars are spent and weigh in on policies and ordinances that directly and indirectly affect their businesses and livelihoods.

    Specifically, the Downtown Alliance will distribute petitions to downtown businesses, make them available online, and ask all residents to sign on and support the demand to end nighttime paid parking and charges for event parking during ball games. The petition also supports limiting the number of event paid-parking locations and hours. Free evening weekend parking supports downtown businesses, restaurants, museums and entertainment venues that visitors and residents love and support. This action comes 18 months after enforced paid parking went into effect. During this period, it has become evident that people avoid coming downtown in the evenings to enjoy movies, dining, shopping, fitness and even just walking to enjoy the city's ambiance. Alliance members are adamant that there should be no on-street parking enforcement after 5 p.m. at any time. Without a doubt, paid parking and evening enforcement drives away visitors and customers. It's a complaint heard repeatedly and is becoming too hard to ignore. Paid parking after 5 p.m. and during events on weekends has harmed downtown businesses' cultural and economic vitality. We agree. This practice hinders patrons and investors and penalizes visitors who readily support downtown Fayetteville, art venues, restaurants or cultural events. We don't agree with or understand why the Downtown Alliance organization carries this initiative forward by itself? The evening and event parking fees are a problem that affects the members and operations of several organizations. Is there support from the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce? The Cool Spring Downtown District? Fayetteville Convention & Visitors Bureau? And, the Arts Council? These are questions that need to be answered.

    The Downtown Alliance is made up of business people. Entrepreneurs operate bottom-line, profit and loss operations that become a reality and "hard truth" of their success or failure. These are not agencies that depend on government funding, specialized community grants or donations through the generosity of others. These folks have their livelihoods on the line every day. These small to medium-size local companies are the lifeblood of a prosperous city center. Up & Coming Weekly supports this petition and feels the City of Fayetteville should be doing everything within its power to encourage, support and nurture these businesses rather than continually imposing barriers and hardships impeding their success. The organizations mentioned above, all relevant in their own right, need to step up and support those who have readily and unselfishly invested in Fayetteville's Historic Downtown community. I end with this reality and insight: Every prosperous City has a thriving downtown community. It's time to dismantle all the organizational silos, count the empty storefronts and the businesses that have come and gone out of business trying to support the downtown community, and start working as a dynamic coalition in support of a city we love.

    To support this initiative, contact the Downtown Alliance at shopdowntownfaync@gmail.com, www.faydta.com, Facebook/fayDTA. To sign the petition, contact any Downtown Alliance downtown merchant or sign online at www.change.org/freeparkingdowntownfaync. For more information or questions about the petition, contact C. John Malzone 910-813-7378. And, as always, thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • pexels jacob colvin 1761279 From time to time, we all have things pop up that throw a wrench into the works of our usual schedule, and as it turns out, I'm not immune.

    I work in radio, and I host a local radio show that meets people in their cars on their way to start their day. However, on a recent morning, I had some appointments, so I prerecorded a portion of my on-air work the previous day.

    I typically spend some thoughtful time preparing the things I'll talk about through the morning. I even prepare and plan to talk about what people think about as they head to work or school. In addition, there are remarks I'll make in passing – things that strike me at the moment or come out of something I recently read or heard someone say – and on this particular day, I made one of those passing remarks that caused someone listening to respond with a text message after it played on the air the following day.

    Keep in mind that the number of comments and stories I might share over the course of a week (three and a half hours a day, five days a week) is considerable. Suffice it to say: I don't always remember exactly what I said.

    The text message I received was, "I want to be a bridge." Though it came as a result of one of those comments I made in passing, it was driven by something that had been in my notes for a while.

    As a Christian, it meant enough to me that I jotted it down to keep it as close to top-of-mind as possible.

    What I said was more of a question on this day.

    I asked, "What kind of representative are you as a follower of Jesus? Are you a bridge, or are you a barrier to people coming to Christ?"

    Honestly, these questions should be top-of-mind for anyone who calls themselves a Christian.

    What we do, the things we say, the love and compassion we lack or show – they all factor into what those around think and believe about who Jesus is.

    Just as the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church in ancient Corinth, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20, ESV)

    As an ambassador, people equate the message we bring or send with one coming directly from the one we represent.

    In other words, the opinions others form about the one who sends us depends, to a great extent, on how we treat them as we deliver the message.

    Whether you represent your family, our government, the place you work or – in this case – Jesus, it's best to be true to what you declare.

    And like the person responding to my questions that day, as a Christian, I want to be a good ambassador and bridge rather than a barrier to people coming to Christ.

  • pexels pixabay 47356 It is a myth that adults cannot learn to ski because I started skiing when I was forty. It is easier for children, but these days, many adults are taking lessons. Skiing is an engaging aerobic and anaerobic sport that the entire family can enjoy. The Baby Boomer generation continues to hit the slopes, and it is not unusual to see skiers in their seventies.

    Making a good plan for your ski trip is essential to having an enjoyable experience. Look for a beginner-friendly slope with a good rental department and quality instructors. In the beginning, avoid investing in expensive ski clothes and equipment to see if you like the sport. Wearing water-resistant clothing will help keep you dry when you fall. Let’s face it: you will fall, get cold, and get snow down your pants. Your clothing should be layered, moisture-wicking and avoid cotton because it absorbs sweat and will make you colder. My advice to the beginner is to buy an inexpensive pair of bibs, a jacket, a good pair of gloves and wear sunglasses with a holder strap or goggles and a helmet. Rent your skis or snowboard and go early because the lines are usually long. It takes a while to properly fit equipment, not to mention how long it takes you to get settled and put it on. Go to a ski slope that offers other activities such as ice skating or tubing for other group members that may not be interested in the sport.

    A lesson or lessons are a prerequisite for navigating your skis or snowboards, to learn starting, stopping, and getting on and off the lift. Going straight to the top is no way to learn how to ski or snowboard and can be dangerous for you and the others around you when you are unable to stop. The “bunny slope, “ as it is affectionately called, is there for a reason and a fantastic way to learn and build confidence. Hydration is also a key factor for endurance during the day, taking breaks and eating something nutritious.

    Choosing a slope suited for your level of experience is essential for building good memories and helping you look forward to your next trip. I have skied out west and in the North Carolina mountains, including Beach, Sugar, Appalachian, and West Virginia, including Winterplace and Snowshoe. The ambiance of the North Carolina mountains is perfect for skiing and shopping. Still, the downsides are the popularity and crowds. My suggestion for beginners would be Winterplace in West Virginia, which is usually less crowded with various beginner-friendly runs. Try to schedule that trip on weekdays instead of the weekend if you love the North Carolina mountains to avoid crowds.

    Churches or schools offer road trips or weekends for youths, and these options are a fantastic way for your children to try skiing with supervision. Planning will save you time and money if you decide on taking a family trip. Plan out your lift tickets, available times, ski packages that include rentals, lessons and account for any days that may be sold out. Ski season on the east coast typically runs mid-December through March.

    Adults learning to ski should take lessons from a qualified instructor to learn the basics and opt-out of lessons from those eager friends that want to teach you.

    Enjoy that friend time later while you talk about your runs!

    Live, love life with skiing and snowboarding!

  • pexels pixabay 433333 Americans have traditionally valued education in general and higher education in particular. Harvard University was founded in 1636, more than a century before the United States managed to birth itself. As our newly formed nation was gelling, North Carolina legislators chartered our country’s first public university, what is now known as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is worth a mention here that an education-hungry young man named Hinton James walked close to 150 miles — you read that correctly — from his home in Wilmington to Chapel Hill to enroll as UNC’s first student. He was UNC’s only student for about two weeks until some others turned up, for an initial 1798 graduating glass of six. A 20th-century dormitory in Chapel Hill is named in James’ honor.

    Since young Hinton took his long walk, millions of American families have sacrificed and saved, borrowed and sought financial aid to make higher education possible for those they love. Over the centuries, more and more of us have achieved that goal. Higher education has made us professionals of all stripes, led to successful careers in many fields and enriched countless lives the way only an understanding of the world around us can.

    Here comes the challenging news.

    The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reports that about one million fewer undergraduate students enrolled in higher education institutions in 2021 than in 2019. The declines are seen at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, at public and private institutions, at four-year institutions, most dramatically at community colleges and for-profit institutions. The declines are more pronounced among minority students as well.

    While a million fewer students over two years is an eye-popping statistic, the trend is not new.

    College enrollment has been declining for at least a decade, in part because our nation’s low birthrate means fewer 18-year-olds to enroll at all and because the cost of college continues to spiral. The COVID-19 pandemic, still besetting us in 2022, has merely accelerated the trend. “The reality is that the pandemic has disrupted the education of the next generation of young professionals, and that’s going to have immense consequences on the career options, their livelihoods,” said Doug Shapiro, executive director, Student Clearinghouse.

    Shapiro is correct, of course, because educational attainment correlates with lifetime earnings. At the same time, declining higher education enrollment scares the socks off employers looking at fewer skilled workers in their immediate future.

    COVID-19 and high costs are apparent factors in the decline, but other factors may be at work as well.In 2013 70% of adult Americans told Gallup pollsters they believed a college education was “very important.” In pre-Covid 2019, only 51% thought so.

    Both students and parents are debating the value of higher education compared to its price tags, but is there something more? Something more nebulous and more difficult to pin down?

    It is clear many Americans have thrown traditional scholarship and learning to the winds for reasons the rest of us will never know, much less understand.

    How else do we account for Covid-deniers, anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theorists of all sorts—people who persist in their beliefs and behaviors despite scholarship and scientific evidence to the contrary? How else do we perceive a seemingly growing anti-intellectualism in our nation? I saw a woman on television tell a reporter that she simply did not care about the facts. “I just believe what I believe,” came out of her mouth before an international audience.

    We need a visit from Hinton James to help us remember why education is important to us as individuals and as a nation.

  • CelebrationBHM 01 As a publication, we get suggestions and requests weekly for content coverage. We cannot always follow up on every idea sent our way, whether because we have already budgeted the space in the paper or because we have already committed resources elsewhere. But, sometimes, the suggestion is so heartfelt, timely and important that you just make space where otherwise there might not have been. This is how it went a few weeks ago when Tammy Thurman, community relations manager at Piedmont Natural Gas and vice chairwoman of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber, approached Up & Coming Weekly to cover Black History Month in a unique and important way. We met and discussed her vision. Some stories everyone knows explained Thurman. No matter their origins, some stories are told and retold every February, but there are more. Stories that go unnoticed but are equally important.

    As Thurman explained, stories are repeated every February, and the leaders who are spoken into the fabric of our community and society through those stories are hugely important. But the lesser told stories, shared on a smaller scale, are quietly told among people of color, and they deserve a louder voice and a broader audience. It is these stories Thurman hoped we, at Up & Coming Weekly, would help to amplify.

    This month we will be featuring a series on local Fayetteville Black history heroes. This week and for the next three consecutive weeks, we will feature the story of a Fayetteville-connected Black folk hero. We will share an account from the past that marks the struggles and triumphs in the history of our local Black community. This week we share the story of Isaac Hammond and the Fifer’s Grave, shared with us in an interview with Charles Anderson Jr., a history lecturer at Fayetteville State University (see page15). In the following weeks we will tell the stories of Robert R. Taylor, architect and educator; Mable C. Smith, local politician and fighter for the disenfranchised; and Charles Waddell Chesnutt, political activist and author. We are reaching out to Black community members to help us tell these stories, both through their time via interviews or through their writing.

    In addition to our local Black History Heroes from Fayetteville’s past, we will also be speaking with Black community members making a difference and impacting our Fayetteville community today. Look for our cover story next week on a local veteran artist mentioned on pages 12-13, this week, Damien Mathis. And in the issue hitting stands on Feb. 16, we will be profiling veteran business owner Joseph Dewberry.

    Join us on this journey while we share stories that may get overlooked in national headlines but are a vital part of the unique, diverse and storied Fayetteville community’s Black History. Pick up our paper each week this February or click in via our website and social media to read about and hear these voices.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 021010weddingcake.jpgAhhhh, Valentine’s Day. Love might be in the air, but in the world of weddings ‘the devil is in the details.’With 2.2 million couples getting married each year, and 10 percent of those proposals taking place on Valentine’s Day, there’s a whole lot of wedding planning going on. To get the newly engaged off on the right path toward the perfect wedding, the 2010 Bridal Extravaganza will be held on Feb. 20 at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux.

    The 2010 Bridal Extravaganza, the largest bridal expo in Fayetteville with at least 50 vendors, expects record turn-out again this year. Last year, more than 500 people attended the event to glean ideas for their weddings.

    “Every bride who walks in the door gets a bag of goodies — samples, magazines, gift certifi cates, coupons, just everything,” according to Heidi Politi, sales manager for the Holiday Inn Bordeaux. Brides-to-be will also leave with a wealth of information and ideas.

    A fashion show, presented by David’s Bridal, will be held from noon to 1 p.m. The show is expected to be “fast-moving, fun, professional and very upbeat.” The models will feature hair styles created by Flawless Visions Hair Studio. Makeup for the models will be done by Mary Kay Cosmetics.

    Learning opportunities will be offered throughout the day as rotating seminars will be held every hour. Seminar topics will range from creating a timeline for wedding planning to etiquette, and will even include a home decor session offering insight on how to blend “his” and “hers” into “ours.”

    “The free information at the seminars is so valuable because it keeps you from making silly mistakes,” explained Politi. “And at the Extravaganza, you’ll get great ideas that are not just exclusive of weddings. They can really be applied to planning any event.”

    Vendors from all areas of wedding expertise will be on display in the grand ballroom. Day spas, including the Renaissance European Day Spa and Cape Fear Aesthetics, will provide ideas on pampering your wedding party before your special event. To help you fi nd the perfect dress and tux for your event, experts from David’s Bridal, Ruth Davis Tuxedos and Cape Fear Formal Wear will be on hand. Flowers from Bordeaux Florist and Owen’s Florist, planning by GC & Company, and special touches from Things Remembered and Slumber Parties will all make your big day something to be remembered. To capture your memories for eternity, photographers will include George Joel Photography and New Creation Photography. But of course, the highlight of any event is the food.

    “You really can eat your way through the room,” said Politi. “There are lots of samples of wedding cakes, party favors and other sweet confections, plus the catering experts at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux will have hors d’oeuvres for sampling. Come hungry and with comfortable shoes!”

    Not only will attendees leave with a full belly and a mind full of ideas, but also with prizes. Prize drawings occur every three to fi ve minutes and include such treats as wedding cakes, spa treatments, formal wear, photography packages, dining certifi cates, hotel accommodations and more!

    “Vendors give us a lot of door prizes,” explained Politi. “Last year we ran out of time to give them all out. Everyone walked away with something.”

    The 2010 Bridal Extravaganza runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are available at the door the day of the event for $7, or in advance for $3 up until Feb. 15. To pre-register or for more information on the event, call 910-221-2251.

  • Take me out to the ball game. Take me out to the play. Whether you’re a baseball fan or not, you’ll love, love, love the Gilbert Theater’s production of Playballs.

    It’s a comedy based on the real-life story of Pam Postema, a woman struggling to make it as a professional umpire in the good ‘ol boy’s world of baseball. You’ll come to find that, although most umps can call a clean game, it gets pretty grimy behind the scenes. Director Peter Bonilla, who also stars in the play, had his work cut out for him with a small cast of only three people. He rose to that challenge victoriously though, and rocked the stage with clever lines and a no-holds barred approach to the story.02-17-10-playballs-art.gif

    In the opening scenes we meet the fi ctional version of Postema, Lucy Posner, played by Claudia Warga. Warga brings Posner to life with perfection. She’s stubborn, determined, and beyond anything else, she knows what she wants. She wants to offi ciate in the major leagues, not as the fi rst woman umpire, but simply as an umpire. There are plenty of people to stand in her way though, and Posner has to learn how to take it like a man when things don’t go her way. Her ability to do this is obvious, when she puts her foot down on Mr. Yoblinski, played by Jules Forde, who has denied her acceptance into the all-male umpiring school based on her gender alone. She lets him have it in a heated argument, and stands her ground until he folds. He wants to know one thing when she’s done telling him a thing or two though, so he asks “Where’d you learn to swear like that?” Posner replies bluntly, “My mother.” This was the fi rst of many laughs as she coolly battles against sexist heckles and declares “I don’t cry. I just get pissed off.”

    My hat is off to Warga, who never took a single break during the production, didn’t miss a line, or even stutter a word. She wasn’t alone up there though, and many of the lines that had the crowd roaring with laughter were delivered by Bonilla and Forde.

    Bonilla is hilarious as Candie, a male chauvinist dirtball, who seems to speak without even knowing what’s going to come out of his mouth. Bonilla plays many parts on stage, from a foul-mouthed coach to the likeable Mr. Leary, and each one is equally as entertaining as the last.

    Forde showcases his comedic abilities too, as he plays several roles throughout the production. He’ll make you laugh as an out-of-shape umpire who can barely do three jumping jacks, and then crack you up as a Don Juan-type catcher with a bad mustache, who relentlessly and unsuccessfully hits on Posner.

    The three stars of this show bring endless energy, and masterful acting to the stage. You’ll fi nd yourself rooting for Posner, as if she’s the home team, by the end of the play and wishing it could go into extra innings. If you don’t mind a little bit of (alright a lot of) inappropriate language, and you’re looking for something fun to do, make your way downtown to the Gilbert Theater. You’ll love everything from the amazing local talent, to the complimentary cake after the show. Trust me Fayetteville; you don’t want to miss this.

  •   “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” is a mantra most often encountered in classrooms or on the side of recycling bins. But if you enter CJ’s Design studio you’ll find a collection of art on display that might have you reciting the three R’s of the 21st century.
      The collection, known as “Winhouse,” consists of a variety of handmade pieces created by local artists Susie Godwin and Lisa Lofthouse. Godwin and Lofthouse first partnered together, not in an art studio, but in a yoga studio. Lofthouse, who owns Breathing Space yoga studio on Raeford Road, first met Godwin when she began yoga classes several years ago. Their relationship quickly developed into a friendship in which both their creative natures found breathing space of their own.
      {mosimage}After returning from a trip to Paris, Godwin told Lofthouse that she wanted a creative way to showcase some photos she had taken on her trip. Lofthouse invited her friend “over to play” in her at-home art studio. The two discovered that their creative ideas inspired and enriched one another. They soon began to combine their efforts to create a variety of three-dimensional pieces showcasing photographs of some of Fayetteville’s best-known landmarks. Some of their early pieces can be seen at Huske Hardware and The Cameo Art House Theatre and can be purchased at City Center Gallery and Bookstore in downtown Fayetteville.
      Godwin and Lofthouse share a love for the eclectic, used, passed-over or discarded. Where most people see something worth throwing in the trash, these two creative conservationists see art in the making. After using local inspiration for their first efforts, they began to mine a different vein after visiting Tucson’s well-known Gem and Mineral Show last February.
      The two returned to Fayetteville with a collection of rocks, beads and ideas. They began to piece together some of their Southwestern treasures with Southeastern overstock, creating unique pieces that are a juxtaposition of time, place and experience, much like the artists themselves. Godwin, a Fayetteville native, enjoys adding touches of green and splashes of red to the pieces while Lofthouse, whose family is in the Southwest, prefers the palette of the painted desert.
      “One of us will start something and the other one will just add on,” says Godwin of the artists’ ability to build upon one another’s work. Their raw materials are as varied as their final products. They use overstock items such as cabinet doors, desk drawers and discontinued fabric swatches, as well as unique details — ranging from beads to keys to sticks they found in the yard. The overall effect is something that is completely unique.   Each piece is hearty, hand-made and hard to resist.
      While the artists are thrilled about their emphasis on recycling the once-used or overlooked, one thing they do not reuse are their ideas. Their pieces are as diverse as they are detailed. Some pieces, such as Mirrored Monks, are simple reflections of the peaceful philosophy behind their shared practice of yoga. Others, such as the piece Ab-Original, which subtly portrays the bold beauty of originality, are statement makers.
      For these artists, the creative process is their passion, their motto being “we’re happy to sell enough to pay for our art supplies,” which means that you won’t have to recycle too many aluminum cans to be able to afford one of their original pieces, which range reasonably from $25-$200. One thing is certain, with such a collision of creativity and conservation, the “Winhouse” collection will certainly have you recycling your smile.

    Contact Meredith Mitchell at tim@upandcomingweekly.com

  • uac020310001.gif Salvador Dali lived larger than life. Throughout his career he was celebrated and reviled — depending on where he was in his career. For a time, he was celebrated by the Surrealists of the period, but they later turned their back on him. His political affi liations lost him many supporters, as did his extravagant lifestyle. But that mattered little to Dali. He lived for his art, and one of the most complex works he created during his long-lived career was the illustration of Dante’s Divine Comedy.

    That work, commisisoned by the Italian government in 1957 to celebrate the 700th birthday of Dante, will come to Fayetteville for a special exhibition through the Fayetteville Musuem of Art Feb. 13-29. The exhibition at the Fayetteville Museum of Art is part of a 10-city national tour over a three-year period and contain 100 prints from Dalí’s Divine Comedy Suite. The exhibition also features bilingual text panels.

    Due to the sheer size of the exhibit, the museum will hang the show on the fi rst fl oor of the Lundy Building in Festival Park.

    “The Lundy Group has allowed us to use 9,000 square feet on the fi rst fl oor to house the exhibit,” said Tom Grubb, executive director of the Fayetteville Museum of Art. “We needed to go there because of the size of the exhibition. It will also allow us to host our school tours and the opening gala all in one location.”

    Grubb is excited that the museum is the only facility in North Carolina to be afforded the opportunity to host the exhibit.

    In light of the museum’s recent revelations concerning its fi nancial status, the exhibit is, according to museum supporters, a positive step.

    “In recent months, we have shared publicly that our fi nancial struggles were serious. The consequences of our struggle are not all negative. Under economic stress, it has become more important t02-03-10-purgatorio-15-law-of-climbing.gifhan ever that the museum dedicate itself to strong leadership and programming. We have been working hard to realize our goals and would liketo share that we have found our goals to be attainable,” said Meredith Player Stiehl, FMoA president.

    Those goals include bringing world-class art exhibits to the community and building relationships with area organizations and providing art education to the community. All of those goals are being achieved through the Dali exhibit. The museum has partnered with the CumberlandCounty Schools to bring students to the exhibit.

    “I believe that to understand and appreciate art, young people need to be exposed to the greats. Through the exhibit hosted by the Art Museum, the community gets a chance to see a world renowned artist,” said Dr. Frank Till, Cumberland County Schools superintendent.

    Admission to the exhibit is $10 for adults; $6 children (6-18; children 5 and under are free. The exhibit is open Monday - Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday 1-4 p.m.

    Special showings will be held on Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m., when wine and snacks will be served complimentary with entry fee during Fourth Friday festivities. On Feb. 16 and 23 the museum will offer military/college appreciation night, with half price entry with appropriate ID between 5 and 7 pm. On Thursday, Feb. 11 the museum will host an opening gala at 7 p.m. Tickets are $100 per person.

    For more information, visit the museum Web site at www. fayettevillemuseumart.org/dali.htm or call 485-5121.

  • If you have never stopped in the art collective known as Cape Fear Studios in downtown Fayetteville, then you are defi nitely missing one of the community’s greatest assets. The member studio is home to a number of Fayetteville’s most talented artists. While the artists use the venue as a workspace and as a means of marketing their work, they also use it as a vehicle to give back to the community. All of this comes with a price, and in the coming weeks, the venue is taking advantage of their unique skills to raise funds to support their involvement in the community.

    The annual Silent and Live Art Auction is one of the ways Cape Fear Studios gets the support from the Fayetteville community. Held on Friday, March 4, the auction will showcase various local artists as well as artist members of Cape Fear Studios.

    Ideal for a savvy art collector, this event will display diverse forms of art, which will consist of paintings, handmade jewelry, pottery, contemporary fused art glassware, wood art and more. To support this worthy event, local restaurants and businesses are also participating by donating gift certifi cates and an assortment of non-art items for the live auction.

    Chris Kastner, the executive director at Cape Fear Studios, encourages the local community to support this auction while pointing out that, “This is our primary way of raising funds.”

    She also encourages art enthusiasts, collectors and all those who would enjoy an evening of live music, complimentary wine or beer, hors d’oeuvres and fusion art to come out to support the studio. Tickets for the event are $35.

    Some of the artists portraying their work include: Rose Kennedy, Paula Fitzpatrick, Erica Stankwytch Bailey, Nancy Rose, Pandy Autrey and more. All of the featured artists donated their work, so all of the proceeds will benefit Cape Fear Studios.

    Cape Fear Studios also reaches out to the community via their Ashton Woods Kids Art Program that targets children ages 7 and up, and most notably concentrates on improving important factors02-23-11-cape-fear-studios-art.gif such as self-image and confi dence while teaching them to express their unique artsy and creative side.

    Moreover, Cape Fear Studios also offers monetary scholarships to local college students enrolled in fine-arts programs. All of the community work done by Cape Fear Studios is possible because of the contributions and funds received through auctions, fundraisers and the sale of artwork created by members at Cape Fear Studios.

    In order to carry out such extraordinary support to the community, the studio needs its own support system, which consists of the local community and artists alike. Be sure to attend the auction on March 4 as a way to support the only visual art cooperative non-profi t organization in Fayetteville.

    The mission of Cape Fear Studios is “to involve, educate and enrich Cumberland County and surrounding communities with the opportunity to create and freely view art.”

    The event begins at 7 p.m., and will be hosted at the Arts Council. Matthew William Buchanan and David Sinan Esensoy of The Fayetteville Academy will provide musical entertainment.

    The event is dressy, so take the opportunity to don your favorite festive attire and come out and support the artists at Cape Fear Studios.

    For more information, call 433-2986 or e-mail capefearstudios@yahoo.com.

    Photo: This piece of pottery is one of many artworks up
    for auction at Cape Fear Studios.

  • 02-29-12-carlo-pieroni.jpgMaybe you’ve never met Carlo Pieroni, but chances are, you’ve seen his work. The self-taught, Italian-born photographer’s work has appeared in Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan, GQ, Madame Figaro, Interview, Max, Uomo Vogue and Femme. He’s worked with companies including Motorola, Chupa Chups, Everlast, Renault, La Perla, Liz Claiborne Cosmetics, Lucky You, M&M/Mars, Playtex, Triumph, Camel, Flamingo Hotel and Casino and VH-1/MTV.

    While Pieroni’s lifestyle and advertising work are impressive, he is also pas-sionate about pin-ups — think Betty Page and Jayne Mansfield. On March 8, Up & Coming Weekly’s Gallery 208 opens an ex-hibit featuring Pieroni’s pin-up work.

    Lighthearted and whimsical, the pin-ups are a collaboration between the artist and the models he portrays. The idea of each photo is to find the inner bombshell of each woman and to use Pieroni’s creativity to produce a piece of art that complements the model and presents an entertaining and visually appealing piece of work.

    Each image starts as a photograph, but the end result is a combination of photography, and some “painting,” done by Pieroni, that portrays the models in playful situations somewhere between reality and fantasy.

    In December of 2010 the USO teamed up with VH1 to present VH1 Divas Salute the Troops. For this venture Pieroni transformed Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles, Nicki Minaj, and the Nocturnals’ Grace Potter, Keri Hilson, Katy Perry and Paramore’s Hayley Williams into 1940s-era pin-ups.

    A family man and father of three, Pieroni grew up in Florence Italy. He started taking pictures when he was in high school and even did some com-mission work for friends. From there, he moved on to commercial photog-raphy and focused on still-life pictures for a time. It was a photo shoot in the Sahara Desert that turned him in the direction of photographing people. This particular model portrayed a desert rose. She stole his heart and became Pieroni’s muse — and later his wife, and he never looked back. He’s now a well-known and highly sought after fashion photographer.

    “It is such an exciting experience to be a part of the universe of a woman,” said Pieroni. “Each woman is so unique, such an individual... and has her own set of strengths and her own sense of beauty and glamor and self. It really is a joy to be a part of this for a time and to translate that vision into a work of art.”

    For his pin-up images, Pieroni prefers to keep things light and playful. Sure, his images are soft and dreamy and lighthearted — he wouldn’t have it any other way.

    “A lot of my work is silly and is set up to show the comedy in a situation. It is meant to portray the inner joy and lightheartedness of the models,” said Pieroni.

    The Gallery 208 opening reception is from 5:30-7 p.m. It is free and open to the public. Call 484-6200 for more information.

    Photo: On March 8, Up & Coming Weekly’s Gallery 208 opens an exhibit featuring Pieroni’s pin-up work.

  • uac021115001.gif February 13 opens this year’s duck season – Duck Derby season, that is. This is a season that is fun for everyone because it is about supporting the organizations in the community that give so much year round. And it all culminates with an event that is like no other in town — the Duck Derby.

    On Sunday, April 26, the event organizers at Fayetteville Urban Ministry will drop the ducks into the creek at Festival Park for the big race. The corporate/business sponsored ducks (25-30 of them) race first, followed by the main duck race where 10,000-15,000 regular-sized rubber ducks compete to see who will win this year’s prizes. 

    Unlike other fundraisers, The Duck Derby raises funds for several organizations. Last year, there were more than 70 teams registered as Duck Derby contestants. Last year’s teams included the Cumberland County Schools system, health-related organizations, arts organizations, educational foundations and more. Each one had the potential to benefit from this event. This year is shaping up to be a good one, too, with plenty of teams signing up to participate.

    The Fayetteville Urban Ministry has set the wheels in motion, but the real magic happens when the duck adoptions begin. The public is invited to adopt a duck (or team of ducks) to compete in the Duck Derby. The top five winners receive prizes. This year there is a new prize category for the last place duck, too. Like always, the donors have been generous this year offering up a 22-foot travel camper from Camping World of Fayetteville for the Grand Prize.

    “If winner is present, they will get $150 in cash, too,” said Executive Director of Fayetteville Urban Ministry Johnny Wilson.

    The second place winner will get a 65-inch flat screen TV from Walmart Distribution Center. The third place prize is a set of tires with a value of up to $500, from Ed’s Tire. The fourth place winner will receive a full year membership to Renaissance European Day Spa. A $250 grocery gift card awaits the fifth place winner and the prize for last place is a tent and a jar of molasses from Camping World of Fayetteville.

    In a new turn of events, this year, the Duck Derby is a sanctioned Dogwood Festival event and will take place during the Dogwood Festival, which Wilson sees as a benefit.

    “There will be tons of live music, food, games and vendors for the entire weekend — April 24 -26 — at the Dogwood Festival,” said Wilson.

    Around 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, the Duck Derby will round out the weekend festivities.

    The Duck Derby is a fun, family-friendly event, but the weeks leading up to the event are important, too. The more ducks that get adopted, the bigger the impact on the community.

    “This event is a fun way to adopt a duck and transform someone’s life through a duck race,” said Wilson. “With all proceeds combined, we have generated more than $225,000 to give right back to the community from the past four Duck Derby events.” 

    So how does it work? It’s simple and only takes a click. Visit www.fayettevilleduckderby.com and click on the Adopt a Duck tab. Once there, choose the options that suit you. Adopt one duck (or many ducks) and choose the teams (nonprofit organizations) that you want to benefit from your adoption. As the event organizer, the Fayetteville Urban Ministry keeps a small portion to cover the costs of the event. The rest of the adoption fee will go to the team. Adoption papers are also available at the Fayetteville Urban Ministry at 701 Whitfield St. Sponsorships are also available.

    People seeking a more hands-on approach are invited to volunteer at Fayetteville Urban Ministry, as well. Fayetteville Urban Ministry has four programs that serve all of Cumberland County clients that qualify.

    Adult Literacy. Serves a population of adults that read at 5th grade level or below, GED preparation, cooking classes, financial literacy, English As a Second Language classes and job interviewing.

    Emergency Assistance. Serves individuals and families that are in crisis. The program offers a food pantry, a clothing closet and some financial assistance if funds are available. 02-11-15-duck-season.gif

    Find-A-Friend. Works with at-risk and court-involved youth after school. Workshops cover peer pressure, relationships within family, conflict resolution, saying no to drugs and more. Tutoring is offered along with one-on-one mentoring for selected youth.

    Project Nehemiah. Is a home-repair program for elderly or low income homeowners clients that qualify.

    “Through these four programs we will collectively serve more than 8,000-10,000 individuals and families at no cost to them,” said Wilson.

    Between Feb. 13 and April 26, Quacky, the Duck Derby mascot, is available to attend local events.

    “He gets booked fast and we allow him to show at least two hours for partners’ events,” said Wilson, adding that seeing Quacky out and around is one of his favorite things about the Duck Derby. “So much excitement! You see kids go crazy to high five or hug Quacky. Many folks are really blown away that for only $5 they can actually win some prizes. I cannot count how many times that folks say, ‘Well, even if I don’t win anything my donation goes to a great cause!’ And lastly, we get to see so many community impact organizations and supporters come together for a great initiative.”

    Find out more about the Duck Derby and how you can help at www.fayettevilleduckderby.com. Find out more about Fayetteville Urban Ministry at http://www.fayurbmin.org.

    Photo: Duck Season is open. Buy your duck now to help build a stronger community. 

  • 02-25-15-high-school-students.gifIt is no secret that getting into college is stressful; there are the SATs, GPAs, applications and more. As parents do their best to prepare students and help them get through the process, it can be frustrating, confusing and costly.

    Coworkers Jasmin Brown and Tracey Pearson were both disappointed when they started looking for ways to get their respective children ready for higher education. When it came to preparing for the SAT, the programs they found were both costly and inadequate. So they decided to do something about it. That’s how College Professional SAT Prep was born.

    It took some research and a lot of hard work, but on March 7, the team is set to debut its first session.

    “The SAT is based on what colleges and educators expect high school students to be exposed to,” said Pearson. “So, we recruited college professors to help develop the curriculum and teach in the program.”

    With more than 20 years of higher education experience between them, Brown and Pearson knew that getting students off to a good start as they head to college makes a big difference. So they added another facet to the program. Having qualified instructors is key, but they wanted to give high school kids insight that they could appreciate and understand.

    “We also have peer tutors who are college students who assist the professors during the sessions,” said Brown. “They are also available to students during the sessions and afterwards, too. They can answer questions about college life in general. We have found that teens relate better to teens and will feel more at ease asking questions this way.”

    Each session runs four weeks and is designed to give students everything they need to prepare for the SAT. Sure, it is still a lot of hard work for the student, but as entrepreneurs, Brown and Pearson have come up with a system that they are confident will make sense to both students and parents.

    “We structured the classes to mirror college courses. It is intensive learning but it is broken out so there is a natural progression from the learning materials to testing on those materials. It’s important to learn the pace of the SAT,” said Pearson. “The concept of these sessions is to break it down into manageable pieces, provide guidance and feedback for the essay and offer the opportunity to take a full- length practice SAT.”

    The March session meets each Saturday from March 7 through March 28. The classes run from 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and cover the three major areas of the SAT: reading, math and writing. It also includes tips and techniques that focus on study skills. Each session costs $600 and includes testing materials.

    “We will also offer boot camps over the summer. The boot camps will run four consecutive days and will offer the same content as the regular sessions. There are two sessions offered over the summer,” said Pearson.

    Find out more about College Professional SAT Prep or enroll for one of the sessions or boot camps at www.collegeprosatprep.com or by calling 910.420.5679 or emailing collegeprofessionalsatprep@gmail.

    Photo: Jasmin Brown and Tracey Pearson were disappointed when they started looking for ways to get their respective children ready for higher education, so they started College Professional SAT Prep. 

  • miami-grill.jpg

    Just over four years ago, a popular Fayetteville restaurant caught fire in a rear storage area. Firefighters put the blaze out before it could spread to the main dining room, but smoke and water damage ruined the interior of “Miami Subs Grill” on McPherson Church Road. It was devastating for owner/manager Jimmy Diamantopoulos. 

    “It had just been remodeled and was free and clear,” said Diamantopoulos, as he’s known, for obvious reasons. He had acquired a 50-year land lease and a 20-year franchise renewal.

    Jimmy is managing JK’s Deli and Family Restaurant nowadays, but has high hopes of returning to ownership of a local eatery. In fact, it won’t be long now. Loyd Builders is constructing a strip center on Walter Reed Road, and Diamantopoulos will be back in business. 

    Diamantopoulos  has been in the restaurant business for a long time. Before coming to Fayetteville 19 years ago, he had businesses in Montreal, Florida, Pennsylvania and New York. Of Greek descent, he found a home here, and at one time owned five restaurants. The Miami Subs Grill was his anchor store. He bought the building from the Miami Subs corporation. The aftermath of the fire in January of 2012 changed everything. 

    Fayetteville Fire Department investigators, city police, State Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents were unable to determine cause of the fire. No charges were filed. But Diamantopoulos says when he filed a $400,000 loss claim, Nationwide Insurance called the fire “suspicious” despite the lack of any evidence. And in May of 2012, the claim was denied. Unable to speak with his insurance agent or Donan Forensic Engineering, which Nationwide hired, Diamantopoulos brought a suit against the insurance company. He tells Up & Coming Weekly the matter still has not been settled. 

    Late last year, Diamantopoulos struck a deal with the owner of vacant property where JK’s is located to build a new restaurant there. It would face Raeford Road near the corner of Owen Drive. The final straw in his land preparation was the N.C. Department of Transportation’s decision to build a center dividing median along Raeford Road. N.C. DOT told Diamantopoulos he could not have two driveway access points, and that decision killed his plans. Actually, it changed the plan. Diamantopoulos is determined. 

    That’s when he learned about developer Buzz Loyd’s plans for a new building on Walter Reed Road off Owen Drive. Diamantopoulos says it will be a 4,100 sq. ft. full-service restaurant about the size of JK’s. Featured items will include wings, burgers, gyros and other Greek favorites. He hopes to open his new Miami Grill this summer. It’s been a long road to Miami.   



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    Fayetteville Police say a recent court decision restricting the use of Tasers has not affected policy governing their use. “The ruling didn’t cause a significant change in our policy. We were mostly in line with the ruling already. We only had to make a minor tweak,” said Lt. David McLaurin.  The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Taser use may be unconstitutionally excessive force in some circumstances. The decision immediately affects five southern states including North Carolina. Fayetteville Police policy says the weapon, which is considered non-lethal, may be used “when attempts to subdue a subject by conventional tactics have been or are likely to be ineffective.”

    The appellate court said police officers in Pinehurst were entitled to qualified immunity from a lawsuit by the family of Ronald H. Armstrong, but that they nonetheless used unconstitutionally excessive force in an incident that killed him. Armstrong was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and paranoid schizophrenia and went off his medication shortly before the 2011 incident. When he learned that commitment papers were taken out by his family, Armstrong wrapped himself around a signpost and refused to leave. Instead of trying to talk him into leaving, the 4th Circuit said, three police officers stunned him five times over about two minutes. 

    The Taser was in “drive stun mode,” a setting designed to cause pain and, therefore, create compliance with police orders. That’s a method prohibited by Fayetteville police in similar circumstances. Officers and hospital security guards physically removed Armstrong from the signpost, laid him face down on the ground and handcuffed both his arms and his legs. During the struggle, Armstrong complained that he was being choked; he became unresponsive and was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital.

    The 4th Circuit Court held that Taser use can — and, in this case, did — violate the subject’s Fourth Amendment right that protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures. Armstrong had not committed a crime, the court said and was declared a danger only to himself. Though Armstrong was resisting police, the court said the force used was greater than required. It noted that other circuits have held that Tasers can be a disproportionate force when used against nonviolent resistance and that its own precedent on other police weapons supports the same conclusion about Tasers. 

     

    “Law enforcement officers should now be on notice that using a Taser against someone like Armstrong violates the Fourth Amendment,” the court concluded. Fayetteville police policy prescribes that “Officers should always attempt de-escalation techniques and other options prior to deploying” a Taser, according to McLaurin. It goes on to say “abuse or misuse of the weapon can be a violation of state and federal law.”

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     If only Fort Bragg and Pope Army Airfield had the congressional influence that Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona has.  The latter is home to three squadrons of A-10 Thunderbolt jet fighters. The Air Force has been trying to replace the Warthogs, as they are affectionately known, with more modern aircraft. Budget documents from the fiscal 2017 request show the Air Force plans to begin moving out A-10 squadrons in increments between 2018 and 2022 to make room for F-35 squadrons. But Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a strong A-10 advocate. 

    “When the Obama Administration submits its 2017 budget request in the coming weeks, I hope it will follow through on its plan to keep the A-10 flying so that it can continue to protect American troops, many still serving in harm’s way,” McCain said after it was announced the A-10 would survive its “premature” retirement. 

    Meanwhile, it appears Pope Army Airfield’s C-130 Hercules troop carriers are doomed to relocation. North Carolina’s Congressional delegation has fought the Air Force over the planned deactivation of the 440th Airlift Wing for two years, unsuccessfully.  A letter, dated Feb. 4, outlines plans to dismantle the 440th, the Air Force Reserve unit at Pope.  Its 700 Reservists are being assigned to other duty stations. The Air Force says aircraft from other bases will be available for Fort Bragg airborne operations and training missions on request.

    Army brass, local leaders and members of Congress contend the move will compromise troop readiness, but the news that trickled down this month was not good. Second District Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) said the decision is “beyond disappointing” and “irresponsible to our paratroopers and their readiness.” “The Air Force has unapologetically marched forward with this misguided proposal and shown disdain at the concerns voiced by the N.C. delegation and the Fayetteville community,” she added. 

    At the same time Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said he found out about the move through third parties instead of the Air Force. “I am surprised and deeply disappointed with the Army’s decision to acquiesce to the Air Force’s strategy for how they will complete training at Fort Bragg,” Tillis said in a statement. In a sharp indictment of the Army’s decision, Tillis added “The burden is on Fort Bragg commanders to demonstrate to Congress and the Fayetteville community that they have not jeopardized the needs of the Global Response Force to placate the reckless desires of budget cutters in the Pentagon.”

         Tillis said in his discussions with the former commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps he was told the Air Force withdrawal “would negatively affect their flexibility, and will likely threaten their ability to provide the training needed to complete their mission.” There is no continuity of command at Fort Bragg because the three-star command turns over its leaders every two years. Tillis was clearly frustrated and angry. “For as long as I am a U.S. Senator, the Air Force can fully expect me to require that they demonstrate, on a monthly basis, how they are meeting their obligation to provide assets at Pope Airfield and fulfilling the training requirements of our brave men and women.”

         While Tillis and Ellmers have championed Pope Field’s cause by themselves, McCain has had the help of influential Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). “If there were any lingering doubts about the continued value and effectiveness of the A-10, one only need to look to Syria where the A-10 is taking the fight to ISIS,” Sen. Ayotte said in October. 

         Pope Field’s fate was written in 2005 when the Congressional Base Realignment and Closure Act converted what was Pope Air Force Base to an Army airfield. At the time of the changeover, Col. John Stokes, 440th Airlift Wing Vice Commander said “Throughout all of the transition, the 440th Airlift Wing will continue to provide total force mission ready combat airlifters and equipment, anywhere and anytime.” “The transfer of Pope Field to Army control is certainly an emotional event for our Air Force brethren, but it would be hard to find a closer relationship between sister services than Fort Bragg has had with Pope Air Force Base,” said then Fort Bragg Garrison Commander Col. Stephen Sicinski. The changes that the Bragg-Pope community will notice will be minor, Sicinski insisted.


  • Contemporary approaches to painting and sculpture are often far removed from the traditional approach to02-20-13-soni.gifreproduce a still life or landscape in paint, to model a portrait in clay. Artists since the early 20th century have explored the boundaries of what a painting and sculpture is and the possibilities of what they can become.

    The exhibit, Contemporary Ideas in Art at Rosenthal Gallery, on the campus of Fayetteville State University, is an opportunity for visitors to see the range of what artists are investigating as worthy of a painting and sculpture. It is an opportunity for visitors to the gallery to experi-ence the pleasure of witnessing and understand-ing new approaches to art.

    Liselott Johnsson, an artist from Madison, Ga., is exhibiting a painting titled “It is Not Dead, Just Stunned.” The size of the painting, an installa-tion, is 12 feet by 13 feet; the work demands at-tention and reflection from visitors to the gallery. In the work, the artist has stacked, on the floor, a large number of abstract geometric paintings — each different, precise, hard edged. Johnsson’s work exemplifies the dramatic shifts in meaning, which have taken place in the last 60 years in the medium of painting.

    To understand one of the many new direc-tions of painting, Johnsson’s artist statement directs us towards her intent: “Intrigued by the formal boundaries of painting as they relate to objects and architecture, I use materials, space, color and geometry to study the qualities of these limits … By integrating painting with architectural space; I negate a fixed view of the work.”

    The paintings by local artist Aaron Wallace are created by applying spray insulation foam on canvas before he applies his layers of paint. Visitors may be stunned into sensing a painting can be gooey and puffy, playful and tactile. A painting can be about contradictions and teeter between something industrial and a delicate sensitivity at the same moment. A painting can be something you may want to scoop up like ice cream and eat!

    Robert Bern, an artist from Santa Fe, N. M., is exhibiting a sculpture titled “In America.” Looking up at the 12-foot-tall table, one can see the tabletop has a trap door that has fallen open. The words cut into the sides of the edges of the tabletop indicate a hopeful futility for many who try to break through the glass ceiling. The text reads: “In America the doorway to success is within reach for those who work hard and believe”.

    Another exceptional local artist, Marcela Casals, is exhibiting three sculptures. The most popular seems to be her dramatic 12-foot-tall sculpture suspended from the ceiling; as if floating, the weight and beauty of chiffon material exude through hollow ceramic tubes. White on white, gravity and material give way to what is expressed in the title “Gift” (Earth Bones Series).

    Other artists in the exhibit include painter James Biederman from New York City, pho-tographer Jeff Brown from Upper Darby, Pa., painter Dana Pasila from Provincetown, Mass., and Diane Wiencke from Peaks Island, Maine.

    Until the closing of the exhibit on Feb. 27, visitors to Rosenthal Gallery will have the opportunity to explore the complexities of contemporary art, experience a new full range of meanings and ways of ex-pressing meaning being explored by the artists in Contemporary Ideas in Art. For information call Dwight Smith at 672-1795.

    Photo: Contemporary Ideas in Art is on display through Feb. 27 at Fayetteville State University’s Rosenthal Gallery.

  • Raqi Barnett hasn’t been in Fayetteville that long, but she’s been in theater for more than 30 years teaching, modeling, acting and directing. She’s good at it — and she loves it.

    She’ll be making her directorial debut in Fayetteville at the Gilbert Theater on Feb. 3, when Paul Woolverton and John Merritt’s play Dateline Greensboro opens there.

    This is the story of the beginning of the Civil Rights movement — more specifi cally, it is the tale of how a series of sit-ins in Greensboro, N.C., in 1960, sparked a movement that changed the world while baffl ing and transforming the news industry there. 02-02-11-dateline-greensboro1.gif

    It all started when four African-American college students went to the lunch counter in Woolworth’s, which was a whites-only establishment. They sat down, asked for food and were promptly asked to leave. Without violence or malice, they chose to stay, much to the chagrin of the other customers. They came back again and again and were mistreated each time. They were spit upon, had food dumped on them and were called every name in the book, but they stood fi rm and responded without violence.

    One of the reasons that these sit-ins were so important is that the local press responded with great interest, and the story was picked up and reported around the country.

    In this production Barnett is seeking to draw the audience into the experience and transport them to 1960 to give them a taste of the tension that surrounded these events. The play begins before the audience even makes it to their seats.

    “As soon as people go into the theater they are already back in time. There are signs saying “colored only,” “white only,” “we serve whites only” and things like that, as soon as you enter,” said Barnett. “In the lobby you will see the four guys at a mock Woolworth’s counter so you can see how it was when they were there.”

    Then the audience will move into the theater where they will have a choice to sit in the whites only side or the colored only side so they can see how it was in that era going to the theater. Then the newspaper will start covering the story as if it were that day in 1960.

    The characters are introduced in black and white costumes. This is by design.

    “As the play progresses, the audience will be able to see how the characters are affected by the events around them,” said Barnett. “It will be sort of like Pleasantville, at least that is my vision. As the characters change internally their costumes will refl ect that — or not. There are some characters who remain unchanged by the course of events. I think it will be an interesting evening for the audience.”

    02-02-11-dateline-greensporo-2.gifThe fact that Barnett, a black woman, is directing a play about the Civil Rights Movement during Black History Month is not lost on her.

    “There is extra pressure and extra excitement in it and in being able to tell a story that is still very relevant. The cast is amazing, and I think the play will be great,” said Barnett. “The goal is for everyone to take away with them a little part of history.”

    Barnett is dedicating her work on this play to her husband’s unit, the XVIII Airborne Corps, which is currently deployed to Iraq.

    Dateline Greensborowill run through Feb. 20 on Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12, except for opening night which is “pay-what-you-can” night. Space is limited, so make your reservations at gilberttheater@aol.com or by calling 678-7186.

  • 02-09-11-valentine-downtown.gifValentine’s Day is just around the corner and the downtown merchants and restaurateurs are doing everything they can to make it easier than ever to impress, please and woo that special someone.

    In addition to romance, downtown wants to share some good fortune with those who could use a hand this year. Through Valentine’s Day merchants will be collecting canned goods and nonperishable items for Second Harvest Food Bank. Look for the red heart in the window and take your donations inside.

    While there is plenty to do, here are just a few fun ideas if you are at a loss on how to impress your date.

    Show up at their door with a traditional sweet treat. The Chocolate Lady is offering confectionery delights that will satisfy most anyone’s sweet-tooth. Get a box of chocolate covered strawberries for $20. Call her at 480-2000 and place your order while there is still time.

    Just Desserts is offering Valentine’s Day treats like chocolate covered strawberries, heart shaped cookies and red-velvet cake, as well as many other goodies that will impress your sweetheart. Give them a call at 860-2253. They are accepting advanced orders.

    Then treat your Valentine to a carriage ride through historic downtown. Rides are available from 1-8 p.m. Feb. 12 and last about 20 minutes. Tickets are $15 per person if you don’t mind sharing the carriage, (kids under 12 are $5) or book a private ride for $50. Call City Center Gallery & Books at 678-8899 to make your reservation.

    From there, check out one of the many deals that the local restaurants have for couples.

    Circa 1800 is offering specials on Feb. 12 and 14 for a three-course dinner and wine fl ight. Discount movie tickets are included in the price. Give them a call at 568-4725 to make a reservation or get more details.

    Blue Moon is celebrating Valentines Day with fondue — for two. A cheese fondue entree to share followed by a round of chocolatey fondue goodness for dessert.

    For $50 Lido’s is offering an appetizer, two entrees, two glasses of wine and a dessert. They’ve got dancing and entertainment later in the evening, too.

    Enjoy a laid back dinner at Haymont Grill where a surf and turf dinner for two costs $34.95 and includes a salad, potato and dessert. For more information, give them a call at 484-0261.

    Stop by Huske Hardware for a dinner of salad. N.Y. Strip steak, a side, dessert and wine or champagne — for two. This special will run you $49.99.

    Pierro’s is having a sweetheart of a special, too. It costs $59.99 and includes wine, appetizer, salad, an entree and dessert for two.

    Hang around downtown and dance the night away or check out the Cameo Arthouse Theater. They are having a special showing of Blue Valentine, which earned awards in 2010 at the Independant Spirit Awards, the London Film Critics Association and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Call the theater for show times at 486-6633.

    Adventurers seeking something different for their sweethearts may want to consider Zipquest. Just off Ramsey Street, Zipquest was named one of USA Today’s 10 great zip lines and it’s right here in our own backyard. It costs $79 per person and is an adventure you won’t soon forget.

    Then head home with a nice bottle of wine to enjoy the rest of the evening. Bob & Sheree’s Beer & Wine Shoppe has his and her baskets fi lled with wine and chocolate — Sweetheart baskets for the ladies and Lionheart baskets for gents. Baskets start at $50. Mention downtown’s “Have a Big Heart” program and receive $5 off.

    Of course these are just a few of the options for a fun Valentine’s Day date. Check out pages 18 and 19 and see what else is going on downtown.

  • The bass trombone is probably not the first instrument that comes to mind when one thinks of a solo musical recital. But music lovers will have the chance to see, hear and interact with Dr. David Krosschell, an accomplished bass trombonist, tenor trombonist and music educator, in an evening performance on Friday, February 18, at 7:30 p.m. on the campus of Methodist University. The performance at Hensdale Chapel is free and open to the public. “David Krosschell is newer to the area via North Texas State University and Northwestern University,” said Deanne Renshaw, Fine Arts Coordinator with Methodist University and Orchestra Personnel Manager of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. “He is a fantastic bass trombone player. It is unusual to hear solo bass trombone recitals. It’s a unique and cool situation, and whatever he plays will be engaging.” Krosschell received his BA in music education and music performance from Western Michigan University, his MA in trombone performance from the University of North Texas and his PhD in music performance from Northwestern University. He presently lives and works in the Raleigh/Durham/ Chapel Hill, N.C., area as a freelance trombonist and music educator. Before moving to North Carolina, Krosschell performed and taught in the Washington, D.C. area, Chicago, Il., and Dallas/Ft. Worth, Tx. His repertoire includes classical, jazz and commercial styles, and he has played with the North Carolina Symphony, the Opera Company of North Carolina, Fayetteville Symphony, and the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra, as well as the 1 o’clock Lab Band and North Texas Wind Symphony. The performance is part of the Friends of Music (FOM) series at Methodist University. “Friends of Music presents a concert almost every other week during the school year,” Renshaw said. “It’s not just to bring in national artists for the public, but also for the benefi t of Methodist University’s music students so they can see what they might do in their careers. The concerts are less formal than typical concert performances, and the artists talk and interact with the audiences. They are free for the public, and of course, we couldn’t do it without the generous support of the Arts C02-16-11-methodist-u-logo.gifouncil.” For more information, contact (910) 630-7100 or visit www.methodist.edu/music.

     

    David Krosschell will perform on Feb. 18 at Hensdale Chapel at Methodist University. The event is free and open to the public.

  • 02-05-14-soni-martin.gifLocal galleries are hosting exceptional exhibits in Fayetteville area. Most of the exhibits are up until the third weekend of each month, so there is plenty of time to visit the galleries during the month of February.

    Cape Fear Studios on Maxwell Street opened exhibits with the paintings and sculpture by Barton Hatcher and a ceramic exhibit by Charles and Linda Riggs. Both exhibits are quite different and reflect the work of highly skilled artists whose bodies of work are skillful and deliberate in meaning and content.

    When viewing the paintings by Barton Hatcher, nature is revealed as shapes — the limited modeling of forms — move across the picture plane in a whimsical way. Hatcher incorporates patterns, close-ups of birds, silhouettes of people in action, flowers and even parts of the human anatomy to reveal something carefree about nature and the human condition – a place where nature and human kind co-exist in accord.

    In strong contrast, the ceramics of Charles and Linda Riggs are exquisitely dependent upon a minimal sculptural form and ceramic firing techniques to reveal effortless beauty. Appearing effortless is the result of a highly trained and experienced ceramic artist who knows how to create thin walled forms to support earthen stained surfaces — colors created by a pit firing technique.

    Before you leave the Cape Fear Studios, be sure to view the results of their annual college art student competition at the back of the gallery. The Lois Ferrari Memorial Scholarship is a competition for interested art students from Methodist, Fayetteville State University and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. The winner is awarded a large stipend for supplies and a one-person exhibit. This year, Fayetteville State University art student Eric Longley won the award for his prints.

    A young and talented artist, his approach to printmaking techniques are rooted in a search for the expressive qualities of material and process. He shamelessly mixes printmaking mediums in an attempt to evoke a variety of messages and surfaces in the same print.

    The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County on Hay Street is hosting the exhibit titled The Pilgrim Age: a Lifetime of Collecting by Dr. James and Juanita Pilgrim. Noted collectors, the Pilgrims are sharing part of their personal collection, works by distinguished African-American artists William Tolliver, Jonathan Green and Paul Goodnight. The majority of the exhibit focuses on the works of Tolliver.

    The Pilgrims, Fayetteville residents, have spent their life together collecting artworks and often developing close relationships with the artist whose work they were collecting. This was the case for knowing and collecting the work of William Tolliver. Juanita Pilgrim said she was attracted to Tolliver’s work because of the mix of paint and colors. “He did not skimp on the paint and it’s obvious he painted from the heart; Tolliver became a close friend of our family.”

    Tolliver’s artistic career as a painter emerged in the 1980s; his brushy style of thick application of paint in an impasto style seems to have occurred after his earlier paintings — a cubist influence where many of the objects and people in his paintings were outlined with a strong black contour.

    There are plenty more excellent exhibits opening in February in Fayetteville. Gallery 208 (Up and Coming Weekly) on 208 Rowan Street opens on Feb. 11, with the exhibit Paintings by Earl Gardner (opening reception Feb. 11 at 5:30 p.m.)It is free and open to the public.

    The David McCune International Art Gallery at Methodist University will present the exhibition, PICASSO: 25 Years of Edition Ceramics from the Rosenbaum Collection from Feb. 13 to April 13, 2014. The opening night gala is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 13. The public is invited to attend.

    Rosenthal Gallery on the campus of Fayetteville State University has opened Time, Space and Place: the Works of Leroy S. Robinson. The exhibit runs through Feb. 22.

    Lastly, if you haven’t already, make sure to visit a new gallery that opened in December, the Ellington White Contemporary Gallery on 113 Gillespie Street in downtown Fayetteville.

    Photo: Granny’s Garden by Barton Hatcher.

  • uac022311001.gif While most teenagers are focused on school, clothes, cars and members of the opposite sex, two Fayetteville teens are focused on the music industry — and in the words of the late, great Frank Sinatra — they are going to “do it their way.”

    Fifteen-year-old Summer Collins and her cousin, Isaac Ball, just 19, make up the rising musical duo known as Summerfi eld. The name, which many think is a play on Collins’ name, actually is significant to the two.

    “We think Summerfield and it’s a thriving meadow,” said Ball. “Like our music, it’s a changing, growing thing.”

    The two have been involved in music all of their lives, but it was only last year, when they opened at the Dogwood Festival that the band gelled. Ball and his brother came up from Florida to back Collins up for the festival and her performances. Ball and Collins clicked and the idea of becoming a band was born.

    Two months later, Ball moved to Fayetteville from Florida and the pair began writing. Over the summer they wrote more than 30 songs and ultimately selected 15 for their CD, Sunlit Destination.

    “There was something there. We knew it was right, and we knew we could be successful at it,” said Ball.

    The band’s sound is eclectic. They are not quite country and not really pop. Their sound has most often been referred to as Lady Antebellum playing Taylor Swift — minus the angst of Swift.

    The duo writes music based on their lives to this point — what they’ve learned and are continuing to learn. Collins had written four songs prior to her partnership with Ball. Three of those songs made it on to the CD. Ball, a classical violinist, had also been writing prior to his move to Fayetteville, but both found that the combination of their talents opened up their creative juices.

    “We had weeks where we were writing together that we were writing all week, and then weeks that we just sat and played chess,” said Ball.

    “Last summer was song writing, chess, writer’s block, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Raisin Bran,” added Collins.

    “We have seasons that we write in,” said Ball. “It’s a very on and off process.”

     

    Sunlit Destination, the title track, is a southern rock anthem about roads not taken and possibilities. “Everything,” another song on the CD is about Ball’s dad.

    “You don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. I got up here and realized how much I missed my Dad, and the fact that I realized that he made me who I am,” he explained.

    After spending the summer writing songs and learning about the music industry, the pair headed to Nashville, Tenn., where they recorded the CD.

    “We went up there twice,” said Collins. “While we were there, I sang all of the songs on the CD and Isaac laid down all the violin tracks. It was really awesome being behind the mic and singing all of our songs.”

    In between takes, Collins sat on the couch and did her homework. The music is the focus, but both Collins and Ball have had to learn how to balance their lives.

    “When she’s at school, school is her job, and I work part-time at Huske,” explained Ball. “But when we are home, Summerfield is our business.”

    And business is booming.

    02-23-11summerfield-banner.gif“We are completely and totally independent,” said Ball. “We were approached early on by a lot of producers — multi-platinum producers, A&R agents and labels. Summer even had a written letter from the producers of American Idol to allow her to compete because at the time, she was too young. But we turned all of that down. We both own Rock the Boat Records and Summerfield Entertainment, the business arm that owns the publishing rights to the duo’s music. We do this entirely independent and will continue to do this independent.”

    Taking the independent route is not easy, and the two have had to learn about the music industry quickly.

    “We already have some of our songs on iTunes and other sites for distribution,” said Collins. “With radio play it will become a supply and demand — if people really want to hear our music then they will play our songs on the radio.”

    “We’ve really had to dive into the business aspect of our music. We have had to learn about Web presence, publishing, distribution — getting our music on the radio,” continued Ball. “We’ve spent a lot of time reading and learning. A lot of the producers that we talked to early on have been a great resource. They’ve said, ‘OK, if you aren’t going to come with me, at least listen,’ and they’ve given us great advice. It’s really become a full-time job.”

    Pairing that full-time job with their daily lives makes for long days.

    “When I come home I have to do my homework and then I work on Summerfi eld,” said Collins.

    “Summer is being modest,” added Ball “She has been nominated for Governor’s School. She’s an A student and is in honor courses. She is one busy girl, but we stay on her.

    “For me it’s been rearranging my schedule. I work part-time at Huske. We are “indipreneurs” — we run an independent label, it’s a full-time job. Our business is our life. That’s what it has become for both of us. It takes until 3 or 4 a.m. before you go to bed, and we do that because we believe in our music.”

    That belief has led to the development of a fullblown campaign that began with the recording of their CD. The next step is getting out and getting their music heard by the public.

    “Part of that is playing shows,” said Ball. “We are going to headline at the Duck Derby and we will perform at the Dogwood Festival and at other shows. It is important that we get out and put our music in front of the public and let them hear us live.”

    This grassroots approach is directed at Fayetteville first and then the surrounding area. 02-23-11-summerfieldvertical.gif

    “We want to get Fayetteville behind us,” said Ball. “Our heart is in Fayetteville. We started this as a grassroots campaign, but in the age of YouTube, and Facebook, France is also grassroots.”

    With that in mind, the other half of their campaign is focused on web dominance.

    “We spend a lot of time online,” said Ball. “We are on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, My Space. We have more than 1.4 million channel views on YouTube and we are speaking to people all over the world on a daily basis through blogging and Twitter. That’s a full-time deal.”

    “People are really liking our music and they seem to like us,” said Collins. “When they listen to our music and watch our videos, they leave really nice comments.”

    The videos, by the way, are also produced, filmed and acted out by the pair.

    “It’s awesome to get a message from somebody in Austria who said they downloaded the song and it made their day,” said Ball. “It can be overwhelming.”

    But the two have the grounding presence of Collins’ father Josh, and his wife, Tonia, to help them out when they get overwhelmed.

    “Josh and Tonia are always there to give us advice,” said Ball. “Sometimes we hash out decisions with them, but we make the majority of our decisions. We’ve never had any conflict because we all share the same values.”

    To keep up-to-date with the band, visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/ Summerfield/175839475765506 or see them on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSummerfieldBand?feature=mhum.

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  • The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra (FSO) celebrates Black History Month with a performance of William Grant Still’s fi rst Afro-American02-03-10-fso-celebrates.gif Symphony on Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. in the J.W Seabrook Auditorium located on the campus of Fayetteville State University.

    William Grant Still is the fi rst African-American to conduct a symphony in the South, and have a symphony and opera performed by a major company. Still is referred to as the dean of African-American composers. Still composed his music in the 1930s, during which time a large amount of blues was incorporated into African-American music. Still used these tunes and incorporated them into a symphony instead of pop pieces.

    Mark Savage, executive director of the FSO, explained that the orchestra will perform four movements from Still’s symphony: “Longing,” “Sorrow,” “Humor” and “Aspiration.”

    Savaged explained the orchestra selected these particular composers because FSO’s tribute to Still is a true celebration of Black History Month. Savage also explained that Still is an African-American composer, who was raised in the United States noting, “It is his time to be recognized.”

    The program will also feature Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 in G Minor, and Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird Ballet.

    Mozart selected the key of G minor because to him, it was the key of extreme pathos and despair. At the age of 17, Mozart wrote Little G Minor Symphony (No. 25), which was rarely heard in concert halls until after the fi lm Amadeus, in which it served as background music for the opening credits.

    The Suite has remained Stravinsky’s most frequently performed work.

    The title of Mozart’s fi rst movement is “Allegro Con Brio,” next is “Andante, Menuetto and Trio, and Allegro.”

    Stravinsky extracted from a ballet to make the music more accessible for the resources of an orchestra.

    From Stravinsky’s symphony, the orchestra will perform six movements: the introduction of the characters of the suite, Firebird and its dance, Princesses Khorovod also known as the (around dance), the Infernal Dance of King Kashchei (he is the bad guy in the ballet). The fi fth movement Berceuse (lullaby), and the sixth movement is the Finale.

    Savage explained that Stravinsky’s ballet tells the story of a heroic prince who rescues the beautiful princess Tsarevna and her friends from an evil magician named Kashchey. The Prince marries the princess and a grand ceremony is held for the victor and the Firebird.

    Stravinsky was selected because his composition consists of a struggle between good versus evil and good overpowers evil and wins. Savage feels with the state of the economy and the different devastations that are happening at this particular time, good overpowering evil is a nice change. Mozart’s piece was chosen because of its strength, and the fact that it is different from the other two composers, this difference makes it a nice closer for the concert.

    Savage added that county residents need to come to the concerts and support the orchestra. He said, “If you come and listen, you won’t be disappointed! You will get your monies worth and then some.”

    Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for Seniors and Military, and Students with an ID are $8. You can purchase tickets online at www.fayettevillesymphony.org or call (910) 433-4690. Free shuttle service available from a central location — call for details and to make a reservations.

  • The U.S. Army Forces Command’s Army Ground Forces Band performs at Methodist University on Saturday,02-29-12-ground-forces-band.jpgMarch 3, in Reeves Auditorium. The group of 59 talented and dedicated soldiers hit the stage at 7 p.m. will and provide the audience with an hour and a half of entertainment — free of charge.

    “This will be our first regular concert in the Fayetteville area,” says Maj. Treg Ancelet, commander and conductor of the Army Ground Forces Band, “The last concert we did in Fayetteville was our big holiday concert in Reeves Auditorium, but it was a joint concert.”

    The band, which has been stationed at Fort Bragg for a year, has high expectations for their members.

    “All of our musicians are highly trained and had to go through a band audition to become a member of the major-command band,” says Ancelet. “They have to score very high. Some of the band members have been to conservatories of music and are working on their doctorates.”

    The origin of the band dates back to 1846 when the band members helped in winning the Battle of Monterey and became the only Army band to receive a combat distinction from the President of the United States. The band uniforms have a red stripe down the pants to display this victory from 1846.

    “This concert band will mix it up with some transcriptions,” says Ancelet. “We’ll do standard band repertoire, like Grainger; we’ve got to do a few student marches and there will be a lot of vocal and patriotic bids.”

    The concert also features videos that will accompany different songs, the service medley and some John Williams: Raiders of the Lost Ark. Also, at intermission the band will bring the Dixie Land Band out to play someDixie music.

    “I’m really proud of this concert; I think it’s going to be really fun and stuff that people don’t normally see,” says Ancelet. “There will be a lot of different dimensions that most bands don’t bring to the public.”

    The ultimate goal of the four-star general’s band (General Rodriguez) is to spread the Army’s message around the country.

    “With a band of this size and caliber, one of our missions is not just to bring morale for the troops, but to bring the Army’s story to all of America,” says Ancelet.

    While The Army Ground Forces Band has performed for audiences as large as 3,000, they are hoping to have a great turnout for the Methodist University concert.

    “We have given concerts to a large crowd before, and were kind of curious because it is our first regular concert. I hope everyone comes out and has a good time,” says Ancelet. “It should be fun for all!”

    This event is free and open to the public. Find out more about the Army Ground Forces Band, and the concert at www.forscom.army.mil/band.

    Photo: Army Ground Forces Band will perform on March 3 at Reeves Auditorium.

  • “Through the darkness of the heavens shine the lights of knowledge.”                                           –  Tom Grubb –

    Tom Grubb is an artist, specifically a sculptor, who uses his knowledge of missile technology and abstract space exploration in his work. He is educated and experienced in both areas. These days he’s creating artwork in his home studio and experimenting with new technology.  Grubb’s 20 years in Fayetteville are immortalized in three sculptures which have become part of the community’s landscape —from the airport to downtown. He received a National Endowment for the Arts project grant for his sculpture “Star Gate 2003.” He created another piece, “Sprint Voyager,” for Fayetteville’s Festival of Flight, also in 2003. His local art was chronicled in an Up & Coming Weekly cover story that year. His works have been exhibited in collections and museums in the United States and abroad. Grubb was Executive Director of Fayetteville’s Museum of Art from 1990 to 2010. When the museum went under, Grubb moved on and now makes his home on the ocean in Washington, N.C. Art, his sailboat and teaching art appreciation at Beaufort Community College are his life today.

    His first local work of art was erected at the airport in 1988. More recently came “Star Gate 2003” at the roundabout near the Headquarters Library. “Sprint Voyager” is off Hillsboro and East Rowan Streets near downtown. It’s actually a telephone company cell tower for which Sprint won an award as the “most creative cite concealment of a tower.” It was noted as “the height of ingenuity” in the New York Times Magazine.

    Perhaps you’ve wondered about the inspiration for his futuristic designs. 

    “I combine elements found in physics, astronomy, navigation and sacred geometry to create my works of art. I believe that the arts and sciences are closely connected to the health of the human spirit. It is through this seeking of the unknown that one can grow and develop as a human being on planet earth. I create these works of art that are part ancient, part futuristic and part spiritual to inspire the viewer to consider the unlimited possibilities of exploring earth and the universe,” said Grubb.

    Time is taking its toll on both local sculptures. They need painting. Presumably CenturyLink inherited maintenance responsibility for maintaining the “Voyager” which the now-defunct Sprint originally agreed to maintain. Grubb says painting “Star Gate 2003” is up to the City of Fayetteville. He tells Up & Coming Weekly that he’s working with Michael Gibson, Director of the Parks & Recreation Department, to have the painting taken care of. The sculptures are made primarily of aluminum and stainless steel.  Grubb says he has volunteered to oversee the painting. The two poles from which the sculpture is suspended have already been painted. 

  • 02-08-12-open-table-logo.jpgNo, it’s not a new appetizer. It’s a phone app that is bringing big-city shopistication, to Fayetteville at two of our finest eateries. Not only can mobile-phone users check bank balances online and use social media to connect with people around the world, now they can make restaurant reservations for a more trouble-free and convenient experience with apps like OpenTable. This online system is an expedient reservation booking solution for more than 20,000 restaurant custom-ers each month. The Hilltop House in Haymount, and the Mash House, located located on Sycamore Dairy Road, are Fayetteville’s first —and, so far, only — establishments to use the app and it is making life easier for both the restau-rants and their customers.

    Since1998, OpenTable has seated more than 250 million diners around the world and has become the organizational tool for many owner-operated restaurants in metropolitan areas. Local customers can make reservations online with-out even placing a call to a restaurant. Diners have access to booking a table 24/7 on OpenTable where they are provided with real-time availability.

    Imagine the possibilities for using this convenient piece of technology: last minute out-of-town guests, a great piece of news like a promotion or a pregnancy, remembering a birthday at the last minute or maybe its been a long day and you just want to meet some friends for dinner. OpenTable makes it fast and easy, so customers can focus more on what really matters to them. This is just one more way to make a great dining experience better.02-08-12-mash-house-logo.jpg

    OpenTable has proven beneficial to restaurants that have made the system a part of their overall management. It aides in the proper running of the restaurant by creating a system that can book seats online for any size party without the hassle of numerous people calling at potentially busy times. It helps counter overbooking by providing true availability for online and even phone bookings. In the end, it can increase revenue for restau-rants and improve service quality for customers. Both the Mash House and the Hilltop House are impressed by the system and look to see reservations grow using OpenTable.

    Nikki Atkinson, manager at the Mash House, has used the system before with different companies. She lived in Boston and says that it is very common for restaurants to use OpenTable. “It is very convenient and the touch screen system keeps it orderly for my staff,” Atkinson says, “I would love to see more restau-rants use it.”

    The Mash House is located right in the heart of Fayetteville and offers customers a unique dining experi-ence. OpenTable gives customers easy and hassle-free ac-cess to their freshly-made food and award-winning, hand-crafted beer.

    The Hilltop House has been pleased with OpenTable since the restaurant started using it in early January. Beth Shearin-Smith, owner of the Hill Top House, appreciates the efficiency it brings to managing her business, and based on the response, customers think it is great, too.

    02-08-12-hilltop-house-logo.jpg“We had OpenTable reservations within 24 hours of going live with the system,” Shearin-Smith says, “It has made a tremendous increase and impact to our business.”

    Shearin-Smith felt it was the right time to start using the system given the way social media has become so vital in peoples’ lives. She wanted the Hilltop House to stay as up-to-date as possible and she could not be more impressed with the results the app has shown in such a short period of time. “

    As a business owner, the system shows great results,” Shearin-Smith adds, “It is a very good organizational tool.”

    Because of the business they have received from OpenTable, Shearin-Smith says the “Hilltop House is able to show how great the food, service and ambiance is.” It is one more tool that enables restau-rants to better serve customers.

    For more information about Open Table visit www.opentable.com.

  • Winter Jam Comes to the Crown 02-06-13-winter-jam.gif

    The Buzz this week is all about the Winter Jam Tour Spectacular 2013. Winter Jam is returning to the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville Thursday, Feb. 7. Here are a few things you will need to know to be prepared for an amazing evening!

    First, arrive as early as you can. The doors open at 6 p.m., but since the admission is just a $10 donation at the door (unless you purchase a JamNation membership*) you will want to be in line well before then. Bring water, snacks and maybe a group-oriented game to help pass the time. You’ll also need ear plugs (it will be loud) and some cash for food and art-ist merchandise.

    The concert officially starts at 7 p.m., but the pre-jam party really gets things going around 6:30 p.m. with new bands Capital Kings and OBB. American Idol alum Jason Castro will round out the Pre-Jam experience.The lights go dim at 7 p.m. and the show takes off with a few fun tunes from Jamie Grace like “Hold Me” and “You Lead.” Sing along to the in-sightful ballads from Sidewalk Prophets: “The Words I Would Say,” “You Love Me Anyway” and the new one “Help Me Find It.” Then be ready to “Make A Move” with Royal Tailor!

    Newsong, your hosts for the evening and the founders of Winter Jam, will inspire with “The Same God”, their new radio single “Swallow The Ocean” and the classic “Arise My Love” among others. Once your vocal chords are warmed up you will sing along with Matthew West and his wonderful story-songs like “Strong Enough,” “My Own Little World,” and his latest, “Forgiveness.”

    Speaker Nick Hall will vividly present the life one can have with the God spoken about in the songs being sung. Then, for the rockers in the house, Red will pump up the decibels and the pyrotechnics! Finally Toby Mac and Diverse City will close the evening as only they can with tunes such as “City On Our Knees,” “Lose My Soul” and the new one, “Steal My Show.”

    It’s the largest Christian concert that will come this way all year; 10 bands for only $10 at the door!

    *If you want a guaranteed seat with some bonus benefits, details on the Jam Nation memberships is available at www.jamtour.com.

  • 02-18-15-bridal-expo.gifSome women long for the day when they become a bride and ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after with their one true love. They dream for the day and imagine it in all its perfection — until the reality of making that perfect day match their dream hits them in the midst of a Bridezilla moment. There is no question that the preparation for a wedding can be a stressful event, but you can breathe easy. Help is on the way!

    The 7th Annual Bridal Extravaganza at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, sponsored by Up & Coming Weekly and Fayetteville Women’s View, is a unique one-stop location for all of your bridal needs. The event is on Sunday, Feb. 22, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux.

    “This is our seventh year and we are known for having the largest group of vendors,” said Heidi Politi, sales manager of The Holiday Inn Bordeaux. “We work for a whole year toward this event and it takes the whole team to support it.”

    Politi added that it is an opportunity for brides and grooms from across the region to come and see the various vendors who can fulfill all of their needs. Also on hand is every bride’s best friend, event planners! Event planners who can ensure that everything is covered from the perfect cake to keeping the flower girl in line to ensuring the reception rocks will also participate in the expo.

    “We have the largest facility (in the area) with 15 different event rooms and 33,000 square feet of meeting and event space,” said Politi. “It takes a lot to fill it and on any given day we could do four weddings.”

    The event first began as The Holiday Inn marketing their meeting/event space, but over time, the event became a much anticipated annual event with brides calling frequently to make sure they didn’t miss the event.

    “We’ve kept our ticket prices very low purposefully because we wanted to make sure that everyone gets a chance to come” said Politi. “It is a day of lots of door prizes. We probably have in excess of 60 door prizes.”

    To register for the drawings, attendees will receive a flyer at the registration desk. As attendees visit the vendors, they will collect a signature from the vendor and when their card is complete, they can drop it in the basket for a chance to win one of the many great prizes.

    What is the most dramatic moment at a wedding? That moment when the bride takes her first step into the room in her gorgeous gown and makes her walk down the aisle. To ensure that local brides have the ability to see the latest in wedding gowns, the expo is hosting three fashion shows, with one of the shows geared to mens formal wear. Of course, one show will feature top-of-the-line gowns and bridesmaid dresses.

    In total there are 42 exhibit booths featuring everything from performers to bouquets and centerpieces, as well as tastings of cakes and appetizers. Of course, there will also be demonstrations of perfect bridal hair and makeup, as well as entertainment to make your reception unforgettable.

    “We try to stay up with the latest trends— and there are a lot of them — that are announced on websites like WeddingWire.com and Pinterest,” said Politi. “They are the top websites for brides.”

    All brides will receive complimentary gift bags.

    “It’s a great day and it is always so exciting but it is an enormous amount of work,” said Politi.

    Tickets are $3 in advance and $7 at the door. Exhibit booths are $300. For more information and to R.S.V.P., call 323-0111.

    Photo: 7th Annual Bridal Expo at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux helps make your dream day a reality.

  • 020-06-13-legallyblond.gifI have been waiting for Legally Blonde to hit the stage at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre since the afternoon last summer when Tom Quaintance, the artistic director at the CFRT, announced the new season. Let me say upfront, it was well worth the wait.

    The musical, tells the story of Elle Woods, a blonde beauty from Malibu, who gives up tanning and shopping to attend Harvard Law School in order to win back her boyfriend, who is looking for a serious girl. The premise is, in and of itself, shaky. Because really, how would she get into Harvard Law when her main recom-mendation is being a sorority queen and what guy is giving up Malibu Barbie for lawyer Barbie? But that’s an argument for another day.

    I’d much rather talk about the phe-nomenal cast of the show, the great music, punchy one-liners and over-the-top acting. Yes, the show has all of that and a lot more!

    Shorey Walker, the New York City-based director, did an outstanding job in casting this show. She brought to-gether a diverse group of actors, most local, some regional for a tour de force that has not been seen in the area in quite some time. While all of the actors brought something to table, I would be totally remiss, if I didn’t say that two of the actors in supporting roles really stole the entire show.

    The first set of kudos goes out to Samantha Fabiani who played the role of Paulette, the hairdresser/lonely heart who befriends Elle in Boston. Fabiani was last seen on the CFRT stage in Jesus Christ Superstar, where she played the role of Herod. I ab-solutely loved her in that role, as she strutted the stage in leopard pajamas, but as Paulette, she was unstoppable. She owned the role and her perfect comedic timing brought laughter from the audience every time she deliv-ered her lines. Fabiani, a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, is a phenomenal addition to the cast, and it is our hope that she will continue to frequent the CFRT stage in the years to come.

    The first time I consciously remember seeing Chris Emano was when he was juggling in the lobby of the Cape Fear Regional Theatre prior to the start of the show Barnum. Since that time, I have seen Emano in a number of shows where he has played small roles, but nothing that has ever put him really front and center. That was supposed to be the case in this show as well. Emano was cast in three distinct supporting roles, but he stole the show lock, stock and barrel. I have never seen him as animated in any other show, but in Legally Blonde, he had the audience eating out of his hand. If you go to the show for no other reason, go to see a young actor come into his own. Chris Emano is center stage with the spotlight on him in this show, and I have to say, he has earned it.

    That being said, the entire ensemble did an awesome job singing and danc-ing their way through the show, and the girls who comprised the Greek chorus were divine inspired. I mentioned this after Jesus Christ Superstar, but I have to reenforce it, Quaintance has done an exceptional job in bringing new blood into the theatre and many of those folks fill the ranks of the ensemble in this show, which gives it the WOW factor that actually had the audience cheering in the middle of the act, not at the end.

    The obvious enjoyment of the audi-ence also played a great part in mak-ing this show so awesome. Too many times I’ve gone to the theatre and other than polite claps in between acts, the audience could not have even been present. The audience for this show was actively engaged in the show and they made it known that they enjoyed the show from the first, “OMG!” to the last.

    Legally Blonde the Musicalat the CFRT is a home run, and is the type and caliber of theatre that local resi-dents should embrace and come to expect from the CFRT.

    The show was scheduled to run through Feb. 10 but due to the out-standing response of local residents and the popularity of the show, we are happy to announce that the run has been extended for one more week, and will go through Feb. 17. Grab your phone, go online and get your tickets, this may very well be the best show of the season.

    For tickets and information, visit the website at www.cfrt.org.

  •    In celebration of Black History Month, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra presents “Copland, Mozart and Dvorak” on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 8 pm at Seabrook Auditorium on the campus of Fayetteville State University.
       “This is one of our yearly performances at Fayetteville State University,” said Fouad Fakhouri, director and conductor of Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. “For the past three seasons we have performed at Seabrook Auditorium as part of Black History Month.”
       {mosimage}Fakhouri added that FSO is repeating this particular performance three times in three different venues. The other two concerts will be held on Friday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Carolina Civic Center in Lumberton and on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 3 p.m. at Owens Auditorium on the campus of Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst.   
       The concert performance features the sounds of America, Austria and Bohemia. The selections include Wolfgang Mozart’s famous First Flute Concerto No. 1 in honor of Lincoln’s Bicentennial, Aaron Copland’s masterpiece Lincoln Portrait with narration by Ken Smith and Antonin Dvorak’s famous Symphony No. 8. The piece by Mozart features FSO’s principal flute player, Jessica Dixon. 
       “This concert is one that has much variety,” said Fakhouri.   
       Copland was commissioned to write a musical portrait of a great American statesman. He decided on Lincoln and picked out sections of Lincoln’s letters and speeches and interspersed them with short biographical details. The overall tone of the piece is serious and dignified. 
       Mozart hated the flute and despite his disdain for the instrument, the Concerto in G, along with its companion pieces, is an ambitious piece of work that is standing in the repertory.     
       Dvorak composed his piece in 1889. It reflects his love for his native culture and is the most national of his nine symphonies. The piece shifts from major to minor modes and features the flute that dominates the movement.
       “My hope is to have the audience come and experience a remarkable and memorable concert that will move them and inspire them to come back to all of our concerts,” said Fakhouri. 
    FSO season tickets are only accepted for the Fayetteville performance. Individual ticket prices are $25 for adult, $20 for seniors 65 and older, $20 for military and $8 for students. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 433-4690 or at Seabrook Auditorium the evening of the performance.    


    Contact Shanessa Fenner at editor@upandcomingweekly.com    










     














  • 02-06-13-methodist.gifMethodist University’s Loyalty Day is rooted in a tradition of local sup-port older than the school itself. Before the then-named Methodist College opened in 1960, local leaders gathered donations for a small, private, liber-al-arts college that would be built in Fayetteville.

    “The institution owes its very founding to community leaders who believed in the philosophy of university-community partnerships,” said President Ben Hancock. “Loyalty Day is rooted in a longstanding tradition of com-munity support, and it provides an opportunity to highlight the promise we make to every new student who comes through our gate that he or she will receive an exceptional education. We are grateful the community is enhancing our ‘culture of ex-cellence,’ as there has never been a great university with-out a great community.”

    In 1956, the Fayetteville College Foundation, later renamed the Methodist University Foundation, pledged to raise $50,000 annually. For most years, the second Tuesday in February has served as Loyalty Day, this community fundraiser. This year’s Loyalty Day will be Feb. 12, 2013.

    Many families have supported Loyalty Day through successive genera-tions. This year’s Loyalty Day chair, Cumberland County Register of Deeds J. Lee Warren Jr., class of ‘75, is a second-generation supporter.

    “I remember my father writing a check every year to Methodist,” Warren said. “This was prior to my decision to even attend Methodist. … like all the rest of the community members, he was trying to support the institution.”

    Years later, Warren would also be a Loyalty Day volunteer.

    “Early on, it was geared toward going out into the community and mak-ing your visits, and they actually did do that on Loyalty Day. But I was never one for waiting to the last minute to do something. I liked to have a lot of mine in hand prior to the day.”

    The Office of Institutional Advancement estimates that more than 550 locals have served on the Foundation since it formed, with thousands more volunteers.

    Kickoff events have often been held, such as at the Chamber of Commerce’s Coffee Club meeting. Another tradition is a mayoral proclama-tion, recognizing Loyalty Day in the City of Fayetteville. One change was in 2005, when the focus of Loyalty Day shifted to scholarships.

    Loyalty Day volunteer, alumna and retired MU em-ployee Lynn Clark started volunteering in the mid-1980s. To her, Loyalty Day is just as much about the Fayetteville community as the university.

    “Methodist was very much meant to be a community-oriented college, and that association has continued,” Clark said.

    As the University grows and evolves, the Loyalty Day tradition remains strong. While the school’s reputation has traveled around the world, its roots are still deep in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

    “Methodist has, of course, grown,” Clark said. “But in growing, it has also grown in its appeal to a lot of people. We have sent out excellent graduates all over the world. They represent Cumberland County well. People realize that it’s not the little college down Raleigh Road anymore.”

    For more information on Loyalty Day, please contact Krista Lee at 910.630.7169 or klee@methodist.edu.

  • 02-13-13-tour-focuses.gifStep aboard the bus at the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum and immerse yourself in the rich history and cultural diversity for which Fayetteville is known as you tour the downtown area and learn of the signifi cant contributions of African Americans to our community.

    Led by Professor Charles Anderson of Methodist University, the African-American Heritage Tour on Thursday, Feb. 21, leaves the museum at 325 Franklin St. in Downtown at 9 a.m. for a three-hour trip that visits historic sites dating from Revolutionary times to the 20th century.

    “One of the things that is great about these tours,” said Museum Specialist Heidi Bleazey, “is that they bring together a collection of the Fayetteville public and take them on this eye-opening look at the Downtown landscape. They take another look at the buildings they pass by day-in-and-day-out as they’re roaming around Downtown Fayetteville and see it in a new light. It’s fun and exciting. Professor Anderson is a wonderful tour guide and has a knack of bringing information and making it digestible and fun and interesting to a wide range of audiences.”

    The tour will visit a number of sites in the Downtown area, including cemeteries, churches and the outsides of historic homes.

    “We’ll go to Brookside Cemetery,” Bleazey said, “where a number of Fayetteville’s prominent and famous citizens are buried. Some of the sites we are physically unable to go into, such as the home of the Chesnutt sisters. Anne Chesnutt is one of the sisters after whom a local middle school is named. Her brother Charles Chesnutt was the well-known African-American author. We’ll go by that home as well as the home of E. E. Smith to take a look at the outside. One of the things that last year’s tour really fostered was a lot of interest in E. E. Smith’s home in terms of renovation. It inspired a group that were on the tour to try and push toward getting a working group to the E. E. Smith home to fi x it up.”

    While participants will not be able tour the inside of the homes, other sites will encourage a little exploration.

    “We will actually be able to go inside the Evans Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church and see the grave of Henry Evans, as well as Saint Joseph’s Episcopal Church, which has a wonderful Tiffany stained-glass window,” said Bleazey. “There are some very historic churches in our community. A historically black church, First Baptist Church, was located on the site where the Transportation Museum is currently.

    “In keeping with that Downtown landscape, we’ll be stopping at Cool Springs Street at the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry (F.I.L.I.) Parade Ground to visit the grave of Isaac Hammond, a Revolutionary War soldier and fi fer for the F.I.L.I. who is buried there. Another key site that we’ll go into is the Market House to see a permanent exhibit on the history of the State House and Market House. We’ll see some very old maps and information panels that trace the history of that site from 1788 up through the 20th century.”

    Bleazey noted that African-American businesses also contributed much to the Downtown community.

    “As we drive through the Downtown area, all the principal streets in the area that radiate off of the Market House had African-American businesses within them, Gillespie Street being a good example, so we’ll be mentioning some of the prominent businesses that were there as we drive around. We’ll be going to Fayetteville State University to see the gates. It’s going to be the most fun history lesson you have ever had!

    “We actually have a couple of tours that generate a waiting list, so we do another tour. Fayetteville is certainly interested in history and African-American heritage, and we’ll offer this tour as many times as the public wishes to see these sites and know all about them. There is just such a rich history of African Americans in our community. This tour, focused on the downtown area geographically, will help tell both a local and broader story of African Americans in our city.”

    Space is limited for the event, which costs $3 per person payable at the beginning of the tour. Preregistration is required, and participants are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes for moderate walking.

    For more information or to preregister, please call (910) 433-1457, 433-1458 or 433-1944.

    Photo: Evans Metropolitan AME Zion Church.

     

  • Beautiful maiden. Jealous stepmother. Jiving mirror. It’s a classic fairy tale — with a twist — when Fayetteville State Theatre brings Snow White to the stage of Butler Theatre on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 18 and 19, at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m., with an additional show on Friday at 7 p.m. All seats for the shows are $3.00, and teachers are free. 021010mini-witch-with-apple.jpg

    “This is not Disney’s Snow White,” said Phoebe Hall, director of theatre and associate professor of speech and theatre. Written by Tim Kelly and directed by Susan B. Paschal, assistant director and assistant professor of speech and theatre, this version of the beloved tale of enchantment features not only a jive-talking mirror, but also “a band of happy minors,” Hall said. “Sarge, Gabby, Gloomy Gus, Ticklish, Spritely, Snore and Slowpoke. It has a slightly different spin than Disney’s version.”

    The play is an annual event that started in 2001. Each February, FSU offers the community a children’s play. Paschal has a special interest in children’s theatre. She teaches a course, Children’s Theatre for School and Community, and is also director of the children’s worship arts program at Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church.

    “Periodically we do new scripts and adaptations,” said Hall. “Snow White features students and community members performing for elementary students. It is a oneact play and lasts about an hour. It is open to the public only on Friday night. In fact, the morning shows are sold out.”

    The February performance is only part of the theatre company’s commitment to sharing live theatre with children and the rest of the community. The FSU Touring Company, as part of the performance laboratory class, can arrange to bring impromptu theatre presentations to schools, organizations and meetings, enhancing curriculum or meeting topics while making learning fun and entertaining. Anywhere from three to a dozen actors can present students with an opportunity to participate with improvisational actors to practice skills in creative, critical and imaginative thinking on their feet. The program members can even arrange to customize their exercises to fi t a special topic.

    In addition to offering children the magical experience of live theatre and that special interaction between audience and performers that one simply can’t derive from television or movies, the FSU Theatre Company makes a Snow White study guide available for teachers.

    “Just email me at phall@uncfsu.edu for a copy,” Hall said. “It includes all kinds of activities for children.”

    And the company’s Web site offers a guide to theater etiquette for those who have never attended a live performance — or may need a little reminder — at www.uncfsu.edu/theatre/fsu_drama_guild.htm.

    For more information, call (910) 672-1006, and for reservations for Friday evening’s performance, contact FSU’s ticket manager, Antoinette Fairley, at (910) 672-1724. And come share a bite of the “Big Apple.”

  • So now that the Super Bowl is over, what are you going to do? The quarterback for the New Orleans Saints went to Disney02-17-10-south-of-the-border.gif World. Instead of going to Disney World, I went to South of the Border. It’s the world’s greatest roadside attraction. The quiet artistry and subtle delights of S.O.B. can never be visited too often.

    I made the visit to learn what new and exciting Chinese products are being hawked in Dillon. The fi ne variety of novelty items on display at S.O.B. continues to amaze. However, I am concerned with the lack of tourists frequenting the premises. In a nutshell, the place was a ghost town. The Great Recession has cut deeply into the number of travelers stopping at S.O.B’s Sombrero Room. For a buck you can write your name on a cut out paper sombrero to staple on the wall like the Paleolithic cave dwellers in Lascaux, France. Having your name stapled to the ceiling of the Sombrero room is a form of immortality.

    Take some money to S.O.B. soon or it will be as much a thing of the past as the Toyota. The must see sites are the Emporium which has cool novelty items and Fort Pedro which sells the most excellent fi reworks in North America. There were two sales people in the Emporium and I was the only customer during my 20 minute visit. A large box of fake doggy doo is the fi rst thing that greets you when you walk in the door. Apparently the demand for fake doggy doo is down and supply is up. If you need a set of shot glasses held up by plaster alligators, S.O.B. is the place for you.

    A flock of ceramic chickens stands watch above the “lovely to look at, delightful to hold, but if you break it, consider it sold” sign. One can never have too many ceramic chickens. The Wee Willie Squirter urinating dolls are still on sale. You can buy an entire village of 10” tall artifi cial Mexican peasants for only $6.95 each. A pack of drunken Chihuahuas nestled next to a tequila bottle was available.

    The black velvet art collection is the ne plus ultra of velvet classicism. Black velvet Native Americans, howling wolves, elephants, soaring eagles and pitt bulls are yours for a mere swipe of the Master Card. Wooden back scratchers with life like fi ngers abound for only $1.50. Every size of fake snake known to man can be purchased. Coconut head pirates that shiver your timbers patrol above the raunchily risque Horny Hillbilly in the adult section of the store. I bought three Pedros on a stick for only $1.Next stop was Fort Pedro which has enough fi reworks to destroy all of Iran’s enriched uranium in one afternoon. I am a real fan of the names given to fi reworks. Fireworks are a manly item designed to explode in a shower of sparks and make manly noises like the aftermath of a Super Burrito meal. The “Really Bad Momma” package has a crazed mother talking on the phone with two screaming infants. You can take Momma home for only $35.95 and “shoot fl aming balls” at anyone you like. The Big Bang collection is a six foot tall box of fi reworks that sells for a cool $699.95. It contains artillery shells with comet tails, festival balls and purple shooting stars. A bargain at twice the price.

    The TNT Bruno collection boasts maximum powder allowed by law. Who could resist the Pyromaniac selection in its 4 foot tall box with the politically correct “Cave buster” rockets to blow up the al-Qaeda terrorist on your block? There are still many New Millennium Y2K Celebration boxes for sale for $137 each. Guess Y2K didn’t come in with as big a bang as S.O.B. had hoped.

    You can write gunpowder Haiku with the names of the fireworks: “Hicktown Heaven/ Unleash the Beast/ Twinkling Bees/ Almost Illegal/ Bone Breaker/ Take Cover/ Wake the Neighbors/ Red, White and Boom/ The Annihilator/ Glorious Crazy Explosion/ Fountain Supreme Delirium” Words to live by. The Fourth of July cannot come soon enough.

    My favorite was the Pirate Skull collection of crackling comets which noted “For best view face this side towards spectators.” Those instructions were ambiguous. If you pointed that side towards the spectators, did that mean that the spectators would get the best view of the explosions or the guy lighting the fi reworks would get the best view of the crackling comets slicing through the crowd of panicking spectators? As the King of Siam once said, “It is a puzzlement.”

  • 02242010uso_rftlogoweb5k-(2).jpgEvery morning while in garrison, the soldiers of Fort Bragg hit the streets. They run miles and miles. And when they are deployed, they exchange their tennis shoes for boots and instead of the safe run along Gruber Road, they climb through mountain passes and pound streets littered with IEDs. To show its support for these troops, the USO of North Carolina Fort Bragg Center is hosting its 2nd Annual 5K Walk/Run for the Troops on March 6 at Fayetteville Technical Community College. They are asking the community to put on their running shoes to do more than just raise funds for the troops. They want the event to truly show the community’s love and support for its troops. Participants will walk or run in honor and memory of service men and women.

    There were more than 400 participants who helped raise more than $12,000 for the first walk/run. With such a great outcome last year, the goal is to double the number of participants and funds raised. All proceeds go to the Fort Bragg USO’s facility and outreach programs.

    The local organization sends care packages to service members while they are deployed overseas. It also gives rack pack items, which are basic necessity items that are already waiting for service members in their rooms so they have the essentials they need after they return from deployment. With those special programs and so much more that is offered by the nonprofi t organization, it’s important for the community to participate in events and fundraisers. Volunteers are always welcome.

    There will be fun for all ages in addition to the main walk/run event. Participants can rest legs and relax backs in massage chairs that will be in service. Some will leave with more than their free T-shirt as they win prizes from drawings. The children will appreciate the delicious snow cones, exciting activities and friendly clowns that will be on hand for entertainment. Enjoy the refreshments and warm interaction with other supporters of service men and women.

    “Valley Auto World and quite a few businesses in the community already support the USO of N.C. at Fort Bragg and this is such a big event, we couldn’t do it without them,” says USCNCFB Center Director, Hoku Hobbs. “Last year was a huge success and we want another great turnout to benefi t the troops and families of Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base. The proceeds go towards our outreach programs and maintaining our 4,200 square foot facilities that have recreational equipment, computers with Internet access, free wifi and other services. It’s really a home-away-fromhome and everything is free for our patrons who are usually single soldiers who live in surrounding barracks.”

    There are several ways to show support. Register online for $20 adult, $12 for participants under the age of 16. Those unable to make it out on race day can still show support by donating $20 and the event T-shirt will be sent by mail. Others can register at 7:30 a.m. on the day of the walk/ run. The race starts on Hull Road at Parking Lot #5, on the campus of Fayetteville Technical Community College. The race starts promptly at 8:30 a.m. so put the baby in the stroller, dress comfortably, don’t forget the camera and come out to support local troops.

  • Dogwood The 40th annual Fayetteville Dogwood Festival hosted a media event at the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens on the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 16. Run by a nonprofit by the same name, the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival group says that they “aim to entertain the members of our community, promote and sustain new and existing business. Enhance a positive community image, and attract out-of-town visitors, while sharing the cultural and recreational opportunities available in the Fayetteville Area.” While the organization supports and plans multiple events throughout the year, none is larger or more expansive than the Dogwood Festival.

    And, after two years of pandemic-driven cancellations and rescheduling, according to Dogwood Festival Executive Director Sarahgrace Snipes, attended can expect a “full-fledged dogwood festival.”

    “We are back,” Snipes proclaimed on Wednesday evening.

    And back they are, with a record-setting five national acts slated to perform across the three-day festival beginning on April 22 and ending April 24.

    On Friday, April 22, national acts Marcy Playground and Hoobastank will take the stage. On Saturday, April 23, Dillon Carmichael, Kameron Marlowe and Tyler Farr will perform an evening of country music. Sunday, April 24, will finish off the event with headliners The Purple Madness – A Tribute to Prince. Throughout all three nights, local talent will perform alongside these headliners.

    At the media night, festival organizers assured attendees that all of the tried and true Dogwood Festival favorites would be back in full force and “better than ever.”

    Attractions will include: Airborn Aerials performances, Boom & Bloom fireworks on Friday night, King BMX bike shows, the Cork and Fork event will return, there will be a silent auction, Lafayette Ford will present the Car, Motorcycle and Truck Show, there will be a performance area on Hay Street in front of the Market House, a street fair in the downtown area, the Midway with a mix of rides and attractions for all ages and finally the KidZone will be back as well.

    In addition to these attractions, the Dogwood Festival has added new events for visitors this year. The Downtown Stage powered by Piedmont Natural Gas will offer country music on Saturday and Sunday, beginning at noon on Gillespie Street. Ring Wars of Carolina will be hosting a wrestling tournament on Saturday and Sunday at the intersection of Ray Avenue and Hay Street. Local attraction Sweet Valley Ranch will also be out with a mix of entertainment on offer as a new addition to this year’s attractions.

    Sweet Valley Ranch Owner Fred Surgeon spoke at the media event and shared an impressive list of options Sweet Valley Ranch will bring with them to the Dogwood Festival. They will set up on Green Street, where visitors can enjoy a petting zoo with a broad mix of animals, carnival games and even take a ride down the street on a dinosaur.

    Surgeon was particularly excited about the variety of animals with which festival-goers can meet and visit at the petting zoo.

    “It’s about engaging with nature and with our animals,” Surgeon said.

    In addition to these activities, the Surgeon explained that they would have their food truck on site. According to Surgeon, the Sweet Valley Ranch Giveback Food Truck partners with local nonprofits, and in November and December last year, the food truck program raised $25,000.

    Snipes also announced continued support with annual events that, while not directly affiliated with the Dogwood Festival, are sanctioned by the organization. These include the annual Crimestoppers BBQ and the All American Tattoo Convention.

  • RHF Meet Us At the Park Rick's Place has planned an afternoon away for the families dealing with the stress of last-minute deployments, a way to connect with other military families and to take a break.

    The Rick Herrema Foundation focuses on strengthening relationships and building community for military families through fun, quality activities. They host events and fun days at Rick's Place, a 50-acre park, to offer children a place to have fun and a place to support military families, so they know they aren't alone.

    This weekend they are supporting families by hosting a Meet Us at the Park event specifically for families dealing with the rapid deployments occurring over the past three weeks.

    "We wanted to do something extra," Vicky Jimenez, director of programs at RHF, said. "We wanted to do an event that would be dedicated for those families who have been impacted by the recent deployment."

    From 2 to 5 p.m., there will be activities, inflatables, games for kids and local organizations offering resources to families. In addition, the food truck, Hot Dog Central, will be at the event feeding families in attendance.

    Jimenez told Up & Coming Weekly that while families are at Rick's Place, they can set aside the stressors that deployment may have placed on them, at least for a short time.

    "The importance of having these events is to connect people to these other families that are going through the same challenges as them," Jimenez said.

    The Meet Us at the Park event will be followed by the monthly scheduled event, Family Fun Day, which is open to any military family. This month, RHF will be hosting a drive-in movie screening.

    "This will be our first drive-in movie. So we wanted to try and give it a chance and give families different activities here at Rick's Place," Jimenez said.

    The 2000s family classic, "The Chronicle of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," will be playing on the big screen. Families can enjoy the movie from the comfort of their warm vehicles or pull up a chair with blankets to watch it outside. RHF will give out free popcorn and hot cocoa to families. The movie starts around 5:30 p.m.

    The two events take place on Saturday, Feb. 26. Registration to both events is required. Jimenez said that she is expecting 100 to 150 people to be at the two events, but they know there are countless more families who are impacted.

    If families find out about the events after registration is closed, they can contact RHF by calling 910-444-1743 to see if space is available.

    To pre-register for the event, visit rhfnow.org/event/meet-us-at-the-park-rapid-deployment-impacted-families-event/. To register for the movie night, visit rhfnow.org/event/february-family-fun-day-evening-drive-in-movie/.

    The next Family Fun Day is scheduled for March 26 and is planned to be a Physical Fitness Family Challenge.

    Families will have a change to compete against each other in several activities and lunch will be provided at no cost. Registration for that event is open.

    Rick's Place is located at 5572 Shenandoah Drive.

    For more information, visit rhfnow.org/events or call the Rick's Place team at 910-444-1743.

  • Valentines Day Valentine's Day is upon us and Fayetteville and Fort Bragg have some unique and fun options for everyone. Looking for a "Gal"entine's event drop in at the Fayetteville Pie Company for some music bingo. Out of love with love? Head to Bright Light Brewing Company to Axe your Ex. Want to celebrate with the whole family? Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom has you covered. Looking for romance, head over to Fort Bragg's Iron Mike Conference Center for a romantic meal and music. Read on for all the fun and all of the details.

    Events in and around Fayetteville for Valentine’s Day

    Valentine’s Music Bingo
    Fayetteville Pie company is hosting a Valentine’s Day-themed music bingo on Feb. 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will be held at 253 Westwood Shopping Center. Perfect for gal pals and friends or date night attendees who can expect duets, sexy hits and love ballads. Call 910-483-4097 for additional information.

    Hearts and Hops: A Family Valentine’s Celebration
    Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom is hosting a family-friendly Heart Day celebration. Attendees can purchase crafts and baked goods from the Bird’s Nest Montessori School, create crafts with KidsPeace, have faces painted by Artistic Brush Face Painting and take photos in a photo booth by Raul Ruberia Photos. There will be live music. Dirtbag Ales is located at 5435 Corporation Drive. For additional information call 910-426-2537.

    Axe Your Ex
    Axes & Exes will be at Bright Light Brewing Company on Feb. 13 for the ultimate anti-Valentine’s Day event. Just bring a picture of your ex and $10 and you can throw an axe at the picture. Bring an extra $5 if you need BLBC to print your picture out for you. Baja Dogs will be serving food from 5 to 8 p.m. with a special heartbreak meal. This event begins at 3 p.m. at 444 West Russell St. Suite 102. For additional information call 910-339-0464.

    Fort Bragg Valentine’s Day Events

    Valentine's Day Dueling Pianos
    Celebrate Valentine’s Day a little early at the Iron Mike Conference Center. Cost is $80 per couple and the event promises an evening of fun, laughter, music and great food. Tickets include the show, dinner for two with a glass of champagne for each person. This event is open to the public and sponsored by the Gary Sinise Foundation. For information or to book by Feb. 9 call 910-907-2582

    Guns and Roses
    The Rod and Gun Club on Fort Bragg is hosting a Valentine’s Range Day. The cost is $40 per couple. Couples must provide own guns, ammunition, ear pieces and eye protection. Ear pieces, eye protection and additional targets are available for purchase at the range. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb 11-13. The Cost includes range time, a free shooting target, a Valentine’s Day gift box and a chance to win a one year membership at the range. This event is open to the public and organizers ask that interested parties register at McKeller’s Lodge by 1 p.m. on Feb. 10. For additional information call 910-907-5253

  • Youth for Christ will host a fundraising event to benefit the youth of the Fayetteville community on02-19-14-youth-for-christ.gifFeb. 28. The event is set to take place at New Life Center, Haymount United Methodist Church.

    The event features Bob Stromberg, a clean comedian and inspirational speaker who grew up in the Allegheny Mountains of rural Pennsylvania. He has traveled the world starring in the megahit theatrical production Triple Espresso; a production that can only be described as a highly-caffeinated comedy. Triple Espresso has been seen by nearly two million people in dozens of cities ranging from Seattle to the West End of London, and has become the longest running stage production in the history of San Diego, Minneapolis and the entire state of Iowa. Stromberg is also known for his many appearances on the award winning TV comedy Bananas.

    “Stromberg has done this kind of work with Youth for Christ chapters throughout the country,” said John McIntyre, executive director at Youth for Christ. “He’s a comedian by trade, but what’s neat is the reason he likes to work with Youth for Christ chapters is that when he was a young man, people came in and helped influence his life. So this is part of his story.”

    Aside from the theatrical productions and TV comedy shows Stromberg is featured in, he is known for several books such as Finding the Magnificent in Lower Mundane, the award winning, beautifully illustrated family story The Miracle at Stinky Bay and the best selling Why Geese Fly Farther Than Eagles. Stromberg has been delighting audiences of all ages with his perfect blend of standup, story and shtick for more than 30 years. He’s always clean and his presentation is a disarming healthy blend of knee-slapping comedy and a whole lot of wholesome encouragement.

    “This event is a fundraiser,” said McIntyre. “We are nonprofit and we exist on the generosity of folks who love the mission and really get behind it. This event is a neat way to say, ‘Thank you,’ to those people who give, and it’s going to be a solid hour of comedy, man.”

    “This guy is hilarious. We want folks to have a good time. We want people that don’t know about us to hear about us — and hear about some good things that are happening and feel good about supporting it.”

    “A lot of events are built around personality or groups, depending on what those people are known for,” said McIntyre. “Like when the Crown brought in Bill Cosby, or when people go see other comedians or whatever show they go see. There’s something that they know they’re going for, and Bob is one of the few comedians who has a similar heart [as Bill Cosby] and wants to support the mission of Youth for Christ.”

    “We love this kind of event and we hope to make this event an annual one,” said McIntyre. “We’ll obviously need to rotate comedians because people want to see different acts, but as people have the same mindset, the same heart and the same purpose — we’ll see how it goes as we move forward.”

    Tickets are on sale now! For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to www.yfcfay.org, or call (910) 433-5630.

    Photo: Comedian Bob Stromberg is set to perform at  Haymount United Methodist Church on Feb. 28.

  • Judas Sometimes we take life a little bit too seriously. That is why we look to the arts for a reprieve. In watching a theatrical production, we become emersed in another world and forget about our unique problems for a while.

    The Gilbert Theater is presenting "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot." It is a crazy take on, as the title indicates, the last days of Judas Iscariot. Pulitzer-prize-winning playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis created the show. It debuted first Off-Broadway at The Public Theater on March 2, 2005, directed by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.

    The show centers around a court case deciding the ultimate fate of Judas Iscariot. The resulting decision will determine Judas Iscariots goes to Heaven or Hell. During the show, the characters are in Purgatory. The bailiff is a Barney Fife-like character played by Justin Gore-Pike. Gore-Pike also plays Judas.

    "Judas is a sad, haunted person," Gore-Pike said.

    The play utilizes flashbacks to an imagined childhood and lawyers who call for such witnesses as Mother Teresa, Caiaphas, Saint Monica, Sigmund Freud and Satan.

    El Fayoumy, the lawyer, is in hell and thinks that he proves his worth that he belongs in Heaven or at least Purgatory by prosecuting this case.

    The witnesses are funny and provide comic relief. Mother Teresa cannot hear very well. El Fayoumy gets her earphones, and then she can hear, and she also comments on how attractive El Fayoumy is.
    Saint Monica is brash and uses harsh language, not something you would imagine in a play centered around Judas Iscariot.

    Sigmund Freud is as one would imagine and brings some comic relief to a serious subject.

    Satan, played by Matt Gore, takes a solemn subject and character and makes light of him.

    Gore-Pike describes the play as "a fun, dark comedy."

    The play is not for children as there is a lot of foul language, especially by Saint Monica, played by Deannah Robinson. It may also be offensive to religiously devout Christians and Jews.

    The stars of "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" are Eden Kinsey, who plays Fabiana Cunningham, a lawyer in the Judas case. The other star is El Fayoumy, played by Chris Walker.

    Walker describes the show as " thought-provoking and leaves you with something to talk about... filled with many fun-loving actors who take a serious subject and flip it into something funny."

    "The biggest takeaway is to never be afraid to challenge the system when it needs to be challenged," Gore-Pike explained. "Never be afraid to ask questions."

    "It is more about self- forgiveness than God's forgiveness," said Walker. "Jesus doesn't care what Judas did. He is forgiven."

    In the end, Jesus, played by Michael Ormiston, comes to Judas, played by Gore-Pike, and washes Judas's feet, proof that Judas was forgiven.

  • 02-26-14-habitat-for-humanity.gifHabitat for Humanity is an amazing force within the Fayetteville community. This organization provides a platform for individuals to work together to benefit individuals as well as the community in one. Tammy Laurence the Executive Director is excited about the many ways Habitat for Humanity helps the community. “Just in the last year, the Habitat homeowners paid $150,000 in property taxes. This money would not have gotten back into the community without Habitat owners having their own home for the first time.”

    This year delicious cake can also be added to the list of benefits the organization offers, with the Have Your Cake and Eat it, Too Luncheon and Cake Auction. All proceeds will go to support building a home for a family in the community.

    This luncheon and cake auction is the first fundraiser of its kind in Fayetteville. Ruthie Dent the Director of Communications and Volunteer Services explained what to expect. “People will be able to walk in and look around at all the cakes. The cakes are donations from area bakers. We are going to have some pretty yummy cakes from home bakers and churches. People will be able to look wine in hand. They will have cards to write down their top picks. Then the Hill Top house will serve lunch and the attendees will talk to the people at their tables and unanimously decide on their top three cakes. The tables will act as a unit. Then they will pool their money in the envelope. Then habitat for humanity staff will go around and sort through the bids. The top five bids will win their cake and it will be brought to the table and served. The rest of the cakes will be divvied up and we will all eat desert together. Then individuals can bid on three cakes to take home with them. They won’t be eaten that day. There will also be a brief presentation from the habitat homeowner, who is actually the beneficiary of this auction. The proceeds will be going to provide her and her children with a home. This is going to be a great and moving show. This event is a great place for people to have fun, mingle and network, but this is also about providing a home and that is what Habitat for Humanity is about.”T

    his auction is an illustration of how a community can come together to do great things and help provide stability for a family. All of the cakes, as of now 22, were donated from bakers in the community. Everyone from professional bakers to amazing home cooks have provided for the auction. Even the logo was donated. It was designed by a local student of graphic design at Methodist University. “People hear about it and are ready and willing to donate,” Dent said.

    The luncheon will be held on March 12 from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., at the Hilltop House. The Hilltop House is located at 1240 Ft. Bragg Rd. To reserve a seat call 483-0952. Tickets are $25 per person, but corporate tables are available. Dent said, “Tickets include lunch at the Hilltop House, dessert, wine and champagne. I think we will all have a great time. This event is geared a little more towards women leaders in the community so we wanted to make them feel like their time is well spent.”

  • wiz The renovations at Cape Fear Regional Theatre came just in time — just in time for the girl from Kansas in sparkling red heels. The theater's production of "The Wizard of Oz" does justice to the classic tale of Dorothy Gale and her three unlikely road companions. A new sound system, lighting and pyrotechnics bring an added measure of engagement and thrill to the audience.

    Beyond the technical aspects of the show, the quality of acting really brought the musical together. Fayetteville native Kiara Hines took the stage as that eternal optimist, the most loyal of friends, Dorothy Gale. Hines was charismatic and a great embodiment of Dorothy. She floated around the stage just like a sunny teenager who cannot be dismayed even with plenty of reason for concern presents itself. Hines nailed Dorothy's innocence and juvenile behaviors. Her mannerism and voice perfectly balanced with the three co-stars that often shared the stage.

    The first of those co-stars, Lee Jean Jr., played the sometimes timid, brain-searching scarecrow. He was a mighty force next to Harris. Lee's own ability to carry his character's happy-go-lucky, doubtless behaviors into dance-like movement on the stage was perfect for this straw-filled friend. He was what seemed like the closest of Dorothy's friends, bringing truth to one of Dorothy's last lines, "I think I'll miss you most of all." During this show, the scarecrow did feel like one of the most comforting of friends.

    Tinman, played by Michael LoBalsamo, was the next to enter the stage beside the duo. LoBalsamo and Jean's witty banter played wonderfully against

    Dorothy's child-like questions and demeanor. LoBalsamo's movements were fluid or perhaps not so fluid, as called for by his rust-challenged character. He frequently left the audience hoping for more of his lines, as he was full of heart.

    And lastly, but by far not the least, was Nicholas Pearson as the cowardly lion. Pearson's version of this character was perfectly played with terrific voice acting and very well-timed comedic lines. He often left the audience laughing at his additions to each conversation. Children in the audience seemed to take to the lovability of his character. They appeared to look forward to each swing of his tail, a sudden exhibit of cowardice or fainting.

    The four friends were well-suited to come up against both the Wicked Witch of the West, played by Becca Vourvoulas and Glenda, the Good Witch, played by Nicki Hart. The actors succeeded in bringing their characters to life on stage. Vourvoulas nailed the voice and shrill laughter of Dorothy's green-faced foe.

    While the music in this musical was not bad, Harris herself belting out a beautiful version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," the lines and interactions between the characters were by far the most captivating portion of the show and an excellent reason to purchase a ticket. The four main characters stole the show more often than their counterparts. If the show had more conversations between them, the audience would not be found wanting.

    The only distraction from Oz was the use of the face shields for the actors on stage. They sometimes caught the shine of stage lights. While this addition might be the best solution in the covid-era of on-stage productions for safety, it would have been nice to watch the talent of the actors without this occasional pull back to reality. For how well-performed this production was, the audience wanted to stay in Oz, even if only for just a little while.

  • book black women Book Black Women, LLC will be hosting a night of performance, Feb. 13, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the SkyView on Hay in downtown Fayetteville.

    The concert-like event will feature four local female Black singers. Refreshments will be served by Chef Judy from Uptown.

    "I created this entity [Book Black Women] because I wanted to provide performance opportunities for Black women. With colorism being loud and silent all at once, it can sometimes be hard for Black women to get the shots they deserve," said Ayana Washington, founder and CEO of Book Black Women, LLC.

    Washington came up with the idea of holding a concert in the spirit of Nina Simone's "Four Women."

    "Nina Simone knew the Black woman is not a monolith. She used that song to speak to that, and I hope to do the same," said Washington.

    Washington will perform in the Feb. 13 show herself, reprising Simone's famous song during her time in the spotlight. Washington was born in Fayetteville and has performed with Cape Fear Regional Theatre. She last appeared on the CFRT stage as the Dragon in Shrek, the Musical.

    Also performing will be North Carolina native Desiree Tolodziecki. Tolodziecki has also previously worked with CFRT and is currently pursuing a career in New York. Ashley Jones, a Fayetteville native who works in law enforcement, will also be taking the stage.

    A fourth singer is in the works to round out the quartet.

    "These ladies will sing songs that mean something to them and hopefully capture the attention of people in the audience who would like to book them for other events!" said Washington. "I am excited to watch these ladies perform and tell their stories through song. It's rare we get the chance to be 'unapologetically Black and female' and show people that that phrase has a range you wouldn't believe!"

    Four Women is the first event planned by Book Black Women, LLC. Washington says she plans to stay busy and has several other events planned for the year. Potential performers and sponsors can contact her at bookblackwomen.nc@gmail.com. Performers don't have to be singers, according to Washington.

    Those interested in attending can find information and tickets for Four Women at visitdowntownfayetteville.com/events/four-women-presented-by-book-black-women-llc/. Tickets range from $55 to $75.
    Select tickets will have access to an open bar. Attendees can take photos in a 360 photo booth, and tickets include a swag bag. The event is formal, with black tie attire requested.

  • Ahhh, the magic of the circus — the clowns, the animals, the music and food all add up to a day of excitement and fun. There is just nothing like it — and it will be here soon. Thursday through Sunday, Feb. 10-13, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus presents Zing Zang Zoom Gold Edition “a magical circus experience, where just feet away from your seat you will enjoy high-fl ying excitement and pulse-pounding acts combined with performers of amazing courage and extraordinary skill!”

    Jason Gibson is the production manager of this particular version of the greatest show02-02-11-circus.gifon earth and considers himself one of the luckiest people in the world to have such a great job.

    “Even though I am one of the behind the scenes guys, I just love coming to Fayetteville,” said Gibson. “It is great to be around the military and have a chance to make so many people smile.”

    Since this event is a little more intimate — it is a one ring circus, not the traditional three ring type — Ringling Brothers is able to offer the public a chance to meet the performers, including some of the animals at the pre-show warm-up, and it is included in the ticket price. For an hour before the show, ticket holders are invited to come to the arena fl oor and get up close and personal with the performers.

    So you pay for two hours of excitement and get an extra one for free, Gibson noted.

    “People can meet the performers, shake their hands, have pictures made with them and even try-on previous season costumes,” said Gibson. “It is a chance to make a real connection with the performers and maybe even learn a trick or two. If you want to learn how to juggle, we can show you how. It is a really fun and amazing time for both the audience and the performers.”

    Suzy, one of their beautiful and majestic Asian elephants, makes an appearance at the pre-show and produces a work of art that some lucky circus goer will take home. Folks sign up, and at some point during the show, a name is called and the winner takes home a colorful elephant footprint, courtesy of Suzy.

    “It is really cool because you are sitting just feet away from this gentle giant as she makes the art work, and then we are able to give it away during the show,” said Gibson.

    The event will include thrillusionist David Davinci, who in 2007 set a world record with an underwater free-diving card trick. To promote the Zing Zang Zoom opening, Davinci took to the air just a few weeks ago on Jan. 19 in Savannah, GA., hanging upside down from a hot-air balloon, in a straight jacket. He freed himself in just seconds. See it on youtube at www.youtube. com/watch?v=dE41lsoiE9Q.

    During the circus, Davinci will attempt a similar feat, but one that is just as dangerous, as he attempts to escape a straitjacket while suspended three stories in the air above a den of lions.

    “Since this is a one-ring show and we don’t really have a ringleader, David provides continuity during the show, and acts as the host,” said Gibson. “He performs several amazing stunts throughout the show.”

    Flying high is a common theme as Viktoriya and Windy, the Hairdaring Duo, perform an extreme hair hang an amazing 35 feet in the air and Sky- High Sensation Franclieb Rodrigues walks upside down, across the ring without a safety harness.

    Trained house cats, yes, there is such a thing, are a crowd favorite, too.

    “Watching them jump through hoops and perform tricks is so much fun and you can tell that the cats are having a really good time, too,” said Gibson. “I think people really like that act because so many folks have cats and can relate to them.”

    Of course, there are clowns, three trained elephants, Kung Fu performances, motorcycle stunts and more.

    Tickets start at $10 for children, and go all the way up to $55 for a VIP pass. Show times vary. Tickets are available at the Crown Box Offi ce and all Ticketmaster outlets. For more information, visit www.atthecrown.com.

  • The Carolina Philharmonic has had an impressive season of performances in Fayetteville. It started with02-09-11-philharmonic.gif the Latin Serenade, followed by In Memoriam — In Celebration of the Faithfully Departed. The orchestra celebrated the holidays with Christmas in New YorkJazz Piano with Joshua Wolff and Twelfth Night. Now Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and the philharmonic is set to impress once again with Valentine’s SoireeThe Night They Invented Champagne Movie Music From the Golden Era which will be performed at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church on Feb. 13.

    Fairly new to the Fayetteville music scene, the Carolina Philharmonic debuted in February of 2009 as the West Side Chamber Orchestra to standing ovations. The group then joined Maestro David Michael Wolff’s New York orchestra, The Manhattan Chamber Philharmonic, at Carnegie Hall on April 4, 2009. Again, the group received accolades and were invited back to perform on March 3, 2011.

    Since then the orchestra has incorporated, and has changed its name to the Carolina Philharmonic, while continuing to impress and inspire local audiences. The musicians currently remain a chamber orchestra, and are dedicated to meeting the needs of the community through solo performances, small chamber groups, small and large chamber orchestra formations, as well as occasional expansions to a full symphonic orchestra.

    The Carolina Philharmonic website notes, “If there’s a defi ning feature of the Carolina Philharmonic, much more than its virtuosity, it’s the tangible joy of musical expression that brings its audiences repeatedly to their feet, from Fayetteville to Carnegie Hall.”

    Kathy Wilford, the Carolina Philharmonic spokesperson, credits the group’s success to Maestro David Michael Wolff.

    “The heart and soul of the philharmonic is our maestro, principal conductor and artistic conductor,” said Wilford. “He is an exceptional human being, number one, but an amazing musician, too. We are a growing organization. Like our website says, we are still a small philharmonic — with big ideas.”

    With Music from An American in Paris, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, Gone with the Wind, My Funny Valentine, Fats Waller’s Valentine Stomp and The Night They Invented Champagne, music lovers are sure to delight in this latest performance.

    “This was our maestro’s idea,” said Wilford. “This is an era that has exceptionally elegant music and it kind of came together as a natural combination.”

    Musicians will include David Michael Wolff on the piano, Young Mee Jun, soprano, Yang Xi on the violin and viola, Izabela Spiewak on the violin and Nate Leyland on the cello.

    There will be a champagne reception as well.

    “We are trying to bring exceptional music back into the mainstream of America, and we are starting in North Carolina,” Wilford said. “Our audiences are growing exponentially, we’ve been very blessed in that, and it is coming together nicely. Once you see what we can produce you will just be amazed.

    ”The performance starts at 4 p.m. Tickets start at $5 for students and go up to $25. They can be purchased by calling 910.687.4746.

     

    Photo: Maestro David Michael Wolff will lead the Carolina Philharmonic in its Valentine’s Day Performance.

  • uac021611001.gif Warmer weather will be upon us soon and with it the long list of projects and home improvements that have been put off through the cold winter months. Whether it’s an upgrade to the garage, re-tilling the garden or painting the front porch, there is always something to be done, and fi nding the most effi cient and productive way to do it is not only smart in the long run, but often more convenient in the short term.

    The Homebuilders Association of Fayetteville is here to help with that, just as they have been for the past 11 years, providing inspiring ideas, innovative products and plenty of encouragement for whatever project needs to be tackled.

    On Feb. 25-27 visit the Carolina Home and Garden Show at the Crown Center to see the latest products designed to keep your castle in tip-top shape. There will be vendors for pretty much any home upgrade or improvement project you can think of, as well as outdoor things like landscaping, play sets and even decorative curbing and fl ag poles.

    With so many folks on tight budgets and looking for ways to keep their homes running as effi ciently and as inexpensively as possible, look for vendors to help with everything from saving money through conservation to the latest high-tech ways to make the most of our natural resources.

    “There are several vendors that will be there to talk about energy conservation and renewable energy,” said Natalie Woodbury executive offi cer of the Homebuilders Association of Fayetteville. “One guy has solar panel attic fans — renewable energy. PWC will be there and they will defi nitely be talking about how to conserve.”

    There will even be vendors with earth friendly cleaning products.

    “We have several new pool and spa vendors that will have their pools and spas on display,” said Woodbury. “Green Biz will be there, too. His booths are going to feature his garden center which is something new that he has built on his property. He will be bringing products from that.”

    In addition to all the great products to choose from there will be free classes, too.

    “There are speakers every day on a variety of topics, so I would suggest people go to the website to see the topics and times,” said Woodbury. “There are seminars that go on all three days.”

    Want to take up organic vegetable gardening? Join Shauna Haslem for a spell and learn the basics. Jen Smith and Leslie Keiwra will teach the benefits and how-to of worm composting while Kimberly Van Borkulo will share her knowledge of waterwise gardening.

    Fayetteville’s favorite gardening expert Roger Mercer will also speak at the home show about favorite perennials for the Sandhills.

    Special guest Roy Underhill, host of the PBS show The Woodwright’s Shop will be in attendance as well.

    “We are excited to have him back,” Woodbury said.“He is a crowd favorite.”

    Underhill eschews power tools and high-tech gadgetry in favor vintage, musclepowered tools to make everything from furniture to Victorian-era toys. Learn the tricks of the trade as our forefathers knew them and see what amazing pieces Underhill will come up with next. Check him out on stage, or visit him at his on site workshop and try out some of his tools.

    Whether ideas are on the agenda or a big project is in the working, Woodbury is sure that there is02-16-11-underhill-home-&-grden.gif something for everyone at the show.

    “It is a place to go where you can go to one building and see a variety of things for your home — from your garden to your bathroom to your kitchen. It is one stop shopping.”

    The show runs Friday, Feb. 25 from noon - 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 26, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 27 from 12 - 5 p.m. Admission is $6.

    Children 10 and under are free. On Sunday all military ID Card holders receive a food voucher that they can use at any of the food vendors at the show.

    For more information, please visit www.carolinahome andgardenshow.com.

    Photo: Roy Underhill of The Woodwright’s Workshop will be at the Home and Garden Show again this year.like_us_on_facebook_button.png

  • 02-23-11-sanctum.gifSANCTUM (Rated R)     4 Stars

    Why does everyone seem to hate Sanctum (109 minutes) so much? I mean, I get all the criticism about wooden acting, but people still seem to watch Nicolas Cage films and he hasn’t actually “acted” in anything since 1990’s Wild at Heart. And I think everyone else on the planet who wears glasses can agree with me that 3D is a huge pain in the tuckus and should be forbidden by law — but if you MUST film in 3D, underwater waterfalls and falling rocks won’t do you so wrong.

    Admittedly, there really isn’t anyone to sympathize with. Daddy Dearest (Richard Roxburgh) is overbearing. Sonny Boy (Rhys Wakefield) is pretty whiny. Moneybags (Ioan Gruffudd) is exactly as entitled as you’d expected. Pretty- Girl-Who-is-Not-Anna-Paquin-But-Sure-Did-Look-Like- Her-in-One-of-the-Previews (Alice Parkinson) seems OK at first, but it turns out, that like all women, she is completely useless in a survival situation. Not that any of her traveling companions try too terribly hard to inform her of the consequences of her actions. After all, she climbed Everest! So, since was smart enough to get up a mountain she is smart enough to understand the implicit dangers present in a wholly unfamiliar and unexpected situation, so anything that happens to her is totally her fault.

    The setting for all the high drama is an underwater cave in Papua New Guinea that IN NO WAY resembles or works as a metaphor for any female body parts. Daddy Dearest is the world’s most famous explorer, and he is forcing his son to work for him for free over summer vacation. As the story begins, the expeditioners are preparing to shut down the mission and wait out a cyclone. Moneybags helicopters in with his girlfriend Not Anna Paquin and spews entitlement all over the encampment. Sonny Boy and Luko the Expendable (Cramer Cain) escort them down into the dark depths.

    As we all know when you have money, telling people what to do always works out well, and the mere presence of Moneybags inspires Daddy Dearest to take one more crack at navigating the newly discovered dark wet channels of the unexplored cave. Too bad for the explorers that the expected cyclone decided to come way earlier than it was supposed to, flooding the camp and blocking the surface access.

    In a pretty rocking scene, Luko the Expendable dons a stunning red shirt and gets bashed around while trying to rescue the pretty and/or rich people. A succession of fairly visceral scenes follows, in which the cast gets tore up until the group is down to a single rebreather and they’re all out of love.

    The group steadily fragments and Sonny Boy manages to put aside his convictions that Daddy Dearest lacks a moral guidepost in time for an impromptu poetry lesson delivered amidst a column of reeking bat guano. Male bonding complete, the two head towards the Solomon Sea. Now is a good time to make bets on who will survive the movie.

    I enjoyed the movie. The scenery was pretty, the underwater shots spectacular, and the nasty bits featured truly impressive effects work. However, for some people, that might not be enough to make up for the fact that the plot limps along and the characters suck.

  • 04 Hercules boarDo you have troubles? Current events got you down? Did you bet on the Kansas City Chiefs? Break into the Capitol Building only to find the FBI is now after you? No matter. As the Master of Ceremonies said in “Cabaret,” “Leave your troubles outside. In here life is beautiful. The girls are beautiful. Even the Orchestra is beautiful.” We don’t have an orchestra but today you can forget your troubles through the German custom of Schadenfreude which is taking pleasure in the misery of others. Hercules had major problems that will make you feel better about your own life.

    Let’s fire up Mr. Peabody’s time machine to find out why Herk was sentenced to hard labor and what he had to do to get a pardon from the Greek God Apollo. Herk was the love child of Zeus who was King of the Gods. Zeus wandered off the reservation resulting in his Baby Mamma Alceme becoming in the family way. When Zeus’ wife Hera found out, she was none too pleased. Heck hath no fury like a Goddess scorned. While Herk was a mere toddler cooing in his crib, Hera sent a couple of large snakes to strangle Baby Herk. Like Davy Crockett who killed him a bear when he was only three, Herk strangled the two snakes instead. Herk was not a baby to be trifled with.

    Although Herk foiled Hera’s serpentine plot, she did not give up her anger but bided her time. Today’s helpful tip for men of the male persuasion: Anytime a woman is biding her time, you had better watch out. Herk grew up to young manhood, got married, and had two kids. It was the perfect Grecian formula for happiness. Unfortunately, it was not to last. Hera put a spell on Herk which made him insane in the membrane. During his period of Hera-induced insanity, Herk in a murder most foul, killed his young wife and children. When he came to his senses, he was stricken with horror and remorse. As Edgar Allen Poe wrote: “I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity.” He went to see Apollo who oversaw healing to beg to be punished for his
    dastardly deeds.

    Apollo knew Hera was behind Herk’s misdeeds, but temporary insanity was not yet accepted as a defense to murder. Apollo ordered Herk to perform 12 seemingly impossible jobs to obtain forgiveness and absolution. These tasks later became known as the 12 Labors of Hercules. They also made Steve Reeves a lot of money playing Hercules in the 1950s. To feel better about your own troubles, imagine what Herk had to go through. Enjoy his misery, like a psychic poultice you will feel better fast.

    Herk’s first job was to kill the Nemean lion that had been chowing down on the good folks of Nemea. Herk fought the lion and strangled him in his very own den. Not being one to waste a good lion skin and having an excellent fashion sense, Herk wore the lion’s hide as a cape from then on. His next task was to kill the 9-headed hydra snake. The problem with the hydra was when you cut off one head, like a hungry relative it would come right back. Herk solved that problem with the help of his nephew who took a torch to the stump of the head as soon as Herk cut off the head. The torch cauterized the stump and prevented the regrowth of the head.

    Herk then had to capture the favorite pet deer of the Goddess Diana. Apollo figured that Diana would never let Herk take her pet, but Apollo did not count on Herk’s charm with the ladies. He sweet-talked Diana into giving him the deer. Next up was catching the giant man-eating Erymanthean boar. This is not to be confused with your uncle Fred who is a stultifying bore. Herk made a big net and caught the boar. Then it was barbecue, black eyed peas and hushpuppies for the whole town. Next it was on to clean up the Augean stables where zillions of cattle had been doing their bovine business for centuries without anyone cleaning out the stables. It was a dirty job but Herk did it by changing the course of two rivers to flood the stables and wash the cattle poop away. This was before the EPA and no environmental impact statement had to be filed.

    Herk moved on to a little town called Stymphalos which had an even worse problem with a ravenous flock of birds than the town of Bodega Bay, California, in Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds.” The Stymphalan birds weren’t satisfied with just pecking the townsfolk, no Siree Bob, those birds ate the people like so much sunflower seed. Once again, Herk’s way with the ladies came to his rescue. He direct messaged the Goddess Athena for help with his avian issue. She gave him some cool bronze noise makers called krotala. Herk clanged the heck out of the krotala and the angry birds flew away never to bother the town again.

    Unfortunately, we have reached the first six labors of Hercules but have run out of space in today’s column. Kindly come back in two weeks, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel to find out what Herk’s final six labors are and learn whether Herk obtains immortality. Now don’t you feel a little better about your own troubles? See I told you so. Herk was in a pickle. The worst is yet to come. Odds are you will not have to fight any 9-headed snakes, carnivorous birds, or muck out a giant stable tonight. Rejoice in the Schadenfreude that Herk has made and be glad in it.

    To be continued …

  • 02-11-15-polar-bear-plunge.gifJumping into icy water, as crazy as it may seem, has been a tradition in many countries as either a health tradition or a celebration of the New Year. The Nordic countries, Finland in particular, are famous for this sauna culture. People sit in saunas in order to sweat out impurities and then jump into nearby freezing bodies of water to wash them away and close the pores. Now the tradition has taken on a new life as a sort of dare and fundraising challenge called the Polar Plunge. The event takes place on Feb. 21, at Addison Ridge apartment complex.

    This Polar Plunge is more than the traditional dip in the pool and jump out. There is a bit more of a challenge. “There will be coins at the bottom of the pool. Each coin will have a number on it. The number will correspond to one of the many great prizes that have been donated to this event. Once a person has their coin they can compare it to the board that will have the number associated with the prize,” said Apartment Manager Heather Gonzalez.

    Some of the prizes that have been donated so far are fitbits and a Kindle Fire.

    This year, the Polar Plunge is sponsored by Addison Ridge, which is also providing the pool, and Disaster One. The event is to support the Wounded Warrior Project.

    “There’s a $12 fee. All of it goes to wounded warriors,” said Gonzalez. “With the wounded warriors being an issue so close to home for so many and with Fort Bragg and the military right at our back door, this just seemed like a great charity to support because they give back to the military. Soldiers give so much to our town just by being here. They do so much and sacrifice so much. This is a fun way to celebrate and support them.”

    The Wounded Warrior Program is dedicated to helping wounded veterans readjust and lead rewarding and productive lives. It does this through various projects that focus on four core ideas:

    Mind. Interactive programs and retreats are designed to give people the tools they need to readjust and maintain happy healthy relationships.

    Body. The project also focuses on the body by providing care and maximizing rehabilitation to encourage warriors to continue to live active healthy lifestyles.

    Economic empowerment. The organization offers education programs, training and employment assistance to help create long-term financial stability.

    Engagement.The Wounded Warrior Project also assists warriors by promoting engagement with their peer mentoring, Alumni program and more.

    Proceeds from the Polar Bear plunge will assist the Wounded Warrior Project in continuing their valuable work with our nations heroes.

    To participate in the Polar Plunge there is a $12 entry fee. You must be 18 years or older and there is a waiver. You can pay to jump yourself or nominate a friend.

    There are also three levels for sponsors. The Baby Bear is a $100 donation and includes your logo on flyers, name on T-shirts, and nomination of two participants. The Mama Bear requires a $200 donation, and in addition to what is offered with the Baby Bear, it includes a booth at the event. The Papa Bear with a $300 donation builds on the Mama Bear with a link on the Addison Ridge website for three months.

    The Polar Plunge is taking place Feb. 21 from 1 to 3p.m. at Addison Ridge located at 1000 Antietam Creek Dr. For more information, call 226-2444.

    Photo: The Polar Bear plunge benefits the Wounded Warrior Project.

  • 03 USCapitolFlagsChances are that at one time or another, you have sat down at your kitchen table and planned out a budget or balanced your checkbook for your family. For most of us, budgeting means making some tough decisions and compromising to make ends meet. Unfortunately, setting a budget does not look the same for Washington Democrats.

    Recently, House Democrats voted to pass their budget for the upcoming year. Not only did their plan open the door for massive spending, but it also paved the way to pass multiple spending bills without one Republican vote. This includes President Joe Biden’s latest $1.9 trillion COVID-19 spending bill – a bill that funds many unrelated items. If anything can be bipartisan in Washington, defeating the coronavirus should be at the top of the list. However through this budget resolution, Washington Democrats have signaled that talk of unity and bipartisanship were just that and they have no interest in working together to tackle the issues facing us.

    President Biden’s partisan relief plan is incredibly expensive and comes while over $1 trillion in funds from previously-enacted COVID-19 legislation remains unspent. Let me say that again - $1 trillion that we have already approved is sitting there unspent. This includes $280 billion remaining for the Paycheck Protection Program, $239 billion unspent for health care measures, $172 billion unspent for unemployment insurance, and $59 billion unspent for schools. Now adding an additional $1.9 trillion on top of this unspent funding not only represents a massive undertaking six times larger than the 2009 Obama stimulus plan, but this is all borrowed money and we can’t afford to keep borrowing and spending blindly.

    Instead, we should continue to identify and fund the real needs of workers, small businesses and health care professionals on the frontlines of battling coronavirus in our community. I stand ready to continue working with Democrats to combat coronavirus, speed up vaccine distribution, and find ways to increase jobs and opportunities for you and our neighbors. However, using COVID-19 relief as a Trojan Horse for massive spending and radical policies that threaten jobs is not what American workers and families need.

    Unfortunately, this is par for the course with President Biden’s agenda so far. By signing more than 40 executive actions, including rejoining the Paris Climate Accords, canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline, and ending federal oil and gas leasing, he has jeopardized thousands of American jobs. I fear the President is more concerned with fulfilling a left-wing partisan climate agenda than creating jobs or being a “President
    for all.”

    Now, President Biden’s most recent executive actions have done more than kill jobs and put our economy in danger - they have put our national security at risk. Recently, President Biden reinstated catch and release and promised to dramatically rollback the immigration policies of the previous Administration to prioritize undocumented illegal aliens.

    President Biden’s proposed Create a Pathway to Citizenship for Undocumented Aliens legislation prioritizes immigrants during a time when American citizens and businesses are hurting. The bill doubles-down on family-based immigration, clearing backlogs through amnesty, and increasing the number of visas we issue. The bill will also allow undocumented individuals to apply for temporary legal status, with the ability to apply for green cards after five years. And, President Biden’s decision to end construction of the border wall is a signal that he is not concerned about addressing border security.

    These priorities of the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress continue to miss the mark. However, I won’t give up. I remain committed to working across the aisle for common sense solutions to the problems we face, including rebuilding our economy, passing targeted COVID-19 relief and reopening our schools. And like you and I have to do, I’ll continue to push our government to balance its checkbook along the way.

  • 02-25-15-frederick-douglass.gifTo be an active member of society, you have to be assertive and learn new things to help you make responsible decisions. That is why The Fayetteville State University Debate and Forensics Team is hosting the 5th Annual Frederick Douglass Debates on Thursday, Feb. 26, from 2 – 3:30 p.m. in Shaw Auditorium on the campus of Fayetteville State University.

    “The team is a group of students that travel up and down the eastern seaboard to compete against other colleges in debate and forensics, “said William Thomas, debate coach of Fayetteville State University. “We have been doing this the last five years, in which we get together in February and we have a public debate to talk about issues that would have been of interest to Frederick Douglass if he were still alive today.”

    Thomas added that the purpose of the event is to educate the public by taking topics that people have probably heard about and allow them to learn and see both sides of it so that they have a better understanding of what is going on around them.

    The two debate topics are regarding the Presidency of the United States; with the first topic being In 2016, This Nation Needs change and the second topic is “The Time for Historically Black Colleges and Universities Has Passed.”

    “I thought the presidency topic would be a good thing to explore for an audience as they are thinking about who they are going to vote for in the near future,” said Thomas. “The HBCU topic created itself and you don’t have to look any further than the news and look at the political debates in Raleigh and South Carolina State University.”

    Thomas added that HBCUs are being hit hard by legislators all over the place and questions have come up about whether HBCUs are worth the effort anymore and if their mission is still relevant, particularly in times of budget constraints.

    This year faculty members will be debating instead of the students. The four professors who are participating in the debate are Dr. Noran Moffett, Dr. Timothy Moore, Dr. Chuck Tryon and Dr. Tamuchin McCreless.

    “I sent out an invitation to all the faculty and told them that we were doing a debate and I wanted to ramp up the quality of the debate to make sure that we are really educating the public,” said Thomas. “These four professors were brave enough to step forward and put themselves out there to do this because they understand the mission of educating and want to be a part of that.” Debates are free and open to all faculty, staff, students and the public. Seating is limited. For more information, call 910 672-2514.

    Photo: The Frederick Douglass Debates at Fayetteville State University are an annual event that shine the light on issues that would have been of interest to Douglas.

  • 02 Kiwanis CheckAfter five decades of living in Fayetteville, I never thought I could have learned so much and been so proud of an organization and project than I am of the Fayetteville Kiwanis Club and the celebration of their 100th Anniversary.

    Not only did I get a profound community history lesson, but I became overwhelmed with pride at the work ethic, dedication and intestinal fortitude demonstrated by Fayetteville’s founding leadership. Ten decades of infectious and motivating intentions is best described in only two words: Do good.

    Writing, producing and designing the Fayetteville Kiwanis 100th Anniversary Edition of Up & Coming Weekly was an actual labor of love not only for me but for our entire staff. For most, it provided them their very first insights into the origins, vision and rich history of our community. It created for them a foundation of pride and a better understanding of our community. I think it mostly made them aware of the immense and abundant empathy, compassion, kindness and sense of generosity that Fayetteville residents naturally radiate out to humanity.

    Well, our newspaper realized this twenty-five years ago and built an entire publishing company showcasing and accentuating Fayetteville’s unique benevolence. A benevolence we are proud of and one we need not profit from. Our small financial donation of proceeds from the issue goes to the Fayetteville Kiwanis Club to help support the work and significant impact they have on children in our community through the hosting of dozens of local programs.

    I have found that two sayings have always been accurate and have never failed to motivate and inspire me: One — Always do the right things for the right reasons. Two — KIDS NEED KIWANIS!

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    Pictured: Publisher Bill Bowman (right) and Jim Schaffer (left) present a check to Kiwanis of Fayetteville President George Turner (center). The proceeds from the Jan. 20 commemorative Kiwanis issue of Up & Coming Weekly will help support local programs benefitting kids.

  • 11 jail cellThe first time I met Nate, he was asking a question about a microphone I was using to collect stories at a local church men's breakfast. The church is known for the number of military families it attracts, and I was looking for one-liners about freedom for radio vignettes I was planning to broadcast from Memorial Day to Independence Day.

    As I engaged in a conversation about the microphone and his how-to mechanic videos, I had no idea of the story that was just beneath the surface. It wasn't until at least six months later I met his wife and discovered the pair and their three children had been through a harrowing, headline grabbing ordeal three years prior to my meeting Nate.

    His wife's younger brother, who was living with them to add some order and stability to his life, had been shot to death – after being beaten and robbed – on an otherwise beautiful day in May. The story caught my interest. Not because of the murder itself, but because of the story of faith and forgiveness surrounding it.

    Imagine the range of emotions in a courtroom filled with grieving family members on just about every seat in the room. One family grieving the life of a 16-year old killed over $120, and the parents and siblings of six other young people grieving the sons they were about to lose to the prison system.

    Now imagine the guardian of the slain teen handing the mother of one of the accused a tissue to wipe her tears as she said, “I forgive you. It's not your fault.”

    This wasn't a scene from a cheesy made-for-TV movie, it was real life. It took real courage, and it stemmed from real faith. The incident and events surrounding it called everything into question for Nate and his family. And as they embraced those questions, they emerged with answers that led them to the dusty villages surrounding ancient Jerusalem, where a man named Jesus taught about loving God, treating others as well as you would yourself, and forgiving those who seek to do you harm.

    The journey that led them to forgiveness led them down roads of anger, bitterness and even resentment, but the God they found along the way gives them a peace which outweighs it all.

    At WCLN, we call that Monday School. The lessons learned as we venture beyond the rally and rhetoric of a weekend worship service into stories of real life, real faith, and real people. We have devoted air time and a podcast channel to stories like Nate's – and have discovered they are all around us. Our friends, neighbors, and co-workers; their stories contain tales of heroism or sorrow, and may be marked with an undeniable joy that defies explanation.

    You can find Monday School wherever you listen to podcasts, and we hope you do.

    Pictured: There are many lessons of faith and forgiveness to be learned as we venture beyond weekend worship services into stories of real life and real people.

  • 05 20210204 163135The narrative of history depends upon who is telling the story. The narrative of Black History Month is rarely told by Blacks.

    Every year, we are told the same stories about the same people. Much of America has grown comfortable with telling the “safe” stories. During the month of February, we are constantly reminded of how slavery is an integral part of our heritage. Nobody wants to tell the honest story of what happened to Black America.

    Many of the stories told during Black History Month are traumatic experiences that have residual effects. The notion of Black History Month is divisive in nature. BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY.

    The fact is that society has normalized division and continues to plague us as a human race. If we are a part of history, why is it that we only celebrate the impact and accomplishments of Black Americans during the shortest month of the year? Black people are making history every day. No disrespect to those who have came before us, but we must give people their flowers while they are able to smell them.

    There are people in the community that have made history right here in the city of Fayetteville. For instance, Marshall Pitts is the first Black mayor of Fayetteville.

    2020, which Christian Mosley calls “The Black Year,” revealed the true history of American society. The chants of protesters unearthed the time capsule of America’s attitude towards the Black community.

    Black History Month stories romanticize the lives of people like Martin Luther King Jr., even though he was hated, jailed and even killed for his beliefs and thoughts. However, American society celebrates his legacy as if he was beloved when he was alive.

    The social justice movement of today mirrors the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Advances in technology have allowed activists to tell their stories in real-time. However, the world has become so sensitive that the truth is frowned upon or silenced.

    Sometimes, history can be divisive. The conversation surrounding the history of the Market House continues to be as polarizing as the paint that circles the structure. Throughout the last year, we have seen the removal of statues deemed to be “hateful” or “symbols of oppression.” On the opposing side, some argue that the monuments represent “pride” and “celebrates heritage.”

    The Market House continues to divide our city. The mural was done as the city’s way to further the message of the City Council of 1989 that is engraved on a plaque attached to a pillar under the structure. The 1989 City Council acknowledged the trauma associated with the building. The message reads: “In memory and honor of those indomitable people who were stripped of their dignity when sold as slaves at this place.”

    The removal and re-installment of the mural has been a hot topic. Rather than keep focusing on the structure or the mural, the city should appreciate Collyn Strother and Malcolm Chester. These two young men worked tirelessly to create a piece that symbolizes unity and inclusion.

    But, there is a difference between diversity and inclusion. Fayetteville prides itself on diversity, but the city is not very inclusive. Diversity invites people to the table, but inclusion empowers your voice to be heard while you’re at the table. The person who came up this this quote must have been referencing the way the “system” panders to young Black America.

    Recently, I sat with the group of artists under the Market House and discussed the role of art in the social justice movement. The common consensus among the group is the role of the artist is to bring the truth to the forefront. The group went on to express how nothing can replace the original feeling of initially completing the project. The group of artists are the truest definition of unity. They all represented different walks of life but came together for a common goal. By painting the mural, they were able to create progressive conversation around the Market House.

    However, it is time for some new Black History. Much of my generation are natural born American citizens. Therefore, we should be celebrated like all other Americans that have changed the narrative.

    In addition, we must stop covering up the truth like Collyn had to cover up the “peace sign” and “fist of solidarity” he had painted on the North and South exits of the traffic circle. Moments later, he received a call saying that he had to cover the symbols. The fact that those symbols had to be covered is another sign that society is not ready to accept its faults.

    Once we open and honestly address the issues of racial inequality, we will be able to move forward as a unit like this group of artists have done. They are the epitome of unity and inclusion. They are what America should be modeled after.

    Our exchange under the Market House was extremely refreshing. As a society, we must choose CONVERSATION OVER CONFRONTATION and LEAD WITH LOVE. Salute to Collyn and Malcolm.

    Salute to every activist getting active. Happy Black History Month. Peace.

    Pictured: Artist Collyn Strother paints over a peace symbol that was part of the mural circling the Market House in downtown Fayetteville.

  • 04 Benjamin Oliver Davis JrI am starting this opinion piece on 28 January 2021; Black History Month begins in a few days. As I think about the intended purpose of that designated time, an overwhelming sense of sorrow, of grief, overtakes me. A Black History Month article (updated 27 January 2021) at www.history.com gives this purpose for the month: “Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history.”

    In my lifetime, our nation has had substantial reason to celebrate and appreciate many Black Americans who, in powerfully positive fashion, contributed not only to our country, but to the world. This weight of sadness that I feel now is because, even though there are still Black citizens worthy of note for what they contribute to humanity, the numbers of such people seem far less than was the case just a few years ago. Even more painful than the much lower numbers is what I see as the reason for this decline. Not only are we failing to produce numbers of towering contributors to the wellbeing of society; instead, Black Americans are, to a substantial extent, providing fuel for the destruction of this great nation. I would argue that this is due to Black America’s change in strategy and tactics.

    Strategy is defined as overall aims, while tactics are those actions employed in pursuing those overall aims. I contend that what was the prevailing strategy and tactics of Black Americans for many years is obvious if one takes time to study the lives of those who lived in that period. The candidates for study are numerous, but the life and career of General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. superbly illustrates the strategy and tactics to which I am referring.

    General Davis was the first Black to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in the 20th Century and the fourth in the Academy’s history, ranking 35 in a class of 276. His dream was to become an aviator, but was not allowed to do so because the Army Air Corps was not accepting Blacks for flight training. Despite initially not being allowed to enter flight training in the Army, he did so later and went on to reach the rank of Lieutenant General in the U.S. Air Force that, in 1947, became a separate military branch. Among Davis’ assignments was that of Commander 99th Fighter Squadron. This was the Army’s first Black fighter squadron. It performed in outstanding fashion during World War II and Davis proved highly effective and successful as squadron commander. In December 1998, well after his retirement in 1970, President Bill Clinton promoted Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. to full general. He had retired as a lieutenant general.

    That is an extremely broad overview of General Davis’ military career. The focus for this discussion, however, is on how he set personal goals and had clear tactics for achieving those goals. Every indication is that this approach was consistent across the span of his lifetime. It shows repeatedly, but especially during his four years at West Point. That was an exceedingly difficult and challenging time. The following is from an article titled “General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.: A Life of Fortitude and Faithfulness” by Susan Robertson:

    When he matriculated into the Long Gray Line, Davis encountered a juggernaut of institutional prejudice. During his four years as a cadet, he was never assigned a roommate and frequently shunned at required social events. Even worse, he endured the entire experience with no one speaking to him outside of the line of duty. Davis patiently endured countless daily depravations and degradations and kept his eye on the prize. Remarkably, he was to note later of his ill treatment: “It was designed to make me buckle, but I refused to buckle. They didn’t understand that I was going to stay there. That I was going to graduate.” When he did graduate and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1936, the Army had only two black line officers, Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., and Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.

    Such was Davis’ grace and character, he would say of his time at West Point: ”Living as a prisoner in solitary confinement for four years had not destroyed my personality, nor poisoned my attitude toward other people.” Yet, in spite of, or rather, because of the hardships he endured, Davis had already made an impact on his future fellow officers. In the 1936 issue of The Howitzer, West Point’s yearbook, it was said of him:

    The courage, tenacity, and intelligence with which he conquered a problem incomparably more difficult than plebe year won for him the sincere admiration of his classmates, and his single-minded determination to continue in his chosen career cannot fail to inspire respect wherever fortune may lead him.

    What I see here is a man who understood the power of persuasion that comes with doing a job well and demonstrating resolve in the face of challenging situations. When life is unfair and it feels as though the world is against us, we, as individuals, must choose how to respond. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. chose a goal, worked hard, refused to give up; in the process, he achieved much and gained the respect of many who had treated him unfairly … as well as many who might have otherwise done so in the future. This was the prevailing approach to life among Black Americans during his time and for generations before and maybe for some after him. Even though confronted with unfair treatment, embracing the Davis strategy and tactics rewarded Black Americans with improved respect and advancement in society and in living conditions.

    I was born shortly after the end of World War II, when the life strategies and tactics employed by General Davis were still very present among Black Americans. I saw it work in the lives of my parents, grandmothers (both of my grandfathers died before I was born), uncles and aunts.

    I lived with my maternal grandmother, Ma’ Bessie, until I was eight years old. One day, when I was about seven, she told me to sweep the back porch. I was simply sweeping the easy-to-reach areas. She came over and took the broom and demonstrated how I should sweep the corners and along the base of the walls. Then she looked into my young eyes and said, “Karl, whatever you do in life, do it well; you don’t know what you will have to do to earn a living, but whatever it is, do it well.” This was a lady whose husband had died and left her with three small children to rear. She did it all alone. I remember her washing the clothes of people as a source of income. I especially remember how she would starch and iron white shirts to perfection and hang them on the front porch for pick up.

    Ma’ Bessie never gained the fame of a Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., but she had that same set of life strategies and tactics. I will be forever thankful that she, and others, exposed me to that life approach. Whatever good I have done in life, whatever genuine success has come to me, I owe to God and to people like Ma’ Bessie who were put in my life by Him.

    Simply put, I contend that, for the most part, Black America has shifted to goals and strategies that would not be recognized, or considered reasonable, by Ma’ Bessie, General Davis, and millions of Black Americans who built successful lives by employing the approach described to this point. This shift has brought far too many Black Americans to focus on quotas for employment, education and business opportunities; deemphasizing the two parent family unit; looking to government to solve problems of poverty, alleged racism, low academic achievement; placing self-serving individuals in positons of power and influence; literally making every problem that plagues Black Americans about racism; calling for self-destructive actions, such as defunding police when they are extremely needed in the Black community; protesting in a fashion that routinely ends in riots, looting and destruction of property along with lives and livelihoods; creating a victim mentality among Black Americans. Without doubt, this approach is not only proving destructive for Black Americans, but also for all of America.

    In the final analysis, the pressing question is: which group of goals and strategies should be the choice of Black America today? Given that the approach employed by Ma’ Bessie, General Davis, and millions of other Black Americans proved extremely successful while today’s prevailing approach is contributing to the destruction of a people and a country, the choice is crystal clear for me. Because the successful goals and strategies of the past have been discarded in favor of a shiny new destructive set, I grieve deeply.

    Pictured: General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. (Photo courtesy U.S. Air Force)

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    Ice Storm Aftermath

    The City of Fayetteville has begun the second phase of storm debris collection resulting from the ice storm Jan. 22 that brought down trees and tree limbs across the city. During round one, which began Jan. 25, city crews collected 3,980 tons of debris, according to City Corporate Communications Director Kevin Arata. “That’s 10 times the amount of limbs normally collected during a similar timeframe,” Arata said. The Environmental Services Department is not able to predict how long round two will take. Residents do not need to call in to schedule a pickup or report storm debris. They’re asked to leave tree limbs at the curb, not in the street. All available equipment and staff have been assigned to expedite the cleanup. 


     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Landlocked Demolition Dilemma 

    It’s been almost a year since a house at 4705 Belford Road in Montclair was destroyed by fire. The city of Fayetteville opened a file on the property within a week giving the absentee owner an opportunity to receive an insurance settlement. Up & Coming Weekly reported about what followed several weeks ago. The owner never responded and failed to attend hearings. Code Enforcement Director Scott Shuford said that a demolition order was issued on Nov. 30, 2015. This followed months of “20 major steps that were taken” to get the house torn down, said Code Enforcement Manager Bart Swanson. It is, after all, a process. Step 21 has stymied the process. The contractor can’t get his heavy equipment up the hill to the house. When the State Department of Transportation completed construction of Glensford Drive and the roundabout at Belford Road where the property is located, they forgot something. Engineers built the roadway complete with concrete curbing around the property with no access to the burned out house on the hill. There’s no driveway… nothing, according to Shuford.  The dilemma hasn’t been resolved.


     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Military Suicides Are Up

    The Department of Defense has released its 2014 Suicide Event Report, which disclosed the number of suicide attempts and deaths among U.S. service members. The report does not include a breakdown of suicides at individual installations. There were 269 deaths by suicide among active duty service members in 2014, compared with 259 deaths the year before. Data was collected by the services and supplemented by information from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System. Fort Bragg authorities do not disclose suicide deaths as such. When asked about such deaths, Fort Bragg says they remain under what seem to be never-ending investigations. The Criminal Investigations Division rarely, if ever, discloses cause of death in suicides. When suicides occur in the civilian domain, however, investigations are normally concluded in a day or two. Service members and their families in crisis should seek help immediately by contacting the Military and Veteran Crisis Line at 800-273-8255.  The Military and Veteran Crisis Line provides 24/7 confidential support to all service members and their families.


     

     

     

     

     

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    Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation Hosts Walk-a-thon to Help Children

    Anyone wanting to walk for a good cause and help a Boy Scout with his Eagle Scout Project is welcome to participate in a fun 3k / 5k Walk-A-Thon at 10 a.m. on Feb. 20 at Jordan Soccer Complex. Proceeds provide toys and other needed items to support the therapeutic treatment for children admitted to Cape Fear Valley Hospital.

    There is no entry fee, however, a donated item must be provided. Please, no broken or over-loved toys. Used electronics are acceptable if they are in working condition. Suggested items include: socks, onesies, baby blankets, scarves, hair ties or ribbons, stuffed animals, Beanie Babies, coloring books and crayons, individually packaged hygiene items, DVDs (current movies), video games – PS3, XBOX 360 and Wii games, plastic toys – Legos, toy cars, action figures, gift cards for teens – ITunes, GameStop, electronics for older kids – IPods, game systems.

       For any questions about the event please contact Laura Cole at 494-2154 or liftupmyhands2jc@aol.com.

  • 03 kids backpacks in front of schoolYour mama and mine were clear about this. We do not tell lies, nor do we perpetuate them. I must have told a whopper, because I can still remember my Kinston grandmother grabbing both my arms and putting her nose next to mine and hissing at me, “Margaret Dawson, don’t you EVER tell me a teewaddie again!” Teewaddie is eastern North Carolina speak for a big fat lie. I must have been about 5 or 6, and her technique was so effective, I doubt I ever told her another one.

    There are facts, of course, and there are interpretations of facts, and sometimes it is difficult to separate them. The North Carolina Board of Education has been in the midst of just such a quandary, and it is not likely over yet. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter and Me Too movements and the sketchy, relaxed relationship with the truth enjoyed by our former President and many of his supporters, the Board has been wrestling with how to teach North Carolina’s school children about inequity and injustice in American society.

    Those are concepts not unlike art and pornography — hard to define, but we all know them when we see them. The 1898 coup d’etat in Wilmington, the only such overthrow of an elected government in American history, is a fact. It was not taught in schools during my public education because it had been spun in a different light. It has been well documented in recent years though by, among others, Philip Gerard in "Cape Fear Rising" (1994) and more recently in "Wilmington’s Lie" (2020) by David Zucchino, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and graduate of Terry Sanford High School. The coup d’etat, long buried in state and national history, should be part of social studies and history curricula at all levels in North Carolina schools and throughout our nation. Ditto for other documented events including civil rights activities, the women’s movement, and other historical events with both positive and negative connotations.

    The Board struggled, and understandably so, over less concrete questions, including adjectives. Early proposals for social studies curriculum standards in included “systemic racism,” “system discrimination,” and “engender identity.” After fierce Board of Education debate over several months, a 7 to 5 vote has adopted standards that dropped those adjectives for less precise language. Still, it is a step in the right direction.

    Proponents of social studies standards say the information will be more meaningful to students of color who now make up the majority of public school students in North Carolina. Opponents contend the standards project anti-American, anti-capitalist, and anti-democratic viewpoints. The fight is not over yet. Later this year, professional staff at the Department of Public Instruction will present additional documentation of how the new standards will be implemented in classrooms, which is sure to ignite yet another round of disagreement about what our children should learn and how they should learn it.

    Most of us are not educators and know little about curriculum development of any sort. Most of us do have common sense, however, as have leaders of all stripes when they ponder truth, however painful. Here are three that ring true
    to me.

    “Truth will ultimately prevail where there is (sic) pains to bring it to light.” — George Washington

    “Repetition does not translate a lie into a truth.” — Franklin Delano Roosevelt

    And, chillingly, this from Sir Winston Churchill in a 1948 speech to Parliament. He was surely speaking about war, but it works just as well for discrimination and injustice.
    “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.”

  • 02 sit inFebruary is an extraordinary month. I planned to write for you today to celebrate the 61st anniversary of the day where three friends and I boldly went and sat at the Woolworth counter in Greensboro, NC. As Black men, we didn't know how we would be leaving that restaurant. Some of us feared we would be beaten or even killed. That sit-in sparked similar sit-ins across the nation leading to significant social change in the United States.

    Sadly, while the anniversary day should have been a day to celebrate how far we've come, we see firsthand how the liberal news media is viciously attacking independent thinking Black men.

    Last week WRAL published a political cartoon that depicted my good friend, Mark Robinson, as a Klansman simply because he refuses to rubber-stamp the leftist agenda promoted by their liberal organization. Amazingly, this is only a few days after the Democrat-controlled school board scheduled a meeting that they knew Lt. Governor Robinson could not attend. It's heartbreaking how, even after 61 years, we're still having to fight to have a Black man protect his seat at the table.

    As we celebrate Black History Month, we should be promoting, not silencing, voices like Mark Robinson's, our state's first Black Lieutenant Governor!

    Like Mark, I will not be silenced! I plan to continue the fight. Through our efforts with the NC Faith and Freedom Coalition and the Frederick Douglass Foundation to educate and engage conservative-minded minorities, we will work even harder to combat these disgraceful attacks from the left. Will you stand with us? Let's send a message that we will not let them intimidate us! That's the best way to celebrate Black History and making history.

    Pictured above: On the second day of the 1960 Greensboro sit-in, Clarence Henderson (far right) joins (front left to right) Joseph A. McNeil, Franklin E. McCain and William Smith at the Woolworth lunch counter.
    (Courtesy of Greensboro News and Record)

    Editor's Note: In a press conference, Lt. Gov. Robinson reacted to the cartoon: "On the second day of Black History Month, the first Black lieutenant governor of North Carolina has been portrayed as [racist]," he said. "That you would portray a Black man, just because he's in the GOP, as a Klansman... the hypocrisy is mind-numbing, folks."
    In a statement from Capitol Broadcasting Company, Opinion Editor Seth Effron said: “Editorial cartoons are creative and provocative, using hyperbole and satire. No one believes Republicans on the State Board of Education are members of the Ku Klux Klan. The editorial cartoon by Dennis Draughon is meant to point out that these members of the State Board are trying to wipe out from the social studies curriculum the record of racism which includes the Klan and the segregationist practices that were imposed in our state and nation’s history.”

    Clarence Henderson was a student at N.C. A&T State University when he sat down at the lunch counter at the Greensboro, Woolworth in the winter of 1960. The purpose was to protest racial segregation. He was 18 years of age. He wanted to change the system then, and now 61 years later, he is still working hard to change the system. This Black History Month and every month, we want to honor men like Mr. Henderson for their dedication and perseverance to obtaining fair and equal rights for all. Thank you for all your contributions. — Bill Bowman, Publisher

  •  The Woman in Black(Rated PG-13)  Four Stars02-29-12-movie-review.jpg

    The Woman in Black (95 minutes) wasn’t the best movie I’ve seen in the last year, but at least it was entertaining. As a film, it fit nicely into the grand Gothic tradition of classic English horror movies. Writer Jane Goldman did a nice job of updating the 1983 Susan Hill novel … not surprising from someone with writing credits on Stardust, Kick-Ass and X-Men: First Class. Too bad her big finale came off as unnecessarily sentimental. In fact, the notoriously hard-to-find 1989 UK telefilm really sounds like it had the more satisfying ending.

    In Edwardian England a lawyer named Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) prepares to leave his son Joseph (Misha Handley) with a nanny (Jessica Raine). Kipps is trying to get over a run of bad luck, and step one is catering to his employer by heading out to the middle of nowhere to handle the estate of the Drablow family. On the train to the village nearest Eel Marsh House, Kipps meets Sam Daily (Ciarán Hinds).

    Arriving on a dark and stormy night, he finds out there’s no room at the inn, and is promptly put into the Attic-Room-of-People-Jumping-Out-of-Windows by the helpful proprietor. Once he gets to mingle with the villagers, everyone acts real shady, like they’re going to murder him and hide the body if he’s not on the next train out of town. The next day, despite ample evidence that he should get the heck out of Dodge, Kipps heads out to the spooky isolated mansion that is closed off to the outside world during high tides.

    Though my first move would have been to light every candle in the house and start a roaring fire, he gets right to work sorting through a Hoarders-style stockpile of paperwork. I’m not really sure why a lawyer was needed for this, since there are apparently no surviving relatives, but at least we get a ton of thrilling scenes that revolve around paper. During a break from the excitement, he sees the titular Woman in Black (Liz White), and later reports the sighting to the village constable. After he finishes up telling the nice policemen things they don’t want to hear, he heads over to Sam’s for dinner. The dinner is rather awkward, what with Sam’s crazy wife Elizabeth (Janet McTeer) bringing her yap-yap dogs out to the table and making polite dinner conversation about dead children and communing with the afterlife.

    Over the next day or so, the story of the Drablows is re-vealed in bits and pieces, though it seems like the backstory could have answered a few more questions than it does. For the one millionth time, the villagers try to get Kipps to leave. Despite lots of paranormal stuff going down every time he walks through the door, a ghosts-aren’t-real pep talk from Sam gets him back to work. This time, he takes a dog for company and decides it is a great idea to spend the night in the clearly haunted house in which he has already seen, heard and felt several ghosts.

    He manages to get through the night without actually having a heart attack from fear, although judging from the reaction in the theater, the filmmakers did a great job of ratcheting up the tension for the average viewer. For some reason, Sam finally gets on board the I Do Believe in Spooks train, and helps Kipps carry out a brilliant idea. He has decided that the way to put the spirit to rest is to reunite her with her child, which apparently involves heading out to the marsh on a dark and stormy night to grope around in a mud pit the color and con-sistency of melted Hershey’s Chocolate.

    For Radcliffe’s first post-Potter production that doesn’t involve being naked on a horse, he did all right. The pacing was pretty tight, and there was at least the effort to temper the too schmaltzy ending with an ominous final scene.

    Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

  •    As Valentine’s Day approaches, and procrastinators everywhere (myself included) are breaking out in hives at the prospect of purchasing gifts and planning events, a roundup of romantic offerings around town seems like a great idea.

    Hotels and Spas
       Holiday Inn Bordeaux is offering a romance package that includes overnight accommodations, dinner for two, dessert, champagne or sparking cider delivered to your room in the evening, plus a Sunday Brunch.  Call 323-0111 to book your room.
       The Renaissance European Day Spa has several Valentine’s Day specials, including everything from a chocolate mousse facial, manicure and pedicure with a spa lunch, to an aroma therapy massage, a gentleman’s package that offers and hot stone massage and a facial, and a couples offer that includes massages, facials and a pedicure.  Prices range from $75 to more than $400. Call 484-9922 for more information.
       Ravenhill Medical Day Spa & Salon has a few Valentine packages, as well. How about a chocolate full body massage, chocolate facial, and romance and roses manicure and pedicure, or a warm soak and a moisturizing massage? Prices start at $65 for a mani/pedi. Call 497-0218. 

    Pubs and Clubs
       The Doghouse Bar is offering two dinner specials — chicken or rib-eye steaks for two with baked potatoes or fries, a veggie, bread and a salad. It’s $18.50 for the chicken, $23.50 for the steak. Check out www.thedoghousebar.com or call 323-2400 for reservations.
       Jesters Pub is celebrating Valentine’s Day on Feb. 12 with the 2nd annual Valentines Day Massacre featuring Saliva, Pop Evil and Since October.
       It’z will be hosting ladies night on Feb. 12 with giveaways that include free trips, spa gift certificates and gym memberships.
       The Keys Piano Bar will be featuring Johnny Stone, Paul Hoefler and Richard Wojeck.

    Sweets and Treats      
       The Chocolate Lady is featuring a rose box special for $25, which holds 12-14 strawberries depending on their size. Of course, said strawberries are dipped in a variety of confectionery delights — white chocolate, dark chocolate, or a combination of both. Truffles can be substituted if strawberries aren’t your sweetheart’s favorite treat.
       Baskets of Blessings has something to fit every budget, starting at $2.75 for a single, boxed chocolate or truffle. The high end of the candy spectrum tops out at $35 with a box full of goodies. Chocolate baskets and     Sweet n Salty baskets are another popular item, starting at $36 and climbing as high as you are willing to go.

    Restaurants
       Hilltop House has a new executive chef who is excited about his updated menu. Look for a filet and lobster entree and a bone-in New York strip with an espresso rub served with a chocolate steak sauce among other exciting options. I asked for more, but that is all they would give up about their romantic menu. Musician Bill Mann will be performing jazz to create that perfect romantic mood. Call 484-6699 now for reservations as spots are filling up fast.
      Morgan’s Chop House is relatively new on the culinary scene in Fayetteville and it is not holding back on its Valentine’s Day offerings. Corky Jones and the Mighty Blue will be providing entertainment. For $55 a person, a four-course dinner with mix-and-match menu items will be featured. Appetizer choices include a lobster crab strudel, spinach artichoke dip or oysters Rockefeller, followed by a choice of a wedge or Caesar salad. Filet mignon, apple walnut pork chops (a best seller) and a 12-ounce rib-eye are offered as entrée choices, all served with either baked potato or sautéed vegetables. And you can top all that off with a slice of lollipop cheesecake served with a tuxedo strawberry. Reservations are being taken for 5, 7 and 9 p.m. by calling 867-8447. 


    Contact Stephanie Crider at editor@upandcomingweekly.com


     
     
     
     
     
     
     




     














  •   My boyfriend of five years has severe anger and money issues. I constantly helped him out financially, professionally, and personally. If I refused there’d be a fight. Still, I love him dearly because he’s a good guy. He’s always said I’m “the one”; that every other woman has left him, but he wanted to grow old with me. Two months ago, he left me, but came back a week later, teary, saying we’d go to therapy. The therapist said he had Attention Deficit Disorder, and once he got on medication many of our problems would be resolved. A week later, things were great until he said he didn’t love me and left again. He’s flying to Peru to see a girl he dated 15 years ago, and hoping to propose. He called her his true love, and hurt me more by saying he’d “wasted” five years with me. But, I know this fling won’t last. I still truly love him, and I hate seeing our relationship going down the drain like this! — Distraught

      {mosimage}You note that every other woman has left him, like it’s some accomplishment that you’re still there. Sorry, but “Woman survives on barely any dignity for five straight years” isn’t quite on par with “Woman trapped in car for five days stays alive by drinking her own urine and eating the headrest.”
      You spin what you had with him as some great love story, and that’s not totally off. Your denial of reality is right out of “Titanic” -- the scene where DiCaprio’s character is about to freeze to death in the North Atlantic, but first manages to mutter, “I don’t know about you, but I intend on writing a strongly worded letter to the White Star Line about all of this.” Next, you claim he’s “a good guy.” How so? When he’s screaming and maybe even throwing things at you, does he stop for a moment to write a check to the American Cancer Society?
      Of course, you were never “the one,” just the one who paid his VISA bill. And guess what: He hates you for it  and probably hated himself for needing you too much to ditch you. You weren’t his girlfriend; you were his caseworker. You don’t love him; you enable him. And, you weren’t with him for who he is but for who you’re not. To be fair, you two do have one big thing in common: a really low opinion of you.
      Don’t get your hopes up about the ADD meds, which were apparently sold to you as the Glinda the Good Witch of pharmaceuticals. They might help him be more focused and less impulsive. Like psoriasis, the guy’s bound to come back. In preparation for his return, change the locks, change your phone number and pledge to stay out of relationships until you couldn’t imagine putting up with a guy like him.


  • 021010kathyweb-1.jpg Fayetteville Community Concerts heat up on Thursday, Feb. 11 as Sister Sledge, featuring Kathy Sledge, takes to the stage of the Crown Theatre in a show that is sure to leave you dancing in the aisles.

    Born and raised in Philadelphia, Kathy Sledge is the youngest of five girls from Edwin and Florez Sledge. By age six she was singing songs with her sisters in perfect harmony. Who would have guessed that only 10 years later, she would record a song that would literally touch the hearts of millions around the world.

    Kathy and her sisters learned their musical craft at the knee of their grandmother, an experienced opera singer. Their childhoods were spent singing in and out of church. Local talent shows and clubs became their second home. In high school, their popularity spread and the girls quickly signed their fi rst recording contract with Atco Records. As is the case with many acts, they initially gained popularity overseas, but their break out hit “We Are Family” landed them a solid place in the anals of American music. The song and the album went on to reach the No. 1 position on every imaginable chart and also earned a Grammy nomination. That album also spawned two additional hit songs, “Lost in Music” and “He’s the Greatest Dancer.”

    Sister Sledge, she went on to sell several million more albums with many popular singles, including “Got to Love Somebody,” “All American Girls,” “My Guy” and “B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Baby).”

    Sledge has been called “one of the most original and unique voices in pop music,” and the organizers of the Community Concerts series recognized that by bringing her dynamic show to the community.

    “Community Concerts is very excited about bringing Sister Sledge to the Fayetteville Community. Her show promises to be very high energy and fi lled with the kind of showmanship one can expect from a Las Vegas act,”said Community Concerts Marketing Committee Representative Kristie Meave.

    “This is something the community will not want to miss.”

    Community Concerts is an all volunteer, non-profi t arts organization whose sole mission is to bring the fi nest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville. In addition to concerts, their mission includes an ever growing list of outreach programs including support for Boy’s and Girl

    ’s Club members and deserving seniors, music clinics for children and a new music scholarship fund. The show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets range in price from $18 to $32 and can be purchased at the Crown Box Offi ce and at all Ticketmaster Outlets. For more information, call 323-1991 or visit www.atthecrown. com or www.communityconcerts. com.

  • uac021710001.gif Spring — sunshine, warmer weather and that mile-long to do list. Whether it is the fl ower beds that need some love, the deck that could use some refortifi cation or that cabinet that needs refacing, the Carolina Home & Garden Show offers inspiration, ideas and endless possibilities for turning your home or garden into the retreat you crave. With about 175 booths and 85 vendors, daydreamers and do-it-yourselfers alike will fi nd something to get excited about at the Crown Center Feb. 26-28.

    Special guest Roy Underhill, of the PBS series The Woodwright’s Shop, will be speaking several times on Saturday.

    “He is going to do three 30 minute demos working exclusively with vintage hand tools,” said Natalie Woodbury, Home Builders Association of Fayetteville executive offi cer. “When he is not on stage he’ll have a display where people can come and talk to him.

    ”Underhill is not the only dynamic presentation planned for the three-day event. George Quigley will speak on green landscaping while Shauna Haslem will cover vegetable gardening. The lovely Camellia will have its day in the sun when Jim Darden delivers a 30 minute demonstration.

    Roger Mercer will be on hand as well, hosting a question and answer session about gardening. Other topics will include container gardening and gardening for kids.

    Woodbury is excited about the vendors this year and the wide range of services they offer.

    “We’ve got everything from cooking items to gutters to exterminators to carpet and landscaping,” she explained.

    As in past years, each day has a theme. Friday, Piedmont Natural Gas is sponsoring Go Green Day. Saturday is Kids Day and will be sponsored by Fayetteville PWC. Military Day falls on Sunday and is sponsored by Weaver Homes.

    “Saturday we will have a jump castle for the children and two sessions of kid’s gardening,” said Woodbury, adding that “The Weaver Homes booth will be handing out food vendor coupons to military ID card holders on Sunday.

    ”There will be musical entertainment by the John Parson Band and the Northwood Temple Senior Band as well, which is an addition from last years booths. Even the vendors will have their own treat to look forward to this year. The Kidsville Kids will be performing at an after hours event on Friday, Feb., 26

    .“The Kidsville Kids represent Kidsville News! in promoting the values that the publication stands for — literacy, developing talents and achieving goals,” said Kidsville Kids director Joy Cogswell.

    “We’ll be performing a good variety of pieces for the vendors... we’re doing ragtime, rock-n-roll and a patriotic piece, too.”

    Look for door prizes and handouts galore throughout the weekend.

    Woodbury noted that one of the bigger prizes is a $2,000 landscaping make-over from Green Biz.

    “Something people need to know is that this is a great opportunity because all of these wonderful businesses will be under one roof,” said Woodbury. “You don’t have to go from place to place looking for different items and there really is something for everyone in the seminars we have planned with these experts talking about so many different topics.”

    Friday, the doors open at noon and close at 6 p.m. Saturday, the show is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday hours are 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

    Tickets are $6 at the door. Visit www.carolinahomeandgardenshow.com for presentation details and more information on the vendors or give the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville Inc. a call at 826-0648.

  • 02242010dsc_0383.jpgSunday afternoon I sat through the fi nal performance of Peter Pan at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre. It was my fi fth or sixth viewing of the musical, and I remained as enchanted throughout the performance as I was the first time.

    While there were professionals carrying three of the lead roles, the rest of the cast was rounded out with community children and high school students. As the Littlest Burton was among the cast, I had the opportunity to see how much work went into put together a production of this scale. I can tell you, it was grinding. Rehearsals started on Jan. 2 and ran all the way through to the show’s opening at the end of the month. The average rehearsal was four hours – longer in the days leading up to the opening.

    Did I mention those rehearsals happened after school? These students, ages 8 and up, carried not only their school work but the grueling schedule of rehearsals as well. Some of the students were also involved in the theatre’s upcoming production of Les Miserables. They were doing double duty.

    As a mother, I was very concerned about the impact of the schedule on my son’s school performance. We were, after all, doing homework on the way to the theatre and getting up early in the morning to complete what was left undone. I imagine that was the case with all of the students in the cast.

    I had the opportunity to talk with Bo Thorp, the theatre’s artistic director about the subject. Thorp, who has a passion for children, noted that children involved in the arts tend to do better in school. They learn to balance their creative time with their academic time, and the time spent pursuing the arts actually makes them better students. She noted that one of the students who was pulling double duty on both plays had recently told her he made the A Honor Roll.

    Her experience with the success of children in the theatre is not an anomaly. A recent Harris Poll shows a positive association of music with lifelong educational attainment and higher income. Nearly nine in ten people (88 percent) with post graduate degrees participated in music education. Further, 83 percent of those with incomes higher than $150,000 or more participated in music.

    “Research confirms that music education at an early age greatly increases the likelihood that a child will grow up to seek higher education and ultimately earn a higher salary,” said Dr. John Mahlmann, executive director of MENC: The National Association for Music Education. “While music clearly corresponds to higher performing students and adults, student access to music education has dropped about 20 percent in recent years, thanks in large part to the constraints of the No Child Left Behind Act.”

    Other studies show the value of music programs to our future generations:

    • Students in top quality music programs scored 22 percent higher in English and 20 percent higher in math on standardized tests mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act (University of Kansas)

    • In 2006, SAT takers with coursework in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 43 points higher on the math portion (The College Board, Profi le of College-Bound Seniors National Report for 2006)

    While schools across the nation are cutting music and arts programs from their daily schedule, in Cumberland County, we are blessed to have institutions like the CFRT, Snyder Music Academy, the Kidsville Kids, the Arts Council and the Fayetteville Museum of Art that work daily to bring arts education to our county’s children.

    From personal experience, I know that incorporating music and the arts helps a child’s development. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Benchmark Testing was conducted in the Cumberland County Schools during the opening week of Peter Pan. We were in rehearsal until 11 p.m. that week, and I knew my son was tired. I was really worried about his performance on the test. When scores came out this month, I was overwhelmed. My son, who is dyslexic, scored 20 percent higher than the county average in reading and held his own in math.

    There is a place for music and art in our children’s lives. It’s up to us as a community to make sure it stays there.

  • 07 Larry Vaudeville CopyThe Gilbert Theater has been around since 1994 when it was started in the basement of Lynn Pryer's house, and for the last 26 years, it has produced many wonderful theatrical performances on the main-stage season. “FayetteVAUDEville” was an idea that the board of the theater came up with to produce something new and fresh to end 2020. Last October, the theater put on its first-ever performance of “FayetteVAUDEville” starring Jermey Ruis for his Dark Magic. If you missed that production, reserve your tickets now because "FayetteVAUDEville" is returning Feb. 26 and 27.

    “FayetteVAUDEville” is not just a typical theatrical product that one is used to, this performance will showcase some local artists and their talents. This show will star singers Karen Morgan Williams and Tim Zimmerman; belly dancer Fahada (teaches locally in Fayetteville); and comedian Vadrin Colvin-King.

    “The ‘FayetteVAUDEville’ is a show intended to pull talent from our local community and string the talents together for a fun adults night,” said Brittany Conlin, business manager of the Gilbert.

    From singing to belly dancing, the Gilbert Theater will present “FayetteVAUDEville” to mature audiences on the nights of Feb. 26 and 27 at 8 p.m. This show is not something you will want to miss. The show is supported by a mini-grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County.

    This show will have a max capacity of 25 people per show and tickets are available for purchase at the Gilbert Theater website. Season holders will have to purchase tickets for this show. The theater is very adamant about protecting everyone so they will be doing temperature checks at the door and masks will be required. The theater has already planned the next two “FayetteVAUDEville” performances to come in April and May of 2021.

    The “FayetteVAUDEville” auditions had such a great turn out of adults and children that the Gilbert theater is moving forward with a kid-friendly version of the show entitled “The Greatest Showcase: A Youth Variety Show.” This show will be brought to the public on March 5th and 6th at 2 and 5 p.m. by the Gilbert Theater and the Kids with Hearts for Arts. The tickets will be $12.

    The Gilbert theater has a wide variety of shows coming to center stage this season which began with the murder suspense “Ropes.” The next two shows to follow are “Oedipus Rex” and “Urine Town: the Musical.”

    The Theater also offers educational opportunities, with the most recent being a virtual class taught by Montgomery Sutton.

    For more information on shows, auditions, education and ticket sales visit the website at gilberttheater.com.

  • 09 146616045 10165136912400171 8148525869899560600 oThe Fayetteville Transportation and Local History Museum has put together another fantastic African American exhibit to honor Black History Month. This local museum for the past three years has followed a theme to showcase African American professionals from Fayetteville’s history and will keep the exhibits up for a year after they are revealed.

    This year the museum released an exhibit on Feb. 2 to honor African American architects. This exhibit is focused on bringing awareness and attribution to these early builders and historic buildings in the downtown area.

    These architects were from the Fayetteville area and some of these buildings are still standing today. There is a “rich history” in Fayetteville and this museum allows people to step back in time to really understand the historical roots.

    Catherine Linton, the Museum Specialist, is the one that helped bring to life this year’s exhibit entitled, “African Americans Building Fayetteville.” She is a former museum specialist with the Country Doctor Museum at East Carolina University.

    “Some buildings that are attributed to these builders are not standing today, but we want to bring attention to the ones that are, to bring history and awareness to the community,” said Linton in describing the focus of this exhibit.

    One of the builders that really stood out to Linton while assembling the exhibit was Abel Payne. Payne was an enslaved man that eventually purchased his freedom, but continued to work as a carpenter to afford freedom for his children. Linton said the story stood out to her because it is a “good story about overcoming obstacles.”

    This year’s exhibit is the third one the museum has done to follow the theme of African American professionals in Fayetteville’s history. The first exhibit the museum did in 2019 was about African American businesses, followed by the 2020 exhibit about African American doctors. Last year’s exhibit still remains on the first floor to the right of the entrance until the end of February 2021. This new exhibit, “African American Builders,” will remain until the end of February 2022.

    The museum is located in the restored 1890 Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railroad Depot, with two floors of exhibits and artifacts. It is open to the public of all ages and guided tours are available for schools, church groups, home school groups and more. They also offer activities such as walking tours of downtown, bus tours, a Saturday farmers market, and more for children and adults.

    The museum annex is next door for continuous history on the Fayetteville area.

    For more information visit the Fayetteville Transportation and Local History Museum at www.fcpr.us, and they are open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    Pictured: The Transportation and Local History Museum opened a new exhibit on Feb. 2 in honor of Black Histoy Month. "African Americans Building Fayetteville" highlights Black architects and builders in Fayetteville's history. The exhibit will be on display for one year. The 2020 Black History Month exhibit about African American doctors will be on display until the end of this month.

  • 10 JH 00282The Gilbert Theater’s latest show “Rope” premiered Jan 29. with a full house on opening weekend. The crime-centered, murder-themed play brought a thrilling drama to the stage for its audience.

    Originally written by Patrick Hamilton in 1929, the British play was later made into a movie by the famous filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock in 1948. The Gilbert’s production of “Rope” runs through Feb. 14. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 with military, student, first responder and seniors.

    The play opens with a cold-blooded murder of a young man by the two lead actors Wyndham Brandon (played by Chris Walker) and Charles Granillo (played by Tim Zimmermann).

    The characters of Brandon, with his air of intellectual superiority and a temper, and Granillo with his tenderness and remorse, make quite the interesting murderous duo.

    The two leads decide to host a dinner party around the wooden chest where they’ve hidden the body. The dinner party is supposed to be an amusement to the duo, especially Brandon as getting away with the “perfect crime.”

    The guests include Kenneth Reglan (played by Quentin King); Leila Arden (played by Megan Martinez); Sir Johnstone Kentley who is the father of the murder victim (played by Gabe Terry); Mrs. Debenham (played by Kathy Day); Rupert Cadell (played by Lawrence Carlisle III); and amongst them is their butler, Sabot (played by Dylan Atwood).

    The guests comment on the “queerness” of the evening, and the strangeness of the food being served on the wooden chest. Arden’s character goes as far as to jokingly suggest the hosts are hiding a dead body in it.

    Cadell suggests it would be obvious stupidity to murder then host a party around the body, which seems to get under Brandon’s skin. Meanwhile, filled with regret and fear, Granillo drinks his feelings away through the night.

    The characters bring forth a drama filled evening, not short of laughter, suspense, thrills and some philosophical back-and-forth about murder.

    Suspicious and quickly picking up clues, the clever Cadell lures the duo into confessing to murder and the “perfect murder’” plan that they failed at executing.

    The hard work of the cast and crew is reflected in the costumes, set and acting during the two-hour, fun-filled thrill of the evening.

    For those looking for a drama-filled affair, “Rope” at the Gilbert Theater is one to see.

    For tickets visit, https://www.gilberttheater.com/index.php

    Pictured above: Lawrence Carlisle III (left), the Artistic Director of the Gilbert Theater, joins the cast of "Rope." Photo by Jonathan Hornby.

  • 02-09-11-aladdin-at-fsu.gifFayetteville State University’s Seabrook Auditorium will have magic in the air as Aladdin comes to the stage this month.

    The magical story of Aladdin is a well traveled and long loved one. The tale is said to have started as a Middle Eastern folk tale, but is also said to have Arabic, Persian, Indian and Egyptian roots, dating well back to the 15th century. Like most great stories, the initial origin may be cloudy and some details may have changed but the heart of the story survives.

    The story revolves around young Aladdin, an impoverished youth with dreams of being rich and respected. By a series of events, he comes to acquire a magical lamp containing a powerful genie, that he has tricked an evil magician into relinquishing. He then uses the genie’s power to win the heart of beautiful Princess Jasmine and impress the Sultan, making his dreams come true. In a twist however, the magician regains the lamp and kidnaps the Princess, and in order to set things right, Aladdin along with his monkey sidekick Alakazam, must face Chop-Chop the ruthless executioner and help set things right!

    This story has survived and has been woven into history many different ways for the simple fact that it has all the components of a wonderful adventure. Love, betrayal and magic have always been a recipe for a good story. We cheer for underdog Aladdin and hope for evil villains comeuppance.

    This February Fayetteville State University Theater put it’s own spin on this yarn, with this non musical version of the classic tale. In this delightful version, experience all the magic and suspense you’ve come to associate with Aladdin, as well as meet three genies, the whining Ali “Bubba,” the fire-breathing dragon and the haughty sultan’s wife.

    Fayetteville State University has been putting on exciting productions since about 1973 and is still going strong, putting on more than 20 shows a year.

    Associate Professor and Director of Theatre Phoebe Hall, who has been with the company since 2000, is enthusiastic about this months feature.

    “I think that Aladdin will be well received, Tim Kelly has done an excellent job in bringing his adaptation to life. The students, as always, worked really hard to make this story one that the audience will really enjoy.”

    The proceeds from Aladdin, as well as the theater’s other productions go right back into the theater fund, and is used to continually provide Fayetteville with genuinely entertaining performances.

    Show times are Feb. 17 and 18 at 9:30 and 11 a.m. and Feb. 18 also at 7 p.m. The tickets for the two mornings shows were sold out as of Monday, Feb. 1, but tickets for the evening show is still available.

    Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for staff, faculty and senior citizens, $3 for children and $2 for students with a valid ID until curtain time. After curtain the full adult price will apply.

    For more information feel free to contact the theater at 910-672-1006 or at their website http://www. uncfsu.edu/theatre.

  • Up & Coming Weekly readers know that this paper supports art and artists in the community. We cover the02-16-11-gallerytwilightreflections3of3.gif events, do profi les as space permits and try to keep our readers informed about the goings on in the art community. We cover everything from concerts to plays and exhibits throughout the area and even have our own Gallery 208 and Leonard G. McLeod Gallery in our corporate offices. In fact, if you’ve never been, we have a new exhibit coming up that you won’t want to miss.

    On Feb. 24 from 5:30 - 7 p.m. Up & Coming Weekly invites you to join us for the opening reception of Bayscapes and Other Reflections: The Works of Clarence Schumaker in Gallery 208.

    Shumaker’s works in this exhibition are primarily, as the name suggests, water scenes. The oil paintings capture the magic of the bay at different times of day and in different seasons, evoking both the calming effect of a still, quiet day on the water and the harshness that ice and winter can bring to the coast.

    This collection is a body of work that Schumaker has assembled over time. Living on the Chesapeake Bay and having nonstop access to the water has proven to be a source of inspiration for him.

    “I live in a little fi shing village and there is a beach that is just a short walk from my house — I’m just enamored with the water and the qualities of it that are always changing,” said Schumaker. “I’ve got this view that I don’t care what day, what time of day it is, it is always different and there is a certain timeless quality to that.”

    His love of the water has inspired Schumaker to investigate the bay from every angle he can, from the shore out and from the water in, there is always something new to paint.

    “A lot of my pieces are from the water — views that you wouldn’t normally get if you are a land lover. It gives a whole different perspective of living on the land when you get to see it from the water and see how small everything really is,” said Schumaker. “I am just trying to make pieces that will make someone pause and take their time and soak it in just like you would in nature. I think everybody is on a 24/7 news cycle and there is nonstop chatter going on and that is why people do like to get away. I am just trying to capture the feelings people have when they go to the beach — they kind of take their time and gotta stare at the water a little while.”

    While this particular exhibit is about the water, Schumaker is also a sculptor, muralist and graphic artist. Check out more of his work at www.daybreakstudios. com or come to the art opening and hear what he has to say about his work.

    “We are always excited to feature talented local artists in our galleries,” said Up & Coming Weekly Publisher Bill Bowman. “We look forward to these openings as a time to interact with the arts community and with our readers. There’s always great food and a good time is usually had by all.”

    Also featured at this event will be the works of Chris Pruitt in the Leonard G. McLeod Gallery.

    Up & Coming Weekly’s corporate offi ce is located at 208 Rowan St. Join us for refreshments and networking. For more information, call the Up & Coming Weekly office at 484-6200.

    Photo: Twilight Reflections by Clarence Schumaker

  • 02-23-11-lettermen.gifIf ever there was a musical group with staying power it would be The Lettermen. They’ve been in the music industry for more than 50 years, and have no intentions of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, they’ll be performing at Fayetteville’s Crown Theater on Feb. 26.

    In 1960, The Lettermen, Tony Butala, Jim Pike and Bob Engemann signed with Warner Brothers Records and released their first singles “Their Hearts Were Full of Spring,” “When” and “The Magic Sound,” and “Two Hearts.” By 1961 they’d moved on to Capitol Records and released a single titled “That’s My Desire.” On the B side of the album was “The Way You Look Tonight.” It was different from the sounds of the day, but it rocketed to number 13 on the Billboard Chart.

    Since then, the faces in the group have changed a few times. There have been eight Lettermen in 50 years. They’ve produced 76 records, and traveled anywhere from 300 days a year, in their early years to 100 days a year in the past decade or so.

    While five decades is indeed a long stretch of time, it is by design and not by chance that The Lettermen are still performing so regularly.

    “This is what we do,” said Lettermen founder Tony Butala. “We are entertainers. Show business has two words show and business, but back when we started people didn’t see it that way. They considered it more of a lark. When I formed the first group in 1958 — it was the first boy band. I looked for the best looking guys I could find and the best soloists I could find. Instead of a strong lead singer and weaker singers doing back up I wanted three strong singers. The outlook of the band has always been professional. It was a different concept back then.”

    The current version of the band, Tony Butalla, Donovan Tea and Mark Preston has been together since 1984, the longest any members have stayed together. They have traveled about 100 days a year for the past 26 years, bringing their brand of music to fans old and new around the country and the world.

    “Over the years we’ve changed our product — like Cadillac changing the chrome or fins on a model of their car — but you don’t change the essence below, it is still a smooth ride, and a great quality car,” said Butala. “We are a product. We learned from the beginning, it is not a lark. We didn’t’ go out there and play it like it was a game. We ran it like a business.”

    The “hip to be square” image that Butala and the rest of the band have adhered to has paid off in spades with loyal fans, a stellar reputation, shows booked throughout the year and no end in sight. A much different ending than some of the other musical groups that have come and gone in the years the Lettermen have been delivering great performances.

    In 2010 the group released a new cd titled The Lettermen: New Directions 2010 in conjunction with Les Brown Jr.s Band of Renown. This new CD features such songs as “After The Love Is Gone,” “Listen To The Music,” “Pure Imagination” and “Come Fly With Me.” Readers interested in purchasing this CD can contact the Lettermen Society office at 724-444-0778 or go to the website at www.thelettermen. com.

    If you haven’t experienced the Lettermen yet, don’t miss out. Butala joking says “For people who people haven’t seen us and don’t know us, tell them what we are not — we are not three elderly, balding, kook headed guys trying to relive the past. This is a 2011 entertainment package that happens to have had hit records in the ‘60s and ‘70s. It is an entertainment group, not a recording group.”

    The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Call 438-4100 or visit www.atthecrown.com.

  • 02-25-15-ftcc.gifIn the still of night, you awaken suddenly with indigestion, but it’s been hours since you’ve eaten. Then a tightness crawls across your chest, and it’s hard to breathe. Thinking it will pass, you lie still, but after a few minutes, the pain worsens, and you dial 911

    .Your teenage son bounces through the door and makes a bee-line for the fridge, hunger overpowering his internal caution to watch what he grabs in order to satisfy his growling stomach. Within minutes, he is flushed, is covered in hives, can’t breathe, and is extremely dizzy. You call 911 while searching for his Epinephrine pen because you know he only has minutes to live

    .The family cookout is winding down, and everyone is packing up to head home. Grandma is still napping in her chair, but she looks uncomfortable, slumping somewhat to the side. You rush over to see what’s wrong, and the best response is jumbled as she drools from her crooked mouth and has a hard time swallowing. Immediately you reach for the phone and dial 911.

    You’re driving home from work, and you hear a siren in the distance. Checking the rear view mirror, it’s an ambulance racing up the road behind you. Hopefully, you pull over so they can safely pass by, but do you ever wonder about the people inside? Those paramedics are attending to any one of the patients described above, any of whom could be you or your loved one. The situations constantly change, but the need to care for people in need is always present. Most people don’t realize the training required to become a paramedic, typically the most highly-trained medical professional who comes to your door or your motor vehicle collision in times of distress.

    Initially, anyone who enters the field of Emergency Medical Services begins by attending and graduating from a 200-hour EMT-Basic course. Others soon come to realize that they have a sincere desire to serve the public and thus enroll in one of the best paramedic programs in the state through the Continuing Education Division at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Both the Basic EMT and Paramedic Courses are offered traditionally and online to include varying schedules during days, nights and weekends.

    In the last ten years, the program has quadrupled in size due to the increasing demand for healthcare, longer life expectancy, and population growth in this area. The calling to paramedicine is not accomplished without challenges, as it encompasses 1,200+ hours of classroom, clinical and field internships, plus passing a North Carolina state and/or National Registry exam for certification. Many of our students remain in the field for years, while others move up in medicine to become physician’s assistants — and medical doctors, never forgetting or regretting their experiences as a paramedic.

    Not every call is a true emergency. Not every paramedic resembles those on television. So when your emergency arises, be assured that a paramedic will answer your call for help and provide you with the best pre-hospital care possible.

    To request information regarding FTCC’s Continuing Education Healthcare programs, please call (910) 678-8251 or visit http://www.faytechcc.edu/continuing_education/fireresc.aspx.

    Photo: Anyone who enters the field of Emergency Medical Services begins by attending and graduating from a 200-hour EMT-Basic course.

  • 021016_jeff5.jpg

    “Through the darkness of the heavens shine the lights of knowledge.”                                           –  Tom Grubb –

    Tom Grubb is an artist, specifically a sculptor, who uses his knowledge of missile technology and abstract space exploration in his work. He is educated and experienced in both areas. These days he’s creating artwork in his home studio and experimenting with new technology.  Grubb’s 20 years in Fayetteville are immortalized in three sculptures which have become part of the community’s landscape —from the airport to downtown. He received a National Endowment for the Arts project grant for his sculpture “Star Gate 2003.” He created another piece, “Sprint Voyager,” for Fayetteville’s Festival of Flight, also in 2003. His local art was chronicled in an Up & Coming Weekly cover story that year. His works have been exhibited in collections and museums in the United States and abroad. Grubb was Executive Director of Fayetteville’s Museum of Art from 1990 to 2010. When the museum went under, Grubb moved on and now makes his home on the ocean in Washington, N.C. Art, his sailboat and teaching art appreciation at Beaufort Community College are his life today.

    His first local work of art was erected at the airport in 1988. More recently came “Star Gate 2003” at the roundabout near the Headquarters Library. “Sprint Voyager” is off Hillsboro and East Rowan Streets near downtown. It’s actually a telephone company cell tower for which Sprint won an award as the “most creative cite concealment of a tower.” It was noted as “the height of ingenuity” in the New York Times Magazine.

    Perhaps you’ve wondered about the inspiration for his futuristic designs. 

    “I combine elements found in physics, astronomy, navigation and sacred geometry to create my works of art. I believe that the arts and sciences are closely connected to the health of the human spirit. It is through this seeking of the unknown that one can grow and develop as a human being on planet earth. I create these works of art that are part ancient, part futuristic and part spiritual to inspire the viewer to consider the unlimited possibilities of exploring earth and the universe,” said Grubb.

    Time is taking its toll on both local sculptures. They need painting. Presumably CenturyLink inherited maintenance responsibility for maintaining the “Voyager” which the now-defunct Sprint originally agreed to maintain. Grubb says painting “Star Gate 2003” is up to the City of Fayetteville. He tells Up & Coming Weekly that he’s working with Michael Gibson, Director of the Parks & Recreation Department, to have the painting taken care of. The sculptures are made primarily of aluminum and stainless steel.  Grubb says he has volunteered to oversee the painting. The two poles from which the sculpture is suspended have already been painted. 

     
  • 02-22-12--4th-fridayvoors.jpgThere is plenty to see and do this month at 4th Friday. The Arts Council celebrates local talent with the Fayetteville Technical Community College Education for Life Exhibit. This juried show celebrates the 50th anniversary of FTCC. Look for a variety of 2-D original art works including watercolor, oil, pastel, acrylic and mixed media.

    The top three pieces of work will be recognized with $1,750 in prize money during the shows opening.

    Down the block at Cape Fear Studios, Excursions — Drawings by Michael Voors features the work of the internationally known artist. Voors is a professor of art at the School of Art and Design at Eastern Carolina University. He’s been a visiting artist or artist-in-residence at schools throughout Europe and the United States. Voors’ work has been shown around the world, including Amsterdam, Taiwan, New York and Ireland; it is also housed in many public and private collections including the Library of Congress, the Fogg Museum at Harvard University, the Diozesanmuseum in Cologne, Germany and the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

    Much of his work has been nourished by travel, in particular, locations that have an ancient or sacred character. The changing qualities of light and surfaces that reveal the passage of time and variations of architectural passages move the viewer toward larger associations and meanings. Voors is scheduled to teach a special workshop at Cape Fear Studios on March 17 and 18. Contact Cape Fear Studios at 433-2986 for more information.

    The Downtown has some fun festivities planned this month, too. “February is going to be a blast for Fourth Friday! Between the Puppy Parade, the Mardi Gras-inspired pub-crawl and costume contest, no one will be in want of activities for the evening. In addition, Fayetteville’s own Greg Hathaway will be demonstrating the techniques that have made him a legend in this town at the Annual Bread and Bowls Event at Hay Street United Methodist Church. Even our fabulous downtown merchants are getting into the spirit with stores like So Chic Bebe offering mask making for the kids and Pierro’s offering a Mardi Gras themed martini! The event kicks off at 6 p.m. and goes until 10 p.m.,” said Kimberly Powers, event coordinator – 4th Friday Fayetteville.

    Headquarters Library hosts and evening of drumming with Fayetteville’s drumming circle. This unique group has been drumming in the downtown area for 10 years. Founding members Ray King, Mithra Maraj, Neil Ray, Tom Hedgepeth, Corky Jones and others will fascinate listeners with many complex drumming sounds. Audience participation is welcome. Please bring your own percussion instruments. Refreshments are provided. This event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. and is going to be in the Pate Room. Contact the library at 483-7727 for more information.

    Gallery One13, located at 113 Gillespie St., opens the Fayetteville Photography Club’s Just Photo’s exhibit, a juried photography competition. The opening reception is from 6-9 p.m. Awards will be announced at 8 p.m. Call Gallery One13 for more information at 223-2787.

    Photo:  Ascend, charcoal image by Michael Voors, East Carolina University.

  •  The Woman in Black(Rated PG-13)  Four Stars02-29-12-movie-review.jpg

    The Woman in Black (95 minutes) wasn’t the best movie I’ve seen in the last year, but at least it was entertaining. As a film, it fit nicely into the grand Gothic tradition of classic English horror movies. Writer Jane Goldman did a nice job of updating the 1983 Susan Hill novel … not surprising from someone with writing credits on Stardust, Kick-Ass and X-Men: First Class. Too bad her big finale came off as unnecessarily sentimental. In fact, the notoriously hard-to-find 1989 UK telefilm really sounds like it had the more satisfying ending.

    In Edwardian England a lawyer named Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) prepares to leave his son Joseph (Misha Handley) with a nanny (Jessica Raine). Kipps is trying to get over a run of bad luck, and step one is catering to his employer by heading out to the middle of nowhere to handle the estate of the Drablow family. On the train to the village nearest Eel Marsh House, Kipps meets Sam Daily (Ciarán Hinds).

    Arriving on a dark and stormy night, he finds out there’s no room at the inn, and is promptly put into the Attic-Room-of-People-Jumping-Out-of-Windows by the helpful proprietor. Once he gets to mingle with the villagers, everyone acts real shady, like they’re going to murder him and hide the body if he’s not on the next train out of town. The next day, despite ample evidence that he should get the heck out of Dodge, Kipps heads out to the spooky isolated mansion that is closed off to the outside world during high tides.

    Though my first move would have been to light every candle in the house and start a roaring fire, he gets right to work sorting through a Hoarders-style stockpile of paperwork. I’m not really sure why a lawyer was needed for this, since there are apparently no surviving relatives, but at least we get a ton of thrilling scenes that revolve around paper. During a break from the excitement, he sees the titular Woman in Black (Liz White), and later reports the sighting to the village constable. After he finishes up telling the nice policemen things they don’t want to hear, he heads over to Sam’s for dinner. The dinner is rather awkward, what with Sam’s crazy wife Elizabeth (Janet McTeer) bringing her yap-yap dogs out to the table and making polite dinner conversation about dead children and communing with the afterlife.

    Over the next day or so, the story of the Drablows is re-vealed in bits and pieces, though it seems like the backstory could have answered a few more questions than it does. For the one millionth time, the villagers try to get Kipps to leave. Despite lots of paranormal stuff going down every time he walks through the door, a ghosts-aren’t-real pep talk from Sam gets him back to work. This time, he takes a dog for company and decides it is a great idea to spend the night in the clearly haunted house in which he has already seen, heard and felt several ghosts.

    He manages to get through the night without actually having a heart attack from fear, although judging from the reaction in the theater, the filmmakers did a great job of ratcheting up the tension for the average viewer. For some reason, Sam finally gets on board the I Do Believe in Spooks train, and helps Kipps carry out a brilliant idea. He has decided that the way to put the spirit to rest is to reunite her with her child, which apparently involves heading out to the marsh on a dark and stormy night to grope around in a mud pit the color and con-sistency of melted Hershey’s Chocolate.

    For Radcliffe’s first post-Potter production that doesn’t involve being naked on a horse, he did all right. The pacing was pretty tight, and there was at least the effort to temper the too schmaltzy ending with an ominous final scene.

    Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • 11 julio rionaldo xIoze9dH4WI unsplashThe Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra’s “In Their Footsteps” concert is one that will be a classic and a performance the whole famioy can enjoy.
    The concert will take place at Huff Concert Hall at Methodist University on March 7. The performance starts at 7:30 p.m.

    During this performance, the audience will experience the skills of the symphony’s talented musicians and travel with them and the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra as they walk in the footsteps of classical composers and even a North Carolina composer.

    What started in 1956 as a simple orchestra has expanded into an incredible group of musicians that performs all across the community of Fayetteville. The mission of the orchestra is to educate, entertain and inspire the citizens of Fayetteville, North Carolina as the region’s leading musical resource.

    Before the concert, a preshow talk will take place. This preshow talk will be a formal interview done by the Music Nerd,  Dr. Joshua Busman.

    Jesse Hughes is the executive director of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. When asked about the preshow talk that will take place beforehand, he said “ It’s an informal interview that involves Dr. Joshua Busman who is a professor of composition at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. The purpose of it is to give the audience insight into the lives of musicians from a practical standpoint. In other words, he will interview some of the musicians and ask them how did they prepare for a concert or for a particular concert, when they became interested in music and at what age, and things like that, and establish a connection with the audience.”

    About the theme, Hughes said, “The theme was programmed by our musical director. It pays homage to great composers that have gone before. It’s a combined program that combines the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra. So, it is basically the young following in the footsteps of the old.”
    Composer Hector Berlioz takes center stage this performance. “First off, the concert is going to focus on a composer named Hector Berlioz. Mr. Berlioz is a well known classical composer, so its basically paying homage to his work. Also, that first half is going to feature a composition by a North Carolina native, Jacob Hensen, who is currently pursuing his master’s degree at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.”

    “Then the second half of the program features music by composers based on American style music such as the Suite of Old American Dances. The type of music they are playing is called academic music. It is performed more by bands at the high school and college level. So, it is very popular in those populations.

    “What makes it fun is the cultural enrichment it brings to the community, the involvement, and  the connection that is established with the orchestra and the patrons, especially when we play pieces that people can relate to.

    “I think they are important because they provide cultural enrichment. It denotes the example of the accomplishment of something that requires regiment and discipline. It’s also something that captivates the community and is all inspiring.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • 15 choral artsAudience members may not recognize the Cumberland Choral Arts moniker just yet, but the voices will sound oh-so familiar when the group performs Friday, Feb. 28 at First Baptist Church. No stranger to the community, Cumberland Choral Arts was founded in 1991 as the Cumberland Oratorio Singers. The group performs a variety of pieces in the classical, opera, stage and screen music, jazz and other music genres.

    “It is our first season as Cumberland Choral arts,” said Artistic Director Jason Britt. “People are starting to recognize the name, but we are still explaining it. We changed our name because it more accurately reflects who we are. We realize our listeners are not just people who strictly love classical music. We have audience members who like jazz and Broadway and contemporary music, and we strive to provide a variety of things for the interest of our audience. We are a community group. We do a variety of music, not just traditional choral music. If you come to ‘Welcome to London,’ you may hear something from the Beatles that night.”

     The concert will showcase three significant composers — Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst and John Rutter. “We are going to be highlighting some famous British composers,” said Britt. “Elgar and Holst are both considered nationalist composers who epitomize their country through their music. We are showcasing them as well as contemporary composer John Rutter. We will be showcasing his traditional  pieces and one that is more jazz-related.

    Additional performances this season include a celebration of black history month Feb. 22 called “Lift Every Voice and Sing. “Local black musicians will perform that night at 7 p.m.,” said Britt. Patrons can pay at the door. It’s  $15 per person. Season ticket holders will get a discount. Proceeds benefit Cumberland Choral Arts.”

    The final concert in the season brings audiences full circle with “America, My Home.” It is set for May 8. The concert focuses on a few little-known composers, including some from North Carolina. The works of  Joseph Martin, Dan Forrest, Daniel Elder and Stephen Paulus are all on the docket as attendees are treated to more subtle and subdued harmonic structures, combined with flowing, sing-able melodies. Some of the works to be performed that night include “Good Night Dear Heart,” “Song for the Unsung Hero,” “Hymn for America” and Elder’s song cycle “Three Nocturnes.”

    Inspired by the joy of singing and hearing choral music, the group’s mission is “to be a premier symphonic chorus through the outstanding performance of choral masterworks. With a commitment to excellence and education for over 25 years, we work collaboratively with all singers to foster a vibrant, diverse, and interactive choral community, educate our singers and audiences, and extend our reach to the youth of Cumberland County and the Sandhills region.”

    Find out more about Cumberland Choral Arts at https://cumberlandchoralarts.org/ or by calling 910-215-7046. Tickets are available on the Cumberland Choral arts website.
     
  • 11 N1907P38008CThe Cumberland County Master Gardeners 6th Annual Spring Garden Symposium is set for March 21 at the Ramada Plaza in the Bordeaux Convention Center in Fayetteville. It will be filled with excitement and fun for anyone interested in gardening and the great outdoors. The symposium will run from
    8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is put on by the N.C. State/Cumberland County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association.

    Come ready to learn, as the symposium features several guests. The main speakers of the event will be Joe Lamp’L, Kerry Ann Mendez and Jason Weathington.
    Lamp’L is the creator, executive producer and host of the Emmy-award winning national PBS series, “Growing a Greener World.” Mendez is an award-winning garden educator, author and design consultant. Her international gardening webinars have been viewed by thousands. Weathington is an N.C. State/Cumberland County Extension urban horticulture agent, educator and landscape designer.

    Weathington, Lamp’L and Mendez will give presentations throughout the day. Lamp’L will discuss what takes place behind the scenes of his show, “Growing a Greener World,” drawing inspiration from his extensive travels across America. These travels set the stage for the series, providing content and inspiration. The presentation is titled, “Growing a Greener World — A behind the scenes look at some of our most popular stories from the past 9 seasons.”

    Mendez’s presentation is titled, “The Budget-Wise Gardener: Plant the Best for Less! Money-Saving Tips for Purchasing Plants Plus Cost-Saving Garden Designs.” This presentation will be about finding ways to get the best plants for the best price. It also will discuss tips on how to design one’s garden and landscapes while also saving money in the process.

    Mendez will also give a presentation called “Gardening Simplified: Plants and Design Solutions for Time-Pressed and Maturing Gardeners.” This presentation is based on Mendez’s book, “The Right-Size Flower Garden.” This presentation will be about simple, easy ways to keep up with one’s garden throughout the year, even when life gets busy.

    Weathington’s presentation is titled “The Outdoor Room.” This presentation will be about how to create an enjoyable outdoor space.

    Judy Dewar is the chairperson for the Cumberland County Master Gardener’s 6th Annual Spring Garden Symposium. Dewar said the purpose of the symposium is “Among other endeavors, to raise scholarship funds for the horticulture students at Fayetteville Technical Community College, offer grants to the high school offering horticulture programs, help fund the Jr. Master Gardener program and educate our county residents in NC State horticulture practices.”

    Dewar also said the symposium allows the community to come together because it brings together people who are interested in sharing stories and practices on how to sustain the earth.

    The symposium will also include a silent auction, raffles and vendors. The price of admission includes a seated luncheon.

    For more information about the symposium, contact Judy Dewar. Visit eventbrite.com to register for the event.

  • 10 N1804P43006CSpring is right around the corner. It’s the perfect time to show your abode some love, spruce things up and maybe tackle projects that got put on hold during the winter months. Whether that to-do list is a mile long or you are just looking for inspiration, the North Carolina Spring 2020 Home Expo is the perfect place to start. The Expo runs Feb. 21 through Feb. 23 at the Crown Complex Exposition Center, and according to David Laughlin, marketing director at Nationwide Expo, there is something there for just about everyone. Come browse the latest in home design, remodeling, automation, improvement, outdoor living and more — much more. The more than 100 vendors are ready to serve, teach and inspire.

    “This is going to be a great show,” said Laughlin. “This time of year, a lot of people are huddled inside doing projects or gearing up for spring cleaning, spring redecoration and bigger projects, too. That’s what makes this such a timely event. There will be everything related to homes and living spaces, including things like tile, wood, carpet and bath and kitchen vendors. If you’re looking for something for a project — big or small, do-it-yourself or to hire out — there are vendors who can help, and they are all getting together at the Crown.”

    For people looking to get work done, the Expo is an opportunity to shop around, get quotes and interview different vendors. “They do all sorts of projects, indoors and out,” said Laughlin. “And, often, they can do it in a day or two. Many of the vendors don’t have storefronts, so you’ll get good pricing. Virtually all the vendors are local. There are some national companies, but the ones who will come into your home are 85% to 90% local and include businesses like plumbers, HVAC companies, electricians, — you name it.”

    The show is also perfect for people thinking about buying or building a home. Find out what the latest trends and technologies are, compare products and prices and talk to financial institutions about how to make it happen. “If you’re thinking about buying a house, we will have bankers, lenders and mortgage companies — everything you can think of,” said Laughlin. “You don’t have to own a home to enjoy the show. Mattress companies will be here, kitchen companies will be selling the latest gadgets, and there will  be cooking demos and food samples and all sorts of other vendors, too.”

    Like many other industries, technology changes fast in the home=building and home improvement arena. From solar products to home safety, Laughlin said it’s always interesting to see the latest trends and technologies. “My favorite thing about this is the education. I learn something at every show.”
    Don’t miss the main stage, where vendors will do presentations. And come ready to bring home some the swag. “There is always swag, like key chains and pens and visors, but the other thing is there will be giveaways as well,” Laughlin said. “At one show, a roofing company gave away a new roof.”

    With vendors offering products and services that cover anything home- and even apartment-related, the expo is an obvious choice for a way to constructively spend a few hours. Tickets cost $5 per person. Find out more at http://www.crowncomplexnc.com/events or by calling 910-438-4100.

  • 11 01 the vine 1Lovers in and around Fayetteville can give Cupid the weekend off this Valentine’s Day. Choices abound for a fun experience with your special someone with options that include fine dining, concerts, theater performances, Vegas-style casino events and more.

    The Vine  Enjoy an upscale Valentine’s Day listening to live jazz music by Fayetteville’s own Reggie Codrington while savoring a sumptuous meal at
    The Vine.

    The Vine co-owner Brad McLawhorn said the event is designed to be a step above dinner out at a restaurant. “We wanted to create an event that will make people feel special. We are taking reservations, and we can fit up three couples at a table. We want to give everyone an opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle. They can come and enjoy a plated dinner where everything will be served to them. It is a personalized experience with live music by Reggie Codrington to provide ambience.”
    The menu includes filet mignon,  salmon or chicken entrees as well as a vegetarian option.

    “We wanted to make sure everyone has something on the  menu that will appeal to them,” said McLawhorn.

    There will be several different side options, including a baked potato or honey cinnamon sweet potato or cayenne roasted red potatoes or cilantro lime rice along with multiple vegetables to choose from. Dessert options include New York-style cheesecake with a raspberry drizzle or a chocolate lava cake. McLawhorn also hinted that there will be a special surprise for the ladies who attend as well.

    Reservations are available in 30-minute increment, starting at 5 p.m. Tickets cost between $75 and $225. The expanded menu for this event accommodates dietary restrictions and includes vegetarian options. Find out more at https://www.thevinenc.com/  or twobrotherscateringnc.com or by calling 910-584-9892.

    11 02 1200x628 copyThe Crown Coliseum Complex has several events scheduled for Valentine’s Day weekend. Set for Friday, Feb. 14, the Valentine’s Day Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre serves up an evening of suspense, mystery and murder alongside a gourmet meal.

    “We are so excited for this event,” said Carolyn Swait, director of sales at the Crown Complex. “This is the first time ever the Crown has produced something of this magnitude... We want the community to not think of it as another dinner theater but to have a different experience from the minute they walk through the door. We have given this a lot of thought and have carefully considered everything that is going into this.”

    Produced, written and directed by Dr. Gail Morfesis, “Love Letters … Sleight of Hand” features Sylvester “Sly” Fox,  master of ceremonies and husband of Francine Maximillian, artistic consultant and original owner of “It’s all about You” booking agency. He came to Francine as an actor seeking jobs but has attempted to take over the business. He also has taken on several unscrupulous loans of which Francine is unaware. Francine is concerned about her husband’s attention toward her younger  protéges.

    This interactive whodunit invites attendees to solve the mystery while enjoying a cocktail hour with hors d’ oeuvres and an open bar followed by a three-course dinner and dessert. Vegetarian options are available upon request. The murder mystery dinner starts at 6 p.m. Visit http://www.crowncomplexnc.com/ for tickets and information.

    11 02 FAYCOMMUNITY2019 WebSliders TEXASTENORSCommunity Concerts presents the third performance in its five-show season this year with The Texas Tenors Friday, Feb. 14. The Texas Tenors take the stage at the Crown Theatre at 7:30 p.m. for a night of amazing music as the trio celebrate 10 years together. The group was honored earlier this year as one of the top 50 acts in the world. They were the only vocal group from the United States invited to compete on NBC’s primetime series “America’s Got Talent: The Champions.”

    For tickets and information, visit http://www.community-concerts.com/.

    11 04 Logo Wine and Chocolate Festival copyWine and chocolate are a classic combination when it comes to romance. Saturday, Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., Carolina Uncork’d Wine & Chocolate Festival welcomes the public to taste selections from regional wineries and chocolatiers as well as spirits and craft beers and more at the Crown. There will be more than 100 of Carolina’s premier wineries, breweries, distilleries, cideries, restaurants, cheese makers, bakers, and chocolatiers in attendance.

    From selfie photo booths not yet seen in the Sandhills to life-sized games like Connect Four and beer pong, the event is the perfect place for a unique Valentine’s Day experience. “We’ll have the sweet spot, which offers different sweets and chocolate to taste throughout the day,” said Swait. “We’re adding a man cave and beer garden. We want to make it enticing for men. Valentine’s Day is centered around women. We thought this would entice women to bring their guys. There will be beer, whiskey, cognac, life-sized games and more. The Ladies Cove will feature a martini bar with a huge ice-sculpture martini glass with cosmos coming through it. There will be chocolate martinis and other specialized cocktails for the event, as well. Several of our sponsors are customizing cocktails as well. There will be games on the stage along with demonstrations, prizes and giveaways. We have so many fun surprises people are going to really enjoy.”

    The VIP experience includes one-hour early entry to a session; a premium swag bag; limitless samples of wine, craft beers, spirits, ciders and more; sampling of gourmet fondue bar chocolatiers and the region’s savory food bites; early vendor shopping experience; exclusive door prize giveaways.

    Attendees must be 21 or over. Tickets cost $15 for designated drivers/nondrinkers, $35 for regular tickets and $50 for VIP tickets. There is a military discount of $5.  For information and tickets, call  910-438- 4100.

    11 05 Shrek Showpage Banner V2 1024x202“Shrek: The Musical” is a fairytale musical for the young and the young at heart. In this production, the unlikely hero, Shrek, embarks on a life-changing journey. He is accompanied by Donkey as he takes on the task of rescuing a fiercely independent princess Fiona — who has a big secret. With themes of self-acceptance, trusting others and loving yourself for who you truly are woven into the story — and the songs, too — A night at CFRT’s “Shrek: The Musical”  is a lovely way to spend a whimsical evening (or afternoon) with your special Valentine.

    The show runs through Feb. 16. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday evenings with matinees at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Visit http://www.cfrt.org/ for tickets and information.

    11 06 VALENTINES 2Take your sweetie on a Valentine’s Day carriage ride through downtown Fayetteville, Friday, Feb. 14 from 5-10 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 15, from 1-9pm. Rides last about 20 minutes each.  Tickets for group rides are $15 per person or $10 for children under 10. Private rides for a truly romantic experience are also available for $60 per couple.  Tickets may be charged over the phone at 910-223-1089 or booked online at www.visitdowntownfayetteville.com.
     
  • 08 kay V3qzwMY2ak0 unsplashBetter Health has been serving the Cumberland County community for the past 61 years. For the past 23 years, the organization has offered fun and entertaining ways to raise funds for the nonprofit, and this year is no exception. Preparing for its largest annual fundraiser thus far, the theme for 2020 is an “Evening at Casino Royale,” and it is sure to be an unforgettable event. Event chair, Jennifer Hammond, has gathered a group of excited volunteers who are looking forward to making sure the evening is not only tremendously successful, but it’s enjoyable, too. Mark your calendar for Feb. 29, and get your tickets now.

    The annual fundraiser event is designed to raise funds for Better Health and to educate those in attendance about what this longtime nonprofit offers to the community.

    Director Amy Navejas said, “So often, we hear people who are not familiar with the organization, but they come in, are blown away by what we do and how long Better Health has been serving the community. This event is a way for our community to come together to support those in need, show appreciation for all of the physicians and volunteers who make it all possible and have a great time.” The dedicated staff and board of directors will also be in attendance for those who would like to meet them and hear more about this incredible organization.

    The evening will begin with attendees receiving tokens from the 2020 Casino Sponsor, the Cobb Tilghman Group of Merrill Lynch. They will trade the tokens with the pit boss for play money where they can try their luck at the blackjack, roulette, craps and poker tables. Attendees will also enjoy great music, have the opportunity to bid on splendid silent auction items, munch on scrumptious food provided by Elite Catering, and sip adult beverages.

    All of this fun takes place at the locally owned Carolina Barn at McCormick Farms, only 11 miles from the Market House. The address is 7765 McCormick Bridge Road, Spring Lake.

    All the money raised will help Better Health continue to support the community. Better Health provides free diabetes education, emergency direct medical aid for the uninsured, emergency dental extractions and free medical equipment loans and even childhood obesity programs. All of this is made possible through fundraisers and devoted volunteers made up of Certified Diabetes Educators, nurses and more.

    The event is Saturday, Feb. 29, from 7-11 p.m.

    If you are interested in volunteering, want to be a sponsor or have questions about the event, email director@betterhealthcc.org,  visit www.betterhealthcc.org.  or call Better Health at 910-483-7534.


  •    Slowly, the light fades in, revealing the Moon, dressed in white tuxedo and wearing whiteface, sitting atop an ancient, battered refrigerator, playing a plaintive melody on a violin as sad and sweet as a young girl’s first crush.
       Somewhere, as if from the bottom of a deep, desert ravine, the Coyote wails and then makes an appearance, sniffing around, wearing a carnivorous smile and a derelict’s shabby clothes as he searches out the object of his affection — Cat — all dressed in black, hunkered seductively in a corner and purring away like God’s own house tabby.
       And so begins References To Salvador Dali Make Me Hot— a surreal, sexy, sublime stage adaptation of Jose Rivera’s play about a lonely, lusty and lustful woman living in the desert of Barstow, Calif., seemingly always awaiting the return of her warrior husband, a soldier in the United States Army who most recently fought in the first Gulf War. Thrown in to the mix are all of the aforementioned characters, plus a 14-year-old boy next door who is a walking, talking hand grenade of hormones.
       {mosimage}Thursday was opening night for References To Salavador Dali Make Me Hot at the Gilbert Theater, and if you’re looking to warm up the libido during these cold, February days, then this is the ticket. The production, directed by Marcella Casals, smolders like Valentino’s eyes on Valentine’s Day and shows off the talents of a largely inexperienced, yet talented, young cast.
       Gabriele (Brooke Sullivan) is the lady of the house, alone and bored in her desert domicile, wishing her soldier husband Benito (Will Moreno) would come home for good, forsaking his most demanding mistress, the United States Army.
       While she pines for Benito and a better life, the Moon (Rickie Jacobs) and the Boy (Manquillan Minniffee) pine desperately for her. As a subtext, the Coyote (Steve Jones) and the Cat (Teresa Dagaz) trade sexually-charged barbs as the audience tries to figure out whether the Coyote wants to make love to the Cat or simply make her a main course.
       As Gabriele, Sullivan is sex incarnate, strutting the stage in cutoffs and a tank top, driving even the klieg lights to distraction as she questions her place in the universe and whether or not she wants to remain faithfully wed to a man whose vocation she hates — a vocation that has dragged her from Germany to the doorstep of Death Valley. Sullivan possesses a sultriness far beyond her years.
       Moreno is excellent as Benito. As Gabriele’s by-the-field manual husband, he puts honor and duty first, and the love for his woman a sloppy second. This is Moreno’s first ever appearance on a stage and he gives the play’s strongest performance, pitch perfect as a psychologically-wounded warrior confused by his wife’s constant questioning of his chosen career. Future directors looking for a male lead in an upcoming production should drop this publication and run to Moreno’s dressing room door... like RIGHT NOW.  He’s that good.
       Minniffee is also a standout as the teenager from next door who wants Gabriele to both take him seriously as a man and take his virginity.
       Hell, all the characters are great. Jacobs makes a perfectly “inconstant” moon, while community theater vets Jones and Dagaz are superbly animalistic as their cat and canine alter egos.
       The dialogue is as beautiful as the desert set in spare.
       The story — the seemingly never ending wait by spouses for their soldier husbands and wives to come home — is particularly poignant in a military town such as Fayetteville.
       And don’t worry about venturing out into the February chill — this reference to Salvador Dali will definitely make you hot.

    Contact Tim Wilkins at tim@upandcomingweekly.com 














  •   Full Throttle Magazine is North and South Carolina’s definitive guide to biker events. The publishers of the publication are currently seeking input from bike enthusiasts on the current N.C. helmet law. Below is the survey. You can fill out the survey at www.fullthrottlemagazine.com.
      1. Would you support tiered licensing for motorcyclists? ie learner’s permit (with restrictions), intermediate rider (helmet & goggles), experienced rider (no helmet IF you are over 21, pass the exp. riders course, and pay $75 annually)
      {mosimage}•  YES, I would support more government restrictions on my freedoms and efforts to help law enforcement officers determine if a rider is in compliance with the law from a distance.
      •  NO, I am not going to support laws that restrict or take away my liberty and give law enforcement more justifiable causes to pull over and harass bikers.
      •  Not only NO, but HELL NO!
      2. Would you support a bill that would tax you $75 per year (for each motorcycle you own) for the right to ride without a helmet.
      •  YES, I am in favor of more taxation as a means to fund unnecessary safety study centers and multilevel government bureaucracy.
      •  NO, I already pay property tax, road use tax (gasoline & tires) highway tolls, and licensing fees
      •  Not only NO, but HELL NO!
      3. Would you support a bill to create a Motorcycle Crash Study Center in NC if it was paid for with $2 million taxpayer dollars from the annual state budget?
      •  YES, If someone else pays for it I would support it.
      •  NO, because it the money comes from the general fund or even federal funds, ultimately, I , the taxpayer pay for it in the end.
      •  Not only NO, but HELL NO!
      4. Would you support a bill in the 2009 legislature for TOTAL HELMET LAW REPEAL that would allow THOSE WHO RIDE DECIDE what safety equipment was right for them?
      •  YES, I think it is every adult American’s right to decide what activities to participate in and what safety equipment is right for them to wear.
      •  NO, I think that everyone should be forced to wear a Federally Approved helmet even though the government cannot determine what that is or guarantee my safety if I wear one.
      •  Not only NO, but HELL NO!
      5. Would you join NC Concerned Bikers Association (CBA) and help to lobby for the right to choose what safety equipment was right for you?
      •  YES, If CBA was on track to focus on getting the helmet law repealed, I would gladly join the fight for freedom.
      •  NO, I am content to be a welfare rider and sit on the sidelines and let others fight for the freedoms that I will ultimately enjoy at their expense.
      •  Not only NO, but HELL NO!
      6. Will you contact your local state Senator and Representatives and ask them to support the repeal of the NC helmet bill?
      •  YES, I would gladly join the fight for freedom to get the NC helmet law repealed.
      •  NO, I am content to be a welfare rider and sit on the sidelines and let others fight for the freedoms that I will ultimately enjoy at their expense
      •  Not only NO, but HELL NO!


  • uac021010001.jpg “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...” —Elizabeth Barrett Browning

    Instead of counting the ways, lovers often times fi nd themselves looking for ideas to show they love that special someone this time of year. Sure, the classics work: Flowers and chocolates are appropriate enough and fairly easy to acquire in short order. But, if you are looking for something a little more to really let your sweetheart know what they mean to you, here are a few ideas designed to wow your sweetie.

    In what has become an annual tradition over the past five years, the Downtown Alliance is offering horse-drawn carriage rides through historic downtown on Feb. 13 from 1-8 p.m. The white “Cinderella” carriage seats four to six people and tickets cost $15 per person, however, private rides are available for $60. Reservations are not required but are recommended. Each ride lasts about 20 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at City Center Gallery & Books or by calling 678-8899.

    The Methodist University Chorale is offering a similar experience with graduated packages. For between $10 and $30 an ensemble of singers will serenade your sweetheart at work, home or anywhere else you choose in the greater Fayetteville area on Feb. 12 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Call 630-7153 for more information.

    Radio station WKML is offering a special Valentine’s Day package for its listeners. Get a dozen red roses, a handmade chocolate heart courtesy of the Chocolate Lady and a sterling silver diamond key charm bracelet courtesy of Helzberg Diamonds — all of this delivered by Don Chase, Deano or Larry K. Smith while wearing a tuxedo. Deliveries will be made by noon on Feb. 12.

    There is a limited number of packages available. To purchase yours visit http:// wkml.com. Proceeds benefi t St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

    The Renaissance Day Spa is offering a series of Valentine packages that include everything from an aroma therapy massage and mud body treatment to couple’s massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and a spa lunch. The prices range from $165 to $480. Visit www.therenaissancedayspa.com or call 484-9922 for more information.

    Mihwa’s on Robeson Street has some great specials, too. Whether it is a Swedish massage with a sea salt body scrub and conditioning, a facial or a couple’s massage this salon and spa can make Valentine’s Day special. Prices range from $95 to $150. For more information, visit www.mihwas.com or call 423-4466. 021010heart.jpg

    If dinner is more your cup of tea, Fayetteville restaurants are going out of their way to meet your needs. Several local eateries have revved up their menus with this holiday in mind.

    The Doubletree Hotel on Cedar Creek Road is offering a Valentine’s Champagne Dinner for Two for $95. It includes an appetizer, salad, surf & turf entree with mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley or an entree of a 4 oz. fi llet, crab cake and shrimp with mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley. The meal includes a bottle of champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries.

    A downtown favorite, Pierro’s is offering a dinner for two for $59.99. Reservations are available by calling 678-8885.

    Scrub Oaks, on Ramsey Street has put together a Valentine’s package that includes champagne cocktails, appetizers, choice of 16 oz. bone-in rib eye or crab imperial stuffed salmon, hand-crafted chocolate-covered strawberries and a longstemmed red rose for the ladies. It costs $40 per person and runs Feb. 12-14. Call 884-3072 for reservations.

    If you want to make a weekend of the holiday, a local hotel is only too happy to help. The Holiday Inn Bordeaux has a romantic weekend package for $145.99. Guests receive overnight accommodations, dinner for two in the hotel restaurant, champagne and strawberries in their room and breakfast for two in the Cafe Bordeaux. The offer runs Feb. 12-14. Call 323-0111 to make reservations.

  • 02242010hspryfinale720.jpgDig out that rattail comb and old can of Aqua Net®, and make sure every hair is teased and plastered in place for the Broadway show performance of Hairspray, coming to the Crown Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. as part of the Community Concerts of Fayetteville series.

    Based on the New Line Cinema fi lm written and directed by John Waters, Hairspray is set in Baltimore in 1962. Big-hearted Tracy Turnblad just wants to dance. After winning a spot on the local TV dance program, The Corny Collins Show, plus-size Tracy with her big hair Twists, Watusis and Swims into celebrity status as she wins the heart of teen idol Link Larkin, integrates a TV show –– and overthrows the current teen queen’s reign.

    Hairspray, big on fun, music and choreography, was a smash hit, winning eight 2003 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and spending more than six record-breaking years on Broadway.

    “Hairspray coming to Fayetteville is such a great opportunity for our community,” said Kathy McKnight, vice president of marketing for the all-volunteer, nonprofit Community Concerts, Fayetteville’s oldest arts organization “whose sole mission is to bring the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville.” “This presentation is absolutely what the Community Concerts of Fayetteville organization is all about! Bringing productions like this only enhances our cultural credibility as an excellent community to live, work and play in,” continued McKnight. “We’re very excited to be partnering with Community Concerts,” said Natalie Lewis, marketing and promotions manager for the Crown Center. “This is a top-of-the-line Broadway show.”

    Or as ‘60s icon Ed Sullivan might have put it, Hairspray is “…a really big shew!” Tickets are $20-$34 and may be purchased at the Crown Center Box Office, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

    For more information, contact Community Concerts at (910) 323- 1991 or the Crown Center at (910) 438-4100.

  • Feb 24 Shooting One man is dead and another is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries following a shooting in the Douglas Byrd neighborhood.

    On Thursday, Feb. 24, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to a reported shooting along the 4600 block of Fen Court around 6:17 p.m.

    Officers and medical personnel arrived on the scene and located two men who had been shot. Both were transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries where one of them later passed away.

    The circumstances surrounding the shooting are under investigation by the Fayetteville Police Department’s Homicide Unit.

    Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective M. Waters (910) 635-4978 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477). Crimestoppers information can also be submitted electronically, by visiting http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org

  • PWC A new crypto mining facility in Fayetteville will be among the city’s top 10 power consumers when it starts operations in August.

    California-based Plan C Crypto will operate an old 20,000-square-foot industrial facility near Fayetteville Regional Airport. It will operate at 5,000 kilowatts, according to the company and the Fayetteville Public Works Commission.

    PWC doesn’t release specific power consumption information on businesses without consent, but the facility’s electrical draw will put it in the company of PWC’s top customers, including Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Community College and Walmart, among others.

    Many critics consider the industry’s high carbon emissions to be wasteful, contributing to climate change and rising global temperatures.

    Lee Reiners, a researcher at Duke University who studies financial technologies such as cryptocurrency, is among those critical of a business plan for which he sees no legitimate financial utility in its future.

    “Cryptocurrency provides no useful economic function,” he said. “Anything that is an input into that process is not useful. It is wasteful. That’s my opinion with crypto. There’s no there there.”

    Why crypto is so power hungry
    Instead of operating through financial institutions, which verify monetary transactions among other things, cryptocurrencies like ethereum and bitcoin operate outside this structure.

    Cryptocurrency transactions are verified through a process called proof of work whereby multiple entities on a network will verify withdrawals and deposits in the crypto space, in essence cutting out the need for a centralized bank.

    This process of verification is called mining, and once a majority of computers on the network have confirmed the transactions, it’s updated to a public ledger known as the blockchain.

    “Everyone has the same exact copy of the ledger, and everyone agrees on the canonical state of the ledger,” Reiners said. “And that’s made possible by mining.”

    Mining is incentivized, Reiners said, as miners, like the one coming to Fayetteville, are given a certain amount of bitcoin, or whatever cryptocurrency they are mining, for participation in the verification process.

    “You need to incentivize this mining because otherwise, anyone with 51% of the computing power on the blockchain network could just make up whatever they wanted on the ledger,” he said.

    “So, you impose a cost, and you impose that cost in the form of energy consumption. You have to solve this complex mathematical puzzle.”

    Solving that puzzle is what requires so much energy.

    According to reporting from The New York Times last year, the collective process of verifying bitcoin transactions, annually, uses up more energy than the entire country of Finland.

    It’s seven times more than all of Google’s global operations.

    ‘There’s an opportunity cost to all this’
    Plan C Crypto CEO Antonio Bestard said he founded the company as a means to provide more clean energy to the power grid. He said his company would provide an incentive for Fayetteville to buy more energy that is carbon neutral.

    “I’m creating an economic need for more green energy on the grid,” he said. “We found an economic way to help the city of Fayetteville, help green their grid over time.”

    When asked, Bestard would not specifically say how this process would work beyond imploring Fayetteville to find more green energy.

    “We look forward to working with the city of Fayetteville on how they procure power,” Bestard said. He said he has asked the city to run the mining facility with 100% clean energy.

    And it’s not just Fayetteville. By the time the miner there is up and running, Bestard said, there will be facilities in Tarboro, Wilson and Boone.

    But providing exclusively green energy is not something Fayetteville or any of those municipalities can promise.

    According to PWC, the city purchases almost all of its power from Duke Energy, which has a near-monopoly over the power grid in North Carolina.

    While Duke Energy has a goal of 50% carbon emissions reduction by 2030 and net-zero by 2050, the company has a long way to go.

    In 2020, 7% of electricity generated by Duke Energy was from wind, solar and hydroelectric sources. The company’s projections have that number at 23% by 2030.

    Nuclear energy, which is also carbon free, made up 35% of electricity generation in 2020.

    That still puts carbon-emitting energy at nearly 60%.

    Reiners said the claim that crypto incentivizes green production has no basis.

    “I hear this argument a lot,” he said. “‘Oh, cryptocurrency incentivizes the production of green energy.’ I mean, there’s no basis of fact to make that claim.”

    Even if Plan C Crypto’s facility operated 100% carbon free, Reiners said, green energy could be used for something with a legitimate economic purpose.

    “There’s an opportunity cost to all this as well,” he said.

    More revenue for Fayetteville with no investment
    While Plan C Crypto’s facility will become one of the top power consumers in Fayetteville, Bestard said the miner will not run during peak demand hours, when energy consumption and costs are at their highest.

    Fayetteville PWC CEO Elaina Ball said no additional infrastructure will be needed to accommodate the mining facility. Most importantly, it won’t require any peaker plants, large power generating facilities that often use cheaper energy like coal or natural gas during peak hours.

    Ball said Plan C Crypto will provide needed revenue due to the high amount of power it will purchase.

    “By adding a … 5-megawatt consumer like this, what that does is our retail sales are going to go up,” she said.

    “We’re going to have higher usage, 24/7, outside of that window, right, that peak window. When you generate more revenue off of our system that exists, like an industrial customer like this, it helps offset the cost to serve residential customers in the long run.”

    Robert Van Geons, CEO of the Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corp., or FCEDC, said that despite criticisms of the crypto industry, the new facility will be good for the area.

    “It brings jobs. It brings taxable investment, it’s beneficial for our utility system. And ultimately, regardless of how you feel about cryptocurrency, it is an emerging technology that will continue to evolve,” he said. “We’re going to continue to have newer and newer technological innovations in this country, and we want those to happen here in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.”

    Bestard said the facility will initially employ 19 people, targeting military veterans. Those jobs will be in the electrical, security and information technology fields.

    He said the lowest-paid employees will make $40,500 a year, while a majority will earn in the $60,000 to $100,000 range.

    Bestard said he anticipates dozens more jobs in the coming years.

    Van Geons said that no economic incentives were made to Plan C Crypto, and there is no financial investment from either the city or county.

    Ball said that beyond the typical costs for attaching a new customer to the power grid, there will be no significant costs for PWC.

    The uncertain future of crypto
    In a press release introducing Plan C Crypto to Cumberland, the FCEDC cited market statistics projecting cryptocurrency to grow by more than 100% by 2028.

    But Reiners said that projected growth is speculative.

    “The only reason people buy (cryptocurrency) is they think they can sell it to someone else for a higher price in the future,” he said.

    “It’s been around for a while. It’s been since 2009. So now we’re 13-plus years. How has it impacted a product, a service, a process that we all use, right? It hasn’t. And so, if it hasn’t happened yet, you have to ask yourself when it’s going to happen.”

    He described the industry as a bubble, based solely on the speculative value of what someone else is willing to pay for a product that hasn’t proved its value, in his view.

    “You’re relying on greater fools showing up, and eventually, the supply of greater fools is exhausted,” Reiners said. “And they don’t show up.”

    He said cities like Fayetteville should not be encouraging crypto companies to come to their area in any way.

    “Crypto is a cancer,” Reiners said. “You’re making a deal with the devil.”

    He cited crypto miners buying up cheap carbon-based power in upstate New York, as reported by The New York Times.

    Reiners said he wouldn’t be surprised if the facility in Fayetteville didn’t exist after five years.

    Even if the company fails, though, Ball said it’s not a risk for the community.

    “If I were building a power plant to support this, that would be a huge risk, but we’re not because they’re not increasing capacity,” she said.

    “They’re not increasing the demand. So, this is just sales. We’re not putting in a power plant to support this because they can move out of the demand window. …

    “I know other people in other communities want to have their own perspectives on the industry — that’s fine. But I wear the hat of what’s right for our community and our customers, and this is good.”


    Photo Credit: Fayetteville operates its own Public Works Commission, a public utility that purchases power almost entirely from Duke Energy. Ben Sessoms / Carolina Public Press

  • Editor’s note: This story was initially posted on Feb. 23 but was updated at 8 a.m. Feb. 24 to include the appeal denials.

    Supreme Court Within hours of a three-judge Superior Court panel’s decision in North Carolina’s redistricting lawsuit, all four parties involved filed appeals spanning hundreds of pages to the state Supreme Court. 

    Then, at 10 p.m. Wednesday, the state Supreme Court denied every appeal. Candidate filing was set to open at 8 a.m. Thursday. 

    County elections staff worked feverishly with the N.C. State Board of Elections ​​in the 20-hour window from when they received the latest maps to the opening of candidate filing to be ready to place state and local candidates in the right districts. 

    “As elections officials, we have become accustomed to adapting to quick-changing situations,” said Pat Gannon, spokesperson for the State Board of Elections.

    Elections officials had to rush to prepare, not knowing if any of the appeals would be successful and if filing would start on time or be delayed yet again

    For now, it looks as if the 2022 primaries will be held May 17. But there’s one possible legal twist yet to play out.

    Republican leadership in the legislature, named as defendants in the redistricting case, are unhappy with part of the Superior Court panel’s decision, claiming it violates the federal constitution. 

    Now that their appeal has been denied by the state Supreme Court, the defendants have an option to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Those appeals usually take some time, and the high court accepts very few cases. It turned down appeals based on similar federal arguments from North Carolina Republicans in November 2020.

    But with one new conservative justice on the U.S. Supreme Court and a new federal hook for state Republicans, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen this time around. State Republicans have not yet released a formal statement saying they will make a federal appeal.

    How we got here

    The Superior Court panel, consisting of Judges Graham Shirley II, R-Wake, Nathaniel Poovey, R-Catawba, and Dawn Layton, D-Richmond, managed to upset every party with its ruling on the maps Wednesday. 

    The judges were guided by three special masters — former state Supreme Court Justices Robert Orr and Robert Edmunds Jr. and former UNC System President and Superior Court Judge Thomas Ross — who were themselves assisted by four nonpartisan experts in political map-drawing. 

    The state Supreme Court had tasked the judicial panel with judging whether redrawn political maps were fair under the state’s constitution after the higher court declared the Republican-controlled General Assembly’s previous maps to be unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders

    In a unanimous decision Wednesday, the Shirley panel said the redrawn state House and Senate districts were constitutional. But the judges ruled that the redrawn U.S. congressional map was still not fair under the state Supreme Court’s new standards. 

    As a remedy, the Shirley panel adjusted the General Assembly’s map to make it fair under political science measurements that the state Supreme Court had suggested, called “efficiency gap” and “mean-median difference.” This map, the panel suggested, could be used for the 2022 election, and the General Assembly could redraw the map that would be used from the 2024 elections until the state redistricted again in 2031. 

    Legislative defendants appeal

    Republican legislative leaders Phil Berger, Senate president pro tempore, and Tim Moore, House speaker, both among the defendants in this case for their official roles in drawing political maps, said they will challenge the panel’s decision on the congressional map. 

    “Today’s ruling is nothing short of egregious,” Moore said in an official statement. 

    “The trial court’s decision to impose a map drawn by anyone other than the legislature is simply unconstitutional and an affront to every North Carolina voter whose representation would be determined by unelected, partisan activists.” 

    Each of the Superior Court judges is in fact elected, as are the Supreme Court justices who ruled the prior maps were unconstitutional and who will review the appeals. Judicial elections were nonpartisan for 22 years and were publicly financed for nine until the General Assembly, led by Moore and Berger, made the elections partisan again and eliminated public funding in 2018 and 2013, respectively. 

    Legislative defendants think that Article 1, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution, often called the “time, place and manner restrictions,” give state legislatures exclusive jurisdiction over drawing federal election districts. 

    Under this argument, the state courts cannot legally intervene when the state legislature draws maps for federal elections. The state Supreme Court previously dismissed this claim, meaning the legislative defendants will likely have to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to have a chance to win on this argument. 

    Plaintiffs appeal 

    Three groups sued the state in November and December to block the political maps the Republican-led General Assembly passed over Democratic opposition. Those maps were the ones ultimately overturned by the state Supreme Court on Feb. 4.

    The General Assembly had two weeks to redraw the maps to seek Superior Court approval on Wednesday. 

    In the mirror image of the legislative defendants, all three groups suing the state supported the Shirley panel’s intervention on the congressional map. 

    One group, the good-governance and nonpartisan nonprofit Common Cause, appealed both the state House and state Senate maps. 

    The group recognized that the General Assembly passed the House plan with near-unanimous bipartisan support, yet still opposed it and the Senate map, passed by Republicans on strict party-line votes, because each map still “dilutes the voting power of Black communities and relies on misleading data to cover up extreme partisan gerrymanders,” according to the group’s press release. 

    The Common Cause plaintiffs were especially focused on the voting power of Black North Carolinians in the eastern part of the state, centered on Wayne County for the House map and Edgecombe, Wilson and most of Wayne in the Senate map. 

    “We appreciate the bipartisan efforts of the trial court and special masters to remedy illegalities in the congressional map, but justice that is partial is no justice at all,” said Hillary Klein, senior voting rights lawyer at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, which represents Common Cause, in the press release. 

    Two other two plaintiff groups, the nonpartisan N.C. League of Conservation Voters and the National Redistricting Foundation, which is backed by the national Democratic Party, appealed only the state Senate map

    The NCLCV plaintiffs also asked for the U.S. congressional map to last the rest of the decade, rather than allowing the General Assembly to try drawing the map again. 

    In its opinion, the Shirley panel stated North Carolina’s political geography, or the way Democratic and Republican voters self-sort in where they live, explains why the Senate map favors Republicans. Even so, the panel stated in its opinion, the difference is within the fairness boundaries the state Supreme Court laid out. 

    In their appeals, both the NCLCV and foundation plaintiffs disputed the panel’s analysis and claimed the map would only ever allow Republicans to have a majority in the state Senate, despite North Carolina being near a 50-50 state in partisan vote share. 


     Photo Credit: The Supreme Court of North Carolina building in Raleigh. Courtesy of the state courts.

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    2015 Local Crime Report      

    “I have failed as your police chief,” says Harold Medlock. Those were among his first words in a report to Fayetteville City Council. Medlock was alluding to a 5.4 percent decline in crime in 2015. A year ago he had promised a double digit reduction. As it turns out, violent crime went up 15 percent. Murders were down a bit, but aggravated assaults skyrocketed 50 percent over 2014. Robberies were down nearly 17 percent and larceny inched down. Chief Medlock told City Council 400 guns were stolen from 950 cars which had been left unlocked.

    A lot of emphasis this past year was on police cameras of all kinds. The chief said 89 surveillance cameras have been installed around the city. All patrol officers are now equipped with body cameras which will eventually replace in-car dash cams. Medlock says he wants more red light cameras installed at dangerous intersections. Eight intersections are protected now. The chief ended his presentation with another promise. “I’m convinced we can reduce crime and I’m accountable for that.” 

    Again he pledged a double digit reduction in overall crime this year.


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    Few Voter ID Cards Sought       

    The Primary Election on March 15 is the first election in more than 100 years that North Carolina residents must identify themselves in order to vote. Many people claim requiring personal ID would be a hardship and would deny many their right to vote. But there apparently has been no groundswell among those without driver licenses or other forms of identification to acquire ID. 

    “Since 2014, 1,739 N.C. identification cards for voting purposes have been issued” by the state’s Division of Motor Vehicles, according to North Carolina Board of Elections Spokesperson Jackie Hyland. 

    “It’s an unusually small number” she said, adding that figures for individual counties were not available.

    The general assembly provided opportunities for residents without ID cards to acquire them from the state at no cost. To obtain no-fee voter ID cards, residents are required to sign declarations stating they do not have acceptable forms of identification. The state will then assist them in completing registration applications. Applicants must provide two documents showing their full names and dates of birth, plus social security cards. ID card applicants must be U.S. citizens and N.C. residents. Residents who are homeless and wish to obtain IDs must present letters to DMV from officials of facilities that provide care or shelter to homeless persons.


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    Spring Lake Traffic Safety      

    The Town of Spring Lake is one of the winners of the 2015 North Carolina Traffic Safe Communities award program sponsored by the AAA Carolinas Foundation. It was one of 15 localities in North Carolina recognized for traffic safety efforts made over the past year. Spring Lake was a winner among communities with populations of 10,000 – 30,000 residents, according to Police Chief Troy McDuffie. 

    “Triple-A Carolinas Foundation for Traffic Safety strives to educate the public on traffic safety issues and positively influence driver behavior,” said Tiffany Wright, president of AAA Carolinas Foundation. 

    In 2015, the Spring Lake Police Department focused on a number of highway safety initiatives such as “Booze it or Lose it” and “Seat Belt” campaigns. Criteria such as crash statistics, number of law enforcement officers per capita, and the existence of a formal traffic safety program were considered. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte provided statistical analysis.


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    City’s Chief Financial Officer Retires    

    The City of Fayetteville Chief Financial Officer Lisa Smith is retiring after 28 years of service. Smith has guided the city manager’s office and City Council through budget preparations, and day-to-day financial stewardship, according to Kevin Arata, the city spokesman. She will be succeeded by Cheryl Spivey who comes to Fayetteville after six years as Chief Financial Officer for the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority in Wilmington.

    “We are fortunate to be able to bring Cheryl to our organization as her considerable experience is right on target for the City’s needs at this time,” City Manager Ted Voorhees said. Spivey previously served as Debt and Risk Manager for Wake County from 2006-2009 and Finance Manager for the Town of Cary from 2000-2006. Spivey is a certified public accountant and holds a bachelor’s degree from UNC-Chapel Hill, where she majored in business administration and minored in accounting. She began her duties with the city this week.


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    “March to Work” Job Fair      

    Local employers are invited to participate in the upcoming “March to Work” Job Fair on March 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Crown Expo Center. The annual job fair traditionally attracts about 100 employers and thousands of job seekers. Human Resource professionals will be available to review resumes for job seekers. Booth space with wireless Internet access is free. Electrical outlets for booth space is available for a $25 fee. 

    The job fair will feature an Internet job café hosted by the Cumberland County Public Library to help job seekers submit online job applications. 

    The fair is sponsored by the Cumberland County Department of Social Services, the Cumberland County Public Library and Information Center, City of Fayetteville, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Public Works Commission, Beasley Broadcast Group, Cumberland County Workforce Center and Hardee’s. The event is free and open to the public. To sign up for a booth, call or email Toni Wright-Harris at 910.677.2151.




    Gardening Workshops          

    Cumberland County Cooperative Extension’s ‘Better Living’ series will provide two workshops this month. Each workshop requires pre-registration and class registration fee payment one week beforehand. Both workshops will be held at the Cumberland County Cooperative Extension Center, located at 301 East Mountain Drive, Fayetteville.

    A “Raised Beds” seminar will be held Feb. 9 from noon - 1:30 p.m. Attendees will learn about the benefits of raised beds for gardening. Participants will also learn how to make and use raised beds. The $5 registration fee is due by Feb. 2.

    A workshop entitled “Herbs: Out of the Garden and into the Pot” will be held Feb. 25 from noon - 1:30 p.m. This tiered program will provide information on growing herbs to preserving them at harvest. Participants will season and taste pre-homemade focaccia dough seasoned with home-grown herbs and enjoy a sampling of pot roast enhanced with bay leaf. The $5 registration fee is due on or by Feb. 18.



     

  • Fortuna BMC Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation has announced that California-based IT and business management consulting company, Fortuna BMC, Inc., will be coming to Cumberland County. They are expected to hire 50 call center employees, which are remote work opportunities.

    “We are eager to select Fayetteville for our expansion on the East Coast due to its proximity and connection to Fort Bragg, the largest military installation in the United States by population,” said Jack Smith, CEO and founder of Fortuna BMC. “As a veteran of the United States Air Force, I can identify with the challenges presented by the military-to-civilian transition, such as fundamental career support, and helping others understand the skills I can bring to the table from serving my country in the armed forces. After our recent visit to Fayetteville, we are fully convinced that this is a welcoming community for organizations like Fortuna BMC that are passionate about connecting the military community to great job opportunities post-service.”

    Fortuna BMC is an IT consulting and staffing company. They will be working with Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Community College, NCWorks Career Center, JMH Group, Center for Economic Empowerment & Development, The Small Business and Technology Development Center, Fort Bragg’s Transition Assistance Program and the economic and community development departments for the City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County to help collaborate on workforce development and hiring initiatives. 

    “Creating these types of employment opportunities for and within our local community brings financial stability, and it eases the post-service transition for many veterans. We’re excited that Fortuna BMC selected our region as the place to create those meaningful connections, which will undoubtedly bridge the gap for the veterans,” stated Rob Patton, FCEDC Vice President.

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    City Water in the County                   

    North Carolina cities and towns no longer have the authority to involuntarily annex their suburbs. Areas can be taken in only at the request of those wishing to be annexed, often for public health reasons. The availability of city water is often an inducement for suburban residents to request annexation. This month at a work session, Fayetteville City Councilman Jim Arp suggested city water ought to be more readily available in ‘the county.’ 

    “We need to work with our county partners to provide water,” Arp said. Residents of many unincorporated areas of Cumberland County rely on private wells. Several of Arp’s colleagues agreed, but City Manager Ted Voorhees cautioned council to go slow. He said high-density areas should be targeted first. Arp said providing public water in areas outside the City could be an economic stimulus and make Cumberland County more competitive with other communities. 

    “The other counties like Harnett and Moore are in the lead from an economic standpoint,” Arp said. 

    The matter was tabled for further action.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     


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    Carelessness Causes Fires           

    A recently reported fire confirms the cause of most fires. “First arriving units reported heavy smoke visible from a single-story dwelling. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the kitchen with smoke and heat damage throughout the dwelling. Firefighters also rescued a cat that appeared to be okay. Two occupants of the home were displaced by the fire, but were not injured. Cause of the fire was unattended cooking,” said Assistant Fayetteville Fire Chief Richard Bradshaw. “The highest percentage of structure fires within the City of Fayetteville continues to be cooking-related fires at 53 percent,” says Captain Moisbiell Alvarez, of the fire department’s Planning & Research Division. There have been 31 house fires in the city so far this year with no injuries. Fire fatalities have leveled off at two per year since 2012 when four people died in house fires.


     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Local Principal a Winner                                                             

    Eight public school principals have been selected as 2016 regional Wells Fargo North Carolina Principals of the Year and will compete for the state title of North Carolina Principal of the Year. The winner will succeed the 2015 recipient, Steve Lassiter Jr., principal of Pactolus School in Pitt County. The regional principals of the year include Melody Chalmers of Fayetteville’s E.E. Smith High School. State Superintendent June Atkinson said that schools with high student performance, motivated staff and involved parents all have one thing in common: strong principals. 

    “Our eight regional recipients exemplify the high-quality leaders guiding North Carolina public schools,” said Atkinson. Regional winners receive $1,000 for personal use and $1,000 for their schools. A state selection committee will review the portfolios of the eight contestants and conduct an extensive interview process before selecting the 2016 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year. The announcement will be made May 12 during a luncheon in Cary.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Miss Fayetteville 2016                      

    “Tis a lesson you should heed, if at first you don’t succeed try, try again…”   (T.H. Palmer)

    It’s an idiom that Victoria Baskett took to heart.  She competed in the Miss North Carolina pageant in 2015 as the reigning Miss Goldsboro. She tried again this year and was dubbed the 69th Annual Miss Fayetteville at Methodist University. The scholarship competition was staged at Huff Concert Hall in the Reeves Fine Arts Building. She beat three other contestants for top honors. Baskett, 22, is a 2012 graduate of Terry Sanford High School. She succeeds Comfort Johnson, who represented the City as Miss Fayetteville last year. Gina Clymore, who attends the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, was first runner-up. Clymore also took top honors in the swimsuit competition and was named Miss Congeniality. Baskett will compete in the Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant in June in Raleigh.


     

  • scam alert CCS The Cumberland County Department of Public Health has put out an alert saying there is a phone scam targeting citizens.

    The robocall, which is mimicking the Health Department's main phone number, 910-433-3600, states they are delivering medical information. However, the Cumberland County Department of Public Health states that it would never call and leave medical information in such a manner. The Health Department's policy is to never provide a medical diagnosis or lab results via robocall, never provide a medical diagnosis or lab results without first identifying you as the patient or guardian, and they would never ask for a social security number or payment via robocall.

    Anyone who believes they were contacted by one of these scammers should contact the Attorney General of North Carolina at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or (910) 716-6000. You can also contact the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office at (910) 323-1500.

  • 02-16-11-mardi-gras.gif4th Friday is right around the corner, and as usual the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the local downtown merchants have an evening of food, fun and entertainment planned.

    Starting this month, 4th Friday will be a themed event. The new format kicks off with a Mardi Gras theme, as the Downtown Alliance joins in sponsoring the art and entertainment that the community anticipates the 4th Friday of each month.

    “For 2011 we’ve decided to do different themes or activities for 4th Friday,” said Sherry Collins, 4th Friday coordinator for the Downtown Alliance. “One month is a street dance, other months will have a theme. We have a variety of fun and exciting things planned.”

    With kids in mind, and keeping things family friendly, there will be a children’s wagon and stroller parade.

    “We are inviting people to decorate a wagon or stroller and dress up their children and come out to be part of a parade that will start at Person and Green Streets right near Fascinate-U and travel through the Bow Street commons and back to the corner,” said Collins. “We are trying to enlist a couple of musicians to lead the parade with jazz, too.”

    All of the children will get a prize and there will also be special prizes for different categories, like the best stroller or wagon and best costume. No need to pre-register, just show up that day and sign up. Registration is at 6:30 p.m., and the parade will start around 7-7:15 p.m.

    After the parade, parents can take their little ones to So Chic Bebe where they can make their own Mardi Gras masks.

    Horne’s Deli is carrying on a favorite Mardi Gras tradition, the sharing of a King Cake with 4th Friday attendees.

    “That is something that is a big part of any Mardi Gras celebration,” said Collins. “They bake a cake and put a plastic baby trinket in the cake and whoever gets the slice with the baby in it wins a prize. This is a must if you are having a Mardi Gras celebration.”

    Grown ups won’t be left in the cold, as there will be a Spirit of Mardi Gras adult costume contest sponsored by Miller Mott College. Just stop by their tent on Hay Street and register for the contest.

    “We are trying to keep it to Mardi Gras costumes more than Halloween-type things,” said Collins. “Jesters and jokers and beads and boas would be appropriate.”

    Winners will be announced at 9 p.m. and the Mardi Gras king and queen will each receive a Visa gift card.

    Hay Street United Methodist Church is hosting the 4th Annual Bread and Bowls fundraiser. Stop by and have a steaming hot bowl of Brunswick Stew served in a handmade pottery bowl (that you get to keep) for $15 or enjoy your stew in a bread bowl for just $7. There will also be a silent auction along with entertainment by local musicians.

    After a bite to eat, stop by the All American Fencing Academy at 207 B Donaldson St. Watch a few demonstrations by the fencing team, perhaps have a chat with the team members, handle some of the equipment, find out more about the sport and check out their collection of fencing-related art.

    Headquarters Library is hosting author Kimberly Johnson — Destination Imagination for an interactive storytelling session. She will share stories from her books as well as pieces from other authors. Johnson received the 2005 Paul Harris Fellow Award presented by Rotary International for her work in literacy and has published 11 children’s books.

    After Destination Imagination, there will be a question and answer session for audience members who have thought about writing a book of their own. Topics will include, but are not limited to, the pros and cons of self publisher versus using traditional publishers.

    Arts Alive! on Maxwell Street kicks off at 6 p.m. and runs through 10 p.m. Stop by and see artists educating, creating and performing. At 7 p.m. 4th Friday comes alive as Hay Street and the rest of downtown fills up with exhibits, artists and folks who have come to have a good time.

    Photo: This 4th Friday enjoy the Mardi Gras themed events that will begoing on downtown.

  • Kurilla Fort Bragg’s Lt. Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla will take responsibility for all U.S. military operations in the Middle East and neighboring nations in the coming weeks.

    The U.S. Senate voted unanimously to confirm Kurilla’s nomination to lead U.S. Central Command and be promoted to a four-star general.

    According to the Pentagon, he will soon replace Gen. Kenneth McKenzie of the Marine Corps, who has commanded CENTCOM since 2019. McKenzie is retiring in April.

    Kurilla is the commander of the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg. He is a West Point graduate who led special operations and conventional forces in Panama, Iraq and Afghanistan. He previously commanded the 82nd Airborne Division, the elite 75th Ranger Regiment and its 2nd Battalion. He has also served as the assistant commander of Joint Special Operations Command and as the Pentagon’s deputy director for special operations and counterterrorism.

    Kurilla is currently deployed to Germany, leading a task force of troops helping NATO allies in the unfolding Ukraine-Russia conflict.

    Army Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue was confirmed by Senate to be promoted to lieutenant general and take command of the 18th Airborne Corps in Kurilla’s place. Donahue, the current 82nd Airborne Division commander, is also deployed to Europe in response to the Ukraine crisis.


    Photo Credit: Lt. Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps, gives a speech at the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) change of command, March 5, 2021, at the division parade field, Fort Campbell, Ky. Kurilla spoke on the great work that Maj. Gen. Brian Winski achieved and how he’s excited to see what Maj. Gen. JP McGee will accomplish.

  • After a long and oddly white winter, it is at last once again time for spring to make an appearance. An iconic image of the long awaited season would be fl owers, but an upcoming show is highlighting a lovely little plant that adds some color to the winter white, camellias. On March 5, The Fayetteville Camellia Club will host the 65th Annual Camellia Show. 02-23-11-camellia.gif

    Jack Dewar, co-chair of the event, Camellia Club member and fi ve-year camellia enthusiast, says that they expect to have more than 850 blooms for the event. Growers from places such as Georgia, Virginia and all over the southeast bring their fl owers in to compete for prizes. The show will also offer camellias for anyone who would like to buy a plant, and seminars to educate anyone interested in growing them as well.

    “Camellias are unique to the southeast, and to the coastal areas around Louisiana, Texas and then to California, up the coast. So, we are in a unique position in Fayetteville with a long tradition of growing camellias,” explained Dewar, who also recommended the collection of more than 300 fl owers at the Botanical Gardens for anyone curious to see the flowers.

    Camellias are beautiful, though surprisingly simple to grow according to Dewar.

    “Once you get them planted they require very little. They like shade, some varieties that grow in the fall tolerate the sun. The big deal is that they bloom all winter if they aren’t frozen,” he said.

    Unfortunately the snow and ice this season hasn’t been the best for these fl owers, but it’s still expected to be a magnifi cent show. When asked about the frosts potential affect on the show Dewar said, “It may mean that we will have less blooms grown outdoors. You can grow them in green houses, that’s what people who are very serious about them do, and that’s why we will always have a nice show.”

    “The next couple of weeks look promising,” he added.

    The annual Camellia Show is being sponsored by the local Fayetteville Camellia Club that has monthly meetings, and is open to anyone interested in the flowers. They often have guest speakers, seminars and participate in workshops to learn about the flowers.

    “We show people how to grow them, how to prune them, how to propagate them. Take little cuttings of branches, and turn them into camellia plants,” Dewar said in reference to the subject matter of the monthly meetings.

    The show will be held at Methodist University in Reeves Auditorium on March 5 and 6. The show will run from 12-4 p.m. each day. People who wish to enter their blooms from their back yard need only to bring them on Saturday from 7 to 10 a.m. for registration. From 10 a.m. to noon, the flowers will be judged by trained judges from the America Camellia Society. There are cash prizes for the winners, and the American Camellia society will have a seminar on winning blooms past and present all on Saturday between 12 and 4 p.m.

    The show is free and all are welcome to attend.

  • 7054393 Close to 5,000 Fort Bragg troops are in Eastern Europe amidst a Ukraine-Russia standoff. Many of these soldiers are from the 82nd Airborne Division - an infantry division that is ready to go anywhere in the world within 18 hours.

    Last week, the deployment of the second round of 3,000 paratroopers began to leave Fort Bragg. Several hundred soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division Air Assault from Fort Campbell on the Kentucky Tennessee border are also headed to Eastern Europe.

    Several commercial jets graced the runways at Pope Army Airfield last week, waiting to take several hundred soldiers overseas. While the paratroopers were waiting at Green Ramp, the final springboard for deploying soldiers, pizza, fried chicken and all types of food were being given out. The Religious Support Office had religious texts and books ready to go if anyone wanted, and there was a long line for stations set up to handle last-minute paperwork.

    Many of the waiting paratroopers were socializing, rechecking their gear or catching a few moments of sleep.

    Specialist Bryan Flores was laughing with the men next to him. He has been in the Army for almost four years and moved to Fort Bragg three months ago from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska.

    Flores said this will be his first deployment and going out and serving on a mission is exciting.

    "From the human's perspective, I'm really nervous. But as a soldier, I'm prepared, and because I know what to do, I know my job."

    Flores is stationed at Fort Bragg with his wife, Marta, and her two children - ages 10 and 7 years old. He said he didn't want to tell the two kids he was leaving.

    "I didn't want to tell them to their faces that I'm leaving because, of course, they would be very upset and really scared," Flores said. "It's hard to tell kids goodbye; I'm leaving somewhere, especially if it's in regard to conflict."

    He says it's especially hard to leave his family as they just moved to Fort Bragg and were still getting adjusted to the base.

    "I certainly didn't expect it to happen; it was more of a last-minute thing. But of course, that's what we're here to do," Flores said. "When we are ready to go, we're supposed to go and confront the enemy and protect the citizens of the world because that's what the United States is about; we protect."

    Flores said that if he could bring something home from his deployment, he would try and find a figurine of a historical monument or something that represents liberation from World War II.

    On the other hand, 27-year-old 1st Lt. Alex Blankenship said he would want to bring home a magnet for his unadorned fridge doors. Blakenship, who's been serving in the Army for almost three years, says he was able to see his family a week before his deployment orders came in. They took his cat and wished him a happy birthday before he left. For his family, deployments are just part of the military lifestyle.

    "My parents went through this stuff with my dad being in the Navy," Blankenship said. "So, it's not anything new."

    According to White House officials, these soldiers are not being sent to fight in Ukraine officially; they will support the allies of the United States. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said the 82nd Airborne Division was chosen because they were already on heightened alert and multi-mission capable.

    "I think their versatility, their ability to move quickly and to conduct a range of missions across a range of contingencies which is well-proven, that is why the Secretary has ordered them to go," Kirby said.

    One of those missions might be to help support American evacuees fleeing Ukraine into Poland.

    On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to deploy to the two separatist regions of Eastern Ukraine.

    More troops could be mobilized to Europe as the Russia-Ukraine crisis continues. The Pentagon put 8,500 troops on "high alert" in January for possible deployment if NATO's response forces are activated.

  • court house faytteville Eligible Cumberland County residents at risk of spreading COVID-19 will be provided isolated shelter for the foreseeable future.

    The county Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the renewal of the N.C. Non-Congregate Sheltering program on Monday.

    The program provides shelter for those eligible who need to isolate due to exposure or contraction of COVID-19 and don’t have another way of safely quarantining.

    Among those included are first responders and health care workers who need to isolate from family members because of exposure and those who test positive or were exposed and need to quarantine.

    Those who need to socially distance as a precautionary measure are also eligible. It’s up to the discretion of public health officials, but it typically includes high-risk groups, such as people over age 65 or those with underlying health conditions.

    The county, in partnership with local nonprofits and religious organizations, pays for shelter in a hotel along with other needs such as food, medicine and transportation, among other things.

    The Federal Emergency Management Agency and N.C. Emergency Management then fully reimburse the county.

    The county reported that it has provided shelter and food to more than 70 people in Cumberland and transportation to 35.

    Over 92% have been for those at risk of severe COVID-19, according to the county.

    The program will operate as long as the federal government approves it or the governor’s state of emergency order stays in effect, or for one year, whichever date comes first.

    Those who don’t have a safe way of quarantining due to their living arrangements and think they are eligible can email county Emergency Management Coordinator Garry Crumpler at gcrumpler@co.cumberland.nc.us.

    Latest COVID-19 data for Cumberland

    The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies Cumberland as a high transmission county, along with all of North Carolina and a wide swath of the rest of the country.

    That designation is made based on new case counts and percentage of positive cases in the past week. New case counts over 100 per 100,000 people and a positivity rate over 10% are considered high transmission.

    As of Monday, Cumberland has seen more than 350 new cases per 100,000 people in the past week, according to the CDC.

    Among all tests in the past week, 19% have returned positive.

    But that number has gone down. Earlier in the month, the positivity rate was more than 31%, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

    Based on the high transmission, the CDC recommends that anyone indoors in a public setting in Cumberland County wear a mask to reduce transmission.

    But that will be by personal choice, as the county ended its indoor mask mandate on Sunday.

    The county still recommends mask-wearing, and businesses can still require them if they choose to.

    As of Monday, 548 people in Cumberland County have died due to COVID-19 during the pandemic.

  • State Map Feb 17 NEW After a two-week sprint, the state Supreme Court’s deadline looms for North Carolina’s General Assembly to submit revised political maps after justices ruled the prior maps to be unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders favoring Republicans.

    On Thursday afternoon, the General Assembly passed the new map for the state House with bipartisan support. Later that night, the legislature passed the state Senate and U.S. congressional maps on party-line votes.
    Earlier Thursday, state Sens. Paul Newton and Warren Daniel, the Republicans responsible for drawing new state Senate and U.S. congressional maps, presented them to the House redistricting committee.

    “We believe that if either party runs good candidates and good campaigns and touches the issues that people care about, either party could have a majority at the end of the next election,” Newton said about the Senate maps.

    Daniel presented the U.S. congressional maps and described them as highly competitive. Both senators described the maps as passing the mathematical measures for partisan fairness that the state Supreme Court laid out as potential tests for constitutionality.

    But Democrats protested, along with one Republican.

    “Boy, I’m really not sure how this map is going to pass constitutional muster,” said Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, during the floor debate.

    The constitutional standard for these maps was only set earlier in the week, when the state Supreme Court released its full opinion on Monday. The court previously released an order Feb. 4 that gave some guidance about what it would look for in constitutional maps.

    Harrison based her analysis of metropolitan counties, such as Guilford in her district, that were split in the proposed congressional map.

    Rep. John Szoka, R-Cumberland, a 20-year military veteran, voted against the congressional maps for splitting up Fort Bragg, the largest military base in the county. The maps followed the court’s mathematical standards for fairness at the expense of keeping communities of interest together, he said.

    Rep. Charles Graham, D-Robeson, partially agreed with his Republican colleague. Graham had hoped to see more preservation of communities of interest, namely a U.S. congressional district encompassing all of the Sandhills region of the state. An early proposed version of the map included such a district, but in this passed version, the region is split into three districts.

    On Friday, the maps will be filed with the three-judge panel at the trial court to review the maps for compliance with the state Supreme Court’s order on what counts as constitutional political maps. The court may also consider maps from the three groups that sued the Republican legislative leaders in December to stop their first attempts at redistricting from going forward.

    As it stands now, the 2022 primaries are scheduled for May 17. Here are the court and election deadlines leading up to Election Day, and the ways it could all get delayed again.

    Trial court to decide, again
    When a plaintiff raises a constitutional question in North Carolina’s courts, it goes in front of a panel of three Superior Court judges. The panel appointed in this case, of two Republican judges and one Democrat, previously said the Republican maps drawn in November were constitutional.

    Plaintiffs appealed that decision to the state Supreme Court, which overturned the decision. The higher court laid out some standards by which the partisan skew of a map, or how much it favors one political party over another, can be measured for constitutional compliance and sent the case back to the three-judge panel.

    Now, Judges Graham Shirley II, R-Wake, Nathaniel Poovey, R-Catawba, and Dawn Layton, D-Richmond, will have until noon Feb. 23, to decide which maps the state will use in its 2022 primaries.
    Each of the plaintiff groups in the case — the N.C. League of Conservation Voters, the Democratic Party-affiliated National Redistricting Fund and the nonpartisan good-governance group Common Cause — can submit their own maps for consideration.

    If no party appeals the decision, the primaries would likely proceed as planned. Candidate filing would open Feb. 24 and close March 4. Then, absentee-by-mail ballots would go out at the latest on April 1. Early in-person voting would start April 28, and the primary election day would be May 17.

    But an appeal of the trial court’s decision from any party by 5 p.m. Feb. 23 would likely delay all that, according to Catawba College political science professor and redistricting expert Michael Bitzer.

    “It’s an extremely tight window that we’re operating under right now, and any further delay will have an effect on the primary date,” Bitzer wrote in an email to Carolina Public Press.

    That’s even before considering the potential complications of an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court or the legal fight over the eligibility of U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-Hendersonville, to run, both of which could further disrupt parts of the elections.

    How voters are affected
    Redistricting “​​is the most political activity in American politics,” and North Carolina’s voters are watching it play out in real time, Bitzer said.

    As a consequence, voters have seen their voting districts split, zipped back together and recombined in ways that could change who is on their ballots. The primary was delayed from March and could be delayed again. Guilford County has seen some of the most dynamic proposed changes to its political maps.

    But for voters who may be confused or frustrated with the redistricting process, the county’s election director, Charlie Collicutt, wants voters to remember there’s so much more on the ballot.

    Voters could see county commissioners, sheriffs, school board members, bond issues or municipal offices on their ballots come May. Each of those elections is important, so even if voters are throwing up their hands with the state legislature or congressional elections, their votes can still make an impact in other races, Collicutt said.

    Once candidate filing is complete, elections officials like Collicutt will have a couple of weeks under the current schedule to create ballots for each precinct in their counties. When that happens, voters can use N.C. State Board of Elections website to look up sample ballots to see the candidates and races that will be on their ballots to help them prepare to vote.

    Voters can already request an absentee-by-mail ballot, which will be mailed out at least 45 days before the election. Even if they request an absentee ballot, voters can still choose to vote in person but may not do both.

    “​​I’m a voter, too, and I don’t want it to be hard and confusing,” Collicutt said.

    What’s next
    Redistricting lawsuit schedule
    Feb. 23: Noon deadline for the trial court to approve the General Assembly’s maps or adopt maps from plaintiffs

    Feb. 23: 5 p.m. deadline for an emergency application of a stay with the state Supreme Court

    If no party asks for a stay, the elections will likely follow the schedule below. If a party asks for a stay and the state Supreme Court grants it, every step below will likely be delayed.

    Election schedule
    Absentee-by-mail ballot portal is open.

    Feb. 24-March 4: Candidate filing. Candidates who filed under the previous districts and want to move under the new maps can ask to have their first filing negated and refile.

    March 28: County boards of elections will start mailing out absentee by-mail ballots. The State Board of Elections could delay this to April 1 if some counties need more time.

    April 22: Civilian voter registration deadline for the primary.

    April 28: One-stop, in-person early voting period begins.

    May 10: Last day for civilians to ask for an absentee ballot.

    May 14: Last day for one-stop, in-person early voting period.

    May 17: Election Day for the primary and delayed municipal elections. All absentee-by-mail ballots have to be in the mail and postmarked by this date.

  • pexels anna shvets 3786126 Cumberland County will be lifting the indoor mask mandate beginning Feb. 20 at 5 p.m. This comes after the Cumberland County Schools Board of Education voted to lift their mask mandate earlier this month.

    The mask mandate for the county went into place back on Aug. 27 when the Delta Variant of COVID-19 was rising in the county. However, the latest data shows that the COVID-19 infection positivity rate peaked in North Carolina at 36.3% on Jan. 22 and has decreased to 14.4% as of Feb. 15. Cumberland County’s positivity rate has decreased from 37.8% on Jan. 31, to 25.5% on Feb. 15. The Cumberland County Department of Public Health says that the number continues to decline.

    “The COVID-19 landscape looks different than it did two years ago. We know what works and what stops the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Jennifer Green, Cumberland County Public Health Director. “Masks remain an effective strategy for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Despite the recension of this formal order, we continue to recommend masking in public indoor spaces, particularly and in settings with lower vaccination rates.”

    Masks will still be required in all Cumberland County government buildings, including the Cumberland County Department of Public Health and the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse. Residents should continue to comply with mask requirements in businesses, healthcare and long-term facilities, educational settings, and other institutions as appropriate.

    The Federal CDC Order requires face masks to be worn by all people at indoor transportation hubs and while on public transportation, including school buses and vans, remains in place.

  • The City of Fayetteville held a Race in America roundtable discussion between public servants who have managed Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations efforts since the Commission's creation in 1965.

    Town Hall Panelists included Former State Representative Elmer Floyd, Ron McElrath, Dr. Anthony Wade and the current Commission Vice-Chairwoman Milette Harris as the moderator.

    Panelists spoke about where Fayetteville came from and where the future is heading.

    "When it comes down to planning for the future, you have to understand where you come from," said Wade. "When you speak to these issues going forward, you speak to them based on your reflections of the past."

    The panel said they could use the past as a launching pad to push Fayetteville to a better future. Many panelists believe the roadmap to a more progressive future is through the youth.

    The human relation commission has discussed having a youth commission so the young leaders of the community can talk about the issues in their city and schools.

    "It's never too late, and it's never too early to get involved," said Harris.'

    The vice-chairwoman said the key to impact change is to educate, communicate and listen to everyone in the community, no matter the perspective.

    McElrath says to work toward a more inclusive community; they need to look at where the decision-makers are and make sure that everyone is sitting at the table. He said constant dialogue is essential to ensure everyone is on the same page and understands everyone's perspective.

    "We must never assume that what progress we've gained, we can't lose," McElrath said.

  • CCSO The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office has fired a deputy following an officer-involved shooting earlier in February.

    On Feb. 8, 40-year-old Deputy Luis Hernandez responded to a call in reference to a suspicious vehicle parked in a cul-de-sac on Mercedes Drive with no headlights on around 10:45 pm. According to the Sheriff's Office, while Hernandez approached the car, he observed three people inside. Hernandez asked the occupants to show him their hands, and they complied, putting their hands out the windows. Hernandez, according to the Sheriff's Office, directed a front seat passenger to exit the car, and he did. The vehicle immediately fled the scene, and Hernandez fired seven shots at the moving vehicle. No one has reported any injuries.

    The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Office of Professional Standards, investigated Hernandez’s response to the call. Following that internal personnel investigation, Hernandez’s employment was terminated on Feb. 11. Another investigation has begun into whether the former deputy engaged in criminal conduct in firing his weapon as a part of his response to the incident. That investigation is ongoing.

    Hernandez was hired by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office on March 18, 2019.

  • Cumberland Foundation The Cumberland Community Foundation manages more than 60 scholarship endowment funds created by local individuals, families, civic organizations and corporations who want to provide a path to higher education for future generations.

    “Right now we are getting ready to open the community scholarship cycle, and the applications will be available online starting Wednesday, Feb. 16,” said Mary Holmes, president/CEO, Cumberland Community Foundation, Inc. “Between now and then, students should complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and this is the process the foundation uses to verify financial need.”

    She added, “Most of the scholarships are based on financial need, academic achievement and community service, but we do have a few that are not need-based and are achievement-based only.”

    “So the student will go online between Wednesday, Feb. 16 and Wednesday, March 23 to fill out the application and answer questions about themselves,” said Holmes. “The questions want to know the high school you attend, which colleges you want to attend, your grade point average (GPA) and your intended major in college.”

    Holmes added the online system would present the opportunities for which the student is eligible, and the applications will pop up for the student to apply.

    Each year, Cumberland Community Foundation awards more than $900,000 in college scholarships to students from southeastern North Carolina. The Cumberland Community Foundation Scholarship Committee selects most scholarships. A few scholarships are selected by external selection committees at the individual high schools. High school students should check with their school’s guidance office to learn about scholarship opportunities.

    “A lot of scholarships are narrowed down to a specific high school, and for example, the John Thomas Gibson Memorial Scholarship is for a student going from E. E. Smith High School to North Carolina A & T University,” said Holmes. “Some of our scholarships are for students in any high school in Cumberland County going to any college, and they just have to go online and apply to be presented with all of the opportunities.”

    “We have a wonderful committee of mostly retired educators that serve as our scholarship selection committee,” said Holmes. “They read all of the applications, make the selection, and then they score all of the applications based on the priorities that the donor established.”

    She added, “For example, a donor may want 50% of the points based on financial need, 25% on academic success, and 25% on community service.”

    “We just completed the process of selecting 21 students for the Robert H. Short scholarship, and he left 10 million dollars to the Cumberland Community Foundation to help local students go to college,” said Holmes. “Those students will receive up to $30,000 payable over a 4-year period.”

    Applications are due Wednesday, Mar. 23 at 11:59 pm. Students will be asked to submit their information from their FAFSA application, their transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.

    Visit https://www.cumberlandcf.org/scholarships/how-to-apply-.html for information on how to apply for the scholarships. For more information, visit https://www.cumberlandcf.org/scholarships/.

  • Fay City Dump Residents could see an increase in their trash collection costs as city officials are in discussions to increase the fee incrementally over the next few years.

    The current solid-waste service, which collects trash and recyclables curbside, costs $225 annually. The fee, which fully funds the operation, is included within the city’s property taxes.

    City officials are proposing a gradual increase in the coming years — $245 in 2023, $275 in 2025 and $282 in 2027, according to city documents. This would result in an overall increase of more than 25% for residents over the next five years.

    The increase would allow for the city’s solid-waste service to build up a positive balance to cover operating costs for 30 to 90 days, allowing for more sustainability during unexpected events, Fayetteville Budget Director Kelly Olivera told Carolina Public Press.

    “A modest increase in fees would create a situation where the self-supporting solid-waste fund carries a balance that could support unexpected changes like natural disasters or threats to public health, welfare and safety,” she said.

    “A positive fund balance would allow service delivery to continue uninterrupted without significant impact to other city services and programs.”

    An administrative report detailing the fee increases was presented to the City Council during a meeting Monday. The council unanimously voted to continue discussion of the possible increases at its next meeting.

    Comparison to other Cumberland municipalities
    Two other municipalities in Cumberland County, Hope Mills and Spring Lake, provide trash collection to residents.

    Both charge more than the current Fayetteville rate.

    Hope Mills bills $250.80 annually, or $20.90 a month. Spring Lake charges the most at $307 a year, well above the level Fayetteville is considering charging its solid-waste customers after the proposed series of increases.


    Photo Credit: Equipment at the Fayetteville City Dump is seen working on February 14, 2022. Melissa Sue Gerrits / Carolina Public Press

  • Spring Lake Website The Spring Lake Board of Aldermen discussed issues with the town's new website Monday evening.

    After years of development, in December, Spring Lake moved to a new website, www.townofspringlake.com. Alderman Raul Palacios addressed various issues with the website, such as grammatical errors, broken links and its not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance – a requirement for government websites.

    The town paid around $57,673 within the past three years on a "poorly developed" website that has yielded complaints from citizens, towns officials and business owners. Palacios believes the previous board pushed through the new website without reviewing all the details. He reviewed several proposals from reputable web developers for municipal websites with around $30,000 for a website. To renovate the town's current webpage would have been about $3,000 to $6,000.

    Palacios and Alderwoman Sona Cooper suggested that the town cut its losses with Vision Quest Venture LLC, the current developer and go back to the previous website created by Biz Tools in 2006, www.spring-lake.org.

    This move will save the city around $3,600 annually.

    "The website has a lot of isses, we constantly get complaints about people not being able to pay water bills, complaints about not being able to sign up for rec events or programs," said Cooper. "I believe the best thing to do is to revert back to our old website."

    The council raised some concern about the $57,000 loss to the town.

    "In my opinion we should cut our losses and run," said Palacios. "We need a compliant website for Americans with disabilities."

    According to Attorney Catherine Bama, if the board wants to try to recoup any money, the town would have to take legal action.

  • ulysses20 taylor Fayetteville State University has named Ulysses Taylor as the new Dean of Broadwell College of Business & Economics. In his role as Dean, Taylor will be responsible for all undergraduate and graduate business programs which include approximately 1,750 students and 62 faculty and staff.

    Taylor previously was the Professor of Accounting and Chair of Accounting, Finance, Healthcare, and Information Systems at FSU. 

    Taylor is a former board member of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce and the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Economic Development Alliance. He currently serves as chairman of the Fayetteville State University Development Corporation and board member and treasurer of The Capitol Encore Academy. Taylor has also served as a consultant, tax attorney and Certified Public Accountant for various for profit and nonprofit organizations for over 30 years, and currently serves as Financial Secretary for the Kappa Alpha Psi Middle Eastern Province Foundation.

    "Dean Taylor brings a unique combination of knowledge and practical experience to the deanship. He has proven to be strategic, entrepreneurial, and visionary. He is committed to the overall success of our students and is highly regarded in the field of business education. I am excited about the leadership and innovation that he will bring to the Broadwell College of Business and Economics." said Dr. Monica Terrell Leach, Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

  • Amazon Facility Construction will begin soon for several sidewalks in Fayetteville as part of the City of Fayetteville's goal to improve safety and quality of life.

    Currently, Fayetteville includes 2,059,306 linear feet of sidewalk throughout the City.

    “Sidewalks provide numerous health, economic and safety benefits,” Public Services Director Sheila Thomas-Ambat said in a press release. “Pedestrians deserve spaces that are safe and accessible. Fayetteville City Council Members challenge us to offer exemplary City services. The sidewalks coming in 2022 are just one example of services we are proud to offer.”

    Since the start of 2022, two sections of sidewalk projects were finished and are now ready for pedestrians to walk on them. In January, crews completed work on 750 linear feet of new sidewalk with ADA ramps along Ramsey Street between Summerchase Drive and Andrews Road. Some 225 linear feet of sidewalk along Cliffdale Road between Skibo Road and the Freedom Center was finished earlier in February.

    Three additional sidewalk sections are scheduled to be completed this summer, totaling nearly 14,000 linear feet in various areas of the City. Those areas are:

    • Rosehill Road between Stuart Avenue and Hickory Hill Road will see 6,600 linear feet of sidewalk including ADA ramps, bus stops and a retaining wall.
    • Helen Street between Pamalee and Stansfield Drives will get 3,500 feet of sidewalk and include ADA ramps.
    • Reilly Road between Willowbrook and Cissna Drives will have 3,850 linear feet sidewalk and include ADA ramps and bus pads.
  • Attention all Country-music fans: Miranda Lambert, two-time Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year, is performing at the Crown Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 25.

    While Lambert has dominated the CMA’s in the past, she is once again, nominated for two CMA Awards this year, including Female Vocalist. Miranda Lambert: On Fire is taking the United States by storm, and is blow-ing into Fayetteville to grace the community with some of her material from her new album, Four the Record. This is Lambert’s second time as a headliner at the Crown Coliseum since her 2010 tour, and the audience can expect a top-notch performance from her.

    Lambert has two opening acts before she hits the stage at 7:30 pm; Jerrod Neimann and Chris Young, “They are both two young men who are up-and-coming country singers,” says Marshall Perry, director of marketing and sales at the Crown Coliseum. “

    They are getting some press and notoriety in their own right.”

    Neimann, who has five nominations for the upcoming American Country Awards, will feature some hits from his major debut album Judge Jerrod and the Hung Jury.

    Young, who is a CMA nominee for New Artist of the Year and has three American Country Award nominations including Breakthrough Artist of the Year, will play several hits from his number one album, Neon. The opening act will play from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., while Lambert prepares for her two hours in the spot light. The concert is expected to be a full three hours o02-22-12-miranda-lambert.jpgf nonstop excitement and entertainment.

    The new album that Lambert is promoting Four the Record, has already had a lot of country air play and is in stores now. 

    “She’ll be singing a lot of her new material but she’s got some fan favorites that I’m sure she’ll bring out and make it a great show for everybody,” says Perry. 

    The concert is not yet sold out, but ticket sales are brisk, so get the tickets while you still can.

    “We are set to be able to accommodate about 7,500 people for this show and we are at about 6,000seats sold right now,” says Perry. “We would rec-ommend that people that want to come tothis show hurry up and get their tickets because they’re going fast.”

    Tickets are on sale at the Crown Center Box Office, or you can purchase them by phone at 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

    “We’re very excited about having Miranda Lambert play at our venue she’s going to give a great, great show,” says Perry. Also, the Crown Coliseum suggests getting to the building early because of the large crowd.

    Photo: Miranda Lambert is set to perfomr at the Crown on Feb. 25.

  • Paratroopers Arrive in Poland The secretary of defense has ordered an additional 3,000 soldiers from Fort Bragg to deploy to Poland, according to a senior defense official.

    President Joe Biden directed to send the remaining 3,000 soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Fort Bragg to Poland.

    The senior defense official said the soldiers will join the 1,700 troops already set for Poland to assist NATO allies.

    "All told, these 5,000 additional personnel comprise a highly mobile and flexible force, capable of multiple missions," the official said to major news outlets. "They are being deployed to reassure our NATO allies, deter any potential aggression against NATO’s eastern flank, train with host-nation forces, and contribute to a wide range of contingencies. They will report to Gen. Tod Wolters, Commander, U.S. European Command."

    National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan announced on Friday that the rise of a Russia invasion of Ukraine has risen. He said that they believe Russian President Vladimir Putin could order an invasion of Ukraine at any time, even before the end of the Beijing Olympics.

    Fort Bragg troops started to deploy to Europe on Feb. 3. According to U.S. officials, these are not permanent moves for the troops.


    PHOTO CREDIT: More paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division make their way to the terminal after arriving on a C-17 Globemaster aircraft at Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport, Poland Feb. 8. In coordination with the Polish Ministry of Defense and Polish government the nearly 2,000 Soldiers are deploying to support the United States’ decision to increase its presence and activities in the Eastern Flank as part of strong and unremitting commitment to our NATO Allies and partners. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Angel D. Martinez-Navedo)

  • Bikers and Bike Week fans have something new to look forward to — Friday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3, check out the Myrtle Beach Bike Week West Motorcycle Expo at the Florence Civic Center.

    Myrtle Beach Bike Week West offers plenty to see and do, including vin-tage motorcycle displays, drag bike displays, chopper road shows, a ride-in bike show, live entertainment with legends of Bike Week, stunt riders, cus-tom builders, a vendors mall and more.

    02-29-12-bike-week.jpgFriday night is Family Night. Kids 16 and under get in free with their parents. This expo is expected to be the largest family-friendly motorcycle event in the Florence, S.C., area.

    Not only will there be bike-related activities, but look for good music, too. Friday night, Mojo Hammer performs with special guest Write Off 20. Both bands are local favorites. Nantucket performs at the event on Saturday along with All My Rowdy Friends — the ultimate Hank Williams Jr. Tribute Band and the original rocker and biker diva, Geneva.

    Nick Hooker, marketing manager at the Florence Civic Center, noted that there is a lot going on at the Myrtle Beach Bike Week West Motorcycle Expo. “This is our area’s first motorcycle expo,” Hooker says.

    Fayetteville’s large biker community won’t want to miss the chance to test the waters at this inaugural event. Hooker encourages the Fayetteville community to come and enjoy the expo. “Florence is not far from Fayetteville,” Hooker adds, “It is conveniently located on I-95 and I-20.”

    Myrtle Beach Bike Week West Motorcycle Expo is open to the public. It gives fans of Nantucket a chance to come out, show support and enjoy a wide range of entertainment, and it gives bikers a chance to take a quick trip down the road to explore an event that will likely become a regular part of the area’s springtime motorcycle festivities.

    In addition to the displays and vendors, check out the raffle. The Challenger Motorcycle Lift used by Orange County Choppers during the Custom Bike Build on August 5, 2011 at the Florence Civic Center will be raffled off. Proceeds support the Wounded Warrior Project and the South Carolina Motorcycle Rider Education Program. The lift has Paul Sr.’s signature and the signatures of all the crew who worked to build the custom bike. Raffle tickets are $10 and will be available at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Booth at the expo. The lift will be on display there as well.

    The winning ticket will be drawn on the concert stage Saturday night, March 3, during intermission at Myrtle Beach Bike Week West Motorcycle Expo. You do not have to be present to win.

    Admission to Myrtle Beach Bike Week West Motorcycle Expo is just $15 per day and $20 for the whole weekend. Tickets can be purchased the day of the Expo (no advance sales). To find out more, visit www.myrtlebeachbikeweekwest.com or www.florenceciviccenter.com.

  • Cumberland County School Board The Cumberland County Schools Board of Education voted Tuesday night to make masks optional for both students and staff.

    The school board approved the decision with a 5 to 4 vote. The decision will go into effect on Feb. 16.

    "Going mask optional doesn't take away the right of someone who wears a mask, they can double mask, the N-95s are abundant now when they haven't been before," Chair Greg West said. "I think mask optional is a prudent first step to allow those who want a choice and waited for 22 months to have a choice."

    Board Member Donna Vann said that after two-and-a-half years in a pandemic, everyone has their own personal responsibility to protect themselves.

    "That's going to be the choice of each individual," Vann said.

    However, other board members reiterated that masking is a group responsibility.

    "The mask is a public health tool. It's for you caring about me or me caring about you, to protect you," Board Member Carrie Sutton said in opposition.

    Board Members Sutton, Deanna Jones, Judy Musgrave and Charles McKellar all voted against making the masks optional.

    However, the Cumberland County mask mandate is still in place by the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. Masks are required indoors across Cumberland County, including all municipalities - Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Spring Lake, Wade, Eastover, Falcon, Godwin, Linden and Stedman. It is unclear how the new school board policy will be impacted by the county policy.

  • Amazon Facility Online retail powerhouse Amazon confirmed a new 1.3 million-square-foot facility in Cumberland County last week, bringing with it hundreds of jobs and hundreds of thousands in property tax revenue.

    The “fulfillment center,” where Amazon workers pack and ship online orders, is currently under construction at the Military Business Park in Fayetteville on Bragg Boulevard.

    In an incentive package unanimously approved in November by both the Fayetteville City Council and the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, the city and county will each grant Amazon $1.25 million toward construction costs, totaling $2.5 million.

    This is if Amazon spends more than $5 million on the necessary relocation of a flare site, which is used when maintenance on a gas line is required. The company said it wanted the site relocated due to safety concerns about its close proximity to the facility, according to county documents.

    After that $5 million spending mark, the city and county grants kick in at 50% of additional costs with the maximum at the $2.5 million mark.

    To keep the grant money, Amazon will be required to create and maintain at least 500 jobs with an average annual wage at just under $33,000.

    “It mitigates the additional costs the company may face regarding certain infrastructure improvements that are needed,” Robert Van Geons, president and CEO of Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corp., said in a phone interview Monday.

    “In our case, because our incentives are paid based on performance, it mitigates risk for the community.”

    The company will also be required to invest more than $100 million in real estate improvements.

    The company would bring in more than $800,000 in annual property tax revenue for Cumberland County and up to $650,000 for Fayetteville, according to city and county documents.

    Operations at the Amazon facility are set to begin in 2023.

    How Amazon wages compare to other jobs in Cumberland
    The 500 new jobs at Amazon will pay an average of $33,000 per year, and none of the jobs will pay below the company’s minimum of $15 an hour, which calculates to just over $31,000 annually.

    “That in itself is positive,” Van Geons said. “That is above the average for a warehouse worker and a higher wage than many of our service-industry folks, which is a very large segment of our economy here in Cumberland County.”

    According to the latest wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2020, package handlers in freight warehouses in Fayetteville are paid an annual average of just over $27,000, among over 1,300 workers.

    Among the nearly 13,000 employees who work in food preparation, the annual average is about $22,500.

    Retail workers make an average of just under $27,000.

    Amazon’s average is even higher than that for laborers in Fayetteville’s construction industry, which is just below $32,000 in the latest BLS report.

    And Van Geons said that the initial total of 500 jobs is a minimum. The county expects to see more job growth at Amazon going forward.

    But Amazon’s average wage is still lower than the county’s average annual wage overall, which is around $45,500.

    The company’s wages are also under what is needed to afford a two-bedroom apartment in Cumberland County. In its 2021 housing need report, the N.C. Housing Coalition estimates that just over $34,750 in annual income would be needed to afford a unit of that size in the county.

    The N.C. Housing Coalition, along with most other affordable housing advocacy organizations, considers a home to be affordable if it takes up 30% or less of the resident’s income.

    According to the organization’s report, nearly half of all renters, who are disproportionately low-wage service workers, pay more than 30% of their income on housing costs.

    Even with the shortcomings of Amazon’s average wage, Van Geons said the increase in hourly wage would still increase many people’s incomes.

    “It’s a step in the right direction for our community, that entry-level wage,” he said.

    “Being able to come in and get a position that in some cases is five, six, seven dollars higher than what was available prior. … It will help people afford housing and all their expenses better than if it were not here.”

    Cumberland’s high unemployment rate
    In 2020, Cumberland County’s unemployment rate averaged 9.5%, according to BLS.

    The rate is higher than the state average of 7.3% and the eighth-highest among all counties in North Carolina.

    Even before the pandemic derailed the economy, Cumberland’s rate trended high. In 2019, the average was 5%, the 13th-highest county. North Carolina’s average unemployment rate that year was 3.8%.

    Van Geons said Amazon’s arrival could start to change that.

    “We do have higher-than-average unemployment here in North Carolina, compared to some of our peers,” he said. “This project is so welcomed in that way. It’ll provide jobs for those that haven’t been able to get back into the economy post-COVID.”

    Correction: The $5 million that Amazon will receive and spend from Cumberland County and the city of Fayetteville will be used to relocate a flare site on a gas line. An earlier version of the article described the purpose of the funds incorrectly.


    Photo Credit: Construction on a new Amazon facility in Fayetteville continues in late December. Photo courtesy of the Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation

  • Trenton Powell WEB Fayetteville Police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly murdering his 10-month-old son.

    On Feb. 3, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to reports of an unresponsive ten-month-old along the 1800 block of Gola Drive around 3:59 p.m. The child was transported to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center but succumbed to his injuries.

    The autopsy determined the manner of death to be a homicide.

    Trenton Terrell Powell was arrested on Feb. 7 and is being charged with First Degree Murder and Felony Child Abuse Inflicting Serious Physical Injury. Powell is at the Cumberland County Detention Center under no bond.

  • Market House The Department of Justice has held two meetings with the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission over the future of the Market House. These private meetings are part of the Justice Department’s City-SPRIT program, bringing together diverse community stakeholders such as community groups, faith‐based organizations, civil rights organizations, and law enforcement. They wish to develop collaborative solutions to reduce conflict, improve communication, and minimize the potential for future conflict.

    The Department of Justice will be compiling a report summarizing the results of the two meetings from October and January. According to city officials, that report will be presented to the Fayetteville City Council in March or April.

    Previously city council members have heard about the costs of possibly relocating the Market House to Lamon Park, Arsenal Park, or the Cape Fear River Park site. However, relocation would cost the city more than 2 million dollars.

    Other options presented to City Council last year included making art exhibits in the Market House highlighting the history, having a monthly market with an emphasis for people of color vendors, having themed events for the educational community, and making a structural modification to the building.

    All moves to repurpose the Market House from the city were put on hold by the council until after the City-SPIRIT meetings.

  • Fayetteville City Council has decided to not look further into the allegations that former Councilwoman Tisha Wadell made in her resignation letter.

    Wadell asked the Fayetteville City Council to investigate the following:

    • The allegation that Mayor Mitch Colvin destroyed public records by having his cell phone wiped clean (phone number 910.987.0590) and any involvement of any member of City Staff
    • The involvement of Johnathan Charleston regarding any business with Bernhard Capital Partners or their representatives
    • The involvement of Mayor Mitch Colvin regarding any business with Bernhard Capital Partners or any of their representatives - to include Mayor Steve Benjamin
    • Members of Council contacted by or having discussions with Attorney Johnathan Charleston or any of his representatives regarding Dismass Charities before, during, or after the initial Special Use Permit was brought to us for consideration? If this happened, it would be a direct violation of the law/policy regarding Special Use Permits.

    In November, Councilwoman Yvonne Kinston asked the Audit Committee to review the allegations and to, as a group, ask the whole of City Council to discuss whether or not to do an independent investigation into the Mayor. The Council voted 4-0 and the motion was going to be presented to City Council at the beginning of December.

    However, the Chair of the Audit Committee, Johnny Dawkins, pulled the item last minute - despite voting on it.

    Dawkins told Up & Coming Weekly that he voted on it initially because it would just be a discussion item, not a recommendation for the council to go one way or another.

    “In the two weeks or so between the Audit Committee Meeting and the Work Session, I reviewed the bylaws of the Audit Committee, and it appeared to me that the issue is not something in our purview,” Dawkins said.

    According to the City’s website, the Audit Committee’s “primary purpose is to assist the City Council in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities for the overall stewardship of the City’s financial affairs.”

    Dawkins told Up & Coming Weekly that he believes these allegations should go to the Ethics Committee and not the Audit Committee since no city funds, or misuse of city funds was brought up in the allegations.

    “There’s never been a time when I was chairman, where I pulled an item like this. I went to enough law school to know that this is not in the purview of the Audit Committee, but the city attorney wouldn’t give me a definite answer on that,” Dawkins said.

    On Jan. 28, Kinston brought up the issue in the Audit Committee. She asked Dawkins why he pulled the unanimous voted-on item from the December work session and he said that he did not feel like it should have been up to the Audit Committee to bring this topic forward.

    However, when the two other committee members backed Kinston up, Dawkins conceded and said he was fine putting it up, as long as Kinston presented it and it had her name on it.

    This all cumulated Monday night when City Council’s Work Session officially discussed a possible investigation. Colvin recused himself from the conversation immediately and did not vote on it.

    The biggest argument against the investigation, coming from Councilman Larry Wright, is that external organizations already conducted investigations into the allegations.

    This is referring to the investigation made by CityView TODAY’s investigative reporter Greg Barnes. He found that there were no signs of corruption regarding Bernhard Capital Partners’ efforts to take over the PWC, however, he did find a lack of transparency by people trying to broker a deal with the equity firm.

    The allegations that Barnes did not yet look into in a published article includes Colvin allegedly destroying public records when he had his cell phone “wiped clean” during an investigation that led to the resignation of former City Councilman Tyrone Williams in 2018, that some council members may have improperly or illegally discussed a special use permit for Dismas Charities, which wants to build a halfway house for federal prisoners on land along Cain Road, or whether building permits and certificates of appropriateness were handled properly for a downtown building that Colvin has an interest in.

    The council denied the motion for an external investigation 5 to 4. The people who voted against the investigation were Christopher Davis, Kathy Jensen, D.J. Haire, Wright and Dawkins. The people who voted in favor of the investigation were councilmembers Antonio Jones, Shakeyla Ingram, Courtney Banks-Mclaughlin and Kinston.

  • Plan C Crypto, a California-based data mining company, will open a Regional Headquarters facility in Fayetteville. The Fayetteville site will be the company's fourth mining facility in North Carolina, one being in Wilson.

    According to the Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation, Plan C Crypto expects to create 19 jobs by the end of the year, with more to follow. They are looking for skilled professionals in the electrical, security and information technology fields. The company is targeting military veterans and spouses as potential employees for the positions.

     “Attracting high-tech jobs and new investments to Cumberland County and Fayetteville is a major priority for our community, and this announcement is an indication that we are achieving results,” said Robert Van Geons, FCEDC President & CEO. “Our region is an ideal location for innovative companies focused on business growth. By opening its regional headquarters here, this cryptocurrency facility shows we are a competitive location for technology-driven operations. We are grateful for the support of Elaina Ball, CEO and General Manager of Fayetteville Public Works Commission and her team, and for the hard work of FCEDC Vice President Rob Patton, whose efforts were critical in bringing this project to our community. Announcements like these would not be possible without the support we receive from the City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County.”

    Plan C Crypto is expected to go online in the fall of 2022, however, the location of the site was not announced.

    Plan C Crypto’s CEO Antonio Bestard stated that the company is excited to invest in the area.

    “Fayetteville has everything we want to see for a world-class facility, including a business-friendly climate, strong existing infrastructure, and talented workforce," Bestard said. “We will use demand response proof of work mining to bring zonal grid stability at the substation level and bring high-paying jobs to the region.”

  • CCS Feb 7 Homicide Cumberland County Sheriff's Office is investigating a deadly shooting that occurred Monday morning.

    Detectives with the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office found 40-year-old Omar Bakar inside a vacant home near Charles Thigpen Drive and Doc Bennett Road around 2:39 a.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

    Detectives believe this is not a random shooting.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact Homicide Detective Sergeant R. Brinkley (910) 677-5463 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477). Crimestoppers information can also be submitted electronically, by visiting http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org and completing the anonymous online tip sheet.

  • Rasheem Grant The Fayetteville Police Department has arrested one out of two men who are being suspects in the murder of Eddie Saez in early January.

    Saez was murdered in his own store, Southern City Swag Boutique, on Jan. 4 along Yadkin Road.

    28-year-old Rasheem Lopez Grant was arrested in South Carolina by the Columbia Police Department and was transported to Cumberland County. He is being charged with First Degree Murder, Possession of a firearm by a felon, conspiracy and robbery with a deadly weapon. Grant is currently at the Cumberland County Jail where he remains under no bond.

    Detectives are still looking for the identity of the second suspect and the Infinity SUV (pictured below) that was seen at the scene of the murder. Anyone with any information should call Detective J. Olsen at (910) 709-1958 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477).

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  • Gary Duncan One man is dead following a shooting Sunday morning along the 5700 block of Weatherford Road.

    Officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to the reported shooting around 12:56 a.m. 48-year-old Trenton Douglas was found with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

    Detectives have arrested 52-year-old Gary Duncan. He is being charged with First Degree Murder. He is at the Cumberland County Detention Center under no bond.

    The preliminary investigation revealed a disturbance that took place inside of the residence prior to the shooting and Douglas and Duncan knew each other at the time. Detectives are requesting anyone in the area with security camera footage that may have captured the shooting to please notify the Fayetteville Police Department.

    Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective T. Kiger (910) 705-6527 or submit an anonymous tip at fay-nccrimestoppers.org.
     
  • Supreme Court Political gerrymandering is dead in North Carolina, at least for now.

    The state Supreme Court issued an order late Friday striking down the Republican-drawn political maps slated to be used for the rest of the decade. Groups challenging the maps hit a grand slam, winning on each of their constitutional claims.

    A 4-3 majority of the Supreme Court found that the state legislative and congressional maps were “unconstitutional beyond a reasonable doubt under the free elections clause, the equal protection clause, the free speech clause and the freedom of assembly clause of the North Carolina Constitution,” according to the order, written by Democratic Justice Robin Hudson.

    The General Assembly will have to redraw maps and submit them by noon Feb. 18 to a three-judge panel in Superior Court for approval.

    If the panel decides the General Assembly’s new maps don’t meet the court’s new standards, it can select maps submitted by the groups who sued the state. Whatever the trial court selects, the state or any of the challengers can appeal the decision by 5 p.m. Feb. 23.

    That’s the day before candidate filing is set to open again, so there is a chance North Carolina will see a repeat of what happened in December, when the courts shut down candidate filing — then reopened it, then shut it down again.

    Because of the tight timeline, the Supreme Court only issued an order, not an opinion, meaning that it told the relevant groups what they had to do next but did not describe the full legal justifications underpinning the decision. The opinion will be submitted later, according to the document.

    Chief Justice Paul Newby, a Republican elected in 2020, expressed his frustration with the decision in a snappy dissent, writing that the Democratic-majority court interpreted the constitution in such a way that left “no limits to this Court’s power.”

    Since the state constitution does not put an explicit limit on partisan gerrymandering, Newby argued, the only ways to do so are by statute or a constitutional amendment. Both would require the legislature to act to limit its own authority to draw partisan maps.

    Either the General Assembly takes the Supreme Court’s order and attempts to draw constitutional maps or takes the risk that the courts will choose maps submitted by the groups that sued. It will also have to submit the data it used to draw the maps and the methods used to measure partisan fairness.

    The Supreme Court recommended, but did not require, five different metrics for measuring the partisan fairness of a map.

    “​​To comply with the limitations contained in the North Carolina Constitution, which are applicable to redistricting plans, the General Assembly must not diminish or dilute any individual’s vote on the basis of partisan affiliation,” the majority wrote.

    But Newby wrote those guidelines are “vague and undefined,” meaning only the court itself will be able to define the constitutionality of new maps.

    “The question of how much partisan consideration is unconstitutional remains a mystery, as does what is meant by ‘substantially equal voting power on the basis of partisan affiliation,’” Newby wrote.

    The Republican-controlled legislature, which drew the maps and whose leaders are the named defendants in the case, can partially appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, at least regarding the congressional map.

    Though it’s speculation, that appeal is likely, according to Catawba College political science professor Michael Bitzer.


     Photo Credit: The Supreme Court of North Carolina building in Raleigh. Courtesy of the state courts.

  • Protestor Arrested State Capitol Police cited a protester for second-degree trespassing Wednesday outside the N.C. Judicial Center as he called for the arrest of an off-duty Cumberland County sheriff’s deputy who, weeks prior in Fayetteville, fatally shot Jason Walker, an unarmed Black man.

    Shaun McMillan, an activist in Fayetteville, was leading a small protest right outside the building when a State Capitol Police officer approached and asked him to conduct the gathering off state property.

    State Capitol Police Sgt. Michele Larson said a permit is required to protest on the grounds of the N.C. Judicial Center.

    McMillan initially refused to relocate and continued to protest, along with a few others from across the state, until an officer handcuffed him.

    Minutes later, officers released McMillan and cited him for second-degree trespassing.

    Larson said they decided to release him because they wanted the protesters to speak their minds, as long as they did so legally.

    After being released, McMillan and the rest of the protesters continued to gather on the public sidewalk just outside the N.C. Judicial Center premises.\

    Reason for protest

    On Jan. 8, Jeffrey Hash, an off-duty Cumberland County sheriff’s deputy, shot and killed Walker following an incident where Hash alleges that Walker stepped onto the street in front of his truck, ripped off a windshield wiper and broke his windshield.

    In police body-cam footage released a week later, Walker’s father, in a witness interview with officers on the scene, seemed to confirm Hash’s retelling.

    “(Jason Walker) pulled off one of the daggone windshield wipers and hit the windshield,” Walker’s father said in the video.

    In the days after the shooting, Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins referred the investigation to the State Bureau of Investigation. Cumberland County District Attorney Billy West handed any potential prosecution to the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys, which is housed at the N.C. Judicial Center, where Wednesday’s protests took place.

    Officials sought this outside help to limit a conflict of interest, Carolina Public Press previously reported.

    McMillan said in a phone interview prior to Wednesday’s protest that Hash should have been arrested immediately following the shooting. He called it “a critical mistake” by the Fayetteville Police Department.

    “This is overdue,” he said. “Our patience is gone. We don’t have patience for a system that would allow somebody to be gunned down in their own neighborhood without so much as an arrest.”

    He called on Kimberly Spahos, director of the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys, to press charges and have Hash arrested.

    While the conference would lead any potential prosecution against Hash, Spahos said in a phone interview prior to the protest that no charging decision can be made amid an ongoing criminal investigation.

    “We can’t make a charging decision on this case or any case until the investigation is complete,” she said. “It would be imprudent and improper to do so.” 

    Once the SBI completes its investigation and submits its findings to the Conference of DAs, Spahos said a charging decision can be made based on that report.

    She is bound by the rules of professional conduct from speaking on any facts regarding an ongoing investigation, she said.

    The SBI coming in to investigate officer shootings is standard procedure legislated by the General Assembly last year, as long as certain public officials, such as Fayetteville Police Chief Hawkins, request it.

    “This is a standard process for how this is handled,” Spahos said. “We wait for the full investigation to be complete before we make decisions.” 

    McMillan said he understands the process and hopes Hash will be charged when possible.

    “As soon as that SBI investigation is completed, she will make the decision, and we hope that she makes the right one,” he said.


    Photo Credit: State Capitol Police handcuff Fayetteville activist Shaun McMillan while he protests outside the N.C. Judicial Center in Raleigh on Feb. 2, 2022. Police said McMillan was protesting without a permit. Officers released him minutes later and cited him for second-degree trespassing. Ben Sessoms / Carolina Public Press

  • Fort Bragg Airborne Paraglide President Joe Biden will be sending 2,000 troops from Fort Bragg to Poland and Germany in the coming days, according to Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby. Kirby also confirmed that 1,000 service members from a Stryker squadron currently in Germany will be repositioned to Romania.

    "The 82nd Airborne Division is deploying components of an Infantry Brigade Combat Team and key enablers to Poland and the 18th Airborne Corps is moving a Joint Task Force-capable headquarters to Germany," Kirby said in a press briefing Wednesday morning. 

    Kirby said that these forces will not fight in Ukraine, rather they will give support to the allies of the United States. He also reiterated that these are not permanent moves.

    "They are moved designed to respond to the current security environment," Kirby said. "Moreover, these forces are not going to fight in Ukraine. They're going to ensure the robust defense of our NATO allies."

    The 82nd Airborne Division was chosen because they were already on heightened alert and they are multi-mission capable.

    "I think their versatility, their ability to move quickly, and to conduct a range of missions across a range of contigencies which is well-proven, that is why the Secretary has ordered them to go," Kirby said.

    These troops are separate from the 8,500 troops who were placed on alert in January for a possible deployment to Europe with the NATO Response Force.


    Photo Credit: Fort Bragg Paraglide 

  • Amazon Logo Amazon has confirmed they are building a 1.3 million-square-foot fulfillment facility at the Military Business Park. According to a press release, this new facility will create more than 500 full-time jobs with hundreds of additional part-time opportunities.  

    “Amazon is excited to expand operations in Cumberland County, North Carolina, investing in a new fulfillment center in Fayetteville,” said Amazon Spokesperson Nikki Forman. “We are committed to providing efficient delivery for customers and creating hundreds of jobs

    This is the second building Amazon has under construction in Cumberland County. In May of 2021, Amazon announced a new last-mile facility. That facility is currently under construction at 1005 Dunn Road.

    “I welcome the significant positive impact that Amazon will make here. The fact that Amazon has twice selected to invest in our area sends a strong signal to other potential employers about the many wonderful benefits this region has to offer, from our central location to the thriving workforce, and excellent business climate," Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin said in the press release.

    The City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County each approved up to $1.25 million to help assist with infrastructure improvements. For Amazon to receive the grants it must commit to investing $100 million in real estate and equipment in Cumberland County over the next five years and hire more than 500 full-time workers with an average annual wage of about $33,000.

    “This Amazon facility in the Military Business Park means hundreds of new jobs for our County, as well as economic growth and advancement. This transformative investment is a major win for our community,” said County Commission Chairman Glenn Adams. “A sincere thanks goes out to Amazon’s representatives as well as Cloteen Jasmin, Senior Vice President of Development at Ryan Companies, who have been collaborating with FCEDC on the project since April. This project has an incredibly aggressive timeline, and we cannot wait to celebrate its opening in 2023. Thanks to all those who collaborated to make this a success.”

    The new warehouse facility at the Military Business Park is expected to open in 2023. 

  • Antonio The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County Director of Operations, Antonio Renteria, has been selected as an Emerging Leaders of Color (ELC). The ELC is a free professional leadership development program and team-building workshop for early to mid-career arts and cultural administrators of color. Eighteen individuals from each of South Arts’ nine-state region were selected for the second Southern cohort of the program.

    Renteria will participate in professional development and leadership training offered in partnership with South Arts and the Western States Arts Federation. The ELC Program provides tools, continued learning opportunities, and networks to arts administrators of color who seek to build their capacity as leaders in the arts and culture sector.

    Staff, faculty, and alumni affiliated with the ELC Program selected Renteria because he exemplifies qualities in arts leadership and has the capacity to be a leader at his organization and in the broader community.

    “I am committed to building relationships with local artists, nonprofit organizations, and other community partners who make Fayetteville a vibrant and welcoming community for artists and other creatives,” Renteria said in a press release.

  • The Spring Lake's Board of Alderman met on Jan. 24. Among the topics discussed was a resolution supporting the stormwater program, which was approved, allowing the mayor to have voting authority, staggered terms, and confirming the meeting scheduled for Feb. 14. The Board also entered a closed session for just under an hour due to an N.C. General statute for personnel.

    The discussion on the mayor's ability to vote met opposition from Mayor Pro Tem Robyn Chadwick with concerns for abuse of power and Alderman Marvin Lackman, who felt there were more pressing matters for Spring Lake.

    "With everything going on in the town, I think we should concentrate on the issues at hand rather than a vote for you," Alderman said to Mayor Kia Anthony.

    Alderwoman Sona Cooper expressed her desire to see the community have a say.

    "Take it to the people and see how they feel about it and take it from there, " Cooper said.

    Spring Lake Town Attorney Jonathan Charleston said that referendum was possible on the mayor's voting power, and Anthony asked Charleston to research options to present at a future meeting.

    The meeting was adjourned immediately following the closed session.

  • Fay History MuseumNEW The Fayetteville History Museum will be opening a new exhibit: “African Americans on the River.”

    This exhibit honors Black History Month and will become a semi-permanent feature in the Museum.

    This exhibit highlights numerous free and enslaved African Americans who were integral to the story of the Cape Fear River and the region, including revered Steamboat Pilot Daniel Buxton. Also featured, are stories of resilience including one of the dozens of free African Americans who traveled down the river journeying to a new life in Liberia.

    Admission is free to the Museum and galleries are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.The Fayetteville History Museum is located at 325 Franklin Street and is operated by the Historic and Natural Resources District of Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation.

  • FSU Arena NEW Fayetteville State University will allow spectators back into the Felton J. Capel Arena for the first time since the pandemic. Facial coverings are required for everyone inside a campus building and/or facility.

    The first game that will allow spectators is Saturday, Feb. 5 when the Broncos host Johnson C. Smith University. The basketball doubleheader will have the women’s game tip at 2 p.m. with the men to follow.

    General Admission tickets can be purchased in advance online at fsubroncos.com/tickets or the door. The adult admission is $20. Visiting students and children over five years old are $10. Senior Citizens, faculty, staff, and military with ID are $15. Full-time Fayetteville State students will be admitted with a valid FSU ID.

    Doors will open one hour before the game. No outside food or beverage will be permitted at the game.

  • PNC FSU new The PNC Foundation is awarding more than $2 million to five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in North Carolina, including Fayetteville State University. PNC wants to establish the PNC North Carolina HBCU Initiative, an effort that aims to enrich the future of entrepreneurship and create workforce opportunities in the state.

    The grants will be distributed over a three-year period to help fund the development and delivery of entrepreneurship resources and programming for students.

    "At PNC, we recognize how important HBCUs are to our state's success," said Weston Andress, PNC regional president for Western Carolinas. "HBCU graduates contribute significantly to the talent pipeline that is fueling North Carolina's economy, and these institutions are foundational to shaping the workforce North Carolina needs to remain competitive in business."

    The money will be used to build the Fayetteville State University Entrepreneurship Lab (E-Lab), an action learning opportunity designed to help students accelerate new ideas and product development. Student entrepreneur teams creating or growing their own ventures may compete for E-Lab funding to help fuel their projects. Additionally, the E-Lab will offer business and economic development support for community members and foster self-employment opportunities.

    Other colleges and universities receiving a grant from the PNC Foundation include Elizabeth City State University, Johnson C. Smith University, North Carolina Central University and Winston-Salem State University.

  •   Obviously, the entire audience (sizable for an early Monday show) was excited about the Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen trailer. But the laughter and excitement that greeted the trailer for Miss March was really uncalled for, especially considering that no one (not even an untrained expert such as myself) can identify any substantial differences between that and the trailer that followed it, Fired Up
      Marcus Nispel, director of Friday the 13th (95 minutes), has a puzzling career. He directed the violence-as-pornography Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, AND the Amy Grant video “House of Love.” A man following a career path that takes him from “House of Love” to man impaled on a meat hook is bound to have made some interesting choices in his life. Of course, one of those interesting choices was Pathfinder, so clearly some illegal substances were involved. He doesn’t offend me nearly as much with this remake as he did with Chainsaw, but somehow it still lacks heart. At least My Bloody Valentine included some literal heart (bloody and fabulous); Friday the 13th doesn’t even get that far in the carnage. Compared to other, similar movies, the death scenes seemed restrained, boring and uninspired. There were one or two excellently visceral scenes, but overall there wasn’t anything new here.
      {mosimage}The film opens up in 1980 on some elements from the first movie, slightly re-written, summing up the original nicely. We segue into the genre standard group of unlikable Barbie-and-Ken dolls, walking through the woods. Their names are mostly unimportant because you won’t remember any of them five minutes after leaving the theater. They wander around looking for a very special crop of a very illegal substance, and end up camped out near the all-but-forgotten Camp Crystal Lake from the first set of Jason movies. Interesting to note is the puzzling choice of music playing over some of these scenes.  “Sister Christian?” Really?  Really?    Their curiosity overcomes their common sense (duh) and they explore the camp, which doesn’t end well. Well, at least there’s a ton of nudity mixed with violence.
      Flash forward about six weeks. Turns out that Barbie doll number one, Whitney (Amanda Righetti) has a very concerned brother, Clay (Jared Padalecki). Clay thinks that the local law enforcement aren’t trying hard enough to find his sister, and he spends his days broodily roaming town on his rebellious motorcycle, flipping his chestnut hair and pouting his full, well-defined lips at the townies.
      Eventually, Clay meets up with the rest of the cannon fodder…I mean, characters, and the body count quickly rises. Playing the “good” girl in the midst of the “bad” slacker, stoner, over-privileged dregs is Jenna (Danielle Panabaker Hey! It’s That Girl from Sky High!), who naturally decides to ditch her companions and walk off into the woods with the cute stranger.  Next we get more nudity, more sex and more violence.  What we do not get is more plot.  
      This is no case of style over substance because frankly there wasn’t a whole lot of style. Even so, it was fun keeping track of how many people were getting killed, and the pace moved along quickly. This film isn’t going to make great remake history, but it did entertain. Perhaps adding a little 3D action would have left me feeling more satisfied. Are you listening Last House on the Left?   

    Contact Heather Griffiths at tim@upandcomingweekly.com

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    Cities and towns have official seals for authenticating certain documents. Fayetteville has had three different seals over time. The first two were nondescript. The most recent, which has been used for more than 20 years, has the historic Market House as its focal point. The iconic building in the center of downtown has been emblematic of the city in modern times. And the official seal is everywhere … on the city’s website, all kinds of documents and publications as well as public buildings. It hangs on the wall in council chambers in city hall. 

    Because of its history, the Market House in recent decades has become controversial. In antebellum Fayetteville, the structure was used as a market for the sale of produce and livestock. Occasionally slaves were sold there, and that’s the rub. 

    “The Market House is a symbolic and significant part of our history. However, in my opinion, it should not be used in any official capacities concerning our city,” says Mayor Pro-Tem Mitch Colvin. 

    Last year City Council instructed the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission to research whether the city should consider changing the seal by removing the likeness of the Market House. Public meetings on the subject have wrapped up, and council soon will tackle the issue, which has become racially divisive. Colvin and others point out the “history of the place is offensive.” Some members of council declined to comment.

    Mayor Nat Robertson recognized two years ago that the city seal had no decorative place in his office, “…when I took over I had the Fayetteville logo used in place of the seal on all my letterhead, business cards and note pads,” he told Up & Coming Weekly. Colvin notes Fayetteville is North Carolina’s most racially diverse community, “I feel that it is time we began to look at a city symbol that reflects the diversity of this community. I feel if it offends one citizen that’s one too many.” 

    City Clerk Pamela McGill outlined the seal’s official uses. “I use the seal on all official documents of the city that require my attention: City Council meeting        minutes, ordinances, resolutions, contracts, easements, and proclamations.” And there are a couple of other more obscure uses for the seal, she said. No one really knows when the city began incorporating likenesses of the Market House into what once was an official logo. It’s no longer used that way, but in the 1960s and ‘70s, graphics of the building were even plastered on police cars and fire engines. A more contemporary logo replaced it many years ago. 

      says the emblem could be retired to only its official uses, “Removal in such a way is an option. However, I would prefer having it removed as an official representation of Fayetteville. It is a symbol not appreciated by the majority of the black community.” 

    Since taking office, McDougald has refused to wear the city lapel pin because it is a replica of the seal.


  • No Girls Allowed! That was the rule in many professions until recent decades. Now the thought of telling a woman that she can’t be a fire fighter, a02-03-10-play-balls.gif business professional, an airplane pilot, a professional baseball umpire or anything else she wants to be seems ludicrous — at least in this country — but that wasn’t always the case.

    Just decades ago, even the most competent of women were commonly denied access to fulfi lling their dreams regardless of their ambition, talent or skill level.

    Gilbert Theater is taking on this topic with Play Balls, its third play of this theatrical season. A comedy based on the true-life experiences of Pam Postema and Bernice Gera, Play Balls is about a young woman trying to break into the male dominated world of professional baseball umpiring.

    “It’s about more than baseball,” said Director Peter Bonilla.“It’s about breaking sexism. It’s about a woman’s journey trying to achieve a goal in a man’s business. It’s about Pam and her quest to be a professional major league ump and the hell she went through.

    ”There’s plenty of strong language to be had in the production as fans and umpires hurl obscenities at the main character, so Bonilla cautions that it is not a kid-friendly event, but adds that the story is inspiring, the acting is excellent and the show something that is worth seeing.

    “She fought hard, really, really hard,” Bonilla said of Postema. “If you stink, you stink, but to say ‘Get back in the kitchen’? No way. She was a trailblazer women should look up to.

    ”Claudia Warga carries the lead as Lucy Posner, the fictional version of Postema/Gera. Jules Ollie Forde and Jim Darrien portray Ump 1 and Ump 2 as well as the other back up characters that harass and heckle Posner on her journey through the brutally competitive and chauvinistic world of umpiring.

    Bonilla, who has spent the past 17 years in New York City, is no stranger to theater. He’s a professional actor, director, playwright, photographer and editor. Finding himself in Fayetteville for personal reasons, Bonilla sought an outlet for his creative energy and happened upon Gilbert Theater.

    “I’m not sure how it started, Lynn Pryer and I got to talking and I mentioned that I am a big baseball fan,” said Bonilla. “Lynn said, ‘Hey I’ve got a book you should read.’ One thing led to another and I guess he liked what I brought to the table.

    ”The show runs Feb. 11 - Feb 28. Thursday through Saturday, show times are at 8 p.m. There is a matinee each Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 and reservations are highly encouraged. Visit www.gilberttheater.com or call 678-7186 for more information.

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

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

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

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

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

    How can you address these challenges?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • uac022410001.jpg When it comes to splendor, excitement, edge-of-your seat anticipation and downright giddiness, not much beats the circus. The crowds, the lights, the music, the clowns, acrobats, trapeze artists and large beasts mixed with some peanuts, cotton candy and a medley of other bad-for-you-yetdelicious treats can be darn near close to heaven for the audience — young and old alike.

    On Feb. 25 the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® will roll into town to put Illuscination in the center ring.

    “It is a little different than a traditional circus,” said Director of Marketing and Sales at the Crown, Frank Zaccaro. “We have the gold version coming in and I know that Ringling Bros. is doing something really special with this version.”

    One of the main differences is that each ticket purchase includes a preview hour.

    “People can come and meet the performers, learn to juggle, walk on the low wire and try on circus costumes that have been used in other shows,” said Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey® Production Manager Jason Gibson. “It really is fun to watch people interact with the performers and then just light up when they see them later performing in the ring.”

    This particular production is called Illuscination, and like the name implies, there is a magical experience for all who enter the arena. Forget the trapeze, David DaVinci attempts a daring escape from a straight jacket while dangling above a den of lions. His act includes 10 colorful winged assistants — a Toucan, an African Grey, Cockatoos and Macaws. Magic and drama are front and center when DaVinci steps into the ring.d

    “DaVinci is our illusionist and he weaves his magic act throughout the entire show,” said Gibson. “Most illusionists perform with people sitting in front of them, but David works with people watching him from every angle. It is quite amazing to see him in action.”

    What circus would be complete without the splendor of the wild, primal power tamed, or at least trained, and on display? There will be performing elephants, lions (including a magnificent, white male lion) and ponies, and even house cats – all expertly trained and ready to entertain and amuse the audience.

    “The male lion knows he is glorious, too,” said Gibson. “You can hear the crowd gasp when he walks in because02242010david-and-jaime.jpg they’ve never seen anything like him — and he really responds to that.”

    Ahh, bring in the clowns. As part of their routine, Trio Caveagna use trumpets and saxophones to bring oomph to their act. While they still hold true to the wackiness of classical clowning, look for a modern kick to it, too. This award winning act has won the Bronze Medal in the 2004 Passauer Festival and a Bronze and Silver Medal at the 2005 and 2006 Festival International de Namur.

    We’ve all seen tight rope walkers, but Francleib Rodrigues takes it to a whole new level when he walks upside down in his aerial foot loop act. No nets. No harnesses. Just an inverted hop skip and a jump, so to speak, across the ceiling.

    “You really have to be here,” said Zaccaro of the Illuscination tour. “It’s an experience that they (the public) can’t miss. If you love the traditional circus, this will be all that and then some.”

    The hour before the show is Gibson’s favorite part of each performance, because he loves to watch people have fun talking to the performers. He said there really isn’t a part of the show that he doesn’t thoroughly enjoy. In fact, he cautions, “Be sure to get your cotton candy and popcorn before the show starts because once the performance begins, things just don’t slow down.”

    02242010dean.jpgWhile the acts named above are just a small peek at what is in store, Gibson hopes that folks will remember that it is all put together with them, the audience, in mind. “We make our living making people smile. It is the best job in the world,” said Gibson. “This show really is for kids of all ages. Our show is about giving people a wonderful experience that they will remember forever.”

    The show runs through Feb. 28. For more information and ticket prices, contact the Crown Box Offi ce at 438-4100 or visit the Web site at www. atthecrown.com or tickets are also available at Ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster outlets..

  • 05 Colvins buildingDear Thomas Batson, Jeremy Fiebig, Gordon Johnson, Tiffany Ketchum, George Turner, Henry Tyson and Liz Varnadoe,

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

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

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

    Rick Bryant, Fayetteville citizen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • _jeff6.jpg

    City & County Settle Tax Differences, for now   

    Individual members of Fayetteville City Council and the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners spent the last few weeks hammering out a local tax agreement. Senior staffers joined in the discussions. Council members agreed with commissioners to renew the current sales-tax distribution agreement for three more years. 

    “We’re just kicking the can down the road again,” said Councilman Bobby Hurst. 

    He said commissioners made no attempt in recent years to work out an extension to the agreement that is expiring this year. The inter-local agreement entered into 13 years ago will remain in effect until June 30, 2019. The towns of Spring Lake, Hope Mills, Stedman, Wade, Falcon, Godwin and Eastover are also parties to the arrangement.  Part of the deal requires that city and county leaders begin negotiating a new sales tax distribution agreement no later than January of next year. 

    At stake is the future of local sales-tax distribution. County government has the authority to select one of two methods. The method currently in use tends to favor the municipalities. But all parties agreed to it, as well as a 50 percent rebate of city sales taxes to the county in areas annexed by Fayetteville in recent years. The rebate is the heart of the issue. City Council wants to phase it out and retain all sales-tax proceeds received via the population method. The county threatened to adopt the method that distributes revenue by tax district. It would benefit the county and financially hurt the city and towns in Cumberland County. 

    “We owe it to our citizens to come up with a practical solution,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Mitch Colvin. He was one of the city’s negotiators. “It would be political suicide” for commissioners to make any changes, he said, noting that most of the county’s voters live in Fayetteville and the small towns. “We need to send a clear message to the county, that we won’t be caught flat-footed again,” he added. 

    Councilman Ted Mohn pointed out that ad valorem property revaluation will be done later this year. It could complicate matters for all local governments because, typically, property tax rates are adjusted depending on the outcome of the appraisals. County Commission Chairman Marshall Faircloth has said for the first time in modern memory, property values are down significantly. His hope is they will rise during the summer, lessening any operating deficit that would possibly result in tax increases. Councilman Jim Arp joined Mayor Nat Robertson in voting against the new sales tax agreement.

    “This open-ended agreement is not fiscally responsible,” said Arp.

  • 11 praying girlI saw an astounding bit of research recently from the book “Get Out Of Your Head” by Jennie Allen, which stated an estimated 60-80% of visits to primary care physicians have a stress-related component, and 75-98% of mental, physical and behavioral illness comes from one's thought life. Psychologists, doctors and scientists have made more discoveries about the brain in the last 20 years than ever before, confirming that mental, physical and behavioral health are all intricately connected in our bodies. 

    I'm personally convinced that if we could do one thing and one thing only, many of our health problems would resolve themselves:

    Take every thought captive to Christ. 

    The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 

    Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I think taking every thought captive could cure cancer, but I do think it could make a huge difference in improving health overall.

    In that same book, Allen also writes, “The greatest spiritual battle of our generation is being fought between our ears.” I can get on board with that. Most, if not all, of the most prevalent issues today, like body image, jealousy brought on by social media, pressure to be successful, thoughts of not being enough, anger, bitterness, materialism, etc. start in the mind. If we can't shuffle through the 30,000 thoughts we have in a day and find the ones that are healthy, which I imagine are few and far between for most of us, it's no wonder things like depression, anxiety, bullying, violence and suicide plague our society. If we can't control our emotions, we can't control our thoughts. If we can't control our thoughts, we can't control our decisions. If we can't control our decisions, we can't control our behavior. If we can't control our behavior, someone, whether it's ourselves or others, will get hurt. It all starts in the mind.

    I truly believe the Bible proves itself true time and time again, especially when it comes to taking control of our own thoughts. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.” 

    Not only do we know the majority of health problems today exist or are exacerbated by something going on in our minds, but we also know that the brain is constantly changing, whether or not we want it to. What we focus on becomes our reality. Every new thought we allow to take root in us grows and transforms our lives, whether positively or negatively. It changes how we live, what we think of other people, what we think about the world and our place in it and what we think about God. 

    The good news? We actually do have a choice. Our emotions do not have to dictate our lives. We can change our thought patterns. We can rewrite our minds. I personally believe it starts in the Bible. God wants you to have the fruits of his spirit — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Start in his word, and be transformed by the renewing of your mind. It truly does start there.

  • 05 michael jin ipHlSSaC3vk unsplash 1 In my last article for Up & Coming Weekly in the Jan. 8 issue, I wrote about auto insurance coverage and what I would recommend you have to protect yourself in case you are in a car wreck. I explained the difference between liability, uninsured and underinsured coverages. Beyond having adequate auto insurance coverage to protect yourself, the next step is knowing your rights following a car wreck that wasn’t your fault. 

    So back to my prior example of the wreck on the way to the grocery store when the other driver ran a red light and hit you. You are recovering from your injuries, and an insurance adjuster calls or comes by your hospital room or your home and wants to talk to you. You’re on pain medication and the adjuster is asking you details about the wreck. They want to make a recorded statement. They want you to sign a paper to let them get your medical records. They tell you they can get this thing settled up quickly for you. They may even venture to tell you that you probably don’t need a lawyer.

    Most of us would wonder at this point whether or not we have to talk to this insurance adjuster. No, you do not. Many of us would start to worry if we have some pressing time deadline and whether or not we have to talk to them right away. No, you do not. Maybe some of us would also question if we have to sign that medical authorization that the adjuster sent us or handed us along with a pen so they can get our medical records. No, you do not. Then there are those of us who would ask ourselves if we should contact a lawyer. Absolutely. Why? Because a lawyer can explain what your rights are, how all of this insurance works and what the insurance company is obligated to do. A lawyer can guide you through the complexity of the mess you’re in and potentially fight for you for the best outcome possible under the circumstances of your case. That insurance adjuster for that guy/gal who hit you has no obligation to you and their main priority is to pay the least amount of money possible on your claim and get it closed. Your lawyer’s obligation — and priority — is you.

     If you have been in a car wreck that was not your fault, think about getting a consultation with a personal injury lawyer so you will know your rights and have your questions answered. At least then you should have enough information to safely determine if you can handle the claim on your own or if you need the help of a lawyer to work through it. 

    When you have been in a car wreck, it can turn life upside-down as you try to recover physically and economically. Making quick decisions, without all of the necessary information and some solid legal guidance, could result in much greater costs, which you may not realize until it is too late.

  • 04 N0809P39008CColumn Gist: Within America’s borders, war is raging. We are beyond civil reconciliation. Each citizen of this great country must decide how to respond.

    Finishing a series of columns last year, I ended in April with one titled “Critical thinking on today’s issues: A change in focus and strategy.” In that column, I explained my plan to work across political and ideological lines to encourage fact-based critical thinking regarding the challenging and divisive issues that we face. I hoped to do this civilly and productively. With tremendous disappointment and pure sadness, even mental anguish, I have concluded that what I intended to do on a large scale is impossible in America’s current political climate. America is at war within and, until there is a winner in that war, I expect that we will continue muddling along toward self-destruction. The question for each of us is which side we will choose, or will we choose a side at all? At the bottom line, a choice must be made.

    Final recognition of our internal war status came to me by way of following the impeachment process regarding President Donald Trump. In my estimation, from the beginning, that process was without reasonable foundation, totally unfair to the president and conducted by Democrats solely in an attempt to disqualify him for the 2020 election; that failing, their effort intended to lessen support for him in that election.

     The basis for the House starting an impeachment inquiry was Democrats’ allegation that, in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump solicited foreign interference in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The interference foundation was that Trump requested an investigation of former vice president, Joe Biden, a possible election opponent. In addition, Trump asked the Ukrainian president to investigate claims that some Ukrainians interfered in the 2016 presidential election on behalf of Hillary Clinton.

     It was revealed that within hours of the phone call, millions of dollars in aid to Ukraine was put on hold. The Democratic claim was that the aid was delayed pending a public statement by the Ukrainian president saying a Biden investigation would be conducted. They also said an Oval Office meeting with President Zelensky was conditioned on him making the investigation announcement. Trump released a transcript of his phone conversation. It confirmed his request for investigations of Biden and possible Ukrainian 2016 election interference. The entire move to impeachment was started by a whistleblower complaint from a still-anonymous complainant. 

    Tactics employed during the impeachment inquiry by the House Intelligence Committee, chaired by Congressman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., first signaled this state of internal war. The vast majority of the committee’s hearing was conducted in secrecy. The president was not allowed representation, which included not being allowed to cross-examine witnesses. Republican members of the committee were not allowed to call witnesses. Despite the closed-door arrangement, information that might be detrimental to the president was leaked to the media. This committee heard much less public testimony. However, Republicans still had no witnesses and the president was not allowed representation or cross-examination of witnesses.

     After a rushed process in the House of Representatives, two articles of impeachment were sent to the Senate for trial. They were Obstruction of Congress and Abuse of Power. The obstruction article was because Trump called on subpoenaed administration officials not to testify before Schiff’s intelligence committee that was conducting the House inquiry. In the Senate trial, Trump’s attorneys explained that the president took that position because the subpoenas were not legitimate. They argued that the Constitution gives the House of Representatives sole authority for conducting an impeachment inquiry and this process was started without a vote of the full House; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, D-Calif., simply announced the inquiry and it was underway. A vote of the House was not taken until weeks later. Therefore, the subpoenas were determined by the White House to be illegitimate.

    The president’s attorneys also contended that when two branches of government disagree on a matter such as this, there would be attempts to settle the differences through negotiations. That failing, given that Congress and the executive branch, which is headed by the president, are coequal, the matter would be presented to the judicial branch (judges) for resolution. In charging obstruction of Congress, House Democrats disregarded this appropriate process. If Trump were found guilty of this article, every president from now on would be in danger of the same charge. This article was a nonstarter.

    As I understand it, on abuse of power, Trump would have had to take an action that totally and clearly was for his personal benefit. A monetary bribe received would be an example. One of his attorneys, Alan Dershowitz, explained this well. The Democrats’ argument that Trump should be impeached and removed from office for taking an action helpful for the American people— but that might also benefit him politically — sets an unacceptable and dangerous precedent.

    I am comfortable saying all politicians consider how any given governing decision will affect their political future. If this is not the case, why do politicians give attention to polls? In the end, the hope is that these decisions are based far more on what is good for America than on what is good for the politician. I understood Dershowitz to say that if the Democrats’ argument against Trump is accepted, politicians are to give no thought to political impact on them when making governing decisions. Accept this argument and every politician would be in jeopardy.

    With this personal gain piece in consideration, I did not see anything in the Democrats’ argument that showed Trump was substantially motivated by personal benefit. The Trump position was that he was seeking to ensure our aid money was not going to a country, with a history of corruption, where corruption was not being seriously addressed by the new president (Zelensky). Further, the president was bothered that America was providing substantial support to Ukraine while other countries were doing little or nothing. Witnesses, called by the Democrats, confirmed that the president had these concerns.

    Given that Biden’s son, Hunter, was put on the Burisma — a Ukrainian oil company — board and paid over $50,000 per month (some reports say $83,000) when he had no oil experience, and only attended a few events that might have been board-related, there was reason for suspicion. Then Joe Biden goes in and gets the prosecutor fired who is investigating Burisma for corruption. He does this by threatening to withhold monetary aid. Several witnesses, called by Schiff’s committee during the inquiry, stated that they had concerns regarding Hunter Biden being on the Burisma board. I have seen no indication that anybody investigated this matter. Trump calls for an investigation, and he is impeached. The argument is that he called for the investigation because Biden entered the 2020 presidential race and Trump wanted to use the investigation against him. It seems to me that having Biden become president without addressing this situation would be irresponsible. The president had good reason to investigate in the interest of the American people.

    Beyond all of this, Ukraine received the aid on time and their president met with Trump while never starting an investigation or announcing that one would be started. The Ukrainians did not know the aid was on hold until seeing it in an article weeks after the phone call. 

    Thankfully, the Senate acquitted Trump. However, consider this definition of war from Encyclopedia Britannica: “… in the popular sense, a conflict between political groups involving hostilities of considerable duration and magnitude.” I contend that what Democrats did in this impeachment process, as summarized above, and is even more horrendous when examined in detail, fits the definition of war. Even more disturbing, this kind of conduct has been their practice from the day Trump announced his candidacy for president. 

    This is war within America. In my column referenced in this article’s opening, I noted that I had changed my voter registration from Republican to unaffiliated. I have, as much as I dread having to do so, accepted that we are at war, and I have to choose a side. I have chosen by changing my affiliation back to Republican. Every American better choose and choose wisely. Sitting on the sideline is not an option. The future of our nation is at stake.

  • 03 womenwearwhite 32503590144Americans who watched the president’s State of the Union address earlier this month saw a sea of women in glowing white garments. Democratic women legislators from Speaker Nancy Pelosi down to freshman members donned white dresses, suits and more in solidarity for the ongoing fight for women’s rights. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which explicitly gave women the right to vote. Women have voted for a century now, often in greater numbers than our fathers, brothers and husbands. The women in white were joyously celebrating how far we have come and looking toward how far we have to go. A century of women’s suffrage constitutes less than half of the United States’ existence, and much of our nation’s history for women has felt like two steps forward and one step back.

    The North Carolina Museum of History has put together a women’s history timeline, and here are some of the events specific to women in or from the Tar Heel state. Read it and see it for the mixed bag it is.

    Creation myths from Native American tribes before there was either North Carolina or the United States identify women in various roles different from but as important as men’s roles.

    In 1587, Virginia Dare became the first English child born in the New World in the Roanoke Colony. Her fate is unknown.

    In 1774, in Edenton, 51 “patriotic ladies” gather to announce they are swearing off East Indian tea as long as it is taxed by the British. The Edenton Tea Party occurred less than a year after the Boston Tea Party and is one of the first political actions by women in what becomes the United States.

    In 1809, North Carolina native Dolley Madison becomes our country’s fourth first lady. She is known for shaping the role of first lady, for saving a Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington when the British set the newly constructed White House ablaze and for serving a delicious new dessert, ice cream.

    In 1813, Harriet Jacobs is born in Edenton to enslaved parents. Badly treated as property, Harriet lives secretly for seven years in her grandmother’s attic, escapes to New York, buys her children’s freedom and publishes “Incidents in The Life of a Slave Girl” in 1861.

    In 1826, The General Council of the Cherokee Nation bucks tradition and drafts a constitution that excludes women from holding office.

     In 1840, Mary Jane Patterson is born in Raleigh and becomes the first African-American woman to receive a college degree.

    In 1859, Clinton resident Abigail Carter invents a pair of sturdy overalls for her railroad engineer husband. Other railroad men want them as well, and she becomes the first overall manufacturer in the nation.

    In 1868, during post-Civil War Reconstruction, the North Carolina General Assembly adopts a new Constitution allowing women to own property and businesses, to work for our own wages, to sue in court, to make wills and to make contracts without our husbands’ consent.

    In 1878, Tabitha Ann Holton passes the North Carolina bar exam and becomes the first woman lawyer in the South.In 1891, the General Assembly charters the State Normal and Industrial College as the first state-supported institution for women’s higher education. Today that school is known as the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.In 1893, the legislature allows women to cash checks and withdraw money from personal accounts without their husbands’ permission.

    In 1913, North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice and women’s rights supporter compares the treatment of women to slavery. In 1925, Anna Julia Heywood Cooper becomes the fourth African-American woman to earn a Ph.D., hers from the Sorbonne in France. Cooper was born enslaved in Raleigh in 1858 and publishes “A Voice from the South” in 1892.

    In 1937, North Carolina begins a birth control program, funding maternal and infant health programs and licensing midwives.

    In 1943, more than a decade before Rosa Parks, 16-year-old Doris Lyon refuses to go to the back of a Durham bus. She is arrested, found guilty and fined $5.

    In 1971, the North Carolina General Assembly ratifies the 19th Amendment, 51 years after it took effect.In 1977, the General Assembly declines to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

    In 1992, Eva Clayton becomes the first African-American woman elected to Congress from North Carolina.

    In 1996, Elaine Marshall becomes North Carolina’s first woman Secretary of State.

    In 2006, Fayetteville’s own Patricia Timmons Goodson becomes the first African-American woman on the North Carolina Supreme Court and in 2008, Beverly Perdue becomes our first woman Governor. Two steps forward, one step back.It all makes me want to wear white every day. We are not there yet.

  • 02 markus spiske ZKNsVqbRSPE unsplashWhen circumstances merit, our publisher, Bill Bowman, yields this space so others can address topics that are important to the community. This week, he yields to Gray’s Creek resident Janice Burton to share the letter she sent to North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Michael Regan.Burton is the former associate publisher of Up & Coming Weekly.

    Secretary Regan:I am one of many citizens who live in the Gray’s Creek community and who are threatened by the chemical contamination by Chemours. I know that there are literally thousand of us who are nameless and faceless people whose stories you do not know and, from decisions made by your department, do not care about. 

    But I care, so if you will indulge me, I would like to share them with you.

    Cumberland County is known as a place of history, heroes and a hometown feeling. Gray’s Creek is the embodiment of that. For centuries, the founding families of this community have lived, worked and worshipped here. I back this up by mentioning the McNeill family that still has the land grant that the King of England issued to their family prior to the American Revolution. They, and people like the Riddles and the Canadys, have farmed their lands and provided fresh vegetables for their families and their neighbors. Now, they are afraid to farm their land, let alone feed their produce to their families or sell it to their neighbors. Chemours and you, by failure to act in a responsible manner, are killing that proud history and heritage.

    Heroes. Over the past two decades, soldiers and their families have moved into the community seeking peace and quiet — far from the gates of Fort Bragg. That is my story and those of many other military families — my husband was deployed 13 years of my son’s 19 years of life. We moved to the area, found a church family filled with those families who settled this ground, and who took us in and made us family.

    My husband found peace and friendship with the old men who gather to drink coffee at the corner store. They call it getting the news, but it’s a community and that’s what those heroes who moved here were looking for. These men who literally have fought for 20 years and came back alive now have an enemy they can’t fight, and they can’t protect home and hearth because you gave Chemours an out to do the least amount possible.

    Every single house that has contamination should have a full home system put in — not a stopgap measure. Daily, new reports are coming out that are proving that the PFAS go through the skin — so giving us drinking water and sink systems isn’t helping. They (Chemours), and you by lack of responsible action, still have a loaded gun pointed at all of us.As the person who is supposed to protect our health, you are the one pulling the trigger. I have told you about our community and the stories of the people who live here. But you need to know these people, my family, deserve more than the minimum. The people of Cumberland County should not have to bear the burden of paying for water to be extended — and we shouldn’t have to wait for years and continue being poisoned.

    Chemours’ pockets are deep and you have the ability to make them do the right thing — right now. Not after it is too late. You need to step up to the plate and take care of the people you are sworn to protect. Whole-house systems for every affected home or immediate expansion of water to everyone, paid for by Chemours, are the only two options that are acceptable.

    I urge you to do the right thing for the people of this community — not for the deep pockets of Chemours.
    Janice Burton
    Gray’s Creek resident

     

    Thanks to Chemours, local farmers who have worked the land for generations are afraid to farm their lands, much less feed their produce to their families and neighbors.

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

    Fifty miles west of Augusta, Georgia, returning home from Baton Rouge, where I spoke to Louisiana driver education teachers, I stopped for a 30-something-year-old woman and her two young daughters in a Chrysler Sebring sedan on the shoulder of eastbound Interstate-20. She told me her battery light had been on for 15 miles before the engine stopped running, adding that her alternator was bad, which caused her battery to run out of juice for the ignition system. She had been on the phone with a mechanic friend who provided her that assessment. She had called for a tow, which had not arrived. I offered to charge her battery with my alternator using jumper cables; then I would follow her until her battery’s juice ran out and it needed a new charge. I extended my cables from my battery, over my car, to her battery and engine compartment. After we had charged the battery for 15 minutes, with my engine running and hers off, and her engine could run without my cables, she was ready to roll. Then the tow truck showed up. Its driver told her he liked my plan. To avoid paying for a tow she no longer needed, she released him. The tow truck driver advised us that about 25 miles ahead there was a rest area where it would be safer to recharge her battery than on the highway shoulder. I followed her to the rest stop. Her battery light had not come on, but I gave her another 10 minutes of battery charge — to ensure she could make it to Augusta. I recommended that once there, she proceed directly to a store with auto mechanics. She agreed. Many thanks from her and we returned to I-20.

    Your vehicle will often “tell” you when it’s about to fail and you need to get it checked out right away. In this case, the car’s battery light was telling the woman to get her car to a shop right away, but she kept driving and the car died on the interstate.

    Walt’s Tips:

    1. Using a set of jumper cables, as I did, one car’s alternator can charge another car’s battery. Long (20 feet), thick (at least 4-gauge; 2-gauge is better) cables make the job much easier. Of course, to do this, the cables must be in the car, not at home in the garage.

    2. Depending on the condition of the vehicle’s battery, such a charge may permit up to 40 miles of driving in daylight, but during night time, use of headlights will reduce this range to about 7-8 miles.
  • Jims wreckresized"Jupiter's Travels: Four Years Around the World on a Triumph" is a novel by journalist Ted Simon. In 1973, he navigated the earth traveling over 64,000 miles and crossing 45 countries.

    The story is fascinating and great reading for any motorcyclist or traveler. However, the book only had a few pictures. Simon spent four years traveling. Fast forward to 2013 when he published "Jupiter's Travels in Camera: The photographic record of Ted Simon's celebrated round-the-world motorcycle journey." I was lucky enough to get a copy and see the pictures that his book described.

    Today, every motorcyclist is a traveling reporter. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are full of motorcyclists' stories. On any given day, we see motorcyclists with their bikes, friends, routes, locations, points of interest and their selfies. With the quality of smartphones, it only takes a second to snap a memory, and just like that, you are now your own journalist.

    With many great motorcycle trips under my belt, I wanted to do more than capture my travels with my iPhone. During the Hogs and Rags annual rally, we hire a photographer to capture the day's events. I reached out to Kia McMillian, who has taken pictures at a few of our events, and I asked her what camera she was using because they turned out very nicely. She said she used a Canon D7 Mark II. In our conversation, Kia mentioned that it is more than a camera, but the photographer and the lens that make a good photo. After studying various reviews, I bought myself a Canon also.

    After a year of shooting in auto, I knew I wanted to know more about photography. Being a fan of the Fayetteville Technical Community College Continuing Education program, I signed up for the Fundamentals of Photography class taught by Johnny Horne. On the first night of class, he shared many of his photos. I quickly appreciated his wisdom, experience and expertise. He emphasized the importance of knowing your camera and said that, in the digital age, a good picture is important, but we needed to learn how to use photography software to make the best picture we could.

    Here are a few pointers I learned with my photography. A clean bike makes a better picture. Learn to frame your image and the "rule of thirds." Know what you want before you shoot. Instagram, Facebook and Twitter all have various optimal picture size. Check out what you want to do and plan to optimize the screen. If you are using your phone to take a video, remember to turn your phone sideways to take advantage of the screen.

    Technology is changing so quickly that being able to safely keep your pictures over time seems to be an art unto itself. We think our photos will last forever on a drive or in the Cloud. I recommend that you print your valued pictures. Today's images are data. In the 80s, we saved our data on cassettes. Things change, so I recommend that you print your important pictures. For the last few years, I've started printing a yearbook on Shutterfly. This year, I went a step further and put a calendar together for a few friends to celebrate our travels. I hung it on my wall at work, it makes for an excellent conversation piece and a good reminder that there is life outside of the office.

    Motorcycling is one of the most exciting things a person can ever experience. While you are traveling along the road, don't forget to stop and enjoy the moment and capture it.

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

    Photo by Jim Jones 

  • 06 N1607P49008CIn your life, you will have all sorts of relationships — with your family, your friends, your coworkers and even with civic groups and charitable organizations you support. But have you ever considered another key relationship — the one you have with money?

    Of course, this type of relationship has several aspects, such as saving, spending and investing. And your fellow Americans clearly face some challenges in these areas. For example, in a recent survey by financial services firm Edward Jones, only 21% of respondents reported that they feel happy when thinking about saving money, while 92% said they see room for improvement in their financial health. Yet only one in four plan to improve their spending habits. Furthermore, just 26% said retirement was a top savings priority.

    If you share some of these concerns, what should you do? Here are a few suggestions:

    • Identify your money-related emotions. Try to recognize the emotions you feel in connection with saving and investing. Do you get nervous about spending? Does putting away money for the future give you satisfaction or not? Do you worry that you don’t know how much you should be investing, or whether you’re investing in the right way? Clearly, these types of questions can cause some anxiety — and, even more importantly, they may lead you to make poor decisions. Emotions are obviously closely tied to money — but they really should not play a big role in your spending, saving and investing choices.

    • Develop a financial strategy. By developing a sound financial strategy, you can reduce money-related stress and help yourself feel empowered as you look to the future. A comprehensive strategy can help you identify your goals — a down payment on a new home, college for your children, a comfortable retirement, and so on — and identify a path toward reaching them. Your financial strategy should incorporate a variety of factors, including your age, risk tolerance, income level, family situation and more. Here’s the key point: By creating a long-term strategy and sticking to it, you’ll be far less likely to overreact to events such as market downturns and less inclined to give in to impulses such as “spur of the moment” costly purchases. And without such a strategy, you will almost certainly have less chance of achieving your important goals.

    • Get an “accountability partner.” Your relationship with money doesn’t have to be monogamous – you can get help from an “accountability partner.” Too many people keep their financial concerns and plans to themselves, not even sharing them with their partners or other family members. But by being open about your finances to your loved ones, you can not only avoid misplaced expectations but also enlist the help of someone who may be able to help keep you on track toward your short- and long-term goals. But you may also benefit from the help of a financial professional — someone with the perspective, experience and skills necessary to help you make the right moves.
    Like all successful relationships, the one you have with money requires work. But you’ll find it’s worth the effort.

  • 05 N1906P49009CI gather from my social-media feeds and hate mail that North Carolinians are supposed to be infuriated at the way things are going in our state. I have my frustrations with certain politicians, to be sure, but I’m not infuriated. Nor am I alone.

     North Carolina continues to boast a thriving economy, prudently managed finances and many popular places to move to for jobs, incomes and quality of life. The growth isn’t equally distributed, of course. It never has been. But compared to its peers, North Carolina is doing rather well.

     Consider the latest job-market data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. North Carolina employers added about 94,000 net new jobs in 2019, up 2.1% from the previous year. That growth rate exceeds that national (1.4%) and Southeastern (1.6%) averages. Indeed, our state had the ninth-fastest rate of job creation in the nation last year.
     Comparisons like these can vary over time. Did 2019 just happen to be a good year? If we look at a longer-term trend, the outcome is still positive. Since 2013, North Carolina employers have added about 500,000 net new jobs, a 12.2% increase in overall employment. That rate exceeds the nation’s (10.9%) and the region’s (11.7%).
     Our region, the Southeast, includes lots of other fast-growing states — most of which are also governed by fiscally conservative legislatures, by the way. Nevertheless, if North Carolina had simply added employment at the average regional rate since 2013, we would have ended up with 18,000 fewer jobs by the end of 2019.

    If we had only matched the national rate, the job count would be 52,000 lower.

     We mainly desire a strong economy because of the benefits it confers on private individuals and households. But if you want your government to deliver necessary public services at an economical price while saving against a rainy day and otherwise leaving you alone, a flourishing economy is highly preferred to a floundering one.

     According to the latest figures from the state controller’s office, revenues to the state’s general fund for the first six months of the 2019-20 fiscal year are up $471 million over the same period of the previous year. General fund spending is up, too, by $317 million. The lack of a final budget agreement between Gov. Roy Cooper and the General Assembly doesn’t mean expenditure levels were entirely frozen.

     On a cash basis, the general fund budget has run a $542 million surplus halfway through the fiscal year. Keep in mind that revenues and expenditures don’t distribute evenly across all 12 months, however. The April revenue numbers, reflecting prior-year tax payments, tend to have an outsized effect on state finances, for example.

    Still, it would be fair to say that North Carolina’s financial picture was solid as we began 2020. The state has $1.2 billion in its rainy-day reserve plus hundreds of millions in various other reserve accounts. It also has a whopping $2.15 billion unreserved credit balance in the general fund.

    If there is a budget deal, that balance will fall — and that will be fine. The budget passed by the legislature contained valuable construction projects and welcome pay raises for public employees. The point is that, failing some unforeseen disaster, North Carolina will have sufficient revenues to address the state’s immediate needs while continuing to accumulate reserves to shield taxpayers against the downside risk of a future recession.

    Conservatives may see these figures and conclude some additional tax relief would be a good idea. Progressives may see these figures and conclude there would be no financial risk if North Carolina expanded Medicaid and other entitlement programs.

    I agree with the former and disagree with the latter, no doubt shocking no one. However you think state policymakers should respond to the current moment, I think you should take seriously the idea that North Carolinians who reject apocalyptic rhetoric from both parties are being quite sensible. They can see things are good and getting better.
     

  • 04 students and teacherNorth Carolina is experiencing an economic boom. Forbes ranks North Carolina as the best state in America to do business. CNBC ranks North Carolina third of all 50 states in the same category, and North Carolina has ranked in the top five years now. Much credit must go to the Republican majority for their efforts on tax reform and fiscal restraint.

    Despite being the fifth most populated county in the state, Cumberland County doesn’t seem to be sharing in this boom. While the state’s economy grew last year by 2.4%, we lagged behind at 1.7%. Unemployment in Cumberland County is 4.6%, 35% higher than the state average, and while the average income for the state is $46,117, here in Cumberland County it is only $38,780.

    There are a number of factors that go into making a vibrant economy, but I think three of the most important are education, transportation and quality of life. While I was on the board of education, we started the academy system, which gave students the opportunity to choose a school based on their interest in a specialized curriculum, such as finance, health professions or a classical education. We also built 12 new schools. I would now like to go to Raleigh to gain additional state support for students attending school in less affluent areas like ours.

    Commerce also needs good transportation. Wake, Durham, Guilford and Mecklenburg counties seem to constantly have major road construction in progress. Cumberland is the fifth largest county in the state, yet our area seems to never get its fair share of infrastructure funding. Maybe it’s time for the state government to combat the urban sprawl in the Triangle and Charlotte areas by diverting some attention to Cumberland County. With my experience as a County Commissioner and chair of the Joint Planning Board, I feel I can make a strong case for that.

    Certainly, quality of life has a lot to do with a company’s decision to invest in an area. This is something we can point to with pride. The progress we have made in the past few decades is truly impressive. There is nothing that can be mentioned, whether it be theater, museums, entertainment, sports teams, dinning, parks, a revitalized downtown or whatever, that we do not have. The only thing we don’t have is an image that matches up with reality. People who are not from here do not appreciate what a vibrant community we are. They don’t know the many wonderful people who have worked so hard to get us to this place. We are an untapped resource, a diamond in the rough that can be a tremendous economic asset to the whole state. That’s a message I would be honored to take to Raleigh.

    All my adult life I have tried to help make Cumberland County a better place to live. I have volunteered on over 20 boards and served on both the school board and as a county commissioner. For the first time in my life, I am in a position to give it my full-time attention. I know I have the desire to do it. I feel I have the experience to do it well. All I need is your help to get there. I humbly ask you to vote for Diane Wheatley for the North Carolina House of Representative in the 43rd District.

    Thank you and God bless,
    Diane Wheatley
     

  • 03 IMG 2091 What is the most frightening day on the calendar for men? Spoiler alert: It is also the day of the year that is most likely to be disappointing for women. Give up? It’s Valentine’s Day. In theory, it is a day filled with hearts and flowers, candy, love, romance and possible whoopee. In reality, unless handled with kid gloves, it can be a day that will live in infamy, filled with recriminations and accusations of insensitivity. A day that can end in sleeping on the couch for the unwary male after the dreaded words, “If you don’t know what you did, I am certainly not going to tell you.”

      Let us begin by examining the origins of this most Stephen King of holidays. Hop into Mr. Peabody’s way back machine and travel back to third-century Rome. At that time, Claudius II was the Emperor of Rome. Claudius was having a difficult time getting guys to join the Roman army. Based upon nothing in particular, Claudius concluded men weren’t signing up for the Legions because they were too attached to their families to go adventuring in the Army. Claudius’ solution was to ban guys from marrying. If they had no family ties, then the men would happily join the army. Easy peasy. Problem solved.
    Valentine was a Catholic priest who didn’t think that banning marriage was a great idea. Valentine began performing marriage ceremonies in secret. This was well before people could run off to Dillon, South Carolina, to get hitched. Valentine was the only option to get married at the time. Demonstrating the adage that no good deed goes unpunished, word of the secret marriages got back to Claudius.
     
    When Claudius found out what Valentine was doing, he hauled him off to jail. Unlike the Mayberry jail, Valentine was not free to go like Otis Campbell, so he stuck around for his punishment. Valentine became friends with the jailor’s daughter while he was waiting to be executed. On the day he was to be beheaded, Feb. 14, 270 AD, Valentine left a goodbye note in his cell for the jailor’s daughter and signed it “From your Valentine.” From this rather dark origin comes our present Valentine’s Day. Valentine was rewarded for his troubles by being canonized as a Saint. His skull can be admired in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Rome if you are so inclined. It is not coincidental that if a man messes up his Valentine’s Day gift for his lady love, he may also find his head chopped off.
     
    In the interest of avoiding romantic discord, disappointment and figurative beheading, the rest of today’s column will explain to men what gifts not to consider for Valentine’s Day. As you have noticed, ever since New Year’s Day we have been bombarded by advertisements for Valentine’s gifts. Do not always trust advertisements. Put some thought into your present. Undoubtably the worst Valentine’s Day gift I have ever seen advertised is the ad that accompanies this column for pre-arranging her funeral. It is a triumph of attempting to turn a silk purse into a sow’s ear that even our old friend Don Draper from “Mad Men” would admire. “If You Had No Idea What To Get Her For Valentine’s Day... Imagine How Overwhelming Arranging her Funeral Would Be.” Despite what the ad copy says, pre-arranging as a couple her funeral arrangements is not a good gift idea.

      Anything short of pre-arranging her funeral as a Valentine’s Day gift has to be better on a scale of one to a zillion. At least if you don’t call the funeral home, you will be better off than the moron in the ad who decided on the Deluxe Golden Slumber double casket for his lady love. However, there are certain other gifts that are ungood and should be avoided.

     As a public service to men everywhere, the following Valentine’s Day gifts will not get you where you want to go. Do not give her a one-way ticket to Wuhan, China. All household appliances such as vacuum cleaners, irons and lawn tools are verboten. Do not take her to a romantic dinner at Arby’s. A certificate for a free oil change at Jiffy Lube is out of the question. Never give a box of frozen Gorton’s fish sticks. Do not give her a broken flux capacitor with the thought she might enjoy trying to repair it.
    A case of Mad Dog 20/20 wine will not be appreciated. No woman wants a year’s supply of Johnson’s Turtle Wax. Resist the temptation to take her for
    a night on the town to see a revival of “Godfather 3.” She does not want a set of new floor mats for your truck.
      Beyond this set of guidelines on what not to give her, you are pretty much on your own. As our old friend Stephen King once almost said, “A lot of things happened on Valentine’s Day, and not all of them were good.”

    Be afraid, be very afraid of Valentine’s Day. Or to paraphrase William Butler Yeats who once nearly wrote, “She has spread her dreams under your feet: Tread softly because you tread upon her dreams.”

    Good luck. 
     
     
  • 13 faithThe first time I met Nate, he was asking a question about a microphone I was using to collect stories at a local church men's breakfast. The church is known for the number of military families it attracts, and I was looking for one-liners about freedom for radio vignettes I was planning to broadcast from Memorial Day to Independence Day.

    As I engaged in a conversation about the microphone and his how-to mechanic videos, I had no idea of the story that was just beneath the surface. It wasn't until at least six months later I met his wife and discovered the pair and their three children had been through a harrowing, headline-grabbing ordeal three years prior to my meeting Nate.
    His wife's younger brother, who was living with them to add some order and stability to his life, had been shot to death after being beaten and robbed on an otherwise beautiful day in May. The story caught my interest — not because of the murder itself, but because of the story of faith and forgiveness surrounding it.

    Imagine the range of emotions in a courtroom filled with grieving family members on just about every seat in the room. One family grieving the life of a 16-year-old killed over $120, and the parents and siblings of six other young people grieving the sons they were about to lose to the prison system. Now imagine the guardian of the slain teen handing the mother of one of the accused a tissue to wipe her tears as she said, “I forgive you. It's not your fault.”

    This wasn't a scene from a cheesy made-for-TV movie — it was real life. It took real courage, and it stemmed from real faith. The incident and events surrounding it called everything into question for Nate and his family. And as they embraced those questions, they emerged with answers that led them to the dusty villages surrounding ancient Jerusalem, where a man named Jesus taught about loving God, treating others as well as you would yourself, and forgiving those who seek to do you harm.

    The journey that led them to forgiveness led them down roads of anger, bitterness and even resentment, but the God they found along the way gives them peace, which outweighs it all.

    At WCLN, we call that Monday School. The lessons learned as we venture beyond the rally and rhetoric of a weekend worship service into stories of real life, real faith and real people. We have devoted air time and a podcast channel to stories like Nate's and have discovered they are all around us. Our friends, neighbors and coworkers — their stories contain tales of heroism or sorrow and may be marked with an undeniable joy that defies explanation.

    You can find Monday School wherever you listen to podcasts, and we hope you do.

  • 02 ReplacementI am not a building architect, contractor, construction engineer, acoustical expert, or renowned and highly paid out-of-town consultant. However, I am a concerned and observant taxpaying resident who has lived in this community for more than 50 years, and I have a few concerns and historic observations that may be relevant as city engineers explore the origins of the newly detected concrete cracks in our new $40 million Segra Stadium, home of the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, a Carolina class A-Advanced minor league affiliate of the Houston Astros. Also, in a related observation, I have a few thoughts and speculations as to where the city and county should locate our long-anticipated and sorely needed performing arts center. After all, the size of this community at 300,000 plus would support such a venue and time is of the essence. With the imminent closure of the 2,400 seat Memorial Auditorium at the Crown Complex looming with a deadline of October 2022, unless a decision is made relatively soon, Fayetteville and Cumberland County could find themselves without any major facility to host local events, outside commercial entertainment venues or educational programs for thousands of Cumberland County school children.

    So, you are probably wondering what the connection is between concrete cracks at Segra Stadium and the location of the proposed performing arts center. One word — railroad. It’s not hard to imagine that with dozens of trains rumbling through Fayetteville every day that building foundations of brick and concrete would be effected in some way. I’m amazed concrete can even set/harden properly with the constant vibrations and tremors caused by thundering train engines pulling thousands of tons of railway cars — all swaying back and forth on the rails — only yards away from these structures. Unfortunately, Segra Stadium is sandwiched between two sets of these tremoring railroad tracks. Hopefully, the concrete cracks detected and investigated by city engineers will be of no consequence. With plans to build two seven-story buildings on top of the new $16 million+ parking deck, I’d say an in-depth investigation by the city into the cause of the concrete cracks and the effect of heavy train traffic on this construction project is prudent and well worth the time and money.

    What does this have to do with the proposed performing arts center? Everything. First of all, anyone who has attended a major celebration, event or concert at Festival Park has experienced the disappointing disruption of an otherwise wonderful performance caused by the intrusive disruption of train traffic. Initially, the trains were ignored and perceived as a minor annoyance. As a result, the proximity of the stage to the train tracks has rendered Festival Park useless as a serious entertainment venue.

    When selecting the future location for a performing arts center, we should be even more sensitive to the presence of negative outside influences such as noise and turbulence, such as that created by train traffic, especially, if the facility is to be considered a serious cultural venue where plays, operas and symphony orchestras will be invited to perform. Last year, consultants hired by the city recommended East Gillespie Street. Now, Spectra Venue Management, which manages the Crown Complex, has hired professional consultants to do a similar study to possibly identify and recommend appropriate sites to locate and build a first-class performing arts center. It would be advantageous to locate the center close to downtown, adding to the pedestrian flow and its economic vitality. Unfortunately, there are few areas of downtown where you can escape the tremors, sights and sounds of Amtrak, CSX or the railway switching stations. A performing arts center will be a welcomed addition to our community and serve to expand and heighten our cultural sensitivities, but only if the project is executed properly. We will have only one opportunity to get this right. No do-overs! City and county officials would bode well to study this situation carefully, listen to the experts and set their egos and biases aside for the betterment of the entire community. Otherwise, time will run out, and our community will again be “railroaded.” Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 12 stuffAuthor's note: This column, written more than 30 years ago came back to mind when an old friend, getting ready to retire, described the agony and the joys of clearing out “his stuff.”

    The last box is on the curb.

    The house is empty and cold and dead. Next week it will be full again with other people’s lives. But we can never go back inside again to wander in the bookshelves, closets and attic. We will never smell the smells of hot meals on its stove, of warm, fresh clothes from its laundry room, of flowers from its garden, or of clean sheets mingled in the old blankets on its beds.

    It happens to all of us when we move after being in a house for a long time, but when our parents or grandparents move to a smaller home or die, it is more than just moving.
    It is clearing out. Clearing out the treasures. And the junk. Deciding what is what. Finding places for these newly orphaned things. Yesterday, they were secure in the loving possession of one whose love and memories surrounded them. Each one had its special place. Each was tied to precious people and events. Out of the house they must now go. And, without the protection of the ones who love them, they will be just things.

    Who gets the silver service? Will anybody take this old cup from Niagara Falls? What do we do with this plaque that Dad got? Does anybody want the plate that has a picture of the old church? Who takes the pitcher that brought Mom’s mint-lemon iced tea to the table? Who keeps the bell that brought us to dinner together? Did we really eat supper together every evening?

    Who will take the books? The bookshelves in this house were such welcome places. Every book had a story to tell, with some special connection to our family. All the books together were a reflection of my parents and their special interest in ideas and places and people. Books signed by their authors evoke memories of special friendships and connections. Where will those books go? What will the grandchildren say if we give up any of them?

    Clean out the closets. Old ties, old dresses. Suddenly Mom thinks that the Mint Museum in Charlotte will be interested in one of her dresses for its collection. She thinks the dressmaker was an artist and that some example of her work should be kept forever. We think that is a crazy idea, but we set aside the dress to humor mom. The Mint Museum was delighted. They wanted the dress. Mom was right again.

    Who will take the desk? Who will take the chest? Clear them out first. The letters. The photos. The old catalogs. Canceled checks from many years ago. Tax returns.
    There are thousands of photos. How can there be so many? One photo of my father when he was much younger than I am today is indistinguishable from a recent picture of my son. I go into a misty dream that brings him back alive and puts the three of us together as contemporaries and buddies.

    Letters. Letters. Letters. My brother settles in with the letters between my parents. Written 50 years ago, they described their jobs and the pains of bearing children, moving, living through hard times with optimism and of loving each other. My brother is moved and cannot be pulled away. But where will these letters be stored? Who will hold them for the grandchildren?

    The doorbell rings. He comes in like a character from a Greek play — to bring a conclusion to our own drama. It is the flea market man. He helps us build a pile of our treasures for his bid. “I’ll give you an extra $50 for the old telephone. Maybe I can double my money. Maybe not. Thanks a lot. I have sure enjoyed getting to know you folks.”
    And we are finished. The last box is on the curb. Now the tears can come.

  • 04 MERCYRealizing that my column is routinely longer than what is normal, I considered making changes to lessen my word count. Doing so would adversely impact how I approach important topics. That is, presenting thoughtful discussion of a topic while supporting that discussion with logical flow and sound facts. In sharing my challenge with my wife, Denise, she suggested that I start each column with a brief statement summarizing the column’s central point. Doing so will, hopefully, allow individuals to quickly decide whether they will read the lengthy piece. I decided to follow Denise’s advice. Commencing with this column, each one will open with a “Column Gist.”

    Column Gist: The perspective with which a person views whatever life presents dramatically impacts how they respond in every instance. Given this fact, every individual should give serious attention to his or her perspective. Doing so requires a level of self-reflection that is extremely rare in America. This lack of self-reflection allows for holding onto perspectives that result in unreasonable, even destructive, actions. I am convinced that flawed perspectives are at the heart of many of the problems we face in America.

    My latest period of intense attention to the power of perspective was prompted by seeing the movie “Just Mercy.” Here is a summary of the movie from www.rottentomatoes.com: “A powerful and thought-provoking true story, ‘Just Mercy’ follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned or who were not afforded proper representation, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley. One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian, who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds — and the system — stacked against them.”

    Bryan Stevenson and Walter McMillian are black, while the 18-year-old murder victim was white. When the movie was over, given the legitimate focus on mistreatment, racism and discrimination based on the accused being black, I was troubled. I was so troubled that I was still sitting in the theater when everybody else had left, and two young people were waiting to clean the area.

    I was troubled because of feeling confident that far too many black Americans would view this movie with a Civil Rights Era perspective rather than one based on current conditions in America. I sat there grieving for our country because failure, by so many, to adjust perspective is wreaking havoc on our country. Let me be clear: I am addressing concern for black perspectives, but the power of perspective applies to every person.

    Https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/perspective provides a revealing definition and example of perspective: “Your perspective is the way you see something. If you think that toys corrupt children’s minds, then from your perspective, a toy shop is an evil place.” The truth of this statement caused my troubled response to what is a moving and extremely well-done movie. If a black person holds a perspective based in the 50s and 60s, as opposed to present conditions in America, that person will be more likely to see racism where it does not exist. We live in a time when this circumstance is rampant, and the results are downright scary.

    Within 20 minutes of leaving the movie theater, I had an experience that confirmed my view that perspective must be based on current conditions, and every person must have the capacity to adjust their perspective. I was approaching a crosswalk and still struggling with that movie and its likely impact. A black lady walked up alongside me and we started a conversation. I asked where she was from and she said, “Birmingham, Alabama.” Since the movie told of actual events that took place in Alabama, I told her that we had just seen “Just Mercy.” She responded that she wanted to see the movie.

    Given that she was from Alabama, I asked how things were going in the state. By this time, we were on the other side of the street. She stopped and stood still; then, looking directly at me, answered my question with clarity and total believability. The lady said that she was past her mid-70s and grew up in Birmingham during the Civil Rights Movement. After becoming an adult, she moved away for many years. Deciding to move back a few years ago, she expected to find a challenging situation — obviously based on her memories of the Civil Rights Era. That was her perspective.

    However, her assessment was that Birmingham is a much better place than she expected to find upon returning. This lady explained that she lives in a quality neighborhood surrounded by supportive and cordial neighbors, most of whom are white. She frequents a senior citizen center where there is a mix of participants by race, ethnicity, culture, income level and so forth, but they all get along extremely well. Then came a surprising comment. She said that when Donald Trump was elected president, her expectation was that the good racial conditions of her city would decline, but there was no change.

    After all of the positives, she said, with obvious sadness, that the neighborhood where she grew up is in very bad condition now. Then a closing comment that, as black Americans, we are hurting ourselves. She said, in Birmingham, blacks are killing each other in large numbers, even babies. The headline of an article by Paul Kersey confirms her assessment. That headline is “In 2018 Birmingham, Alabama (a 75% black city), Not One of the 99 Criminal Homicides Involved a White Male Suspect.”
    After many years, this lady went home to Alabama with expectations based on experiences and observations from the Civil Rights Era. Her perception was set. To her credit, she adjusted that perception in light of conditions much improved from the horrible circumstances she saw and experienced during her youth and early adult years in Birmingham.

    Therein is one of the great challenges for all of us. It is to recognize when our perspective is out of sync with present reality and adjust accordingly. Failure to consistently and faithfully take this action can not only adversely impact us as individuals but, to varying degrees, adversely impact society in general.

    I contend that failure to shift in perspective is happening across America, and we are paying a high price because of the failure. What is happening in Fayetteville by way of black citizens opposing the building of the North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center is, for me, the result of a failure to adjust perspectives. Here is an opportunity to accurately educate citizens, young and old and help heal the destructive racial divide while producing substantial positive economic impact. Based on the contention that the people — mostly white — who are leading the effort will not accurately tell the Civil War and Reconstruction story and will glorify the Civil War, a movement that will likely kill this very promising project is underway. The relevant question is what perspective might a person hold that would result in this level of distrust?
    It has to be one from some period prior to the present. I have thoroughly researched this project and talked with people, black and white, who are involved with it. Nothing I have seen supports the distrust perspective obvious in this opposition.

    This is just one case where I contend the power of perception is at work in a very negative way and needs to be realigned to sync with current conditions. This kind of faulty perception is running rampant in America and doing great harm. We, all of us, would do well to learn from that 75+ year-old black lady from Birmingham.
     
  • 03 N1903P68004C“The exact instant you realize that you have less time in front of you than you do behind you is the moment the crisis begins.”

    A Floridian named George Raymond wrote that to The Wall Street Journal in response to a WSJ article last month, “The Virtuous Midlife Crisis.” If Baby Boomers, Americans born between 1946 and 1964, most of whom are now on Medicare and Social Security, suffered midlife crises involving sports cars, younger and/or multiple partners, tattoos, facelifts and fancy jewelry, their children now settling into middle age are putting their stamp on that venerable midlife phenomenon. Instead of partying in Las Vegas, Gen Xers are meditating, eating well and hiking the Appalachian Trail.

    Andrea Petersen, author of “The Virtuous Midlife Crisis,” put it, “Many people facing midlife now don’t want to blow up their lives, just upgrade them.” Having married later than their parents, Gen Xers may feel that they have already had plenty of fun and want to stay healthy and happy for as long as they can. Many appear less concerned with achievement and money than with life experiences and overall well-being.

    Gen Xers’  revised thinking in midlife is having impacts in all sorts of ways. Doctors report more people in their 40s and 50s are altering lifestyles by less food and drink and more exercise, with a clear goal of staving off lifestyle-related conditions including cancer, heart disease and possibly dementia. Yoga and meditation classes are packed with middle-agers. Travel professionals increasingly book “adventure” travel for Gen Xers to commemorate birthdays, anniversaries and other life markers. Why party on a yacht when you can go biking or hiking — maybe in a far-flung destination and maybe in your neighborhood — seems to be the operative thought.

    At first blush, Gen Xers’ rejection of their Boomer parents’ midlife crises to strive for a healthier one probably stings a bit to Mom and Dad, but there is a darker side as well. While today’s middle-agers seek well-being, economists point out that Gen Xers face economic realities their parents did not. Many of them came into adulthood in the early 1990s, during a recession, and were starting families and trying to become homeowners during the mortgage scandal Great Recession of the 2000s. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, only about one-third of Gen Xers have the wealth their parents did at their age, and many have six times more debt.

    Patty David, director of consumer insights for the American Association of Retired People, or  AARP, puts it this way. For Gen Xers, the American Dream centers on “well-being, to be healthy and not necessarily worry about the big expensive things and having all the money. … Because they can’t have everything Boomers have, their American Dream isn’t going to be what the boomers’ … was.”

    As a proud Boomer watching with great fascination as her massive generation, once the largest in American history, moves through the demographic snake and changes every institution it encounters, I salute Gen Xers for approaching middle age their way. Individually we all do it our way, of course, and there are millions of Boomers living healthy lifestyles and engaging in what is now deemed “self-care.” There are also millions of Gen Xers who may well head to Las Vegas, or at least Myrtle Beach, for their birthdays. And, there are folks in both generations neither buying convertible sports cars nor meditating for hours on end.

    Wherever we may be on the continuum, it does appear to at least this Boomer that our children, the Gen-Exers, are copying not so much our choices as following their grandparents, the Greatest Generation. That generation forged by the Depression and World War II and now almost gone, counseled all things in moderation.
     
     
  • 02 Colvins building If I were a property owner or downtown Fayetteville business, I would be looking at the members of the Fayetteville Historic Resources Commission with one eye closed saying, “What the hell were they thinking?” after voting 6-1 to allow Mayor Mitch Colvin several unapproved changes to his downtown building that violated the commissioners’ Certificate of Appropriateness guidelines.

    Colvin’s building is the old Kress building. He painted the building and added glass and aluminum doors to it.

    Eight responsible Fayetteville citizens were charged with overseeing policies designed to establish and maintain the dignity and historic integrity of our downtown community. Then they spinelessly acquiesced with authoritative objections as meaningless, ineffective and ferocious as a collective pack of paper tigers. The unintended consequence of this action is heard loud and clear by all downtown property owners: Mea culpa is an acceptable strategic tactic to get things accomplished downtown since COA violations have no consequences. No fines, no sanctions, no reprimands or penalties. Out of the eight — only one responsible, policymaking, law-abiding, honest, Fayetteville citizen with integrity took their responsibility as a board member seriously and had the backbone to ward off the threats and intimidation of those who perceive themselves above the law. That is downtown businessman Bruce Arnold, owner of Rude Awakening coffee shop. Even with his sense of responsibility, he is that lone voice in the wilderness when it comes to demonstrating a leadership style that reflects doing the right thing for the right reasons. It was Arnold who pointed out that Colvin violated the COA and gamed the system by making unauthorized changes to his building. Sadly, even after acknowledging and condemning the violations, the FHRC board voted to approve the changes 6-1 with Henry Tyson abstaining because of a compromising conflict of interest.

    Even with this dubious victory tucked securely under his belt, Colvin took to social media to continue his undignified attack on Arnold by doubling-down and playing the race card. No doubt to draw attention away from his misdeed by garnering sympathy from his supporters — without any regard to the fact he is dividing our community. This is not leadership. However, it is a near-perfect example of why Fayetteville struggles to project a positive image and gain respect among statewide peers and why it’s difficult to attract industry to our community. But, there is something even more troubling here. Colvin is only one person cashing in on his authority and privilege. Bruce Arnold is only one person trying to do the right thing for the right reasons.

     Troubling is the fact that seven Fayetteville residents serving in leadership positions on the Fayetteville Historic Resources Commission (Thomas Batson, Jeremy Fiebig, Gordon Johnson, Tiffany Ketchum, George Turner, Henry Tyson, Liz Vernadoe), collectively not only recognized, identified and acknowledged Colvin’s violations and wrongdoing, but they refused to take the appropriate action. Their refusal left one of their own FHRC board members, who followed the rules, enforced the policies and executed the FHRC’s responsibilities, out in the cold to absorb the full wrath of the mayor all by himself. That’s a significant betrayal of trust and dereliction of responsibility.
    Sure, we assume we know what the commissioners were thinking when the vote was taken: “Too late now. The work is already done.” True as that may be, the question remains: Why are they serving on the board in the first place? And, what about the future? How is this commission going to handle the next set of COA
    violations?

    Something else is disturbing about this situation. Before Bill Kirby’s comments appeared in Saturday’s Feb. 1 edition of The Fayetteville Observer’s article “You are right, Mr. Turner; vote doesn’t look good,” many people had already expressed the same sentiments as Kirby. Social media and blogs exploded and were having a field day with the FHRC decision and the resulting 6-1 vote, saying it was shortsighted and ill-conceived. Kirby’s observations and analysis were right on point, but after the fact. In the weeks before the vote, The Fayetteville Observer could have and should have assigned a reporter to this story, talked with the mayor about the situation and interviewed downtown residents, businesses and property owners from the downtown historic district as well as individual FHRC commission members.

    This style of investigative reporting is the purest form of journalism, yet, it didn’t happen. Why? I suspect it would have caused a public outcry, resulting in the mayor having to comply with the COA. Or maybe that it would put some of the FHRC members at odds with the mayor or any of the building’s “unnamed” partners. Transparency and a little objective reporting just might have stirred up public sentiment, which would have provided the information and confidence that the FHRC board needed to face the violation head-on. Unfortunately, it’s too late now, and the virtual can has been kicked way down Hay St. Bad decisions always have consequences. You can bet you will see that can again in the near future.

    In marketing, your brand — whether personal or business — is defined by a combination of who you are, what you are and what you stand for. I’ll be surprised if the stigma of this poor decision doesn’t cause at least a few, if not all, of the FHRC members’ resignations. No one enjoys being used or publicly compromised. This case could be the poster child for both. We’ll see.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • The Rite(Rated R)  4 Stars02-16-11-the-rite.gif

    Honestly, The Rite (112 minutes) looked pretty boring. One more exorcist horror-drama, and I’m not even that huge of a fan of the genre, The Last Exorcism notwithstanding. Admittedly the presence of one Sir Anthony Hopkins drew my attention, but be warned … he doesn’t show up until almost halfway through the film.

    Little Michael Kovak (Colin Donoghue) experiences some borderline mental abuse while attempting to overcome his Oedipal complex. In a scene repeated approximately 20 times throughout the course of the movie his father (Rutger Hauer) lovingly paints the nails of his dead wife while whispering sweet nothings into her … nose? I think? This is a formative experience for Michael, since he evidently thinks about it whenever he touches dead bodies. Which he does a lot, because he is a mortician.

    In an effort to make his own way in the world and discover what life has to offer other than girls who give him free beer, Michael decides to explore the vast unending possibilities open to a young man of his character and, ahem, vigor. Since an ancient family curse apparently dooms him to be a mortician or a priest, and working as a mortician for his creepy father isn’t working out, Michael checks out the priesthood.

    Fastforward. Despite the fact that Michael apparently had no real interest in the priesthood, he made it through four years at seminary. Then flunked the final exam in theology. Then wrote Priest Hey! It’s That Guy! (Toby Jones) a lame letter of resignation. Which we get to see in extreme close-up for some unknown reason. Priest Hey! It’s That Guy! refuses the letter and blackmails Michael (as priests are oft wont to do) into traveling to Rome to take a class on exorcism.

    He arrives late to his first class, and he’s all like, Sorry Priest Dude. And the teacher, Father Xavier (Ciaran Hinds), is all like, “I prefer punctuality to apologies,” which is both mean and awesome. Angelina (Alice Braga, professional voice of reason) notices that Michael is devoted to irritating Father Xavier, and further notices that Father Xavier is sending him to see a practicing exorcist. She insinuates herself into his good graces, and follows him around for the rest of the movie.

    The practicing exorcist is Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins, channeling Dr. Van Helsing and Dr. Hannibal Lector). He lives with a bunch of cats and is currently focused on exorcising a pregnant 16-yearold girl. Here is where the movie starts to get ambiguous and cool, with subtly disturbing sound effects and close-ups on gross rashes and hair loss. Father Lucas is unable to break through Michael’s skepticism, even after the girl does some totally weird psychic-type stuff. Despite the assistance of Michael the untrained faithless skeptic, the girl continues to worsen. She eventually ends up in the hospital/roach motel.

    Wracked with guilt, Father Lucas wanders around semi-nude, slapping small children. Basically, sucking as an exorcist turns him into a total jerk, in a sort of if-you-can’t-beat-them-join-them moment. Up until that point, this was film of ideas. As the climax approaches, this is less a film about what you believe and more a film about demons possessing the innocent, which isn’t nearly as interesting, but wasn’t as boring as I thought it would be.

  • 02-22-12-camellia-show.jpgThe 66th Annual Fayetteville Camellia Show will be held March 3-4, at the new $6.5 million visitor’s complex of the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. Last year, more then 300 enthusiasts attended the camellia show comprised of more than 1,100 blooms.

    “Having all these blooms in a centralized location will be a spectacular sight,” Jack Demar, of the Fayetteville Camellia Club.

    The event is open and free for the public from noon to 5 p.m., during which time there will be blooms on display, educational seminars and camellias for sell.

    “By having the event at the Botanical Garden, we are hoping to combine the audience of avid gardeners and interested newcomers,” explained Demar.

    Cape Fear Botanical Garden will offer visitors activities to complement the camellia show. “Guided tours along the dappled shade paths of the Camellia Garden will showcase a colorful display of blooms,” Meg Suraci, assistant director of development and marketing, Cape Fear Botanical Garden, said. Children are invited to the Build-a-Camellia table to craft a flower to take home as a token of spring.

    Prizes will be awarded in 25 different categories, including novice. Acclaimed members of the National Camellia Society will judge the blooms. The competition is open to everyone. To enter, bring blooms to the site between 7:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 3. Judging will take place from 10 a.m. to noon.

    The show has a large draw, not just from people in the local area. Camellia growers from Virginia to Georgia travel to enter their blooms in the Fayetteville Camellia Show. Demar explains that he gets a thrill out of seeing local people displaying and winning awards for their blooms in such strong competition.

    Camellias are known for adding color to the often-dreary, bleak winter scenery because of the blooming season from October to April. More than 12 varieties of top-quality camellia plants will be sold at the event along with a how-to care guide created by the Fayetteville Camellia Club.

    Cape Fear Botanical Garden is part of the Camellia Trail, which celebrates the rich history of camellias. Forty-one different gardens from Massachusetts, down the east coast, to Texas and several on the West Coast highlight this blooming flower that is known for bringing joy as far back as almost 5,000 years ago in China.

    Admission to the Cape Fear Botanical Garden is $8. Admission to the garden provides access to 77-acres of pine and hardwood forest and natural areas of the region’s indigenous plants, trees and wildlife. The cultivated garden areas showcase more than 2,000 varieties of ornamental plants, and include Daylily, Camellia and Hosta gardens. The Camellia Garden features more than 300 plants. If attending the Camellia Show a $2 discount on admission to the garden will be given.

    “Beauty is precious and necessary, and does not need to be rare. Underlying our club’s mission is this simple fact: Anyone can grow a camellia, but most people don’t know it. We can help,” said Finely Bryan, Fayetteville Camellia Club president.

    Photo: Camellias take centerstage at the 66th Annual Fayetteville Camellia Show.

  • Who doesn’t like to hear good music? Even better, who doesn’t like to hear great music from a band that got its start in North Carolina? You can do that when Nantucket performs live at the Florence Civic Center in Florence, S.C., on March 3, at the 2012 Myrtle Beach Bike West Expo. Nantucket has an incredible fan base and event organizers expect a good crowd will come and support the band.

    Mike Uzzell, a founding member of Nantucket, says that the Florence Civic Center was one of the first venues the band ever played and he is thrilled to return back.

    “We used to have lines of people standing out to see us perform,” Uzzell says. “A lot of people send emails wondering why we are not traveling anymore.”

    The show gives Nantucket’s loyal and supportive fans a chance to “walk down memory lane” and relive all the excitement of the band’s early days.

    Nantucket was created in North Carolina in the city of Jacksonville in 1969. The band originally consisted of six members: Tommy Redd, Larry Uzzell, Mike Uzzell, Eddie Blair, Kenny Soul and Mark Downing.

    Beginning as a cover band where they drew lots of attention, Nantucket signed with Epic Records in 1977.

    “It was a very lucrative record deal,” Uzzell adds.

    Nantucket had much success with their hit song “Heartbreaker” which sold more than 200,000 copies and was featured on the Billboard charts in 1979. The band had the opportunity to open for many popular bands such as KISS, Styx, Boston, Mother’s Finest, Journey and the Doobie Brothers.

    “If I told you how many bands we have played for, we would be on the phone for two more hours.” Uzzell says jokingly.

    The band has experienced a great deal with their music and the group has established a very loyal and supportive fan base. Although the band was successful, they did not continue with Epic Records.

    02-29-12-nantucket.jpg“During the MTV era and the production of new bands, we missed our opportunity,” Uzzell says.

    Nantucket may have experienced some bumps along the way, but they are still a legend in the music industry.

    “We were rated number six of bands that should have went big,” Uzzell said.

    In 1992 the band released an album titled Still Live After All These Years. The new album featured earlier songs and some new material from the band as well.

    Nantucket still plays reunion shows all around the Carolinas for those devoted fans to come out and enjoy, and the show at the Florence Civic Center is no exception. Fans can look forward to hearing the band’s latest single “You Need a Ride to Raleigh”.

    “It is a very neat track and a happy song,” Uzzell adds,” a lot of people are responding — young and old — to the song.”

    The band will have special guest All My Rowdy Friends which is the ultimate Hank Williams Jr. Tribute Band. Also the original rocker and biker diva Geneva will appear at the concert.

    Nantucket will sign autographs for fans and T-shirts will be available from the band.

    For more information or to purchase tickets for Nantucket concert or Myrtle Beach Bike Week West Expo visit www.florenceciviccenter. com or call the box office at 843-679-4525.

    Photo: Nantucket, in the early years. 

  •   Considering he fronts a band with a pretty juvenile name, Hoobstank lead guitarist Dan Estrin has a very mature outlook on his band’s music.
      “People don’t realize we’ve been together as a band since 1994,” said Estrin, conversing with Up & Coming Weekly via a cell phone as the band travels in support of its new CD, Fornever. “We are all older and write songs from a different perspective … a more mature perspective.”
      Local fans of the post-grunge superstars will get a gander at Hoobastank’s “maturity” when the band plays Jesters Pub on March 12 … the group’s first-ever stop here at the home of Fort Bragg.
      “Our new album has heavier themes… it’s about relationships … the good and the bad,” said Estrin. “It’s definitely a little different from what we’ve done in the past.”
      Not that Estrin has to apologize for any decisions the band has made career-wise: the band’s self-titled first album went platinum, while 2004’s The Reason was certified double platinum. The latter was a blockbuster that earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album, and its mega-huge title track garnered Grammy nods for Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. The track was also an international smash that rocketed to No. 1 on the Modern Rock, Adult Top 40 and Top 40 Mainstream charts and No. 2 on the Hot 100.
      {mosimage}While it offers the benefit of more mature songwriting, Estrin says the band’s latest, Fornever, also returns to the rock roots of those aforementioned heavier smahes.
      “The songs have been really well-received on the road,” said Estrin. “The fans seem to really dig them.”
      One of the songs generating a lot of positive response on the current tour is “So Close, So Far” — a song sure to strike a note with the band’s Fayetteville fans as the subject matter of the ballad concerns a soldier being stationed in a combat zone away from his family.
      In fact, the opening lyrics just might have the military spouses in the audience reaching for the Kleenex box as they flick their collective Bics in true rock crowd style:
      “I wake up all alone, somewhere unfamiliar.
      Been gone so many days, I’m losing count.
      When I think of home, I see your face.
      I know I have to wait…”
      “Yeah … I expect the military crowd in Fayetteville will really identify with it,” said Estrin. “Everybody likee it everywhere we’ve played it.”
      Not only will local music fans get lyrics to identify with, they’ll be seeing a band at the top of its game; after an 18-month layoff, Hoobstank has been touring arenas with 3 Doors Down and Seether, and, according to Estrin, is “energized” to be back on the road in front of sell-out crowds, playing enormous venues. However, Estrin says the band is also looking forward to the smaller setting of Jesters.
      “There’s something to be said for playing before just 500 or so people,” said Estrin. “It’s more intimate … There can be more of a connection with the crowd.”
      While local fans may get a kick out of “So Close, So Far,” nationally, the self-motivational anthem “My Turn” is climbing the charts like a chimp on amphetamines — the track has already gone to No. 6 on the Alternative chart.
      The video for “My Turn” is also drawing lots of chatter. Designed to be viewed online, the “My Turn” video has the look and feel of a video game, complete with different characters and varying scenarios. Wearing different costumes and swapping instruments, each member of the band performed and was shot individually against a green screen. Together with a gaggle of guests (bikini models, senior citizens, lead vocalist Doug Robb’s mother and father-in-law, among others), the band created a video that’s truly unique — one that offers fans a new experience with each viewing.
      You can check out the video, plus several of the band’s downloads on its MySpace page, www.myspace.com/hoobastank. Tickets for the show at Jesters are $25. For more information, call Jesters at 423-6100 or check out the club’s Web site, www.jesterspub.com.

    Contact Tim Wilkins at tim@upandcomingweekly.com

  • 02-03-10-peter-pan.gifIt’s not often that the audience of the Cape Fear Regional Theatre is full of children, in fact, it’s rare. So, I was happy to see the excited children lining up with their parents for the preview of Peter Pan at the CFRT. I was also a little worried, because while their excitement was contagious, I was worried whether or not they would be able to contain themselves during the show to actually allow the remainder of the audience to enjoy the show. I had nothing to worry about. From the opening music to the closing lines, the children were enchanted by the magic of the show — so were the adults.

    Before I go any further in this review, I must come clean and admit that I have a very close tie to this show. The Littlest Burton is one of the Lost Boys. You might be saying to yourself, “Oh, confl ict of interest!” But if you go see the show, you will know I’m speaking nothing but the truth.

    The musical brings some great talent to the CFRT stage. Led by Megan Ellis, who brings to life Peter Pan, the cast sang and danced its way into the audience’s heart.

    Ellis, a Missouri native, brings an innocence and vitality to the role of Peter Pan. She has a lively spirit and connects well with the cast. Her voice is strong, although on the night I viewed the show her microphone was not working well, and Ellis’ voice got lost when she was at the back of the stage.

    Pan’s arch enemy Captain Hook was brought to life by Dirk Lumbard. I was really looking forward to seeing how Lumbard would bring Hook to life. I think he played it to perfection. He embraced the foppish nature of Hook, as seen in the many portrayals over the year. While he made Hook unlikeable, he didn’t take it too far. The audience could still laugh at him. Like Ellis, Lumbard also encountered some microphone problems toward the end of the show. In the last couple of numbers, his microphone was muffl ed due to static.

    Lumbard is a consummate showman, and he led his cast of rowdy Pirates in song and dance numbers that were spot on. The Pirates as a whole were hysterical. Their bumbling, fumbling, fawning personna kept the audience in stitches.

    Of particular note was Robbie Gay, an Alabama native, who played Hook’s fi rst mate Smee. Gay brought a lot of humor to the show and was a perfect foil to Lumbard’s Hook

    .Andrea Mislan, who was last on the CFRT stage in White Christmas, played Tiger Lilly and did the choreography for the show. Mislan spent hours working with the cast to ensure the dance numbers are fi rst class. Her hard work paid off. There were three distinct groups Mislan worked with: the Pirates, the Lost Boys and the Indians. Most of the Pirates and the Indians have had some form of formal dance training. That wasn’t the case with the Lost Boys, but she quickly whipped them into shape

    .In my opinion, the showstopper was the “Ugh-A-Wug” sequence performed by Tiger Lilly and her band of Indians and Peter Pan and his Lost Boys. The initial number was something of a dance-off between the Indians and the Lost Boys, with the fi nale being a spectacular drum rhythm performed by the Indians, Tiger Lilly and Peter Pan. It was spectacular.

    Mary Mattison Vallery gets kudos for her portrayal of Wendy. Vallery has literally grown up on the CFRT and other local stages. A freshman at Terry Sanford, Vallery has performed in more than 25 plays and musicals to date. She has a great voice and brought a sense of wonder to the stage.

    The Lost Boys were composed of two casts of 14. The boys, some of whom have been in other CFRT productions, also deserve kudos. They did a great job and helped create the magic of the show.

    While there were some minor technical problems with the performance I viewed, it was still one of the best shows of the season. The audience agreed with me, as I heard nothing but rave reviews from audience members as they exited the building.

    Peter Pan brings magic to the CFRT stage — catch it.

  • Screen Shot 2019 02 25 at 4.02.41 PMThe O’Jays come March 15

    The O’Jays have been wowing audiences and crooning charttopping hits since the 1960s. Friday, March 15, the legendary group brings its soul-soothing music to the Crown, compliments of the local, music-focused nonprofit Community Concerts.

    The fourth show in a five-concert Community Concerts season, the O’Jays performance helps fill out a rock ’n’ roll-themed year.

    The O’Jays has earned its place in music history, churning out hits for more than 50 years. Band members Walter Williams and Eddie Levert first met when they were the ages of 6 and 7, respectively. As teenagers in Canton, Ohio, they formed a band originally consisting of Levert, Williams, William Powell, Bobby Massey and Bill Isles.

    While several members have since changed, Levert and Williams continue to lead the group. “We still appreciate our friendship, dedication to each other and the group and our love for good music,” Williams said. “We probably could have had great solo careers, but I don’t think either one of us could have ever been as big as The O’Jays.”

    Williams has battled multiple sclerosis for 30 years and continues to execute his dance moves with perfection when performing onstage with the group. He is also a volunteer National Ambassador for the MS Society and a spokesperson for MS Active Source.

    Levert is known for his raspy voice with a range that reaches from alto to second tenor. Levert teamed up with his son Gerald for a duet, “Baby, Hold On To Me,” which hit No. 1 on the R&B charts. Eddie also mentored his sons Gerald and Sean, who also worked in the music industry.

    “Backstabbers” is one of the band’s early hits. From there, The O’Jays came up with various pop and R&B singles, including “Love Train,” “Put Your Hands Together,” “For the Love of Money,” “I Love Music,” “Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love),” “Livin’ for the Weekend” and “Use Ta Be My Girl.”

    The O’Jays were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as well as the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005 and The Official R&B Music Hall of Fame in 2013. They were honored with BET’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. Their music continues to entertain across many platforms and is featured in many movies, commercials and TV shows.

    The Community Concerts 2018-19 season

    Community Concerts Attractions Director Michael Fleishman noted that while last year’s Broadway- esque season featured song, dance and a bit of magic, this year is all about concerts and rock ’n’ roll. And Community Concerts didn’t hold back.

    The season opened with former Steely Dan member, Doobie Brother and Grammy Award winner Michael McDonald for “Season of Peace” in November.

    Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famers Three Dog Night followed in late February. Between 1969 and 1974, no records or more concert tickets than Three Dog Night. Their songs still fill the airwaves and live on in commercials and television shows, too.

    “The Choir of Man” hits the stage Feb. 27, a feisty standout in an impressive lineup of well-established superstars. Part concert, part party, part pub crawl, “The Choir of Man” is not only a worldwide hit, it’s an interactive experience the audience won’t soon forget.

    “This is a stand-up-and-cheer show,” Fleishman said. “Don’t let the name fool you.”

    Fleishman noted that the set includes a full working bar and a piano. He added that the performers are “on fire,” bringing a level of zeal to the performance that will surely have people singing along and dancing in the aisles.

    One of the show’s producers, Nic Doodson, said, “The guys have spent the last couple of years touring the U.K. and Australia, and they are ready to bring this show to American audiences.

    “This concert is such a great time for all — whether it’s a ladies’ night, first date, guys’ night out or even a bachelorette party. So, grab your best mates and we’ll see you at the venue … the first pint is on us, (seriously)!”

    “The Choir of Man” celebrates the music of rock icons, including Adele, Queen, Paul Simon, Katy Perry, Red Hot Chili Peppers and more. The cast features world-class tap dancers, acrobats, singers, instrumentalists and poets.

    “America” closes out the Community Concerts season April 4. Formed in London in the 1960s, this classic rock powerhouse’s hits include “A Horse with No Name,” “I Need You,” “Ventura Highway,” “Don’t Cross the River,” “Tin Man,” “Lonely People” and “Sister Golden Hair.” Their reach spans generations of rock ’n’ roll fans, and their followers still show up in droves to see them perform.

    About Community Concerts

    Community Concerts holds the title of Fayetteville’s oldest art organization. The sole purpose of this all-volunteer entity is to bring the finest top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville, and it’s been doing just that for more than eight decades.

    Like most volunteer-based organizations, there is always room for more help, more ideas and more enthusiasm within the ranks.

    “The secret to this organization has been to try to take it up a notch every year, get good groups and treat people well,” said Fleishman. “There are lots of people who like being involved in music things. We are looking for board members that enjoy selling and talking about shows. This is a very handson organization.”

    Beyond a dedicated team of volunteers and a commitment to bring the best music available to this community, the organization’s passion has spilled over into other beneficial music-related programs.

    In 2008, Community Concerts decided to create a way to celebrate and honor those who have brought musical distinction to the community. As a result, each year, at one of the season’s concerts, new inductees join the distinguished members of the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame.

    In addition to recognizing locals for their musicrelated achievements, Community Concerts helps aspiring musicians chase their dreams by awarding scholarships to local high school graduates. The program started in 2004. To date, nearly 30 students have received scholarships.

    There are other ways Community Concerts supports local artists. One example is its local artist showcase program, which puts local performers onstage during regular season shows. Performers who have participated in the local artist showcase include Voices of the Heart, which opened for Gladys Knight; students from Linda Kinlaw’s School of Dance, who performed with Martina McBride; and Trae Edwards, who performed at the Ricky Skaggs Show.

    Community Concerts also provides free concert opportunities to select groups. Some of the groups that have already benefitted from this program include the Vision Resource Center, Fayetteville Urban Ministry, The Sunshine Center, members of local fire and police departments, high school theater art classes and members of the military.

    For tickets and information, visit community-concerts.com/about-us.

  • 14Inattentional Blindness  Back in 1975, my Uncle Cecil taught me how to drive on some little country roads in the hills of Tennessee. In those days, I had three things that I would consider modern machinery. I had an automatic transmission, an electric starter and an AM/FM radio with horrible speakers. We only had about four FM radio stations, so my radio was set to 101.5 WQRT.

    While driving with my uncle, I was not allowed to jam out, and I can, to this day, hear him telling me, “Watch the road.”

    The roads we practiced on were the roads less traveled. There was an occasional car, but he also taught me to watch out for people on the sides of the road and animals.

    Fast forward a few decades, and cars are more complicated than the bridge of the Star Trek Enterprise. There are also distractions brought by cell phones. These thingies distract us from watching the road.

    In driving schools, we are taught to drive defensively. That is true until you are no longer watching the road. When you are not paying attention, you become the offending driver. You are a threat to everyone on the road, yourself and your passengers.

    Last year, I saw more motorcycle wrecks on the highway than I have ever seen before. We hear about pedestrians, scooters and bicycles being run over by cars. This is tragic for the person who has been hit. It is also hard on the driver. They can face criminal charges, fines, insurance issues or lawsuits — and then there is the knowledge that they accidentally harmed someone.

    Here are some things that will help you avoid an accident.

    Look for others on the road. You are not the only game in town, and we all share the road. No distractions. Your text message or phone conversation is not as important as your driving safety. If your call or text can’t wait, pull over in a safe spot, finish your business and then pull out into traffic carefully.

    Watch your surroundings. Don’t change lanes suddenly without first looking to see what is around and ahead of you. Many motorcycle accidents are caused because of people switching lanes or passing someone and clipping a bike that was in front of the car they passed.

    If you come upon a school bus or Fayetteville’s FAST buses or see the mail truck, you know they are going to stop. Give them space.

    Stop at yellow. Fayetteville’s traffic lights are quick and in many places take several minutes to cycle through. I often see both cars and motorcycles trying to speed through a yellow light. It is better to be safe and stop than to get hit at the intersection.

    Watch for motorcycles in high-traffic areas. The Cross Creek area, Skibo Road, Ramsey Street, Bragg Boulevard, Raeford Road, Owen Drive and Spring Lake are all high-traffic areas.

    Don’t overdrive your ability to see and take control of any situation. If you cannot see what is ahead of you, then slow down. This is especially true during periods of darkness and rain.

    Trust your instincts. Train yourself to slow down or to stop if you see something without knowing what it is. Your eyes give you a good field of vision. Your peripheral vision may catch something that your mind does not register.

    Train your mind to see what you don’t see. In the book “The Survivor’s Club,” author Ben Sherwood discusses “luck.” Ninety percent of the people he studied viewed luck as “the way we think.” He goes on to show that those who use their peripheral vision notice more and therefore seem luckier.

    The book further describes what is called “inattentional blindness.” Inattentional blindness is the failure to notice an unexpected stimulus in one’s field of vision when other attention-demanding tasks are being performed. It is categorized as an attentional error and is not associated with any vision deficits.

    This typically happens because humans are overloaded with stimuli, and it is impossible to pay attention to all stimuli in one’s environment.

    It’s important to develop your field of vision and, as Uncle Cecil said, watch the road.

    If there is a topic you would like to discuss, please send your comments and suggestions to motorcycle4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE!

  • 12Lafayette Trail copy  Fayetteville is known to many for its military neighbor, Fort Bragg. But Fayetteville played a large role in early American history, too, as has her namesake, the Marquis de Lafayette. Lafayette has been immortalized in both French and American history as a military officer, an aristocrat and a Constitutional advocate. He changed the course of history for our country and our city.

    There are many groups and people that celebrate Lafayette’s memory. One of them is French native Julien Icher. His initiative, The Lafayette Trail Project, is a historical trail based on Lafayette’s footsteps during his 1824-25 Farewell Tour.

    The trail not only celebrates Lafayette, it educates the public and uplifts communities. Icher’s website, www.thelafayettetrail.com, explains his efforts: “Our goal is to provide localities whose history taps into General Lafayette with new incentives to increase tourism and benefit the development of local economies.”

    These efforts, in addition to the trail, include historical research, outreach, articles, lectures and more. The goal is to complete the project as the bicentennial of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour nears in 2024.

    When the towns of Cross Creek and Campbellton united in 1783, they named the city Fayetteville in commemoration of the esteemed war hero. Lafayette visited this city in 1783 during his Farewell Tour of the United States.

    Historians agree that without Lafayette’s support, the Americans would have lost the war for independence.

    While generations of early Americans may have learned lessons from Lafayette, we can still learn from him today. According to Icher, “When Lafayette visited the country, the country was divided in 1824. In 2019, you also have a very politically divided America. It’s a divide between the left and the right, the elites and the common American. And in 1824, Lafayette and his role give you an idea to bring together Americans and unite them.”

    Icher’s robust inspiration, his belief in a common bond between our two nations, is a tribute to France, America, Fayetteville and Lafayette. Icher is proud of the historic relationship between America and France, explaining there exists “historical bands of friendship between the United States and France.”

    These historical bands, Icher explained, were molded by a common set of values that the French and American people share. He believes that Lafayette embodied these unique values of freedom, liberty and equality and that memorializing Lafayette is memorializing America’s first ally, the French. According to him, Lafayette was, and still can be, a unifying figure for America.

    Icher said, “North Carolina has a lot of rural communities that are very interested (in Lafayette’s story), eastern and northern Carolina, and it’s a true sense of pride that they display.”

    Readers can help the movement to memorialize Lafayette by visiting Icher’s website, by calling their local state representatives or by volunteering their time. Find out more at www.thelafayettetrail.com.

  • 10Run  Saturday, March 9, His Outreach Worldwide sponsors the third annual American Warrior 5K Walk and Run. This event, for which the streets of downtown Fayetteville are transformed into a USA Track and Field certified race route, benefits His Bread of Life, a local Christian nonprofit food bank. The race’s starting point and registration area is at Festival Park.

    Lynne O’Quinn, founder and CEO of HOW, said most of the race’s elements from its first two years remain unchanged — with one exciting update. This year, ’80s Unplugged, a local band, will play live music as participants register and warm up in the morning and as they wait for everyone to finish the 5K.

    As in years past, free food will be distributed to runners after the race, this year provided by Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs. A variety of entertainment will be available pre- and post-race, including a free bouncy house for children alongside vendors selling wares.

    O’Quinn stressed that this is a family-friendly event and people and families of all ages are invited to participate.

    At the same time, the American Warrior 5K holds the distinction of being a certified, timed race. “Whatever (runners) win has more value because it’s a USA Track and Field certified race,” O’Quinn said. “We’ve had a lot of people say they enjoy this course, too, because it winds through downtown. It makes it very interesting for runners, and then for the walkers it’s a pretty walk.”

    First, second and third place will be awarded to runners in eight age divisions, as well as to the top finishers overall.

    Each runner will receive a complementary bag with goodies, including a T-shirt and coupons to enjoy around town, like at Sweet Frog and Pure Barre – Fayetteville. Runners who register before Feb. 27 are guaranteed the correct T-shirt size.

    His Bread of Life, the nonprofit benefiting from the race’s proceeds, is headed by director Brian Armstrong. It is one of seven ministries under HOW and is located at 204 S. Reilly Rd., in a home that was donated. It is open Wednesday mornings from 8:30 a.m.-noon.

    At this food bank, anyone in need is invited to come in and “shop” (free of charge) for what they need from a variety of shelves, with a cap on how many items can be taken from each shelf. “We have refreshments, we give them bags; they’re able to get what their family really needs at that time,”

    O’Quinn said. “It’s like their neighborhood grocery market. … They love coming in, and they talk to each other.” O’Quinn described the population His Bread of Life serves as being like family to her. “We pretty much take these people at their word, and we’ve never felt like we’ve been swindled or scammed,” she said. “All these people are the nicest, sweetest people, and they’re just down on their luck.”

    She said the food bank serves people like the homeless (including homeless veterans), people referred through social services, recovering alcoholics and drug addicts, people who lose their jobs due to medical issues and more.

    Pre-register online for $25 ($20 if military) at www.runtheeast.com/ races or at the HOW office, 2770 Breezewood Ave. Day-of registration on March 9 opens at 8 a.m. and costs $30. The race begins at 9:30 a.m. Participants are encouraged to wear red, white and blue.

    To learn more about HOW and His Bread of Life, visit http://hisoutreachworldwide.org/about or call O’Quinn at 910-476-7975 or Heather Hartley at 910-874-3676.

  • 01coverUAC022019001  For nearly 61 years, Better Health has helped the medically underserved in Cumberland County — free of charge. For 22 of those years, it has also entertained the county with an “Evening of” fundraiser, which has evolved tremendously over the years. “It was initially held at the Cameo Theatre downtown,” said Amy Navejas, executive director and CEO of Better Health. “And then it evolved a little more and became a live theater event.” Soon after its beginning, the gala began to adopt a new theme every year. This year’s theme is “Evening on the High Seas,” to take place Thursday, Feb. 28.

    Navejas is excited for the public to experience 2019’s nautical theme. “We were just playing around with some ideas, and this seemed different and fun,” she said. “It’s flexible, and you can interpret it as a fun and silly cruise or a formal captain’sdinner- type cruise.”

    As it pertains to attire, anything goes. “Everybody has a different idea of what they want to wear,” Navejas said. “I would say most individuals will be in cocktail attire, but it can be interpreted any way. That’s how a cruise is — you’re not out of place in resort attire, and even bathing suits are okay for a party at the casino.”

    Speaking of a party, the casino will make a reappearance this year. “Each year we bring back a casino, and it seems like everybody just loves it,” Navejas said. The casino is sponsored by the Cobb Tilghman Group at Merrill Lynch, and the Wine Café and Morgan’s Chop House sponsor other beverages.

    Elite Catering will provide a variety of food for the event, to include pork and beef tenderloin, crab cakes, mini Salisbury steaks and more. “Every event I’ve been to that they’ve catered has been exceptional,” Navejas said of Elite. “They do such a phenomenal job.”

    There’s more to this event than food, however. “We also have a silent auction,” Navejas said. “We’ve worked really hard this year to bring some packages from local businesses and donors and supporters.” She added that there will be a returning casino game in which the player wins a cruise if their dice rolls spell the word “Harley,” of Harley-Davidson. There are several opportunities to win.

    “We’ve had winners every year,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun for people to do.”

    Overall, the “Evening of” gala is Better Health’s largest fundraiser. “It used to be our only fundraiser event,” Navejas said. “It’s just a really fun way for people to come together and support a wonderful nonprofit that is doing a lot of good. Without (this fundraiser)... Better Health would be a in a really difficult position.”

    According to Navejas, the gala’s dinner and entertainment is not too formal. “It’s not a seated meal. We are hoping to incorporate some skits and some songs, as well as a DJ.”

    Besides the silent auction and casino games, attendees should expect a few brief interruptions during dinner for some cruise-themed fun, along with more information about Better Health.

    Better Health’s backstory

    Ruth Peters created Better Health in 1958 when she noticed that several of the ill members of her community were unable to pay for their prescribed medications. “Initially, we were started to address the need for medications for the uninsured,” said Navejas. “That meant that we were going to the ER to give them those emergency medications.”

    The county health care systems couldn’t afford to take care of these sick individuals who were not getting better, creating a cycle of sickness and poverty. As a solution to this problem, Peters established The Better Health Foundation of Cumberland County.

    In 1991, The Better Health Foundation evolved into what is now Better Health of Cumberland County, Inc., a fulltime nonprofit organization that has become invaluable to the low-income individuals of our community. “We’ve definitely grown quite a bit,” said Navejas. “It can be a challenge for a nonprofit, but the clients that we help are so incredibly grateful.”

    Navejas isn’t alone in this opinion. One anonymous patient described her experience with Better Health: “I’d waited for at least 1 1/2 years trying to save enough money to have (a) tooth pulled. Did my best to keep it from getting infected with the Lord’s help. I wasn’t getting anywhere until The CARE Clinic told me about Better Health. You will never know how much Better Health helped me, and I will do whatever I can to help you guys.”

    Today, Better Health works to provide health care and assistance to low-income residents of Cumberland County, whether that be by education, referral or direct assistance. After two years, Better Health became a United Way Affiliate Agency. Since then, Better Health has created the first free Diabetic Monitoring and Education Clinic, along with the first free Medical Equipment Loan Closet. Navejas explained more about Better Health’s programs: “We have diabetes education and clinics throughout the week, child obesity programs, and more.”

    In 2017, Better Health assisted 405 individuals at its diabetes center, 1,607 individuals at its clinic and 1,064 people who visited its exercise program. The organization experienced 100 percent patient satisfaction with its Medical Equipment Loan Program.

    “Evening on the High Seas” takes place Thursday, Feb. 28, from 6-10 p.m. at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden, located at 536 North Eastern Blvd. To purchase tickets, or for more information, call 910-483- 7534 or visit www.betterhealthcc.org. Sponsorships are also available.

  • 10BBQ  North Carolina’s most important emergency is not the next federal government shutdown. Nor is it a fake national emergency on the nation’s southern border.

    Our state’s real emergency is a real threat to its dominant position in the world of barbecue.

    Forget for a moment about our family spat about whether it is Eastern- or Lexingtonstyle barbecue that is better. We can fight cheerfully among ourselves about that question forever. But, according to barbecue expert John Shelton Reed, there is not much difference between the two, especially if it is real barbecue. Real barbecue, he says, must be cooked and smoked over real wood coals. Otherwise, Reed says, it is not real. It is rather, using the French word for false or fake, “faux ‘cue.”

    The immediate challenge to our favorite food comes from CBS’ “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert. He is a South Carolina native who usually makes his living coming up with new ways to make fun of President Donald Trump.

    Last month, however, he resurrected his barbecue war against us.

    Making a joke about the good news that a missing 3-year-old Craven County boy had been found, he said the bad news was that the boy was now condemned to a lifetime of eating North Carolina barbecue. He has called our barbecue “a sauceless, vinegar- based meat product” and compared the vinegar to toilet cleaner.

    Back in 2004, Colbert grossly chewed a plug of tobacco. When he spit it out, he said he was adding it to “my chaw juice or, as they call it in North Carolina, barbecue sauce.”

    He held up a plate, which he said was “as close as we can get to North Carolina barbecue, it’s just shredded cardboard soaked in vinegar.”

    Responding for North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper tweeted, “Those are fighting words. Vinegar and tomato have their place — y’all have a mustard problem.”

    An unsigned comment from BH Media in the Winston Salem Journal cleverly summed up Colbert’s situation with North Carolinians: “You’ve pulled North Carolinians in, Colbert. You may have stepped in some pit.”

    But Colbert says he is ready for our attacks. “I welcome your vinegar-stained letters, you poor flavor deprived bastards.”

    If you want to send him a vinegar-stained electronic message, write him at www.fastnote.com/stephen-colbert.

    Or, you could write him a thank you note. Tell him we appreciate the attention. Even his crazy nonsense helps spread the word. And we welcome the competition. If folks from South Carolina and other states driving home on I-95, I-85 or I-40 stop at some of our classic barbecue eateries and sample the product, I think they will forget about the Colbert craziness.

    But there is a problem.

    We are losing some of our best barbecue places.

    Last month, the massive Bill’s Barbecue near I-95 in Wilson closed after more than 55 years in business. Its founder, Bill Ellis, retired in 2015 and died in 2017. Even when Bill’s 850 seats were full, visiting its bountiful buffet was like a warm family meal. But keeping it going proved to be too much for his widow.

    A few weeks earlier, Allen & Son near I-40 and I-85 north of Chapel Hill shut its doors. For many years, owner Keith Allen worked early and late to chop the hickory wood and manage the slow-cooked fire that brings pork shoulders to perfect eating condition. Southern Living praised Allen & Son and made it one of its “Top Picks” in Southern barbecue joints.

    Colbert’s sassy comments might annoy us, but the loss of these classic barbecue institutions and the threatened loss of other treasured restaurants is our real crisis.

  • 08Kiwanis  Kiwanis is an international organization more than 550,000 members strong with a presence in 80 countries. The goal of Kiwanis is to improve the lives of children one community at a time. Locally, there are four Kiwanis clubs working to make life in this community better for kids. Friday, Feb. 22, and Saturday, Feb. 23, the Kiwanis Club of Cape Fear is set to host its 44th Annual Pancake Sale at the Greek Orthodox Church and Hellenic Center in downtown Fayetteville.

    “The Kiwanis Club of Cape Fear has two major fundraisers every year, this being one of them,” said Bill Drewry, the club’s president. “Between the two events, we raise between $60,000-$70,000 each year that we give out to organizations that help kids in the community. Our other big fundraiser it our golf tournament.”

    For just $6 per person, the public gets all you can eat pancakes and sausage. Coffee is included; orange juice and milk are available for a fee. Bring friends and family and eat in, enjoying time together without the hassle of making a meal and doing the dishes. Or, take the food to-go.

    “We have a good time cooking,” Drewry said. “It is a lot of fun and does a lot in the community. We start at about 4:30 in the morning and go until 2-3 p.m.”

    Mike Karaman has been part of the Kiwanis Club of Cape Fear for three years. He joked that it was his friends who convinced him to join, but he loves it so much he’s stayed and is serving as the president elect this year.

    “I always knew I wanted to give back to the community,” Karaman said. “And joining a civic organization was a good way to do that. Then it becomes a fun thing when you are doing it with friends.

    “This event is fun because you get to do something for other people and you get to see other people in the community you may not see all that often. We also do a lot of things as a group, so we build friendships within the organization, too.

    “So this doesn’t feel like a chore. It is a fun event for us.” 

    Money raised by the Cape Fear Kiwanis helps fund the Bringing Up Grades program, Better Health of Cumberland County, Boys and Girls Club of Cumberland County, Boys and Girls Home of North Carolina, Cape Fear Valley NICU, The CARE Clinic, Catholic Charities, the Child Advocacy Center, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, E.E. Smith High School mentoring program, Five Sparrows, Habitat for Humanity, Homeworks, five key clubs, Lewis Chapel Builder’s Club, the New Parent Support Diaper Program on Fort Bragg, Operation InAsMuch, the Police Activity League, Safe Kids, the Salvation Army, four scholarships, Scholastic Books, Second Harvest Food Bank, Fayetteville Urban Ministry, the USO, the Vision Resource Center and the Westminster Eyeglass program.

    “The goal is to help children in the community, and we have a good time in the process,” Karaman said.

    The pancake sale runs from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 22, and Saturday, Feb. 23. The Greek Orthodox Church and Hellenic Center is located at 614 Oakridge Ave. Call Bill Drewry at 910-627-1079 for tickets and for more information.

  • 01coverUAC021319001 It can be hard to imagine what goes through a person’s head as they put together an amazing season of entertainment, much less 27 of them in a row. That’s how long Community Concerts Attractions Director Michael Fleishman has been putting together top-notch entertainment for Fayetteville. He and the volunteers at Community Concerts do it every year, and each concert season, the only goal is to be better than the previous year. They consistently pull it off, bringing top performers to Fayetteville at great prices. Friday, Feb. 22, Three Dog Night takes the stage for a night of rock and roll that will have the audience singing along and dancing in the aisles.

    “Three Dog Night is an incredible show,” Fleishman said. “We had them here years ago. It was incredible then, too. It is still one of the most successful groups of all time. … With this show, it is hit after hit. You will know every single song.”

    The group’s set list is extensive, with many of their songs appearing in commercials and major motion pictures. A few crowd pleasers include “Mama Told Me Not To Come,” “Black and White,” “Shambala” and “One.”

    The band includes founder and lead vocalist Danny Hutton along with Michael Alsup, Paul Kingery, Pat Bautz and David Morgan. Their achievements include 21 consecutive top 40 hits, including three No.1 singles and 12 gold albums. Three Dog Night has hits in pop, rock and country genres across the world.

    After a strong start with Michael McDonald’s “Season of Peace” concert in November, Three Dog Night is the second in Community Concerts’ rockfilled five-concert season. “Last year was more song and dance with a touch of magic,” said Fleishman. “It had a more Broadway-esque feel. This year we wanted more concerts. More rock and roll.”

    “Choir of Man,” the next show in the Community Concerts series, is set for Feb. 27. Part of the inaugural North American tour, this show has been a hit at music festivals around the world. “Choir of man is a show that is highly regarded,” Fleishman said. “Don’t let the name fool you. It is a stand-up-and-sing show. It has a working set with a piano and a working bar. The audience can go up prior to the show; it is very participatory. ‘Choir’ is a misleading name. This show is on fire.”

    Friday, March 15, The O’Jays — Rock & Roll Hall of Famers — bring more than 50 years of electrifying energy to the Crown.

    Band members Walter Williams and Eddie Levert first met when they were the ages of 6 and 7, respectively. As teenagers in Canton, Ohio, they formed a band originally consisting of Levert, Williams, William Powell, Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. In 1963, the band took the name The O’Jays in tribute to Cleveland, Ohio, radio disc jockey Eddie O’Jay. While several members have changed, Levert and Williams continue to lead the group.

    “Backstabbers” is one of the band’s early hits. From there, this group topped music charts with various pop and R&B singles, including “Love Train,” “Put Your Hands Together,” “For the Love of Money,” “I Love Music,” “Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love),” “Livin’ for the Weekend” and “Use Ta Be My Girl.”

    The O’Jays were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. They were also inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005 and honored with BET’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. In 2013, of Fame. Today, the songs of The O’Jays are still used in many movies, commercials and TV shows.

    “The O’Jays are an iconic group of performers,” said Fleishman. “Tickets for their show are available now. But don’t wait too long. The phone has been ringing off the hook.”

    While the concert series is underway, Fleishman noted that there are still options available for season tickets to cover the remainder of this year’s concerts — at an attractive price, too.

    The season concludes Thursday, April 4, with America. The group has six gold/platinum albums. Founding members, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, along with former bandmate Dan Peek, met in high school in London, England, in the 1960s and quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts with their signature song, “A Horse with No Name.”

    Almost 50 years later, they are still making music together and thrilling audiences around the world with their timeless sound.

    Their best-known tunes, which also include “I Need You,” “Ventura Highway,” “Don’t Cross the River,” “Tin Man,” “Lonely People” and “Sister Golden Hair” dominated the ’70s and have become rock standards.

    Community Concerts has been a part of the Fayetteville arts landscape for more than eight decades. It set the standard for what great performing arts organizations can and should do to help a community thrive artistically. Beyond a dedicated team of volunteers and a commitment to bring the best music available to this community, the organization’s passion has spilled over into other beneficial music related programs.

    In 2008, Community Concerts decided to create a way to celebrate and honor those who have brought musical distinction to the community. As a result, each year, at one of the season’s concerts, new inductees join the distinguished members of the prestigious cohort in the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame.

    In addition to recognizing locals for their musicrelated achievements, Community Concerts helps aspiring musicians chase their dreams by awarding scholarships to local high school graduates. The program started in 2004. To date, nearly 30 students have received scholarships.

    There are other ways Community Concerts supports local artists. One example is its local artist showcase program, which puts local performers onstage during regular season shows. Local performers to participate in the local artist showcase include Voices of the Heart, which opened for Gladys Knight; students from Linda Kinlaw’s School of Dance, who performed with Martina McBride; and Trae Edwards, who performed at the Ricky Skaggs Show.

    Community Concerts also provides free concert opportunities to select groups. Some of the groups who have already benefitted from this program include the Vision Resource Center, Fayetteville Urban Ministry, The Sunshine Center, members of local fire and police departments, high school theater art classes and members of the military.

    For tickets and information, visit community-concerts.com/about-us.

  • 11War There is a secret about North Carolina’s early Colonial days, something even more disturbing and horrifying than traditional slavery.

    I learned about it reading UNCWilmington professor David La Vere’s “The Tuscarora War: Indians, Settlers, and the Fight for the Carolina Colonies.” That book interested me because I want to learn more about the 18thcentury explorer John Lawson, one of the “The Tuscarora War’s” main characters. I am studying Lawson to get ready for the upcoming publication of another book about him, “A Delicious Country: Rediscovering the Carolinas along the Route of John Lawson’s 1700 Expedition” by Scott Huler, senior staff writer at Duke magazine.

    What does all this have to do with a dark secret? Keep reading to the end.

    La Vere sets out in detail the background for the Tuscarora War that began in 1711. In the late 1600s and early 1700s, North Carolina was sparsely settled, mainly by Virginians moving south onto the lands around the Albemarle Sound. They encountered small groups of Native Americans and were generally able to subdue them.

    However, to the south and west, the mighty Tuscarora Indian strongholds stood as a barrier. They were, writes Le Vere, like a “cork” that capped settler expansion.

    Meanwhile, Lawson’s glowing descriptions about his travels in the colony sparked the interest of the Lords Proprietors, who owned the colony and were looking for ways to encourage settlement. Lawson met a minor Swiss noble, Christopher de Graffenried. They worked out a plan with the Lords Proprietors in England to transport groups of poor German refugees and Swiss paupers to lands along the Neuse River near today’s New Bern.

    La Vere writes that after overcoming great odds, “De Graffenried’s colony of Swiss and German Palatines at the mouth of the Neuse River was thriving, expansion up the Neuse seemed a real possibility.”

    Therefore, Lawson and Graffenried made a trip up the Neuse, through Tuscarora lands, to scout sites for future settlements.

    “All the while, the Indians grew more worried and angry as the abuses against them escalated and their complaints fell on deaf ears. That spark came in mid-September 1711,” according to La Vere, with Lawson and Graffenried’s trip up the Neuse.

    The local Tuscarora king or chief, offended and threatened that his territory had been invaded, captured  Lawson and Graffenried and put them on trial for their lives. When one of the more radical Indian leaders berated him, Lawson lost his temper. “He argued back, his anger and sarcasm apparent to all.”

    Lawson was doomed and shortly executed. Graffenried remained in custody while the Indians planned and carried out their first attacks on September 22, 1711, appearing at first as friendly visitors to the settlers’ farms and then striking suddenly from ambush when the defenses were down.

    North Carolina’s efforts to beat back the Tuscaroras were unsuccessful. The colony had not enough manpower, firepower or money. Help finally came from the wealthy sister colony to the south. South Carolina sent two expeditions to relieve its northern neighbor.

    Hold on — we are close to the dark secret. 

    The first expedition, led by John Barnwell, set out with a force of about 700 men. Only 35 were regular militia. The rest were Indians. The results were mixed, and the Tuscaroras remained a threat. The second expedition, led by James Moore and made up of 113 militia and 760 Indians, wiped out the Tuscarora at their stronghold at Neoheroka (or Nooherooka), near present-day Snow Hill in Greene County, and unplugged the Tuscarora “cork” on settlement in the interior of North Carolina.

    Why did South Carolina so enthusiastically aid its neighbor? Why did South Carolina Indians provide the critical manpower?

    Writes La Vere, “Above all, it was a chance to enrich oneself by looting the Tuscarora towns and taking slaves, which they could sell to waiting South Carolina traders for guns and merchandise.”

    North Carolina’s early colonists secured their colony by facilitating and participating in the enslavement and sale of captured Tuscaroras by South Carolina Indians.

    That is history’s dirty secret.

  • 10Pope One hundred years ago, the flying field at Camp Bragg was officially established by the War Department and renamed in honor of 1st Lt. Harley Halbert Pope, commander of the 276th Aero Squadron. On Jan. 7, 1919, Pope and Sgt. Walter Fleming were flying a JN-4 “Jenny” biplane from Camp Jackson, South Carolina, to Camp Bragg when they ran out of fuel and attempted a landing on the Cape Fear River near Fayetteville. Both Pope and Fleming were killed in the crash.

    The year Pope Field was established was a busy period for the new military post. In March 1919, Cumberland County and Camp Bragg made an agreement to fund and maintain a road between Fayetteville and the post. In May 1919, a Memorial Day Pageant was held to welcome home soldiers from the first World War and to celebrate the near completion of Camp Bragg. In November, Armistice Day was declared a legal holiday and celebrated in Fayetteville and at Camp Bragg.

    General of the Armies John J. Pershing, who served as the commander in chief of the American Expeditionary Forces, visited the newly established Camp Bragg and Pope Field in December 1919. By the end of 1919, Congress passed a bill appropriating funds to ensure the development of Camp Bragg, to include construction of an airplane hangar at Pope Field. Initially, balloons and singleengine biplanes were stationed at Pope. Their missions included terrain mapping and spotting for artillery and forest fires as well as carrying the mail.

    Pilots landing at Pope were required to buzz the area from low altitude to chase off grazing deer. The biplanes from Pope Field became a familiar sight in the skies over Fayetteville.

    The earliest known aerial photograph of Fayetteville was taken in 1919 over Market Square from the cockpit of a plane from Pope Field.

    When Pope Field was established in 1919, aviators were assigned to the U.S. Army Air Service. In 1920, the Air Service became a branch of the Army, and in 1926 it was renamed the Army Air Corps.

    From 1919 to 1927, Pope Field was used for observation balloon training. In 1927, Maj. Carl Spaatz conducted bombing training there, and in 1929, the base was used for joint air-ground training. By 1940, the runways were paved.

    In 1941, the aviation branch was renamed the U.S. Army Air Forces. During World War II and afterward, Pope was used for training crews in airborne and resupply missions. It continued to exist as a branch of the Army until reorganization provisions of the National Security Act of 1947 created a separate Department of the Air Force and the United States Air Force.

    In 1947, Pope Field became a separate Air Force Base. The first fighter unit was stationed at Pope in 1954. In 1970, the base was modified to accept the heavy transport plane C-5A. Personnel and aircraft from Pope have been involved in humanitarian and directed combat actions.

    In 2011, Pope Air Force Base was absorbed into Fort Bragg, becoming an Army-operated facility supporting Air Force operations and merging the post’s growing Army and joint force community.

    For more information on the history of Pope Field, visit the exhibits located at the Fayetteville Transportation and Local History Museum, 325 Franklin St., and the lobby of City Hall, 433 Hay St. The Transportation and Local History Museum features artifact and image-filled exhibits focused on Fayetteville and Cumberland County’s history. Admission is free.

    The museum staff will present a program about the history of Pope Field Thursday, July 1, at 6:30 p.m. in the State and Local History Room at the Headquarters Library on Maiden Lane.

    Photo: 1st Lt. Harley Halbert Pope

  • 09wine When people think of North Carolina, wine and chocolate aren’t always the first things that come to mind, but there are plenty of vintners, chocolatiers and other specialty vendors with big flavors to share. Big Dog Events and Galaxy Events present the Wine and Chocolate Festival Saturday, Feb. 16, from 1-4 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. at the Crown Complex.

    “The purpose of the event is to educate the consumer on the different local wines and chocolates that are available within North Carolina,” said Amanda Knepp, general manager and event producer for Big Dog Events. “The event is a taste of wines from across the Carolinas — and there will be chocolatiers, sauces, jams, jellies, spreads, gourmet treats and honey.”

    Knepp added that Fayetteville Technical Community College’s culinary students and instructors will have an interactive display featuring premiere chocolate.

    A representative from the Chocolate Monkey will walk participants through a chocolate tasting that includes several different types of delectables. She will explain the different hints of flavors that are in the chocolate.

    There will also be boutiques, shopping, jewelry, makeup and more. Jewelry and artisans will sell their wares. “This is a festival for men and women,” said Knepp. “We are working with our friends at the Center for Empowerment and Economic Development, and they will talk with patrons about what (their organization does) in the community.”

    Knepp added that CEED’s goal is to raise funds for a shared commissary and kitchen space in Fayetteville for local chefs, growers and farmers. One dollar from every bottle of wine sold at the festival will be donated to CEED.

    “Fayetteville has been so welcoming, supportive and friendly. We are looking forward to the festival on the 16th,” said Knepp.

    Advanced tickets cost $35 until Feb. 15 and $40 the day of the show. There is a 10 percent military discount. The ticket includes all wine and food samples and a complimentary tasting glass. 

    For more information, visit www.wineandchocolatefestivals.com.

  • The fashion world is one that many men and women love to embrace. From the catwalks to the02-22-12-sada-fashion-show.jpgamazing designers during fashion week who showcase their latest designs, I think it is safe to say that many young fashionistas might want to be a part of the high life discovered on the runway. Sada “Exclusive” Fashions will give many people the opportunity to embrace that very dream. The fashion line will have its first fashion show at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux on March 17 in support of the Arthritis Foundation.

    Guest will get a chance to enjoy a great show with beautiful clothes while they help to support a good cause. Alexis Scott, the designer of Sada “Exclusive” Fashions, is very passionate about this fashion show because it hits close to home. At 23 years of age, the designer was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, which is a spinal disease caused by arthritis. This disease was something she felt she should never have had to face, especially at such a young age. The disease has made life that much more complex. Scott does not want people to take the situation lightly, because the disease can affect any age.

    “So many people do not know a lot about arthritis and how serious it can be,” Scott says. “I want to open their eyes. That would make me very happy.”

    What could be a better way to spread the message than to produce a fashion show? With the combination of runway and education, it gives the Fayetteville community the opportunity to become aware of a serious disease while enjoying the show.

    “I have enjoyed every moment working with the foundation and the whole experience has really touched me,” Scott said during a recent interview.

    The designer is no stranger to fashion shows. She showcased her designs at the Charlotte, North Carolina Fashion Week. However, this is Scott’s very first show that she has planned and created. This show allows Scott to express her support for this cause, while encouraging the entire community to become encompassed in an educational and moving experience. The show will include a wide variety of entertainment, from raffl e-ticket prizes, talented entertainers, models from all over the region and much, much more. Scott has been planning the show since last April and the process has been time consuming, but the work has brought her great joy.

    “People that come to the show can expect fun, entertainment and glamour,” Scott said. “We still represent the brand with style and class.”

    “I’ve been doing this since I was 5 and I would play with my Barbie and cut their clothes into different styles. My mom recognized my talent,” Scott explains. “She was my motivation.”

    Sada “Exclusive” Fashions represents individuality in its design. There usage of bold colors and unique styles, adds a distinctive fl air that is truly one of a kind. By only creating 3,000 per style, Sada “Exclusive” Fashions provides their customers with limited and exclusive designs. The word Sada when translated in Japanese means “pure one.” The clothing line is targeted for teen girls and young adults. Scott wanted to create a line that sent the message that a woman can still look fabulous and glamorous without revealing too much skin. Elegance and sophistication is vital in Sada “Exclusive” Fashions.“

    The name sada stands for sophisticated attractive diva with an attitude,” Scott explains. “That is what my clothing line stands for.”

    Sada “Exclusive” Fashion carries a wide range of clothing items including business suits, casual wear, formal wear, lingerie, shoes, jewelry and denim.

    The show begins at 4:30 p.m. Tickets for the show are $35 and can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information about future events, visit www.sadafashions.com or www.arthritis.org. You may also contact Scott at (910)992-1335.

    Photo: SADA Fashions are geared toward teens and young adults.

  • 01coverUAC020619001  “It’s something about being able to express yourself through notes,” old-school jazz guitarist Nick Colionne said of his love for the genre. “A lot of people don’t get into jazz or instrumental music because they don’t take time to know that there’s a story being told in instrumental music just like there’s words. I mean, there’s commas, periods, questions.” Fayetteville audiences will get a chance to hear what Colionne has to say through music when he brings “Nick Colionne’s Valentine’s Day Concert” to town Thursday, Feb. 14. The concert takes place at Fayetteville State University’s J.W. Seabrook Auditorium.

    Colionne, who grew up on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, is the winner of national and international awards for his music and showmanship. He traces his connection with jazz to “being that my stepfather and my mother listened to nothing but Wes Montgomery.... (That music) touched me in my heart,” he said.

    His stepfather played guitar, and by age nine, young Colionne was learning to play.

    “When I got my first electric guitar, I had to learn Bumpin’ on Sunset’ note for note,” Colionne said. “To this day, Wes Montgomery is still my hero.”

    Six years later, 15-year-old Colionne was regularly playing high school talent shows with The Mellow Tones, a band he’d formed with a few buddies. They even won a citywide talent show.

    He was also cruising around town in a shopping cart due to his lack of a vehicle. “I was a free-playin’ guy,” he said. “I was goin’ around in a shopping cart. And that ain’t so easy in the snow in Chicago.”

    Then, one summer afternoon, he bumped into Mavis Staples (of the Staples Singers) and Artis Leon Ivey Jr., better known as Coolio, in the common area of a recording studio space. “I told them I played guitar, and I knew a couple of the older guys who played with them,” Colionne said. “They said they needed a guitar player, so I went upstairs to another studio and auditioned for them.

    “That was a Monday. On Wednesday, I went on tour with them.”

    From that point on, every summer until he finished high school and then more regularly after graduation, he toured with the Staples Singers and other performers, including Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions. He briefly joined a heavy metal band at age 17, he admitted with a laugh, but he returned to jazz after a few years.

    In 1994, he released his first solo album, “It’s My Turn.” That was the beginning of a career in which he’d receive numerous accolades. Among them, he won the International Instrumental Artist of the Year Award at the Wave Jazz Awards in 2007; trumpet superstar Chris Botti had won it the year before. Colionne was nominated for that award again in 2009.

    Colionne was nominated as Guitarist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year by the American Smooth Jazz Awards in 2010 and won Performer of the Year for the Catalina Island JazzTrax Jazz Festivals in 2010 and 2011, as well as Artist of the Year at the 2011 Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival in Delaware.

    He’s also received awards for his now 22-plus years of mentoring youth — primarily at St. Laurence Catholic School in Elgin, Illinois, and some West Side-area schools — as well as his championing of breast cancer causes. He was recognized with the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award in 2010, and he was named Alumnus of the Year at Malcolm X College in Chicago in 1996.

    Though Colionne primarily mentors at schools near where he grew up and still lives, he also makes a point to visit schools and colleges when he’s on tour.

    He said he never set out to be a youth mentor. It started because the principal of St. Laurence asked him to play for a fundraiser for the school, back when Colionne was still getting established.

    “I met the kids (at the school); they asked me to come back, and I came back,” Colionne said. “Next thing I know, I was there twice a week, teaching kids to play the guitar. … Then I’m helping them put on passion plays and the Christmas program, and I’m chaperoning trips. Kids — when they love you, they love you unconditionally. The kids know I don’t get paid for coming there. I come there because I love them.

    “I don’t want a check, I just want to be part of their lives.”

    One of those children whom Colionne taught to play guitar is named Chris. Colionne first visited his elementary school when Chris was 8 years old. Chris later attended college on a guitar scholarship. Today, he’s worked as Colionne’s road manager for many years and is taking a break from that to welcome his first child.

    As for Colionne’s work championing and raising money for breast cancer causes, he said this kind of work is a no-brainer for anyone who’s had a loved one struggle with it. “My mother is cancer-free now,” he said. “But my mother has had breast cancer four times. … My (significant other) had breast cancer. And I’m just a person. I don’t want to see another woman suffer with it, and whatever I can do, I do.”

    A single conversation with Colionne makes it evident he’s remained humble, grateful to his audiences and rooted in his deeply personal love for jazz throughout his 20-plus year career.

    It’s this attitude that’s led to him being often referred to as the best-dressed man in jazz. “I’m an old-school kind of cat,” he said. “I feel like people pay their hard-earned money to come and see me. I believe that for me to dress and look the best I can when I perform is showing the audience respect.”

    He said his journey has been exceptionally personally rewarding.

    At one point, he said, he and musician Brenda Russell were getting ready to travel for performances when a man approached them. “This cat was coming across the parking lot, and he was calling my name. He was like, ‘Man, I had to catch you. Will you sign this for me?’” It was one of Colionne’s CDs. The young man asked Colionne if he’d be willing to play at a tribute for the young man’s father.

    “I was like, who was your father?” Colionne said. “He says, ‘my father was Wes Montgomery.’”

    For his upcoming concert in Fayetteville, Colionne said, “I might get onstage and flip the script. I don’t think about it. I play what I’m feeling at the moment.

    “I learned how to play guitar, God put the music in my heart, and I just let it go.”

    He added there’s always a portion of his concerts called the “wild and loose section. We have only one requirement. If you have anything that will fall, take it off,” he said, referring to the fact that audience members will be encouraged to get up and dance.

    “Nick Colionne’s Valentine’s Day Concert” in Fayetteville takes place just about 25 years from the release of his first album. The show is part of FSU’s 2018-19 Seabrook Performance Series and starts at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 14. J.W. Seabrook Auditorium is located at 1200 Murchison Rd.

    For tickets and to learn more, visit www.uncfsu.edu/nick-colionne.

  •   When most people combine the words “Fayetteville” and “exotic dancing,” the mental picture that comes to mind usually involves g-strings and dollar bills.
      However, the most exotic dancing in these parts does not necessarily include girls with pasties and porn star names; over at the Turkish Grill on Yadkin Road there is a renaissance of one of civilization’s oldest, most sensual, and, most respected dances.
      Every Friday and Saturday night, Leyla and Nadia provide traditional belly dancing to go along with the restaurant’s traditional Turkish and Middle-Eastern fare of gyros, kebabs, kofte, humus and falafel.
      {mosimage}Owners Francis and Seyfi Kalendar say the accompaniment of belly dancing with a meal is very common in Turkey and across the Arabic world, especially in the finer, more expensive restaurants. Francis adds that bringing the dance of the seven veils to Fayetteville has been wildly successful at the Turkish Grill, which has been open about 15 months.
       If you do drop in to check out the restaurant’s sensual dervishes doing their thing, Francis says to remember there is a certain etiquette to tipping … this isn’t, after all, amateur night down on Bragg Boulevard.
    “We’re trying to introduce the proper way of tipping a dancer, which is to shower them with the money — culturally, that is the way it is done,” said Francis. “We sit here and have a good time. It’s like a fun, family atmosphere. At the end of the night everybody is up dancing; more so the women … The men are a little bit shy. Everyone is clapping and whistling.
      “We have a lot of fun,” said Francis. “Last night I didn’t get home until 4 a.m. Everybody leaves here after belly dancing night with smiles on their faces.”
      Perhaps the biggest smile is reserved for Nadia Davis, the featured dancer. Nadia is a native of Iraq where she grew up surrounded by the culture of belly dancing. She says that while her soldier husband was stationed in Germany she began amateur belly dancing for friends and it grew from there. She has now been dancing professionally at the Turkish Grill for about a year.
      “My husband liked to see me dancing,” said Nadia. “I have loved to dance since I was a kid. I had no outfit when I started. My friends brought gifts the first time, including cash, because they wanted to push me to dance. My husband sent me a lot of stuff from India and Afghanistan when he was stationed there.”
      Both Nadia and Francis said that belly dancers tend to “mix and match” outfits, as there aren’t exactly a plethora of belly dancing outfitters populating the street corners of downtown Fayetteville.
      As for her music of choice, Nadia says she mixes traditional with modern tunes … utilizing whatever “moves” her. She mixes the exotic rhythms as easily as she does her exotic clothing into a combination of dance moves gleaned from her childhood in Baghdad.
      “I mix it up,” said Nadia. “I can’t dance to the music unless I’m feeling it. If it’s not touching my feelings I cannot dance. We have many types of different dances in Iraq — in Baghdad it is different … in the south of Iraq it’s different. So I take from this and that and mix.
      “And the music I use is not especially traditional,” said Nadia, “it’s been remade more modern. I don’t like the fast music … I like to feel and enjoy the music.”
      If you would like a taste of this exotic dancing as well as the Turkish Grill’s exotic, yet healthy, food, come by the restaurant every Friday or Saturday night beginning at 7. The dancing usually lasts until about 10 p.m.; however, as Francis said, sometimes the dancing lasts deep into the night.
      The Turkish Grill is located at 5044 Yadkin Road. For more information, call 864-6554, or check out the restaurant’s Web site at www.turkishgrill.net.

    Contact Tim Wilkins at tim@upandcomingweekly.com

  • Activities at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation: 5770 Rockfish Rd.

    Public Meeting No. 3 Monday, March 26, 6-8 p.m. Open house begins at 6 p.m., presentation begins at 6:30 p.m. The purpose of this meeting is to present transportation planning recommendations and to solicit public questions and feedback. To learn more, visit www.HopeMillsPlan.org.

    Game room is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

    Skate park hours through March 31: Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m.

    Oldies music every first and third Friday, 6 p.m., free.

    Senior Programs

    Senior programs 55 plus: Various activities for seniors are available Monday through Friday at the recreation center. For specific times and events, go to townofhopemills.com and follow the links to Hope Mills Parks and Recreation.

    St. Paddy’s Bash Friday, March 16, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Community Room. Free. This is a potluck social, so please bring a dish to share. Drinks and entertainment will be provided. Sign up to attend at the front reception desk. Only 100 seats available. Call 910-426-4109 for more information.

    Social Knitting and Crocheting Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon, in the small activity room. Those planning to attend must provide their own supplies and projects.

    Brunch and Bingo originally scheduled this month has been postponed due to a space conflict and will hopefully be moved to March.

    Promote yourself

    To have your business, organization or event included in this section, email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 11Autryville1What could possibly say “We are a community” more than rallying behind local heroes? According to the Ladies Auxiliary of Autryville, North Carolina – not much. The group works tirelessly behind the scenes to support the Autryville Fire Department’s needs, including fundraising, when necessary. On Saturday, March 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the group will host its inaugural Autryville Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary Spring Street Fair to raise funds for what might easily be the department’s biggest need to date.

    On May 23, 2017, a tornado ripped through the town of Autryville – specifically, the fire station. In one fell swoop, the firefighters lost their building and much of their equipment. Thankfully everyone was safe.

    Since that day, the department has operated from a temporary trailer. It’s been almost 10 months of slow progression and disappointment. In December 2017, the department learned an unknown man was intentionally scamming locals by going door to door to ask for donations on behalf of the fire department – only this was not of the Autryville Fire Department’s doing.

    Initially, the fire department hoped to be able to celebrate the anniversary of the tornado in its new building. Unfortunately, with the winter weather, construction was delayed several times.

    Recently, the department has seen much progress where the new building will stand on Hotel Street. With its new permanent building estimated to cost roughly $800,000 to complete, raising funds has been the main goal for the Ladies Auxiliary. They’ve sprung to action to fill in the gaps that insurance won’t cover. At the turn of the new year, fire Chief Andrew Hawkins reported that between $10,000-$15,000 had been raised by the department so far. Now, they have a goal of being in the new building for the 2018 Christmas holiday.

    The Spring Street Fair will be a family-friendly event with free admission. Local independent companies, such as Limelight Makeup, Norwex household products, Stella and Dot jewelry, Thirty-One Gifts and more will be on hand to share their latest collections with the community. In fact, over 30 vendors will be set up for guests to enjoy.

    The Autryville Fire Department is located at 305 North Hotel St. in Autryville. The event is free and open to the public. Proceeds benefit the Autryville Fire Department and Ladies Auxiliary. To participate as a vendor, contact Janel Holmes, Ladies Auxiliary president, at janel. holmes@ncdps.gov to inquire.

     

  • 01 coverUAC0022818001Certain things will always separate one generation of children from the one before and the one after. For more than six decades, nonetheless, there has been something almost all children share. That is a love for Dr. Seuss books. In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, which coincides with National Read Across America Day, Spring Lake will host its Second Annual Dr. Seuss Parade and Family Fun Day on March 10.

    With more than 60 books translated into more than 20 different languages that have sold more than half a billion copies worldwide, Dr. Seuss is not only prolific but downright awe-inspiring. He is known to almost every best-selling list as the No. 1 children’s author of all time. Yet it’s not these statistical trophies that will forever rank him in the hearts and minds of children around the world.

    Of course, his use of rhyming lyrics encouraged a more phonetic approach to learning new words, unlike what was seen in traditional primers of the time. But his contribution to literacy is what teachers and parents applaud.

    It was Dr. Seuss’ capacity to write and illustrate entertaining characters – the Lorax, the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, to name a few – that allowed children to eagerly engage with the books they were reading. He instilled in them the ability to read better while also encouraging the power of imagination and creativity.

    In fact, it was Dr. Seuss who once said, “Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.”

    Kristy Martinez Spencer, owner of the Kameo Events and Marketing Services group, said a simple conversation with the former Spring Lake Mayor Chris Rey led her to brainstorm the idea for the Dr. Seuss parade. Short of the annual Spring Fling, Spring Lake had no signature event like in surrounding cities.

    When her idea finally came to fruition at the inaugural parade last year, the result was shocking. According to Spencer, an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people attended the parade.

    “It was just a great experience overall,” said Spencer. “People across the entire state of North Carolina came to this parade. It was so overwhelmingly responsive that we’ve outgrown our venue after one year.”

    Last year, the venue for the family fun activities was the Spring Lake Parks and Recreation Center. The brand-new outdoor exercise areas at the recreation center made the perfect setting for a kidfriendly event. However, a safety hazard presented itself with the combination of large crowd turnout and vehicle traffic.

    As a result, this year the parade takes the same route but finishes off differently. It starts on Poe Street and will continue down Main Street toward Ruth Street before concluding in a block party on North Main Street. This, Spencer said, is safer for the community as the roads will be effectively blocked off.

    The parade floats possess Dr. Seuss-inspired themes. Each float will be secretly judged for merits such as creativity, originality and enthusiasm.

    Jami McLaughlin, granddaughter of Spring Lake’s first mayor, and her children are just one of many families attending the parade for the second year in a row.

    “My children love Dr. Seuss books, so we were very excited that such a fun event was being held in Spring Lake,” said McLaughlin. “We went to the Dinner with Dr. Seuss and the parade last year and my children had fun at both.”

    McLaughlin echoed Spencer’s sentiments that Spring Lake has needed something like this event for a long time.

    “We used to have great parades down Main Street in Spring Lake, and I remember riding in a classic car with my grandfather, Spring Lake’s first mayor, past the variety store that my grandmother owned,” said McLaughlin. “It was exciting to hear that they were not only bringing a fun Dr. Seuss event to our small town but also recreating the liveliness that we used to have. As Dr. Seuss says, ‘Oh, the places you will go,’ and we are excited to see him in Spring Lake for a second year.”

    The Cumberland County Public Library, Fascinate- U Children’s Museum, Alliance Behavioral Health and the Child Advocacy Center are all vendors that will be present during the street party to promote the Read Across America initiative. According to Spencer, free books were even passed out to children who attended last year.

    According to local resident Bridey Koch, the Dr. Seuss parade is a perfect way to honor the iconic author.

    “All of my children learned to read in part because of Dr. Seuss books,” said Koch. “They grew up on it. So, to have an event like this in this area is a great chance to celebrate that.”

    Kameo Events has also partnered with several local groups to bring the fun to this Family Fun Day.

    The block party will have a petting zoo that includes goats, sheep, alpacas and pot-bellied pigs. There will also be train rides and nine holes of mini golf as well as bounce houses set up for children to enjoy.

    “It’s going to be fun for the kids. It’s designed for them,” said Spencer. “We had a lot of kids out there (last year) going for the books. They dressed up as characters. We’re really looking forward to their participation this year.”

    Kids in Sports, a facility at the Market Fair Mall on Skibo Road, will set up activities that encourage children into movement and exercise. Ring Wars Carolina, an independent professional wrestling group based in Hope Mills, will set up to do matches as well.

    “It is an opportunity that celebrates literacy and education (with) a family-friendly atmosphere and just a day to have fun,” said Spencer.

    The birthday parade is free and open to the public.

    The event begins at 11 a.m. and lasts until 4 p.m.

    In the words of “One Fish, Two Fish,” “If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good.”

    For more information, contact Kameo Events at 910-797-9568.

  • 10L. Wayne SmallsWhen L. Wayne Smalls retired from the military, he was ready for a change. “I tried to figure out what I could do to help others,” he said. In the end, he decided on teambuilding and motivational speaking. That’s how L. Wayne Smalls & Associates, LLC came to be. Saturday, March 3, at the Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, the community is invited to a book signing that will include an evening of entertainment and inspiration – the L.I.D. Experience. L.I.D. stands for leadership, inspiration and development, and according to Smalls, there will be plenty of all three at the event.

    While this is billed as a book signing, Smalls said it’s not going to be like typical book signings: “There will be food, presentations, a vocalist, performances and more. I love being able to help people and inspire them to be greater than what they are and help them see that there is more to life. There is always something we can do to become better.”

    L. Wayne Smalls & Associates, LLC is a leadership training company. Smalls is the author of Amazon best-seller “Called to Be a Soldier” and “Leader Lifestylez: Living a Successful Life with Purpose.” He and his cohorts help individuals and organizations improve their overall effectiveness. Smalls specializes in leadership. He is a John Maxwell certified speaker, trainer and coach. Chief administrator is Loyda Smalls. Genise Barber is an author as well and is the group’s inspiration guru. Dr. John L. Godbolt, also an author, specializes in development. The group offers workshops, seminars, empowerment sessions, mastermind groups, keynote and motivational speeches and teambuilding exercises.

    “This is a movement I envisioned where we teach people how to be better leaders and how to become leaders,” said Smalls. “We empower, enable and enhance.”

    In that spirit, attendees to the L.I.D. Experience will receive free books written by Smalls, Barber and Godbolt. “Everyone will get one book from each author,” said Smalls. “There will be giveaways, food, a band performance, and at the end, we will do the signing of the books. It is not your average book signing. I want people to understand this is not just a book signing event – it is where people come to better themselves and grow together. We all have room to grow. We all have something to offer. And we can’t forget to reach back and help others.”

    Smalls added that several local politicians are expected to be in attendance, including local city council members. “Larry Wright will be there to introduce me,” he said.

    Tickets cost $40 per person. The event runs from 1-4:30 p.m. and takes place at 100 Hay St. For more information, call 910-566-0236 or visit www.lwaynesmalls.com.

    Photo: L. Wayne Small

  • 08ColeSwindellCountry music fans in the Fayetteville area will soon have a reason to make the trek to the Crown Coliseum as Cole Swindell and the Reason to Drink Tour pull into Cumberland County March 9. The Reason to Drink Tour is part of the 82nd season of Community Concerts – a local organization that brings a variety of music acts through the Fayetteville area. According to Michael Fleishman, one of the Community Concerts organizers, the night will feature performances by Cole Swindell, Lauren Alaina and Chris Janson. “This really is a great bill,” Fleishman said. “We think people are going to enjoy it.”

    Swindell is fresh off the fourth annual Down Home Tour, and the Reason to Drink Tour is his first headlining effort. The country music singer/ songwriter has broken industry records as the first solo artist to reach No. 1 on the country music charts with each of his first seven singles. Swindell is no stranger to the big stage, either, as he has performed with some of country’s biggest names including Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean and Florida- Georgia Line.

    Joining Swindell on his Reason to Drink Tour are special guests Lauren Alaina and Chris Janson. Alaina is best known for her appearance on “American Idol’s” 10th season where she finished second only to Scotty McCreery out of Garner, North Carolina. Her most recent album, “Road Less Traveled,” was selected a Top 40 Country and Americana Album of 2017 by Rolling Stone.

    Swindell’s other special guest, Chris Janson, has also experienced his share of country music fame. After writing singles for country mainstays like Tim McGraw, Janson found success when he selfreleased his debut single, “Buy Me a Boat.” Janson went on to sign a major deal with Warner Bros. and released his second album, “Everybody,” in 2017.

    The Reason to Drink Tour is a part of the annual Community Concerts lineup. Community Concerts has been a mainstay in the Fayetteville arts scene since its founding in 1935. The nonprofit organization strives to bring “the finest top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville.” According to Fleishman, when Community Concerts looks at booking an act for their concert series, they are not just looking to book a recognizable name. “I look for entertainment value,” he said. “You’ll never see a guy just sitting on a stool playing guitar. You’re going to be entertained. We look for showstoppers, and this show is full of them.”

    Community Concerts does much more for the Fayetteville area than book nationally- touring recording artists. Community Concerts is the founder of the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame and finds a variety of ways to showcase local talent throughout each year. Additionally, according to the organization’s website, it sponsors free concerts for children and deserving seniors. Community Concerts also awards scholarships to local-area high school graduates who plan to study music in college.

    Tickets for the Reason to Drink Tour at the Crown Coliseum range from $29.95 to $49.75 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online at CapeFearTix.com or by phone at 888-257-6208. Additionally, tickets can be purchased at the Crown Complex Box Office and the Leisure Travel Office located on Fort Bragg. The concert is scheduled for March 9 at 7:30 p.m.

  • Meetings

    Feb. 22 – Hope Mills Board of Commissioners Special Meeting at noon at the Town Hall Board Room. The board will conduct a workshop session with Cumberland County Planning & Inspections. Lunch will be provided.

    Feb. 22 – Veterans Committee at 7 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center • Feb. 26 – Parks and Recreation Committee at 6:30 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

    Feb. 26 – Appearance Committee at 7 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

    Activities at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation: 5770 Rockfish Rd.

    Hope Mills Youth baseball and indoor soccer registration is open through Feb. 28 and ends at 4:30 p.m. daily. Baseball ages 5-14, instructional soccer ages 5-8, indoor soccer ages 7-12. Eligibility cut-off date for baseball and indoor soccer is May 1. Proof of address and birth certificate are required to register. Call 910-426-4105 for more information.

    Email us at hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 13 TeamTiger1A karate club called Team Tiger might conjure up visions of the late Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris. But owner/ operator Charles Cook Jr. has a different image in mind, one of civic responsibility and community pride.

    On a recent Saturday, some 65 members of the Team Tiger club – ranging from tiny children to those approaching their 80s – gathered at Ed Herring Park in the Eaglewood subdivision of Hope Mills to do a little civic improvement.

    Cook, who has operated Team Tiger for about four years, said his group is adopting the park with a stated goal of trying to keep it clean and possibly provide some new equipment on the grounds for the public to enjoy.

    The focus of his business at Team Tiger is to teach karate, and also to teach the young people who attend lessons in character. He wants to ensure they can make good decisions when adults aren’t around to guide them.

    But Cook wanted to take that teaching a step forward. “We adopted Camden Road a few years ago but didn’t feel it was as productive as it needed to be,’’ he said.

    While driving through Eaglewood to avoid the traffic on Hope Mills Road, Cook found Ed Herring Park. “One day it came across my mind we should do something (about it),’’ he said, “pick it up and make it more attractive. We could have a different impact instead of picking up on the side of the road.’’

    The plan, for starters, is to send a crew of volunteers from Team Tiger into the park at least once a month, hopefully reaching a point where they can visit it less frequently just to keep things maintained.

    Cook went to Hope Mills Commissioner Meg Larson with the idea. She in turn put him in contact with Mayor Jackie Warner and town manager Melissa Adams. “Two or three days later, I was sitting with the town council,’’ he said.

    Cook said the organization also wants to help purchase some new equipment for the park. “We want to arrange a fundraiser,’’ Cook said. “It will depend on the money we raise to see what piece of equipment we can obtain.’’

    If you would like further information on the fundraiser or how to help with Team Tiger’s monthly cleanup plans for the park, contact Cook at 910-366-4381. 

  • marksmenOn Feb. 10, the Fayetteville Marksmen held their first ever “Pink in the Rink” game – a breast cancer awareness game that benefited the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation. Fundraising efforts included donating portions of ticket sales and proceeds from their postgame jersey auction. The rink was literally turned pink, as fans of the Marksmen and members of the community were able to come out before the game to share messages of hope on the ice in pink paint. At the end, the Marksmen presented $2,500 to the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation.

    The Marksmen knew when they began their inaugural season that giving back to their new community would be an integral part of their plan. “Pink in the Rink” was not the first time fans could attend a local sporting event that was more than just a game.

    In November the Marksmen held a “Teddy Bear Toss,” which benefited local children’s hospitals. Fans tossed teddy bears onto the ice after the team scored their first goal. Over 700 bears were donated. The “Pooch Party” in January allowed fans to bring their dogs to the game, but it also helped dogs who were looking for homes. Multiple adoptable dogs left the game with a new family.

    The Marksmen have also reached out to the community in other ways, including their “Scout Night,” which allowed local Boy Scout troops to spend the night at the Crown after attending a game.

    While the season is coming to a close, there’s still plenty of time left to experience the excitement that comes with attending a Marksmen hockey game. There are also many other games left that share the same connection – giving back to and celebrating our community.

    Feb. 22 is “Education Day,” where local schools can bring their students to a daytime game and learn the connection hockey has to science and technology. Feb. 24 is “Faith Night,” where the Marksmen will have a diaper toss to benefit the Fayetteville Dream Center’s diaper bank, which provides diapers to low-income families. March 10 is “Military Appreciation Night,” which celebrates the local military community by giving all military and their families “best seat available” tickets for just $10.

    Keep up with the Marksmen and their schedule by visiting marksmenhockey.com, and purchase tickets through their website or by calling 910-321-0123.

  • 09 shopThe second annual Ladies Shop ’til You Drop Expo is set for Feb. 24-25 at the Crown Expo Center. It’s planned to be a day of shopping and entertainment with vendors, onstage entertainment, door prizes, food and more.

    Business owners and event organizers Donna Meixsell and Marie Rudolph are both active in the community and are interested in seeing women succeed in business and life.

    “That is why we got involved in this,” said Rudolph. “We want to give back to women. They need to be recognized for their strength. A lot of our vendors at Ladies Shop ’til You Drop Expo are women-owned businesses, including direct marketing businesses – they don’t often get to show their wares.”

    “Marie and I are very active in the community, and we are at a point where we want to give back,” said Meixsell. “Fayetteville doesn’t really have a lot of these types of events. We thought it would be a good idea. It is a fun day and a way for women to get out and have a good time with their friends.”

    With 80 or so vendors scheduled to participate, Meixsell and Rudolph promise a variety of shopping and entertainment options, including wine-tasting, home interior design, yoga, cutlery, handmade artisanal products, a tattoo booth and a photo booth. Some of the informational and resource booths include Pathway to Veterans, Carolina Heart and Leg, Miss North Carolina and St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

    The entertainment stage will feature a variety of local talent throughout the weekend as well as fashion shows and a visit from local pageant queens. The entertainment schedule is available at www.ladiesshoptilyoudrop.com.

    “A doctor from the Carolina Heart and Leg Center will speak about women’s heart health,” said Rudolph. “February is Heart Health Month, and heart disease and stroke cause one in three deaths for women. It’s important for women to educate and take care of themselves.”

    Event sponsors Baker Motorsports and Cadillac of Fayetteville will be on-site as well.

    Proceeds from the event benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital. “We want to give back to the community,” Meixsell said. “Last year, we supported literacy, but we see so many kids with cancer these days. We just want to be able to give back. We would like to give a generous donation.”

    One dollar from each ticket sold will be donated to St. Jude’s.

    St. Jude’s mission is to “advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. … No child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay.”

    The first 100 entrants will receive swag bags filled with things like jewelry, gift cards and more.

    VIP tickets are available and include VIP seating at the entertainment stage and VIP swag bags.

    The event runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 24 and noon to 6 p.m. Feb. 25. The first 100 guests will receive a swag bag filled with items donated by vendors. Tickets cost $8 and are available at Capefeartix.com, ladiesshoptilyoudrop.com or at the door during the event. Call 910-483-0970 to learn more.

  • 08 5kOn March 3, the streets around and near Festival Park in downtown Fayetteville will be transformed into a USA Track and Field certified race route for the Second Annual American Warrior 5K Walk and Run, sponsored by His Outreach Worldwide. All proceeds from the race will benefit His Bread of Life Food Bank of Fayetteville.

    According to HOW’s website, His Bread of Life is a “Christian food bank ministry, working with area churches to help feed children and families in need.” The food bank is used to support the food ministries of local churches.

    His Bread of Life also works closely with the Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity to “stock the pantries of the homes they build.” The organization uses the annual 5K to keep the food bank operating so that it can continue to benefit the Fayetteville and Cumberland County area.

    According to Lynne O’Quinn, president of HOW, people of all fitness levels are encouraged to attend the 5K. Pre-registration costs $25 and day-of registration costs $30. Military personnel will pay a $20 registration fee. Participants must also sign a waiver when they register.

    In addition to every registrant receiving an official race T-shirt, the top three finishers in a variety of age categories will receive awards as well as the top three finishers overall.

    O’Quinn emphasized that the event is familyfriendly. There will be a bouncy house for children, a DJ playing upbeat music, and Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs will be on hand serving up post-race nutrition. “We also want to encourage families with little ones to bring their strollers,” O’Quinn said.

    Additionally, in keeping with the American Warrior theme, race organizers encourage participants to wear red, white and blue to the event.

    For more information on the work of HOW or His Bread of Life Food Bank, visit www. HisOutreachWorldwide.org. For specific questions concerning registration or donations, contact O’Quinn at 910-476-7975 or Heather Hartley at 910-8743676. O’Quinn and Hartley can also be reached by email at Lynne@ HisOutreachWorldwide.org and HeatherH@ ThompsonLittle.com, respectively.

    The American Warrior 5K Walk and Run is scheduled for March 3 at Festival Park in downtown Fayetteville. Participants can pre-register online at www.RunTheEast.com/races. On the morning of the race, registration will begin at 8 a.m. The race begins promptly at 9:30 a.m.

  • Meetings

    Feb. 14 – Historic Preservation Commission at 5 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

    Feb. 19 – Mayor’s Youth Leadership Committee at 6:30 p.m., Town Hall

    Feb. 19 – Board of commissioners at 7 p.m., Town Hall • Feb. 20 – Lake Advisory Committee at 6 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

    Feb. 22 – Veterans Committee at 7 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

    Feb. 26 – Parks and Recreation Committee at 6:30 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

    Feb. 26 – Appearance Committee at 7 p.m., Parks and Recreation Center

    Activities at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation: 5770 Rockfish Rd.

    Hope Mills Youth baseball and indoor soccer registration is open through Feb. 28 and ends at 4:30 p.m. daily. Baseball ages 5-14, instructional soccer ages 5-8, indoor soccer ages 7-12. Eligibility cut-off date for baseball and indoor soccer is May 1. Proof of address and birth certificate are required to register. Call 910-426-4105 for more information.

    Promote yourself

    To have your business, organization or event included in this section, email us: hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 14NC eatingThis week my editors are letting me take a break from politics and books to write about my favorite topic, roadside eateries.

    Here are three gems along U.S. 421 between Sanford and Greensboro.

    Rufus’ Restaurant, Goldston

    1977 N. Main St.

    919-898-4841

    Open breakfast and lunch Tuesday– Saturday.

    “There is nothing as good as a Rufus Burger,” one of the southern Chatham County locals told me recently. “You can get one at Rufus’ Restaurant right up the road in Goldston.” Goldston (population 300) is a trip back in time. And chowing down on the burger at Rufus’ Restaurant is a world-class treat.

    The Rufus Burger is the creation of Rufus Owens, who operated the restaurant with his wife, Jane, for almost 30 years until he died in 2003. These days, Jane oversees the smooth operation of the restaurant from her favorite booth.

    She insists that there is a lot more good food at the restaurant besides the Rufus Burger. “And if I don’t eat it,” she said, “I don’t serve it.”

    One Saturday at lunchtime, I found a group of late breakfast eaters. A former teacher, a dental assistant and several retirees sat me down to hear their praises for the Rufus Burger and Jane. One told me, “She runs the town. When people get in trouble, they don’t dial 911, they call Jane.”

    Just before I left, Jane told me, “I know everybody thinks Claxton’s burger at Johnson’s up in Siler City is the best, but we think the Rufus Burger has it beat.”

    Bestfood Cafeteria, Siler City

    220 E. Eleventh St.

    919-742-2475

    Open for lunch and supper Monday– Saturday and lunch on Sunday.

    Bestfood is a place you want to be when you are real hungry for fresh country cooking. When I visited for supper, the tables were full and the cafeteria and salad bar lines were moving at a fast pace.

    Co-owner Mike Terry told me his salad bar is popular not just from a wide variety of greens, dressings and sides. It also includes amazingly delicious fried chicken, which makes the salad bar a complete meal.

    Still, many customers skip the salad bar to take advantage of the variety of meats and local vegetables in the cafeteria line, where there is a lot of good food for a very modest price.

    Mike met his partner, Art White, while they were cooking for events at church. During their 13-plus years at Bestfood, they have added an upscale steakhouse and a gift shop. When I asked about the secret of their success, Mike said simply, “We’ve been blessed.”

    Y’all Come Back Café, Liberty

    119 S. Fayetteville St.

    336-622-2984

    Open breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday and breakfast Saturday–Sunday.

    My neighbor and local dentist, Joel Wagoner, grew up in Liberty. He talks wistfully about the joys of being a happy child in small-town America. One of his favorite memories is the little restaurant with the special, welcoming name, “Y’all Come Back.”

    Breakfast is a gathering time with two eggs, bacon and grits for about $5. At lunch, there is always a special plate of meat, two vegetables and a drink for about $6.50.

    But the special offering at Y’all Come Back Café is a chance to experience a taste of the village life that Dr. Wagoner remembers so fondly. When I stopped by about 8:30 a.m. recently, every table was full, mostly with family groups enthusiastically chatting.

    Joshua “Scooter” Saley, whose mother once owned the restaurant, introduced me to Peggy Christenbury and her table and to former Liberty mayor Jim Parker. He persuaded me to come back for the town’s big Fourth of July weekend parade. But I am not sure I can wait that long to experience the fellowship and good food at Y’all Come Back.

     

  • 01SpeakeasycoverTwenty-one years ago, Better Health debuted a fun and elegant fundraiser called “Evening at the Theater.” Over time, it has evolved from featuring film to live theater to cabaret to casino fun. “The committee felt that ‘Evening of’ with a new theme each year would better suit the fluidity of the event to make each year new, exciting and different,” said Amy Navejas, executive director of Better Health. “This year, we went for an ‘Evening of Prohibition’ theme.” It takes place Feb. 22.

    The fun starts at 6 p.m. No speakeasy experience would be complete without cocktails and gambling, and Navejas promised this and more. “There will be plenty for everyone to do,” she said. “Our friends at Xscape Factor are bringing three fun experiences to our event. One will include a prohibition-themed tent for a mini escape room experience.” Teams can enter in groups of three to help solve the mystery and escape before time runs out. The fastest teams to escape will be eligible for prizes at the end of the evening.

    Festivities also include a DJ to provide energetic music throughout the night, and of course, plenty of refreshments and casino games.

    “The casino is sponsored by Horne Brothers Construction this year,” Navejas said. “The casino games are a lot of fun and always a huge hit. We have blackjack, roulette, craps and poker.”

    Each attendee will be given a casino chip, which they can cash out with the pit boss for smaller chips. “They can then visit our numerous playing tables to their heart’s content,” Navejas said. “At the end of the evening, the casino player who has earned the most chips will take home a premier liquor basket.”

    Additional chips will be available for sale.

    Top of the Hill Organic Spirits will provide cocktails and beer, and the Wine Café and Coffee Cup will provide wine cocktails and coffee cocktails.

    “We are really excited for some delicious cocktails and liquor tastings,” Navejas said.

    Elite Catering will provide the food. “They have such an amazing menu,” Navejas said. “It was really difficult for the committee to choose. But, there will be a variety of tasty foods, including veggies, seafood, steak, chicken and desserts.”

    In addition to the silent auction, guests can also win prizes throughout the night. There will be prizes for the top Xscape Room teams, casino winner, and a chance to win a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, cruise or one-week vacation.

    “Those who attend can purchase a ‘Harley Roll,’” Navejas said. “Just roll the dice, which have the letters to spell Harley. If you get all six, you win the Harley. Get five right and win a cruise, get four and win a one-week getaway. Last year, we had several winners.”

    While officially, Navejas tells guests the recommended dress is cocktail attire, people often choose to dress according to the theme and some choose to dress more formally. In the end, she just wants people to come and have a good time.

    “We want everyone to be comfortable and have a wonderful time for a great cause,” she said.

    Better Health was founded in 1958. Its mission is to address the unmet healthcare needs in Cumberland County through education, referral and assistance.

    On a daily basis, that means bridging gaps in healthcare services in Cumberland County. Relying heavily on donations and volunteers, Better Health offers a variety of services to the community, including prescription assistance, dental extraction, travel assistance, vision assistance through Lenscrafters, diabetes clinics and classes, exercise classes, medical supplies and medical equipment.

    Each year, Better Health serves approximately 500 people with diabetes; approximately 1,200 children in its healthy lifestyle courses; about 1,700 people who obtain emergency medication and pain relief via emergency dental care; about 500 people who obtain medical supplies; and almost 480 families who receive loaned medical equipment.

    While most weekdays the Better Health calendar includes classes and events, there are a few significant events throughout the year as well, like the Diabetes … Dodge It! Dodgeball tournament, the Red Apple Run 5K and 10K, and of course the ‘Evening of’ event.

    The organization also hosts a free annual Diabetes Symposium, a day-long event with lectures and breakout sessions designed to educate the community about the many aspects of living with diabetes. Call 910-483-7534 to learn more or to register for this year’s symposium.

    Last November as a part of Diabetes Awareness Month, Better Health also participated in Project Blue, a diabetes awareness initiative.

    These fundraisers make it possible to better serve the community.

    Navejas relayed the story of a recent client. “Just a few weeks ago, we had a client come in seeking dental assistance for an abscessed tooth. He had no insurance and had not received routine medical or dental care. We approved him right away for assistance and sent him to our generous partner dentist, Oliver Hodge. Better Health hosts the only same-day emergency dental service in the county. Dr. Hodge extracted his tooth, but also noticed something of concern. He referred the patient for follow-up medical care. Turns out, he had thyroid cancer.

    “UNC performed surgery, and the grateful client is now doing well and recovering nicely. He is so appreciative of the assistance. Without that dental care, his cancer may not have been caught in time. This event (Evening of Prohibition) helps us assist clients just like him. I can’t stress that enough. We cannot serve our clients without the support of our generous community.”

    This is Better Health’s 60th year serving Cumberland County. “That just amazes me,” Navejas said. “Each year, we serve thousands of clients in need on a tight budget, but with a very dedicated staff. Events like this (Evening of Prohibition) make all of it possible. Come celebrate Better Health’s service to the community with us and help us raise funds to continue going strong for another 60 years.”

    Visit www.betterhealthcc.org or call 910-483-7534 for tickets and information.

  • 13QuizBowlThe 15th Annual Black History 4ever Quiz Bowl is Saturday, Feb. 24, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m at the Ramada Plaza. The event has grown steadily, receiving local accolades, recognition from the North Carolina governor in 2008, and coverage on the Rachel Maddow Show in 2012.

    “This is the 15th annual Black History 4ever Quiz Bowl, and it is for ages 10-18,” said Joe Mc- Gee, director of BlackHistory4ever.com. “Each individual stands alone; there is no group. This year we are moving to the Ramada Plaza because we have opened it up so students in North Carolina and South Carolina can participate in the quiz bowl.”

    There will be a Health and Business Fair and an African-American Veteran Recognition Ceremony.

    “There are health issues that relate to the black community such as prostate cancer and diabetes, so there will be experts there to address those issues,” said McGee. “We will also have people there representing teen suicide and bullying (prevention).” McGee added that there will be representation for anything that gives an opportunity for someone to be enlightened on health issues for children to seniors.

    The African-American Veteran Recognition Ceremony originated years ago when different veteran groups would come out to support the quiz bowl.

    “What we discovered from their conversation is that we have Veterans Day every year, but the recognition for African-American veterans is very small,” said McGee. “So, at the end of the quiz bowl, we will recognize African-American veterans exclusively in the month of February.”

    There are three age groups in the quiz bowl: 10-12, 13-15 and 16-18-year-olds. There is a top prize of $1,000 cash for each winner per category. Every student who participates will receive a prize.

    “What is unique about this year is that Feb. 1, we started the Black History 4ever challenge,” said McGee. “This is a 25-question (online) challenge that you are given 3 minutes to take, and the goal is to get all 25 questions correct within 3 minutes.” McGee added that if you don’t get all the answers correct, you can try the challenge again.

    “We are asking everyone, including educators and principals, to take the challenge and see how well you rank and test your knowledge,” said McGee. “Post it on your Facebook page and other media sites, and challenge someone to take the challenge too.”

    Visit www.blackhistory4ever.com to take the challenge. The questions cover black history, politics, business, economics, civics and general information.

    The Black History 4ever Quiz Bowl on Feb. 24 is free and open to the public. The Ramada Plaza is formerly known as the Holiday Inn Bordeaux and is located at 1707-A Owen Dr.

    For more information, call 910-978-2829. To register for the event, visit www.blackhistory4ever.com.

  • 12TraxxasThe Crown Complex will host the Traxxas Monster Truck Tour Feb. 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. The event will feature monster trucks competing in races, wheelie contests and freestyle stunts. The show promises to be adrenaline-filled and action-packed.

    The event will feature the monster truck crowd favorites Skully, Craniac, X-Maxx, Bad to the Bone and The Champ. Also, in attendance will be Transaurus, a three-story tall, firebreathing mechanical dragon.

    A pit party and autograph session with the drivers will be held for fans before the show. During the pit party, and the show’s intermission, audience members have the chance to ride in a monster truck.

    The Anatomy of a Monster Truck, a behind-the-scenes tour, will be held at 5 p.m. before the show. During the tour, a driver will explain the mechanics of their monster truck, answer audience questions and be available for autographs and pictures.

    Advance discount tickets are available online at Capefeartix.com, by phone at 1-888- 257-6208, or the Crown Complex Box Office. Advance adult tickets starting at $15. Friday, tickets for children 2-11 start at $5. Groups rates are available. Tickets are subject to a service charge. Fees may be applied - Children under 3 are free. Ticket prices go up the day of the show.

    For more information, visit http:// www.crowncomplexnc.com/events/ detail/traxxas-monster-truck

  • 11Go Red for WomenWomen often speak in terms of their heart – having a full heart, a broken heart, big-hearted friends, or so-and-so is a sweetheart. People and things that matter most to us are close to our heart, and there’s the Southern classic, “Bless your heart.” Heart disease is the number one killer of women. More women die from heart disease than all forms of cancer combined. While the entire month of February is dedicated to heart health, the Sandhills American Heart Association is bringing the topic to the community in a powerful and practical way at the Sandhills Go Red for Women Luncheon. The event is set for Friday, Feb. 23, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m., at the Metropolitan Room in downtown Fayetteville.

    “The purpose of the luncheon is to raise awareness and take a moment for the women and family members of women in the room to educate themselves and empower them with knowledge of the signs, symptoms and risk factors of heart disease and stroke,” said Liz Mileshko, director of development for the American Heart Association. “In women, a heart attack may present itself as jaw pain, nausea, headache, lower back pain, dizziness – or you may not have any signs at all.”

    Mileshko added it is important to know your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and whether heart disease runs in the family.

    While heart disease is scary, there are preventive measures women can take. “We encourage women to visit their cardiologist and get a physical once a year to make sure there are no blockages or signs pointing toward a higher risk for heart disease,” said Mileshko. “We encourage 30 minutes of cardio a day, eating healthy and in moderation, having several elements of color on your plate and learning how to season and cook your food properly so you are not using a whole lot of sodium.”

    The goal of the event is to raise $40,000. Every dollar the American Heart Association raises goes toward funding research. The event will feature speakers, a silent auction, a survivor fashion show, a heart-healthy lunch and entertainment.

    “During the luncheon portion, we will have a medical expert speaker, Dr. Tabitha Bedini. She will speak about the cold, hard facts of heart disease and stroke and your risk factors,” said Mileshko. “Then our keynote speaker, Kelsy Timas, will speak about overall emotional heart health and how financial, emotional and relationship stress can affect our heart health.”

    Mileshko added there will be a survivor speaker in her early 30s with heart disease who will share her powerful story.

    “We would like to thank our sponsors, First Health of the Carolinas and Carolina Heart & Life Center,” said Mileshko. “We look forward to seeing everyone at this informative event.”

    Tickets cost $60 and are available at GoRedSandhillsNC.heart.org. For more information about table sponsorship opportunities, contact Mileshko at 678-907-9841 or Liz.Mileshko@heart.org.

  • 10HBCUAs an elementary school principal, I stress to my students every day during the morning announcements the importance of attending college and my expectation that they at least obtain a bachelor’s degree. It is imperative they have the mindset that education is the key to their success and that they understand the importance of becoming lifelong learners. John Wesley United Methodist Men and the Fayetteville Cumberland Parks and Recreation Department present the 2nd annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities College Fair Saturday, March 3, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. at Smith Recreation Center.

    “We are having an HBCU college fair where we are having over 60 HBCU college representatives come to our city from all across the country,” said Mark Yarboro, team lead of the HBCU College Fair. “The idea is to have our college representatives come and talk to our kids about the opportunities of attending an HBCU.”

    Yarboro added the unique thing about the college fair is that service organizations will attend, and they will share scholarship opportunities information with students and their parents. Students do not have to attend an HBCU in order to apply for the scholarships.

    “We have service organizations such as the Divine 9, fraternities, sororities and PWC that will be present at the fair,” said Yarboro. “Each fraternity and sorority has a scholarship, and most of the scholarships are very similar... the young person has to complete an application (and) provide references, an essay and their grade point average.”

    Several seminars will be presented at the college fair. “One gentleman will discuss what’s next and what to look for once you go off to college and the types of things to be aware of,” said Yarboro. “There will be a seminar on financial aid referencing the different programs, available forms and when to begin the application process.” Yarboro added the NAACP will be there to discuss the importance of voting.

    Entertainment will be provided during the lunch hour. “Rocky Barnett from E. E. Smith will have her creative dance group perform,” said Yarboro. “Lunch will be provided for the young people that register.”

    “We are hopeful that we can inform and inspire our young people to apply for the scholarship money,” said Yarboro. “Our ultimate goal is to reach as many youth as we can to let them know that there are wonderful opportunities in attending an HBCU.”

    Email Yarboro.mark@yahoo.com for more information.

  • Hope Mills Youth baseball and indoor soccer registration is open through Feb. 28 and ends at 4:30 p.m. daily. Baseball ages 5-14, instructional soccer ages 5-8, indoor soccer ages 7-12. Eligibility cut-off date for baseball and indoor soccer is May 1. Proof of address and birth certificate are required to register. Call 910-426-4105 for more information.

    Open gym is closed until further notice. • Game room is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

    Skate park hours through March 31: Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m.

    Oldies music every first and third Friday, 6 p.m., free.

    Senior Programs

    Senior programs 55 plus: Various activities for seniors are available Monday through Friday at the recreation center. For specific times and events, go to townofhopemills.com and follow the links to Hope Mills Parks and Recreation. • Brunch and Bingo originally scheduled this month has been postponed due to a space conflict and will hopefully be moved to March.

    A Wellness Workshop focusing on meditation will be held Feb. 21 at 1:15 p.m.

    A Senior Fun Day will be held Feb. 26 from 12-2 p.m. in the gym at Hope Mills Recreation center to promote opportunities for those 50 and older to compete in the Mid-Carolina Senior Games in April. There will be interactive experiences, performances, displays and refreshments.

    Sign-ups for the February Jewelry and Acrylics Workshops, along with the St. Patty’s Bash, are underway at the Recreation Center reception desk.

    Social Knitting and Crocheting Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon, in the small activity room. Those planning to attend must provide their own supplies and projects.

    Promote yourself

    To have your business, organization or event included in this section, email us: hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 15GetTwistedWhen a friend took Amy Williams to her first hot yoga class a couple of years ago, it didn’t take her long to get hooked on the activity.

    She liked it so much that she now runs her own business, Get Twisted Yoga on Trade Street in downtown Hope Mills.

    A native of Massachusetts, Williams is a U.S. Army veteran who served for five years before leaving the military two years ago.

    Hot yoga isn’t just a trendy name for the service Williams provides at Get Twisted Yoga. It’s the actual condition of the room where workouts are held.

    “The room temperature is about 94 to 100 degrees,’’ she said. The reason for the heat is to help detox the skin during the workout process, Williams said.

    The heat also has other benefits. “It’s meant to help people with joint issues and arthritis, things like that,’’ Williams said.

    Because of the heat involved, there are some advisories for participants.

    The minimum age for those taking part is 16, and that still requires parental consent. They must work out while a parent or legal guardian is present.

    As for the elderly, Williams said they are welcome to participate in hot yoga but should check with their family physician first to make sure they can tolerate the combination of physical activity and heat.

    Get Twisted Yoga is open seven days a week, except for major holidays. There are morning classes as early as 9 a.m., but Williams said the most popular classes are in the evening, starting around 6 or 7 p.m.

    Drop-in rates are $12, but various session packages are available. To view them, create an account and reserve a workout time, visit the website at gettwisted.vpweb.com. Both group and private sessions are available.

    Discounts are available to the military, first responders and educators.

    Williams said hot yoga can help people deal with a variety of mental and physical issues. It can be helpful for those trying to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder or other emotional problems.

    She added that she’s recovering from a recent surgical procedure and yoga has helped her with that.

    For some, Williams said, yoga can provide an alternative to verbal counseling. “Sometimes they come to yoga to find their center, their peace.’’

    For those into physical fitness, it’s an alternative to traditional gym workouts. “It definitely helps with core strengthening,’’ she said. “When you go work out at the gym, it focuses on major muscles. Yoga focuses on a lot of the muscles we tend to neglect, which is a lot of the reason for most people having so many injuries these days.’’

    If hot yoga is not your cup of tea, you can also try other kinds of classes at Get Twisted Yoga. “We offer multiple types of classes – restorative, Zen and so on,” Williams said. She added she wants to look into starting a Friday evening family yoga session and perhaps a daytime Sunday session.

    On Feb. 23-25 Get Twisted Yoga will host a Healing Heroes Charity Event for Warrior Pointe, a program for service members and veterans trying to transition to civilian life. Warrior Pointe provides special events and therapy for those who may be suffering from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or other issues. Classes will be held at various hours with $12 drop-in fees for any class. Donations will also be accepted. All proceeds from the event go to Warrior Pointe. For the complete schedule of classes, email gettwistedyoga@yahoo.com, or call Williams at 910-209-3599.
     
    Visit gettwisted.vpweb.com to learn more about the studio.
  • 10WellJanuary’s Fourth Friday in downtown Fayetteville played host to the opening reception of the Black History Month exhibit from the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum, entitled “It Is Well With My Soul.” The exhibit features the art and history of African-American cemeteries in Cumberland County and is set to run Jan. 26 – Feb. 24 at the Arts Council Gallery on Hay Street.

    The exhibit’s opening and reception were well attended. The Arts Council Gallery saw steady attendance throughout the evening as patrons were able to peruse the exhibit’s six sections: “A Place of Remembrance,” “Historic African American Cemeteries and Churchyards,” “Gone but Not Forgotten,” “Symbolism” and “They Left a Mark.” According to the director of the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum, Bruce Daws, the reaction to the gallery has been favorable, and museum staff have received many positive remarks from attendees.

    Each of the six sections is composed of photographs by Albert J. Fadel as well as narrative panels providing an overview and historical context for the images. The exhibit features photographs of handcrafted grave markers created locally and without the influence of commercial norms – a practice that resulted in a unique artistic expression. Additionally, due to the heavy influence religion played in the African-American community, there is an exploration of biblical messages and symbols that adorned local grave markers.

    “It Is Well With My Soul” emphasizes Fayetteville and Cumberland County’s place in African-American history and seeks to tell the stories of the area’s many important African-American citizens. The exhibit features the history of the second-oldest chartered church in Fayetteville, which was founded by an African-American minister. The exhibit also tells the stories of 19th-century doctors, policemen, firemen and riverboat captains. Additionally, a significant portion of the gallery’s wall-space is dedicated to the military service of those people whose gravesites are features, including several Fayetteville-area African- Americans who fought in the American Revolution.

    Visitors to the gallery will also find an installation of art from the Fayetteville-Cumberland Youth Council. According to Daws, “The Youth Council assisted in many areas of the exhibit work and were extremely helpful and professional. With the artwork, they had a free hand working under their supervisor Crystal Glover with Parks and Recreation.”

    “It Is Well With My Soul” has been in the works for quite some time, according to museum staff. The decision to host the exhibit at the Arts Council was an easy one as it covers the history of the area through the specific art of gravestone design and engraving. According to Daws, “the next special exhibit in the works for the Transportation and Local History Museum is a commemorative look at the 100th Anniversary of Fort Bragg and what the military installation has meant to the city of Fayetteville and the surrounding areas.

    “It Is Well With My Soul” will run in the Arts Council Gallery at 301 Hay St. until Feb. 24. The gallery’s hours are Monday–Thursday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m.–12 p.m., and Saturday from 12–4 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Arts Council’s website at www.theartscouncil.com or call the gallery at 910-323-1776.

  • 05Govt Is it the job of government to make you happy? While it may seem like a straightforward question, there are some important subtleties packed into those few words.

    On the face of it, “no” feels like the obvious answer. Our country’s Declaration of Independence states that governments are instituted to secure our rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The first section of our own state constitution uses the same language, while adding that North Carolinians are also entitled to protection of their right “to enjoyment of the fruits of their own labor.”

    Under our form of government, you are not entitled to be happy. Nor are you entitled to enjoy the rights of someone else’s labor. You are free to yearn, to strive, to pursue. You may reach your goals and feel happy about that. Or, you may not fully reach your goals yet derive satisfaction from the attempt and from what you gain along the way.

    Governments are obligated, then, only to protect your right to pursue happiness. Simply being unhappy is not a justification for governments using coercion to transfer the fruits of other people’s labors to you.

    On the other hand, the tasks governments are constitutionally authorized to do for us — ensure public safety, administer courts and finance public goods that cannot otherwise be delivered by voluntary means — are obviously related to our happiness. We pay taxes, comply with the law and otherwise give up some of our personal liberty in order to receive valuable public services. If we don’t get them, or their value is far less than the cost, that understandably makes us unhappy. As government failures increase, that unhappiness turns to anger.

    Whether in Washington or in Raleigh, policymakers typically judge public policies according to objective criteria such as the pace of economic growth, changes in personal incomes, levels of educational attainment or health outcomes. Increasingly, however, some analysts are using measures of public happiness or satisfaction to evaluate what government does (or fails to do).

    The technical name for what they are measuring is “subjective wellbeing.” People differ in their preferences, circumstances and definitions of a life well lived. The best way to gauge how happy or satisfied they feel is to ask them, not to make guesses based on facts external to their personal experience.

    When it comes to the optimal size and scope of government, progressives and conservatives clearly disagree. In the North Carolina context, for example, progressives think our state expenditures and taxes are too low to finance necessary public services. Conservatives think North Carolina is closer to getting it right and that making state government bigger than it is now would cost more than the additional services would be worth.

    I’m a conservative, and I often cite studies about economic growth to support my case. But is that really the goal? One might argue that instead of measuring North Carolina’s gross domestic product, we ought to be measuring North Carolina’s gross domestic happiness.

    A few researchers have done that kind of analysis. For example, a study by Baylor University political scientist Patrick Flavin, just published in the journal Social Science Research, compared levels of state spending to levels of subjective wellbeing. He found no relationship between overall state spending and residents’ self-reported happiness. He found the same thing for major categories of state spending such as education and public assistance.

    However, Flavin did find the states that spent more on true public goods — including highways, public safety, libraries and parks — tended to have higher levels of subjective wellbeing. With true public goods, it is either impossible or prohibitively costly to exclude nonpayers from benefiting from them, and consumption by one person doesn’t significantly reduce the ability of another to consume it.

    Taken together with other studies showing a link between economic freedom and subjective wellbeing, I read this evidence as generally consistent with a fiscally conservative approach to public policy. Perhaps you disagree. I’m happy to talk more about it.

  • 04Diana People of Earth, how are you? Yoko Ono once posed that question, but no one answered. Let’s take a shot at the same issue. Earthlings seem to be in the midst of a passel of super moons. Every time you turn around, there is a new super moon. We used to have regular moons. With social media, every time the lights go out, we seem to get a super moon.

    In January we had the Super Wolf Blood Moon. In mid-February we had the Super Snow Moon. On March 21, we will get to enjoy the Rosie O’Donnell Super Moon to celebrate Rosie’s 57th birthday. All this reminds me of Andy Williams singing “Moon River.” If one thinks of Andy Williams, who can forget his one-time girlfriend Claudine Longet? In 1976, Claudine shot her thenboyfriend Olympic skier Spider Sabich. However, I digress.

    All the super moons put me in mind of the mythological Diana, who was the goddess of the moon and the hunt. Let us pose the musical question: If Diana were around today, what would she think of the multitude of super moons? To answer this question, it is helpful to get forensic background information about Diana. Let us proceed.

    Diana was the daughter of Jupiter and his baby mama, Latona. Jupiter was the King of the Gods. Diana’s brother, Apollo, got a concert hall named for him. Diana came from the upper 1 percent of the gods. She had a very low tax rate, in keeping with her high station. Diana was the Ivanka Trump of goddesses.

    One thing about Diana — she did not like surprises. Ponder what happened to Actaeon, who was out hunting with his buddies one day on the first day of deer season.

    It was noon on a sweltering day. Actaeon and pals had been out hunting with dogs all morning and were pretty tuckered out from their adventures. Acty (as his friends called him) told his buddies to sit in the shade and have some brewskis to recover for more hunting that afternoon.

    The boys did not have to be asked twice. Pretty soon, everyone was getting sloshed. Acty was counting carbs, so he passed on drinking. He wandered off into the woods to take a look-see, leaving his buds behind with the Carling Black Labels. Unknown to Acty, he was in the same forest in which Diana had a cave where she would hang with her posse, the nymphs. Diana was in the process of skinny-dipping in the cool pond outside the cave when Acty blundered into the sacred circle. The nymphs shrieked, “Man in the hall!”

    They tried to shield Diana’s nekkid body from the prying eyes of Acty by standing in front of Diana. However, nymphs are short, and Diana is tall. The height disparity allowed Acty to get a full gander at Diana in her birthday suit.

    Diana was not amused by Acty’s ogling. She tried to reach for her bow and arrow to skewer him, but it was out of reach. Instead, she scooped up a handful of pond water and threw it in Acty’s face. She yelled if you can, that you have seen Diana naked!”

    This wasn’t ordinary pond water. It was the Perrier of magic pond water.

    When the water hit Acty, he started to grow antlers. His neck got longer. His hands and feet turned into hooves, and his skin became covered with brown fur. As Gomer would say, “Surprise, surprise!” Acty turned into a deer.

    He freaked out and started running through the forest trying to cipher what to do next. He ended up by a lake to take a drink. He looked at his reflection and realized he had morphed into a deer. He tried to speak but encountered word retrieval problems, discovering he couldn’t talk. All he could make were deer noises. Things quickly got worse.

    Who let the dogs out? About this time, his dogs caught wind of Acty and started chasing him. Acty took off running over hills and dales, not appreciating the irony that he had just been doing the same thing to Bambi’s mother a few hours earlier.

    Acty’s alpha dog was Melampus. Melampus was the first canine to catch Acty and put the chomp on him. The other dogs caught up and pulled Acty down to a gruesome but chewy death. Acty’s buddies kept whooping and hollering for Acty to come watch the fun, not realizing that Acty was being turned into dog chow by his very own dogs Oh, the humanity.

    Meanwhile, back at the pond, Diana was icily satisfied with Acty’s painful demise. You did not mess with Diana.

    As Tony Soprano once said, “Revenge is a dish best served with cold cuts.” If Diana had been a character in the movie “Porky’s,” none of the teenage boys who spied on the girls’ shower room would have made it home for supper. They would have all been turned into venison stew in the school lunch room.

    So, what have we learned today? Respect women’s space. In the #MeToo era, there are a lot of Dianas out there who won’t put up with men’s mess. Ending up as deer sausage is not a happy outcome. Ask Harvey Weinstein, Les Moonves, R. Kelly, Steve Wynn or Charlie Rose.

  • 03Love Valentine’s Day 2019 has come and gone, leaving in its wake warm and fuzzy memories and wilting red roses.

    But not for everyone.

    Older Americans, it seems, are increasingly striking out on their own by choice and by choices made by Mother Nature. According to data released by the Senior List, divorce is rising among Baby Boomers — people born to parents in the post-World War II years 1946-1964. For Boomers, now aged 55-73, the divorce rate has tripled. For those 50 to 65, it has merely doubled over the last few decades.

    This is a contributing factor to television and online ads for dating apps targeted to seniors — ads featuring good-looking seniors smiling and chatting as they maneuver online dating and meet other attractive seniors to ride bikes or have cocktails.

    The reality, however, is more complicated and less attractive. Most people between 55 and 64 are already married, and the pool of those who are not shrinks daily, as obituaries attest. Throw in various health and financial issues, and senior dating slides down the priority list.

    Some states have hotter dating scenes than others, though, and the Senior List has ranked them. The top five states— Maryland, Hawaii, Connecticut, Alaska and Virginia — have relatively low but growing rates of single seniors, in the 12-13 percent range, and That means the dating pools are expanding and that senior singles have disposable incomes to enhance their social lives.

    At the other end of the spectrum, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, West Virginia and Mississippi come in last for senior dating. Their pools of single seniors are declining, though not by much, and none of them have average senior incomes above $50,000. In other words, these states have fewer eligible senior singles.

    Where is North Carolina in all this senior dating data?

    The Senior List puts the Tar Heel state at No. 43 with about 12 percent of our population in this demographic, which is barely growing and whose average income barely hits $50,000.

    It turns out that the most successful place for single seniors to find love is not a state at all. Both women and men 55 and up have the best chance of finding love in Washington, D.C.

    Could Congress possibly take credit for this?

    For more information, visit www.theseniorlist.com.

    The situation may not be so great for Americans on the younger end, either.

    In its December 2018 cover story, “The Sex Recession,” The Atlantic reported that for all sorts of reasons, young adults are having less sex. Factors include helicopter parents, living at home into their 30s, fixations on social media, dramatically rising levels of professional and educational achievement of women, and some not generally covered in Up & Coming Weekly. The bottom line is, today’s young folks are starting later, dating less and entering fewer romantic relationships than their parents did.

    It is tempting to dismiss these changes as personal situations, but they have significant implications for all of us. America’s declining birthrate is already an issue for colleges and universities, whose pool of traditional applicants is diminishing annually. Will we become a nation of old folks, like Japan and Italy?

    Researchers tell us, and we know instinctively, that meaningful relationships of all kinds and at all ages make us happier and help us live longer. Chronic loneliness leads to depression and has been equated to the health risk of smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.

    All of us, no matter our ages and marital status, should make a daily point of putting down our phones, peeling ourselves away from our computers and reaching out to other people. We may help someone else. We may make new friends. We may find a new and more interesting job. 

    We may even find the loves of our lives.

  • 02board room Leadership comes in many forms. Friday, March 8, we will celebrate The Fayetteville Observer’s 40 Under 40 winners who have achieved benchmarks of success in their personal and business lives through dedication, hard work and perseverance. This is absolutely something worth celebrating.

    And, to their credit, the folks at The Fayetteville Observer have done an extremely good job in making sure this annual recognition remains balanced, politically correct and representative of our diverse population by covering all business and socio-economic aspects of our community. The honorees include those who work in business, all levels of education, the military, the medical field, nonprofit organizations, government and entrepreneurial endeavors.

    These extraordinary young people have made their mark locally and, in many ways, contribute to the personality and fabric of our community.

    This being the case, it does not bode well for the future of our community that all these high achievers — except Tisha Waddell, District 2 city councilwoman — seem to avoid public service as elected officials. Out of 40 young notables, one would think there would be at least a few who are politically active.

    This begs the question: Are we doing enough to engage these ambitious young professionals? Are we encouraging them to get involvedpolitically?

    I’m not sure we are. Organizations like the Greater Fayetteville Chamber have traditionally mentored and groomed young talent for business, industry and public service. Now, not so much.

    Chambers of Commerce need to be fierce advocates for local business. By doing so, they should engage the people and processes that develop talented and effective leaders.

    Millennials are the future of our community. We need to make it our highest priority to get them involved and engaged. More importantly, we need to do our part in creating a community where they want to be involved and engaged.

    Forty Under 40 has gotten them to the starting gate. Now, we need to get them to the finish line.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 15time  I don’t think my baby is a baby anymore.

    He just had his first birthday. He’s walking, playing, bouncing, taking more risks, eating, holding his cup, pushing our dining room chairs around, waving bye-bye and growling like our dog, all on his own. It seems like just yesterday he was relying on my husband and me for everything, but time just keeps flying by, and he’s becoming more and more independent.

    But that’s exactly what’s supposed to be happening, right? Time is supposed to pass. People, no matter how young or old, are supposed to grow. Hopefully, we never stop growing, learning or developing.

    Kids are a great reminder of that. They grow so fast, exponentially even, in what seems like such a short amount of time. We’re left reeling from the speed of the swirling hands of life’s timepiece, wondering where the time has gone. I’m only a year into parenthood and I already feel like it keeps slipping away faster than I can document what it brings.

    This realization of how little time we have here on earth, and how none of it is actually guaranteed, has been weighing on me. How am I using my time? What am I teaching my son? What am I doing to love my husband and my family better? What useless things have I allowed to take up precious time I could be spending with people I love? What people in my life have I neglected because I’m on my phone? Am I teaching my son by example that health is important? Am I showing him that people are to be valued and respected?

    Recently, I received a thought-provoking text that read, “Do you want your children to be like you when they reach the age you are?”

    The reality is, there’s a good chance they will be. I’ll be honest with you — there are some things I hope he catches onto in my life, but there’s quite a few more I hope he doesn’t. The whole “Do as I say, not as I do” thing rarely works, and if it does, it is usually not without resentment, bitterness and rebellion. That mentality is just a fancy form of hypocrisy.

    Jesus talked about this. In John 13, we find the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. Feet were dirty back then— people wore sandals and walked everywhere, and water was a precious commodity. Servants were usually the ones doing the washing, so this was a pretty astonishing act on Jesus’ part. Peter, one of his disciples, even refused at first to let Jesus wash his feet.

    But Jesus said, “Do you understand what I have done for you?... You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:12-17).

    So, I want to be the person I hope my son becomes. It has to begin today. I must lead by example. I must love by example. I must fill my life things that matter so that my son will one day be able to lead this kind of life — a life of servant leadership, regarding others as more important than ourselves.

    Today is gift and it will be over soon. How will you spend your today?

  • 13Oleg Deripaska  Would you like to know why U.S. sanctions against companies owned by Russian billionaire and businessman Oleg Deripaska are being lifted?

    You are the reason.

    Me, too.

    And so is everybody else who lives and votes in North Carolina.

    Last April, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions against Deripaska and three of his companies for interfering in U.S. elections and for “money laundering, extortion and ordering the murder of a businessman.”

    Deripaska is a friend and ally of Vladimir Putin and is connected to former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Shortly after Trump’s nomination, Manafort offered to give Deripaska private election briefings.

    Last month, the Treasury decided to remove sanctions on the three Deripaska companies, explaining that corporate arrangements would restrict Deripaska’s control. Congress can reverse the removal of sanctions.

    The House, with 136 Republican members joining the Democrats, voted to reverse the Treasury’s action. But in the Senate, the reversal got only 57 votes of 60 needed.

    According to Benjamin Parker, writing for The Bulwark, several Republican senators voted to reverse because they did not believe these corporate arrangements would prevent Deripaska from influencing his companies’ actions. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said, “He still would maintain significant control given his ties to Putin.”

    Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.: “I think he’s a bad a guy and he’s still in working control.”

    Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.: “I still think he retains operational control.”

    The New York Times journalist Kenneth P. Vogel wrote that the corporate arrangements to limit Deripaska’s control of the companies “may have been less punitive than advertised. The deal contains provisions that free him from hundreds of millions of dollars in debt while leaving him and his allies with majority ownership of his most important company.”

    Coincidentally, while Deripaska was in the news, I was reading another version of how business works in Russia as set forth in Bill Browder’s 2015 book “Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice.”

    Browder tells how he made billions of dollars buying undervalued Russian stocks and properties after Communism ended in that country. Then he tells how Putin and his oligarch allies plotted to take it all away from him and his investors.

    Browder fought back.

    In doing so, he gained the ire of Putin and became, according to Browder’s book, Putin’s No. 1 enemy. Russia declared Browder and his lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, to be criminals. Browder fled Russia. Magnitsky stayed and was jailed, tortured and ultimately beaten to death by Russian prison officers. Browder documents the horrors of Russian business and government practices, including corruption, torture and murder. Those facts played a role in Congress’ 2012 decision to impose sanctions on Russian individuals in a law designated as the Magnitsky Act.

    Putin retaliated by terminating the program that allowed Americans to adopt Russian orphaned children.

    Relief from the Magnitsky sanctions was one of the objectives of the Russians in the now-famous Trump Tower meeting between Paul Manafort and Donald Trump Jr. in July 2016.

    Perhaps the conduct of Deripaska was not as bad as those who tortured and killed Magnitsky. But backing away from the sanctioning of his companies sends a wrong signal about the determination of Americans to take strong action when corrupt Russian businesses cheat, steal and murder.

    So, why are you, I and other North Carolinians responsible for the lifting of Deripaska sanctions?

    The proponents of the sanctions needed only three more votes to win. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders did not vote but would have voted for the sanctions. The two other necessary votes were those of our Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis. If you and I had let them know how strong we were for maintaining the Deripaska sanctions, I think it would have made a difference.

    But we just did not get around to making a call to them.

    Photo: Oleg Deripaska

  • 06Trump  Recently, the world watched as President Donald Trump delivered his second State of the Union address. In his speech, the president highlighted important accomplishments of his first two years in office and showed a desire to work together to address the difficult issues our nation continues to face. As we enter into a divided Congress, I thought Trump struck the appropriate tone when he said, “Together we can break decades of political stalemate. We can bridge old divisions, heal old wounds, build new coalitions, forge new solutions and unlock the extraordinary promise of America’s future.”

    While there are some who continue to sow divisiveness in our country, the president asked us all to “choose greatness” and called on Congress to work together for the common good of our country and our constituents. From my first day in Congress, I’ve worked hard to find bipartisan solutions, and I remain committed to working with anyone — Republican, Democrat or Independent — to provide for the brave men and women at Fort Bragg, improve care for our veterans and lower the cost of health care and improve access for all Americans.

    One reason I’m hopeful of the work we can do is because we’ve already accomplished quite a bit over the last two years. We’ve rebuilt our military from years of devastating cuts, combated the opioid epidemic to help our friends and neighbors, cut taxes for working families, reformed the Department of Veterans Affairs to give our veterans better care and more choices, and ignited the economy so more jobs are coming back to America instead of going overseas.

    In January, we were greeted with a nationwide unemployment rate of 4 percent after adding 5.3 million jobs since the 2016 election. This is the 11th consecutive month with an unemployment rate at or below 4 percent. As more people head back to work, we have seen historic lows of unemployment across almost all demographics, including among African-Americans, whose unemployment rate is the lowest since 1972.

    And, come April 15, the increased Child Tax Credit will allow parents to get an extra $1,000 on their tax returns — double the credit from 2017. If that’s not real progress, I don’t know what is.

    As a voice for veterans and a representative of Fort Bragg, I was also glad to see Trump highlight the importance of a strong national defense and re-up his commitment to our troops and their families both during and after their service.

    Finally, the president laid out a strong stance on immigration, calling for Democrats and Republicans to come to the table in a bipartisan manner during his State of the Union. I think it’s just plain common sense that we must do everything we can to stop human trafficking, the flow of drugs and illegal immigration across our border. This is an issue that Republicans and Democrats have put off for 30 years — the time to act is now.

    The American people are counting on us to deliver on our promises on these issues and much more. Together as a nation we can — and must — choose greatness. And while there are a lot of issues that divide our country, I will always believe that we can come together for the good of the nation.

  • 05hood  I was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. But I grew up in rural Mecklenburg County. There used to be such a place — and, indeed, quite a few such places still exist in our increasingly urbanized state.

    My family lived on 40 acres, mostly forest with a freight-rail track running through it. When the train came by, the engineer waved. We waved back, even after we had piled rocks and coins on the track to see what would happen. We planted beans and shucked corn and picked blackberries. We fished the pond on the other side of the cow pasture. For part of my childhood, we had a box on a rural route, not a street address.

    I now live in suburban Wake County— sort of. My neighborhood is bordered on all sides by farms and stables. It’s not unheard of for me to look out my window and see folks riding by on their horses. Our German shepherd snarls and barks at the riders, as if to shout, “How dare you? Don’t you know you’re in the suburbs?”

    North Carolinians have been talking for years about the rural-urban divide, and we ought to be. But we don’t really live in rigidly separated “rural” places and “urban” places. And the largest share of North Carolinians live in places they and others would call suburban.

    I spend much of my time doing political analysis, where oversimplification is commonplace. When politicians and reporters say “urban areas vote Democratic” and “rural areas vote Republican” and “the real battleground is the suburbs,” they are saying things that are true, in a sense, while not saying all that is true about those things.

    For example, in 2016 Donald Trump won North Carolina with about 2.4 million votes. Hillary Clinton got about 2.2 million votes. She won almost all counties classified as “urban” while Trump won most counties classified as “rural.” But what does it mean to “win” a county? Based on how exit-poll respondents described their own neighborhoods, as opposed to how others describe their counties, about 620,000 urban North Carolinians voted for Trump. Nearly half a million rural North Carolinians voted for Clinton.

    And, by the way, Trump won a somewhat larger share of the suburban vote than he won of the rural vote. Did you know that? Pesky details — they’re always spoiling things.

    The Institute for Emerging Issues, based at North Carolina State University, is all about “spoiling things,” to the extent those things are preconceived notions and faulty definitions that divert or obstruct us from addressing our state’s biggest challenges.

    The institute has developed a project called ReConnect NC, anchored by a series of six Emerging Issues Forums on the overall topic of strengthening the ties that bind us all together. The second such event, held Feb. 11 in Raleigh, focused on bridging rural, urban and suburban North Carolina. How are they different? What do they have in common?

    Indeed, a major theme of the day was that these labels can both inform and misinform. As my personal story illustrates, but other speakers explained with reams of data, our lived experiences often differ in ways that don’t align well with county lines or other jurisdictional boundaries. For example, many North Carolinians commute daily from rural or suburban to urban, from one city to another, from one suburb to another or some other way. Traffic in freight, information and ideas also tie seemingly disparate people and places together in powerful, and sometimes even improbable, networks.

    The institute’s Raleigh forum made the usual news, with legislative leaders talking about emerging needs in rural broadband and school construction while Gov. Roy Cooper pitched an expanded Teaching Fellows program and other educational initiatives. But what was transformational, I think, was the overarching theme of rejecting rigid categories and simple explanations of complex problems.

    What comes next? The next forum is Oct. 15 in Charlotte. I’ll be sure to stop at the Hood homestead on my way to put a penny on the railroad track.

  • 04Thought There is a dangerous, but tremendously effective, political approach being employed in America. It could be called “thought deprivation.” It’s conditioning people so they do not think with depth regarding the issues that face us as a nation. Sadly, allowing this thought deprivation approach to become routine and embedded in the political process has brought us to a point of real danger in the governing, and very survival, of this nation. Many actions that should reasonably be taken are not taken. Other actions are taken that adversely impact the wellbeing of Americans. Gridlock is a frequent consequence of this political approach; nothing is done regarding important matters affecting the people of our country.

    The examples of how politicians and political practitioners use thought deprivation to win elections and wield power seem endless. A prime example shows in the substantial support that Democrats are generating for Medicare for all. In a future column, I will explain my contention that the support being voiced by citizens is, in great part, the result of expertly executed thought deprivation. In this column, and others leading up to the examination of support for Medicare for all, I discuss my observations regarding the process by which thought deprivation is developed and sustained.

    My observations as to how thought deprivation is developed and sustained in a person, by others, can be summarized as follows:

    1. Tremendously lessen, if not demolish, the capacity for critical thinking.

    2. Lead citizens to focus on identity as members of a group based on race, ethnicity, economic standing, religious affiliation, etc.

    3. Promote tension between groups or groups of groups.

    4. Contend that some groups are victimized, mistreated, discriminated against, etc.

    5. Convince a target group, or groups, that they are entitled to certain benefits.

    6. Promise to deliver the benefits to which people have been convinced they are entitled.

    7. When the promised benefits do not materialize, blame others.

    The opening step of lessening or demolishing the capacity for critical thinking might seem to be an exaggeration. However, consider the meaning of critical thought as it appears at www.criticalthinking.org: “Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.”

    Pause and mentally list the times in the last month when you, in media, in political speech or conversation, in social media, observed what is defined above as critical thinking. My guess is that your list is very short or lacking any entries at all. I do not post very often on Facebook, but I do read the posts of other people. I am amazed and saddened by the scarcity of critical thinking that is present in most posts. There are mostly emotiondriven rants that present no facts or thoughtful analysis of whatever topic is being discussed. This is especially true where political or social issues are addressed.

    Another section of the information presented at www.criticalthinking.org provides a possible explanation as to why critical thinking might be so scarce in American society: “Critical thinking varies according to the motivation underlying it. When grounded in selfish motives, it is often manifested in the skillful manipulation of ideas in service of one’s own, or one’s groups’, vested interest. As such, it is typically intellectually flawed, however pragmatically successful it might be.”

    I contend that we have become a nation where selfishness is disavowed as a general condition of our society, but our overall conduct cries “selfishness.” In this atmosphere, the truth of the quote above shows. The thinking that happens, limited as it might be, is too often intellectually flawed. That is the case because individuals and groups are encouraged to focus on what is good for them, without considering the impact on others; even further, serious collection and examination of facts and the honest defining and consideration of outcomes hardly ever happen.

    My comments to this point might leave the impression that what I am describing only applies to the general public. That is not the case. This thought deprivation condition is very much present in the American political class, in politicians. If you doubt that to be true, watch some congressional hearings or listen to some politicians as they address challenging issues during televised interviews. There is hardly ever a sliver of genuine, critical thought. Their failure to model critical thought contributes to the scarcity of it in the general population.

    With critical thinking lessened or demolished in individuals, the next step is rather easy to accomplish: leading citizens to identify as members of a group based on race, ethnicity, economic standing, religious affiliation, etc. When there is little or no focus on facts and thoughtful analysis of facts, people do what is natural.

    An article by Nayef Al-Rodhan, “Divisive Politics and the Brain: Primordial Determinism vs. Responsible Egalitarianism,” speaks to our natural response process in identifying with a group. In part, Al-Rodhan writes: “Furthermore, the urgency to barricade oneself against ‘others’ — immigrants, ethnic and religious minorities, etc. — stems from ancestral predispositions that associate belonging to one’s tribe or group as critical to survival.

    “Using noninvasive methods, neuroscientists have identified that the neurocircuitry of tribal behavior that separates ‘us’ from ‘them’ occurs in the prefrontal cortex. Without much reflexivity, and within 170 thousandths of a second from the moment we first see them, we already distinguish between members of the in-group and those of the out-group. Our brains have inherited this hardwiring from our ancestors, but there is another interesting fact.

    “While this basic bias is subconsciously formed, our exact definition of what constitutes ‘us’ and ‘them’ is learned. We may be hardwired to distinguish between us and others, but the actual definition of the other is not internally hardwired; it is something we are socialized into throughout our lives.”

    I hold that what Professor Al-Rodhan explains addresses our natural tendency of identifying with groups and separating ourselves from other groups. The critical piece of the process is in deciding which group, or groups, we identify with and which ones we see as separate and apart from us. Those separate and apart groups constitute “them” and are normally people who are treated as the enemy. Our defining of “them” is, based on Al-Rodhan’s explanation and my observations across many years, the result of socialization. Socialization is the process of learning to behave in a way that is acceptable to society.

    Therein lies the great challenge: individuals needing to make choices that produce fair and positive outcomes even while having one’s “us” and “them” defined by a person’s dominant societal influences. Given that we live in a country, even a world, where critical thinking is rare, individuals and groups easily influence people’s thinking in ways that adversely affect individuals, their primary group and even society in general. It is in this atmosphere, under these conditions, that politicians, joined by politically active individuals and groups, are able to manipulate citizens for political gain.

    Next time, more on steps to developing and sustaining thought deprivation.

  • 03School  The North Carolina General Assembly is back in session, with its biggest task being crafting a budget for fiscal years 2019-20. This will involve compromise, as it always does, with the legislature and the governor having different spending priorities between Democrats and Republicans and among legislators of the same political stripes. As is true in so much of political decision-making, one person’s must-have is often another’s boondoggle.

    One reality is certain. Education — public schools, community colleges and universities — will gobble up more than half of state spending, garnering $13.5 billion of the current $23 billion state budget. Expect plenty of controversy as education spending is decided.

    The Cumberland County Board of Education plans to ask legislators for a change that does not involve state allocations. Our local school board, along with many others across the state, want more flexibility in setting school calendars. They should all have it.

    Until 2004, local schools set their calendars to suit local conditions. Western counties, for example, typically built in more snow days. School boards established teacher work days and holidays as recommended by administrators.

    Local calendar control changed when legislators bowed to the will of North Carolina’s tourism industry and set hard start- and stop-dates for all state public schools. Tourism interests in both mountain and coastal areas demanded that children have longer summer breaks so families could vacation longer, and the General Assembly acquiesced.

    It was a reprehensible kowtow to business interests over the interests of North Carolina’s school children. Changes have been made over the last decade and a half, but flexibility is still granted and taken away by legislators, not on-the-ground education officials who understand the needs of their communities.

    There are all sorts of good reasons to return calendar flexibility to local schools.

    These include the reality that students in most other developed nations have longer school days and longer school years than we do in North Carolina. It is therefore no surprise that students in many of those nations outpace our students.

    Flexibility would also allow more opportunity to align public school calendars to community college calendars, meaning that high school students could take more community college courses. This could give high schoolers a leg up in whatever higher education or career they pursue.

    Both parents and educators attest to the reality of summer learning loss. Schools have to begin the school year with several weeks of review that takes time away from learning new material. This is a phenomenon that disproportionally affects minority and low-income students, increasing educational disparities. Research shows that shorter times away from school work to reverse disparities.

    Generations ago, school calendars followed agricultural

    cycles. Children were needed to work in the

    fields, so school was in session during slow growing

    months. Today, only a small percentage of North

    Carolinians make our livings working in the fields,

    and child labor is prohibited in most instances.

    There is no longer a reason for school calendars to

    accommodate agricultural cycles.

    Overlying all arguments is Mother Nature. The school year in Murphy is likely very different from the school year in Manteo. The mountains must contend with snowy weather while coastal areas face hurricanes. Students in Pender County were out of school for six weeks after Hurricane Florence blew thought last fall. While that was unusual, coastal school systems need the flexibility to deal with increasingly severe storms.

    The General Assembly will deal with many school issues this session. Bills have already been filed to increase school safety through various grants, provide statewide mental health screenings for students and require teaching civic responsibility and good citizenship. All of these would require local or state expenditures, perhaps both.

    Returning school calendars to local school boards costs only the tax dollars local communities choose to invest. It gives control back to local decision makers, not legislators from hundreds of miles away who very likely have never set foot in our community. It puts our children before the profits of private companies.

    It is time — past time — to do just that.

  • 02AI  At first, I thought artificial intelligence was the panacea for stupid people. Nope — although heaven knows we need one. Read the headlines of any newspaper or tune in to any radio news cast and you would swear we are living in Bizarro World.

    For those who are not familiar with Superman comics of the ’40s and ’50s, Bizarro World was a fictional universe where people, places and situations were weirdly opposite of their normal posture or expectation. Sort of like Pitt Dickey’s articles on any given day. Just kidding, Pitt.

    Seriously, it should concern all Americans when the truth becomes subjective and elusive. It should concern all Americans when wordsmithing becomes a finely tuned skill used to redefine justice and when it becomes an instrument used to sidestep the truth.

    Social media is probably the mother of fake news and the worst thing to happen to humanity when it comes to communicating and disseminating trust and integrity. And, unfortunately, it’s here to stay — regardless of consequences.

    Today, we spend way too much time on social media. Computers, iPads and iPhones rudely intrude on our lives so frequently that we are becoming conditioned to it. Last week, I attended the funeral of a dear friend. The church was filled with friends and family. The service was beautiful and touching. Then, the benediction was interrupted by not one, not two, but three cellphone alarms going off simultaneously. You could feel the collective sense of embarrassment. That’s the world we live in.

    For many, social media has, unfortunately, become their sole source of information. They scan, read, like, comment and then share like mindless robots that are void of critical thinking and coerced into being a participant in the cycle of misinformation.

    It’s this misinformation that shapes our opinions, manipulates our actions and influences our decisions. This should concern us all.

    Fake news manipulates our point of view, influences our values and compromises our morals. Recently, I found out there are companies that specialize in developing AI that can create fake news, making it difficult — if not impossible — to fact-check content. Fake news is becoming an unregulated, profitable, dirty business.

    So, this begs the question: who can you trust? Well, I don’t have that answer. I, for one, will advocate for laws that forbid and punish the perpetrators of any proven manipulative and illegal actions disseminated via social media.

    And, since you are reading this article, I can only assume you have keen critical thinking skills and are a remarkable judge of character. So, this being the case, thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. No fake news here — and we are surely not anonymous.

  •  04chemours imagen logo  Remember the good old days when you could have a Coke and a smile? Our buddies down at the Chemours plant have a bit of a public relations problem — how to make their leftover Gen X more people-friendly and convince folks that it is dandy to have it in their drinking water. Chemours is the company by the Cape Fear River that produces Gen X, which is the replacement, more or less, for Teflon. Turns out, chemical cooties are hard to get rid of.

    As part of the process for producing Gen X, Chemours has gotten Gen X in the water and the air. However, Gen X may not be good for humans — or other living things.

    Folks around Grays Creek for months to avoid their wells, which have been infiltrated with Gen X. People in Wilmington enjoy Gen X in their water supply drawn from the Cape Fear River. Kindly don’t drink the iced tea while at Wrightsville Beach.

    Naturally, some folks have gotten riled up about being possibly slowly poisoned by Gen X. But look on the bright side, isn’t it better to be slowly poisoned than quickly poisoned? The glass is not half full of Gen X, it’s half empty of Gen X. Doesn’t that make you feel better?

    The latest interesting factoid about Chemours hit the news in January. It turns out that Chemours has been sending Gen X waste to the Netherlands for disposal. The Netherlands then sent the Gen X cooties to Italy to a company called Miteni SpA. But things went poorly for Miteni SpA. The Gen X cooties ended up in the groundwater near Miteni SpA’s plant. The local Italian citizens were not happy.

    Miteni SpA declared bankruptcy and stopped taking Gen X. Oops. The Netherlands then started shipping Gen X back to the Fayetteville Works Plant in Bladen County for disposal. Yep. Bladen County is now a dump for Gen X leftovers from Holland. Kind of makes you feel a bit of solidarity with the Third World as we are currently serving as a dump for chemical cooties in the same manner as Bangladesh, India.

    Gen X residue is treated as a hazardous waste in Europe but not in the good old U.S.A. It’s cheaper for Chemours to send Gen X on a cruise on the Love Boat to Holland and then bring it back again to be disposed of in Bladen County.

    Chemours’ recent report to the Environmental Protection Agency said that in 2019 it will import from Holland to Bladen County no more than 90 metric tons of what Gen X calls “sludgy liquid,” from which it will remove “Gen X salts.”

    Remember the Environmental Protection Agency? It used to protect citizens and not corporation profits. But I digress. If 90 tons of rejected toxic waste sounds bad to you, cheer up. It could have been 100 tons of goo. All of this tends to present Chemours in a bad light. What to do?

    Fortunately, Madison Avenue has an answer for every public relations disaster. The usually unreliable sources have revealed that Chemours is considering hiring advertising “Mad Men” superstar Don Draper of Sterling, Cooper, Draper & Pryce to come up with a way to make Gen X in your water and air a desirable result. The proposed advertising campaign will make you thirsty for Gen X. You can be proud to be a guinea pig in an EPA and corporate experiment to determine the long-term effects of drinking and bathing in cootie water.

    The campaign is trying several slogans. Vote for your favorite: Taste that beats the others cold — Gen X pours it on. Gen X — It’ll pickle your innards. Have a Gen X and a Smile. Gen X: I’m Lovin’ it. Gen X: Finger lickin’ good. Gen X: Taste the rainbow. Gen X: Your intestines will go Snap, Crackle, Pop.

    Gen X: It will give you angel wings. Gen X: The most misunderstood soft drink. Gen X: Because we’re worth it. Gen X is forever. Gen X: Just drink it. Gen X: It keeps going and going and going.

    Take the Gen X challenge. Gen X tastes good — like recycled sludge should. Gen X: Come to where the flavor is. Gen X: Drink responsibly. North Carolina runs on Gen X. Gen X: Come thirsty, leave happy. Gen X: Delightfully tacky, yet refined. Gen X: Have it our way. It takes two stomachs to handle a Gen X. Gen X: Drink like you mean it. Gen X: We do sludgy liquid right. With Gen X, no one can hear you scream. Leave the gun, take the Gen X. A man who doesn’t spend time with Gen X can never be a real man.

    After Don Draper gets through with his campaign, you will believe that Gen X is good for you. Just when you thought it was safe to drink the water, you’ll want a cool, tall glass of Gen X. And the winning slogan is: “I’d like to teach the world to drink/ In perfect harmony/ I’d like to buy the world a Gen X/ And keep it company/ That’s the real thing.”

    Drink up. Trust, but don’t verify.

  • mapMain North Carolina has taken some hard knocks on the national front in recent years. Most infamous may be the so-called “bathroom bill,” which made our state the laughing stock of the nation with comedians, both television and online, and cost millions in business development and tourism dollars. Now, North Carolinians and the rest of the nation are awaiting the disposition of the last remaining congressional race in the nation, which should have been decided over three months ago along with the other 434 House seats.

    The outcome of North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District race remains uncertified because of possible election fraud. At the end of election day, the Republican candidate led by just over 900 votes with more than 282,000 votes cast. Both the state elections board and state courts have declined to declare a winner, as criminal inquiries into election fraud continue.

    Our 9th Congressional District is a long, snaky gerrymander that runs from Charlotte to Fayetteville and on to parts east. Voting irregularities involving absentee ballots and a Republican political operative alleged to have handled them illegally are under investigation in Bladen and Robeson counties, with no resolution in sight. It is difficult to imagine that we will ever know what happened. He said, she said — you get the picture.

    The only way to get this straight is a new election. It will involve eight counties, and it will be expensive.

    There is no other satisfactory option. If the Republican were to be seated, critics would say he won the election through fraudulent voting. If the Democrat were seated, critics would say he stole the election from the winner. Either way, the people of the 9th district — more than three quarters of a million of them — would not be sure that the person representing them is the person who rightfully won the voters’ confidence.

    Meanwhile, as investigators investigate and election board members debate and ponder, the people of North Carolina’s 9th District remain voiceless in the “people’s House.”

    ********************

    The only thing certain in life is change, of course, but many Americans, including this one, worry about the diminution — some would say the demise — of hard news at the local and state levels. We all see how local daily newspapers have become shadows of their former selves.

    The main reason for this is the migration of advertising dollars from print to digital, many of those involving national outlets. Not only does this shift translate into more national news and fewer stories about what local city councils, county commissions, school boards and legislatures are up to, it means that local dollars are heading out of town to places as far away as Silicon Valley.

    What we don’t know can — and does — come back to bite us.

    ********************

    My favorite news story this week involved Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos. He’s said to be the richest person on the planet with a net worth at least a googol of more than $136 billion. That is surely more money than he could spend even if he tried.

    Not so much to his credit, Bezos admits to having an affair while married, an affair that involved body part selfies. Some of these photos made their way to the tabloid The National Enquirer, which allegedly threatened to print them if Bezos, who owns The Washington Post, did not call off Post reporters working on a story about the tabloid and its unusual media practices.

    To his credit, Bezos not only did not flinch at the threatened embarrassing exposure, he accused The Enquirer of extortion. Since then, Ronan Farrow of The New Yorker magazine has also accused The Enquirer of blackmail.

    It takes self-confident and strong people to stand up to bullies, whether in person or in print. As Theodore Roosevelt might say if he were still here, “Bully for Bezos and Farrow.”

  • 02Dilemma  It doesn’t make any difference whether you are white, black, Hispanic, Asian, gay, straight, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or a young budding snowflake, you should be aware and concerned that our government at all levels is spiraling out of control.

    From wasting tens of millions of dollars on futile investigations and Russian collusion theories to the threat of another government shutdown to ignoring our nation’s commitment to the safety and security of its citizens by refusing to secure our southern borders, we are in a tailspin.

    And now, we face the Green New Deal with its socialist agenda and concerns over the first world’s carbon footprint and its toxic effect on the survival of our planet. It’s crazy!

    We have a government that’s full of radical assumptions, accusations and condemnations yet void of solutions or concrete plans to accomplish anything. No answers, no remedies and no leadership.

    When did pettiness, jealousy and greed take priority over fairness, decency and the overall welfare of humanity? When did government start defending lawlessness, condemning and penalizing success, rewarding criminals and passing state laws that allow a child to be born only to have its life terminated on its birthday? This is sad, scary and true.

    It’s the age-old good versus evil dilemma, and it looks like evil is the predominant influence. We see this trend of nonproductive, negative behavior at all levels of government.

    It’s sad but not hopeless. Americans are sensible and passionate human beings. We are and will continue to be the leaders of the free world. I’m confident that at some point someone will step up in a leadership position that will get our priorities back in line so the generations that follow can enjoy the American dream — not the nightmare that is forming today.

    Let’s all hope that logic and civility will prevail and become our highest priorities so that in the end, we may again enjoy a less contentious way of American life.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

     

  • 13Ice skating With a nod to local natives, I want to say I’m honored to call Fayetteville home. I visited a time or two while serving in the Army in the 1980s, but my wife and three children didn’t make the trip, and we didn’t start calling ourselves North Carolinians, until 1992. At the time, we were not completely thrilled with the city — which we thought was more like a town after some of the other stops on our journey — but we’d learned to be content and look for the best wherever we landed by that point, so we did. We looked for the best.

    Navigation was difficult here in the ’90s. The town seemed more like a group of small subdivisions loosely connected by a few winding two-lane roads. In fact, that’s what it was.

    Looking back, I guess I miss that a little bit. We’d say things like “going to town” because it felt like we were living somewhere near the edge, and the ride itself was part of the appeal of the area back then. We were usually headed somewhere near Cross Creek Mall, which was, at that time, the center of Fayetteville’s retail universe.

    Anyone here before the turn of the century can easily recall memories of a sketchy downtown area. By the time we arrived to stay, even the dives that were popular enough to be off limits to neighboring Fort Bragg soldiers were beginning to close or move elsewhere, leaving little but dilapidation and decay in their wake.

    That has all been improving steadily, more rapidly so in the last 10 years. We’ve come a long way since the controversial “Hurley Pots,” which appeared in downtown Fayetteville shortly before I did. We’ve watched as the old buildings became coffee shops and quaint restaurants. We’ve seen a wide range of small retail businesses open in or relocate to the area between Haymount Hill and the Cape Fear River.

    It’s hard to remember the time before the 14-acre Festival Park was the hub of Fayetteville’s downtown entertainment scene, which is now home to festivals, concerts and celebrations of all kinds.

    Why say something about this now? On a recent Sunday, my wife and I found ourselves drawn to the area around the Market House. We heard the laughter of children and saw smiles on faces of all ages. They had come downtown to spend a few minutes gliding across a synthetic ice skating rink. We visited a classic vinyl record shop, stopped in some quaint retail locations that represent dozens of local artisans and craftspeople and watched countless people take selfies and other well-framed shots along the brick-paved Hay Street. It felt good.

    Fayetteville. We’re still trying. I say “we” because Fayetteville is now my home, too. I came here on orders and stayed here by choice. Get involved as we get better. In fact, the more we get involved, the better we all will become.

  • 12motorcycle A new year has come, and soon the call for the road will hit bikers everywhere. With gas prices down and employment up, more people will be positioned to buy a new bike, too. Upfront, I will tell you I am the worst customer to ever walk through a showroom door. To buy simple things, I make multiple trips and do exhaustive research before sealing the deal. Even at the cash register or sitting down with the finance guy, my stomach is in knots. Somehow I get through it, but I always worry — did I buy too much of something? Can I afford it?

    People often talk about how a motorcycle is going to save them money. It doesn’t, but it is a good pitch to get your significate other or co-signer to go along with it.

    Most of us don’t like to talk about the actual cost of things, but here we are, and we are going to get into it. If you already own a bike, the cheapest bike you will ever get is the one you already have.

    If you already own a bike and want a new one, it is best to sell the one you have yourself. As spring approaches, your best bet is to start advertising now. Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and forums are the best ways to get the word out. If you meet someone for the sale process, always meet in a safe place. People will drive states away if you have a bike they want.

    Be sure to know the laws for selling a motorcycle, too. Be careful with the title and don’t screw it up or sign it in the wrong place. Each state has different rules and requirements. You can usually find specific information on the state’s DMV website.

    If you must, a trade-in is usually a quick way to move up to a new bike. Dealerships are generally picky about trade-ins. They look for maximum returns and the fastest sale.

    When it is time to buy a bike, cash is best. If you must finance a bike, think about the 20/4/10 rule. The rule means put 20 percent down, finance for no more than four years of payments, and do not exceed more than 10 percent of your gross income — including principal,interest and insurance.

    Let’s do some rough math. If you finance a new bike at $26,000, you should have $5,200 for the down payment. You would finance $20,800. For four years (48 months) at an interest rate of 3.95 percent and a sales tax of 4.75 percent of your payment, that would be $497.04 a month. It would cost $1,822.86 in interest and $1,235 in taxes. Add an additional $60 (estimate) for insurance. You would pay $557 a month. Using the 10 percent rule for not exceeding your income, you should be making more than $66,840 a year.

    So here are some stats from a 2015 article on The Motley Fool. Twenty-four percent of motorcycle owner households earned between $50,000 and $74,999 in 2014. The median household income was $62,200. Motorcyclists are pretty educated. Seventy-two percent of motorcycle owners in 2014 had at least some college or post-graduate education, and almost as many (71 percent) were employed. Some 15 percent were retired. The median age of the typical motorcycle owner was 47 in 2014, up from 32 in 1990 and 40 in 2009. Married riders comprised 61 percent of motorcycle owners, up from 57 percent in 1990.

    If you are getting your first bike, be sure to budget for safety equipment. Your gear should include a good Department of Transportationapproved helmet, armor jacket and good boots. If you have a friend or loved one who will be riding with you, show them the same respect and love and buy them the same safety gear you wear. As a starter, I would budget at least $1,000 for safety expenses.

    Count on spending a few hundred dollars or more each year on tires and maintenance. These are variables that depend on your riding habits and miles. 

    When you talk to your insurance representative, ask them about additional medical coverage — particularly motorcycle bodily injury liability insurance. Depending on the state in which you are insured, the minimum personal injury medical coverage is not enough for a motorcycle accident. A motorcycle accident can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $1.5 million in hospital bills, lost income and property damage.

    These dollars and numbers can be scary, but riding is a fun and liberating experience. Each mile can bring you new friends and adventures.

    If there is a topic you would like to discuss, contact me at motorcycle-4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE!

  • 04karl There is concern in America that our security is threatened by terrorists, Russia, Iran, China, North Korea and other forces. It occurs to me that these forces we view as enemies need not make any effort to destroy us. That is because we are destroying ourselves. If our enemies will be patient, we will reduce our national condition to one of being incapable of defending against the physical and economic aggression of others. This is because we have become a nation in darkness and consumed by hate.

    From www.biblestudytools.com, “If light symbolizes God, darkness connotes everything that is anti- God.” Combine our general state of darkness with the overwhelming hate that pervades our society, and the truth of the paragraph above is apparent.

    Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” Given that we are in great darkness, with little or no light in sight, and consumed by hate, with societal love only a figment of our imagination, our future is bleak.

    This American condition of darkness and hate was openly on display in the events of Jan. 18 after the March for Life in Washington, D.C. A group of students from the all-male Covington Catholic High School in Frankfort, Kentucky, attended the march. Afterward, the students, some wearing bright red “Make America Great Again” baseball caps, gathered near the Lincoln Memorial to wait for their bus.

    There was interaction between these students and a small group of Native Americans who were singing in the area. What proved to be a highly edited video of this interaction appeared to show the students chanting and mocking the Native Americans. This was especially true of one student, later identified as Nick Sandmann, who is shown in the video standing motionless and face-to-face with Nathan Phillips, a Native American who was beating a drum and singing.

    In several interviews, Phillips repeated the following, which appears in an article by Chris Francescani and Bill Hutchinson titled “Viral video of Catholic school teens in ‘MAGA’ caps taunting Native Americans draws widespread condemnation; prompts a school investigation.”

    The article states, “In an interview following the confrontation on Friday that was posted to Instagram, Phillips said he wished the throng of teens would put their energy into helping feed the poor.”

    Phillips added, “I heard them say, ‘Build that wall, build that wall,’ you know?”

    The article continues, “In a separate interview with The Washington Post, Phillips said that the dozens of teens began to swarm around his group as they concluded their march and were getting ready to leave.

    “‘It was getting ugly,’ he told the newspaper.

    “‘I started going that way, and that guy in the hat stood in my way and we were at an impasse. He just blocked my way and wouldn’t allow me to retreat.’”

    Across the nation, the video and Phillips’ interviews inspired outrage because many viewers concluded that the students were tremendously disrespectful to Phillips and his group.

    Here are some comments reported in the Francescani and Hutchinson article referenced above:

    “‘This Veteran put his life on the line for our country. The students’ display of blatant hate, disrespect, and intolerance is a signal of how common decency has decayed under this administration,’ Rep. Deb Haaland, D-New Mexico, who is part Native American, tweeted Saturday. ‘Heartbreaking.’”

    “Then, in a blistering statement posted to her verified Facebook account shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday, Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes called the viral videos ‘horrific.’

    ‘In spite of these horrific scenes, I refuse to shame and solely blame these children for this type of behavior. Instead, I turn to the adults and administration that are charged with teaching them, and to those who are silently letting others promote this behavior.’”

    Further, from an article by Shaan Joshi titled “Patton Oswalt, Ava DuVernay, Kathy Griffin, and Other Celebs React to Teens in MAGA Hats,” come the following tweets:

    “Comedian and actor Patton Oswalt: ‘I liked intimidating elderly Native Americans. I STILL like intimidating elderly Native Americans.’ — this kid, at his confirmation hearing, before being appointed to the Supreme Court.”

    “Comedian Kathy Griffin was similarly outraged by the disrespectful teenagers, and she condemned ‘MAGA’ hats on Twitter. ‘MAGA hats. Donald Trump has brought the worst out in our country,’ Griffin wrote.”

    The comments above were mild compared to some others. The following is from an article by Jon Levine titled “National Review Pulls Article Saying Covington Students ‘Might as Well Have Just Spit on the Cross’”:

    The National Review pulled down an article on Sunday attacking the students at Covington Catholic High School, which said their behavior toward Native American elder Nathan Phillips was comparable to spitting on the cross.

    “They mock a serious, frail-looking older man and gloat in their momentary role as Roman soldiers to his Christ. ‘Bullying is a worn-out word and doesn’t convey the full extent of the evil on display here,’ National Review Deputy Managing Editor Nicholas Frankovich said in the original piece. ‘As for the putatively Catholic students from Covington, they might as well have just spit on the cross and got it over with.’”

    Jon Levine reported the following regarding Erik Abriss in an article titled “Vulture Writer Who Wished Death on Covington Students Fired from Job at INE Entertainment.”

    “Abriss wrote: ‘I don’t know what it says about me, but I’ve truly lost the ability to articulate the hysterical rage, nausea, and heartache this makes me feel. I just want these people to die. Simple as that. Every single one of them. And their parents.’” Then there is this joint statement from the school and Covington Diocese as quoted in an article by Max Londberg titled “‘Blatant racism’: Ky. high school apologizes following backlash after video shows students surrounding indigenous marchers”:

    “We condemn the actions of the Covington Catholic High School students towards Nathan Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general, Jan. 18, after the March for Life, in Washington, D.C. We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Phillips. This behavior is opposed to the Church’s teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person,” the statement read.

    What is presented to this point hardly scratches the surface in describing the condemnation that was heaped on this group of young boys. Beyond the condemnation from others, their school and diocese immediately joined the chorus of condemnation. In the midst of these young lives being led to the slaughter, a video of longer length surfaced. It showed that a group called the Black Hebrew Israelites incessantly yelled racist, homophobic, bigoted epithets at the boys, calling them “children of incest,” “crackers” and so forth.

    The longer video contradicts much of what Phillips reported. It shows that he approached the boys; they did not surround him. He made no effort to walk past Nick Sandmann, but stood face-to-face with him while beating a drum and singing. There is no indication that the students were chanting, “Build that wall.”

    In view of this longer video, some people who had made harsh comments withdrew them; some even apologized. However, others continued the verbal assaults and threats to the point that Covington Catholic High School was, at the suggestion of law enforcement, closed Jan. 22. Students returned the next day with heavy police presence.

    At best, Nathan Phillips lied. While the behavior of the Black Hebrew Israelites was abhorrent, hardly any outrage is directed toward Phillips or the Black Hebrew Israelites. However, these young boys, who clearly did nothing deserving of condemnation, are condemned, threatened and vilified.

    I agree with those who say these students are the recipients of this horrible treatment because they are white, male, Catholic and because they appear to be Trump supporters.

    What is described here is the result of our being in darkness and consumed by hate. Russia, China and all who would destroy us, just be patient. However, maybe — because of his mercy — God will save us from ourselves.

  • 03N1608P65039C The North Carolina General Assembly convened its 2019 long session last week, with its Constitutional responsibility and main task being to craft our state’s budget for the next two fiscal years. Other work, much of it critical to millions of North Carolinians, is also on legislators’ desks.

    And, there is always some legislative mischief to look forward to. This often occurs in the dead of night and without public accountability so we find out about it after it is a done deal.

    The real work includes a possible $2 billion in public school funding, favored by both Gov. Roy Cooper and the Republican legislative leadership. Also up for consideration is Medicaid expansion, favored by most Democrats and a growing handful of Republicans.

    At least two bills calling for gerrymandering reform are expected to be introduced with large percentages of the public favoring voters choosing their legislators instead of legislators choosing their voters.

    But there is a huge fly in the ointment when it comes to finding out what the General Assembly is up to and what it means for us. With the advent of the internet, traditional news organizations, specifically newspapers, have struggled for advertising revenue,m and most have cut staffing to the bone. Gone are most investigative reporters who worked on stories for months, and gone are most capitol reporters whose job it has been to tell us what our legislators are doing — or not doing.

    In other words, precious few eyes are watching the General Assembly, and even fewer are there to tell us about it. Some internet sources are reliable, but even more are simply promoting their own points of view and preaching to their own choirs. Persuasion is their goal, not objectivity.

    The Journal of Communication reported recently that the slow deaths of local newspapers and the loss of traditional journalists is polarizing Americans in ways we are only beginning to understand. We know a great deal about national political figures — think Nancy and Chuck — and next to nothing about our local and state leaders.

    It is imperative that we look to the remaining traditional outlets we do have and to the journalists who strive daily to inform us about our elected officials and the decisions they make.

    This situation is no one’s fault. It is simply a fact in our rapidly evolving media environment. It is a fact nonetheless, and the General Assembly leadership has taken a step to make it harder on the few remaining reporters who do cover our state’s elected legislators.

    So, what are the elected Republican leaders in charge of the General Assembly doing to promote the flow of information to the people of North Carolina?

    Nothing. Zip. Nada.

    In fact, the leadership moved the journalists from their long-time office on the ground floor of the legislative building to a smaller room on the basement level off a dark and dim lower level parking garage. The move makes it less convenient for reporters to cover the General Assembly and let us know what is happening. One news account described the new press room as being “in the bowels” of the legislative building.

    And why should we care if reporters have to run up and down extra flights of stairs and work in a cramped basement room?

    We should care because government is always better when it is operated transparently for all to see. Those in power do not always agree with that because transparency can be messy for them when they have to explain questionable actions. But transparency is always better for those of us in the tax-paying, nonelected public.

    Name-calling of these efforts — think “fake news” and “enemy of the people” — and making life difficult for a free press are hallmarks of autocratic governments who prefer the public to know less and to participate less, not more.

    Just what was important enough to dislodge the capitol press corps from its long-time Spartan space at the General Assembly? Would you believe a room full of vending machines in case someone wants a stale sandwich or a pack of Nabs?

  • 02Doubt Gilbert Theater’s newest production, “Doubt,” opened this past weekend to a small audience who undoubtedly enjoyed a huge show. Directed by Matthew Overturf, this thoughtprovoking drama written by John Patrick Shanley could be the Gilbert’s best show of this season.

    Even though the play was written in the 1960s, it is relevant to the crazy realities we face today. Shanley’s piece centers around Sister Aloysius, a tenacious nun who is the principal of a Catholic school in the Bronx in New York. She is convinced the parish priest, Father Flynn, is having an inappropriate relationship with a young male student.

    Was he? Wasn’t he? That is where this drama draws an eerie correlation to what we are experiencing in this politically charged 21st century. The shameful acts and subsequent cover-up of bad behavior by Catholic priests is not new news. However, viewing the show in relationship to what we are experiencing as a nation gives this play its gut-wrenching impact. Even back in the ’60s, there was a hint of a lack of presumption of innocence.

    Now, with the prominence of the internet and social media — and a political climate that has adopted a slanderous, no holds barred, anything goes, search-and-destroy campaign strategy — this play parallels our country’s deteriorating respect for humanity.

    If you are a well-informed American of any race, religion or political affiliation, you will recognize the parallels in this story to Robert Mueller’s Russian investigation; the confirmation fiasco of Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh; the accusations lodged against two Covington, Kentucky, students accused of disrespecting Native Americans; the politically charged border security issues, which result in the deplorable treatment and exploitation of humanity; and more recently, the explosive issue of legalizing full-term abortions.

    All of these present-day issues fill plenty of us with plenty of doubt. Go and see the play and ponder on the similarities for yourself. You will not be disappointed. The show runs through Feb. 17.

    I would be remiss to not mention the talented cast of “Doubt,” who gave stellar performances. Kay Cole plays Sister Aloysius. Evie King is Sister James. Deannah Robinson plays Mrs. Muller, and Cole Vecchio is Father Flynn. All four of these actors performed flawlessly to create a tour-deforce theater production.

    Fayetteville is certainly the theatrical mecca of North Carolina. No doubt you will be impressed.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    Photo: Robert Mueller (top right), Brett Kavanaugh (center right) and Nick Sandmann (bottom right).

  • 05 MetroNet Truck CopyMetroNet and the city of Fayetteville will bring 100% broadband internet, television and phone services to businesses and residents in greater Fayetteville. Indiana-based MetroNet will spend more than $70 million to develop its high-speed system which is the company’s first deployment in North Carolina. Fayetteville, Hope Mills and Spring Lake as well as Linden, Wade, Stedman, Vander, Godwin, Eastover, and Falcon and much of unincorporated Cumberland County, as well as portions of Hoke County, including Raeford and Rockfish will be tied together.

    Fayetteville has DSL, cable, fiber, fixed wireless and satellite internet available depending on the area. DSL covers nearly all of Fayetteville. Common speeds average around 10-40 Mbps depending on the area and provider. Internet is provided using the same cable cords as cable television. Cable internet has much faster speeds on average than DSL. MetroNet will compete primarily with Charter Spectrum for internet, television and telephone service.

    There are also two small satellite services and CenturyLink provides DSL availability. There may be early termination fees for changing service when under contract. Spectrum offers a contract-free, or month-to-month, option. Program prices and internet speeds vary.

    Fayetteville-Cumberland Economic Development Corporation President Robert Van Geons says MetroNet’s high speed broadband service is “state-of-the art infrastructure that will literally link our business community to the global marketplace, at the speed of light. Small businesses and entrepreneurs will be able to utilize and deploy next generation technologies and develop tomorrow’s
    innovations.”

    In addition to television and telephone services, ultrafast internet broadband will also support teleworking, distance learning and virtual medicine. A fiber optic network uses tiny strands of glass which are extremely thin. To be specific, they are less than a tenth as thick as a human hair. Each optical fiber transmits beams of light over great distances. The beams carry unprecedented amounts of data — much more than cable or DSL — directly to homes and businesses.
    Amid COVID-19, the community's need for increased broadband access has become even more apparent for virtual learning and remote school and work. “MetroNet will provide small businesses, start-ups, students and teleworkers with capabilities previously unavailable to much of Cumberland County,” Van Geons said.

    Mayor Mitch Colvin said the company is known for its reliable, high-speed internet friendly service, and fair pricing with no long-term contracts.

    "We've experienced such a warm welcome from Mayor Colvin and the City of Fayetteville since we began discussing this project," MetroNet President John Cinelli said. "It's clear that this community is rich in diversity and opportunity, and we're excited to be a part of it as we move forward together.”

    Projects of this size typically take approximately two years to build, Cinelli noted.

    As the work gets underway, residents will receive communications by mail about construction activity in their neighborhood 30 days prior to starting. The company provides additional messaging, such as yard signs, to let residents know when the temporary construction process is beginning in their neighborhood.

     

  • 01 01 Elaina BallThe Fayetteville Public Works Commission welcomed Elaina Ball as the new Chief Executive Officer and General Manager in December. Ball, who has 14 years of utility experience, is the first female leader in PWC’s 115-year history and just the 9th CEO/General Manager.

    “Elaina has a wealth of experience in the electric industry, including generation, which is a huge asset for us,” said PWC Chair Wade Fowler.

    “She’s been a leader at outstanding utilities including public power utilities in San Antonio and Austin, Texas," Fowler said. "She was highly sought after by several other organizations and we are very fortunate that she chose PWC and Fayetteville. We are excited about the future of PWC and what she brings to it.”

    Ball came to PWC from El Paso Electric where she served as Senior Vice President in Operations and Administration roles. Since 2018, she oversaw functional areas of the company including Power Generation, Power Marketing, T&D, Customer Care, Technology, Safety, Environmental and Public Relations and Corporate Communications.

    She was responsible for over 800 employees and helped El Paso set new records for annual customer satisfaction scores and earn its first JD Power top performing utility award in 2019. El Paso Electric is a regional electric utility that serves over 400,000 customers in west Texas and southern New Mexico.

    Prior to joining El Paso Electric, Ball worked at Austin Energy, the publicly owned electric utility serving 450,000 customers in the Austin, Texas, area.

    Ball served as Vice President, Technical Services at CPS Energy, the municipally owned electric and gas utility serving over 800,000 customers in the greater San Antonio area from 2006-2012.

    Fayetteville PWC is a municipally owned utility that provides electric, water and wastewater service to over 118,000 customers in Fayetteville/Cumberland County. PWC has over 600 employees and is the 37th largest municipal electric utility
    in the U.S.

    “I’m very excited to join the great team at PWC and for our family to be a part of this community,” said Ball. “PWC is a significant asset and plays a vital role in the community’s success. It is known throughout both the electric and water utility industry for its excellent operations and I look forward to continuing the legacy of strong leadership at PWC and continuing that excellence of providing safe and reliable service to our customers.”

    Among Ball’s priorities is taking care of the team and customers and getting to know them better, she said.

    “It's been terrific so far, the community has been so welcoming I have met so many different people from different industries, different fields and different walks of life and that’s something that struck me and it’s actually a big difference here in Fayetteville compared to the other utilities I was looking at before coming here,” Ball said.

    With Ball’s leadership Fayetteville PWC is looking forward to updating its strategic plan, system work to maintain reliable service and supporting several projects already underway.

    One such project is the PWC Community Solar, North Carolina’s first municipal community solar farm. The farm is a large-scale, ground-mount solar array offering electric customers a shared renewable energy option and an alternate to rooftop solar. Customers pay a monthly subscription fee and in exchange, receive a bill credit for the value of the solar less the cost to operate. All electric customers can participate as a subscriber in the program.

    There are a number of benefits to the Community Solar project. It adds renewable energy to the local power grid without the effort and expense of installing solar panels at a home or business. Customers get paid for a portion of the power generated by the solar array.

    Ball mentioned that anyone interested in helping provide cleaner, greener power for the community can visit the PWC website to learn more about installing panels, bill credits and moving toward an increased use of clean energy.

    Among Ball’s priorities as the CEO and General Manager is ensuring that PWC remains customer-focused and keeps services safe and reliable while remaining cost affordable, she said. A personal driver and focus area for Ball is the improvement of the supply chain to help grow opportunities for local and diverse businesses, she said.

    “As far as day-to-day, I am trying to spend the day in the field, trying to get to know our employees, see our facilities,” Ball said. “We are budgeting right now, and it really helps me get the sense of needs that the system has while getting to see the people, equipment and the business and challenges,” she said.

    A native Texan, Ball attended the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only about one-quarter of those working in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, widely referred to as STEM, are women.

    The number of women entering the professional fields of STEM is slowly growing around the world, but there is still a sizable gender gap in these professions.

    Many women who do enter STEM fields and have successful careers like Ball do not necessarily consider themselves trailblazers, but simply do the best job they can in a field they enjoy.

    In high school, Ball realized her love for mathematics and chemistry which led her to picking her current career path.

    “I am a process person and love problem solving and being a chemical engineer is perfect for that,” she said. With a background in leadership roles, Ball said it is exciting to have this opportunity at PWC while representing women in a traditionally male career field.

    Aside from work, Ball is looking forward to becoming more involved in the Fayetteville and Cumberland County communities. While working in Texas, Ball was an active civic leader, serving on the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Board of Directors. She is also a current Board of Directors member of the Association of Women in Energy.

    An avid reader and snow skier, Ball is currently a member of the Fayetteville Running Club and hopes to join the local Kiwanis chapter and also find a local church to attend. Ball is married and has two children, but her family is still in Texas for now.

    “But we have bought a house in the area and are renovating,” she said. “So I am really looking forward to my family joining me this spring.”

    Pictured below: PWC CEO/General Manager Elaina Ball splits her time between work in the office and field visits getting to know PWC employess and facilities.

    01 02 20201215 134747

  • 01 01Umoja Festival at Seabrook ParkOver 30 years ago, a small group of friends with diverse interests and opinions shared an appreciation of African and African American culture along with a desire to produce positive changes in their local community. They decided to form the Umoja Group with Dr. Kwame Tuprah and Dorothy Fielder at the helm. Through the years, the organization has grown and continues to make a lasting impression in the Fayetteville community.

    “The purpose of the group is to share positive cultural information about Africans, African Americans and Carribeans,” said Wanda Wesley, incoming director of the Umoja Group, Inc. “It is our duty to spotlight and share that information with others so they will know about the greatness, unity and develop a mutual respect for one another.”

    The group, incorporated in 2005, is very active in the community and one of their biggest services is to assist students by awarding them scholarships for college. Since 1998, the group has given over $22,000 in scholarships.

    “Since the Umoja Group was formed in the community, the scholarships focus around students who live in the Broadell, E. E. Smith and Fayetteville State community,” said Wesley. “So most of those scholarship recipients have either been students who actually attend E. E. Smith High School or who have been active participants in the Umoja Group’s activities over the years as far as volunteers or supporters.”

    Wesley added that a lot of the students who receive scholarships are recommended by the E. E. Smith Band because a lot of the students in the band participate in many of their activities.

    “We have worked with the school to identify worthy students who have positive attitudes, decent grades and give back to the community,” said Wesley. “In December 2020, we gave a $1,000 scholarship to Deborah Effon, an early senior at Massey Hill Classical High School that finished in December.”

    One of their annual events is the Umoja Festival held the last Saturday in August. “It is a community day and we have singers, dancers, food and product vendors, and a health fair,” said Wesley. “For the last few years, we have partnered with Darvin Jones from Cape Fear Valley to have a health fair and it has been very well received.”

    The health fair is designed for individuals who might not normally go to the doctor for routine physicals. The health screenings include cholesterol, rapid HIV test, depression screening, blood pressure, blood glucose, body mass index, vision screening, lung function tests, flu shots, blood typing, AFib testing and more.

    “One year there was a person whose blood pressure was so high and they did not realize it and came to the health fair,” said Wesley. “They found out they needed to take care of some things and it may have saved their life.”

    “What I think is really special about the festival is that it is intergenerational, something for the entire family, wholesome, fun and exciting,” said Wesley. “You would feel comfortable bringing your small child out as well as your grandparent.”

    Darvin Jones, community health coordinator of Cape Fear Valley, gave his perspective of the group.

    “I think the Umoja Group does an outstanding job in the community trying to bring culture and heritage together,” said Jones. “Umoja means unity and that is exactly what they do through some of their programs with education and the appreciation of the arts, culture and a positive history.

    “I approached the Umoja Group ten years ago about doing what I call the hospital making a house call into the community,” said Jones. “The first group that I approached about this was very lukewarm, but the Umoja Group loved the idea so we got together and discussed the vision of what it could be.”

    Jones added that together they executed that vision and now it has become a part of the Umoja Festival. Every year they find something that they screen for, such as high blood pressure, in abundance.

    Not only is it set up to find these things, it is designed to help people. It has grown into being the largest health fair in the county.

    The Kwanzaa celebration has become a popular staple event in the community. “We recently had our Kwanzaa celebration and that is when I first got started with the Umoja Group,” said Wesley. “The celebration is a great community gathering of people and it tells them the history of Kwanzaa along with the seven principles, their meanings, and how they can live that through their
    daily lives.”

    The last few years the celebration has taken place at the Smith Recreation Center. “There is a set program and we usually start off with a drum call, welcome, singing, libation to those who have passed, a parade of African kings and queens, a tribute to elders, a feast, storytelling, scholarship presentation, dancing and more,” said Wesley. “One of our most popular acts is Shaka Zulu, performed by Larry Johnson, who has been doing this for over 20 years and everybody looks forward to his performance.”

    Due to the circumstances of COVID-19, the celebration was held virtually on Facebook in December 2020. “We shared Kwanzaa videos throughout the month of December which proved to be well-received and we will most likely incorporate that format into how we celebrate going forward,” said Wesley. “We did several interviews with children and adults who have been a part of the celebration for years and we were able to reach a larger audience to include folks from other states and overseas.”

    Future projects include digitizing the mural “Wall of Honor” to make the information more widely accessible and sharing stories about the individuals featured on
    the mural.

    For more information, donations, or to volunteer call 910-485-8035 or email umojagroupfay@gmail.com. If you would like to purchase a copy of Wall of Honor: A Celebration of Fayetteville’s Everyday Heroes contact Donna Barnes at 919-368-5258.

    Pictured above: The Umoja Festival at Seabrook Park is usually held the last Saturday in August. The public event is a celebration of culture and heritage.

    01 02 Kwanzaa U G members Ramon Huggins Dr Kwame and Yawa Tuprah

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Pictured above: Umoja Group members celebrate Kwanzaa (left to right) Ramon Huggins, Dr. Kwame Tuprah, Yawa Tuprah.

    01 03 2020 U G scholarship recipient Deborak Effon

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Pictured above: Deborah Effon (center) received the 2020 Umoja Group Scholarship.

  • NC MedAssist is holding a Mobile Free Pharmacy Event in partnership with Humana in Cumberland County on Feb. 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event will be held at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church located at 701 Westmont Dr., Fayetteville and is open to any individual or family needing over-the-counter medications. Such items include cough and cold medicine, vitamins, allergy medication, first aid supplies, etc. Participants must be at least 18 years old to receive medicine. No identification is required, however face masks are required to participate.

    “Our North Carolina team is proud to partner with NC MedAssist here in Cumberland County and across the state to bring resources to those in need in our community,” said Humana’s North Carolina Director Patrick Farley. “We hope that having these important over-the-counter supplies on hand will help everyone stay healthy this winter.”

    All Mobile Free Pharmacy events are being held as a drive-thru service only. In order to comply with local recommended guidelines, all participants will remain in their vehicles while volunteers retrieve their medicine. Participants are highly encouraged to pre-order their over-the-counter medicine online by visiting https://medassist.org/mobile/ and selecting their county event. Additional options are available for those individuals unable to pre-register online, so that everyone who needs medicine will be able to receive it. However, it is highly suggested to come early in the day if you were not able to pre-order online, as medicine will be given out on a first come, first serve basis, and while supplies last.

    At the event, all participants will receive information on NC MedAssist’s Free Pharmacy Program, which mails free prescription medications directly to a patient’s home. NC MedAssist’s overall goal is to help ease the burden for those in need; it is aiding people who are making the choice between buying food and purchasing life-saving medication.

    “Due to the pandemic, we had to create a new and innovative way to continue serving the community. We will be bringing close to $100,000 worth of OTC medicine to the event to be distributed to those most in need in our community,” said Sheila Kidwell, Director of Foundations and Communication at NC MedAssist. “We understand there is a pressing need, especially in the midst of the cold and flu season. Our goal in this partnership with Humana is to improve the health of the community, one family at a time.”

    The Mobile Free Pharmacy events have served upwards of 1,000 people, at times. To ensure the event runs smoothly and that all participants are served by the end, many volunteers are needed. NC MedAssist is partnered with safety-net organizations to recruit community members to serve in volunteer roles such as pharmacy consultation, client personal shoppers and sorters. However, the charitable organization is still actively seeking volunteers for the Mobile Free Pharmacy Event from the community. Any interested individuals can sign up at www.medassist.org/volunteer.

    NC MedAssist is a statewide non-profit pharmacy, founded in 1997. The organization provides free prescription medication to all low-income, uninsured North Carolinians who qualify for their Free Pharmacy Program. NC MedAssist offers three programs that address the needs of children and adults: the Free Pharmacy Program (for prescription medication); the Over-the-Counter Program (which includes the Free OTC Store in Charlotte, as well as the Mobile Free Pharmacy Program which distributes over-the-counter medicine in communities across the state); and the Transitional Jobs Program (for individuals with barriers to employment). Last year, NC MedAssist distributed $76 million worth of prescription and over-the-counter medicine to NC residents.

    Learn more about NC MedAssist at www.medassist.org. You can also visit their Facebook at www.facebook.com/NCMedAssist/.

  • 07 PX winner 6Sara Cockrell, a Max Abbott Middle School student from Fayetteville won a $2,000 Army & Air Force Exchange Services gift card, the first-place prize in the Exchange’s worldwide "You Made the Grade" sweepstakes.

    The Exchange, a military retail store, presented the gift card to the seventh grader on Jan. 29, her thirteenth birthday, at the North Post Exchange located on Fort Bragg.

    “I am very excited, I was like how much again and my mom said ‘$2,000’ and I said ‘no, it can’t be that much,’” Cockrell said. “I wouldn't have expected the $2000, I wouldn’t have thought I was being rewarded for having good grades.”

    Sara was selected from amongst 500 high-achieving military students from all over the world who qualified for the sweepstakes by maintaining a B average or higher.

    We are so happy on her behalf and she's such a hard worker in school, so she really deserves it, Sue Cockrell, Sara’s mother said.

    Students with qualifying grades are encouraged to enter the sweepstakes to win a $2,000, $1,500 or $500 Exchange gift card.

    Cockrell said she will be using the money to buy an iPad for herself that she had been saving up for since the summer, to draw on and play Roblox on.

    “She always does her homework, I don't have to ask her to do it, I have had no issues with her during virtual learning, which she's done all year,” Sue Cockrell said. “She gets up in the morning, she's very self-motivated.”

    Cockrell was presented with her prize by the Exchange’s manager Amanda Hartfield, general manager for Fort Bragg Exchange, and the retail team at the Exchange that sang “Happy Birthday” for her and presented her with a cake.

    In attendance to congratulate Cockrell were Fort Bragg Garrison Commander Col. Scott Pence, Fort Bragg Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Loehr and Max Abbott Middle School Principal Carla Crenshaw.

    “Sara is a wonderful young lady, she works very hard, she’s one of those students that teachers love to have in class, she helps others and she's kind,” Crenshaw said. “I am so very proud of her.”

    Pictured: Sara Cockrell, a seventh grader at Max Abbott Middle School, won the Army & Air Force Exchange Services worldwide "You Made the Grade" sweepstakes.

  • 06 SFC Marvin CornettA World War II combat veteran is being honored for his service with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Retired Sgt. 1st Class Marvin Cornett of Auburn, Calif., will receive the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals that he earned nearly 76 years ago in a ceremony scheduled for Feb. 22. Cornett turns 100 on July 1.

    Cornett participated in the combat parachute assault over Salerno, Italy, on Jan. 31, 1944, and stormed ashore at Anzio Beach, according to an 82nd Airborne Division news release. When the Army did not follow up on the award recommendations for his actions, Cornett did not pursue the matter. He was routinely reassigned stateside to Fort Benning, Ga., where he served as an instructor. Cornett went on to serve a full career.

    Years later, Heritage Arsenal of Colorado Springs, Colo., found missing records of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart awards that never were conferred. An official of the organization who had been an Army Green Beret helped guide the family through the process of requesting the awards.

    The ceremony is being coordinated by Heritage Arsenal and the Cornett family and will be hosted by the American Legion in Auburn. Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division, will be the virtual guest speaker. U.S. Army recruiters will present the awards to Cornett who will be wearing his dress uniform during the event.

    Pictured: Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Marvin Cornett

  • 05 vaccine 2The Cumberland County Department of Public Health will be hosting three COVID-19 vaccination clinics this week for people in Groups 1 and 2, which includes healthcare workers with direct patient contact, long-term care facility staff and residents and individuals ages 65 and older.

    The County does not have a timeline for when the state will move to Group 3 – frontline essential workers.

    Drive-thru clinics are scheduled at the Crown Complex from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the following days. Appointment blocks run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. After 3 p.m., vaccinations are given on a standby basis for people in the eligible groups.
    Tuesday, Feb. 9 – second doses only of both Pfizer and Moderna available.
    Wednesday, Feb. 10 - first doses of the Moderna vaccine and second doses of Pfizer and Moderna. Due to the supply, no first doses of Pfizer will be issued.
    Friday, Feb. 12 – first doses of Moderna and second doses of Pfizer and Moderna.

    Receiving Your Second Dose
    There is no clinic scheduled on Saturday. The vaccination record individuals received for their first dose indicates the earliest date to receive the second dose. It is not an appointment card.
    The second dose should be administered as close to the recommended interval as possible (three weeks after the first dose for Pfizer or one month for Moderna). The second dose of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines may be scheduled for administration up to six weeks (42 days) after the first dose.

    There are two ways to receive your second dose:
    • Use the first-come, first-served line. We encourage you to do this on Tuesdays, during our second dose only clinics; however, this option is also available on Wednesdays and Fridays. Though afternoons are designated for first-come, first-served, we can accommodate first-come, first-served in the mornings depending on turnout.
    • Schedule an appointment using the appointment request form. You will receive an email confirmation with your second dose appointment.

    Visit the County’s vaccine website for information on how to request an appointment block.

    Find a Ride
    The public can request transportation assistance when making an online appointment for the COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics. Individuals who select the option for assistance with transportation to the vaccination site will be contacted by the Cumberland County Community Transportation Program after their appointment has been scheduled.

    Same-day transportation appointments cannot be accommodated.

    Visit the County’s vaccination page at co.cumberland.nc.us/covid19vaccine for information or to complete the appointment block request form or call 910-678-7657 weekdays from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

  • 19Scholar Athletes1

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Rayvin Griffin

    E.E. Smith
    Basketball
    Senior
    Griffin averaged 14.3 points and 4.2 rebounds for the Mid-South 4-A Conference regular-season champion Golden Bulls. She shared the county lead in 3-point goals and was Most Valuable Player of the Cumberland County Holiday Classic. She ranks in the top ten in her class and has a grade point average of 4.30.

     

     

     

    20Scholar Athlete 2

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Trent Agee
    Gray’s Creek
    Football
    Senior
    Agee, the starting quarterback for the Bears last fall, threw for 740 yards and eight touchdowns. He carries a 4.50 grade point average.

  • 18Pine ForestPine Forest High School’s baseball team is coming off back-to-back trips to the third round of the state 4-A playoffs.

    With the loss of nine seniors from last year’s team, head coach Tom Willoughby isn’t predicting his Trojans will fare as well this season, but he’s sticking with a formula that seems to breed success for his program.

    Willoughby has had his share of exceptional players, like infielder-pitcher Cobie Vance, who is in his second season playing for the University of Alabama.
    Players like that certainly help, but Willoughby thinks the guys who aren’t going to play baseball after high school are just as crucial. “They are going to put the most into that opportunity,’’ Willoughby said. “You raise the team up from the bottom. If you get those guys to play better, the whole team gets better.
    “Role players are a big factor.’’

    As with Vance a couple of years ago, Willoughby has another budding star to build this year’s team around, shortstop-pitcher Isaiah Bennett. A gifted athlete, Bennett has been a standout in both baseball and soccer for the Trojans.

    In January, Bennett flew to Arizona to take part in Major League Baseball’s Dream Series showcase, a special event to expose African-American pitchers and catchers to pro scouts and team staff for evaluation and instruction.

    Bennett, a sophomore, has also made an early commitment to play at the University of North Carolina, but Willoughby doesn’t think all that exposure will go to Bennett’s head. “He loves playing the game and he’s going to go about his business,’’ Willoughby said. “He won’t feel the pressure to live up to expectations.’’
    Bennett said he’s set a high bar for himself this season and wants to focus on being a team leader, showing his teammates the right way to do things. “I think I can perform at any level I put my mindset to,’’ he said.

    One of the biggest challenges for Bennett, and the rest of the Pine Forest pitching staff, will be adjusting to a new rule that limits the number of pitches a player can throw before having to take mandatory days off.

    As a short reliever, Bennett doesn’t think the rules will affect him greatly, but he said it could be a problem for pitchers if hitters become patient and pitchers aren’t able to find the strike zone.

    “You’ll have to focus on what you’re doing and go after them (the batters),’’ he said.

    Willoughby said he supports the new pitching rule but added it will require coaches to think ahead a little more on who they’ll be using in a game and how much.
    “I’m getting seven or eight guys ready to start the season,’’ he said. “We’ll have to use two or three guys early on because you don’t want them throwing 85 to 100 pitches right out of the gate.

    “We’ll have to use guys as a bridge to get to a closer or just to break up games.’’

    Willoughby said the Trojans have some three-game weeks early in the season, so he’s already looking at which pitchers he’ll be throwing in those games.
    “It builds depth, and that’s what you want to do as team,’’ he said.

    As for how that depth performs on the field, Willoughby will just have to wait.

    “As a group we’ve been together about a week now,’’ he said. “These guys have put in a lot of work. It depends on how quickly they develop as to how good we do this year.’’

     

  • 17 AndrewEsterlyWhen Up & Coming Weekly publisher Bill Bowman and I first started discussing the things we wanted to do with this page, one of the first items I mentioned was honoring scholar-athletes from Cumberland County.

    We see plenty of lists of athletes with all kinds of scoring and rushing and passing averages through the athletic year, but I fear we often forget that athletics is a sideshow to what young people are really in school for, to get an education.
    I was reminded of that last week when I got a request from Tracy Esterly on Facebook to add her to my circle of friends. Esterly is the mother of Gray’s Creek High School wrestler Andrew Esterly, who competed for the Bears in the recent N.C. High School Athletic Association wrestling championships held at the Greensboro Coliseum.

    Esterly wrestled in the 132-pound classification where he finished fifth in the state in his weight class.
    But that’s not why I mention him in this week’s column. His mother posted a picture of him on Facebook, which you’ll see elsewhere on this page, sitting in the stands in the Greensboro Coliseum with textbook open, studying for his class in advanced placement human geography.
    Making good grades is enough of a challenge by itself, but it’s even more challenging when you’re in a sport like wrestling. Of all the sports I’ve covered, wrestling makes the most personal demands on athletes, from maintaining precise weight to having to monitor their health carefully for signs of illness that can keep you out of competition.

    I applaud Esterly and all athletes like him for their commitment to push themselves to athletic excellence while at the same time maintaining the highest possible standards in the classroom.

    My longtime friend Rick Strunk, now retired as associate commissioner of the N.C. High School Athletic Association, recalled a conversation he had with a parent who called in a few years ago.

    The father wanted to know if he, as a parent, could override the diagnosis of a doctor who said his son shouldn’t return to the football field. According to Strunk, the son had been diagnosed with a concussion, and the doctor wouldn’t release him to play.
    Strunk tried to explain the logic of keeping the son on the bench, asking the father if he would want to reverse the doctor’s decision if his son was suffering from a knee injury.

    There’s currently a bill pending in the North Carolina House of Representatives that would give parents the right to overrule the doctor if it passes.
    Under the language of the bill, an athlete diagnosed with a concussion will be removed from the game or practice and not be allowed to return that day.
    However, it then gives a parent or legal guardian the right to submit written clearance to the school so the athlete can resume competition.
    I’m certainly in favor of parents being involved in making key decisions about their children and athletics, but the logic behind giving this much latitude
    escapes me.

    Parents don’t need to be given the freedom to decide if their children are healthy enough to return to the playing field, especially with concussions. That decision should be left in the hands of medical professionals.

    Hopefully, this bill will not get serious consideration and die quickly in committee. Names have been determined for the conferences the Cumberland County Schools will be playing in next season. Both leagues will have new names.  Members of the former Mid-South 4-A and Cape Fear Valley 3-A are joining a combination 3-A/4-A league that will be called the Patriot Athletic Conference. The old Southeastern 4-A, which will be adding Jack Britt and Seventy-First next season, is changing its name to the Sandhills Athletic Conference, or SAC-8. Both new leagues begin play in the 2017-18 school year.

     

  • 15Dinors at CrownTake a trip back in time on March 5 at the Crown Theatre at Dinosaur Zoo Live. It is fun to learn about and imagine life on Earth when dinosaurs roamed, but this show takes the excitement of dinosaurs to a new level. Audience members are taken on a realistic tour through prehistoric Australia. Realistic dinosaurs of all sizes along with performers will teach audience members about the amazing creatures onstage. It makes for a show that is visually stunning, fun and educational for all ages. 

    This production features 19 dinosaurs onstage, including the amazing triceratops. The sometimes giant and always realistic dinosaurs are actually puppets. Trained puppeteers in the performance are able to make the life-sized puppets move in lifelike ways. It even allows audience members to interact with the dinosaurs. Because the show is both visually stunning and physically interactive, it makes paleontology come to life. By combining science and theater, it makes the knowledge accessible and entertaining. Prior knowledge and a passion for paleontology are not prerequisites for this show. Everyone is welcome to come and explore the ancient world of giant reptiles. The goal is for everyone in the audience to walk away with a little something more than they arrived with. That could be a little more knowledge about dinosaurs, a new passion or interest in paleontology or just a little more happiness from the joy of watching the show.

    Erth Visual & Physical INC. is the company responsible for creating this show. The company was founded in 1990 and is based out of Sydney Australia. They are widely recognized for their visual work. They specialize in creating out-of-the-box and unexpected visual experiences that engage audiences in novel ways, especially when dinosaurs are involved. Their puppets are incredibly well-respected for their craftsmanship and realism. They have been commissioned for museums, zoos, theaters and festivals from all over the world. Their most widely recognized work is Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo. The show is constantly touring globally and has several highly trained teams of puppeteers and performers that tour simultaneously so that they can bring this show to a variety of venues across North America, Australia and the United Kingdom.

    Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live has been recognized as one of the best children’s shows and has received positive reviews from multiple critics in the United States, not to mention the opinions of many happy families.


    Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live will be at the Crown Theatre for just one night: March 5. It starts at 4:30 p.m. The Crown Theatre is located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. Ticket prices range from $20 t0 $50. Audience members under 2 years old do not need a ticket. The $50 VIP tickets include a post show meet & greet, a signed photo and a tour laminate. To purchase tickets or for more information visit the following website: http://www.crowncomplexnc.com/events/detail/erths-dinosaur-zoo-live.

     

  • RWRon White knew he was funny; he just wasn’t expecting to make a living at it. It was 1986, and a comedy club had just opened down the street from where he worked. “My friend went to open mic night and came back and said, ‘You are funnier than these guys. You’ve got to get onstage,’” said White. And he did. It just so happened Jeff Foxworthy was headlining that week. “He saw me perform and he came up to me and said, ‘You are funny, but you need to put the punchline at the end of the joke.’ That is just how generous he is. He didn’t know me, but he still gave me good advice” said White, who took Foxworthy’s words to heart and got serious about what it takes toto deliver a joke. Later, White toured with Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable guy on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. According to White it was an act of kindness on Foxworthy’s part. Now, White is an actor, an author and owner of a tequila company, but his favorite job by far is still making people laugh. He’ll be onstage at the Crown March 4. For an entire evening of fun. Anstead’s Tobacco will make a night of it with a pre-show party, the live Ron White performance and an after-party. The Pre-Show Party runs from 5-6:30 p.m. and includes drink specials, door prizes and more. The after-party starts at 9 p.m. and runs until midnight.


    Even though he’s been at it for three decades, White says it’s not too hard to find things to laugh about. “Sometimes, it just falls in your lap. Other times you have to go out and find it … then you have to get onstage,” he said. “Get in front of as many crowds as you can and start developing it.” And that’s not too hard for him to do, either — at least when he isn’t touring. When he is home in L.A., it’s not unusual for White to perform three shows a night several nights a week. It keeps him sharp, and it’s what he loves. “Well, if you are going to be a painter, you’d better paint. I am a better comedian when I am a comedian every day,” he said. “Besides, my wife will tell you I am way less grouchy when I am doing stand up.”

    As a comic, connecting with an audience can be the deciding factor in whether a night is a success. North to South and from Europe to Canada, White finds that people have more in common than you might expect. “Most people think you would have to fine tune your act, but I talk about the human condition,” said White. “And that doesn’t vary. We aren’t all that different. We all have to get up and do things we don’t want to do. We all have to feed ourselves and often other people, too. We face the same issues every day no matter where we live. We just aren’t that different.”

    At 60 years old, White jokes that his brain is a combination of a lazy Susan and a colander — always spinning and leaky, but he has no intention of stopping any time soon.


    “I am a comedian. As long as people stay interested in what I have to say, I will keep doing this. It has been a wonderful run. I love my fans, and I will work hard for them if they keep showing up.”

    Tickets to Anstead’s Ron White Night cost $69 and include the preshow party at Ansteads, the Ron White show at the Crown and the after-party at Anstead’s. Call (910) 391-3859 for more information about this event. To purchase ticket to just the Ron White show at the Crown, visit http://www.crowncomplexnc.com/events/detail/ron-white.

  • 5k warriorHis Bread of Life Food Bank presents Fayetteville’s Inaugural American Warrior 5K Walk & Run Saturday, March 4, at 9:30 a.m. at Festival Park.


    “The purpose of this walk and run is to raise awareness and funds for His Bread of Life Food Bank which is a division of His Outreach Worldwide,” said Lynne O’Quinn, president of His Outreach Worldwide. “We feed many in the community every week, so we are just trying to let people know we are there and try to bring in funds to continue feeding many people every week.” O’Quinn added that the reason the race is named the American Warrior is that the organization is trying to fight hunger.

    The 5K walk and run is a certified and competitive race. “We have a new route because the older route that we originally were going to use got washed out by

    Hurricane Matthew,” said O’Quinn. “This will be a route that no one has done before.” Awards will be presented to the first, second and third place runner in these divisions: ages 12 & under, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70+. Overall awards will be given for first, second and third place. 

     

    The mother ministry, His Outreach Worldwide, is a worldwide ministry in 122 countries.

    His Bread of Life is one of their seven umbrella divisions. It is a non-profit Christian-based food bank serving children and families in Fayetteville who need food assistance. They give out food on a weekly basis and serve 30-40 households each week. The gospel message is provided to each family or individual who receives food from the food bank in hopes of spreading the message of Jesus Christ.

    “It has its own building at 204 S. Reilly Road, and that is where everyone comes to get their food,” said O’Quinn. “We are different and unique in the way that we let the families come in and do their own shopping.” O’Quinn added that individuals can get a certain number of canned goods, meats, soups, cereal and other food items. They get to choose their items because the food bank does not want any food wasted. Anyone can come to the food bank. The organization will never turn anyone away.

    Checks can be made out to His Bread of Life. Monetary and canned good donations are appreciated.

    Registration begins at 8 a.m. Pre-registration is $25, the day of registration is $30 and $20 for the military.

    Come dressed in red, white and blue. T-shirts are guaranteed and included in registration fees placed before February 17. For more information call 864-3991.

  • UAC022217001Better Health of Cumberland County presents its 20th anniversary Evening at the Theater on March 4, an opportunity for the public to enjoy delectable food, casino tables and dueling pianos while supporting an organization with an inspiring mission. This year’s black and white themed evening and will take place at Cape Fear Botanical Gardens.


    Better Health is a nonprofit organization founded by Ruth Peters in 1958 with the vision to “improve access and availability of health care services for the underserved, low-income [Cumberland County] resident … through assistance, referral, and education.”


    The organization relies solely on sponsors, grants, individual and corporate donations and fundraising events. Amy Navejas, executive director of Better Health since July 2015, said of Evening at the Theater: “This is our largest fundraiser. It is critical for our operation and the services we provide. One hundred percent of the funds raised go toward our core missions of diabetes treatment and education, emergency direct aid and childhood obesity prevention.”
    Evening at the Theater owes its name to its original venue. Twenty years ago the staff, under the direction of then-Executive Director Roberta Humphries, conceived the idea for a fundraising event to be held at Cape Fear Regional Theatre. Since then, the event has evolved every few years in location and content, from dinner and a movie at the Cameo to skits at SkyView. In 2015, sponsor Timothy Edwards proposed to bring in elements of a casino, which proved to be a huge success and greatly increased the fundraising power of the event.


    Navejas said, “It’s a lot of fun for everyone! We have a variety of attendees, whether individuals who come because they want to support a wonderful cause, those who are drawn by the casino, or those who want to have a great date night while benefitting the community in the process.”
    Due to the popularity of casino-themed entertainment for the past two years, Navejas moved the venue to the Grand Hall and Orangery at Cape Fear Botanical Gardens for this 20th anniversary Evening. The move will create space for more attendees to enjoy the night’s offerings. The casino will have its own space in the Grand Hall, with the UNC-Duke game playing in the background. In the Orangery, adjacent to the Grand Hall, there will be food, bars, seating, room to dance and Blazin’ Keys Entertainment’s dueling pianos.


    Dueling pianos is an interactive form of musical entertainment that involves two pianists onstage playing audience-requested songs. Casey Cotton, dueling pianist and founder of Blazin’ Keys, said of the act: “It allows people to be a part of something - a live show. It’s a thrill to see what songs people pick, and I love the challenge of two guys on pianos pulling off a song that it normally takes a whole band to do.” Cotton has played piano for 31 years and has performed in venues across the country, from Savannah Smiles Dueling Pianos in Georgia to Centrale Italian Kitchen & Bar in New York.


    The Evening will also feature a 50/50 raffle. Attendees can purchase tickets from showgirls who will be floating between the Grand Hall and Orangery, and at the end of the night the winner will receive half of the cash earnings from raffle ticket purchases. Last year’s winner, Clark Reaves, won $2,000 and donated his winnings back to Better Health. There will be a wager board for the UNC-Duke game, with a gift basket for the person who correctly guesses the final score. Finally, there will be a premium liquor basket presented to the casino player with the highest chip count at the end of the night. “I am most excited about seeing the event come together as a whole,” said Brad Laub, volunteer board member and first-time Chair for this event. “The night is going to be full of excitement and energy!”


    If you would like to support Better Health’s mission but cannot attend Evening at the Theatre, there are other ways to get involved. “One of our strongest needs is for volunteers to commit to at least one day a month at our diabetes clinic,” Navejas said. “We also always have shortages on used wheelchairs, scooters, transfer benches and eye glasses.” You can also simply donate cash to help Better Health reach their fundraising goal of $50,000. Visit http://www.betterhealthcc.org and click “How To Help” for more details.


    Marilyn Coffield, a registered nurse who has volunteered at Better Health since 1998, said of what she does: “The more I learned about Better Health, as I began working for the organization, the more I admired and resonated with their nonprofit mission. We are so grateful to be able to offer free services. We are so appreciative of the community support for events such as Evening at the Theater. It is a delight to see [people who come through Btter Health’s doors] move forward in their lives. We celebrate and encourage any small gains with them… they do the hard work and we are their cheerleaders!”


    Tickets to Evening at the Theater are available for $75 per person using the form under “Events” at betterhealthcc.org or by calling 910-483-7534.

  • CharlottesWebCharlotte’s Web is a classic children’s novel. It was written by E.B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams. The book was published in October of 1952. Since it was first published the book has been a mainstay in schools and home’s across the nation. In 2000, Publishers Weekly named the book as the best-selling children’s paperback of all time, a truly amazing honor. The Children’s Literature Association named it, “the best American children’s book of the past two hundred years,” another incredible title that speaks to the book’s combination of critical acclaim and mass popularity.

    “Each year a few students are selected to choose the shows for the following semester. It is then given to our professor and the chair to decide. The vote for this show was unanimous because of it childlike wonder and sense of nostalgia,” said FSU spokesperson Christina Jones.

    The story centers around a pig named Wilbur who is the runt of his litter. Wilbur lives on a farm and is in danger of being slaughtered by the farmer. Luckily, Wilbur’s barnyard friend steps in to save his life. The little spider, Charlotte, writes messages in her web that convinces the farmer to leave the little pig alone. Wilbur goes on to compete in the county fair while Charlotte lays an egg sac full of her unborn young. Wilbur returns to the farm and helps care for the eggs until they hatch and Charlotte subsequently dies.

    Iris McBride (Wilbur) is a sophomore at Fayetteville State University and a double major in both theatre, and music. Morgan Pierce (Fern) is a freshman at South View High School and “loves theatre more than anything else.” Tracyie Zapata-Kuhn (Charlotte) is a graduating senior at Fayetteville State University with a major in theatre. She has played lead roles in previous children’s shows, such as the rabbit in The Velveteen Rabbit, Laura in Rumplestiltskin, and the wife in The Fisherman and His Wife.

    FSU presents Charlotte’s Web the play written by Joseph Robinette. Robinette worked with E.B. White to create a stage adaptation true to the spirit of the original story. There will be school performances on Feb. 16 and 17 at 9:15 a.m.and 10:45 a.m. There is also a public performance on February 18th at 10 A.M. This is a perfect opportunity to see the stage production as a family and to share the classic tale with friends and families of all ages. Tickets for the general public are $10. Tickets can be purchased through the FSU Box Office by calling 910.672.1724.

    Charlotte’s Web does not mark the end of the season for FSU. April 6-8 will feature Passing Strange by Stew and Heidi Rodewald. This show combines comedy, drama and rock music. The musical takes place in Europe and focuses on a story of self-discovery for a young African American. The show is critically acclaimed and has received a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical.

    For years the FSU Theater program has brought high-quality shows to the community for very affordable prices while also developing the skills and talents of the students in the program. While looking for ways to engage in the lively artistic community thriving in Fayetteville, don’t forget to look at the FSU Season. It offers a wide variety of excellent shows and provides an opportunity to support the growing artists in the area.

  • brain candyOn Feb. 21, the Crown Theater will present the show Brain Candy Live! at 7:30 p.m. The show features two entertainment powerhouses, both individually known for their creative pursuits of knowledge: Adam Savage and Michael Stevens. Savage is known for his work on television and Steven’s has made a name for himself with his popular YouTube channel called Vsauce. Together they use the stage, some science and some convenient optical illusions to create a fun evening full of creativity and learning.

    Stevens has a background in neuropsychology and a love for performing onstage. When YouTube was invented, it gave him the perfect platform to combine these two passions. The goal of his channel, Vsauce, is to engage people in a fun and comfortable way, like hanging out with friends, he explains. But it all starts with questions that can come from anywhere, even fans. And he truly means any sort of questions. “I especially like the joke ones. I did one on why is it called our bottom if it is in the middle of our body. The question was an entry to talk about how interesting that there are no other animal that have a butt as big in relation to their body as we do,” Stevens said. “One of the leading hypotheses about why we have unique butts is that they are big pieces of muscle we have because we are runners. We don’t have claws, fangs or venom, so the only way to hunt for prey before we had tools was endurance hunting. Even though an antelope can run faster it can’t run longer. You run till it needs to stop and you keep running.”

    Despite his YouTube experience interacting with audiences, Brain Candy Live! is inherently different. “On YouTube when I talk, I have all these barriers. I record a video, and all you can do is listen and watch, but for the most part, there is a wall between me and the audience. If I want you to smell something or hear something, the mic can’t pick that up. I’m stuck. But all these things are possible during a live event,” Stevens said.

    The combination of Savage and Stevens onstage is electric. Both have entertainment experience and engaging personalities that encourage audience participation. They ramp this up even more by purposefully bringing up audience members to participate in their demonstrations and experiments. The audience participates in nearly every part of the show. This personal touch guarantees that every demonstration, though it may be incredibly complex, is understandable and fun for the whole family. The goal here is to wow and dazzle, but not through magic, through understandable and relatable science.

    The show is two hours long and does include an intermissio. The show in Fayetteville is particularly special. It is the world debut of Brain Candy Live! and Stevens’ first experience touring. If everything goes well there is the possibility of another Brain Candy show with a new theme in the future. Tickets range from $99.50 for the VIP to $25. To purchase tickets or for more information visit www.crowncomplexnc.com.

     

  • Community Concerts will bring the band Foreigner, one of the most popular rock acts in the world, to the Crown Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 25.foreigners new 4

    Michael Fleishman, Community Concerts Attractions Director, said of the upcoming show: “Foreigner is rock royalty. When it comes to hits, Foreigner is in the same realm as groups like Journey, Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles.

    They’ve had amazing success, you know all the songs and we’re very lucky to have them. It’s gonna be a zoo in there! We are anticipating full capacity.”

    English musician and lead guitarist Mick Jones established Foreigner in 1976, propelled by a desire “to combine Blues and R&B with British rock and make it sound soulful and authentic.” Jones and his original band mates, including Lou Gramm as lead vocalist, rocketed to stardom when they released their self-titled debut album in 1977. This album produced immediate hits such as “Feels Like The First Time,” “Cold As Ice” and “Long, Long Way from Home.”
    Foreigner has grown with the times – both in its membership and audience. Today, the band boasts 10 multi-platinum albums and sixteen Top 30 hits spanning a 40-year legacy. Jones remains the band’s heartbeat and leader, but he is now joined by vocalist Kelly Hansen (since 2007), bassist Jeff Pilson, multi-instrumentalist Tom Gimbel, guitarist Bruce Watson, Michael Bluestein on keyboards and Chris Frazier on drums.


    According to Hansen, “The best part about being in this band is getting the chance to do something I feel I was meant to do…what happens on stage with this group of guys is something rare and palpable. It’s like the old saying, if I have to describe it, you wouldn’t understand.”

    And Foreigner’s music’s appeal has not faded with the digital age, being featured in popular films such as “Anchorman 2,” “Magic Mike” and “Pitch Perfect” as well as the video game “Grand Theft Auto V.” Their most popular hits today include “I Want To Know What Love Is,” “Waiting For A Girl Like You” and “Double Vision.”

    Community Concerts, responsible for bringing Foreigner to the Crown and holding the title of Fayetteville’s oldest art organization, was founded in 1935. The organization is an “all-volunteer, non-profit whose goal is to bring the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville.”

    After the Foreigner concert on Feb. 25, Community Concerts will host the Australian singing sensation and world-renowned music group The Ten Tenors on March 18. This concert will be preceded by a short induction ceremony for new members into The Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame. Now going on its 10th year, The Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame was founded by Community Concerts to honor those who have brought musical distinction to the community.

    This year’s season finale will take place on April 11 when Community Concerts features the Broadway smash hit, “RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles.”

    Tickets to Foreigner range from $39.50 to $89.50 and are available in person at the Crown Box Office or online at www.CapeFearTix.com. There is a VIP package available when you buy online, which includes a pre-show photo with the band and an autographed limited edition CD, along with other bonuses.

  • ncAngst seems to be the order of the day in both our state and our nation, and in many parts of the world for that matter. It feels like we are constantly at each other’s throats about our differences—social, political, educational, economic and just about every other category we can we give a name. Our operative attitude is a snarling grrrr…


    Let’s take a little break.

    Public Policy Polling a North Carolina operation known for its accuracy in political forecasting, has a little fun every year polling us North Carolinians on what we like best about our state and what we don’t much like at all. Here is some of what we think about where we live and what goes on here.


    No one is going to die of shock when we say North Carolinians love our basketball. A whopping 33 percent of us identify as UNC Tar Heel fans, and 81 percent of that group think Coach Roy Williams is doing a great job. Count me in that club. Down the road at Duke, 84 percent think Coach Mike Krzyzewski is terrific, but there are fewer folks in Duke’s fan base — 19 percent of North Carolinians cheer for Duke. It is downhill from there for other schools. N.C. State lays claim to 16 percent of our hearts, but Wake Forest earns the loyalty of only 5 percent of us. The worst ranking I have ever seen goes to Duke player Grayson Allen, the fellow with a penchant for tripping other players on the court, who earns an actual negative rating at -16. That guy might consider hiring a public relations firm.

    Still regarding sports, though not our favorite one, the Carolina Panthers have taken a hit in the popularity department. Last year, 55 percent of us claimed to be Panther fans — although I know at least one person who could not care less, while only 44 percent do now. That is almost certainly because of a poor season, but the Panthers should not worry too much. North Carolinians do not like any other professional football teams much either. Nary a one even hits double digits.

    We also have definite opinions about iconic North Carolina food.

    We much prefer our native Krispy Kremes to Dunkin Donuts, 64/34 percent. This number goes down a bit when those polled came here from somewhere else, possibly up North. Those folks prefer Krispy Kremes by only 10 percent. Poor babies just don’t know any better yet, but I am confident they will learn. When it comes to barbecue, North Carolina’s long-running and unresolvable debate, we correctly prefer eastern (vinegar) style to western (ketchup) style — who doesn’t!?! PPP notes that barbecue is a rare issue on which Democrats and Republicans hold virtually identical opinions, probably because they all eat a lot of it and know whereof they speak.

    I wish PPP had asked about oysters, clearly a love ‘em or loathe ‘em category. Put me in the first group.
    And which of our cities do we love the most? Wilmington tops our list — hard to beat the beach, I guess, followed by Raleigh — the General Assembly cannot be the cause of Raleigh’s popularity, and Asheville — arts in the mountains are apparently a big draw. The list continues in descending order with Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Cary, Charlotte, Greenville, Carrboro, Durham and concludes with — so sorry to say — Fayetteville. The poll did not ask why people rated our cities this way, but the good news is that Fayetteville’s favorability has a positive net change of 8 points since 2012. Let’s think of that as progress.

    Carolina! Carolina! Heaven’s blessings attend her!
    While we live, we will cherish, protect and defend her!

    Anyone recognize the opening lines of “The Old North State,” North Carolina’s official state song since 1927? Apparently, not many of us do, because 44 percent want to ditch “The Old North State” in favor of James Taylor’s “Carolina in my Mind.” At least we know the words and can sing along with that one.

    And, finally, what with global warming and all, this may not matter a whit, but a fourth of us think North Carolina gets too much snow, a fourth of us think we get too little snow, and half of us think we get just the right amount. My guess is that some of our youngest Tar Heel citizens may not see snow in their lifetimes, or at least not in eastern North Carolina.

    As a Tar Heel born and bred and who has been here for almost all my life, I adore and guard our little quirks as part of what makes us love calling North Carolina home. Despite my personal angst about much of what has transpired here lately, I would not want to be anywhere else, and I have faith that life will get better.

    I just hope I am not a Tar Heel dead before that happens.

  • 12Billy GrahamCountless people have watched Billy Graham crusades on television or had the opportunity to sit in the audience to hear him preach, but how many people attended a worship service with him?

    I did.

    It was in the late 1970s when I traveled to the tiny North Carolina mountain town of Montreat. It’s home to a small college and a beautiful retreat of the Presbyterian Church nestled in the hills near Black Mountain.

    It’s also the home of Dr. Graham, and the place where he passed away last Wednesday morning at the age of 99.

    We were there to attend a conference hosted by Christian Books Unlimited. A feature of the conference was nightly revival-style worship services with a variety of speakers.

    One evening as I sat with my parents in Anderson Auditorium, one of the conference spokesmen approached the microphone and said, “We are pleased to have Dr. Billy Graham in attendance with us tonight.’’

    Necks craned and heads turned and, sure enough, several pews back behind the last occupied row of congregants was that familiar face and full shock of hair seated alone, watching.

    He anticipated what would happen at the end of the service, quietly exiting during the singing of the last hymn and shaking the hand of an usher as he departed the building.

    That was my closest brush with the greatest evangelist of our time, but my father, Rev. Earl Vaughan Sr., had an even closer one some years earlier.

    He was also in Montreat for a religious conference with some friends and was invited to the home of Dr. L. Nelson Bell.

    Bell was the father of Graham’s wife, Ruth Bell Graham. Bell and his wife had served as missionaries to China for years before retiring to Montreat.

    While my dad was visiting Bell’s home, Graham happened to show up at the same time.

    “He shook hands with all of us, greeted all of us individually,’’ my father said. “He was very cordial, very gracious and kind to us. We got the chance to talk with him briefly.’’

    In 1974, while serving a pastorate in Leland, Woodburn Presbyterian Church, dad was invited to serve as a counselor at the Billy Graham Crusade in Norfolk, Virginia. It was the 225th of Graham’s 417 crusades, the last one taking place in New York in 2005.

    The atmosphere at the crusade was far different from the one in Bell’s home. Dad didn’t get to interact personally with Graham during the conference. Dad was one of a large number of ministers invited to meet and counsel with people who came up at the end of each crusade meeting when Graham made his call for those attending to accept Jesus Christ as their savior.

    “It was very uplifting,’’ my father said of the crusade experience. “We were facing him directly and we could see around the whole auditorium, people in the choir behind Billy singing.’’

    There have been evangelists before and since Graham, but none have had the same reach, nor the same impact on so many people over so many generations.

    My father thinks there are several reasons for that.

    “He was so approachable to start with, so genuine, and he could talk to any person,’’ my father said. “He could make that person feel loved and wanted by Jesus Christ. It was just a really, really spiritually filled atmosphere around him.’’

    At the same time, my father said, Dr. Graham never put on airs. “He was appreciative of everything that was done for him and the attention paid to him,’’ dad said. “He was such a really down-to-earth person compared to other television evangelists and others I’ve seen.’’

    Possibly that was because of his humble beginnings, working on a dairy farm, honing his preaching skills by standing on a stump and sharing the gospel with the creatures of the woodlands.

    “He had humble beginnings and he wasn’t ashamed of that,’’ my father said. “He let that be known, where he came from.

    “He was grateful to be God’s servant, wherever God could use him.”

    Photo: Billy Graham

  • 04Solar systemRight now, you are probably thinking about the time Galileo got put on trial by the Inquisition. How do I know that? Because you just read the first sentence in this column. If you are one of the other 7.6 billion people in the world who didn’t read that sentence, please proceed to the crossword puzzle. If you are still here, let’s stroll around 17th-century canon law as it was inflicted on Galileo.

    It turns out sometimes the prevailing conventional wisdom ain’t so wise. Like Sportin’ Life once sang in “Porgy & Bess,” “The things that you’re liable/ To read in the Bible/ They ain’t necessarily so.” Case in point, ponder the troubles of our old pal Galileo Galilei. Galileo was one of those 17th-century celebrities who were so famous they were known by one name like Cher or O.J. Galileo managed to get tangled up with the Inquisition because he pushed a theory that the Catholic Church didn’t like. Think back into the dusty recesses of your mind about the Inquisition. Go ahead. I have a minute. Take your time. There. Remember it was always best to keep a low profile around the Inquisition as they had ways of making you talk.

    So, on we go into the Way Back Machine with Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman. We are in the year 1633 when Galileo fell into the tender mercies of the Inquisition. In his day, Galileo was a celebrity astronomer like Stephen Hawking or Neil deGrasse Tyson. When Galileo talked, people listened. Conventional 17thcentury scientific wisdom was based on Ptolemy’s theory that the Earth was the center of the universe and that the sun and planets all rotated around the Earth. Ptolemy came up with this theory about 150 A.D. For almost 1,500 years, astronomers believed the Earth was the Beyoncé of the Universe, the center of everything. Ptolemy’s theory also conveniently matched the Bible’s interpretation that the Earth was the center of the universe.

    The first major break from Ptolemy’s universe came in 1543 when another hotshot 17th-century astronomer named Copernicus published his theory that the Earth rotated around the sun instead of the other way. Copernicus’ theory was not well received. The proverbial celestial poo hit the fan, and his theory fell into disrepute. Everything chugged along smoothly in the Ptolemy universe until Galileo invented the telescope in 1609. Then it was a bad moon rising for Galileo. Looking through his telescope, he saw planets rotating in a manner that convinced him Copernicus was right.

    It turns out new scientific discoveries that challenge conventional scientific and religious beliefs are not always welcomed with open arms – as Galileo was to find out. Being a good scientist and not having access to the internet, Galileo started printing all manner of written materials and books about his theory that the Earth rotated around the sun. Accusations of heresy were flung against Galileo. He found himself summoned by Pope Urban VIII to come to Rome to answer for his sins of believing and saying that what he was seeing was true. Like the Red Queen said in “Alice in Wonderland,” “Sentence first – verdict afterward!” The Inquisition decided he was guilty and then had his trial.

    As the Inquisition had some serious and painful penalties including prison and torture that it could impose, Galileo took a plea bargain. He confessed that he had been in error in saying that the Earth rotated around the sun. “Oops, my bad!” saithe The G Man. He was sentenced to prison but allowed to serve house arrest on condition that he would never breathe another word about the Earth rotating around the sun.

    Rumor has it that on his way out of the Inquisition’s courtroom, Galileo muttered under his breath, “And yet it moves” referring to the Earth rotating around the sun. Fortunately, the Inquisitors didn’t hear him say that or he might have recanted again while being stretched on the rack.

    Galileo’s story has a happy if somewhat delayed ending. Only 359 years after Galileo’s trial, Pope John Paul II declared in 1992 that Galileo was right about the rotation of the Earth. Of course, there is no parallel between Galileo’s story and certain politicians’ resistance to accepting climate change as scientific fact. To quote Mark Twain’s preface to “Huckleberry Finn:” “Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.”

    So, what have we learned about astronomy? Probably not much. Oscar Wilde once said, “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” Look at the stars or look in the gutter. The choice is yours. My personal advice to you is to never to take advice.

  • 03sexed1When I was in grade school and what we now call middle school, we did not have sex education at all since, as far as we knew, no one ever discussed sex, and certainly not schoolteachers. So, my first introduction to that topic came from one of my best friends who was what my mother called “precocious.” Betsy, an alias, was on the cutting edge of everything despite her tender age, but when she informed me about the birds and the bees, I thought it was the most unbelievable story I had ever heard.

    Who on earth would want to do that?

    Still, Betsy did know a lot about a lot, so I did not discount her information altogether. When my mother eventually got around to “the talk,” I was less interested in what she had to say than in the fact that Betsy got the whole thing pretty much right. This was decades before we heard the word internet or imagined carrying around personal communication devices.

    The Betsys of the adolescent set often get things wrong, though, and they are not the most reliable source for sex education. That, of course, is parents, caretakers and other trusted and reliable adults in a young person’s life. For reasons we all understand circling around awkwardness and embarrassment, such open communication does not happen in too many young lives.

    That is why the Cumberland County Board of Education’s decision to scrap Get Real, a sex education curriculum with a proven and verified track record, is so distressing. The board bowed to pressure from parents whose agenda is not providing accurate information about human sexuality to adolescents. As Opie Taylor would say, the board has more “xplaining” to do about tossing a nationally vetted program for a locally generated and therefore locally influenced one.

    Here is the deal with Get Real.

    It is a sex ed curriculum developed by the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts and has been in use for 10 years. Fact: no matter what you may think you know about Planned Parenthood, for more than a century its primary mission is and has been health education and reproductive health care for women, men and young people of both genders. Get Real provides medically accurate and ageappropriate information to sixth- to eighth-graders, adolescents just beginning to think about sex and likely with limited access to relevant information.

    Get Real’s curriculum fosters parental and caregiver involvement and aims to delay sexual activity among young people. It also emphasizes healthy relationships – what they look like and what they do not, the hazards of peer pressure and the importance of consent. It promotes communication among families and friends, especially between young people and parents and other adults important in their lives. It is not a how-to manual nor does it suggest that sexual activity is appropriate at a young age.

    No one thinks for a second that members of the Cumberland County Board of Education want to harm the students in our system in any way. The reality, though, is that young people with emerging sensibilities are hungry for all sorts of information, including and especially about sex. Providing such information in a neutral and tested format that encourages adult input, reduces the stress on both young people and adults and becomes a vehicle for more open communication.

    Not providing sex education in such a way threatens to leave young people with incomplete or even inaccurate information; it’s a dangerous way to head into young adulthood in a highly sexualized national culture.

    Consider your sex education. Maybe you got it in school. Maybe your parents or another trusted adult did a great job. More likely it came, at least in part, from your own personal Betsy who may or may not have known of which she spoke.

    Our Cumberland County Board of Education is responsible for educating our young people in all sorts of ways, including accurate and complete information about human sexuality. This is not a topic to be left to the Betsys, cable television or – heaven forbid! – the internet.

  • 02Pub Pen gunsAs communities grapple with another school shooting this month, citizens are rallying to demand change. Will more laws make a difference? This week, publisher Bill Bowman yields this space to retired Special Forces soldier Jim Jones. Jones shares his thoughts on ways communities can protect citizens and citizens can protect themselves.

    Eighteen minutes of terror was all the time it took for the murderer to kill 17 people at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Feb. 14. The people, politicians and media are crying for an end to school shootings.

    This article is not just about guns or mental health. This is about you and your community. While there is no 100 percent solution, there are things we can all do to turn the tide.

    We should ask local politicians to make our schools safer. We can do this by making doors more secure, building schools with access controls built in, planning escape routes and conducting training. Schools should have a strong police presence. Take a dog through the schools and tell the students it is a drug- and gunsniffing dog. It can be any dog, but the idea is that you are doing something.

    We should learn from the fire prevention efforts that go into our schools. Schools are built to satisfy fire code standards and are inspected, and schools regularly conduct fire drills. The last mass school deaths (10 or more) from fire was in 1958 in Cheektowaga, New York, where 15 students died.

    Demand respect for teachers in the classroom. Ideally, teachers should never have to defend against an attack, but they have a traditional role of keeping good order and discipline in schools. Because we have taken corporal punishment out of school, the children often rule the teachers.

    In the classroom, teachers should be trained to protect their rooms. The doors should have strong locks, and the teachers should have the ability to quickly and effortlessly barricade the doors. The rooms should have windows that allow students to escape. Teachers should be taught how to use items in their classroom as weapons – just in case they have no other choice but to fight. A fire extinguisher can be brutal to the face and eyes.

    Schools need to have experts train staff and administrators so they know what to do during an active shooter event. Most school systems want teachers to lock down the school. A few years back, a friend who was responsible for writing a school’s emergency procedures asked me about this. We discussed escape routes, but the school board’s lawyers objected because of liability concerns and fear of lawsuits. This is insane. Would we tell teachers to keep children in a burning school? What if the Columbine attackers were able to detonate their firebombs, propane tanks and the other 99 explosive devices that were found after they committed suicide? Yes, people could be shot while running out of a building, but it is hard to hit a moving target, and distance is your friend when it comes to beating the odds.

    The police must stay current on tactics. Police need to have subject matter experts at each school who can advise other officers when they arrive at the scene.

    High school students should not be forced to go to school. Some of the most successful people in the country did not finish high school. If school is not for them, they should be given the right to pursue happiness in some other way. However, if a student is permanently expelled from school for an act of violence, a restraining order should come along with it. It should also be entered into the gun background database and used as a reason to refuse the sale of a weapon. After a reasonable time has passed, the record should be cleared again unless there is another reason to bar that person from purchasing a gun.

    No one wants to talk about the effects of violent video games on our children. As video games have become more realistic, it has become hard to tell the difference between the game and reality. Video games effectively train players to kill as many people as possible.

    Parents and the gaming industry will argue that this is not so. But look at our military. Pilots spend countless hours in flying simulators before taking off. Twenty-year-old NASCAR driver William Byron (#24) credits playing racing video games for his success as a NASCAR driver because the games are realistic. Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are the big three in video technology and have major lobbying groups. Violent videos are a huge market share for these companies. In 2017, the top five videos were all violent. You shouldn’t need the government to tell your kid that violent video games are unhealthy. Just walk into their rooms and take them away.

    We should improve our justice system to provide a fair and speedy trial. Florida has the death penalty. There is no reason why it should take more than a few months to bring a person to trial if they are caught committing a crime on video, if they confess or if DNA evidence shows they are guilty. If found guilty and the death penalty is the judgment, it should only take a day or so to have that person put to death and let people move on with their lives.

  • 01 coverEvery city and town needs and deserves a strong and committed local daily newspaper. For nearly 100 years, The Fayetteville Observer has served this community and was hailed as North Carolina’s oldest and most respected continuously privately owned daily newspaper – until it sold to private equity newspaper conglomerate GateHouse Media in 2016. Though it remains the oldest newspaper in North Carolina, it is no longer privately owned, nor, as many residents will attest, does it relate to the community. After the acquisition and a short honeymoon with the Fayetteville community, GateHouse Media started doing what it does best – dismantling the company.

    In December 2017, Robert Kuttner, co-founder and co-editor of The American Prospect magazine and professor at Brandeis University’s Heller School, co-authored an excellent article explaining in vivid detail what is taking place in hundreds of cities, towns and communities across the country. The article, “Saving the Free Press From Private Equity” was co-authored by Hildy Zenger. Hildy Zenger is not her real name since she works for a newspaper owned by the private equity firm GateHouse Media. She is a talented writer who gives us an up-close-and-personal perspective of the havoc and carnage created by GateHouse Media as it and other private equity companies employ “scorch and burn” policies.

    What follows is an account of the plight and devastation experienced by the newspaper industry and how it relates to what happened to The Fayetteville Observer and how it affects the community. What is happening to our daily newspaper is, sadly, happening in hundreds of cities and towns across the country. However, many communities with vision, dedicated leadership and a strong sense of American democracy have been able to rebuild this valuable conduit of truth, fairness and accountability in government. I hope we are one of them.

    All excerpts from “Saving the Free Press From Private Equity” are referenced and reprinted with permission. Read the entire article at: prospect.org/article/saving-free-press-private-equity.

    Monopolistic arrogance caused daily newspapers to ignore a changing industry. The advent of digital media has created a huge challenge for printed newspapers. Social media showed up on the scene about the same time as the 2008 recession and was followed by the private equity industry. These merciless Pac-Man-style companies began buying up newspapers that fell victim to the recession. They had no interest in news, media, publishing or communities. All they were interested in was massive layoffs, selling off assets and skimming off profits until the newspapers finally went out of business or filed for bankruptcy. They made huge profits. It’s sad for the victim newspapers and even sadder for American democracy.

    Cities and towns have always depended on daily and weekly newspapers for local news and unbiased investigative reporting. Without accountability, the business of local, state and federal governments becomes veiled in secrecy. Without the media, without reporters, without the press, the Fourth Estate cannot serve as the lynchpin of truth and honesty, keeping the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government in check.

    Saving the Free Press From Private Equity

    Local dailies and weeklies are in a slow death spiral. They missed the digital rendezvous. … Operating losses cause owners to lay off staff and shrink content, further depressing readership and ad income, leaving little to reinvest in digital. Local web-only media are feisty in a few places, but no substitute for a robust newspaper, whether print, web or a blend.

    It is here that GateHouse Media enters the Fayetteville community as the private equity player. Private equity has been gobbling up newspapers across the country and systematically squeezing the life out of them to produce windfall profits, while the papers last. Robust civic life depends on good local newspapers. Without the informed dialogue that a newspaper enables, the public business is the private province of the local commercial elite, voters are uninformed, and elected officials are unaccountable.

    There are many private equity firms in the industry, but the most vicious and merciless one is GateHouse Media.

    The malign genius of the private equity business mode … is that it allows the absentee owner [GateHouse Media] to drive a paper into the ground but extract exorbitant profits along the way from management fees, dividends, and tax breaks. By the time the paper is a hollow shell, the private equity company can exit and move on, having more than made back its investment. Whether private equity is contained and driven from ownership of newspapers could well determine whether local newspapers as priceless civic resources survive to make it across the digital divide.

    … The Bastrop Daily Enterprise in the northeast corner of Louisiana was founded in 1904, part of a small family-owned chain. The newspaper did a thriving business, with 30 employees and $1.5 million in annual revenues. “We served our communities, won awards for our reporting, and made good money for the owner,” says a former staffer. … Then the Enterprise was bought by GateHouse Media, the newsroom was gutted, and all operations were centralized by the new corporate owners.

    “Now they’ve got maybe eight people,” says this former employee. “They’re lucky if they’re doing $600,000 gross. I remember what these papers used to be. It’s unrecognizable.” Few citizens of Bastrop, however, know the reasons behind the wasting of the Enterprise because no one has reported on it.

    Sound familiar? Let’s talk Fayetteville.

    The Fayetteville Observer, founded in 1816, had been owned by the McMurray family since the 1920s and is the oldest North Carolina paper continually publishing. … The paper has a daily circulation across 10 counties and had been profitable and well-managed. But family members, getting older, decided it was time to sell. Charles Broadwell, whose grandmother had been board chair, was the last family member running the paper. He engaged newspaper brokers to find a buyer. GateHouse, the biggest of the private equity players, took over the paper in 2016, making deep cuts in the newsroom and the business office, and moving the copy desk to their regional center. They raised the subscription price for a shabbier product. “It was like walking around at my own funeral,” Broadwell says.

    While newspapers will never be the money machines that they were in the glory days, they may yet endure as core institutions of American democracy. Zenger’s newspaper, with a circulation of under 10,000, has been pillaged in classic private equity fashion. Its pre-GateHouse staff has been cut by 70 percent, and those who remain have not had a raise in almost ten years. The paper had its own in-house production and printing operation and had won design awards, but GateHouse shut down and sold the press and fired the entire production staff. The paper is now laid out hundreds of miles away in Austin, Texas, along with most of GateHouse’s 770 papers. The printing is done in another city, at a GateHouseowned shop, by harried press workers who are under constant pressure to cut costs by reducing quality.

    It doesn’t stop there.

    Editors must send all the content, page by page, to the GateHouse design center via a cumbersome, laughably outmoded software interface and then wait, often for hours, to see what the pages look like on their computer screens. They are not allowed to speak to the designers, who can be contacted only by email. The designers follow strict rules that make creative layout solutions virtually impossible. Gate- House wages are so low and working conditions so high-pressured and unpleasant that turnover among layout staff is constant – so mistakes are rampant.

    Although GateHouse management claims to be aggressively pursuing a “hyperlocal” digital ad strategy, its newspapers’ websites – all with close to identical design – are stunningly ugly, hard to use, and filled with dated, soft feature stories of zero local interest. Its subscriber services – all outsourced – are Eulogy for the Fourth Estate? by BILL BOWMAN COVER STORY GateHouse MediaTM What is happening to our daily newspaper is, sadly, happening in hundreds of cities and towns across the country. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM FEBRUARY 21-27, 2018 UCW 15 even worse. At Zenger’s office, the editors get calls from readers who are having trouble with their subscriptions and can’t reach anyone for help. “Sorry,” the editors have to say. “There’s nothing we can do.”

    Cost-cutting measures at GateHouse are absurdly draconian, ranging from the fact that editorial staffers don’t even get complimentary subscriptions to having to buy their own coffee for the office machine. “Next, it will be the toilet paper,” says one staff member, only half-joking. … Within a decade the newspaper had lost 40 percent of its circulation and over 50 percent of its advertisers.

    The ruthless miserliness of GateHouse management has two effects: It destroys the newspaper’s capacity to do its fundamental job of covering the news, and it makes for miserable employees. “Everybody I know in the leadership of the corporation were financial people or ad directors,” says the editor of a GateHouse-owned paper. “They were never journalists – never covered a story in their life. This corporate stuff is killing local newspapers. I’m sweating bullets hoping some bean counter doesn’t say we’ve got to get another 17 percent profit out of this. How much more can these people cut? It becomes harder to do the right thing – to cover the city council meetings and find out what really did happen – when you had five people in the newsroom, and now you’re down to two.”

    It’s worth noting that GateHouse and other corporate predators are managing to destroy a oncerobust tradition of independent journalism without having to tell editors and reporters what to write or not write. “Eight hundred of us [from local papers] were on a call yesterday with [GateHouse CEO] Kirk Davis,” one GateHouse advertising manager said recently. “We gained nothing from it – a total waste of time. ‘I’ve got your back,’ he said. ‘I hope you’ve got mine. I’m crazy about all of you.’ I wanted to throw up.”

    So, despite having cut costs to the bone, the private equity parent is, for now at least, able to take out profits in the range of 15 percent to 25 percent of revenue. Papers that don’t hit this mark can be sold for scrap or closed. GateHouse owns more newspapers, currently in 36 states, than any other media conglomerate: a mix of dailies, paid weeklies, and free “shoppers,” mostly in small cities, but also a few bigger city papers like The Providence Journal, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, and The Columbus Dispatch.

    The model is simple. Buy a newspaper on the cheap, often from a legacy chain like Gannett or from a family owner whose siblings and cousins want to cash out.

    Last August, GateHouse purchased another 11 dailies and 30 weeklies from the Morris Publishing Group based in Augusta, Georgia. Its most recent move is to buy the Boston Herald, for just $4.5 million in cash. GateHouse announced on the same day the 171-yearold daily filed for federal bankruptcy protection. GateHouse’s bid was conditioned on voiding all of the paper’s union contracts and discarding all legacy pension, health (insurance) and other obligations to Herald workers. Major layoffs in the newspaper’s 120-person newsroom are a certainty.

    With private equity, it’s about squeezing out the 20 percent, and anything goes. Use it up, sell it, or just kill it. The profit is the product.

    Between 2012 and 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, all newspapers lost 24 percent of their workforces. But at a sample of 12 papers owned by Digital First Media, the layoff rate was more than half, according to a tabulation collected by journalists who worked for DFM papers. As quality drops at these papers so does circulation. And though ad revenue is down, many local businesses continue to advertise because they actually value the print newspaper and want to be seen in it.

    In Southern Pines, North Carolina, The Pilot has been a family-owned paper for nearly a century and has been owned for 21 years by its current publisher, David Woronoff and family members. Editor John Nagy wrote a signed article for the paper last January bemoaning the fact that one North Carolina paper in three is absentee-owned, and that others had folded. “Folks in those communities regularly call us, asking us about buying their local paper. … They’re tired of a 12-page paper with no news, and they look at our 40-page, all-local product with envy.”

    Woronoff got a call offering to sell a group of five other local papers that had been stripped down as they repeatedly changed hands over a decade. Woronoff took a good look at one, the Richmond County Daily Journal. “It’s maybe eight pages a day, six days a week,” he says. “They sold the building, sold the press; they might have two people in the newsroom. There is no kind of innovation that can come from that environment. There is nothing left. If he just handed me the keys, I’m not sure I’d take it.”

    Woronoff has strengthened The Pilot by developing other lines of business that are logical outgrowths of the newspaper. He now publishes four glossy monthly city magazines in nearby communities and operates a digital agency for the newspaper’s customers. He also publishes telephone directories, and even operates a local bookstore. These profitable enterprises provide a revenue stream that strengthens the newspaper, which now accounts for only 35 percent of total revenue.

    Follow the Money

    Wes Edens is the CEO of Fortress Investment Group, a private equity firm which controls Gate- House Media and extracts generous management fees from it. As a rare hybrid of private equity operators controlling a publicly traded company, Fortress has to make financial disclosures to the Securities and Exchange Commission and the public, and shareholders get to vote on directors and bylaws. Public filings with the SEC revealed, for instance, that Fortress, as managers of GateHouse, had taken out $19.4 million in management fees and “incentive compensation” in 2016, and $39.7 million in 2015. As newspaper financial analyst Ken Doctor observes, these payouts are not far from the $27 million in operating expenses that GateHouse expect(ed) to extract from its papers during 2017. The money from the cuts goes straight to the private equity absentee owner and its executives. The New York Times reported Fortress CEO Wes Edens’s total 2016 pay as $54.4 million, including an $11.6 million bonus.

    This public information gives some leverage to another player, the News- Guild (formerly the Newspaper Guild), the union that represents employees at 17 GateHouse properties. The Guild, after extensive research, concluded that the tightly-knit controlling group headed by Fortress CEO Edens was profiting at the expense of ordinary shareholders and that the strategy of bleeding newspapers dry was unsustainable over time.

    The NewsGuild is now in collective-bargaining talks with GateHouse management. With management on the defensive, the union may be able to extract raises and better working conditions for employees at unionized GateHouse papers who have not had raises in a decade.

    Fayetteville/Cumberland County needs and deserves a strong, quality daily newspaper. For 22 years, Up & Coming Weekly has proudly served as the community’s weekly newspaper. Without a local TV station, consistent coverage of local community news, events and government meetings becomes necessary to restore and preserve the core institutions of American democracy.

    There is some good news. In some small towns, citizens are finding ways to take their newspapers back. The independent local weekly in the central Massachusetts town of Harvard, with 6,500 residents, was bought by GateHouse. The corporation did its usual hatchet job on the formerly beloved Harvard Post. But a group of civic-minded citizens got together and started a competing weekly, the Harvard Press, modeled on the old Post, with extensive coverage of town boards, schools, and community life—and a notably quirky and detailed police blotter. Within six years, they put the GateHouse paper out of business.

    Can this happen here? You bet. Our community is one of the fastest growing in North Carolina. Here, business and economic opportunities abound. Our local elected officials need to stay at the top of their game, guiding and managing our city and county government’s resources and opportunities. The local newspaper will define our community’s brand and tell our unique story. We must focus on the positive, and for heaven’s sake, never stop seeking out and demanding the truth.

    A very special thanks to Robert Kuttner and Hildy Zenger and The American Prospect for allowing us to share their article and research with our readers. “Saving the Free Press from Private Equity” can be accessed online at prospect.org/article/saving-free-press-private-equity.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

     

  • 04 karlI write a lot, and grieve even more, regarding the seeming lack of common sense that has invaded our nation. Two weeks ago, I wrote about the recent three-day partial shutdown of the federal government “laying waste to reason.” Now, there is another instance of political decisions making no sense to me – absolutely no sense.

    As was the case with the partial shutdown, the situation I want to address now is driven by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. An article by Katie Heinrich and Daniel Arkin titled “What Is DACA? Here’s What You Need to Know About the Program Trump Is Ending” explains DACA as follows:

    “President Barack Obama created DACA through a 2012 executive order. The program has allowed hundreds of thousands of young people who were brought to the United States illegally as children to remain in the country. Applicants cannot have serious criminal histories, and must have arrived in the U.S. before 2007, when they were under the age of 16. DACA recipients can live and work legally in the U.S. for renewable two-year periods.”

    President Donald Trump rescinded President Obama’s executive order and gave Congress until March 5 to pass legislation addressing the status of DACA participants.

    The partial shutdown was clearly brought about when Democrats, led by Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, refused to vote in favor of a continuing resolution that would have funded the government for a short period while budget negotiations went forward. Democrats took this action because they wanted protection for DACA participants included in the continuing resolution. Since Republicans only have 51 senators, while 60 votes were required to pass the continuing resolution, the lack of sufficient Democratic votes doomed the legislation.

    After the shutdown ended, Trump announced a proposal for addressing the DACA situation. Leigh Ann Caldwell and Phil McCausland detail the offer in an article titled “Trump backs citizenship for Dreamers while slashing legal immigration.” They explain there would be a pathway to citizenship for 1.8 million undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.

    They also reported, “The path to citizenship would be provided to DACA recipients via a 10- to 12-year path that includes ‘requirements for work, education and good moral character.’” Caldwell and McCausland said the offer further requires: a $25 billion trust fund for a border wall; funds to add new enforcement officers, immigration judges and prosecutors; an end to family reunification, also called “chain migration” by conservatives; and an end to the diversity visa lottery. A later update to this article indicated family immigration would still be allowed, but sponsorship of immigrants would be limited to spouses or children, rather than also including extended family members.

    This is where I believe the lack of common sense shows up. It seems to me that common sense dictates that this offer be examined in detail, followed by a civil discussion of what legitimate participants in the process view as positives and negatives of the offer. These steps would be followed by thoughtful negotiations that aim to do what is right for America while dealing as fairly as possible with DACA-qualified persons. Yes, I am saying legislation addressing this matter should not bring undue hardship on American citizens. Hardship can be measured in terms of financial costs and the loss of jobs by American citizens; however, whatever action is taken should include every possible step to ensure that this DACA situation does not happen again.

    Operating on the premise that what I outlined is reasonable, common sense, this is nowhere near what is going on in Washington as I write this column. Trump’s proposal was immediately dismissed, and even blatantly attacked, by various individuals and groups. Consider the following segments from an article titled “Schumer rejects Trump’s immigration proposal” by Burgess Everett:

    “‘This plan flies in the face of what most Americans believe,’ Schumer said on Twitter. While Trump ‘finally acknowledged that the Dreamers should be allowed to stay here and become citizens, he uses them as a tool to tear apart our legal immigration system and adopt the wish list that anti-immigration hard-liners have advocated for years.’”

    “‘President Trump and Republicans cannot be allowed to use Dreamers as a bargaining chip for their wish list of anti-immigrant policies,’ said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).”

    “House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called it ‘anti-immigrant,’ and Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Trump’s plan would institute Trump’s ‘hardline immigration agenda — including massive cuts to legal immigration — on the backs of these young people.’”

    I could go on listing quotes that support my contention that there is, with minimal exceptions, an unimaginable lack of reason, of common sense, in addressing the DACA issue. Instead of pursuing a course that could use Trump’s surprise DACA offer as a starting point and thoughtfully negotiating a resolution, people in the position to pursue this course spend their time before microphones attacking the offer in ways that reflect nearly zero thought.

    Here is an example of that lack of thought. The president is accused of being “anti-immigrant,” and his DACA proposal is pointed to as supporting that accusation. A case-in-point is “chain migration.” Following are selected quotes from an article by Theresa Cardinal Brown titled “Chain Migration and DACA: An Explainer:”

    “Under current U.S. immigration law, citizens may sponsor certain relatives for green cards. Green card holders may, in turn, sponsor a smaller group of relatives for green cards. Collectively, this ability of immigrants, who later become green card holders and citizens, to sponsor their family members is described by some as a ‘chain’ of migration.

    “Family-sponsored green cards have been part of immigration law since at least 1965 and account for about 65 percent of new legal immigrants to the United States each year.

    “Immediate Relatives: U.S. citizens, (both nativeborn and naturalized) can sponsor their spouse, children under 21 or parents (if the citizen is at least 21). There are no annual limits on how many green cards can be issued each year to this group.

    “U.S. citizens can also sponsor their adult children (and their spouses and grandchildren) for green cards, as well as their brothers and sisters, but there are annual caps.

    “Current green card holders can sponsor their spouses, minor children and unmarried adult children, for green cards, again subject to annual caps.”

    Brown’s article leads me to at least two critical points for consideration. One is that 65 percent of legal immigrants come to America through chain migration. She says this regarding requirements of the applicant: “This step includes criminal and background checks, proof of ability to support themselves, no disqualifying medical conditions, and no previous violations of immigration law.” Nothing here addresses the question of capacity for assimilation into American society or what value the person’s presence adds to the well-being and advancement of this country. Then there is the question of whether citizenship for DACA participants would eventually allow some of them to sponsor their parents who came here illegally. I see these as reasonable concerns to be addressed.

    Equally reasonable for negotiation is a wall system at the southern border and other actions that enhance border security. In the case of DACA, this action helps prevent recurrence of the problem. Then this from www.uscis.gov/greencard/diversity- visa: “The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program makes up to 50,000 immigrant visas available annually, drawn from random selection among all entries to individuals who are from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.”

    Given that we are a country with debt spiraling out of control, struggling to solve a horrendous poverty crisis, and flailing in efforts to provide affordable medical care to our citizens and make living wage jobs available to millions, why are we bringing more people in through a lottery system?

    Simply put, I do not see common sense at work in the negative and attacking responses to Trump’s surprise DACA offer. Given the glaring lack of common sense demonstrated here, I have to conclude there is something other than clear-headed thinking at work. I believe White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders got to the heart of the matter when she said Democrats must decide, “do they hate” Trump “more than they love this country”?

  • 03 MargaretFiling for elective office in North Carolina began last week with the stakes for those of us who live here higher than ever. Candidates for offices from U.S. House of Representatives to local soil-andwater commissions are putting their money down, signing on the dotted line and officially tossing their hats into the 2018 rough and tumble campaign ring.

    The good news is that voter interest is high, at least for now, which indicates spirited contests. The bad news is that 2018 is a “blue moon” election year, with the highest offices on the ballot being Congress and the North Carolina General Assembly, contests that do not bring out voters the way presidential and gubernatorial races do.

    Make no mistake, though. Congressional contests matter, but because of ongoing and deeply rooted partisan gridlock in Washington, who is elected to the General Assembly matters more. Below are several issues to post on your fridge to evaluate candidates for the state Senate and House between now and the November election.

    If you have reached your outer limit – as I have – on gerrymandering, look for legislative candidates who support a bipartisan redistricting system. North Carolina, like most states, tasks the General Assembly with this responsibility, which means the people who stand to benefit are drawing their own districts and choosing their own voters. No other developed nation allows foxes to guard the hen house, and other states are moving away from this model. North Carolina should adopt a bipartisan system as well.

    If you would like to know what your elected legislators are up to, support candidates who favor transparency in government. Right now, it is anyone’s guess what issues the General Assembly might address or when they might do so. Legislative calendars are not always available to the public, sometimes not even to members themselves. How are North Carolinians to know what is happening until after the fact when it is too late to voice one’s opinion on issues that impact all of us?

    If you believe in public education and think it has shaped North Carolina for the better, support candidates who agree with you. Ask them if they favor funneling our tax dollars to private/religious schools through vouchers. Ask them why our teachers, whom legislators love to call “professionals,” are paid less than in other states. Ask them whether they will continue the practice of shifting the financial burden of public education to local governments, meaning that students in wealthy counties like Wake are more likely to get a better education than students in lower wealth counties like Cumberland.

    If you believe North Carolina tax dollars should be spent in North Carolina, ask General Assembly candidates if they would vote for our dollars to flow to expanded Medicaid coverage in other states but not here.

    Perhaps most pressing for Cumberland County residents and voters downstream, ask General Assembly candidates whether they will tolerate chemical pollution of the Cape Fear River and North Carolina air. The General Assembly beat a hasty retreat from Raleigh last week without addressing Chemours GenX water contamination at all. Legislators are not scheduled to return until May, and a lot of water from the Cape Fear and from private wells is going to be drunk from Fayetteville to Wilmington between now and then.

    Meanwhile, the underfunded state Division of Water Quality continues to cite Chemours for GenX contamination but lacks teeth to back up their actions. How on Earth is it responsible behavior by our elected officials not to fund efforts to address water contamination and its effects on the people they are supposed to represent?

    Candidates of all political stripes always say, “This election is the most important one of our lifetime.” Maybe so, and maybe not, but no one can argue that 2018 will be a watershed for our state. Do we want more of the same gerrymandering, lack of transparency, underfunding of public education and health care and an ongoing disregard for our environment? Or, do we want sunlight and a fresh breeze to blow through Congress and the General Assembly?

    For the life of me, I cannot imagine why any voter would favor the former, and it is our responsibility to find out where candidates stand on these issues. We must not let them bamboozle us or slither away without answering our questions directly.

    We have until Nov. 6 to pin them down.

  • 02 pub penHope Mills is one of my favorite places in Cumberland County. For nearly three decades I have worked, shopped and conducted business there. I’m a member of the Hope Mills Chamber of Commerce and served on its board of directors for years. I’ve sponsored Ole Mill Days, shopped on Trade Street, rode in Christmas parades, judged Chili Cook-Offs and slung bean bags in Corn Hole contests. I admired and respected the honorable Al Bradford, followed Eddie Dees’ winning championship teams and mourned the passing of my dear personal friend Edwin Deaver. Hope Mills is the near perfect reflection of North Carolina work ethic, history and heritage and emmanates genuine southern hospitality.

    You can imagine my enthusiasm and excitement when invited by the town leaders to assist them in sharing the Hope Mills story with the rest of Cumberland County. Together, we created the Hope Mills Initiative. This was a marketing partnership between the town of Hope Mills, Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper and the Hope Mills Chamber of Commerce. The initiative centered around adopting Up & Coming Weekly newspaper as Hope Mills’ media outreach for showcasing Hope Mills’ organizations and achievements, preserving the town’s history and traditions, marketing and branding SHOP LOCAL - SHOP HOPE MILLS, promoting economic development, encouraging community involvement and participation and enhancing and promoting Hope Mills’ quality of life. The partnership allowed the town to have its own “official” weekly community newspaper.

    It was a major media undertaking that would have been cost-prohibitive for the town to create on its own. We agreed to make it happen because the mayor and board of commissioners all shared the same long-term vision of growth and prosperity for the Hope Mills community. Working closely with the commissioners, town manager Melissa Adams and Mayor Jackie Warner, we agreed upon mutual goals and objectives, and an agreement was reached where the town would invest $28,000 annually in the project and Up & Coming Weekly would match this amount and provide all the necessary resources to create Hope Mills’ own publication for local news, developments, achievements, events, organizations, business profiles and articles – all promoting, advocating for and branding the Hope Mills community.

    Up & Coming Weekly provides 22 years of experience in Cumberland County, community journalism, plus the paper, ink, layout, design, writers, editors, racks and distribution. This project would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to create from scratch. After weeks of negotiation and fine tuning, a resolution was put before the town commissioners to enter into a partnership with Up & Coming Weekly and create the Hope Mills publication. The resolution was received positively, and it passed unanimously.

    However, there are a few people in Hope Mills who do not share the positive visions of Mayor Warner and the elected officials. For them, I offer these insights and explanations.

    In my 22 years as publisher of Up & Coming Weekly, I have never apologized for anything we have printed or presented to this community, nor have we ever been on the wrong side of an issue when it came to advocating for and supporting countywide issues. Our reputation and journalistic integrity are transparent. Additionally, we have never strayed from our newspaper’s mission and mandate to market, promote and brand the community by reporting and showcasing the good news and positive insights. We have never refused to advocate for a person, business or organization that contributes to our quality of life. Our newspaper has gained the trust of dozens of nonprofit organizations and hundreds of businesses, civic organizations and government entities. Currently, we have programs and partnerships with Fort Bragg, the county of Cumberland, the city of Fayetteville, Cape Fear Valley Hospital, Cumberland County Schools, PWC, the Hope Mills and Fayetteville Chambers of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau, just to name a few. Up & Coming Weekly is currently placing newspaper racks in 17 Cumberland County High Schools.

    I don’t know what is causing all the negative hubbub on Hope Mills social media, but I assure you it has nothing to do with anything we have initiated. However, I do know this: I love Hope Mills, and our company has invested thousands of dollars in making sure the Hope Mills Initiative achieves the result of spreading the good news about Hope Mills throughout all of Cumberland County just as the leadership intended.

    Hope Mills is now enjoying the most talented and professional leadership team it has seen in decades. The elected officials, department heads and support staff all seem to share the same positive vision for the success, growth and prosperity of the town. Leadership comes from the top. Mayor Jackie Warner, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Mitchell and Town Manager Melissa Adams present a tour de force in leadership style, reflecting logic, responsibility, common sense and a vision for future generations.

    Facebook and social media, including the Hope Mills Chatter, are not legitimate media resources for information about the quality of life and future vision for the Hope Mills community.

    Respectfully, Lisa Carter Waring is no Connie Chung or Judy Woodruff. Without credentials, Waring’s well-written and articulated articles in The Sandspur are appropriate for a small target audience, and her few hundred “screened and censored” social media followers on the Chatter. However, this pales in comparison to the bold and aggressive positive message that Hope Mills leadership intended for the hundreds of thousand residents, visitors and guests in Cumberland County. Hope Mills is becoming prominent and respected throughout the county. The town of Hope Mills is becoming “the mouse that roared.” Lisa Waring and cohort Meg Larson are afraid that roar will overwhelm and silence the pitter patter of their Chatter.

    Meg Larson is a smart lady and could contribute much to the growing Hope Mills community. Unfortunately, and, for reasons unknown, Larson is clinging on to Waring’s coattail. That’s disappointing to many who had hoped Larson would become that respected voice of reason missing since the passing of Bob Gorman. Bob was smart, logical and passionate about anything that would move the town of Hope Mills forward. It was never about him. And, he was always a gentleman. Bob was a team player who respected new ideas and was willing to take risks. Above all, he was a leader and wanted to see Hope Mills grow and prosper. Meg Larson is no Bob Gorman.

    Whether we continue to be the official media voice of Hope Mills or not will be determined by the town commissioners in the future. The reality is this – Lisa Carter Waring and Meg Larson do not want the town using Up & Coming Weekly as a media resource. They do not want another voice. They and they alone want to be the voice to control and influence the narrative of what happens in Hope Mills. Hope Mills has grown away from that way of thinking. I’m sure both these ladies are fine, upstanding citizens. However, neither of them shares the vision for growth and economic prosperity of Hope Mills that has been so aptly demonstrated by the mayor and other elected officials and staff members. In other words, they want things in Hope Mills to stay the same. No progress. No vision. No growth. No competition. No Up & Coming Weekly!

    Why else would they object so adamantly to having a “good news” Hope Mills newspaper? They do not want another media source providing news and views to the residents, especially when the information is coming directly from the mayor’s office and town hall. Remember, we are all about transparency. We want public input. We want to hear what people have to say. That is why we established hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

    I made a commitment, and we will continue to uphold our end of the partnership. The program is working and will continue to grow in value year after year if it is nurtured. That’s what branding is all about. Up & Coming Weekly will be a part of Hope Mills as long as we are invited into the community.

    Thank you for reading Hope Mills’ community newspaper.

  • 17JimI enjoy riding when it is in the 60s or 70s, but when the temperature drops, our body and mind begin to compensate in strange ways. You do not have to be in the snow to be cold when riding a motorcycle.

    Unlike water, which freezes at 32 degrees, humans can die in mild weather conditions. One’s body reacts to cold weather depending on age, body mass, body fat, overall health and the length of exposure time to cold temperatures.

    Medically, our body’s temperature averages 98.6 degrees. With hypothermia, core temperature drops below 95 degrees. With severe hypothermia, core body temperature can drop to 82 degrees or lower. As our body’s core temperature decreases, the body also tries its best to compensate. When this happens, it becomes dangerous to ride.

    As our body cools, we develop a variety of symptoms: shivering, slow and shallow breathing, confusion, memory loss, drowsiness, exhaustion, slurred or mumbled speech, loss of coordination, fumbling hands, stumbling steps and a slow or weak pulse.

    Ninety percent of our heat escapes through our skin. Heat is lost through radiation and speeds up when the skin gets wet or is exposed to wind. We can compensate for this by wearing layered and electric clothing and waterproofing everything.

    The neck is sensitive to cold on a motorcycle. Here, there is little protection around the carotid arteries where the heart is pumping blood to the brain. I always carry a balaclava and a neckwarmer.

    The body cools 25 percent faster when exposed to moisture. GORTEX is a popular fabric known for wicking moisture away from the body, but GORTEX is a thin fabric. GORTEX alone will not keep you warm enough. Depending on the situation, my rain gear adds a wonderful and useful layer and holds in heat and protects against the outside elements.

    The hands are a sensitive extremity. Waterproof gloves are part of the everyday gear in my pack. For cool days, I have GORTEX gloves. For colder days, I have a pair of electric gloves that attach to my electric jacket. I also have heated grips. Those heated grips are handy on those 60- and 70-degree days. Heated grips are just enough to keep my hands comfortable and the ride pleasant.

    Eye protection should always be a priority. During the research for this article, I was unable to find out if we lose heat through the eye sockets. When I was in the Army, we often trained in cold weather. After a while, I made it a point to always keep sunglasses on during the day, and at night, even while sleeping, I kept my clear pair of safety glasses on. Although I could not find a study about this (which means I couldn’t find one in the first 30 hits on Google), the eye does contain a good amount of fluid. We have tear ducts around our eyes as well. Even with my face shield down, I wear a pair of glasses, and somehow, I feel warmer.

    Once you have done all you can to stay warm, here are few tips to keep you safe. Learn your body and how to dress for the various temperatures. Plan on bad weather and be prepared. Take plenty of breaks. Get off your bike, walk a few minutes and get your blood circulating again, and let your body warm up.

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

  • North Carolina has become a national leader in implementing supply- side economics – but that doesn’t mean what you think it means.

    For some supporters and many critics, the term “supply-side economics” is all about the Laffer Curve. Popularized by the economist Art Laffer, it’s really an ancient insight about public finance. If a government’s tax rate is zero, it will collect no revenue. But if its tax rate is 100 percent, it will also fail to collect any revenue because people won’t work for nothing or they will hide their incomes from a rapacious government.

    Somewhere between those two poles lies a point at which government will maximize revenue collection. In the early 1960s, when the top federal income tax rate was 91 percent, President John F. Kennedy and many economists argued Washington was far above that point. They were clearly correct.

    In the 1970s, when Laffer was drawing his revenue-maximization curve on a napkin and the top income tax rate was 70 percent, he and other economists thought Washington was still on the downwardsloping side of the curve. They were probably correct.

    President Ronald Reagan and bipartisan majorities in Congress responded by reforming the tax code and, ultimately, pulling the top rate down to 28 percent. It went up a bit during subsequent administrations but will likely never reach the stratospheric levels that predated Reagan, because the supply-siders clearly won the revenue-maximization argument.

    But for most supply-siders, that wasn’t their key argument. Their goal wasn’t to maximize government revenue. It was to maximize employment, incomes and economic growth. Like many political labels, the term “supply-side economics” was concocted by a critic, not an advocate.

    During the mid-20th century, “demand-side” economics was in the ascendancy. Following the teachings of John Maynard Keynes – and those who translated his rambling texts into comprehensible sentences and manageable equations – demandside economists argued that one of government’s most important jobs was to “manage” the economy by smoothing out its peaks and valleys.

    During the mid-20th century, “demand-side” economics was in the ascendancy. Following the teachings of John Maynard Keynes – and those who translated his rambling texts into comprehensible sentences and manageable equations – demandside economists argued that one of government’s most important jobs was to “manage” the economy by smoothing out its peaks and valleys.

    This was a cockamamie idea, if you think about it – and that’s precisely what free-market economists did in the 1960s and 1970s. They pointed out that investment is how the economy becomes more productive. That, in turn, is how workers gain incomes and average living standards rise.

    Supply-side economics is a broad policy of promoting work, savings and investment through tax and regulatory reforms – which boost private investment – and through budget and policy reforms that raise the payoff from public-investment activities such as infrastructure and education.

    The best symbolic representation of supply-side thinking is the Armey Curve, named after economist and former Congressman Dick Armey. It grants that the absence of government would be economically disastrous. But it also observes that after a certain point, taxing people to pay for more services makes them worse off.

    The Armey Curve has lots of empirical support. Most modern studies of growth differentials among American states, for example, show that high taxes (and regulations) are negatively associated with economic performance, while high government spending isn’t positively associated with economic growth. That suggests most states and localities are larger than they ought to be. They are on the wrong side of the Armey Curve.

    Since 2010, state and local spending as a share of North Carolina’s economy has dropped by 10 percent. The goal of North Carolina conservatives is not to reduce it to zero. The goal is to keep government from encroaching too much on the private investment that is the primary driver of economic progress.

  • 06Fort Bragg“This, in fact, is our new American moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American dream. So to every citizen watching at home tonight, no matter where you’ve been, or where you’ve come from, this is your time. If you work hard, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve absolutely anything.”

    These powerful words were part of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. These 73 words were a defining part of his speech. We are building a safe, strong and proud America where everyone can achieve the American dream.

    Look no further than our rebounding economy, the millions of new jobs being created and the increased take-home pay that is happening in part because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. In fact, starting this month, 90 percent of American workers will see more money in their paychecks. We also saw results after reining in Washington’s bureaucracy, including repealing 15 regulations that were imposed by the Obama administration’s executive overreach. While the economy is getting back on track, we still have work left to do.

    In addition, we have made great strides to improve care for veterans. The president signed the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act (S. 1094) on June 23, 2017. This was a good first step. However, we must continue to work to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs. I will continue to work to enact meaningful reforms that will protect the systems of care already in place at the VA while giving veterans the flexibility to seek the care they need from outside providers.

    As Fort Bragg’s congressman, I share the president’s goal to end the dangerous defense sequester and fully fund our great military with a longterm spending bill. Our military cannot function without proper funding, and every time we pass a temporary spending measure, the harder it is for our commanders to plan missions, order new equipment or properly train troops. Since 2010, the federal government has been funded under a continuing resolution for 36 months, compared to just nine months for the entire eight years prior. Our men and women in uniform are operating under enormous strain, and that has deadly consequences.

    Over the last year, we have lost four times as many troops in training as we have in combat. That’s unacceptable. Our troops at Fort Bragg represent the tip of the spear, and I have seen firsthand the stress on both them and their families from operating in multiple theaters and simultaneously preparing for future threats. These patriots are the first to respond to a crisis and they must be given the resources they need to fight and win. We need a long-term spending bill so the Pentagon can adequately plan for the future.

    Last year, the House of Representatives passed all 12 appropriations bills that fully funded our military, reined in government spending and curtailed bloated bureaucracy, but Chuck Schumer has blocked these bills from even being considered in the Senate. These political games have dire consequences for those who we depend on most – our troops.

    The president laid out a bold agenda at the State of the Union address. It was filled with ideas and pragmatic solutions. I look forward to working with him to bring more jobs home, give our troops and veterans equipment and care they need, and rein in our government’s reckless spending.

  • 05LoveGood Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, this column will appear in print on Valentine’s Day. As a gesture to this most festive and dangerous time of year, I shall explain all you need to know about love but were afraid to ask. You may thank me or throw rocks at the end of the column. One of our contemporary love goddesses, Tina Turner, once asked the musical question: “What’s love got to do with it?/ What’s love but a secondhand emotion?”

    Good question, Tina. Let us go right to the source, Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love.

    I got to thinking about Aphrodite after seeing the play “Venus in Fur” at the Gilbert Theater. It was an excellent production that left me dazed and confused.

    Aphrodite is in charge of love. Aphrodite came from a nontraditional family situation. Her father was Uranus, the sky god who became involved in a domestic violence episode with her brother Cronos. Cronos chopped off Uranus’ male naughty bits with a scythe and threw said bits into the ocean. This did nothing to preserve family harmony.

    However, as Uranus’ blood spread out into the ocean, it eventually formed Aphrodite, who arose from the sea foam as a beautiful, fully grown woman. If you hang out long enough in museums, you will see paintings of Aphrodite standing on a seashell. Now you know why.

    Aphrodite spent most of her time nekkid as a jaybird, according to Greek mythology and Renaissance painters. She was a big ol’ friendly gal and not too choosy about the concept of marital fidelity. Like most Greek mythology, there are a lot of different versions about her carryings on, so I will just pick a version that seems likely

    She was married to a god named Hephaestus. After a while, she took up with Ares, the god of war, during the Trojan War. Ares wooed her by reciting a poem later made famous by Andy Griffith. Ares got down on his knees and told her, “Sure as the vine twines round the stump, you are my darling, Sugar Lump.” No gal could resist a line like this, so she hopped into bed with Ares. Unfortunately for Aphrodite, the Sun god, Helios, saw her and Ares at the Motel Sixtus. Helios, being a noted gossip, immediately blabbed to Hephaestus about Aphrodite catting around.

    Hephaestus was not amused. He made a net out of solid gold to catch the lovers. The next time Aphrodite and Ares had a rendezvous, Hephaestus threw his net over them while they were in flagrante delicto, which is fancy talk for caught in the act. Hephaestus invited a bunch of his god and goddess friends in to point and laugh at the netted Aphrodite and Ares and yell “Nanny, nanny, boo, boo!” at them. Needless to say, this was an embarrassing event for Aphrodite. Almost as embarrassing as when Scarlet O’Hara got caught hugging up on Ashley Wilkes in “Gone with the Wind,” and Rhett made her go to the spring formal wearing a red dress so she would stand out as a painted woman.

    Fortunately for Aphrodite, not all Greek gods were mean like a chili bean. Poseidon, the god of the sea, felt sorry for her. He paid Hephaestus to let her go. Aphrodite was as resilient as Scarlet O’Hara and soon went back to being her old cheerful self. She gave birth to a son, Eros, who was the god of lust. The identity of Eros’ dad remains in question as paternity tests did not exist back in those days, although he looked a lot like Ares. She had another son, Priapus, whose dad was probably Dionysis, the god of wine and religious ecstasy.

    Aphrodite’s mother-in-law, Hera, was jealous when Aphrodite got pregnant with Priapus. Hera smeared Aphrodite’s pregnant belly with an evil potion that caused Priapus to be born with certain deformities, which will not be described in a family newspaper such as Up & Coming Weekly. Let us just leave it that Priapus was able to be a good farmer due to his deformity. Aphrodite went on to have many more amorous adventures, which shall remain unspoken in this column.

    The Romans were so taken with Aphrodite’s story that they stole it. As in the old TV show “Dragnet,” the Romans changed the names of the gods to protect the innocent. In Roman mythology, Aphrodite became Venus, Ares became Mars, her husband Hephaestus became Vulcan. Confusing, ain’t it?

    So, what can we say we have learned about love? That it seldom runs smooth? That love is all you need? Turns out the only thing for sure about love is that it is complicated.

    Happy Valentine’s Day. Full refunds or chunks of granite available from the front desk if you feel this column wasted your time.

    Photo: Tina Turner

  • 04CarltonTo all retired military and their families who live in the Cumberland County area and are registered voters:

    I retired at Fort Bragg after serving for 27 years (all active). My name is Victor Hyatt and some of you probably know me. I was first stationed at Fort Bragg in 1964 and was in and out of Fort Bragg until I retired in 1989.

    When I first arrived, Sheriff Clark was the sheriff, and GI’s didn’t stand much of a chance for fairness and equal treatment in the Cumberland County Court System, nor from the police and sheriff’s deputies. Over the years, with the help of commanding generals of both the (18th Airborne) Corps and (82nd Airborne) Division and some good politicians, things have gotten a lot better. However, I have seen Sheriff Jones (did not help the previous situation much), Sheriff Bedsole and Sheriff Butler assumed or was elected to office and serve their terms. (sic)

    Our current sheriff was not elected. Sheriff Butler did not die in office as was the case with Sheriff Jones, Sheriff Bedsole was appointed by the county commissioners, (of which he was the chairman of the county commissioners at the time) (sic) and that is what the county commissioners have done this time at the bequest of retiring Sheriff Butler.

    Sheriff Wright is probably a fine man who has served his time, and in my opinion, should retire. But he has not proved himself to be the kind of sheriff this county needs and deserves. I believe if you check his qualifications, you will see that he is not as qualified as others seeking the office of sheriff.

    The reason for this message is to inform you of one very well and best qualified individual (sic) who is seeking your help in becoming the next sheriff of Cumberland County. I have known Carlton Sallie for many years, and he is the best qualified individual running for sheriff of our county.

    He is prior military with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as serving as a sheriff’s deputy for several years in different counties, has attended and qualified in several different courses of training in the many different fields of law enforcement, an instructor in law enforcement and served on a security detail for high level personnel in Iraq. (sic) His integrity is beyond approach, (sic) he is a family man who cares deeply for his family, he is a God loving man who believes in the word of God, he loves his country and believes in the Constitution of our beloved country.

    With your support, Carlton Sallie will be the next sheriff of Cumberland County. I know he would be honored and humbled to have your vote.

    #SALLIE4SHERIFF T

    hank you for your support. 

    Photo: Carlton Sallie

  • 03ChildrenA young mother of my acquaintance listened offhandedly as her elementary school age daughter played with a friend in the next room. She heard them talking to some toys until the guest announced she was ready for a snack and suggested they go to the kitchen for chips and sodas. Without missing a beat, the young host replied, “I’m sorry. We don’t have that. My mother is a health food nut,” as if it were a career choice like teaching school or accounting for a living. The girls eventually settled on some other snack, but the guest did not return for several weeks.

    I remembered that story recently when I read that the number one vegetable eaten by American toddlers is – guess what? – the French fry. I have even seen babies drinking soda from baby bottles and once heard of a 6-month-old child given a fast food kid’s meal as her first solid food.

    We have all seen the desperate television pleas for money to feed starving children in developing nations around the world. But the cold, hard truth is that while most American children are not starving, far too many are indeed malnourished. Malnutrition includes obesity, which means too many calories are consumed at the expense of critical nutrition. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics in a groundbreaking policy statement last month, this is not just unfortunate in a nation of such plenty. It is, in fact, damaging children in ways from which they cannot and will not recover.

    If you do not remember anything else about the details, remember this. Our nation’s pediatricians say the first 1,000 days, just over the first two years of a baby’s life, are critical to brain development and can lay the foundation for good health or a lifetime of chronic health problems. Adequate nutrition leads to positive outcomes, and poor nutrition leads to lesser outcomes. The pediatricians say no amount of catch-up later in life can reverse what has not been done during the earliest days of life. Says Lucy Sullivan, head of the nonprofit program 1,000 Days, “The first 1,000 days matter for all that follow.” Roger Thurow, who wrote a book on the importance of the first 1,000 days, goes even further. He says the challenge is not just to help parents understand that good nutrition is important but that poor nutrition can – and does – do quantifiable damage to developing minds and bodies.

    If that is not enough to get parents’ attention, I don’t know what will.

    No one says infant and toddler nutrition is easy, and many of us have experienced the pureed green beans and carrots that ooze out of the sides of baby mouths. Beyond baby behavior, issues of poverty and food insecurity, parents working long hours, food deserts, busy family schedules, and more, roadmaps exist about what we should be feeding the littlest and most vulnerable among us.

    Pediatricians acknowledge the challenges of quality nutrition for babies in our fastpaced and highly packaged culture. Breastfeeding, they say, can be a powerful protector of young children, supplying both nutrition designed by nature just for babies and moms’ antibodies as protection from disease. They recommend nursing for at least six months before starting solid foods and liquids, even though nursing is a cultural and logistical challenge for many mothers. And, the docs say, it is helpful if mom does not gain too much weight during pregnancy, as that ups the ante for conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure in the future.

    The mother whose daughter labeled her a health food nut tried hard to put healthy, unprocessed foods on the family table, and sometimes that worked. Sometimes the family had take-out pizza, and chips and sodas were known to sneak into the house on occasion. They even ate the occasional MRE, meals designed for young, physically active military members, not children in elementary school.

    She did not like to think about what her family consumed when she was not in charge. She jokes that her tombstone will read, “She did the best she could.”

    That said, all we – parents, grandparents and anyone caring for young children – can do is educate ourselves to provide the freshest, most nutritious fare available to us for them.

  • 02PubThis week, Up & Coming Weekly Publisher Bill Bowman lends his regular space to columnist Jason Brady. Brady shares his thoughts about and possible solutions for an issue that has recently affected many Cumberland County residents – an issue that will present itself again and again in the coming years.

    Every time I see the horse lazily grazing at the corner of Stoney Point and Dundle roads, it makes me think we need to change the makeup of the Fayetteville City Council.

    Soon that horse will be gone, and some commercial monstrosity will replace one of the last bucolic scenes in that neighborhood.

    To be fair, I must mention that across the road is the Four Way, a mom and pop grocery store and gas station built in 1948. It dispenses gas, drinks, lottery tickets and food. But it fits in.

    Miller’s Too restaurant is attached to the vinyl-covered cinderblock building. It’s a country-style eatery that serves breakfast and lunch, the type that may not be healthy but tastes darn good. On Thursday nights, there are blue plate specials, and the regulars who’ve eaten there for years fill up the seven booths and three tables and patiently wait for their fried pork chops, beef tips over rice or country-fried chicken steak with white gravy.

    The landowners across the street, who I’m sure aren’t making money out of a corner lot with a horse grazing on it, sought commercial rezoning. They were smart, very smart. They hired a politically savvy lawyer who made the right argument. Plus they had the planning board and city bureaucrats on their side. They figured since the new I-295 bypass was going to dump more traffic onto the area, why not dump some more.

    The newly elected council in mid- January voted to rezone the 8.6 acres on the corner from residential to commercial conditional. It was a controversial issue that came up this past summer, but council members hoped the landowners and opponents could come up with a compromise. If not, they would revisit the issue – after the election.

    The 200-plus people who signed a petition wanting to keep the area residential – or, in downtown vernacular, “in keeping with the fabric of the community” – didn’t have a chance.

    I recently ran into a council member who asked me how things were going in western Fayetteville. I suggested things would be better if council hadn’t commercialized my neighborhood. He then brought up the property rights argument. People have a right to use their property for its best use. What if it were my property, he asked. My thoughts are that I wouldn’t screw over my neighbors.

    He did have a point. People should have control over their property and thus their financial destiny.

    But the property rights argument confuses me. Why do people have property rights that can negatively affect their neighbors but don’t have property rights when it comes to cutting down trees in their own yards, or annexation or utility easements?

    I’m wondering where my neighbors’ property rights are when it comes to the highway department. My friend Art lost half his front yard, Kenny is losing about 4 1/2 acres of his business, and another friend lost her home. But that’s government pointing to other units of government. To me, government is government.

    Here’s why I think city residents are under- represented. Right now, nine council members, each elected in their separate districts, don’t have to be accountable to all voters. Only the mayor is elected by the entire city. So, voters in any specific district can only hold their council member, and possibly the mayor, accountable for any unpopular council action. The remaining eight can dump on any district without worry of voter backlash.

    Here’s an idea. Let’s go back a few years and reorganize city council like it used to be: six districts with three at-large members. It seems to work for the county commissioners.

    Do the math. That means a council member from a district and three at-large members may be more responsive to voters in a given geographical area of the city. Throw in the mayor’s vote, and people not wanting to have their neighborhood commercialized could have a fighting chance.

    I’m guessing we’d have to get out from under the federal government’s 1963 Voters Rights Act, which was created to ensure minority representation in local elections, to include Fayetteville.

    Right now, the ham-fisted Department of Justice tells us how we can organize the city’s voting districts. But this is 2018, and depending on which report you read, African-Americans are no longer a minority in Fayetteville. Besides, six of the 10 members of city council are African- Americans. I’m thinking African-Americans will no longer have problems getting elected in Fayetteville.

    Maybe it’s time we start making council a tad more responsive to all voters.

  • 12leadersWe need good leaders more than ever.

    In our local schools and businesses and churches. We need them in responsible government positions in our state and at the highest national level.

    So, what is good leadership? How do you find it? How do you develop it? And how do you deal with the consequences of bad leadership?

    I was thinking of these questions the other day when I stumbled into a meeting sponsored by Chapel Hill’s Friends of Downtown organization that had invited Dr. Gerald Bell to make a presentation.

    Bell may be best known among North Carolina basketball fans as the author of a popular book about Coach Dean Smith’s leadership lessons.

    But in the rest of the world, especially the international business community, he is known for his organization, Bell Leadership, which develops leaders, coaches and teachers at the highest level. Its mission is “to help people develop their personal effectiveness and leadership skills to contribute to humankind.”

    In existence since 1972, the organization based in Chapel Hill has trained over 500,000 leaders in almost 5,000 organizations in over 30 countries.

    As part of its training, it has developed a detailed personality profile to help its students evaluate their leadership styles, potentials, strengths and weaknesses.

    For the Friends of Downtown group, Bell summarized six characteristics of the most effective leaders.

    1. Achievement. From childhood, Bell says, there is a drive to accomplish. Watch the joy of a child when he or she finally succeeds in learning to walk. The drive to succeed, to create new things and to start projects is a healthy attribute of a positive and optimistic leader.

    2. Self-worth. The feeling that “I am somebody” is a positive trait. Parents who encourage children’s courage and dignity in dealing with others promote this value. The best leaders treat others with dignity.

    3. Control. The need for control can be seen in 2-year olds and teenagers asserting independence. Gaining self-control through discipline, structure and clarity can signal someone who is a producer, who hates to waste time.

    4. Pleasure. Contentment and happiness can be positive traits. Parents who teach that it is okay to fail and how to recover from it are giving their children a platform for positive happiness.

    5. Love. We need it. Bell said, “There is a genetic code need for love.” He said you can measure how others feel about you by a ”seek-me-out-index.” How many people seek you out for advice and help when they have a problem? He says that good listening skills draw people to you.

    6. Play. Enjoying play is a trait of a good leader. In fact, good strategic planning is playing with ideas.

    What about the bad leadership characterization?

    1. Performer. They show off, selfpromote and go on overdrive.

    2. Attacker. They are hostile, critical and focus on getting even and are only happy when they’re in a fight. They never apologize.

    3. Rigidity. An “unbender.” It is all black or white for rigid people. They order people to do things rather than working with them. Underneath, they dislike people. They command and destroy.

    4. Avoider. They are unwilling to take risks.

    5. Pleaser. They are too focused on being nice. They do not communicate directly and reflect a low degree of competitiveness.

    6. Drifter. Like those, Bell says, who live in Volkswagen vans, they crave freedom but avoid responsibility.

    Bell asks his students to what degree they possess the six “best leader” behavior patterns and/ or the six “worst leader’ patterns? Are they “more of an entrepreneur (best leader) or a performer (worst leader)? A team builder or a pleaser? A producer or a commander?”

    When his presentation was over, I found myself wishing that Bell could take his leadership program to the Congress and the White House.

    Photo: Dr. Gerald Bell

  • 05mitch colvin copyHIT (Mayor to mayor)

    Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner told her board of commissioners the other day that Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin had phoned her to establish a working relationship. She said in her six years as mayor of Hope Mills, Colvin was the first Fayetteville mayor to reach out to her.

    MISS (Dumb drivers)

    A lot of motorists in Fayetteville don’t know what double yellow lines mean. They often think they’re moving into the left turn lane when in fact they’ve crossed a double line into an oncoming lane. Dumb! Turning lanes are marked with broken yellow lines.

    HIT (Mother Nature)

    She was kind to us during the statewide snowfall this month. Many communities to our north and west got a foot and more of snow. Fayetteville got an inch.

    MISS (Code enforcement)

    Fayetteville officials depend on residents to enforce the city’s code of ordinances. Most violations are reported by people using the “FayFixIt” app. That’s a good thing, but city employees should be among those doing the reporting.

    MISS (Driver education)

    Drivers of large trucks, especially tractor-trailer rigs, should follow the rules of courteous motoring on fourlane and larger streets and highways. They are supposed to keep to the right in outside lanes except when passing, but they don’t. Traffic would be a lot smoother for everyone if the police and state highway patrol would enforce the rule.

    HIT (The movie “12 Strong”)

    The declassified true story of the first 12 American Special Forces soldiers sent to Afghanistan after the 9/11 terror attacks in the U.S is terrific. The powerful war drama was embellished some but is among the best combat movies depicting military heroism ever.

    Photo: Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin

  • 04Chuck Schumer official photoI am starting this column Jan. 22. This evening, President Donald Trump signed a continuing resolution that ended a partial shutdown of the federal government that lasted three days. The CR allows Congress additional time to agree on funding of the government for the current fiscal year. The events and decisions that produced this shutdown, and the resulting harsh consequences, reflect what happens when political maneuvering lays waste to reason.

    In the space allotted, I can only scratch the surface in detailing the negative impacts of this shutdown. The one most often mentioned is that active duty military personnel would not be paid during the shutdown; however, they were required to continue working. Picture the military members deployed to the Middle East, where their lives are in danger every day, around-the-clock. Many of them have families in America who depend on paydays being honored. Add to these the other dedicated Americans who risk their very lives and endure all the tremendous demands of military service. The image is one of dedicated Americans being irresponsibly and unfairly penalized.

    Apparently, as is explained later, there are politicians and other Americans who place greater value on illegal immigrants than on these patriots. Anybody in this group should immediately see the movie “12 Strong.”

    Beyond military personnel, thousands of civilian federal employees were furloughed without pay. Legislative action will be required for these employees to be paid for any work time missed because of the shutdown. Surprisingly, members of Congress receive their pay during a shutdown.

    The negative impact of this shutdown extends far beyond the couple of instances addressed above. Given this tremendous negative impact, the burning question is why anybody would cause a shutdown when doing so seriously adversely affects hundreds of thousands of Americans. The only possible explanation that I can identify is that Democrats believed they could, through a shutdown, gain some political advantage over Republicans. I contend that this was political maneuvering by Democrats and that their actions laid waste to reason.

    Granted, it is totally unacceptable that, year after year, Congress fails to complete the budget and appropriations process on time and ends up doing CRs. However, Democratic failure to sufficiently support passage of the CR that would have prevented this latest shutdown does not pass the reason test.

    The road to this shutdown started when Democrats insisted on adding provisions to the CR that would allow Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program participants to remain in this country. The estimate is 800,000 participants. An article by Katie Heinrich and Daniel Arkin, titled “What Is DACA? Here’s What You Need to Know About the Program Trump Is Ending,” explains DACA as follows:

    “President Barack Obama created DACA through a 2012 executive order. The program has allowed hundreds of thousands of young people who were brought to the United States illegally as children to remain in the country. Applicants cannot have serious criminal histories, and must have arrived in the U.S. before 2007, when they were under the age of 16. DACA recipients can live and work legally in the U.S. for renewable two-year periods.”

    On Sept. 5, 2017, Trump’s administration announced the cancellation of the DACA program but gave Congress six months to pass legislation that would provide a permanent fix for the situation addressed by the program. That means Congress has until March 5, 2018, to act. No new DACA applications or renewals were to be taken during the sixmonth period. However, a federal judge in California ruled that the administration must continue accepting renewal applications. That is being done.

    The CR in question had to do with funding the government. Addressing DACA is not a funding issue, but Democrats insisted on including DACA provisions in this CR. A similar situation occurred in 2013 and resulted in a 16-day shutdown of the federal government. Ian McCullough, in an article titled “Why Did the U.S. Government Shut Down in October 2013?” summarizes how the 2013 shutdown came about. He writes that after failing to block passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) in 2010 and not being able to repeal the legislation during 2010-13, elements of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives tried another approach. McCullough says they first “attached a provision to a spending bill that required eliminating funding for the implementation of the PPACA in order to fund the rest of the U.S. Federal Government.” The Senate rejected this legislation and sent it back to the House. The House then proposed a spending bill version that would delay implementation of “Obamacare” for one year. The Senate tabled the bill, gave it no consideration, and the government shut down.

    Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., now Senate minority leader and orchestrator of the 2018 shutdown, took a clear position regarding Republican actions in 2013. Democrats were unyielding in their stand against the Obamacare-related actions of Republicans. The following Schumer quote appears in an article by John Sexton titled “Chuck Schumer in 2013: If Dems Shut down the Government over Immigration That Would Be ‘A Politics of Idiocy:’”

    “I believe in immigration reform. What if I persuaded my caucus to say I’m going to shut the government down, I’m going to not pay our bills unless I get my way. It’s a politics of idiocy, of confrontation, of paralysis.”

    In bringing on the recent shutdown, Schumer did exactly what he vehemently accused Republicans of doing in 2013. This is a prime example of the destructive hypocrisy that has taken a foothold in our political process. Hypocrisy is a primary factor, a tool, in the manipulation of people.

    At least, in 2013, Republicans had legislation prepared that presented what they wanted to do. That statement is no endorsement of what happened, just a statement of fact. Democrats did not have legislation ready to present for consideration in 2018 as they demanded that action on DACA be attached to the CR.

    Further, Republicans repeatedly said there was nothing in the pending continuing resolution with which Democrats disagreed. In all of my research and watching news reports that included comments by Democrats was there any indication that the Republican claim was in error.

    Schumer and other Democrats, as well as many media personalities, repeatedly used the talking point that since Republicans hold majorities in the House and Senate and the president is a Republican, the shutdown was a “failure to lead.” This is pure misdirection in that Democrats chose to filibuster the CR that would have kept the government open. Ending a filibuster requires 60 votes; there are only 51 Republican senators.

    On Jan. 9, Trump led a bipartisan meeting at the White House where discussion of solving the DACA problem was central. A substantial portion of that meeting was televised. The meeting seemed productive in laying a foundation for negotiations. Bipartisan negotiations have continued in spite of the shutdown and other distractions.

    In the final analysis, Democrats, profoundly and unfairly, negatively impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent Americans. This was done when there was ample time remaining to address the DACA issue. The push was made to attach an item to a funding bill when the issue had absolutely nothing to do with funding.

    In doing so, the hypocrisy that is a primary tool of manipulation showed its face. With no DACA legislation ready to present, and no Democratic opposition to contents of the CR, the government was still shut down. This, despite the promising and productive Jan. 9 bipartisan White House meeting with follow-on DACA negotiations that continue to this very day. Cap all of this off with the Democratic filibuster of the CR that would have kept the government open and the blaming of Republicans who only have 51 Republican senators when 60 votes are required to end a filibuster.

    All this reflects political manipulation with no hint of reason or rational basis for action by Democrats anywhere in sight.

    The current CR expires Feb. 8. The promise of Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-K.Y., senate majority leader, as to what happens if there is no legislation to fix DACA by that date is a matter for another column. If that promise must be executed, I expect reason will face another test in a political atmosphere where reason is routinely laid waste, discarded, treated as some unwelcomed alien being.

    Photo: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer

  • 03jerry kiesewetter 234311A million years ago when I was a mother of young children, one of the Precious Jewels found himself in a sudden slugfest with a cousin in our front yard. Both boys were young enough and small enough that I could separate them, which I did. Holding them at arm’s length, I demanded apologies and a handshake to end the fisticuffs. They did so, albeit grudgingly, and as I released them, the cousin – apparently not quite finished – stuck out his foot and tripped the Precious Jewel, who fell splat onto the grass.

    I was reminded of this long-ago story when I read a recent New York Times opinion piece written by two Harvard government professors. Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt authored the just-published “How Democracies Die,” and they say Americans have plenty to worry about with our democracy. In their Times column, the professors contend that our real problem is not a president who at best cannot remember what he has said in the past and contradicts himself or at worst exaggerates and lies routinely. The authors conclude that the president is “a weak and inept leader,” but that he is not our main problem.

    One of our main problems, the professors say, is our overwhelming lack of tolerance for the views of our fellow citizens – our polarization along party lines.

    A vital component of democracy, Levitsky and Ziblatt contend, is respect for others, no matter how much we may disagree with them politically, socially and culturally. They describe this respect as being an understanding that people who think differently than we do love our country just as much as we do, even if they hold different opinions. According to the professors, some polarization is likely healthy if only to expose us to other ideas, but extreme polarization – and some would contend we are already there – can and has killed democracies. Think Chile in the early 1970s and Venezuela more recently.

    Levitsky and Ziblatt contend that America is more polarized than any time since the 1800s, when fistfights, canings and the waving around of pistols and knives took place on the floor of Congress during the run up to the Civil War. As evidence, they cite polling data indicating that both Democrats and Republicans say they would not be pleased if their child married someone of the opposite political party and that the other party makes them feel “afraid.”

    Another vital component of a healthy democracy, the professors assert, is forbearance, which they define as self-restraint in the exercise of power. In other words, power should not be exercised just because it is there. Sometimes it is better to let something slide than to make an issue of a matter that may well blow over on its own. Most of us know and exercise this in our personal and working lives, but elected leaders on both sides seem to have forgotten how to do so in their public lives.

    Both Democrats and Republicans have held up legislation and executive and judicial appointments – not because such delays were positive for our nation, but because they annoyed and possibly damaged the other party – in other words, just because they could.

    Just last month Congress allowed the government of the United States to shut down. Our elected leaders played a game of chicken because they did not want to work with the other side – in other words, just because they could. Other rounds of shutdown machinations loom.

    This is no way to run a government and no way for Americans to think about each other. The professors conclude their Times piece with this.

    “The lessons of history are clear. Extreme polarization can wreck even established democracies. America is no exception. As long as Americans do not overcome their deepening partisan animosities, democracy remains at risk – President Trump or no President Trump.”

    But back to the Dicksons’ front yard in the early ’90s. Just like Congress in the mid-19th century, there was a fistfight. An authority figure, in this case, Mom, stepped in to bring the combatants to their senses and restore order and civility. Even though one combatant could not quite restrain himself from one more attack, the battle did end; the cousins remained friends, and, one hopes, learned something about human nature and how to conduct themselves appropriately.

    I hope and pray the same for our nation.

  • 02PubPenBusiness North Carolina Magazine is a highly respected statewide business publication that reflects on the elements of North Carolina business and industry. It reports on the economic health and virtues of our state and how these factors affect North Carolina growth, businesses and industry. In the February edition, the magazine profiled and honored the 100 most accomplished, talented and successful business people in North Carolina. All are successful in their own right and have contributed to North Carolina’s economic well-being and residents’ quality of life.

    The publication noted that many talented business leaders are concentrated in larger metropolitan areas of our state. However, for this feature, it focused on the smaller communities and regions in search of successful business leaders making significant and dynamic contributions to their communities in economic development, finance, retail and several other industries. The contributions of these accomplished people significantly influenced and changed their communities in a positive way.

    Reading over the list, the one trait they all have in common is vision. In the case of Ralph and Linda Huff of H&H Homes, you could say “double vision,” since both have contributed so much to our community. Ralph absolutely earned his designation as one of North Carolina’s 100 most influential business leaders by this distinguished publication. He and his wife Linda are two of Fayetteville’s most successful business and economic assets.

    They love this community, as witnessed by their generous lifelong contributions of time, talent and finances. This is a huge honor and a big surprise for the Huffs, but it should be no surprise to everyone around them. In fact, we need to pay more attention to local leaders like Ralph and Linda. Not only are they successful, but they also have a vested interest in the success and prosperity of our community. Outsiders do not.

    History has shown that our community puts way too much faith in the opinions and guidance of outsiders rather than listening to the common-sense rationale of successful local people and business owners. Case in point: Look how we have struggled with the Unified Development Ordinance over the years. There is no telling how much this community has lost in time, money and business because we refuse to listen to and acknowledge the advice of successful people and local business owners most affected – people who are vested in the community. People like Ralph and Linda Huff, Mac Healy, Jay Wyatt, Mary Lynn Bryan, Don Price, Richard Bryant, Joe Riddle and Sharlene Riddle Williams, and Ron Matthews.

    I could list dozens more entrepreneurs and innovators who have invested in this community. We could easily publish our own “100 Top Successful and Influential People in Business” just for Fayetteville and Cumberland County, but would the powers that be use them as a resource?

    It has been said many times that “Fayetteville never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity,” and we have much at stake.

    Fayetteville and Cumberland County are at a turning point. Our future looks bright. Fort Bragg is stable and growing. We have tens of millions of dollars in new downtown development promising to generate tens of millions more. We have strong, talented leadership promoting economic development, and, thanks to last year’s $35 million Parks and Recreation bond, our children, seniors and entire community are experiencing more enhanced quality of life venues.

    Some questions do remain.

    1. Can we get out of our own way to embrace prosperity?

    2. Will the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County leadership commit to serving their taxpaying constituents rather than themselves?

    3. Will the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County leadership curtail their pettiness and limit political posturing long enough to envision the impact a North Carolina Civil War and Reconstruction History Center would have on our entire community and humanity?

    We’ll see. Stay tuned.

    Ralph Huff recently sent a letter to all the members of city council advocating for the history center and encouraging them to continue their unwavering support. Why? Because he has vision.

    Congratulations, Ralph. Your inclusion as one of our state’s most influential citizens is most deserving. You and Linda have again put Fayetteville and Cumberland County in the limelight – and, in a good way!

    Visit http://businessnc.com/wpcontent/ uploads/2018/01/power-100_ feb18_lr.pdf to read the February edition of Business North Carolina Magazine.

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    Photo: Linda and Ralph Huff

  • 02-18-15-derek-elliott-2.gifFireAntz team captain Derek Elliott is having another stellar season on the ice. Elliott, in his third professional season, has recorded 24 points on 10 goals and 14 assists through 35 games.

    The Iowa native began skating at 3 years old and just two years later, his passion for hockey was born. Elliott’s love for sports developed at an early age, playing every sport his older brother Jamie played. Elliott has always looked up to his brother and his passion for sports.

    Elliott’s passion for hockey led him to play for the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL from 2005 to 2008. He then went on to play at Mercyhurst College from 2008 to 2012.

    Elliott began his professional career with the FireAntz in 2012 earning All Rookie Team Honors, leading the league in plus minus (+25), recording 42 points on 17 goals and 25 assists. That season was Elliott’s most memorable and best experience playing in Fayetteville.

    In preparation for a night’s work on the ice, Elliott starts his day with a morning skate, followed by a pasta lunch and an afternoon nap. Upon arriving at the Crown a few hours prior to puck drop, he preps his sticks with some fresh tape and receives any needed treatment in the training room.

    Elliott enjoys giving back to the Fayetteville community especially during the holidays, saying that “the Heart of Carolina food drive we do every year is my favorite.”02-18-15-derek-elliott.gif

    Whether he’s playing hockey, ping pong, golf or riding a bike or climbing, Elliott’s sweet feet, lightning-quick hand-eye coordination, endurance and calm demeanor combine for a lethal competitive edge over his opposition. Elliott, a very talented golfer, is eager to start his PGA apprenticeship and earn his teaching certificate for a career in the golf industry once his hockey career is in the books.

    Elliott’s favorite golf course in Fayetteville is King’s Grant. In the off season he enjoys working at a golf course back home and riding bicycles, which take up most of his time in the summer.

    Fast Facts About Derek Elliott

    Roommate:Corey Toy

    Favorite Restaurant in Fayetteville: Shogun

    Favorite Sports Teams: Chicago Cubs and Blackhawks

    Excels at:Taking long afternoon naps

    Favorite Sports Teams:  Rudy

    Photo: Derek Elliott, the FireAntz Team Captain has scored 24 points on 10 goals and 14 assists.

  • 02-18-15-4th-friday.gifThe arts are part of what makes a community strong. In Fayetteville, the arts have taken center stage for a number of years, and nowhere is that more apparent than on 4th Friday in Downtown Fayetteville. On Feb. 27, the 4th Friday event will again entertain and inspire residents of the community.

    For those new to the area, the monthly tradition is a fantastic way to experience downtown Fayetteville and all of the incredible art, stores and musicians the city has to offer. For those familiar with the tradition, 4th Friday is a fun and exciting treat each month. No matter if it is your first 4th Friday or your hundredth, the event always has something new to offer every month. This month’s 4th Friday theme is music.

    At the Arts Council see the continuation of the exhibition Words and Pictures: Illustrated Works by Kadir Nelson from 7 to 9 p.m. Nelson is a well-known artist and author whose work focuses on African-American history.

    For the children, Fascinate-U Children’s Museum is often the highlight of the evening. 4th Friday’sadmission into the museum is free and kids are invited to explore all of the interactive exhibits that the museum has to offer. There is also a free craft available for children to make and take home. Kids will have the opportunity to make and take home a congo/shaker/guiro instrument, which is in keeping with the music theme. Fascinate-U will be open from 7 -9 p.m., and is located at 116 Green St. For more information, call 829- 9171 or visit www.fascinate-u.com.

    Cape Fear Studios and Gallery will also explore the interplay and similarities between visual arts and music. This month, the gallery is displaying beautiful music-themed visual art in many different mediums. And for a special treat on 4th Friday, the visual pieces are accompanied by live music created by various artists from 6-8:30 p.m. The interplay between visual and auditory works of art is sure to create a unique and deeply satisfying artistic experience. Admission is free and the gallery is located at 148 Maxwell St. For more information, call 433- 2986 or visit www.capefearstudios.com.

    In the Pate Room of The Headquarters Library, located at 300 Maiden Lane, renowned storyteller Mitch Capel, also known as “Gran’Daddy JuneBug,” will perform a group of stories called “W’en Dey ‘Listed Colored Soldiers” honoring the unsung heroes of the civil war. The program is part of the Cumberland County Storytelling Festival, and is recommended for those 12 years and up due to the intense content. The stories were written by scholars such as Paul Laurence Dunbar and Dr. Rex Ellis, and they explore the sacrifices and hardships African-American soldiers endured but are all too often overlooked. The program will begin at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.cumberland. lib.nc.us/ccplsite/ or call 483-7727.

    City Center Gallery and Books is another hot spot for art and music at this month’s 4th Friday celebration. In the gallery a onewomen exhibit created by Edwina Clark is on display. Clark is an African-American woman whose artistic skill is well recognized in the community. Her favorite mediums to work in are watercolor and batik, but she often experiments in her work. Clark is also available to meet and discuss her work with those visiting the gallery. Accompanying her incredible visual art is the equally incredible a cappella group Vocal Culture. This evening of music and art will begin at 6 p.m. at 122 Hay St. For more information, visit www.citycentergallery.com or call 678-8899.

    For more auditory art, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. belly dancers will perform in front of Sherefe located at 114 Gillespie St. At 123 Hay St., from 7 to 9 p.m., Alexis Howard will perform a huge repertoire of classic songs, jazz, and popular modern hits.

    Area history is also on display at the Market House. This month’s rotating exhibit is called The History of Fayetteville State University. The exhibit is housed upstairs and is open from 6 - 10 p.m. The permanent exhibit A View from the Square: A History of Downtown Fayetteville is also on display.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • 07 01 Sheriffs Deputies 2Cumberland County Commissioners have approved a significant adjustment in the wages of sheriff’s deputies and detention officers. They appropriated $354,233 to provide market adjustments to entry-level law enforcement salaries for the remainder of the fiscal year beginning March 1. A statewide study showed Cumberland County entry-level law enforcement wages were 10% lower than comparable counties, while average pay was 16% lower.

    The turnover rate for jailers at the detention center resulted in a vacancy rate of 45%, according to County Manager Amy Cannon. “We have continued to struggle and have challenges  with employee recruitment and retention,” Cannon said.

    Pay for entry-level detention officers will increase by $2,300 to $36,500. The entry-level wage for a sworn deputy sheriff will increase by $1,750 to $39,237. This increase applies to all department classifications, excluding the rank of captain and above.

    “We believe this is a step in the right direction in the process to begin impacting positively our recruitment and retention.” Cannon said.

    07 02 JP Riddle StadiumJ.P. Riddle Stadium renovated

    Fayetteville Technical Community College’s 2020 baseball season will begin Feb. 29 at the newly revamped Trojan Field at J.P. Riddle Stadium, 2823 Legion Rd., with a doubleheader between Fayetteville Tech and Paul D. Camp Community College of Suffolk, Virginia. The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners gifted the stadium to the College two years ago. The men’s baseball teams of FTCC and Freedom Christian Academy will join the Fayetteville Swamp Dogs in utilizing the field and stadium.
    “We thank the Cumberland County Commissioners for this opportunity to be associated with the J.P. Riddle Stadium and to continue the Riddle family’s intent to share this asset with the citizens of Cumberland County,” said Dr. Larry Keen, FTCC president. FTCC’s ownership of J.P. Riddle Stadium provides educational opportunities for staff, faculty and students representing various academic program areas to support of FTCC events, Keen added.

    07 03 Pet Adoption 2PetSmart Charities makes local donation

    Cumberland County Animal Control has been awarded a $30,000 grant by PetSmart Charities to support the adoption of cats and large breed dogs. The funds will be used to pay for spaying and neutering nearly 500 dogs and cats. That will allow the shelter to reduce adoption fee to $28 for selected animals and save more animals, Animal Control Director Elaine Smith said. “We are so excited to receive this grant so that we can really help our harder to adopt... older pets, pets with treatable health issues and our large dogs in particular,” Smith said.

    The Animal Control adoption fee includes a pet’s rabies vaccination, privilege license, microchip and spaying or neutering by a local veterinarian. For more information about adopting a pet from the Animal Control Shelter, call 910-321-6852, or to see all the animals available for adoption, visit http://bit.ly/CCAdoptablePets.

    07 04 citizens academy 2Citizens Academy

    The next Fayetteville Citizens Academy class will be held Wednesday, March 11, with a focus on several divisions of Fayetteville’s Public Services Department, including Traffic Services, Street Maintenance, Stormwater and Solid Waste. Academy participants will have an opportunity to engage in hands-on learning, view equipment, tour facilities and meet city personnel tasked with serving the community. The class size is limited to 25 residents. Class begins at 8:15 a.m. and will conclude at or before 5 p.m. To apply, log on to www.fayettevillenc.gov/citizensacademy, scroll to the bottom of the page and complete the form online. The submission window for this session closes March 2. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance by close of business Friday, March 6. “Our one-day Citizens Academy event gives residents an opportunity to see City of Fayetteville staff in their element, doing what they do every day to support and serve our citizens,” said Corporate Communications Director Kevin V. Arata.
    Lunch will be provided, and residents are asked to dress appropriately for the weather and in closed-toe footwear. 

    07 05 Build a Better Murchison 2 Build a Better Murchison

    Planners are in the home stretch of a special Fayetteville event. The Longleaf Pine Realtors Association is using a $5,000 grant from the National Association of Realtors to stage the Build a Better Murchison project March 7. It’s a block party that will take place from 12-5 p.m. at and around Seabrook Auditorium and Bronco Plaza. This temporary demonstration project will add new crosswalks, a greenery-lined median and a two-way bicycle track. The event will feature live music and other entertainment plus food vendors and artists.

    Eric Vitale, a transportation planner with the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, said, “There could end up being more people attending this event than another one held in Haymount in June 2018.”

    The vendor registration deadline is Tuesday, March 3, at 5 p.m. Meetings for volunteers and interested vendors are scheduled March 3, 4 and 5. Visit the website if you want to learn more www.betterblockfaync.com.
  • The fabric of our community is made up of a diverse group of people who bring their individuality, skills, hard work and determination to the table. These contributions that each offers create a bounty of opportunities for anyone seeking them. A constant influx of new ideas, exciting entertainment, excellent educational opportunities, innovative business ventures, medical advancements and more make Cumberland County stand out. In a transient community, the importance of having people who consistently invest their time and energy into the area is magnitudinous. Whether working quietly behind the scenes or from a larger platform, the movers and shakers here deserve recognition for the difference they make every day. Among these people are Marge Betley, Kenjuana McCray, Tisha Waddell, Elizabeth Blevins and Diane Wheatley — five extraordinary women to watch in 2020 who are making a difference in our community. 

    10 01 Marge BetleyMarge Betley
     Major Gifts Officer at the
    Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation

     Q. Tell our readers about yourself, including how you came to be in Fayetteville.

    A. I arrived in Fayetteville on the night of April 26, 2019 — less than a year ago. I followed shortly on the heels of my husband, Greg Weber, whose role as the new CEO and president of the Arts Council began last March. I pulled into Fayetteville late on a Friday night, and the next day we went to the Dogwood Festival. It was a great introduction to my new city.

    Q. There are so many ways to serve the community we live in. What made you choose the route you did?

    A. Greg and I are both very committed to community service and volunteerism — it’s part of what gives us a sense of belonging, and it is also how we have made some of our deepest friendships over the years.My job at Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation is my primary way of serving the Fayetteville community. I’ve been fortunate to have a very rich working life in the nonprofit sector, so when we moved here, I looked for some way to make a meaningful impact. Cape Fear Valley Health and the Health Foundation provide a huge amount of community benefit every year — from charity care and free health screenings to free mammograms for uninsured women, financial support for our cancer patients in financial need and so much more that many people are really unaware of. As I learned more about them, I knew I wanted to be a part of their impact in this community. And now, Cape Fear Valley’s residency program is creating a pipeline to bring hundreds of new physicians to our region — an impact that will be felt for generations to come. How could I resist?

    Q. What do you love about this community? 

    A. Where do I start? Fayetteville is friendly, it’s welcoming and there is always something to do. I love to explore foods and cultures from around the world, so I’ve really enjoyed the festivals here — from the Caribbean Festival — best jerk chicken ever — to the African World Peace Festival and, of course, the International Folk Festival. I love the vibrancy of the arts community here — there’s terrific theater, music and visual arts. I even started taking a silversmithing class at Fayetteville Tech from jewelry artist Gail Ferguson, which I am really enjoying.Another thing that I love about Fayetteville is that when people see a need, they just step up and take action. Last August I attended an event called Cut My City — stylists from all over Fayetteville volunteer their time to provide haircuts and scalp checks for kids before school starts. A haircut sounds like such a simple thing, but it’s so important for a child to feel confident and optimistic as they start a new school year. There were hundreds of kids there and they were all buzzing with energy and enthusiasm! I love that I live in a city where someone sees a need and creates the path to deliver a solution. 

    10 02 Kenjuana McCrayKenjuana McCray 
    Hope Mills Mayor Pro Tem
    and full-time professor at Fayetteville Technical Community College 

    Q. What’s something about our community that you want more people to know about?

    A. I wish more people knew about the arts, services, activities and programs that are available in our community. I think we operate in a lot of silos, which prevents us from taking advantage of the many opportunities provided throughout the town of Hope Mills … I also wish more people knew about the stellar post-secondary opportunities in our overall community to include FTCC, Methodist University and Fayetteville State University. The Local FSU Hometown Alumni Chapter hosts an annual Little Mister and Miss Pageant each year. This pageant not only is a fundraiser to award scholarships for FSU students, but the pageant committee works with the children well beyond the pageant to help to promote emotional, social and leadership skills. I operate a small food pantry at FTCC to help serve students who suffer from food insecurity on campus. Food insecurity on college campuses is a growing concern, and I would like to help decrease this issue as much as possible. My hope is to widely expand this effort by creating programs that provide more healthy meal options for college students. 

    We Are the Arts, which is an Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County initiative, strives to increase tourism, economic development and innovation by promoting the vibrant arts and cultural happenings in the community and in our region. There is also a newly created Hope Mills Creative Arts Council and the town of Hope Mills staff also has an Arts and Culture Committee to help generate ideas for more cultural opportunities in our local community. Examples of these efforts in Hope Mills include the monthly food truck rodeos on the first Thursday of each month in the spring, which usually has a theme tied to community engagement. Hope Mills also hosts a farmers market on every first Saturday of the month in the spring and is geared toward not only engaging local produce farmers but also providing our citizens with more healthy food choices. Our communities are stronger when we connect together!

    10 03 Tisha WaddellTisha Waddell
     District 3 City Councilwoman 

    Q. Tell our readers about yourself, including how you came to be in Fayetteville.

    A. I am a very optimistic person who loves a great project! I’m thoughtful, creative and full of wonder. I collaborate easily and recognize the value of partnerships. I’ve experienced my greatest success as a result of positive connections. I came to Fayetteville as the daughter of the military. My mother retired here, and this became our final “home of record” and my longest home of choice.

    Q. What do you love about this community? 

    A. I love the people in this community. They are so intricately woven together in the most unique ways. When I ran for office I began to learn about the history of the city first hand from the stories of the people I started interacting with and noticed that Fayetteville’s history is truly a part of the fabric of its present. I also love the pace of our city. It isn’t so slow that I’m bored, but it isn’t so fast-paced that it’s uncomfortable. Our former slogan really summed up the community perfectly, “History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling.” That’s what I love about this community!

    Q. There are so many ways to serve the community we live in. What made you choose the route you did?
    A. Very candidly, this route chose me. I was in service for many years in very private ways. I’m a firm believer that we will be rewarded openly for what we do privately, and so I never sought to be the center of the city’s attention. It is still a little awkward to be so regarded for just doing what comes naturally. I am grateful to the citizens of District 3 and the city who place their confidence in me as a representation of them. It’s the best job I’ve ever had. 

    10 05 Diane WheatleyDiane Wheatley
    Community activist and
    candidate for N.C. House Representative 

    Q. There are so many ways to serve the community we live in. What made you choose the route you did? 

    A. I have served the community pretty much continuously since before I was married. I have volunteered on over 30 boards and committees through the years. I also spent 10 years on the board of education and four as a county commissioner. I have found that I have been most effective and have accomplished the most when serving in elected office.

     I think what has and still does motivate me comes from growing up in a military family where service and “duty, honor, country” were so important. My interest in government grew out of our family’s involvement in Revolutionary War reenacting when my sons were young. We were exposed at that time to so many historical sites and stories of the struggles the founding fathers went through to gain our independence. Personalities like George Washington, Patrick Henry, Alexander Hamilton and others became very real to me. I have always been struck by what strong men of faith they were and how God brought them through circumstances that would seem to have been insurmountable. I really feel my experiences have given me a unique perspective. I believe so strongly in the principles on which this country was founded.  

    Q. What’s something you wish this community knew about you? What’s something about our community that you want more people to know about? 
    A. I wish they knew how I truly do serve because I want to make a positive difference in people’s lives. I see any office as both a trust and responsibility to the people of Cumberland County. I will work every day to earn that trust and fulfill that responsibility to the best of my ability.  I wish people knew how much we have to offer. There is nothing that can be mentioned, whether it’s culture, museums, entertainment, sports teams, dinning, parks, a revitalized downtown, shopping or whatever, that we do not have. We are the most vibrant community in the state that no one seams to know about. 

    10 04 Elizabeth blevinsElizabeth Blevins
    Executive director of the Hope Mills Creative Arts Council
    and appointee to the Hope Mills Historic Preservation Commission
    and the Veteran Affairs Committee 

    Q. What do you love about this community?
    A. There’s a resiliency in the community that I love. Hope Mills has taken a lot of abuse over the years, from corrupt politicians, weather and human nature. But the people here are still excited to get up each day and try something new. They’re excited to support an art council and see a new history museum in place. We love our small businesses and new restaurants. They never doubted the dam would be back in place, and we’d have a gorgeous lake once again. And now that we have it, they’re so excited to plan lakeside celebrations for every occasion.  

     Q. There are so many ways to serve the community we live in. What made you choose the route you did?

    A. I don’t know that I specifically chose this route as much as I fell into it. I started HopeMills.net as a political blog. And that wasn’t planned. It was a reaction to two local politicians who used their social media to lie to the people of Hope Mills. Several months into it, I started talking about potential community projects, and suddenly people were really talking back. We held an initial interest meeting in June for an arts council, and four days later, we’d partnered with Sweet Tea Shakespeare Theater and scheduled plays in Hope Mills. The entire art council board is very civic-minded, and we design our projects to include as many local businesses and organizations as possible. We don’t have galleries or a museum, so we’ve learned to be creative in finding ways to promote local artists.This year, one of our biggest endeavors is establishing an artists’ co-op. We’re partnering with small businesses of every kind to use as galleries. We get to create business opportunities, but in doing so, we also get to create relationships.

    This year, I was appointed to the Hope Mills Historic Preservation Commission and the Veteran Affairs Committee. I grew up in an Air Force family and we lived a very nomadic life. It instilled in me a greater appreciation for permanence and history. Our family has been fortunate to travel the world and visit some really phenomenal historic sites. Hope Mills could be a destination spot. 

    As a veteran, veteran’s issues are very important to me. The last two years, I’ve had an opportunity to meet a lot of local veterans and their spouses. We have a responsibility to advocate for them, to educate our community and elected officials of their needs. This year my focus is specifically on the caregivers of disabled veterans. They have very few resources and not nearly enough recognition.

  • 09 CFVHS 2There are hundreds of conditions that can affect the brain, such as concussions, strokes and tumors. Cape Fear Valley Neurosurgery provides comprehensive treatment and surgery right here in our hometown. Dr. Charles Haworth, medical director of Neurosurgery at Cape Fear Valley, says the hospital provides neurological and neurosurgical treatment and support for patients in a six-county region of Southeastern North Carolina, including Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Hope Mills, Raeford, Lumberton, Elizabethtown, Lillington, Dunn, Clinton and beyond.

     Haworth recently recruited neurosurgeon Dr. Melissa Stamates who came to Fayetteville from the Midwest. Stamates graduated with honors from The Ohio State University in 2011. She served a seven-year medical residency at the University of Chicago followed by a fellowship at North Shore University Health System in Evanston, Illinois. Stamates has more than nine years of diverse experience in neurosurgery. In the U.S., neurosurgery is a highly competitive specialty composed of 0.5% of all practicing physicians. 

    Stamates and her husband arrived in Fayetteville in July of last year. She and Haworth alternate surgical rounds daily. Her special interests include surgery to treat brain cancer, pituitary tuimors, cranioplasty and other general neurosurgical diseases and illnesses. 

    Both physicians said they wanted to be doctors when they were young. Haworth is a North Carolina native. He graduated from Guilford College and Duke University School of Medicine and has practiced medicine for 38 years. He practiced at Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Lumberton before coming to Fayetteville six years ago. He practiced three years in the Navy followed by Duke Hospital in Lumberton and Cape Fear Valley for the past six years.

    Stamates told Up and Coming Weekly she hopes to build her career here. Cape Fear Valley’s need for stability in neurosurgery is a priority. Haworth’s challenge is building a program large enough to provide coverage 24/7. Haworth said a third neurosurgeon will likely be hired soon. “There will always be a need in our community for what we do,” he said. 

    Stamates said the need and new facilities make launching her career in Fayetteville exciting. A new five-story building for Cape Fear Valley’s residency program will house a neuroscience institute on the fifth floor.

     Asked what Stamates enjoys most about her work, she said she is the happiest “when my patients do well.” 

    Both doctors spoke of the chemistry they have. Reliance on one another is what makes the relationship click Haworth intimated. 

    The approximately $28.3 million building project includes the demolition of an older building, which is underway. The driveway on the Melrose Road side of the hospital campus has been closed because of the construction project. The building is scheduled to be completed in May 2021, Medical Center spokeswoman Janet Conway said.

  • 08 DMV REAL ID CardBeginning Oct. 1, 2020, federal government agencies will enforce the REAL ID Act, which requires a REAL ID card, U.S. passport or other approved identification to board commercial airline flights and enter military reservations. The North Carolina REAL ID is a driver’s license that is just like a traditional license or ID except that it has a gold star at the top right corner. Driver’s licenses and IDs without gold stars note, “Not for Federal Identification.”

    The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, enacted the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the federal government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses.” The law established minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibits federal agencies from accepting driver’s licenses and identification cards from states not meeting the Act’s minimum standards. North Carolina is in compliance.

    The REAL ID is completely optional. You do not need an N.C. REAL ID driver’s license or identification card to do any of the following: drive, vote, apply for or receive federal benefits, visit a post office, access a hospital or receive life-saving services, participate in law enforcement or court proceedings or investigations. However, an N.C. REAL ID will be helpful for anyone who boards a commercial airplane or visits nuclear sites, military bases, federal courthouses or federal prisons.

    A REAL ID does not permit direct access to Fort Bragg or other military installations — people still must get visitor passes — but it will save time getting a pass. At Fort Bragg, passes can be acquired at the All-American gate, or access control point, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Visitor passes will be issued to all persons with valid reasons for entering the installation. A visitor pass can be issued for up to 90 days for nonDoD personnel. A security-vetting process will be completed for each individual before receiving a visitor pass. This includes all passengers in a vehicle.

     Some people will need REAL ID sooner than others. Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune began requiring REAL ID or other forms of identification for access as of Jan. 22, Patrice Bethea, a spokeswoman for North Carolina DMV said. U.S. military identification cards, including those for active duty or retired military members and their dependents as well as DoD civilians, can be used instead of REAL ID.

    To apply for a REAL ID card, North Carolinians must visit a DMV driver’s license office and provide a document that proves identity, such as a birth certificate, valid U.S. passport or immigration documents, proof of Social Security number, plus two documents that establish residency in North Carolina, such as a utility bill, vehicle registration card or bank statement. Applications cannot be made online. 

    One of the advantages of a REAL ID driver’s license is that it will provide certainty that the ID will be accepted. Bethea said waiting until the last minute won’t work. People who get a new license will receive it in the mail 15 days later.

    Learn more and see a list of requirements at www.ncrealid.gov.

  • 07 I 95The need to widen Interstate 95 through North Carolina has been a subject of serious discussion since first suggested by former state Sen. Larry Shaw, D-Cumberland, 10 years ago. Shaw proposed a toll road to pay for widening the 182 miles of highway in North Carolina. The toll road was rejected, but the need for expansion was developed. The North Carolina Department of Transportation began the first phase of construction earlier this month. The Long Branch Road bridge at exit 71 in Harnett County was closed, marking the first stage of a $404 million contract to widen 15 miles of the interstate north of Fayetteville.A contractor will replace the two-lane bridge in Dunn with a taller and longer three-lane overpass. All four ramps will be realigned and tied into the taller bridge. The realignment will make it possible to extend the ramps for drivers merging onto the highway and to separate service roads that now intersect with the ramps. The changes will enhance the safety of the interchange and create room to double the interstate’s travel lanes to eight.

    NCDOT officials estimate the new bridge and upgraded interchange will open in about one year. When the bridge closes, I-95 drivers initially will continue to be allowed to take exit 71 and turn right, but not left. Eventually, all the ramps will be closed, requiring drivers to detour to exit 70. In preparation for closing the Exit 71 bridge, in January crews added temporary pavement and erected concrete barriers to maintain four lanes on the interstate during construction. When a rebuilt exit 71 reopens, the Bud Hawkins Road bridge at exit 70 will close for the same kind of reconstruction for about one year.  

    The overall contract calls for widening I-95 between exit 56 in Eastover and exit 71 in Dunn. The design and right-of-way acquisition for the rest of the route will be completed this year, allowing more construction to proceed by this fall. The entire project is expected to be completed by 2024. The portion of I-95 being widened between mile markers 56 and 71 is funded in part by a $147 million federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant. It is part of a larger project to widen 25 miles of I-95 to eight lanes between I-95 Business/U.S. 301 at exit 56 in Fayetteville and I-40 at exit 81 at Benson in Johnston County. 

    This 25-mile section is the oldest and busiest in the state along I-95, reaching nearly 60,000 vehicles a day in southern Johnston County, according to a 2016 survey.  “I-95 is our East Coast main highway and a vital link in our state for business expansion, residential growth and tourism,” said Grady Hunt, who represents Division 6 on the N.C. Board of Transportation. “This will be a significant investment in North Carolina.”

    The projects mark the state’s first substantial upgrade of I-95, which was built beginning in the 1950s under President Dwight Eisenhower. The sections to be widened were scored using criteria such as congestion management and traffic volume and received funding in the department’s State Transportation Improvement Program.

  • 06 01 Person VotingState and county governments are providing citizens valuable information to encourage their willingness to vote. Voting can be confusing and, some say, disenfranchising. A typical resident may reside in as many as seven different voting districts.

    The Cumberland County Board of Elections has provided registered voters an informative card itemizing the county commission, city council, school board, state house of representatives, state senate, judicial and congressional district numbers. Also provided is a resident’s precinct voting location. The North Carolina Board of Elections has mailed cards delineating election dates, registration deadlines, early voting dates and absentee ballot information.

    The information provided advises voters they will not be required to show photo identification during the March 2020 primary election. The federal courts blocked the requirement which will remain in effect until further order of the court. State and county governments are providing citizens valuable information to encourage their willingness to vote. Voting can be confusing and, some say, disenfranchising. A typical resident may reside in as many as seven different voting districts.

    The Cumberland County Board of Elections has provided registered voters an informative card itemizing the county commission, city council, school board, state house of representatives, state senate, judicial and congressional district numbers. Also provided is a resident’s precinct voting location. The North Carolina Board of Elections has mailed cards delineating election dates, registration deadlines, early voting dates and absentee ballot information. The information provided advises voters they will not be required to show photo identification during the March 2020 primary election. The federal courts blocked the requirement which will remain in effect until further order of the court. 

    06 02 Book Bags 2
    Register of Deeds team honored

    For the past 10 years, the Cumberland County Register of Deeds office has gone above and beyond to help homeless students in Cumberland County Schools by coordinating an annual countywide school supply campaign. Register of Deeds Lee Warren coordinated the effort, which has donated more than 5,000 book bags stuffed with school supplies for students in need. Warren is the first recipient of Cumberland County Schools’ Committed Community Support Award. He received a plaque and was recognized at the February Cumberland County Board of Education meeting on Feb. 11. “Mr. Warren has a heart for the citizens of our community and was touched when one of his former staff members learned about the number of homeless children in the school system,” said social work coordinator Pamela S. Story who nominated him. “Through his positive influence in the community, hundreds of citizens — individually or through companies, businesses and organizations —donated funds, supplies and time to help support ‘the least of these’ in CCS.” 

    06 03 Duane HolderCounty Administration restructuring

    Duane Holder is Cumberland County’s first deputy manager. He had been an Assistant County Manager for Community Support Services since September 2017. The upcoming retirement in June of Assistant County Manager Melissa Cardinali provided County Manager Amy Cannon an opportunity to review her organizational structure, which had included four assistant managers. “Duane has earned the respect and confidence of the department heads he leads and will be a greater asset to the county in this expanded role,” Cannon said. Holder will continue to oversee numerous departments, including Social Services, Public Health, Child Support, Community Development and Veterans Services. He will also lead the county’s budget division. Holder earned a Master of Public Administration from East Carolina University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Mount Olive College. 

    The Wilmington Insurrection06 04 wilmington

     The Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County and the Black On Black Project will co-host a film screening of “Wilmington on Fire.” On the morning of Nov. 10, 1898, in Wilmington, North Carolina, a massive fire was the beginning of an attack that took place seven blocks east of the Cape Fear River, about 10miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. By sundown, the local newspaper had been torched, as many as 60 people had been murdered, and the local government that was elected two days earlier had been overthrown and replaced by white supremacists. Given all the violence in U.S. history, it was the only coup d’état to take place on American soil. The film documents the investigation into the race riot. A panel discussion and conversation will follow the film screening with director Christopher Everett and team members from the film. 

    06 05 BunkerWoodpeckers season-opening game
    The Fayetteville Woodpeckers, Class A Advanced MiLB affiliate of the Houston Astros, are pleased to announce the schedule for their 2020 season as well as the initial offering of 2020 half-season tickets. The Woodpeckers open the season at Segra Stadium Thursday, April 9, at 7 p.m., against the Frederick Keys. “Over 250,000 people visited Segra Stadium during our inaugural season,” said Mark Zarthar, president of the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. “The response from our community was remarkable. We are eager to reward our fans by offering a 2020 season full of surprises, and hopefully, a Carolina League Championship.” Half-season packages come with a variety of benefits, including schedule flexibility, a ticket exchange program and first right to special events. Thirty-five game packages start at just $340. Full season tickets are also on sale.

  • 12 01 jackie warnerHope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner issued a statement Wednesday afternoon in response to a post made on a Facebook page. The page, called the Hope Mills Bee, has subjected Warner to numerous personal attacks over the last several months.

    The page is one of multiple such pages on Facebook that have been involved in an orchestrated campaign against Warner.

    The original post on the Hope Mills Bee has been shared multiple times, both by individual Facebook members and other pages that have consistently criticized Warner. According to information posted on the page, the Hope Mills Bee is a self-described media/news company that lists an email address and contact phone number but does not reveal who the creator of the page is.

    The post Warner responded to was made Monday at 3:58 p.m. It features a photo of an Internal Revenue Service document entitled Notice of Federal Tax Lien. Anonymous text posted with the document states that the federal tax lien was filed against WarJack Enterprises, which is the corporate name of Countryside Furniture in Hope Mills. The business is operated by Warner’s husband, Alex. Mayor Warner is listed as the secretary, but she said she is not involved in day-to-day operations. Also listed are her husband Alex, who is the president, and son Teddy, who is vice president. They are the only corporate officers.

    The text of the Facebook post states “it appears from the lien that no taxes were filed or paid for at least six years.’’ Warner, in the statement and in a subsequent telephone interview, made it clear that while the information about a lien being filed is accurate, the statement that no taxes have been paid on the business is entirely false. Warner said she and her husband are not delinquent with tax payment and have fully paid all property, income and sales taxes they owe.

    She said the lien was filed because of unpaid penalties resulting from the multiple late filings of tax information by their accountant dating back to 2010. The lien was filed in September of 2019, according to the form in the photograph. Warner said they took no action because their accountant informed them he was in negotiation to get the fees waived. Warner declined to reveal the name of the accountant due to the ongoing negotiations to get the fees waived.

    “As Mayor of Hope Mills, I have tried to be a good role model for our community,’’ Warner wrote. “Our current situation that has caused so much discussion on social media is related to late filings of corporate tax reports.’’

    Warner went on to explain that she and her husband owe penalties that were assessed due to late filings of tax information. “We have had the same accountant for over 40 years, so our responsibility and accountability we accept while we trusted that we were receiving good advice,’’ she wrote. “Our accountant was and has been in negotiations with the IRS with the understanding he was requesting waivers of the penalties.’’

    Warner said all of the corporate tax penalties will be paid once negotiation with the IRS over the final amount owed have been completed. “We believe all citizens should be held accountable, including the mayor, for our responsibilities as a tax payer,’’ she wrote.

  • 14 dentist The Dental Assisting curriculum at Fayetteville Technical Community College prepares individuals to assist the dentist in the delivery of dental treatment and to function as integral members of the dental team while performing chair-side and related office and laboratory procedures. Students receive up-to-date training in the dental field from a CODA-accredited program. This means students who graduate from FTCC are considered DA II’s in the state of North Carolina and are eligible to perform some expanded functions in this state without paying for further training or certification.

    Dental assisting is an exciting career in the dental field that gives students a variety of options upon graduation. They can work in general dentistry or in one of the specialties: orthodontics, oral surgery, pediatrics, etc. There is also work in administrative roles or with dental vendors. Training in dental assisting gives students knowledge and flexibility to advance in the dental field. The program at FTCC covers instruments, both general and specialty, and their functions — infection control policies and procedures, dental radiography, dental materials, dental sciences, anatomy, and practice management. Students have training on campus as well as clinical rotations to dental offices in Fayetteville and surrounding areas. Rotation sites include general dentistry and specialty areas. This exposure gives students valuable training with real patients as they learn to function as a member of the dental team. As students move through their semesters, they also prepare for their national board exams. Students have the option to take the boards in three sections: Infection Control; Radiation Health and Safety; and General Chairside. Or they can take all three components at one sitting. Students are Certified Dental Assistants or CDAs once they have passed all exam components, and that is a national recognition.

    Training to become a dental assistant is a one-year program. The training starts in the fall semester, and students graduate the following summer. Most graduates have secured jobs prior to graduation and have gained valuable hands-on experience from their clinical rotation sites. The job outlook for dental assisting shows that there will be growth in the field through at least 2032, and the average salary for a North Carolina dental assistant is $38,720. Students who have advanced certification and training are more likely to have the best job prospects according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

    Students interested in dental assisting are encouraged to call or email me for further information at 910-678-8574 or walkers@faytechcc.edu. The application process for all health programs is open from November through Jan. 30, and financial aid is available for qualified students. Students will need to make an application to the college first and have all transcripts sent to FTCC for processing. Late applications to the program may be accepted. The faculty and staff at FTCC are excited to help get you started on the path to your new career! We look forward to having you come and learn with us and become part of our dental family at FTCC.

  • 09 Stephen TownsendArmy Gen. Stephen Townsend’s No. 1 concern as commander of U.S. Africa Command is that another deadly attack like the one in Manda Bay, Kenya, will occur on his watch. That’s why AFRICOM is now examining the security at Manda Bay and other U.S. installations throughout the entire continent. On Jan. 5, al-Shabab militants attacked U.S. and Kenyan forces at Manda Bay Airfield, which led to the deaths of Army Spc. Henry Mayfield Jr., 23, and two U.S. Department of Defense contractors, Dustin Harrison, 47, and Bruce Triplett, 64.

    Townsend, 60, is a four-star general who has served as Commander of U.S. Africa Command since July 26, 2019. He previously commanded Fort Bragg’s 18th Airborne Corps from May 2015 until January 2018. Townsend also served with the 82nd Airborne Division. He fought in Operation Urgent Fury, Operation Just Cause and Operation Uphold Democracy. Townsend commanded the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, leading it in the Battle of Baqubah during the Iraq War, and later commanded the 10th Mountain Division during the War in Afghanistan.

    While serving as Fort Bragg’s commanding general, Townsend, in late August of 2016, took command of the Combined Joint Task Force — Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq —where he served until 2017, after which he returned to Fort Bragg. Raised in an Army family, Townsend was commissioned as an infantry officer upon graduating from North Georgia College in 1982. He has led and commanded troops at every echelon from platoon to corps and combined joint task force, to include leading all U.S. and multinational forces fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

    “I think it’s self-obvious we were not as prepared there at Manda Bay as we needed to be,” Townsend told lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee last month. “Al-Shabab managed to penetrate onto that airfield. They killed … three Americans and destroyed six aircraft there,” he said. “We weren’t as prepared, and we’re digging into that to find out why that’s the case.”  The command has launched a senior-leader-led investigation examining the circumstances surrounding the attack, and Townsend said approximately 120 infantrymen are now working to secure the area and install proper measures of defense.

    The incident has prompted AFRICOM to evaluate security at other areas across the continent as well, especially since Manda Bay was considered a safe area, Townsend said. “Al-Shabab has shown their reach, and the danger that they pose, and I think that we need to take that seriously,” the general said. “So, I’m looking with a clear eye at every location in Africa now.” 

    In 2019, AFRICOM conducted 63 airstrikes against violent extremist organizations in East Africa. So far, this year AFRICOM has already conducted four airstrikes against al-Shabab militants in Somalia. “What we do is we keep an eye on al-Shabab every day, and we’re looking for ways to reduce their capacity wherever we can,” said Townsend.
    The U.S. has approximately 6,000 Department of Defense personnel on the African continent.

  • 08 jeffreymacdonald then and nowFifty years ago this month, U.S. Army Captain Jeffrey MacDonald slaughtered his pregnant wife and two young daughters in their apartment on Castle Drive in Fort Bragg’s Corregidor Court housing area. MacDonald, now 76, has adamantly maintained his innocence. Federal prosecutors alleged that MacDonald killed his wife, 26-year-old Colette McDonald, and their daughters Kimberley, 5, and Kristen, 2, with a knife and an ice pick, then stabbed himself to make it look like he was attacked while defending his family. Up & Coming Weekly Reporter Jeff Thompson was a local radio journalist for more than 40 years before joining U&CW four years ago. He covered the sensational event as a young reporter and has a vivid memory of the morning the MacDonald murders occurred. This is his report:

    Feb. 17, 1970, was a miserable day in more ways than one. During the predawn hours, it was cold and wet. It had been raining for several hours. In those days, I got up early and went to work at 3 a.m. My routine was to check on overnight crime by driving downtown to the police station on Bow Street and the sheriff’s office in the basement of the old courthouse. It was so cold that day that my car wouldn’t start, so I called the sheriff’s office Capt. Don Wade. I asked him if he would have Deputy Leroy Graddy come by my house in Arran Hills to jump-start my car. I knew Leroy worked in the 71st area.

    Captain Wade said he had no one available to help because his officers were tied up at roadblocks at Fort Bragg. He said military authorities told him a woman and two children had been murdered on post and that an Army officer had been hospitalized at Womack Army Medical Center. I had been in the broadcast news business for two years in what turned out to be one of the biggest stories of my career — and my car wouldn’t start!

    I called a friend who lived down the street and asked to borrow his car. I drove downtown and asked Wade if he had any additional details about the murders on post. He said he’d been told that the word “PIG” had been scrawled on the headboard of the woman’s bed to mimic the Charles Manson murders six months earlier and that the surviving officer was a Green Beret doctor who had been clubbed and stabbed with an ice pick.

    I hurriedly drove to the WFNC radio studios to prepare the 6:30 a.m. newscast. Instead of airing the news live, I decided to record it for playback so I could drive to Fort Bragg. It was an open post in those days, and I had no difficulty finding the housing area where the triple murder investigation was unfolding. Responding media representatives were able to park on Castle Drive in front of the apartment and walk to within 30 feet of the building. I observed an Associated Press photographer walking along the side of the apartment, unrestrained, snapping pictures through the windows.

    The area was muddy. I saw military police officers casually traipsing in and out of the MacDonald apartment. Suffice it to say, law enforcement crime scene methods have changed a lot in 50 years. Having confirmed reports of what happened, I returned to the radio station to update the news. I called the United Press International office in Charlotte, North Carolina, to report the story. It went nationwide because of its similarity to the Tate-LaBianca murders perpetrated by the Manson “family” in August of 1969. Before hanging up, the UPI correspondent had a final question: “Is there any suspicion that the husband and father had committed the murders?”

    The crime scene was gruesome: 5-year-old Kimberly was found in her bed, having been clubbed in the head and stabbed in the neck between eight and 10 times. Two-year-old Kristen was in her bed and had been stabbed 33 times with a knife and 15 times with an ice pick. Colette, who was pregnant with her first son, was lying on the floor of her bedroom. She had been repeatedly clubbed and stabbed 21 times with an ice pick and 16 times with a knife. MacDonald’s torn pajama top was draped across her chest.
    M.P.s found MacDonald next to his wife, alive but wounded. His wounds were not as severe nor as numerous as those his family had suffered. He was taken to the nearby army hospital. MacDonald suffered cuts and bruises on his face and chest, along with a mild concussion. He also had a stab wound on his left torso that a staff surgeon described as a “clean, small, sharp” incision that caused his left lung to partially collapse. He was released from the hospital after one week.

    MacDonald was placed on military house arrest pending the outcome of the initial investigation. A military Article 32 hearing was held in July of 1970 to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to charge him with the murders. He was exonerated in a matter of days and left the Army. MacDonald became an emergency room physician in southern California. But in 1979, he was indicted in federal court in North Carolina and sent to Raleigh to stand trial. The rest is history.

  • 07 01 NC59 BridgeA new bridge that carries N.C. 59 over I-95 Business in Hope Mills has been opened by the state Division of Highways. Traffic was also shifted onto a rebuilt ramp from I-95 Business southbound to N.C. 59 at the new bridge. Two northbound lanes were closed to allow improvements at the interchange.

    A detour has been marked. The ramps will be elevated to match the new bridge, and the drainage systems will be improved. The new bridge currently is in a two-lane pattern until the contractor can finishing widening portions of N.C. 59 on either side of it by this fall. When that work is completed, all five lanes of the new bridge will be opened. DOT
    says the northbound ramps will reopen in two-to-three months.

    07 02 Cape Fear Lock DamRiver Locks and dams ownership changing

    The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality is providing the federal government notice that it wishes to obtain ownership of three locks and dams on the Cape Fear River between Fayetteville and Wilmington. The state plans to send an official letter of intent by Feb. 28. The decision recognizes there is no federal interest in maintaining and operating the locks and dams and allows the state to acquire them. The three locks and dams were originally built in the early 1900s for commercial navigation but have not been used for that purpose since 1995.

    “The state of North Carolina recognizes the importance of maintaining the locks and dams for flood control and resiliency, to protect water quality, water supply, fish passage, aquatic habitat and recreational opportunities in the Cape Fear River,” said Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Michael S. Regan. “State ownership ensures that all stakeholder interests are represented moving forward.”

    DEQ staff held several meetings with federal, state and local officials since April of 2019 to ensure all interests and concerns were addressed should the state take over the locks and dams. When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers receives the letter of intent, Congress must decide whether to de-authorize the locks and dams. State officials estimate the real estate transaction process will take two to five years.

    Pone elevated

    07 03 Ed Pone 3 2Cumberland County Judge Ed Pone is the county’s first African American Chief District Court judge. N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley announced Pone’s appointment last month. He succeeds Chief Judge Robert Stiehl, who retired Feb. 1. The chief judge administrates court functions and assigns the county’s 10 district court judges to the various courts. Pone is a certified juvenile court judge and has presided in family court for many years. He also is the presiding judge of Cumberland County’s Family Drug Treatment Court and the Misdemeanor Diversion Program. Pone was appointed to the bench by Gov. Jim Hunt in 1996 and has won election every four years since then. He is unopposed this year. Chief Justice Beasley is a former colleague of Pone’s, having served on the Cumberland County District Court before being appointed to the state court of appeals and eventually elevated to the supreme court. Cumberland County has 10 District Court judges.

    New school principal

    07 04 Corine WarrenFollowing the recommendation of Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr., the Cumberland County Board of Education has approved a new elementary school principal. Corine O. B. Warren, who is currently an assistant principal at Spring Lake Middle School, will serve as principal of Benjamin Martin Elementary School.
    “It is with a strong commitment that I am joining the Benjamin J. Martin Elementary School family,” said the long-time educator. “I am looking forward to leading and learning — academically, socially and emotionally — together as a community.” Warren has served as an assistant principal in the Cumberland, Robeson and Gwinnett (Georgia) County schools since 2014. Her career in education spans nearly 25 years and includes work as an elementary teacher, a trainer for the North Carolina Teacher Academy and  media coordinator.

    D.S.S. employment opportunities

    07 05 Job FairEmployers are invited to participate in the 21st Annual Cumberland County Department of Social Services March to Work Job Fair Mar. 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Charlie Rose Agri-Expo Center. Businesses with job openings are invited to register to participate at no charge. Employers will be provided with booths at the fair that include tables and chairs. The job fair attracts thousands of job seekers with a wide range of skill levels from those who are professional or highly technical, to those who are unskilled.

    “This is a great opportunity for businesses to find qualified employees,” said Toni Wright-Harris, job fair coordinator. Business representatives will be able to talk about employment opportunities for potential employees. Information is available online at Cumberland County DSS March to Work. If you have questions, call or email Toni Wright-Harris at 910-677-2151 by March 10.
  • 09 20191114 Fayetteville Ladies Power Lunch 208The Fayetteville Ladies Power Lunch  is a quarterly networking event held at Cape Fear Botanical Garden focused on inspiring and empowering the women in our community. Each event opens with an exclusive Shopportunity Expo with local vendors and a wine tasting event at 10 a.m. The catered luncheon with entertainment, a keynote speaker and raffle take place from 11:45 a.m.-2 p.m., and lastly, the Shopportunity Expo continues with more door prizes from 2-3 p.m. The dates for the 2020 FLPL events are Feb. 13, May 14, Aug.13 and Nov. 12. The FLPL keynote speakers for 2020 are Donna Clayton Lloyd, Mary Kate Burke, Julie Russo and Dr. DeSandra Washington, respectively.

    February 13, Donna Clayton Lloyd
    Realtor and Broker in Charge of ANYTHING REAL ESTATE, an affiliate of Townsend Real Estate in Fayetteville
    To be chosen as a speaker for the 2020 FLPL, I face a perfect opportunity to live out my life mission of telling the stories from my life and lessons learned that I hope will inspire, educate and celebrate women as other women and leaders have done for me. I believe in passing on every secret to success and acknowledging the lessons learned from the broken places. With God’s help and that of others, I want to be a part of the team of women that spreads that word.

    May 14, Mary Kate Burke
    Artistic Director of Cape Fear Regional Theatre
    At CFRT, 86% of our mainstage directors are women. The national average is closer to 35%. The incredible Bo Thorp founded CFRT. For 53 out of its 59 years, the theater has been woman-led. It is important to create opportunities for other deserving women and to mentor them. At CFRT, we make it easy for people to have a family and still work, which is rare in this field. Small accommodations and flexibility allow us to retain incredible employees and provides them a better quality of life.
     
    August 13, Julie Russo
    Director at McKee Homes, LLC
    One of the ways I hope to inspire women is by helping them connect with other women. The hardest thing about trying or learning something new is the initial discomfort associated with it. I encourage all women to embrace that discomfort because there is no such thing as a wasted education. I like to celebrate the unique talents women bring to the workforce while supporting their efforts to find work-life balance is vital to our success.

    November 12, Dr. Desandra Washington
    Associate Vice President for Academic Support at Fayetteville Technical Community College
    As a young girl growing up in Fayetteville, I had the honor, privilege, and blessing to have mentors that encouraged and motivated me to excel in life. These phenomenal women molded me into the God-fearing, driven, service-oriented woman I am today. It was a given that I would continue the legacy to inspire, educate, empower and celebrate our local women.

    Learn more from these visionary women in this year’s 2020 quarterly FLPL series. Visit https://www.fayettevilleladiespowerlunch.com/ for tickets and information.
     
    Pictured from L-R: Dr. Desandra Washington, Julie Russo, Mary Kate Burke, Donna Clayton Lloyd
     
  • 06 Fort Bragg Commissary InteriorThe military commissary agency has been required to track customer savings since fiscal 2016, to help defense officials and Congress monitor the commissary benefit. Commissary customers save 25% more than in civilian grocery stores. The upward trend in fiscal 2019 averaged 25.6%, according to a report from the Defense Commissary Agency. Overall, the savings are up from 23.9% for fiscal 2018. But savings in overseas stores declined from the 2018 level. Officials attribute the drop overseas to the lower cost-of-living allowance in fiscal 2019.

    The overall savings level for U.S. stores was 22.3% for fiscal 2019. DeCA compares prices with up to three commercial grocers, including one supercenter, in the local area of each commissary in the U.S. Fort Bragg is the largest Army post in the country and has two full-size commissaries. The comparison looks at 38,000 items at a regional level and local prices on about 1,000 products that are representative of a shopper’s typical market basket, officials say.

    For years, commissary savings were touted as an overall 30%. But, in 2016, as mandated by law, DeCA established a baseline of savings using a more thorough methodology. Congress now requires the agency to maintain savings levels that are reasonably consistent with the 2016 baseline, since the agency can now use variable pricing — lowering or raising prices on items, rather than selling them at cost, as they did for decades.

    Commissary officials have had the authority to do this for several years, as a means of being competitive with local stores, and to allow commissaries to use some of the profit made to reduce the amount of taxpayer dollars — over $1 billion a year — that’s used to run the stores. Taxpayer dollars have been a target of people in DoD in efforts to save money. One retiree contacted Military Times to say he’s been shopping at commissaries for more than 50 years, “and from what I can see, prices are noticeably going up!”

    Savings depend on the items, as well as the region. For example, there are more than 900 items in the commissary’s Your Everyday Savings, or “YES!” program, which lowers prices year-round on items that commissary customers purchase the most. That has contributed to the increase in savings, said Robert Bianchi, a retired Navy rear admiral who is a Defense Department special assistant for commissary operations.

    The YES! program is designed to help commissaries level the playing field when it comes to the perceived value of the benefit, Bianchi added.

    Too many consumers get a false impression about the value of the overall savings of a civilian grocery store based on a few loss leaders. These are items that stores are willing to accept revenue losses on so they can attract consumers. Bianchi said a commissary’s grocery department — for example, packaged foods — is the main driver of savings for commissaries in the South Atlantic region. The 30 stores in the region showed Fiscal Year 2019 savings of 20.4%.

  • 07 N2003P36001CIn recent years, cybersecurity as a profession has found itself at a crossroads. Since its origins in the 1980s, practitioners have drifted into computer security, information security or cybersecurity from other disciplines, mainly information technology and engineering, as well as entering through more academic or formal routes. However, with the increase in cybersecurity threats and attacks, the demand for professionals can no longer be met by practitioners drifting in from other professions or by limiting the choice to those lucky enough to have been able to pursue master’s degrees.

    Just last month, Cumberland County Workforce Development commemorated graduates of a Cybersecurity Pre-Apprenticeship program. The program is for young adults ages 14 through 25. It was held at the Cumberland County N.C. Works Career Center last fall. Raleigh-based ISG Cybersecurity Talent Development teamed up with Cumberland County Workforce Development to present the program. Eighteen students graduated in the inaugural class.

    ISG launched the Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program in 2016 to help entry-level apprentices advance from mid- to senior-level skills in two years. The apprenticeship program helps meet industry demand for cybersecurity professionals and helps young people establish a career path in the field. Graduates will enter the next phase at Fayetteville Technical Community College to obtain certifications for continued education in cybersecurity. FTCC’s Systems Security and Analysis program prepares graduates for employment in the technology sector as cybersecurity analysts, cybersecurity managers, support technicians, system administrators and engineers.
    In 2015, Fayetteville Technical Community College President Dr. Larry Keen and Methodist University President Dr. Ben Hancock signed an agreement that allows a seamless transfer process for students interested in continuing cyber and information security studies. FTCC students who receive their Associate in Applied Science degrees in Information Systems Security are fully qualified to enter Methodist’s Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity program, which offers a Bachelor of Science degree.
    “We’re very excited for all of the positive things that will come from this agreement,” Hancock said. “For some students, this will be the best fit — to start out their careers at FTCC and then come to Methodist.”

    FTCC students must have received a C or better grade in those classes.

    “This is the first IT preapprentice program in North Carolina. Once these young adults complete this program, which will take them less than two years, they will be certified in cybersecurity with the ability to earn a mini-mum of $45,000 annually,” said Cumberland County Workforce Development Director Nedra Rodriguez.

    “The cybersecurity course was very informative and helped me understand more about computers,” said Ian McLaurin, a Cape Fear High School graduate who is one of the cybersecurity graduates.

    The next cybersecurity pre-apprentice program at Fayetteville’s N.C. Works Career Center at 414 Ray Ave. starts in April.

    The Cumberland County N.C. Works Career assists veterans and job seekers with the resources they need to succeed. For more information about the career center, go to co.cumberland.nc.us/career-center.

    The Workforce Development Board is appointed and governed by the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners.

  • 05 01 Building Business Rally 2A business development gathering begun as an annual event four years ago by Fayetteville’s Public Works Commission succeeded beyond expectations this year. “Of the 500 or so attendees, 300 were representatives of local businesses,” said PWC spokeswoman Carolyn Justice-Hinson.

    They took advantage of the opportunity to learn about the estimated $1 billion local governments and major companies have budgeted that they would like to spend locally. The Building Business Rally, held  at the Ramada Plaza Hotel Jan. 30, made area business owners aware that Fayetteville and Cumberland County organizations depend on local companies to provide relevant and necessary goods and services. “Local engagement is what government agencies emphasize,” when making purchases large and small, Justice-Hinson added.

    “Learning about correct sources in the community was of great value,” said Anthony Day of WMK Tiles.

    A website is available for business owners for follow up: Faybids.com.   

    05 02 N1611P25011CEarly voting

    Early voting for the March 3 primary election ends Feb. 29 at all seven locations in Cumberland County. They are the Board of Elections office, Cliffdale Recreation Center, North Regional Branch Library, Hope Mills Recreation Center, East Regional Branch Library, J.D. Pone Recreation Center and Smith Recreation Center. Voters will not be required to show photo identification for the March 3, primary election. A federal court blocked North Carolina’s voter photo ID requirement from taking effect. The injunction will remain in place until further orders of the court. The March primary is for various federal, state and local offices including president, governor, North Carolina House districts 43, 44 and 45, judicial district 12 and two Cumberland County Board of Commissioners seats. Citizens who wish to vote must report to their home precinct. Polls for all precincts will open at 6:30 a.m. March 3 and close at 7:30 p.m. Call 910-678-7733 or go to co.cumberland.nc.us/election-board for more information.

    05 03 fayettevillepoliceofficersHome buying assistance for police officers

    The city of Fayetteville has received a $50,000 check from First Horizon Bank for the Good Neighbor Homebuyer Loan Program. This program, to be administered by the city’s Economic and Community Development Department, is designed to offer city police officers a depreciating loan of up to $20,000 for a down payment and closing costs. The homes must be in Fayetteville’s revitalization corridors of Murchison Road or B Street.

    “This provides our officers with a great opportunity to receive assistance with a home purchase within the city,” said Police Chief Gina Hawkins. “I am very thankful for First Horizon Bank’s graciousness in providing the money... for this effort,” Mayor Mitch Colvin added, “We encourage other businesses and organizations to consider such beneficial partnerships.”

    05 04 fire station 15 2Fayetteville has been fire-fatality free for more than a year

    For the first time in 10 years, there were no fire-related deaths in the city of Fayetteville in 2019. Across North Carolina last year, there were 117 fire-related deaths. The Fayetteville Fire Department responded to more than 29,000 calls for service in 2019. Four hundred sixteen calls were structure fires.  The reduction in fire fatalities has been attributed primarily to the rapid response of the fire department and the dedication of residents who have smoke alarms and early detection devices in their homes.
    “The importance of an early indication of fire in a dwelling is immeasurable,” said Fire Chief Mike Hill.

    The Fayetteville Fire Department will install smoke alarms free of charge. The Fayetteville Fire Department is rated class 1 by the Insurance Service Office, which is the best possible rating. A class 1 rating describes how well a fire department protects the community. Insurance companies also use the score to help set insurance rates.

    05 05 82nd Abn Columbia trainingSouth America airborne exercise

    Approximately 75 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division and 40 personnel from U.S. Army South wrapped up an airborne assault exercise Jan. 29. During the field maneuver, U.S. and Colombian paratroopers performed an airborne training insertion from C-130 Hercules aircraft, followed by tactical exercises designed to simulate the securing of an airfield. U.S. and Colombian personnel worked together to build interoperability and strategic and tactical expertise.

    “We are honored to train with Colombia — a close friend of the U.S. and Global Partner to NATO,” said U.S. Navy Adm. Craig Faller, commander of U.S. Southern Command, which routinely conducts multinational exercises throughout Latin America and the Caribbean to strengthen partnerships.

    05 06 Tiny HomesTiny homes for homeless veterans

    Super Bowl-bound Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, 24, spends much of his spare time volunteering with a Kansas City-based organization that supports homeless veterans. One of the project’s initiatives is a community of 49 tiny homes built to get down-on-their-luck veterans off the streets. Fayetteville City Council recently heard a presentation from a Greensboro-based firm that builds tiny homes, some of which are set aside for homeless vets.

    “It’s awesome, just to be a part of this … and help out some veterans of our country,” Mahomes said. “It’s something that’s truly special.”

    Along with these 240- to 350-square-foot homes, occupants are provided with utilities and food. Mahomes’ volunteer work is separate from his personal charity. His foundation focuses on aiding underprivileged children by supporting 15 different local youth charities. With less than a week until Super Bowl Sunday, Kansas City is ready to cheer on Mahomes as he leads his team into its final game of the season.
  •  

    05 Medieval CareAs Roy Rogers almost sang, “ Unhappy Trails to ObamaCare.” ObamaCare has been on life support since the election. Soon, The Donald will pull the plug and bury ObamaCare somewhere under the rainbow. The White House recently leaked a draft to repeal and replace ObamaCare with Trump’s own health insurance plan. The Donald, being the extremely modest person he is, resisted entreaties to name his plan TrumpCare. He has opted to name his new insurance program “MedievalCare.”

    MedievalCare will replace Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. MedievalCare’s mission statement is “Make America Ache Again.” The government’s expenditures on medical care for Americans who are foolish or greedy enough to get sick will be almost wiped out under MedievalCare. There will be no payment for physicians or hospitals because MedievalCare will only provide medical treatment developed during Europe’s Dark Ages. Folk healers are coming back, baby. It’s going to be beautiful, believe me. Social Security retirement benefits will be abolished. No one will live long enough to reach retirement age after depending on Medieval medicine to cure what ails them. The death of potential Social Security recipients before they reach retirement age will save literally billions of dollars, thus, allowing more tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

    The better to keep you from retirement age, the Department of Health and Human Services is bringing back the great diseases of the Middle Ages: Black Plague, Dropsy, Saint Vitus Dance and Quinsy. Current medical science is actually a very fake science pushed by the dishonest media on an unsuspecting American public. Science will be replaced by the tried-and-true medical beliefs of the Middle Ages. Medicine will be based on the use of the four humors: air, water, fire and earth represented by blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile to diagnose and treat all medical impairments. Medieval physicians believed that too much or too little of any of the four humors caused illness. Too much blood was really bad. Medieval doctors were huge on blood letting either by leeches or venesection. Venesection was a charming practice where the doctor would open a vein and let the patient’s illness bleed away until the patient was a quart low. Venesection ultimately did in George Washington. Oops.

    All MedievalCare cures we can look forward to receiving are going to be very, very, beautiful. Ague? Swallow a spider wrapped in a raisin. Skin rash? Cover it with the skin of a wolf soaked in urine. Black Plague ? Drink a cup of crushed emeralds, lance the plague boils, make a poultice of butter, dried toad, tobacco, arsenic and bathe in urine. Fainting spells? Breathe the smoke from burning feathers. Sinus congestion? Stuff garlic and onions up your nose. Gout? Put a plaster of goat droppings mixed with Rosemary and Thyme on the aching foot. Internal bleeding? Wear a dried toad in an amulet around your neck. Toothache? Burn a candle close to the painful tooth. The worms gnawing in the tooth will overheat and drop out into a cup of water held by your mouth. Joint pain? Pluck an owl, clean it. Put the owl in a pot with a stone on top. Place the pot in an oven until the owl is burnt. Pound the burned owl with bear grease and put the poultice over the joint.

    Can’t sleep? Eat a bowl of nettles mixed with egg whites. Got Quinsy? Flay a fat cat, clean it, pull out its guts, take grease from a hedgehog and bear fat mixed with sage, honeysuckle and venison fat and stuff the cat. Roast the cat collecting the grease that drips out. Anoint the patient with the grease. Sore throat will be gone. Need a neurosurgeon? Got you covered. MedievalCare will bring back trepanning by barbers which involves drilling a series of small holes in the patient’s skull to expose the Dura Mater which is the outer membrane of the brain. This cures migraines and mental disorders, plus you get a hair cut.
    Folk Healers will be taught to pick herbs and medicinal flowers at sunrise while facing south. The softly spoken magic healing spells will be retaught to an army of Folk Healers by specially trained Republican Congresspersons. Patients will be supplied amulets made of tanis root, senna and mint to avoid evil spells and sickness. Your kid is sick? Cut woodbine on a waxing moon. Make it into a hoop. Have the ill child jump through the hoop three times. Bingo! Healthy kid again.
    MedievalCare will save millions by closing unneeded medical schools. Send doctors to re-education camps in the basements of empty Walmarts to retrain as grave diggers in case some of MedievalCare’s cures don’t work out so well. Naturally, members of Congress and White House staff will keep their own medical insurance. For the rest of us, implementation of MedievalCare makes financial sense in a bigly way for the one percenters.

     

     

  •  

    06 History CenterHow do you turn a $15 million local government investment into a $65 million community asset?
    Well, you get someone who realizes we are a low-wealth community with a scarcity of tax dollars. Then you give him the job of making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
    That’s exactly what the Fayetteville City Council and Cumberland County Commissioners agreed to do. They unanimously pledged $7.5 million each toward the creation of the North Carolina Civil War History Center here in Fayetteville.
    It’s not just a museum, says Mac Healy, president of the Civil War History Center’s board of directors. “It’s not just a battle story.” Instead, Healy said the center tells the story of how the Civil War and its immediate aftermath affected people’s lives. Healy made his remarks before the Cumberland County Citizens United February meeting.

    Not a fan of taxes, Healy said he came to the project intrigued by the economic development opportunity. “Once built, we toss the keys to the state and we don’t pay another dime.”

    The board of directors supporting this effort created a nonprofit organization. That allows them raise money to build the center. Healy acknowledged Cumberland County is a low-wealth community. Even so, before coming before local government for tax dollars, Healy and company made sure they had at least $5000 in private donations. The private fundraising effort continues.
    Supporters expect the center to draw at least 120,000 visitors to Fayetteville every year. And, with the Airborne & Special Operations Museum and the Botanical Garden nearby, those visitors could stay longer; maybe even spend money on local fried chicken and lodging.
    The county’s state legislative delegation also is on board, Healy said. “We started talking to the delegation four years ago.”
    The Board hired a Raleigh lobbying firm to work on other state legislators. “We need to convince someone in Asheville to fork over money for a project in Fayetteville,” Healy said.

    The state recently touted a $500 million in excess funds. Maybe with that kind of surplus, legislators wouldn’t mind putting the project into the state budget. That way, the state could allocate a little more than half of the total $65 million price tag over several years.
    The cost breakdown for building the center on the grounds of the current Museum of the Cape Fear goes like this: Main Building (60,000 square feet) $24.8 million; Campus Development $10 million; Exhibits $11.8 million; Statewide Digital Outreach $2.8 million; Soft Costs $8.7 million; Four-year Operating Cost $1.9 million; Operating Endowment $5 million

    The economic development part of this endeavor is great. How can you not like bringing 120,000 people with money in their pockets into Fayetteville every year? And how can you not support employing 200 people?

    But also important is the Civil War History Center’s ability to enlighten us in great detail about the state and national impact brought on by a Civil War that claimed the lives of almost a million Americans. I have to mention that many from the North were recent immigrants.
    The proposed North Carolina Civil War History Center will be like no other. It will serve as the state’s and the nation’s premiere Civil War era history resource. Digital technology will extend its reach throughout the state. The technology also will allow visitors to interact with the learning center.
    Finally, this. The History Center plans to collect 100 stories about the Civil War from each of North Carolina’s 100 counties. In the end, the History Center hopes to have 10,000 stories about North Carolina people involved in the Civil War. These are stories handed down through the generations. They are stories sequestered in the archives of churches, or documented in the Bibles of families whose roots run deep in the Old North State.

    If you have such a story about the Antebellum era, the Civil War or during the Reconstruction years following the war, contact www.nccivilwarcenter.org/share-a-story. If the story makes the grade, you get a free membership.

     

  • 04 VeteransOur men and women in uniform have sacrificed dearly to pay freedom’s price and ensure our way of life. The soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who serve our country are emblematic of bravery, courage and the American spirit.

    Suzanne and I join with millions of hardworking Americans in expressing our sincere thanks to active-duty military, veterans and their families. North Carolina is home to almost 800,000 veterans, many of whom live here in our community.

    One of my greatest privileges in serving as a United States Congressman is serving our veterans and working to ensure access to the benefits they were promised and deserve. As part of that commitment, one of my very first moves when elected to Congress was to hire the most experienced veterans specialist available, who on average is assisting 500 local veterans navigate red tape at the VA.

    Unfortunately, brave veterans and my team too often have to fight through a bureaucratic maze involving dozens of forms, requests, waivers and frustration. To simplify the process, this week I helped pass the bipartisan WINGMAN Act (H.R. 512), which I’ve supported since it was originally introduced in 2016.
    This legislation would allow a veteran who files a claim for benefits to permit a certified Congressional staff member to have read-only access to the veteran’s files at the VA. Certified Congressional staff members already have permission to possess these files, but this bill eliminates the bureaucratic step of using the VA as a middle-man and makes it easier for my staff to assist veterans with their requests.

    This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two additional bills to encourage job creation for veterans. The HIRE Vets Medallion Program Act (H.R. 244), which I helped pass with overwhelming bipartisan support, will establish a HIRE Vets Medallion Program to properly recognize those who recruit, employ and train veterans, as well as provide community and charitable services supporting the veteran community.

    The Boosting Rates of American Veteran Employment Act (BRAVE Act - H.R. 974), which also passed with bipartisan support, will allow the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to give preference to organizations which employ veterans on a full-time basis when awarding government contracts. Any organization caught misrepresenting the number of veterans they employ would be forbidden from contracting with the VA for at least five years.

    These three bills won’t solve all of the problems at the VA, which for too long has suffered from a lack of accountability. Nor will they solve every issue veterans face when reentering the workforce. However, these bills do represent progress. There is much more work to do, and as your Member of Congress, I am committed to continue fighting for better outcomes for our veterans. If you are a local veteran who needs assistance with red tape or other problems at the VA, please don’t hesitate to contact my office at 704-362-1060. We would be honored to serve you.

    Do You Want Your Voice heard?
    As your Representative in Washington, I work hard to hear from as many constituents as possible. You are always welcome to e-mail me at nc09constituents@mail.house.gov. My team and I receive, read, and respond to hundreds of e-mails and letters each week, so you can be sure your voice will be heard.

    Congressman Robert Pittenger (NC-09) is Chairman of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance, and serves on the House Financial Services Committee, with a special focus on supporting small businesses, community banks, and credit unions.

     

  • 03 TeachersFor years, I have heard how bad our schools are. Like each of you, I have heard that our hard-earned taxes go to an educational system that is set up to fail. Yet certain facts nag at me, so I continue to ask … Why are we 44th in teacher pay? Why are we 50th in principal pay? Why are we last in-per pupil funding? And, why are we third in our teachers having to work two jobs?

    Those glaring stats demand honesty. When do we ask, “Are our schools failing us, or are we failing our schools?” The answer is obvious, but I wanted to confirm it for myself. So I went to all the schools in my district. First, I found them to be very clean and very safe. I was impressed with the principals and their staffs. These principals were doing everything possible to advocate for their teachers and for technology needs so they could prepare our children for their futures. I found teachers who desperately needed raises but, only asked for assistance in purchasing books and computers for their (our) children.
    It is time we ask ourselves these questions:

    (1) How do we expect our schools to be in the top 10 when we are last in investing in them?
    (2) If we have the money to fully invest in our schools why then do we not do so?
    (3) What are other North Carolina counties that are excelling in education and paying their teachers? And how much money are they investing in their schools?

    Does not a lot of a little add up to still be a lot? Why do we ask so little of ourselves and expect so much from our schools? We need to “wake-up and smell the coffee.” In North Carolina, the coffee is burning. Should we not reinvest and fill the educational coffee pot back up?

     

  • 02 margaretdicksonLike millions of Americans and bumfuzzled people around the world, I have been focused on our new president and the build-out of his administration. Never in my lifetime have we experienced anything quite like it, and it is difficult not to be riveted to the news, no matter what one’s partisan political leanings may be. Every day is new and different and sometimes alarming.
    That being said, the world is still turning, and news is happening outside Washington, D.C. and Palm Beach, Florida.
    Some of that news is truly weird.

    The world learned last month of the murder of a man identified as North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-un’s half-brother at a Malaysian airport. News reports were murky at best but implied that a man — maybe the half brother and maybe not — was showered with some sort of poison, perhaps poison darts. Then the story veered from strange to bizarre when The Guardian reported that one of two women suspected in the attack thought she was participating in a comedy “prank” show. The 25-year-old Indonesian woman was paid to convince men to close their eyes, and then she and the other suspect sprayed them with a water gun. It is not clear how a lethal substance got into the water gun, but the woman and a man are under arrest in connection with the murder by poison, or whatever.
    Meanwhile, the other woman is nowhere to be found, after moving hotels and borrowing scissors from a front desk clerk, apparently to cut her hair, which was found by hotel housekeeping. The Guardian also reports that North Korea is demanding the return of the man’s body, citing his supposed nationality, but Malaysian authorities are holding on to it until they determine the man’s actual identity and cause of death.
    How weird is that?

    It is not, however, the only weird news so far in 2017. The Huffington Post chronicles such stories, some of them falling into the “don’t try this at home” category. Here are a few samples.A hair-freezing contest in Canada’s Yukon province, where the outdoor temperature rarely reaches 25 degrees Fahrenheit, offers a $700 cash prize for the best-frozen hair photo. And how exactly do contestants freeze their hair for a winning pic? That area of the Yukon is blessed with many hot springs, so contestants jump into pools fed by the warm water, wet their hair, pop up until their hair begins to freeze, and then coax it into the desired style. 

    Other stories include a 39-year-old Mexican attorney who was born without arms setting a new Guinness World Record. The woman lit 11 candles in 60 seconds with her feet, breaking the previous record of 7 candles. She also writes, cooks, talks on the phone and does her hair and makeup with her feet.
    Someone — it is hard to imagine who — has purchased Adolf Hitler’s personal travel telephone for $243,000. A photograph of the phone shows a battered red device, old style, of course, engraved with the Fuhrer’s name and a swastika. In addition, someone else purchased for a mere $24,300 a porcelain dog, said to have been made by slave labor at Dachau concentration camp. A Maryland auction house sold the items. Sales of such items are banned in many European countries, including France, Germany, Austria and Hungary, and prominent auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s do not sell Nazi artifacts.
    From the stupid criminal department comes this doozey. A Michigan woman faces jail time after she bragged about beating a random Breathalyzer test on Facebook of all places. Apparently, it had not occurred to the 22-year-old woman, already on probation for a DWI conviction that her friends are not the only people on Facebook. Law enforcement officers scroll it, too.


    Then there is a former sculptor for Disney who is trying to crowd fund production of a 4-inch, anatomically correct troll doll of Donald J. Trump, complete with flowing yellow tresses and a cellphone in his hand. We will go no further on that one.
    Finally, much closer to home, residents of Calabash, that fried seafood heaven on North Carolina’s southern coast, are intrigued by sightings of “Donny,” an orange alligator. Apparently, Donny is not the only one. Another orange gator has been spotted in Hanahan, South Carolina. Wildlife officers in our neighboring state say not to worry. The odd color may come from where the crawling critters spent the winter — perhaps in a rusty pipe. Since alligators eventually shed their skin, these two guys will likely be green again at some point.
    You really cannot make up this stuff.

  • ShoplocalI intercepted a memo dispatched by the National Association of Counties to all their members nationwide announcing a new and exciting contract they just negotiated with online services giant Amazon Business. The memo was received here in Cumberland County, and that is why the topic really hit home with me. Actually, it almost took my breath away. The tone of the memo was almost giddy in declaring that NACo members (including our Cumberland County officials) could now do business online and make purchases at great discounts through the Amazon Business network.


    Yes. Now local county purchasing agents don’t have to worry about those pesky local businesses in their prospective counties. You know, the people who invested their life savings in “brick and mortar” businesses, the ones who contribute to local charities, cultural venues and political campaigns, who pay county taxes and employ local residents. Yes, those businesses. I may be a little hyper-sensitive about the issue since I am a small privately-owned business, and I have always emphatically endorsed and promoted locally-owed businesses. Shopping local is vitally important now more than ever. After all, here in Fayetteville we just approved a $35 million dollar Parks & Rec bond, and funded a $33 million dollar baseball stadium. and we have just launched one of the most significant movements in decades, Vision 2026. Vision 2026 specifically to encourage local participation and leadership to grow our economic base, attract business and industry and enhance our amenities, creating a better community and quality of life. All of this takes money. Where does the money come from? Taxes. So it is ludicrous and somewhat hypocritical for any government or local agency, including the Chamber of Commerce, to be doing business outside our community when similar and comparable goods and services are available here within our county borders.


    Again, many “talk the talk” about wanting to support local businesses and building the economy in our community. But it is mostly talk. Sure, chain stores like Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s and Office Max have a local presence in the community and provide jobs and pay taxes. But are they members of the Chamber of Commerce? Do they use local banks, local attorneys or local accountants? Do they support little league baseball, belong to a Kiwanis Club or ever buy Fayetteville Symphony tickets? The answer is emphatically, no.


    In the long run, I doubt if the savings in dollars is all that great. But, here is something I do know: the city, county and Chamber of Commerce should be aware of this sensitivity. We ask much of our citizens, and those who own businesses only ask that they be given fair consideration. Most of the angst and frustration does not come from them not getting the business from these agencies. It comes from not even being an option. Local businesses should always have an advantage over out of county agencies. If there are agencies or businesses in Fayetteville and Cumberland County providing goods and services that are needed locally then they should be acquired locally. We live in a very generous community. The value of saving nickels and dimes vanishes quickly when losing quarters and dollars. Not supporting local business has oh-so many unintended consequences, yet, so many advantages and proven benefits.
    Online shopping is not going away. All a private business can ask is that before each click of the mouse you ask yourself this: What is this company doing for my family, my community and my quality of life?


    Thanks for listening to my rant and for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • whitehall 2In 1901, Mr. and Mrs. Jessie Coogan purchased a mansion in the very exclusive section of Newport, Rhode Island. They paid $200,000 (equal to about $2,000,000 today) for the gorgeous mansion called Whitehall. The wife, Harriet Gardener Lynch before her marriage, was from a prominent and wealthy New York Family. She married James Coogan, a Bowery merchant and local politician. As a result of these unimpressive credentials, the family was considered a brash upstart when they moved into the elegant neighborhood.

    After 10 years, the Coogans felt they had “paid their dues” and should be considered a respectable member of the community. So, on June 16, 1910, they gave a lavish coming-out party for their daughter Jessie.

    Newport’s finest shops fitted them fabulously for the occasion. The orchestra tuned their strings and waiters were stationed everywhere to serve the movers and shakers who had all been invited.

    The doors were opened at 7 p.m. By 8 p.m., no one had arrived. Nine, 10 and 11. They waited till midnight — until it became apparent that no one was going to show. The enraged mother was so angry that the entire family moved from Whitehall and determined to “get even.” For 35 years, all that happened to Whitehall was that the taxes were paid.

    The once-elegant estate became a crumbling, devastated house. Finally, it was the town eyesore — the sweet revenge for the humiliation and rejection she had experienced. Eventually, in 1945, her son, moved by the pleas of the Newport residents, prevailed upon his mother to have the house razed.

    Meanwhile, Mrs. Coogan retreated from the world after her husband’s death in 1915. Few of her 15 grandchildren ever saw her. She lived in the Biltmore Hotel until her death in 1947 at the age of 86.

    The one dominating emotion that controlled her life was bitterness. Can you imagine how many thousands of times she replayed the coming-out party in her mind to recreate the rejection and to stoke the fires of bitterness? Then when her anger was white-hot, she would deny the pleas of Newport’s citizens to raze the mansion. Since the house was torn down only two years before her death, it almost appears her only motive for living was to exact revenge — and when she gave up her instrument of revenge, she died.

    Think of the price she paid to get even. All the years of enjoyable family relationships. All the friends she could have made. All the people she could have helped.

    The traveling she could have done. The life she could have experienced.

    Bitterness controls, destroys, consumes, and impoverishes—not the object but the subject himself. When we are bitter we are the loser.

    He left you for a younger lady with less weight and wrinkles — and how many times have you replayed the “tape” in which you get even? Or your business partner cheated you out of your part of the business. Or your sibling got your part of the inheritance. “Because of my race, I didn’t get the job.” “The doctor made a mistake and I’m paralyzed for life from the waist down.” The list is endless.

    It is for this reason the scripture wisely admonishes us, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you with all malice.” (Ephesians 4:31 NASB)

    Now think hard about this. Forgiveness frees me while anger and bitterness bind me and control me. My enemy imprisons me as long as I hate and revile him.

    The instant I forgive, the door opens and I am free from my prison! Free to love. At last, free to live! When I am unshackled from the bitterness that binds me and controls me, I am overwhelmed with the freedom to enjoy all that life once again offers. Is not the man or woman wise who holds no grudges, and nurses no petty grievances, harbors no “get even” agenda?

    “It was for freedom that Christ set us free.” (Galations 5:1 NASB)

  • bridgeWhen I was in law school in Buies Creek, I lived in an apartment complex on Marshbanks Street, just off Highway 421. Next to the complex on Marshbanks was a small, concrete and stone bridge that covered a creek running toward the Cape Fear. Wood-ducks would roost in the creek at dusk, and copperheads and a pet turtle emerged on occasion. I snuck down there out of boredom one afternoon, needing an escape from my laptop and case books. While crossing the bridge, I noticed a concrete plaque on its face. Looking like a tombstone, it reads:


    NEILLS CREEK BRIDGE
    HARNETT COUNTY
    STATE PROJECT NO. 437
    BUILT BY NORTH CAROLINA
    STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION
    1923


    I remember being impressed by it. The thought occurred to me that the men who built this bridge were proud of it despite its size, and they marked their work. I later learned that the State Highway Commission was the pre-cursor to the N.C. Department of Transportation and that this bridge was likely funded under the Highway Act of 1921, which was spearheaded by Governor Cameron Morrison, a champion of roads and infrastructure and the namesake of my wife’s dorm at UNC-Chapel Hill.

    I intended to write this article about the legal issues surrounding the roads, bridges and dams that were washed out in Hurricane Matthew, but I quickly became bogged down. There is not much that citizens of this area can do to force the city council, our legislators or F.E.M.A. to fix these problems. There is no legal mechanism to compel the government to repair its own damaged property, and we can’t make our leaders save money in rainy day funds for the next storm that is sure to come.

    We are a government of the people, and as such, we are ultimately responsible for our leaders’ failures and shortcomings in this regard. Their policies and decisions reflect the values of their constituents. They pinch pennies and cut corners in the name of lower taxes and limited government, which we all seem to favor until our neighborhood needs something. When the old bridge washes away, we’re forced to deal with this reality.

    I try not to present a problem without suggesting a solution, and it is this: elect leaders who believe that sound, quality investments in public infrastructure are worth their weight in gold. Leaders in our past understood this. Their wisdom is on display on the side of a country road in Buies Creek. The bridge is still standing.

  • aclu logoIs this really compassion?


    Whether it is determining how America should address illegal immigration, the possibility of terrorists entering the country through legal means, suspected voter fraud, the plague of poverty, or a multitude of other challenges, there seems to be a recurring call for compassion. This emphasis on “compassion” is contributing to a dangerous divide in our nation.

    That divide is reflected in the protests we seem to see daily. This is especially true of those protests that seek to deny free speech to people who hold conservative views. This is far too frequently accompanied by violence and threatening speech. On the other side of this vocal outcry are those who remain quiet but grow more and more frustrated and disgusted by what they see in the outcry; the calls for compassion. I contend that in this tension between those who scream for compassion and those who question the legitimacy of those screams is the divide that is fed by the calls for compassion. For those pressing so fervently for compassion, the critical question regarding what they want becomes: “Is this really compassion?”

    Here is a definition of compassion from greatergood.berkeley.edu:
    “Compassion literally means ‘to suffer together.’ Among emotion researchers, it is defined as the feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering."


    Compassion is not the same as empathy or altruism, though the concepts are related. While empathy refers more generally to our ability to take the perspective of and feel the emotions of another person, compassion is when those feelings and thoughts include the desire to help.”

    The phrase “relieve that suffering” is the key component of this definition. Compassion does not simply make people a bit more comfortable in their state of suffering. No, the aim is to help them be free of that suffering. In the account (John 8:1-11) of Jesus helping the woman caught in adultery, He did not simply save her from being stoned. Jesus challenges her accusers and, in the face of His question, the accusers leave. In verse 11, Jesus says to the woman, “Go and sin no more.” He did not leave her in a state where she might easily commit this act again. Instead, Jesus “helps” this woman by not only saving her from being stoned but by also showing her the way to avoiding similar suffering in the future. This is the look of compassion.

    With this definition of compassion, where helping relieve suffering is central and the compassion of Jesus as points of reference, consider a current issue where these points might be applicable. That issue is requiring that prescribed identification be presented by citizens in order to vote. Opposition to such legislation has been and is being, vehemently opposed in states across America. The primary reason given for opposition is that certain groups of citizens cannot obtain any one of the required forms of identification. Following are relevant quotes from a document posted by the American Civil Liberties Union titled, “Oppose Voter ID Legislation - Fact Sheet:”

    “Many Americans do not have one of the forms of identification states acceptable for voting. These voters are disproportionately low-income, racial and ethnic minorities, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Such voters more frequently have difficulty obtaining ID, because they cannot afford or cannot obtain the underlying documents that are a prerequisite to obtaining government-issued photo ID card.”
    “Minority voters disproportionately lack ID. Nationally, up to 25 percent of African-American citizens of voting age lack government-issued photo ID, compared to only 8 percent of whites.”

    “Underlying documents required to obtain ID cost money, a significant expense for lower-income Americans. The combined cost of document fees, travel expenses and waiting time are estimated to range from $75 to $175.”


    These quotes paint a picture of a person who cannot afford $75 to $175 to take the actions necessary to get the ID required to vote and is very likely a black citizen. The ACLU, NAACP, and many other organizations, along with individuals, respond to this situation by spending and causing what must be millions of dollars to be spent by defendants to stop enforcement of voter ID laws in various states. There is no doubt in my mind that every organization and individual involved in mounting these court cases, coupled with protests and tremendous media support, will argue that these are acts of compassion.

    Put these claimed acts of compassion to the test of the definition of compassion and the example of Jesus. If a person cannot spend $75 to $175 to get an ID required to vote, what might that indicate about the person’s overall life condition? Very likely, not being able to vote for lack of an ID card is among the least of his or her difficulties. Compassion would direct us to help that person move beyond the state of suffering that makes it impossible to get an ID card. However, this is not the response of those who fight with amazing energy to prevent implementation of voter ID requirements. What is described here does not pass the “compassion test.”

    The question then becomes why these people would claim compassion but not act in ways that really reflect compassion … help people move beyond their state of suffering? The answer is pretty obvious to me. If a person is struggling and suffering for whatever reason, it is not likely that he or she will make the investment of time and energy required to get informed regarding issues and facts on which voting decisions should be made. That situation leaves one open to be influenced by people he or she chooses to trust. Along come strong personalities who claim to have the best interest of these suffering masses as a top priority. Those strong personalities, in sound-bites, make a case, such as voter ID, being about preventing these suffering people from voting and it rings true. The result is feigned compassion that does nothing by way of freeing people from suffering, but smoothly ushers them into being controlled and manipulated while coming nowhere close to recognizing what is happening.

    What we need now is real compassion. For the most part, it must come from Americans who are quiet, but frustrated and disgusted with the havoc being perpetrated on our nation in the name of compassion. We must speak up and get involved publicly with efforts that help others move beyond their suffering while not punishing or penalizing those who are not among the suffering. Breaking free of quietness and taking a stand will be costly to those who choose this course. However, failing to do so will be far more costly.

  • margaretAs I write this, TV sports channels are all about the upcoming NBA All-Star game in not Charlotte, as originally scheduled, but New Orleans, which is thrilled to have it. New Orleans got the nod—and the money—after North Carolina passed and has failed to repeal the infamous HB 2, commonly called “the bathroom bill.” Eleven months ago, our General Assembly passed that discriminatory legislation, and it has been downhill ever since.
    Not a fan of professional basketball, I probably will not watch the game –much less attend, nor do I favor one team or the other. What I do care deeply about is that Louisiana, not North Carolina, is getting millions in hotel, restaurant, shopping, rental car and tax revenues, while North Carolina is getting nothing but bad press. Front and center on the All-Star Weekend website is this statement: “Due to the North Carolina Transgender bathroom law, the NBA has relocated the 2017 NBA All-Star Weekend.”
    This sort of negative publicity has been going on since last March when the bill was enacted, and promptly signed by then Governor Pat McCrory the day after he saw a poll that erroneously reported a majority of North Carolinians supported HB2.


    No one knows, of course, the exact cost of HB2, but a November 2016 article by Corrine Jurney in Forbes magazine said at least $630 million and counting. Under the heading “Cross-Industry Carnage,” Forbes lists the aforementioned All-Star game, the loss of NCAA and ACC championship, which recent news reports say might not come back until 2022, decisions by financial services providers PayPal and Deutsche Bank not to expand in North Carolina, entertainers including Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and Ringo Star, who took a pass on our state, a moratorium on Google Ventures investments here and more. We will never know the businesses, conventions, vacationers and others who quietly made decisions not to come to a state with an openly discriminatory law.

    Less quantifiable is the damage done to North Carolina’s once progressive reputation. While jokes may have died down a bit over time, North Carolina remains a regular target of late night comedians. I had my HB2 moment last spring in New York City when an art museum docent overheard a friend and me chatting and asked where we were from. When we replied “North Carolina,” the woman actually blurted “OOOH! How embarrassing!”
    So how did we get in this hole, and how do we get out?

    We got here not because transgender people were terrorizing other people in public restrooms but because leaders in control of the General Assembly thought HB2 would be a great “run on” issue for their candidates in the 2016 elections. In hindsight, they both misread the people of North Carolina and grossly underestimated the economic consequences of social discrimination. HB2 was a solution in search of a problem that is costing our state both money and our national standing, and it should be repealed immediately.

    There are some hopeful signs.

    Peder Zane, a conservative columnist for the Raleigh News and Observer, wrote this earlier this month.
    “As a practical matter, the so-called bathroom bill was completely unnecessary. It addressed a nonexistent problem. Transgender North Carolinians never posed a threat to their fellow Tar Heels.

    “Even its sponsors understand this. That is why, as far as I can tell, there has been zero enforcement of the law. Where are all the biological males cited for using the lady’s room?”
    Where, indeed?

    Where, indeed?

    Legislative leaders failed in a special session to repeal HB2, and they are now saying that all this is Governor Roy Cooper’s fault, that he should come up with a compromise. This is an “alternative fact”—aka, a whopper—if I have ever heard one since Cooper was not in the legislature last year and had at all nothing to do with the enactment of HB2. Nevertheless, he has floated a compromise proposal and says he will keep trying.


    People all over North Carolina are giving their legislators an earful about repealing HB2, and so should we. The financial cost and loss of national reputation are mind-boggling to address a problem that even conservatives say never existed.


    If HB2 were really such a great idea, wouldn’t other states be stampeding to pass their own “bathroom bills?”

    I hear only silence.

  • pub penThere’s a TV show called Law and Order, and like most TV shows and movies, it depicts situations and circumstances as they should be, not necessarily as they are. On this show, criminals break the law, law enforcement hunts them down and arrests them. They go to court, get convicted and go to jail to serve their sentence. Really? Well, all that may eventually happen, but in the real world, chances are it would take years. Many think, as I do, that political correctness has gotten so out of control it has our nation paralyzed with intimidation and fear. As a result,
    enforcing the rule of law has taken a back seat to political correctness. Really.

    When, and at what point, was it decide that Americans had the right to choose what laws they would or would not obey? This obsession with political correctness has transformed our republic into a revolutionary free-for-all when it comes to obeying and enforcing laws and the doctrines outlined in the U.S. Constitution. Have we allowed slick lawyers and glib politicians to dilute and distort the U.S. Constitution by allowing them to use it for their personal political gain?

    These questions need to be asked and answered before our American way of life melts down into anarchy. Cases in point: illegal immigration and sanctuary cities. When was the word illegal redefined in America to mean “no harm, no foul?” It used to be if something was illegal then it is unlawful. Unlawful meaning “against the law.” So, if an act is against the law, then it should be stopped and punished and certainly not rewarded. We encourage lawlessness by rewarding such bad behavior and illegal activities. For illegals we issue driver’s licenses, knowingly hire and shelter them and spend billions of taxpayers’ dollars on medical treatment, welfare and social programs, protecting and sheltering those documented criminals whose own countries have rejected them. Why? Because they have political value. To make matters worse, over the last decade, our inept federal government (Congress) has been transformed into the vehicle of choice for diluting the U.S. Constitution and making the rule of law arbitrary. The two most egregious examples of this are federal funding for sanctuary cities and the proliferation of rights, benefits and legal services extended to illegals while millions of our own natural-born Americans live in poverty, receive inadequate health
    care and attend schools with few resources and subpar academic records.

    Please don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not down on America nor am I being negative. These are all obvious observations. Our country and our American way of life have become much too politically charged and motivated. Why? Mostly out of the pursuit of greed, money and power. So much so that the checks and balances built into our Constitution by our forefathers (the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government) have been politically homogenized. Homogenized? Maybe a better word for this is contaminated? Either way, it is not a healthy situation and the task of righting America should be both a Democratic or Republican objective. It’s the American thing to do. I’m extremely confident that as American’s it is in our DNA to figure out the best way to preserve our country, our traditions and our American way of life. Let’s get to it!

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • jason bradyLocal government is going for the trifecta of acting for the public good.


    Previously, we published the exclusive story that the city of Fayetteville is starting in earnest its hunt for a new “permanent” police chief. The move could possibly remove the popular and very able interim Chief Anthony Kelly, who insiders say may not seek the permanent post.

    But the cool thing about the police chief recruitment is the city will use citizens in the selection process, although that process has yet to be defined. Still, it’s a good thing to allow people who pay the bills to have some say about how they are governed, or in this instance, policed.

    Before that, we wrote about the proposed merger of the city and the county independently operated 911 emergency call centers. The driving force behind that move to play nice with each other is to enhance that important life-saving public service and to eventually save taxpayer dollars. Citizens win on that one.

    This week we’ve learned that Cumberland County elected officials and the city’s Public Works Commission met to talk about water. Yes, water for areas of the county that need that very common commodity but have a problem getting it. The Gray’s Creek community is one such place.

    The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners at its retreat in late January questioned whether the Fayetteville Public Works Commission could provide water to the unincorporated areas of the county; especially those areas that are in dire need of safe drinking water.

    But those questions by commissioners were tossed at the county’s engineer who happened to be there and could only guess what PWC could or couldn’t do.
    County commissioners didn’t waste time looking for answers. Commission Chairman Glenn Adams today acknowledged to me that he and County Manager Amy Cannon recently met with PWC Chairwoman Evelyn Shaw and PWC Manager David Trego.

    Adams said they discussed “possibilities and options” available but gave no details. “After that information is gathered, we will have a follow-up meeting,” he said.
    The city of Fayetteville, which owns the Public Works Commission, in the past, used municipal water and sewer services as leverage to get unincorporated areas needing those services to agree to be annexed. That was a bitter pill for many to swallow, especially developers.

    It was the only option available to grow the city since the General Assembly banned municipalities from forced annexation. The law repealing forced annexation by North Carolina municipalities came as a result of Fayetteville’s 2005 Big Bang Annexation.

    And the onus put on PWC by the city to build costly water and sewer lines in the annexed areas strained the relationship between the city and its utility. The long, simmering internal feud about which of the two ultimately controls the utility came to a head last year when PWC sued the city over the issue. PWC won the court battle and won greater autonomy from its owner.

    This past summer, PWC did away with the requirement for any areas or housing/commercial developments to agree to be annexed if it wanted water.

    Local developers lauded the move because it opens opportunities to build subdivisions and commercial properties in the county with safe, clean tap water.

    And developers won’t be yoked with urban development standards required when you build in the city.

    That could be a good and bad thing, depending on where developers will cut corners to cut costs and increase margins. Time will tell.

    PWC spokeswoman Carolyn Justice-Hinson said one of PWC’s strategic goals is to work with the county and support economic development. That’s a given when you realize the PWC’s board consists primarily of business minded individuals.

    Despite losing a leverage to grow the city, Mayor Nat Robertson said the City Council is OK with PWC extending water outside the city limits.

    Besides, the PWC won its partial emancipation from the city as a result of the court case … which taxpayers and ratepayers funded.

    “We support countywide water for economic development,” Mayor Robertson said. The city still has a chance to annex when an area asks for sewer, he said.

    Councilman Bill Crisp agrees. “PWC is autonomous. They have the power and authority to do this without the city,” he said.

    “Personally, I’ve always said it is God’s water and should be available to everyone.”

  • pittBuckle up for another time travel trip with Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman in the Way Back Machine to celebrate the 100th birthday of 1917. Remember what our old philosophizing buddy George Santanya once said after a few beers while trying to impress a waitress: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Taking heed of George’s words, let’s stroll around the events of just one short century ago. Perhaps a review of the past will allow us to make some sense of our present muddled circumstances and avoid repeating World War I as World War III.


    In 1917 Woodrow Wilson was re-elected president. The year started off with a bang when T. E. Lawrence, soon to be Lawrence of Arabia, joined the Arab tribe of Feisal Hussein to fight the Ottoman Empire. In January, the United States made a deal with Denmark and bought the Danish West Indies for $25 million. While not as good a deal as the Dutch got buying Manhattan for $24, it was still a bargain at twice the price. Once the U. S. owned the islands, we renamed them the Virgin Islands for reasons shrouded in Oedipal love and mystery. Owning the Virgin Islands assured us that cruise ships loaded with Norovirus-infected passengers would have a place to dock, throw up and buy T-shirts. In January, the little cable cars that climb halfway to the stars first appeared on the streets of San Francisco where Tony Bennett would, a century later, leave his heart and his liver.


    Europe was a bubbling cauldron of toil and trouble as World War I kept boiling over. America was still out of the war at the beginning of 1917. Relations with Germany took a major turn for the wurst when a German submarine sank the U. S. S. Housatonic. President Wilson asked Congress to declare war against Germany in April. The last American troops under General Black Jack Pershing left Mexico in February after vainly chasing Pancho Villa.

    Repeating the past, one hundred years later, President Trump threatened to send U. S. troops back into Mexico to round up some more ‘bad hombres.’ Somewhere Pancho is snickering.


    The Russian Revolution went into overdrive when Czar Nicholas II ordered his army to put down demonstrations in Petrograd and the army mutinied. Things got worse and Czar Nick abdicated in February, only to end up dead in 1918 at the hands of the Commies. In August 1917, Pravda, the official newspaper of the communists called for the killing of all capitalists, priests and officers. A hundred years later, to the surprise of many Republicans and Democrats, President Trump announced the moral equivalency of Russia and America. The Commies took over Russia in October and with Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin their leaders. Things don’t always work out when there is a triumvirate of leaders. Leon Trotsky had a falling out with Stalin. Leon ultimately ended up with a severe headache brought on by the wrong end of an ice axe delivered at the request of Stalin decades later. Cheka, the secret police force of the Commies was established in December 1917. Cheka begat the KGB, which begat Vladimir Putin, who begat The Donald.


    Not everything in 1917 was war or rumors of war. Some other stuff happened also. The first jazz record “Dixie Jazz One Step” was recorded by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. Montana’s Jeannette Rankin was elected as first female Representative in the U.S. Congress. Prohibition in the form of the 18th Amendment was approved by Congress and sent to the states for ratification, much to the delight of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., gangsters and teetotalers everywhere.


    America’s first draftee in World War I, the immortal Leo Pinckney was inducted into the Army in May 1917. It was awkward to have Germans serve as British royalty during World War I. The British Royal family was of German descent and renounced its family name of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in July. They changed their last name to the much more stiff-upper-lip and crumpet-chomping sounding name of Windsor. That name change saved us from having to say Queen Elizabeth Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.


    America’s favorite G-Man and cross-dresser, J. Edgar Hoover got his first job at the U.S. Department of Justice in July. Speaking of spies, the Dutch temptress Mata Hari was executed as a German spy in France in October. History is silent on whether J. Edgar ever dressed as Mata Hari. The “last successful cavalry charge in history” occurred in October 1917 at the Battle of Beersheba in Palestine when the Australian cavalry attacked and defeated the Germans and the Turks.

    What can we learn from history? Not much. Excuse me, I just got a picture of a cat on my cell phone.

  • margaretOne of the Precious Jewels has purchased a first home in a North Carolina city, not unlike Fayetteville. It is a small, one-story bungalow from the 1930s that has been updated over the years, including the blessing of a master bathroom addition. The rest of the house remains as it was built, including an off-kilter fireplace that was apparently an homage to the Art Deco style so fashionable at that time.

    The little house is in a neighborhood where people walk dogs and stroll babies along sidewalks installed decades ago by the city and chat with each other while they do it. School buses lumber by twice a day this time of year. Some houses are newer and much grander than the little bungalow with the funky fireplace, and some are slightly more modest. The residents are of all ages and heritages, and there is a university nearby so a student presence filters through as well.

    In other words, it is a neighborhood much like Fayetteville’s own Haymount, a smorgasbord area of single-family homes, several churches and the occasional garage apartment, with a small commercial district at its center.

    Full disclosure. I have lived almost all my life in Haymount, in a total of six different houses scattered on both sides of Fort Bragg Road, ranging in age and style from the 1930s to midcentury modern. I loved them all for different reasons—the one I grew up in, my own first bungalow-ish house, the one the Precious Jewels grew up in and our final one with its easy grace and low-rise steps. I loved my neighbors, too—from the babies whose arrivals were announced with pink or blue bows to the old ladies who wore stockings even in August to the Haymount “characters” no one will ever forget.

    Fayetteville city planners, and thank goodness, we have some, are now studying Haymount to determine not only how to preserve and protect its character but also how to enhance the neighborhood. At a time when Fayetteville is growing, especially with new residential developments, there is a sense of concern about preserving what we have for those who have loved living there for years and those who will love it in the future.

    But Haymount has had some issues in recent years. A large home on Oakridge Avenue was torn down to make way for five newly constructed homes, but that old house is not the only one to have made way for more and newer homes. The same thing has happened along Raeford and Morganton Roads and side streets in between. Commercial interests have also been sniffing around, most recently and publicly a school proposed in an antebellum mansion on Morganton Road. Fayetteville City Council said a resounding no to that, but it is surely not the last request. And, the Haymount commercial area, including the famed Cape Fear Regional Theater, is far less than pedestrian and bike friendly. Finding some green space or a bench to watch the world go by is a challenge as well.

    Fayetteville has established something called a Neighborhood Conservation District, which requires new construction to conform in scale and character of existing buildings, but no individual neighborhood has been designated thus far. Haymount would seem a likely candidate for that designation, maintaining the eclectic feel of the neighborhood without undue burdens on builders or homeowners who want to do something a little different. Such a district would set parameters but would not regulate color, style, renovations or demolitions, when necessary.

    Much of the charm of Haymount is that no one would ever call it “cookie cutter” or even a “residential development” and certainly not a “subdivision.” Haymount has grown up over more than two centuries and encompasses buildings from many eras and of many styles, ranging from the still vacant antebellum mansion to our midcentury modern to newer zero lot line construction. Its churches range from wood-frame buildings to a grand stone sanctuary, and commercial buildings from early 20th century to convenience store modern. 

    Count me among the cheerleaders for Haymount and for the careful study the City of Fayetteville is undertaking. Haymount, often referred to as Historic Haymount, makes our community unique and is among the memories people take away from Fayetteville. The study is an attempt to figure out this community resource and make it better not just for the people who live in Haymount but for all who visit there, shop there, eat there, worship there, see plays there and generally enjoy time there.

    Other cities cherish their historic neighborhoods, like the one with the house with the funky fireplace. Fayetteville can and should as well.

    I feel myself cheering already.

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  • earlHigh School Sports Take Center Court with Earl Vaughan Jr.

    For the first time in Up & Coming Weekly’s 21-year publishing history, we have assembled a tour de force of community athletic talent to create a new, exciting and entertaining section in our weekly newspaper, titled, High School Highlights. As the name implies, this weekly section will focus on showcasing Cumberland County’s “up & coming” high school athletes, their schools, coaches, programs, teachers and events.
    We are equally excited and proud to announce that no one is more talented or qualified to address these topics than our Senior Sports Editor, Earl Vaughan, Jr. We are extremely excited about having Earl on board to develop this new addition to Up & Coming Weekly. Earl has a genuine passion for this community, high school sports and for supporting developing young athletes. No one appreciates the value of education and high school sports more than Earl. He will be bringing a new dimension to showcasing these high school athletes by recognizing those who also excel in academics. High School Highlights will showcase these “Scholar Athletes” each week.

    With this new section comes a very important educational initiative: Newspapers in Education. Unfortunately, today 33 percent of our students read below grade level. Illiteracy among children is increasing at a breakneck speed. Under this program, high school students of Cumberland County will be encouraged not only to read but to write. In addition to providing Up & Coming Weekly newspapers in bulk to all the area high schools each week, the students will be able to submit for publication news, views, poetry and general interest articles on topics relevant to them as young adults.

    In support of Earl’s high school scholar-athlete program, Up & Coming Weekly will be partnering with Don Koonce and the DK Sports crew during their weekly radio broadcasts for the 2017 football season. Up & Coming Weekly will be advertising and promoting High School Highlights where DK Sports will be radio broadcasting their popular Games of the Week.

    Hey, our newspaper is getting bigger and better as our community becomes bigger and better. Thank you for your support and for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  •  

    UCW020817001 Editor’s note: For years, our publisher has advocated for a local TV station. Read more about this topic on page 7.


    Many people have wondered over time why Fayetteville doesn’t have a full-service commercial TV station. Community leaders including Bill Bowman, publisher of Up & Coming Weekly, bemoan how the lack of a local television station negatively affects Fayetteville, making ours the largest city in the Southeast not to have one. Four-term mayor, Tony Chavonne, has been concerned about that for many years. “For the past 50 years, we have been in the unfortunate situation of having no local television station in our market. In fact, I believe we are one of the largest urban markets in the country that does not have at least one local television station … It is particularly frustrating as you look at smaller communities in the region – Wilmington, Florence, etc. – that have local television operations,” he said.

    There are many reasons why Fayetteville isn’t served by a local TV station. The most important reasons date back to the early 1950s. Fayetteville was a town of less than 40,000 people then. The major metropolitan areas of our state, including Charlotte, the Triad and Triangle were big enough to be in the running for the few television licenses available then. WBTV in Charlotte and WFMY in Greensboro were the first TV stations on the air in North Carolina, both in 1949. WTVD in Durham went on the air in 1954 followed by WRAL in 1956. The bottom line is the bigger cities had stakes in VHF television before anyone in Fayetteville thought about it. Investors had their financial packages ready to go. They had done their due diligence in lining up community support and had made applications with the Federal Communications Commission for licenses to operate. And they all had lined up network affiliations with ABC, NBC and CBS. These were the early days of commercial television. Video was in black and white. There were no cable or satellite services.

    The rule of thumb when VHF stations were at a premium was that TV signals could not be duplicated on the same channels within 100 air miles of each other. By the time someone in Fayetteville thought about seeking a license, VHF channels two through 13 were taken. Oh sure, WFLB-TV went on the air from studios on Bragg Boulevard in 1955. But it operated on the UHF band. The FCC had released a few UHF channels for television use in 1952.

    Those early UHF signals were subject to interference. The channels generally had less clear signals, and for some markets, like Fayetteville, they became the home of smaller broadcasters who were not willing to bid on the more coveted VHF allocations. Worst of all, TV sets needed converters to switch from the popular VHF channels to upstart UHF stations.
    VHF was used for analog television stations and continues to be used for digital television on channels two through 13. The issues involving UHF outlets were greatly reduced many years later with the advent of digital television and cable distribution.

    As reported in The Fayetteville Observer 20 years ago, “the future for television broadcasting in Fayetteville, as in many other cities across the land, held great promise. But WFLB-TV went black after only three years on the air. UHF had shown to be unprofitable in competition with stations on the VHF band, not only in Fayetteville but throughout the nation.” The newspaper, in its former Lifestyles section, noted that “UHF sputtered for a long time until years later when the FCC mandated that all TV manufacturers had to have UHF on their sets. The first cable customers in Fayetteville weren’t hooked up until 1964.”

    Everything began to change then. UHF Channel 40 came on the air in Fayetteville in 1981 as WKFT-TV, the first independent station in eastern North Carolina but it had no network affiliation. Fox didn’t come along for many years thereafter. In 1985, it was sold to SJL Broadcasting. The new owners built a new 1,800-foot tower and operated with 5-million watts of power. The station rebranded itself as “Counterforce 40” and significantly upgraded its programming, including some local news. But, it operated on a low budget and by 1989, the station was in dire financial straits. In 1985, another group had received FCC access to UHF TV channel 62. WFCT had studios in Lumber Bridge. In 1993 WFCT changed its name to WFAY and a year later became a Fox network affiliate. WKFT-TV was purchased by Univision Communications in 2003. The station later moved from its longtime studios in downtown Fayetteville to a new facility in Raleigh offering Spanish language programming.

    Chavonne notes that our community of more than 300,000 people has depended on news coverage from Raleigh and Durham. “The net effect of that occasional television coverage from news operations from out of the community is they don’t have the real pulse of the citizens because they are not here invested every day. Too often it results in misleading, and occasionally headline-grabbing stories told in 30-second soundbites. These stories often miss the real picture and in some ways are reflective of the drive-by media we hear of so often.”

    Chavonne continues. “They seldom are able to invest the time in delving into the story to get the facts accurate. While they cover a visually-appealing change of command, they drive by thousands of military family members, each with a great personal story about living in a community that supports them like Fayetteville does. The 911 calls get the headlines but the real stories of our community are rarely covered.”
    Chavonne also noted, “The perception of our community across the region and the state is negatively impacted by this limited and incomplete TV coverage. At the end of the day, residents of the communities, and the important role of a vibrant free press in our democratic society, suffer. Add to that today’s low level of attention afforded by the reader who too-often is content with getting their news from tweets and soundbites and too-often unconcerned about accuracy and completeness. They only want a few sentences, and those few sentences decided upon by someone 50 miles away, do not tell the story of this community.”

    Chavonne concludes, “I am hopeful that with today’s climate people are gaining an even better appreciation for the role of a robust and free press. In my opinion, we had the best example of that when there were multiple outlets for the free press in those days when we had competing (at least the news operation) newspapers and several locally-owned radio stations with news operations that helped ensure our citizens were informed. So, we continue to fight the battle with no end in sight.”

  • We measure greatness in several ways. Among them are two questions: “What does a person know?” and “What can a person do?” We brag about our kids’ grade point averages or SAT scores. We claim a person is the greatest to play a sport based on measurable statistics like championships won, home runs hit or touchdowns scored.


    The Bible presents a compelling case for God’s greatness. He knows all things. He has never had to learn anything. He is equally proficient in every area of knowledge (unlike scholars who know one limited sphere of knowledge well). Put another way, God has never had—nor will he ever have—an “Aha!” moment when he realizes a mistake he’s made due to insufficient knowledge (Ps. 139:16; 147:4, Matt. 11:21; Acts 15:18).BIBLE

    But God’s greatness is NOT seen only in what he knows but also in what he can do.

    Once again, the Bible declares God has unmatched abilities. In a prayer by the Apostle Paul in the letter to the Ephesian believers, we read a part of his concluding praise to God, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen” (Eph. 3:20–21, NASB).

    This passage teaches many things, but among them are the following:

    • God can do “far more abundantly beyond” any and every thing we might ask him to do. People have their limits. All of us have some things we can do. But we all have much more that we cannot do. Since we have limited abilities, people do not ask us to do certain things. No one has ever asked me for a $ 10 million gift or loan. They have rightly concluded I could NOT fulfill their request.
    • When we ask God to work on our behalf through our prayers, it does not mean God will do exactly what we ask. It only means that he’s capable. His capability should cause us to ask him to work out an “impossible” situation. Why? Because God is capable.
    • God can do far more than you can even imagine. All of us daydream. When we do that about God and his abilities, we never imagine enough. Who could have ever imagined he’d elevate Joseph from an Egyptian prison to being co-regent of all of Egypt? Who could have imagined he’d take a persecutor of the church and one who caused the martyrdom of many (Saul who became Paul), gloriously transform him, and use him to write 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament? In more modern times, who could have imagined he’d take a 1,000,000-watt AM radio station built by Adolph Hitler and use it for his glory. Trans World Radio (TWR) of Cary, N.C. purchased the station in the 1970s. Hitler built it for Nazi propaganda purposes (though it was never used for that purpose). Today, TWR uses the station to broadcast the good news of Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and his offer of everlasting life to all who believe!

    Take heart! God knows all things, and he can do all things. So, no matter what your circumstance is, he knows and can work in ways you can’t imagine in order to make something good result from it! He truly can do exceedingly, abundantly beyond all we ask or imagine. Praise his name!

  • Dekeim MottMy writings and speeches often address the disturbing condition of far too many black males in America. From high incarceration rates, dumbfounding unemployment rates, totally out-of-control black-on-black homicides, to unbelievable levels of poverty, this is a segment of our population in need of informed attention. Obviously, what is being done is failing … even moving backward. In what follows, I encourage that we hear from people who, by their living, demonstrate an understanding of the causes of these horrible conditions and know the way to solutions that work. Markeysha Hawthorne and Dekeim Mott are two people who know the way.


    I met Markeysha Hawthorne when I was a pastor in Stafford County, Virginia. This was in the early 1990s and she was just a youngster. I was still her pastor when she graduated from high school and went on to college. A few years prior to my leaving the church, Markeysha became pregnant out of wedlock and gave birth to Dekeim Mott. I remember him around the church as a happy little fella. He called me “Uncle Karl” because I was a very close friend of his grandparents, Linda and Zolly Hawthorne. Then, and across the years of Dekeim’s life, his father has had extremely minimal involvement with his son.


    Consequently, Dekeim Mott is a black male who grew up in a single-parent household headed by a black female, his mother, facing the financial strain that often comes with this circumstance. He did not have the benefit of a father in the home, providing a positive male role model. These conditions, by no means, are presented as a guarantee of failure for him, but they do make succeeding in life far more difficult for any person, especially black males. In my estimation, at 20 years of age, Dekeim Mott is already a sterling success and rapidly moving toward even greater success. The question now is: what might we learn from Markeysha and Dekeim about snatching success from the jaws of difficulty and challenge?


    I talked with Markeysha to glean some insight regarding her parenting approach that clearly tremendously influenced Dekeim’s successful journey to this point and her preparation for continuing in this right direction. This is a young lady who completed two years of college while, during that time, earning spots on the dean’s list. Certainly, leaving college short of graduation was not a pleasant experience. However, she moved on to gain employment with GEICO Insurance and has worked there for 19 years.

    Although comfortable in the position she had held for several years, Markeysha recognized remaining in that job would not allow funding of Dekeim’s college education. Her response was to prepare for, seek and acquire a better paying position at GEICO. When it became obvious that income, beyond even the new position, was required, she simply found a second job. The result is that Markeysha works five days a week, from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at her primary job and then 4 to 8:30 p.m., Monday thru Friday, at a Subway. She never mentioned depending on any governmental entitlement programs. Instead, Markeysha’s comment was, “I know what has to be done, what has to be paid, and the struggle is all worth it.” Amazingly, in the midst of all this, she has started taking college courses.

    Regarding her relationship with Dekeim, she describes it like sister and brother who talk about issues and work through difficult times together. Do not misinterpret the “sister and brother” comment; Markeysha Hawthorne is, and has been, a parent of the highest caliber. She related that she and Dekeim were in a store and a kid was “acting out” in the presence of the child’s mother, who was not succeeding in gaining control. Dekeim observed this situation and commented to his mother that it would only take her looking at him to get control.

    Dekeim got involved in several sports during middle school and continued throughout high school. Markeysha made it a point to attend every one of his sporting events, even when doing so was difficult due to her work schedule and other demands on her time. Unlike too many parents, this is not a mother who failed to properly balance sports and academics. If Dekeim’s grades declined below his mother’s standards, involvement in sports was immediately suspended by his mother before coaches had to take any action. Further, Markeysha had Dekeim understand the need for an education, a fallback position if sports did not provide a livelihood.

    Without a doubt, the people with whom we associate influence our thinking and actions. Recognizing this to be true, Markeysha made her home available as a gathering place for young people with whom Dekeim associated. That gave her an opportunity to not only assess his associates, but also help him learn to successfully do this assessing.

    She also modeled this assessing process in her potential romantic relationships. There were two primary guiding principles: (1)”If you come with a knife and fork, but bring nothing to eat, you will starve;” (2) She and Dekeim are a package deal. The message is that she needs, and is only interested in, a man who will put forth the effort to provide for, and lead, a family while not simply looking to her for financial support.

    Markeysha Hawthorne is a parent who loves and encourages her son while modeling a positive outlook, the value of hard work, academic achievement, goal-setting, wise choices and individual responsibility.

    Now to the outcome. Dekeim Mott is a student at Radford University in Radford, Virginia. He is on track to graduate in May 2018 and has never been arrested, nor had a negative encounter with law enforcement. Over the course of middle and high school, he played varsity football and baseball, along with being on the varsity track team. He said, “I loved sports. It was my life.” However, when the time to choose a college came, Dekeim concluded it was unlikely he would receive a football scholarship because he was too small to play his high school position in college. That conclusion led him to choose a university that does not offer varsity sports. He decided to focus on academics. Even though he has earned 3.0 grade point averages previously, he repeatedly fell short of the 3.4 requirement to make the Dean’s List. That is, until last semester when, like his mother, he made it. Every indication is that Dekeim quickly adjusted to university life. He credits three summers of participating in the James Farmer Scholars Program as helping him successfully transition to college. This program assists black students in gaining college admission and succeeding once enrolled.

    Sports and academics did not allow Dekeim to escape what it means to hold a job. One summer, he worked two to three months at Kings Dominion Amusement Park, just north of Richmond, Virginia. In that short time, he was selected employee of the week twice.

    Regarding the future, Dekeim wants to earn a master’s degree and get involved in real estate, but also work with young people to help them “avoid the wrong he sees.” His major is Sociology with a minor in Communications.

    Regarding Dekeim’s future, Markeysha said, “We have agreed that six months after graduation, Dekeim will start working toward a master’s degree.” Note the “we” in that statement. This is about working together and goal-setting.

    When asked what he sees as important factors contributing to successful living, Dekeim’s response was, “individual responsibility and holding on to a positive attitude.” There is no doubt where he learned this great truth, or where he saw it applied day in and day out. Above all he has been exposed to, Dekeim Mott credits his mother with preparing him for successful living.

    I contend this young man represents the outcome we desire for black males across America. Even a cursory reading of what is presented here says we should learn from the Markeysha Hawtornes and Dekeim Motts of America; how to make this outcome happen. First and foremost, we will learn that the absolutely essential factor is quality parenting, as demonstrated by this loving mother. The problem is that our society is not willing to take those actions required in order to develop much greater quality in parenting. Doing so is neither politically correct nor politically profitable.

     

  • pull quoteThe Fourth Estate in Shameful Disarray

    This week, Publisher Bill Bowman yields this space to community advocate and former Associate Publisher at Up & Coming Weekly, Janice Burton.


    In 1841, Thomas Carlyle wrote, “Burke said there were Three Estates in Parliament; but, in the Reporters’ Gallery yonder, there sat a Fourth Estate more important far than they all.”

    That Fourth Estate Burke talked about was the media and its power to effect change through words. Just words. Growing up, I wanted to be a lawyer. But while at Campbell University, I saw the power of the media in the work of dedicated student journalists who took a stand to defend the right of an author. That author was Clyde Edgerton, then a professor at Campbell. Edgerton released his highly successful book Raney, which poked fun at some traditional Baptist beliefs. The Baptist institution did not look fondly at Edgerton’s work and dismissed him. (They are much more open now.) The students, particularly the editors of the paper, went to bat for him. While it didn’t change the outcome, Edgerton was still dismissed, it showed me that the media could make a difference.

    The next semester, I signed on to write for The Campbell Times. It became my passion. I found I love writing. I loved digging in and finding the story. I loved taking a stand. So I pursued that passion. I can say that for more than 20 years, I have been proud to be a journalist. I have been proud to be a member of the Fourth Estate. That is no longer true.
    The state of journalism in America is a disgrace. Blame it on the 24-hour news cycle. Blame it on the internet and faux media sites. Blame it on the Left. Heck, blame it on the Right. The media has lost its way and in doing so is threatening the very fabric of our nation.

    It is not the job of the media to pick a side. Instead, it is the job of the media to deal in facts — nothing but the facts. If you pick a side, it needs to be on the opinion page — not the front page.

    I read at least six different news sites every morning so that I can try to find a nugget of truth. Articles on the same topic are so disparate that sometimes I don’t even believe the journalists were at the same event. (And, I’m not just talking about national media. I see it in within our own local media as well.)

    The latest news dominating the headlines is about President Trump’s immigration executive order. Everyone is running around like the sky is falling down. But this is nothing new. If you deal in facts, not emotion, not hearsay, all of the past six presidents have signed executive orders limiting or banning the immigration or travel to America by certain groups of people. Again this is fact. You can find it in the National Archives if you take the time to look … which is what any self-respecting journalist would do before writing a story.

    So, let’s do that. Let’s look at facts:

    • In April 1980, as the U.S embassy in Tehran was under terrorist control, Carter signed an order invalidating “all visas issued to Iranian citizens for future entry into the United States.” The order said that the U.S “will not reissue visas, nor will we issue new visas, except for compelling and proven humanitarian reasons or where the national interest of our own country requires.” (Sounds an awful lot like what Trump just did, except he included seven countries.)

    • In September of 1981, Ronald Reagan barred the entry of “any undocumented aliens arriving at the borders of the United States from the high seas.” In August of 1986, Reagan signed an order “barring entry for any Cuban nationals or immigrants except in certain cases.” These “certain cases” included Cuban nationals who had applied for entry into the U.S. as immediate family members and those who under the law were “special immigrants.” (Kind of sounds like special groups Trump’s order talks about.)

    • President George H.W. Bush only used this executive authority to undo a previous executive order by President Ronald Reagan that suspended entry of officers and employees of the Nicaraguan government.

    • In May 1994, President Bill Clinton signed an order “barring entry for members of the Haitian military, their immediate families, any major participants in the coup d’état of 1991.” And again, in January 1998, Clinton signed an order “barring entry for members of the military junta in Sierra Leone, and their families.”

    •In January 2004, George W. Bush signed an order “barring entry for public officials who solicit or accept bribes in exchange for any act or omission in their public duties that has serious adverse effects on the national interests of the U.S.; anyone who provides or offers to provide such a bribe; any current or former public official whose misappropriation of public funds or interference with public processes has had serious adverse effects on the national interests of the U.S.; or the immediate families.” Specifically, the groups Bush barred from entry included members of the Mugabe government in Zimbabwe and the Lukashenka government in Belarus.

    •Not to be left out, in July 2011, President Barack Obama barred the entry of “anyone under a UN travel ban; anyone who violates any of 29 executive orders regarding transactions with terrorists, those who undermine the democratic process in specific countries, or transnational criminal organizations.” And again, in 2012, he barred the entry of anyone “facilitating computer or network disruption that could assist in or enable serious human rights abuses by or on behalf of the government of Iran and Syria; anyone who have sold or provided goods, services, or technology to Iran or Syria likely to be used for such purposes; or to have materially assisted anyone whose property or interests are described.”

    Each of these executive orders left it up to the executive agencies like the Department of State, Homeland Security, etc., to make special exemptions, as does Trump’s order. So, instead of painting Trump as a power-grabbing president who is breaking American law and dealing the death blow to the Statue of Liberty, the media should have reported this not uncommon practice as just that, along with the fact that there are numerous agencies that have the ability to make decisions about who gets in or out. This is a presidential practice that crosses both party lines and that has affected numerous classes of people.

    But that’s not what the media has done. Because that would be reporting the news, not making it. And that is why I am ashamed of the Fourth Estate. Not because I am a conservative or a liberal, but because I am an American, and I am a journalist. The media is wreaking havoc on all Americans, and quite frankly, we deserve better.

  • 11FTCCA college education is key to a better future. Some individuals spend many years receiving an education. Others receive an education quickly to begin or enhance employment experiences. Whether it’s through a degree, diploma or certificate, anyone can choose the path to lay the foundation of their future through education.

    Consider this scenario: No one in your family has completed college. You wonder what college is all about, and you are a little nervous. You feel you are stepping into uncharted waters. You may feel like life is passing you by. You may wonder if you will ever dig yourself out of a bad situation, or you may feel you are stuck in the same job at the workplace.

    Fayetteville Technical Community College offers an answer. By going to college and earning a degree, diploma or certificate, your life could be on the fast track for making a change for the better.

    For those unsure of what type of work they might enjoy or what program of study to choose, FTCC has another answer — Career Coach. This tool provides a free career assessment so people can learn about themselves. Career Coach offers career suggestions based on the person’s interests.

    If the cost of attending college is a concern, prospective students can complete the FAFSA application toapply for financial aid. FTCC also offers 117 scholarship opportunities as well as grants, loans and work-study programs. An entire staff works hard to help qualified students receive money to cover tuition and books.

    FTCC has also begun a new initiative called First Year Connections. This program uses a team approach in supporting first-year, first generation students. FTCC staff provide the personalized assistance students need to begin and stay focused on goals.

    FTCC also offers a dedicated team that supports students (day, evening, and online) with physical, psychological or learning disabilities. Students needing this support simply request accommodation and provide appropriate documentation pertaining to the disability or disabilities.

    At FTCC, we believe in helping first-year, first-generation college students blossom through the care and attention of advisors, mentors and peer counselors at the First Year Connections office. Advising, tutoring and mentoring are helpful in reducing anxiety and stress and promoting student success.

    Start on the path to a brighter future during 2019. Admissions representatives and counselors are on call to assist students with applications, program selection and registration. Registration for classes is currently underway.

    Call FTCC at 910-678-8400 or visit the Fayetteville, Spring Lake or Fort Bragg campus locations for face-toface assistance.

  • 08VOTE The controversy involving election fraud in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District is unusual but not unprecedented. There’s a long tradition of contested elections in the U.S. House of Representatives. A report from the Congressional Research Service documents 107 such episodes between 1933 and 2009. In most cases, the contests were dismissed in favor of the person whose election was challenged.

    Much of Cumberland County is in the 9th district. North Carolina’s 9th district story is complicated, but here are the basics.

    The 2018 general election in the 9th district was a contest between Democrat Dan McCready and Republican Mark Harris; Harris defeated the incumbent GOP holder of the seat, Robert Pittenger, in the primary. In the general election, Harris appeared to have defeated McCready by 905 votes.

    The North Carolina State Board of Elections twice refused to certify the results of the race because of allegations of irregularities involving mailinabsentee ballots.

    Some voters claimed that individuals came to their homes and collected their unsealed ballots. Others alleged that they received absentee ballots that they never requested.

    And, numerous individuals claimed they were paid by Republican political operative McCrae Dowless to collect absentee ballots from voters.

    North Carolina law prescribes that, with limited exceptions, it is illegal to collect and return someone else’s absentee ballot.

    Experts say that what happened in the district amounted to election fraud, not voter fraud. This terminology stems from the political definition taken on by the term “voter fraud” in recent years. That term is generally associated with purposeful actions committed by individual voters— such as voting more than once or voting in a jurisdiction where one does not live.

    What allegedly happened in the local congressional district, however, is not primarily about voters casting ballots they were ineligible to cast. Rather, it involved people aligned with a political party inhibiting voters’ ability to cast ballots. This is also known as voter suppression.

    Investigators are also looking into the results of the Republican primary, in which Harris beat Pittenger by just 828 votes but won 96 percent of the absentee vote in Bladen county, the easternmost county in the district, along the South Carolina border from Charlotte.

    Dowless had ties to other Republican candidates in the 2018 election, and Bladen County has seen at least five separate elections investigations since 2010. Article 1, Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution makes the House of Representatives the ultimate judge of “elections, returns and qualifications” of its members.

    Historically, the House has been deferential to state election proceedings. When a House seat has a certified winner, which the local district does not, there is a substantial burden of proof on the loser to convince the House to reject that decision by a state.

    There are two basic ways a challenge can arise in the House. The main approach is for the losing candidate to file a contest under the Federal Contested Elections Act of 1969. Or, the House may refer the question to its Committee on House Administration for an investigation. Either way, the committee has a wide range of remedies available to it, including recommending that the results of the election be rejected and a new election be held.

    Comments from prominent House Democrats, including Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, indicate that Democratic leadership has begun considering its options.

    Americans have a stake in ensuring that elections are conducted fairly and that the ability to exercise their right to vote isn’t impeded.

  • 07ftbraggncgate President Donald Trump wants to use funding for military projects across the country to pay for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He’s thinking about taking $3.6 billion from the Department of Defense. But the man temporarily in charge of the Defense Department is not sure he should do that. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan said he has made no decisions on whether the southern border wall is militarily necessary. The appropriations bill says that is a crucial determination before military construction funds could be redirected to build it.

    Prior to Feb. 15, the administration had not decided which military construction projects are slated to be stripped of their funding. Congress had set aside about $10 billion for base projects, and $3.6 billion of that could go to the border. Feb. 15, Trump declared a national emergency, which gives him the authority to access unspent funds in defense accounts. Congress and at least 16 states disagree with the president and are suing to stop the funding transfers.

    Shanahan is expected ultimately to support the wall construction, but he is still determining how military spending could support it. “We understand there are some priorities that won’t be considered,” Shanahan said. “Military housing … I’ve received a number of letters, I’ve had lots of feedback saying, ‘Do not jeopardize the projects that are underway,’”

    Shanahan added, “I appreciate we’re trying to work through this very complicated situation … that people remind us, these are real, live, very important projects.”

    In a recent presentation, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, officials outlined $699 million of planned construction projects over the next six years in addition to the $343 million the Department of Defense has underway at the local post. That’s more funding than is assigned to all the military bases in Florida, which could lose up to $177 million for planned construction, according to a list of eligible projects compiled by the House Appropriations Committee.

    Some projects planned at Fort Bragg could be vulnerable because they don’t contribute to military readiness. The multimillion-dollar Freedom Crossing entertainment and retail district for active-duty and retired service members and their families has a $27 million budget, according to the Army & Air Force Exchange Service. It will include three retail buildings, a 42,000-squarefoot movie theater and an outdoor public entertainment and event plaza.

    The bulk of other construction projects will be for the benefit of the installation’s special operations mission. The recent disclosure from Fort Bragg officials also earmarked $788 million in what they called a wish list for a fire station, Pope Army Airfield upgrades, tactical equipment maintenance facilities, barracks and training areas.

    Fort Bragg is the world’s largest military installation by population and is expected to continue growing in the coming years. In addition to being home to the Army’s airborne and special operations units, the post is also Forces Command Headquarters and is home to the Army Reserve Command. It is colloquially referred to as Pentagon South.

  • 06SegraStadiumLogo copy SEGRA Stadium, the new home of the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, will be unveiled to the public Saturday, April 13, at noon. The free event is called “Fayetteville Fans First Look.” Residents will have a chance to see the stadium’s amenities, including bars, several concession areas and a 360-degree concourse. Varied seating arrangements will be available — from the grandstand to a patio with foosball and cornhole. The ballpark will seat 4,700.

    The Fayetteville Woodpeckers are an advanced single-A farm team of the Houston Astros.

    “We invite Fayetteville residents out for this momentous occasion, which is historic for Fayetteville,” said City Manager Douglas Hewett.

    Many of the amenities at SEGRA Stadium are patterned after Spirit Communications Park in Columbia, South Carolina. There will be an outfield bar with 30 beers on tap; a centerfield grassy berm seating area, where fans can lounge on blankets or lawn chair; club seats; and luxury suites.

    Individual game tickets and various ticket packages will be available. Learn more and purchase game tickets at www.milb.com/fayetteville.

    Eradicating criminal records in Cumberland County

    One-and-a-half million North Carolina adults have criminal records. Cumberland County District Attorney Billy West said these records can be a deterrent to employment and educational opportunities for former inmates. The county’s expungement clinic has a two-year history of annulling the records of hundreds of individuals, according to West.

    Details of this year’s expungement clinic were announced Feb. 20 by West; Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin; State Rep. Elmer Floyd, D-Cumberland; and Cumberland County Commissioner Charles Evans.

    Three information sessions will take place for those who believe they may qualify. They are set for March 9 at 11 a.m. at Simon Temple A.M.E. Zion Church, March 19 at 6 p.m. at Kingdom Impact Global Ministries and March 30 at 11 a.m. at Lewis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church.

    Juvenile offender funding

    The North Carolina Department of Public Safety appropriates funding annually to Cumberland County for programs and services to serve juvenile offenders. The county is committed to ensuring that all eligible agencies are aware of the opportunity to apply for funding. Requests for proposals are being sought and are due in mid-April.

    Access RFP information on Cumberland County’s website, www.co.cumberland.nc.us. Select the business button at the top of the page to locate the form. Only local public agencies, 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporations and local housing authorities are eligible for funding.

    Contact Cindy Tucker at ctucker@ co.cumberland.nc.us or call 910-678-7723 for more information.

    Official named to fill Fayetteville finance vacancy

    Jay Toland has been selected chief financial officer for the city of Fayetteville. Toland has served as interim chief financial officer for eight months.

    He will oversee the finance department, which manages $200 million in revenues and expenditures. He is also responsible for oversight of the city’s $145 million investment portfolio.

    Before coming to Fayetteville, Toland was chief financial officer for Scotland County Schools in North Carolina. He earned his Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He has also completed other post-graduate work at East Carolina University and is a certified management accountant.

    Toland is filling one of four vacancies of senior executives for the city of Fayetteville. “I plan to fill positions for Public Services Director, Assistant City Manager and Fire Chief. All are at different recruitment/selection stages in the order listed,” said City Manager Douglas Hewett.

    Alzheimer’s fund raiser scheduled

    Fayetteville Alzheimer’s research enthusiasts pulled off an amazing feat last year. In three weeks, they raised the most money in the state during Fayetteville’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The team was dubbed Jaywalkers in honor of then-Assistant City Manager Jay Reinstein, who had just been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. The team came together on short notice and raised close to $30,000 for Alzheimer’s research.

    The team at PWC pulled their group together in a week and also raised several thousand dollars. Longtime Alzheimer’s awareness activists from McKee Homes also contributed significantly.

    This year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s is set for Sept. 7 at Festival Park. The goal is to double last year’s participation and fundraising. The entire community is invited to join the cause. For more information, visit the Alzheimer’s Foundation website at www.alz.org or email amjulian@alz.org.

    Local school system honored

    Cumberland County’s Board of Education has recognized the school system’s communications and public relations department for receiving nine state awards from the North Carolina School Public Relations Association.

    Cumberland County Schools was among 38 school districts in North Carolina to win Blue Ribbon Awards for effective school communications and public relations during NCSPRA’s annual blue-ribbon awards ceremony earlier this month in Greensboro. CCS won awards in the electronic media category, publications category and special events/programs category.

    Blue-ribbon awards are the highest honors a school district can receive from the NCSPRA.

    “Our awards program is about recognizing the quality work of school public relations professionals and bringing attention to their outstanding efforts to support and promote our schools,” said NCSPRA President Todd Hagans.

  • 09Stadium construuction  Those who are currently working in the realm of economic development in Cumberland County believe in a bright future for our community. Robert Van Geons, president and CEO of the Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation said, “One hundred fifty million dollars (in) private sector investments are currently under construction in the city.”

    He told City Council’s baseball committee that FCEDC is working on six projects directly related to the stadium now under construction on Hay Street.

    Jordan Jones, project manager of Prince Charles Holdings, the firm renovating the former Prince Charles Hotel, has said North Carolina’s banks are now paying attention to downtown Fayetteville. Prince Charles Holdings secured a $9.3 million loan from Carter Bank & Trust, a community bank based in Martinsville, Virginia. North Carolina’s big banks initially ignored the request for loans, Jones said.

    “Oh my God, this is going to be great,” said Mayor Pro Tem Ted Mohn as the baseball committee, of which he is a member, got an update on the stadium project Feb. 12.

    “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our kids,” said Committee Chairman Jim Arp, who suggested recreation center and public-school baseball teams should be invited to opening day festivities.

    Stadium project manager Roslyn Henderson told the committee that $7.3 million has already been paid out to firms that have been working on the stadium. She gave a detailed update on work that has been accomplished and what lies ahead. Most of the work cannot be seen by the public because it’s going on behind the walls.

    Representatives for construction general contractor Barton Malow Company have assured city officials the stadium will be finished on time. The completion date is set for March 29. The ballpark, which will seat nearly 5,000 fans, cost $40 million. It will be managed by the Houston Astros Advanced Single-A minor league Fayetteville Woodpeckers.

    After beginning the season on the road, the Woodpeckers will open their new ballpark with an April 18 matchup against the Carolina Mudcats. The newly minted Woodpeckers will arrive at their permanent home downtown after spending the past two seasons at Campbell University’s Jim Perry Stadium.

    Fayetteville will be home of the annual Big South Conference baseball tournament for three years, from 2019 through 2021. Fayetteville officials have touted the new ballpark as the anchor of $100 million in downtown redevelopment projects. The stadium will host other community events in the off season.

  • 08Food Tax meeting  Cumberland County’s governing board has asked the community’s legislative delegation to repeal the sunset provision of the local Prepared Food and Beverage Tax. Commissioners made their request Feb. 11 at a joint meeting with local North Carolina Senate and House members. Sen. Ben Clark, D-District 21, had mentioned prior to the meeting that it will soon be time to end the tax or share its proceeds with local municipalities.

    The tax, also known as the restaurant tax, was imposed in 1993 to help pay for the Crown Coliseum at the county entertainment complex off East Mountain Drive.

    The sunset provision will take effect in 2024 when the debt on the Crown Coliseum is paid off. The law as written requires that the restaurant tax be ended. But commissioners have plans for the revenue estimated at $3.3 million. The $3.3 million is the annual supplement the county makes in Coliseum debt service. Once the debt is retired, the money can be used for other things, unless the legislature enforces the sunset clause.

    That raised the question among some, including Clark, as to why there was a sunset provision in the law that created the tax 25 years ago. Rep. Billy Richardson, D-District 44, who served in the state House at the time and was recently re-elected, said citizens would have been even more opposed to the Bubba Dome had that provision not been included. Bubba Dome was a nickname for the coliseum at the time.

    The county has been considering building a performing arts center, probably in downtown Fayetteville, using restaurant taxes to help pay for it.

    “We’ve been talking about this for at least five years,” said County Commission Vice-Chairman Marshall Faircloth. He added that the tax proceeds are “do or die” when it comes to a performing arts center.

    Another proposed change in the law is that the Civic Center Commission be authorized to construct a performing arts center whether or not it is affiliated with the existing civic center commonly known as the Crown Complex.

    Commissioners also disclosed a set of other requests it had for the state legislature. One of them is a change in the law governing public health nuisances.

    Counties are virtually powerless to deal with anything dangerous or prejudicial to public health or safety without going through a laborious process. The county is asking for the same authority the North Carolina General Assembly has granted cities and towns. The city of Fayetteville, for example, has statutory authority to remove, abate or remedy everything in the city limits and within one mile of the city found to be a health or safety hazard.

    Commissioners also favor adding a percentage to the sales tax in support of rural volunteer fire departments; repealing statutory authority given boards of education to sue county governments; and seeking state participation in the Grays Creek public water project in areas affected by possible GenX contamination. The exact amount of the proposed sales tax increase has not been determined.

    The 90-minute meeting ended without either governing body taking any action.

  • 07Juvenile Fayetteville Police have charged a 15-year-old boy with the death of a man at a home on Conestoga Drive off Rim Road in West Fayetteville. The youth is being held at the Cumberland Regional Juvenile Detention Center. His name is being withheld. Police identified the victim of the fatal shooting as Donovan Lamar Moon, 30, of Vagabond Drive in Fayetteville. He was found dead in a car on Feb. 11.

    In North Carolina, if a youth is 15 years old or younger and commits a crime, his or her case will be brought to the attention of the Juvenile Justice section of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. The juvenile court must transfer jurisdiction to adult court if the youth is accused of committing a crime that would be a violent felony if they were an adult.

    Fort Bragg hero to be memorialized in May

    This article may seem familiar. Up & Coming Weekly reported the combat deaths of Army Special Forces Sgt. 1st Class Eric Emond, Capt. Andrew Patrick Ross and Air Force Combat Controller Staff Sgt. Dylan Elchin last fall. This week, there is an update.

    The Green Berets were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg when they were deployed to Afghanistan last year. It was Emond’s seventh combat deployment. The three special operations troops died Nov. 27, 2018, when an improvised explosive device detonated in Ghanzi, Afghanistan, destroying their vehicle.

    Emond, 39, will soon be remembered in his home state of Massachusetts, where he underwent rehabilitation in 2009 for earlier combat injuries. At that time, Emond organized the nonprofit group Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, which helps Gold Star families and veterans.

    In 2014, the organization dedicated a memorial in Boston to honor the state’s heroes. The monument is a 50-foot tall, five-sided obelisk representing the branches of the United States armed services etched with the names of the honored service members.

    Sgt. 1st Class Emond’s name will be added to the monument this coming May. He is survived by his wife and three young daughters.

    Local judge appointed chief justice

    Gov. Roy Cooper’s, D-NC, decision to elevate a former Fayetteville judge to chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court has resulted in unusual criticism from another member of the high court.

    Republican Associate Justice Paul Newby, who has been on the court since 2005, claimed tradition put him in line for the top post. Newby, who intends to run for chief justice next year, said Cooper “decided to place raw partisan politics over a nonpartisan judiciary.”

    Like Cooper, Beasley is a registered Democrat. Supreme Court races were nonpartisan elections until a law proposed by the Republican-controlled legislature was approved in 2016.

    Beasley will be the first African-American woman to hold the job. Another Fayetteville jurist, Patricia Timmons-Goodson, in 2006 became the first African-American woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

    Beasley will succeed Chief Justice Mark Martin, who is resigning the end of this month. “Justice Beasley is the right person at the right time,” Cooper said at news conference.

    The governor cited Beasley’s varied legal experience. She served in the Cumberland County public defender’s office in the mid-1990s and became a District Court judge in 1999. Beasley was elected to the state Court of Appeals in 2008 and was appointed to the Supreme Court by then-Gov. Beverly Purdue, a Democrat. Beasley was elected to an eight-year term in 2014.

    Cumberland County job fair

    The 20th annual Department of Social Services March to Work Job Fair will be held Wednesday, March 20, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Charlie Rose Agri-Expo Center at 1960 Coliseum Dr. Businesses with current or upcoming job openings are invited to register to participate at no charge. Each employer will be provided a booth at the fair that includes a table and chairs.

    “The job fair attracts thousands of job seekers with a wide range of skill levels — from those that are professional or highly technical, to those who are semi- to unskilled,” said job fair coordinator Toni Wright-Harris. “This is a great opportunity for businesses to find qualified employees.”

    Business representatives will be able to talk about their company and the employment opportunities that they have available with potential employees.

    Employers who are interested in participating in the job fair can register by contacting Wright- Harris at 910-677-2344 or Robert Relyea at 910-677-2222.

    Fort Bragg MWR is hiring

    A job fair is also being held at Fort Bragg. The Fort Bragg Family & MWR hiring event is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It’s being staged at the Tolson Youth Activities Center on Normandy Drive at Reilly Street. A listing of open positions is available at Bragg.armymwr.com. Qualified applicants will be interviewed on the spot. Officials said it is advisable to apply in advance a USAJOBS.gov

  • 12Sr EDITOR’S NOTE: Since this story was written, a number of the senior programs that were indefinitely suspended have resumed. Please contact the recreation staff at 910-426-4109 or Kasey Ivey at kivey@townofhopemills.com for the most current information on what senior programs have resumed.

    After an absence of nearly five months, senior programs are back at the Hope Mills Recreation Center.

    “We serve hundreds of seniors a month with a variety of programs, fitness classes and creative arts programs,’’ said Kasey Ivey, senior programs supervisor.

    But the various programs have been completely shut down since mid-September when Hurricane Florence damaged the recreation center and forced its closure. The town was unable to provide an alternate location for the senior programs to be held, forcing those programs to be suspended until the recreation center reopened Monday, Feb. 4.

    Part of the challenge, Ivey said, was to make sure everything was organized and ready to go. There were also a few amendments that had to be made due to changes in the schedules of some of the outside instructors.

    One of the biggest changes involves a popular course in chair exercise, which draws as many as 40 participants twice a week.

    “Because of schedule changes, that teacher is not returning,’’ Ivey said. Ivey, who has experience in teaching fitness and fitness for seniors, will be taking over the chair exercise program. Those classes will now be held at the recreation center on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

    Another class that is still undergoing change is yoga. The yoga classes are limited to a maximum of 30 people because of the space available for participants.

    When the recreation center opened for seniors Feb. 4, unexpected, last-minute changes forced postponement of the resumption of a number of senior activities. These include yoga, Zumba, Strong Bones and Fun and Fit.

    Ivey said all of these activities are postponed indefinitely. The recreation department will make an announcement as soon as any or all of those activities resume.

    Ivey encouraged all seniors planning to attend any activity at the center to look over the revised calendar of activities compiled by the recreation department.

    It can be viewed here (left) or at www.townofhopemills.com. Print copies are also available at the recreation center.

    All who sign up to take part in the senior programs are asked to leave an email address so the town can send them the calendar via email.

    Ivey added that newcomers to the senior program must first fill out a recreation center registration form, which is required of anyone who uses the center.

    All participants in the senior program must be age 55 or over and reside in Cumberland County.

    Ivey said there was a good turnout for the first day of resumed senior activities. There were between 15 to 20 participants in line dancing, 34 in chair exercise and 15 in a program where seniors make sleeping mats from plastic grocery bags for the homeless.

    “We’re looking forward to it,’’ Ivey said of getting the senior programs back to full speed. “I’m sure the folks are too. They make friendships here.’’

    Those with specific questions about senior programs can call Ivey at 910-426-4109 or email her at kivey@townofhopemills.com.

  • 11FTCCfree  The High School Connections program at Fayetteville Technical Community College experienced a record-breaking year for the 2018-19 academic year. Well over 1,000 high school students (public, private and homeschool) are taking college classes this spring at FTCC through the HSC program.

    The HSC program at FTCC provides seamless dual enrollment for high school juniors and seniors with tuition-free, college-level classes. Students can choose from programs that lead to accelerated college certificates, diplomas and associate degrees for higher education or access to entry-level job skills.

    In 2018, many students graduated with certificates, and some even earned an associate’s degree. While every student’s achievement is widely celebrated, it is especially exciting to see a student graduate from high school and simultaneously receive an associate’s degree.

    FTCC is now spreading the word to current high school sophomores, juniors and their families about the upcoming 2019-20 school year HSC opportunities. Students can choose from two tracks.

    Career and Technical Education: Students can complete the CTE pathways within an academic year when the program is started during the fall semester. CTE pathways programs fit well with their associate degree counterparts, should students wish to pursue a degree after completion.

    Earning FTCC certificates can lead to an entrylevel skilled job. FTCC offers more than 35 certificates, including Early Childhood, Criminal Justice, Nurse Aide, Business Foundations, 3D Animation, Welding and more. This fall, HSC is expanding available certificates to include Cisco Entry Networking, Electronics Engineering, IOS Development Using Swift, Mechanical Maintenance, and SAS Programming.

    College Transfer Pathway: The design of the Arts, Science, and Engineering Pathways programs provides students with general education classes —math, English, history, psychology, sociology, political science and more.

    These pathways offer a valuable opportunity for students to receive a head start on earning a four-year degree with considerable financial savings. Students who complete classes with a grade of C or higher receive a guarantee to transfer to University of North Carolina institutions.

    High school students interested in taking classes through the HSC program at FTCC can reach out to their high school counselor for more information. FTCC hosts Parent Nights throughout the spring semester, which provide students the opportunity to learn more about what HSC has to offer. Students can ask their high school counselor about when FTCC will visit their schools.

    During Parent Nights, students can begin creating their HSC enrollment packets. Afterward, students should follow up with their high school counselor to confirm the submission of their completed packets.

    FTCC is excited to continue the HSC partnership with local high schools in Cumberland County. For more information, visit www.faytechcc.edu/academics/ high-school-connections. Contact the HSC staff at FTCC at 910-678-8542 for more information.

  • 06Fayetteville City Hall  The city of Fayetteville has experienced significant growth over the last 15 years. In 2004, Fayetteville’s western city limit was extended to the Hoke County line. This so-called “Big Bang” annexation included 28 square miles and 43,000 people. The city’s population exploded overnight to more than 200,000. The North Carolina Department of Commerce estimated Fayetteville’s 2015 population at just more than 208,000.

    In 2000, the U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum was opened on what used to be the 500 block of Hay Street. It served as a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown Fayetteville. Business and local government began investing in the inner city as never before. In 2007, a new City Hall and adjoining police headquarters opened in the 400 block of Hay Street.

    Fayetteville City Council believes the time has come to consider replacing City Hall and the police administration building. City Hall is directly across the street from the former Prince Charles Hotel, which is being renovated into 60 apartments.

    The police station is across from the baseball stadium, which is now under construction. That makes both properties valuable areas for retail development, which is one of the reasons officials say it is time to make a move.

    It’s been less than 12 years since City Hall was built, but it’s already overcrowded. Three years ago, the city spent more than $1 million renovating the third floor for executive offices. Public parking is at a premium. During their annual planning retreat, council members decided the city should develop a centralized government campus.

    That’s an idea Cumberland County Commissioners conceived 30 years ago when they purchased the former Coca-Cola bottling plant property on Ramsey Street. Since then, county social services and public health office buildings have been consolidated on the site. “We’ve got staff all over the city in various locations,” Councilman Bill Crisp said during the retreat.

    City departments occupy the Festival Park Plaza building as well as buildings on Lamon and Alexander Streets.

    Officials believe a five- or six-story structure is needed to house municipal offices that should be consolidated in City Hall.

    But just where should the city relocate its offices? It may be that this project justifies a consultant’s study.

    There isn’t a lot of available property in the downtown area. East Person Street has potential as does the southern end of Murchison Road. Revitalization of Murchison Road between Fayetteville State University and the new Grove Street bridges has been given priority emphasis by the city.

    There are a lot of unanswered questions for continuation of economic development of the city center. And, as City Councilman Jim Arp noted, that’s the point of all that is underway now between the railroad tracks on Hay Street. Already, planned projects budgeted at more than $100 million are underway. The potential availability of unoccupied property where city government buildings now stand would pave the way for future business expansion.

  • 05arny suicides The Army said active-duty soldier suicides were up in 2017, according to service statistics. Since 2012, active-duty numbers have fluctuated. The Army reported 165 active-duty suicides in 2012. They dropped to 121 the following year but rose to 126 in 2014. The following two years suicides dipped, but active-duty self-inflicted deaths swelled to 138 in 2017, Defense Department statistics show. It’s the last year for which information is available.

    “Like the rest of America, the Army continues to grapple with the loss of too many of our people to suicide,” spokeswoman Col. Kathleen Turner told Army Times in a statement. “The loss of any soldier or Army family member to suicide is a tragedy.”

    Suicide information is closely held information at the Department of the Army. The Criminal Investigation Division, where officials said investigations continue, takes media inquiries about suicides.

    “We must continue to ensure commanders have the policies and resources they need to prevent suicides, that all leaders have the tools to identify soldiers who are suffering … and that all soldiers view seeking mental health care as a sign of strength,” Turner said.

    Communications firm wins stadium naming rights

    The Fayetteville Woodpeckers have announced the firm that has won the naming rights for Fayetteville’s minor league baseball stadium. It will be known as Segra Stadium.

    The city of Fayetteville and the Woodpeckers “have entered into a long-term agreement with Segra, one of the largest independent fiber bandwidth companies in the United States,” said Woodpeckers President Mark Zarthar. “Segra will serve as the stadium’s Official Communications Services Partner.”

    He added that last spring, EQT Partners completed the purchase of a majority stake in Spirit Communications and announced it would combine with the assets of Lumos Networks, which was acquired in 2017.

    Lumos Networks and Spirit just last month rebranded their company as Segra. Zarthar did not disclose what Segra paid to earn the naming rights.

    Pre-school education opportunities available

    Parents interested in enrolling their young children in NC Pre-Kindergarten must have their applications in by March 29. The NC Pre-K program provides free, quality prekindergarten education for families who qualify.

    NC Pre-K classrooms are available in several locations, including Cumberland County Schools, private child care sites and Head Start sites. Children must be 4 years old by Aug. 31, 2019, to qualify for the program.

    NC Pre-K gives priority to families who meet income eligibility. Additional consideration is given to families whose children have been diagnosed with developmental disabilities. Also given additional consideration are military dependents of active-duty service members or military service members who have been seriously injured or killed while on active duty and have limited English proficiency or chronic health conditions.

    The Cumberland County Partnership for Children can provide additional information about NC Pre-K applications. Find out more at CCPFC.org

    Professional baseball game start times released

    The Fayetteville Woodpeckers, Class A Advanced minor league baseball affiliate of the Houston Astros, has released game start times for the inaugural 2019 baseball season. Local game times for April 18-June 4 are as follows: Monday-Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturdays, 5 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. For June 10-Sept. 4, game times are Monday-Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturdays, 6 p.m.; Sundays, 6 p.m.

    “The start times provide enough time to get home from work and make it downtown for the game, said David Lane, Woodpeckers general manager. “We have earlier start times on weekends so that families can enjoy an afternoon at the stadium.”

    The Woodpeckers have sold more than 1,700 advance full- and half-season tickets. Additional flexible ticket packages are now available for purchase.

    The Houston Astros own the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, having agreed to a 30-year lease of the stadium now under construction in downtown Fayetteville.

    Hope Mills street widening

    Two congested streets in the heart of Hope Mills are scheduled for widening. The Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization requested that the North Carolina Department of Transportation widen sections of Rockfish and Golfview roads. The town of Hope Mills supports the need to improve these streets, which serve the police and fire departments, town hall, municipal park, a public library and a recreation center.

    The proposal is to widen both streets to four lanes with raised medians. The section of Rockfish Road to be improved is between Golfview Road and North Main Street, which is also N.C. 59. The section of Golfview Road is between Rockfish Road and North Main Street.

    Maps of the proposed plans were displayed at an open house Feb. 12. DOT project team members were on hand to answer questions and receive feedback. The public can submit comments through March 15. The DOT will consider the comments when finalizing the design. Contact NCDOT project engineer Sean Matuszewski at 919-364-0603 or P.O. Box 1150, Fayetteville, NC, 28302.

    Local bank employee promotion

    CresCom Bank, the second largest community bank in the Carolinas, has announced the promotion of Kayla Strickland as mortgage loan originator at the Green Street branch in Fayetteville. A native of Lumberton, Strickland has more than 12 years of banking experience. She will be responsible for originating and coordinating the closing of residential and construction mortgage loans.

    “Her knowledge of the community and experience in the banking industry will be an asset to our team,” said David L. Morrow, CEO of CresCom Bank.

    Before taking on her new role at CresCom, Strickland was a customer service representative.

  • 07Bill Hurley Fayetteville City Councilman Johnny Dawkins remembers Bill Hurley as only he could. Council voted last week to name the downtown baseball stadium’s plaza in honor of the former mayor, who died in November. Hurley served as mayor from 1981 to 1987. Johnny’s father, the late J.L. Dawkins, succeeded Hurley when Hurley decided to run for election to the North Carolina House of Representatives. J.L. won re-election seven times and served as mayor for life, dying in office in 2000.

    J.L. served alongside Mayor Hurley as a council member. During last week’s tribute to Hurley, Johnny recalled that Hurley picked Johnny’s father up at their home on Ellington Street in Haymount for Monday night council meetings. Both J.L. and Hurley were first elected to City Council in the mid-1970s. They were inseparable, politically and personally.

    When City Council decided to name the plaza at the entrance to the stadium for Hurley, Johnny noted the irony that the corner plaza at police headquarters across the street from the ballpark had been named for his father. Hurley and Dawkins are both remembered for their efforts to revitalize downtown Fayetteville. Hurley even manned the wrecking ball used to demolish buildings long the 500 block of Hay Street.

    Hurley was a sports fan and was especially fond of baseball. Mark Hurley, the oldest of the mayor’s three sons, noted his dad had envisioned a downtown baseball stadium 30 years ago. He said his father loved sports, so when talk surfaced about naming the baseball stadium plaza after him, the Hurley family was extremely  excited and humbled about the possibility of that becoming a reality.

    “We want to thank the entire city of Fayetteville for the support we have received during our father’s passing,” Mark said. “It has truly been amazing to us. We are a part of a wonderful city.” Observers recall that in 1984, Fayetteville was named an All-America City, the first of three times it would win the honor.

    “Many of us had the vision and knew Fayetteville could be a better place,” realtor John Malzone said, “but Bill Hurley led the way.”

    Jordan Jones, Prince Charles LLC project manager, spoke of Mayor Hurley’s influence years ago shaping the $100 million in Hay Street economic development getting underway. Jones’ parents were contemporaries of Hurley.

    “We fully recognize the vision and legacy he created and know that we would not be here today with that particular development without the vision he had a long time ago,” Jones said.

    Jones’ firm is renovating the former hotel and is planning a 13-story structure adjacent to the stadium. Following the public hearing last week, City Councilman Jim Arp made a motion that the city formally dedicate the stadium plaza in Bill Hurley’s honor. The vote to do so was unanimous.

    Photo: Bill Hurley, former Fayettville Mayor

  • 06Marine Salutes Caskets “Today, we salute you,” Memphis, Tennessee, funeral director Gary Taylor said. “Today, we claim you as our own.” The occasion was a recent service for three military veterans laid to rest on a rainy morning. They were strangers to those who gathered to honor their memory. When the flags were removed from the caskets and folded, there were no family members there to receive them. The flags were passed among those in attendance.

    Soldiers Arnold M. Klechka, 71, and Wesley Russell, 76, and Marine Charles B. Fox, 60, were laid to rest in the graveside service attended by about 700 people at West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery in Memphis.

    Over the last 20 years, funeral homesin more than 30 cities have organized about 3,000 funerals for soldiers, sailors and Marines who died alone.

    The service in Memphis was part of agrowing effort by funeral homes, medicalexaminers, Veterans Affairs andlocal veterans support groups to payfinal respects to members of the militarywhose bodies were not claimedby relatives. Apparently, no organizationhas developed nationally, but the movement has grown in Tennessee.

    “We are veteran-friendly,” said Ben Chambers, general manager of Fayetteville’s Jernigan Warren Funeral Home. “We weren’t aware of the program.”

    Amelia Callicott attended the Memphis funeral while remembering her late father and husband, who both served in the military. Callicott, 69, said she learned about the service through Facebook and felt she had a duty to honor the men. “It touched my heart when no one came to claim these gentlemen, these soldiers, because they fought for our freedom,” said Callicott.

    Unknown veterans “still deserve dignified services and burials,” said Jeff Berry, general manager of Berry Funeral Home in Knoxville, Tennessee. Berry said the process usually begins with local medical examiners contacting state or national veterans’ cemeteries with names of people whose remains have gone unclaimed. These veterans typically were either homeless or had no surviving relatives to claim them.

    Local cemeteries determine whether the service members were honorably discharged. If they were, the cemeteries then contact funeral homes, which set up memorial services. The funeral homes cover the cost, Berry said. Claims can be filed with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for grave markers, according to the Tennessee Department of Veterans’ Services.

    Memorial services are publicized through veterans’ groups like the American Legion or social media. Honor guards and other active military members attend, but it’s the strangers who come out of respect for the military who bring dignity to the occasion. “Most of the time, it’s folks that had no knowledge of the person in life,” Berry said.

    Veterans Affairs also provides money to individuals or companies that provide burials, caskets and transportation to cemeteries for unclaimed, deceased vets. “One thing I’ve learned in working with the veterans is that they are a tight knit group. They really support each other. It’s like a band of brothers or sisters,” Berry said.

  • 05Anthony Grant  Fayetteville Police Department’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit has charged a man with a rape and robbery that occurred more than three decades ago in Fayetteville.

    Detectives investigated the case Oct. 24, 1987, but it went unsolved. The cold case unit recently reopened it after sending the sexual assault kit for DNA testing.

    Anthony Keith Grant, 52, of the 2100 block of North Charleston, South Carolina, has been charged with second-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping and common law robbery.

    The woman was an employee of Trade Station Convenience Store on Pamalee Drive, where she was raped, according to Officer J.K. Strickland, a spokesman for the FPD. He said Grant allegedly also committed a robbery of the business.

    The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office arrested Grant. He is being held in Charleston awaiting extradition to Cumberland County. The sexual assault kit from this case was tested utilizing federal grant funding.

    Defense department funding of the wall

    More than 50 U.S. House Democrats are pushing back against President Donald Trump’s proposal to use Defense Department funds to pay for a wall on the southern border. They have signed a letter to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Washington, asking that he use the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act to assure that the administration “cannot utilize a fake national emergency to co-opt the military into the construction of the president’s wall.”

    The authorization bill is not expected to pass until late this year. If Trump proceeds with the declaration, it will likely be challenged in court, which could delay implementation of the administration’s potential plans.

    The president has not ruled out using his executive powers to bring an end to the impasse. The White House was preparing a draft proclamation for Trump to declare a national emergency and has reportedly identified more than $7 billion in potential funds for his wall should he go that route.

    CNN reported that the Army Corps of Engineers would be deployed to construct the wall, some of it on private property. That would likely require condemnation under eminent domain laws, which is permitted if it is for public use.

    Cumberland County school supporters recognized

    School board members, educators, students and community partners annually celebrate the work that mentors do every day to help students succeed in the classroom and beyond. Cumberland County Schools recently held its annual appreciation breakfast at the Educational Resource Center to recognize mentors who volunteer their time to support students.

    The committee was unable to narrow it down to one winner and announced two individuals as Mentors of the Year — James Chrishon, a mentor at J.W. Coon Elementary School, and Ben Simmons, a mentor at Ramsey Street High School.

    “It’s really humbling to receive this award from Cumberland County Schools and be amongst a group of mentors that give so much to schools and the community,” said Chrishon.

    Sixteen nominees for the Mentor of the Year award were recognized during the breakfast. “We are grateful to our mentors for investing their time and resources in our students,” said Dr. Natasha Scott, executive director of CCS Student Services.

    Rural bridge replacements

    A pair of rural bridges in eastern Cumberland County are scheduled for replacement on a road that has been closed to traffic for 10 months. The North Carolina Department of Transportation this month signed off on two contracts totaling $4.7 million to a group of companies that will design and build seven new bridges and demolish the existing structures.

    Two of the old structures are on Hollow Creek Road, where they cross Sandy Creek near Autryville. The road has been closed since April 2018.

    The bridges being replaced are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. This means that, while remaining safe for travel, the bridges are increasingly requiring maintenance and road closures, and they no longer meet today’s traffic demands.

    Seven bridges across Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Harnett and Robeson counties are to be replaced over the next two years. The work will start after Feb. 25 and last through summer 2021.

    School breakfast program expanded

    Twelve school districts across North Carolina have received funding from the governor’s office to expand access to school breakfast. Cumberland County Schools was one of them.

    Bill Hefner Elementary, Cumberland Road Elementary, Rockfish Elementary, J.W. Seabrook Elementary, Ashley Elementary, Morganton Road Elementary and Alderman Road Elementary schools will use the funding to increase access to breakfast. This funding is provided in partnership with No Kid Hungry and The Dairy Alliance.

    Almost 900,000 students in traditional public schools across the state are eligible for free or reduced- price school meals — 60 percent of the student population. Cumberland County Schools officials say 75 percent of the students in the district are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals.

    Photo: Anthony Grant

  •    Did you buy into that fairy tale about working hard, saving your money and playing by the rules? Sucker! You goofed up like Flounder did in Animal House when he let the guys take his brother’s car on a road trip and wreck it. You trusted the system. As John Belushi counseled a sniveling Flounder, “You screwed up. You trusted us. My advice to you is to start drinking heavily.”
       Belushi would know, he was in premed... or prelaw. It doesn’t matter, they are both the same.
       {mosimage}Even crazy Dennis Hopper, who has found work shilling for a brokerage house, can’t save you now. Your road to retirement isn’t an expressway. It’s a dead end in a swamp of toxic investments. Congratulations, it turns out we are all at the bottom of the food chain. We are financial plankton for the Whales of Wall Street. I trusted Hopper a lot more back when he portrayed Billy in the world’s greatest biker movie, Easy Rider. Way back in the 1967 world of Easy Rider, Billy and Captain America came to an unpleasant end when they were blasted off their motorcycles on a bayou road by a goiter-swollen redneck in a pickup truck.
       Things are much classier now than 40 years ago when Easy Rider went looking for America. Instead of being blasted into the hereafter by thyroid-impaired regional persons of limited education, Americans have watched their jobs, savings, homes and what’s left of the economy blasted into the financial hereafter by highly educated, three-piece wearing persons of great wealth and taste. Please allow me to introduce John Thain of Merrill Lynch, Richard Fuld of Lehman Brothers, and Bernie Madoff of the Lower Reaches of Hell. Let us consider the financial heroes who helped create an economy that lays off millions, closes down Circuit City and gives a blank check to the federal government to spend us out of our current colorful economic morass.
       These guys are admirably schooled in every grace. They are interchangeable in the same manner that capsules of cyanide are interchangeable. Well-tailored, smooth, and possessing the ethical standards of Marie Antoinette, Thain passed out $3 billion of bonuses to his buddies at Merrill Lynch in December right before it was swallowed by Bank of America. The bonus payments to the top dudes came in a year that Merrill had lost $27 billion dollars. Without the special financial acumen of his pals, Merrill might have lost $57 billion. You never know. Thain had to reward them so they wouldn’t take their ability to run Merrill into the ground to some other brokerage dying to lose billions of dollars. Thain also decorated his office to the tune of $1.2 million dollars using a supersaver coupon to scarf up a really nice rug for only $87,000. He’s a prince.
       Fuld, who presided over the collapse of Lehman Brothers, recently transferred his $13 million mansion in Florida to his wife for $100. Richard’s love for his wife is truly touching. A more sincere tribute to marital love is difficult to imagine. Some soreheads will allege that he was trying to protect his mansion from cranky creditors who will sue him because of losses incurred due to Lehman’s curious business practices. Those soreheads are just wrong. He sold his wife a $13 million dollar house for a hundred bucks because he loved her. When you give your significant other a valentine from the drug store, you should feel inadequate because you couldn’t give her a $13 million house.
       Madoff may be the biggest thief ever produced by Wall Street, which is really saying something. Or maybe not. Bernie stole $52 billion, give or take a billion. Who knows what other financial wizards are waiting to squirm into the light of day after their rock is overturned?
       Apparently, financial wizards are immune to shame. Not one of them has the decency to imitate the hero of Edwin A. Robinson’s poem “ Richard Cory” who went home and put a bullet through his head. They just have another martini.
     
      Contact Pitt Dickey at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

  • 021010driskell.jpgThe Visual Arts Alliance is very excited about the forthcoming visit of Dr. David C. Driskell. People of all ages in the local community and region need to mark their calendars for this once in a lifetime opportunity to meet a historically important artist and scholar of African- American art.

    Driskell is this month’s featured guest for the Chancellor’s Distinguished Speaker Series at Fayetteville State University. Driskell will appear on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. in the J.W. Seabrook Auditorium on the FSU campus. Admission to this event is free and open to the public.

    Born in 1931 into a family of Georgia sharecroppers, Driskell is one of the leading authorities on the subject of African-American art and the black artist in American society. His paintings can be found in major museums and private collections worldwide. His contributions to scholarship in the history of art include many books and more than 40 catalogues for exhibitions he has curated. His essays on the subject of African - American art have appeared in major publications throughout the world.

    A few of those publications include Hidden Heritage: Afro-American Art, 1800- 1950, The Other Side of Color: African American Art in the Collection of Camille O. and William H. Cosby Jr., African American Visual Aesthetics: A Postmodernist View, and Black Art: Ancestral Legacy.

    Driskell studied at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine and received his undergraduate degree in art at Howard University (1955) and a Masters in Fine Arts degree from Catholic University (1962). He joined the faculty of the Department of Art at the University of Maryland in 1977 and served as its chair from 1978-1983. He has been a practicing artist since the 1950s and his works are in major museums throughout the world, including the National Gallery of Art, the High Museum of Art and Yale University Art Gallery. Solo exhibitions of his art tour the country regularly. He is represented by a host of prominent art galleries throughout the country and abroad.

    In 1976, Driskell curated the groundbreaking exhibit Two Centuries of Black American Art: 1750-1950 which laid the foundation for the field of African- American art history. Since 1977, Driskell has served as cultural advisor to Camille O. and William H. Cosby and as the curator of the Cosby Collection of Fine Arts. In 2000, in a White House Ceremony, Driskell received the National Humanities Medal from President Bill Clinton.

    In 2001 The University of Maryland, established The David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora at the University of Maryland, College Park. This center celebrates his legacy as a distinguished university professor emeritus of art, artist, art historian, collector, and curator by preserving the rich heritage of African - American visual art and culture. It also provides an intellectual home for artists, museum professionals, art administrators and scholars of color, broadening the field of African diasporic studies.

    Driskell’s appearance is presented in partnership with the Fayetteville/ Cumberland County Arts Council and part of the community’s Black History Month celebration. His work is also included in the National Conference of Artists Michigan Chapter exhibition currently on view at the Arts Council galleries entitled Art of the Masters: A Survey of African American Images, 1980 – 2000.

    The National Conference of Artists is an organization very dear to Dr. Driskell who was one of the founding charter members in 1959. Established in the era of the modern Civil Rights Movement (1959), this organization has provided support, particularly in the early years, to those who developed careers as artists while teaching at historically black colleges and universities.

    The Visual Arts Alliance hopes that you will also attend his lecture and events at the Arts Council on Wednesday February 17 at 2 p.m. This event includes a special lecture and book signing by Dr. David C. Driskell for students at Fayetteville State University, Methodist University, Fayetteville Technical Community College and UNC Pembroke.

    The schedule of Dr. Driskell’ visit to Fayetteville can be found at www. theartscouncil.com

  • pitt.jpg

    What is love? Consider the immortal B.B. King who once mournfully sang, “Nobody loves me but my Mother/And she could be jivin’ too.” America is about to descend into Valentine’s Day: our annual festival of love and over-compensation. Today’s column, prior to transitioning into tomorrow’s fish wrap, will reverse engineer Valentine’s Day into its elements. We will then reassemble love’s components into something that Madison Avenue can sell for consumers to buy.

    Valentine’s Day likely began with the Roman holiday of Lupercalia — the wolf festival. Lupercalia was the Romans’ equivalent of Mardi Gras and The Bachelor TV show rolled into two days of making whoopee in February each year. Roman dudes got together, got nekkid, got drunk and killed a dog and a goat. This was well before PETA came on the scene, so some animals were in fact harmed during this festival. After skinning the poor critters, the Roman lads would then go hang with the Roman lasses and literally hit on them with the animal skins. 

    In a colorful Roman theory of biology, the ladies would stand in a group to wait to be flailed with the animal skins by drunken Roman frat boys. The theory is being swatting with animal skins increases ladies’ fertility. This leads to the production of more Romans; thereby serving the Empire’s need for more soldiers. The names of the ladies would be put into a jar. The lads would then pull out a name like Jeff Probst does on Survivor. Foreshadowing 1970s key parties and the Rolling Stones’ hymn to love, Let’s Spend the Night Together, the lucky couples united by the Jar of Love spent quality time together to boogie until the cows came home. 

    Our old buddy, Roman Emperor Claudius II gave Valentine’s Day its name by executing a gentleman named Valentine on Feb. 14. Like many third century activities, the actual facts are difficult to pin down. One of the versions of the story is that Valentine was a Christian priest. He got on the wrong side of Claudius by continuing to marry Romans after Claudius had come out against marriage. Claudius did not want his soldiers entangled in marriage as it would divert them from their military mission. If the Empire wants you to have a wife, it will issue you one. 

    Like Donald Trump, it did not pay to get on the wrong side of a Roman Emperor. Claudius tossed Valentine into a dungeon. While waiting for the Executioner’s Song to be sung to him, Valentine struck up a friendship with the jailor’s daughter. As his last act before crossing to the Great Beyond, Valentine wrote a love letter to the daughter signing it, “From your Valentine.” Valentine was later upgraded from prisoner to Saint by the Catholic Church.

     A couple of centuries later, Pope Gelasius I came up with the brilliant idea of combining the Lupercalia festival and St. Valentine’s day to submerge naughty bits of Lupercalia into a fifth century’s more sedate version of love as opposed to lust. After the Roman Empire bit the dust, Valentine’s Day continued. In the medieval period, between fighting off wolves and the Black Plague, every February folks would give each other handmade cards expressing their undying love. A cynic might point out that all those medieval people expressing undying love are now quite dead. Whether their love continues without them is a matter of conjecture.

    America monetized Valentine’s Day into the orgy of cuteness it is today. In 1913, Hallmark Cards began mass production of zillions of Valentines to sell to a public looking for love in all the wrong places. Industrialized no calorie love for $5.95 a card covered the Earth. We are now tormented with an annual infestation of Peeps, a thoroughly hideous candy version of chicks, bunnies, dogs and goats. 

    The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre exploded in 1929 in Chicago (some things never change) when seven members of Bugs Moran’s North Gang were lined up against a wall and machine-gunned by Al Capone’s boys, a couple of whom were dressed as Chicago Police officers. Frank Gusenburg, a member of the Moran gang who survived a few hours after being shot 14 times was asked by the real police who had shot him. Frank, a bit of a hard case, replied, “No one shot me.” 

    If given the choice, being swatted with animal pelts in Lupercalia seems preferable to being riddled by bullets in Chicago. As Dean Martin once sang, “Ain’t love a kick in the head?” 

     
  • You don’t hear from me often in this spot. I like to stay in thebackground, writing about the facts and keeping my opinions tomyself, so I leave it to my Publisher Bill and Associate Janice to penthis space and share their opinions. After all, my momma alwaystold me “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything all.”But this week, I actually havesomething nice to say.02-09-11-editorial.gif

    We read week after week,and hear day after day, ofthe evils in our present-dayworld... how uncivil we areto each other, how our kidsare bullies, and our teensare selfi sh, lazy and spoiledrotten. But I’m here to tell youthat there is hope. And that’ssaying a lot coming from me,the eternal pessimist.

    During one of our recentsnow and ice storms, perhapson the second or third day asthe city was fi nally dustingitself off and coming backto life, I came to Fayettevillefrom my home in Harnett County, fi nally heading back to work.I was making a quick stop at my mother’s to deposit my son forthe day, as schools were still closed. As I neared my mother’shouse, I saw two young boys — maybe in the neighborhood of13 or so — cleaning the snow and ice off her neighbor’s car. Likemy mother, her neighbor is an elderly widow, and these kids didnot belong to her. “Oh,” I thought to myself, “there are someentrepreneurial kids out making a buck in the cold. Good for them.At least they have initiative.” Pulling up to my mom’s house, I sawthat her car had also been cleaned off. Entering the front door, Icommented on it and asked her how much they charged for that.“They volunteered,” she responded. “Yeah, volunteered for FREEor volunteered for a few bucks?” was my skeptical response. Sheexplained that they had, in fact, volunteered for FREE.

    They were the boys that did her yard for her (albeit, not forfree) and came by and offered to clean off her car. Wow! I wasalmost stunned, which is sad. Once, that would have been acommon neighborly thing to do for each other. But these days,unfortunately, a kind simple act as that seems extraordinary. Iwatched out the window as the boys headed across the street tothe home of a disabled personand cleaned off yet anotherneighbor’s vehicle.

    I took this as a teachablemoment for my own 10-year-oldson and let him know what a nice,admirable and unselfi sh act theseboys were performing. Insteadof playing with their friends, orsitting in front of the TV with acup of hot chocolate, they wereout in their neighborhood helpingtheir neighbors — and providingexcellent customer service andadded value to their lawn-mowingbusiness customers. Sometimes,it’s all I can do to get my own dearchild to take three steps acrossthe hall to put his laundry in thelaundry room, or to feed his own cats. And many businesses inour community could learn a thing or two from these kids aboutcustomer service!

    Every now and then my faith in humanity is restored. There arestill some people who do the right things for the right reasons. Allhope is not lost for our youth. And to the parents of those two boys,whoever they may be, I applaud you for a job well done. I hope thatmy own will turn out so well, eventually.

    And as for all this cold winter weather we’ve been having, toborrow a line from Grady Bowman’s Facebook post, “I’m snowover it.” Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weeklyand thank goodnessthe Groundhogpredicted an earlySpring!

  •    Let’s be honest.
       It is hard not to love a wedding and the bride and groom who make the occasion possible. My children have reached the age where they, at least one of them, and many of their friends are taking the great marital plunge. I look forward to the festivities associated with each and every one of them and shed a tear or two at most. I even have outfits that I have come to think of as my cold weather wedding dress and my warm weather wedding dress.
       One of those childhood friends of my children, a young man I have known since he first drew breath, married last month — not in North Carolina, not even in the United States — but in India. 
       And, as they say on television, I was there.
       India is a wonderfully hospitable nation and a feast of sights and smells. Our bride is Indian and attended a branch of our internationally-respected University of North Carolina system. Our groom, a Fayetteville native, met his future wife in college, and because both have many American friends, our band of wedding goers was mostly American, with a couple of Canadians, Mexicans and several other nationalities adding diversity and spice. The bride’s parents made us feel extraordinarily welcome by requesting measurements for saris and other garments before some of us even had airline tickets. The wedding was in Changdigarh, a lovely city planned in the 1950s by the French architect Le Corbusier as the capital of the Punjab after independence was established. By Indian standards, it is a small city with about 1 million people.  
        I knew this was going to be fun when I learned that for the festivities the night before the wedding I should wear something suitable to ride a camel. 
       The occasion was described as a “cocktail party,” but I can tell you truthfully that I have attended many cocktail parties in my lifetime, and never have I had both a cocktail and a camel ride at the same event.
       The party was held in a large outdoor venue, with dancers, music and astoundingly bountiful food, but my first priority was the camel ride which I can only describe as, well, undulating. Camels are not noted for their sunny dispositions, and mine was wearing a bag of sorts over his nose to deter both biting and spitting. I was a tad concerned about being too heavy for him, but, in fact, he was huge, and when he stood up, I gripped the saddle handle with all my strength not to be thrown into oblivion. I loved my ride, which afforded a view of the party from what had to be about 12 feet or more above the crowd; and when it was time to dismount my surly camel, the saddle handle again saved me from an embarrassing tumble. 
       I will remember that ride forever. 
       And then, the wedding! Every wedding, of course, is a significant occasion, with a man and a woman pledging themselves to go through life together, come what may. But traditions and ceremonies for doing so vary considerably.
       Before my first big, fat Indian wedding, we American women had already hennaed on our hands and arms, but our decorations paled beside the intricate designs on the arms and legs of the bride. We Americans, both women and men, were thrilled with our fabulous traditional Indian clothes, mine a gorgeous magenta sari. 
       At the appointed hour, our groom appeared atop a white horse, both of them dressed to the nines. We marched, danced and generally cut up around him as he made his way to the bride for their marriage ceremony, a procession which reminded me of a Second Line Parade in New Orleans.  
       Never have I seen clothes like those of our bride and our groom, intricately and lovingly embroidered, both beautiful and heavy. One would have to work out daily to wear such garments on a regular basis.
       This occasion was held at a large outdoor venue with much food and drink but no camels. The bride and groom sat on pillows beneath a tent surrounded by their families with friends seated on benches and chairs outside the tent. The vows were both solemn and practical, with the groom promising never to sleep outside the home without a good reason and the bride given dominion over the “eatables.” There were playful moments as well, as young friends of the bride and groom played a spirited running game of “hide the groom’s shoes” to prevent him from departing with his new bride. Our groom did keep his shoes, though, and the bride was carried to a waiting, flower-bedecked car in a flower-bedecked litter. 
       Off they went with the groom’s mother into the Indian night, the symbolic transfer of the bride to her groom and his family. 
       Our Indian trip was a unique treat, a shared experience with friends as well as a physical and cultural journey. 
       I am so glad I was there and so glad to be home in America.

    Contact Margaret Dickson at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

  • PLANNING YOUR OWN FUTURE

    Just as you take inventory of your parents’ resources, so should you evaluate your own. We believe that if you take the time and make the effort to get ready for the final stages of your life, as difficult and as expensive as some of those preparations may be, you will make that part of your life far more secure and fulfilling than it would otherwise be for both you and your loved ones.

    Plan today for your tomorrow.

    Where you will end up on the curve and how much care, if any, you will need depends on a number of variables:

    • Shoot for the Galapagos but prepare for the worst. By all means plan for a comfortable, exciting retirement. But plan simultaneously for the time when that wonderful retirement might be cut short, gradually or suddenly, by accident or disease. Any of us could spend months, or perhaps years, with our physical or mental aptitudes in disheartening decline.

    • Prepare now — and you should begin to plan immediately, because as you likely know from the experience with your parents, if you wait for an emergency to begin planning, the emotional and financial difficulties will be multiplied.

    • Prioritize — think sensibly about the basic needs in your life, beyond food and other essentials, and focus on what you could give up and could not give up.

    • Buy a home to last. If you are moving, either within your current area or many miles away, contemplate the kind of house you will want not just next year, but in 10 or 15 years, when you are likely to be less enthusiastic about climbing the flights of stairs.

    • Estate planning. Everyone, and certainly everyone with children, should have a formal, comprehensive, written estate plan that designates a power of attorney for someone else to act in their behalf.

    • Will. You can’t assume that your children or other heirs are going to apportion whatever money you leave in a way that you would consider fair. Make your wishes clear and legal in a will. Even when the financial consequences of dying without a will are small, the emotional repercussions can be tremendous.

    • Advance Directive. This document is as crucial as a will( and is sometimes referred to as a living will)and emotionally might be even more difficult to face. The document states your wishes in some terrible accident or medical episode leaves you near death with little or no chance of recovery. It also creates a health care proxy, a relative or friend who can make the decisions associated with such an event on your behalf.

    • Power of Attorney. You should give someone the power of attorney to act on your behalf if you are disabled in an accident or by an illness. Even though you will likely recover to take care of your own finances and sign important papers, in the meantime someone will have to sign the papers for the mortgage refinancing or the lease on the summer cabin. Give your power of attorney to an alternate as well.

    • Last wishes. You can do your family a great favor by providing final instructions which address questions and other issues which are important to you. Don’t put the burden of making these decisions on your children.

    • Long-Term Care Protection. One way is to reinforce the income you expect from savings and the equity in your home with long-term care insurance. A typical policy purchased currently would provide $100 a day worth of care, roughly the cost of a professional non-medical caregiver at home for five hours a day at current rates. A reassuring policy would cover you for four years of care with a provision for inflation of 5 percent a year compounded. There are financial advantages to buying early, of course; evaluate your options.

  • Caring for the Creatures Among Us

    It was a wrenching moment, but hardly the first one I have had on this issue.

    One of my morning newspapers carried a front page close-up last week of the face of a precious but sad-looking bulldog puppy with a black spot over one eye and a white one over the other. The image was captured during a raid of a Stokes County puppy mill from which about 160 puppies and dogs were rescued from crowded and filthy cages. A tour of other such photos on the newspaper’s website showed appalling conditions at this particular puppy mill, so if you are squeamish, you may want to skip over this part.

    Animals who have had no veterinary care in their entire lives. 02-22-12-margaret.jpg

    Animals who have been blinded by untreated eye infections.

    Animals whose legs have become deformed from living in cages too small for their size.

    Animals with mice in their cages.

    Animals who cannot take a step without walking on their own urine and feces. Their coats are matted with their own waste.

    Animals with wires sticking into their cages.

    And the list goes on and on…

    The newspaper quotes Phil Handy, Stokes County’s animal control director, as saying, “I’m relieved we were able to come to the aid of these dogs.”

    In fairness, this particular puppy mill, Dan River Bullies, just north of Winston Salem, is hardly the only one in North Carolina, and is probably not the worst. Several hundred dogs at a time have been removed from other puppy mills in our state, and animal organizations say they have identified puppy mills in the rural areas of Cumberland County. Rural areas are attractive to such operations because they limit exposure from the public and from law enforcement authorities.

    So what is a puppy mill?

    It is a dog breeding facility where dogs are bred for profit and where overhead —food, cleanliness, living conditions and health care—are secondary to making money. Dogs bred — often in such facilities — are sold to an unsuspecting public over the Internet and sometimes in pet stores. The buyers have no clue they are getting dogs bred in such conditions. These dogs often have illnesses, serious medical and/or behavioral problems.

    The bottom line for a puppy mill is that profit comes before the well-being of the animals.

    The first time I ever heard of a puppy mill was in 2009 when I was serving in the North Carolina General Assembly. Legislation was being proposed that commercial dog breeders with more animals than could be pets would merely register with the state so that there would be a record of who and where they were. Breeders of dogs used in medical facilities and in pet stores already register. Most other small businesses register with the state by incorporating, so why should dog breeders be any different? It sounded like such a good idea to me that I signed on and became a sponsor of this legislation, which meant I advocated for it with my House and Senate colleagues.

    Then came one of the most astounding and baffling political firestorms I have ever seen.

    The simple notion that commercial dog breeders should register with the state like any other commercial enterprise brought down the wrath of our state’s powerful agricultural animal industry, primarily hog producers but some poultry producers as well. Their fear was that treating puppies humanely would somehow lead to more attention to the practices in their industries, including keeping pregnant sows in crates during the gestation process. Some even suggested that registering commercial dog breeders was the first step in making North Carolina a “vegetarian state.”

    Really!

    The bill passed the North Carolina Senate, but the House succumbed to industry pressure and the bill died. Puppy mills continue to operate, as the raid on Dan River Bullies graphically and sadly illustrates.

    If you are looking for a pet dog, good for you! My dogs, and there have been many, continue to enrich my life.

    A reputable and caring dog breeder will welcome you into his facility, so ask to see it. If someone offering to sell you a dog defers about an on-site visit with excuses like it is too “inconveniently located” or “I am in your neighborhood right now,” or asks to meet you in a parking lot, say “No!” and run for the hills. That soft and fluffy bundle of sheer puppy joy he is offering could come with heartache and major expenses.

    Meanwhile, encourage our legislators — whoever may be elected this year — to develop some steel in their spines when the pork industry comes calling and to follow the lead of many other states in dealing with the very real and very damaging puppy mill industry.

    How we treat animals bred for our pleasure, not our nourishment, tells us what kind of people we really are.

    Photo: Animal organizations say they have identified puppy mills in the rural areas of Cumberland County. 

  • 07Firefighter in fireSince 2007, five members of the Fayetteville Fire Department have died of cancer. Officials are trying to prevent any more deaths attributed to occupational hazards. Capt. Jay Leonard and Capt. Adam Ferguson have been involved in the fire department’s Cancer Prevention Initiative for a year now. Cancer is striking the fire service at alarming rates.

    As of last week, the more than 300 Fayetteville firefighters have attended cancer information classes and learned of ways to protect themselves.

    “The intent of the class was to educate the firefighters on the risk they face and actions they can take to minimize these risks,” said Deputy Fire Chief Mike Hill. Captains Leonard and Ferguson said firefighters face cancer rates that are substantially greater than most Americans. They said the most likely causes are the chemicals emitted from ordinary household items when they burn.

    In 2006, the University of Cincinnati studied firefighters across the country and found they were twice as likely to die from cancer than nonfirefighters. Laws in nearly 40 states have expanded medical, workers’ compensation and disability coverage for such cancer cases, and fire departments across the country are revamping training and how they handle gear to try and reduce risks.

    Research concluded that firefighters should shower as soon as possible after fighting fires. Their uniforms and turnout gear should be washed immediately because carcinogens can easily collect on a firefighter’s clothing and skin. The Cancer Prevention Initiative provides details about which products to use to decontaminate turnout gear. Information about protective hoods is also provided. It is even recommended that the interiors of fire engine cabs be decontaminated.

    “Our firefighters face dangers every day that most people don’t face, and this research shows another danger,” Fire Chief Ben Major said. “I would like to thank Capt. Leonard and Capt. Ferguson for their hard work on this initiative.” Both men were honored with the city of Fayetteville’s Core Values Award last week.

    “The true reward is the contribution they have made to saving lives in the firefighting industry,” said Major.

    The Fire Department’s cancer research includes 75 pages of facts and videos from fire departments across the country. In 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the final results of what is currently the largest study of cancer risk among career firefighters ever conducted in the U.S. The study of 30,000 firefighters showed that, compared with the general population, firefighters on average are at higher risk for certain kinds of cancer – mainly oral, digestive, respiratory, genital and urinary cancers.

  • 06Hand water pumpCumberland County Commissioners have ordered an engineering study to determine the cost of extending city water to the Gray’s Creek area off NC 87, south of Fayetteville. It’s in keeping with the board of commissioners’ stated determination to make public water available in rural areas of the county. The study will be conducted by Moorman, Kizer & Reitzel, Inc., to estimate the cost of running water lines to residential areas near the Bladen County line. Commissioners took the action without comment based on a recommendation from the board’s finance committee.

    Fayetteville’s Public Works Commission has agreed to reimburse the county one-half the $129,000 cost of the study. The move was the first official step toward providing public water to the Gray’s Creek area since tests of about 250 private wells showed elevated levels of GenX. The state began investigating GenX in June of last year after researchers discovered the chemical in the Cape Fear River downstream from the Chemours Fayetteville Works plant. GenX is an unregulated chemical product used by Chemours to make Teflon for cookware. Teflon has been manufactured at the former DuPont plant at the Cumberland/ Bladen County line for 40 years.

    Before GenX was introduced a few years ago, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), also known as C-8, was used to make the nonstick product. PFOA is a synthetic compound that had been used since the 1940s in industrial quantities. When PFOA was determined to be potentially dangerous to public health, DuPont switched to GenX. It is not regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or any North Carolina public health agency.

    In October 2013, DuPont announced that it was planning to spin off its performance chemicals business into a new publicly traded company in July 2015. DuPont announced that the new firm would be called The Chemours Company. Chemours’ stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the same date. Chemours assumed various liabilities arising from lawsuits against DuPont. While GenX has been linked to cancer in animal studies, Chemours insists there is no evidence it is dangerous to humans.

    Some Cumberland County Commissioners are concerned that not everyone in Gray’s Creek will want to pay their share of the cost of water lines because not all private wells are polluted. Gray’s Creek residents defeated a referendum to extend public water to their community in 2011. But given today’s circumstances and the presence of GenX in well water, plus the county’s determination to make city water available in rural areas, the board of commissioners could create a public water and sewer district and tax residents of the district.

  • 05bag of moneyThe chairman of Fayetteville City Council’s Baseball Committee says the city’s $33 million stadium price tag could be exceeded. “I haven’t seen the construction costs,” Councilman Jim Arp said following a committee meeting. “$33 million was our best estimate.”

    Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer echoed Arp’s words, saying, “I never said it would stay within budget.” Bauer is the city’s project manager. Arp said, however, that he does not favor raising taxes to offset potential cost overruns.

    Meanwhile, one of the first major subcontracts has been awarded for the downtown construction project. Barton Mallow Co. Project Manager Charlie Lewis told the baseball committee that Briegan Concrete Constructors of Clayton was awarded a $5 million contract to build the stadium’s outer perimeter or concourse. The cement work is scheduled to begin next month.

    Another local cold case solved

    The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office has made an arrest in a cold homicide case dating back 16 years. Isaac McDonald, 42, formerly of Fayetteville, was taken into custody in Fort Smith, Arkansas, according to the sheriff’s office. He is accused in the death of Janet L. Norris, 39, whose body was found in the trunk of her car on April 20, 2002.

    McDonald is a registered sex offender in Arkansas. His arrest followed evidence testing that was not available at the time of the murder. The state’s chief medical examiner had listed asphyxiation as the cause of death but could not determine if it was a homicide. The case was not pursued at the time by the district attorney’s office after the late D.A. Ed Grannis determined there was not enough evidence. North Carolina authorities have begun efforts to have McDonald extradited.

    Firearms restraining order

    North Carolina Rep. Marcia Morey, a Durham Democrat who spent 18 years as a district court judge, wants judges to be able to remove guns from people who exhibit “threatening, erratic or dangerous behavior.” The lawmaker revealed her plan less than a week after Nikolas Cruz, 19, walked into a high school in Florida and opened fire with an assault rifle.

    Cruz had been repeatedly identified by federal and local authorities as a troubled teen after people who knew him complained that he could be a threat to himself or others. “This gun restraining order proposal is not a solution to gun violence but can be a step in the right direction to thwart future tragedies,” Morey said. “It provides for people who ‘see something’ to have the power not only to ‘say something’ but ‘do something’ by going to court.”

    Her idea is that anyone with firsthand knowledge of someone in possession of a firearm behaving in a threatening manner could petition the court for a gun violence restraining order. If granted, the judge would order law enforcement to temporarily remove any weapons from the individual and schedule a hearing to discuss whether to bar the person from having firearms.

    Airborne, all the way

    Soldiers on jump status who want to keep drawing the extra pay that goes with it must jump out of a plane at least once every 90 days. That’s been the rule since the 1950s. But extenuating circumstances have often forced soldiers to pay back their $150 jump pay if they miss one of those four yearly jumps. During fiscal year 2016, the Army says 780 soldiers missed required jumps and had to pay back more than $500,000 – up to six months’ worth in some cases, despite completing at least four jumps that year.

    But in January, according to the XVIII Airborne Corps, the Army updated the regulation to allow commanders to waive one of those jumps per year without affecting a paratrooper’s pay. “This is a small change that can pay big dividends for our troopers,” XVIII Airborne Corps Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Albertson said.

    Contributions for the downtown arts district sought

    Cool Spring Downtown District has established a campaign to win donors for the district’s projects. The First Friends campaign was kicked off in late January to ensure the financial stability of the district. Donations to the tax-deductible fund will enable design improvements, enhanced programming and economic vitality in the newly-defined downtown arts and entertainment district.

    First Friends donors will be recognized alongside the organization’s founders on a permanent plaque displayed in the downtown district offices.

    Contributions of all amounts are welcome. Persons donating $50 or more before April 30 will be designated First Friends. Donations may be delivered or mailed to the Cool Spring Downtown District, 222 Hay St., Fayetteville. Or pay by credit card by calling 910-223-1089.

    Local attorney honored

    Gardner H. Altman Jr. is Fayetteville’s most recent recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. He received the award in a brief ceremony at Epicenter Church on Fort Bragg Road. The sanctuary was built 40 years ago by Altman’s father, the late Gardner Altman Sr.

    The Order of the Long Leaf Pine honor is awarded by the governor to persons who have made significant contributions to the state and their communities through exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments. Altman Jr. has served as legal adviser to several North Carolina-based companies and nonprofit organizations since 1971. He is the cofounder of the Hogs & Rags Charity Ride and has been a benefactor for many North Carolina charities and events.

  • 11 FTCC test prepStudents often ask the question, “How does one prepare for the placement test?” FTCC offers the North Carolina Diagnostic Assessment and Placement Test, which measures a student’s current academic ability. Test results determine if a student is ready for college-level courses or needs to enroll in pre-curriculum courses.

    The unfortunate reality is that most students do not prepare for the placement test; they just show up. Failure to do well on the NC DAP has consequences because pre-curriculum courses delay completion, eat up financial aid and are not creditbearing courses.

    FTCC recommends students prepare by completing a free online practice test called the NC DAP Longsdale. Students may also enroll in a face-to-face workshop with FTCC’s College and Career Readiness office. For the learner who prefers personal interaction with a teacher, these options have proven effective. Students may also take home study guides, which are also available at the Tony Rand Student Center. Practice tests have proven to increase test scores and reduce test anxiety.

    There is no golden rule concerning how much time is required to prepare for the placement test, but FTCC recommends that students allow at least a week or more to prepare for any test or exam. On test day, students should eat a good breakfast following a good night of rest and arrive prepared to do their best.

    Students also employ rituals, such as utilizing a special pencil, wearing clothing items they perceive to be lucky, etc., to bring them good luck on testing day. Some students also use spiritual preparation, such as chanting, meditating, fasting or praying to help them achieve success with testing. Students also find that yoga and Pilates help provide a sense of calmness and relaxation prior to taking the test. Other forms of preparation include walking, jogging or vigorous physical activity, which raise your heart rate, decrease stress and increase alertness. However, FTCC advises students not to overdo physical activity prior to taking a test to avoid fatigue, which can cause oversleeping and drowsiness.

    On test day, students should arrive at the test location 15-30 minutes early to locate the designated room for testing. Test-takers must present a government- issued picture identification card (driver’s license, state ID, passport or tribal ID) for entry. Current FTCC students may use the FTCC ID when re-testing. About 25 percent of students who take the placement test forget the required ID, which can result in panic and anxiety.

    Once a student has completed the test, he or she will receive test results immediately. Students learn if they need additional preparation or if they may proceed with registering for classes. An FTCC advisor or counselor is available to assist students with the next steps.

    Students may take the NC DAP at the Tony Rand Student Center at the Fayetteville campus, at the Spring Lake Campus and at the Fort Bragg Training and Education Center. FTCC offers testing daily, and students may schedule an appointment or simply walk in. FTCC provides accommodations for students with special needs. Testing is also available for online or distance education students.

    Call 910-678-8417 or visit FTCC to begin your new journey to a better future through education.

  • 07 news stadiumThe city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County have ceremoniously signed the papers financially supporting the new baseball stadium. County Commission Chairman Larry Lancaster and Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin came together at city hall with members of their boards present. Buies Creek Astros minor league team general manager David Lane was also on hand.

    The single-A Houston farm team has already moved from California to North Carolina. But, construction of the local ballpark is just now getting underway and won’t be ready for baseball until the spring of next year. Until then, the team is playing at Campbell University in Buies Creek.

    “Teamwork and good sportsmanship are alive and well in our community,” said Lancaster. He and Colvin executed separate interlocal agreements to devote property tax revenues earned from collateral investments near the stadium in support of the ballpark business plan. “This is a wonderful example of community collaboration,” Colvin said. Since taking office in December, Colvin has emphasized improving local government working relationships.

    A special tax district is being created in the relatively small area that surrounds the stadium. Tax revenues received from private development in that district will be devoted to paying off the baseball stadium’s $33 million bond debt. It will be among the most expensive minor league stadiums on the East Coast.

    The city agreed to grant a Durham- based developer exclusive rights to the property adjacent to the ballpark. PCH Holdings, LLC is currently renovating the interior of the former Prince Charles Hotel. Once that’s completed, the company will turn its attention to the exterior. It will become an apartment building. The firm also plans to build a four-story parking garage as well as a multistory hotel on top of the garage as well as retail shops. The city of Fayetteville has agreed to purchase the parking deck from PCH Holdings at its actual construction cost. The garage will be used for public parking.

    The signing event also included execution of an amendment to a related agreement between the city, county and Public Works Commission for continued funding of the Franklin Street parking garage. The original parking garage agreement for tax-increment funding was approved in 2010. The county will contribute property tax collections to the project for five years after the stadium is completed and 75 percent for an additional 15 years.

    The amendment redefines the district’s boundaries, adds a provision to treat formerly tax-exempt property in the same manner as nonexempt property and changes the termination of the county’s obligation for the parking deck to Dec. 31, 2030. PWC continues to provide funding for the operation and maintenance of the Franklin Street parking garage.

  • 06 ThermostatPWC responded positively to dozens of its customers who showed up at a Fayetteville city council meeting to vent their frustrations over unexpectedly high power bills. Eastern North Carolina faced frigid temperatures in January as polar conditions descended upon the entire East Coast. Temperatures measured at Raleigh-Durham International Airport dipped below zero on New Year’s Eve and stayed well below freezing for eight days, a period matched only twice in recorded history, said Nick Petro, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Raleigh.

    The effect of frigid weather on individual utility bills can’t be predicted with precision because of many variables: billing periods vary; homes are different sizes; some homes are better insulated than others; thermostat settings vary; and some homes make use of space heaters while others do not.

    Some PWC customers stated their bills had doubled, even tripled, mostly as the result of the unusually cold winter weather in late December and early January. Many were fearful that their electricity would be turned off because of their inability to pay their high bills.

    PWC customer service manager Mark Brown assured them there would be no cutoffs or late charges for PWC customers who make payment arrangements. He urged customers to contact his office before their invoices are due so special arrangements can be set up. This was confirmed by PWC general manager David Trego, who told Up & Coming Weekly that in January alone PWC assisted nearly 17,000 of their customers with their unexpectedly high utility bills by granting due date extensions. He said that represents 20 percent of PWC’s customer base. After the city council meeting, Brown met with about 30 residents to answer questions and provide additional assistance.

    Local businessman Clarence Briggs, founder of AIT – a web hosting and technology firm – had his own concerns with PWC. He claims the Hometown Utility has been overcharging his Hay Street office building for months, and he’s hired a utility auditing firm to check into it. Brown said PWC has also examined AIT’s records, and so far, has found errors totaling $130, which have already been credited to Brigg’s account. Briggs requested that the city use its oversight to hold PWC accountable. But, under state law, the city has no regulatory authority over the independently- operated utility.

    Public Works electricity rates have not changed since May 2017. PWC encourages customers with questions or concerns to contact them immediately.

  • 05 News DigestFor several years, U.S. special operations forces have been operating outside the public eye in West Africa. They have worked alongside local forces to counter various extremist groups. Few outside military circles paid any attention to the U.S. mission in Niger until the deaths of four American troops in an Oct. 2017 firefight. The three Green Berets were members of the 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg. Although Sgt. La David Johnson was airborne qualified, he was not a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, according to 82nd officials.

    The incident report of the battle could be released in a matter of weeks, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said. “It is extensive, it is thousands of pages long,” Mattis said of the report, adding that “it is looking at all aspects, not just to this specific incident but to the broader circumstances surrounding that incident.”

    Mattis cautioned that Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, commander of U.S. Africa Command, will set that timetable. Recommendations are expected to include tighter oversight of elite forces on the ground.

    The New York Times said a draft of the report of the Oct. 4 attack by ISIS-affiliated militants calls for reducing the number of U.S. ground missions in Niger and stripping field commanders of the authority to dispatch troops on risky missions. Commanders in Niger currently have the authority to make decisions on when to launch reconnaissance patrols.

    Cross Creek Mall visitor information center is closed

    For many years, the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau staffed an information center outside J.C. Penny’s interior entrance at Cross Creek Mall. FACVB ambassadors volunteered at the center. It was closed recently by mall management, according to John Meroski, CEO of the bureau.“Due to other plans from the mall, the space is no longer free,” he said. “In today’s market, we are able to bring visitors information directly to them.”

    He added that “the bureau’s mobile app, information in the hotels and local advertising in Up & Coming Weekly and Weekender are among many marketing mediums we use.” An information center is still open at the Fayetteville Transportation and Local History Museum on Franklin Street.

    Human Services consolidation in the offing

    After a closed session during a recent special meeting, the Cumberland County Board of Health named Assistant County Manager Duane Holder as interim health director, effective immediately. Deputy health director Rod Jenkins had served as the interim director since July 7 and asked that he return to his duties as deputy director. Holder provided the board of health a short update on planned human services consolidation.

    In 2012, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted legislation that provided counties with new options for reorganizing and governing some local human services agencies, including local health departments and departments of social services. Commissioners have invited members of both boards to a presentation by the University of North Carolina School of Government about the reorganization and governance of local public health and other human services agencies. The presentation will take place Feb. 27 at 11 a.m. at the Department of Social Services office building.

    Cold murder case resolved

    Fayetteville Police have charged Howard A. Ashleman, 24, with the murder 3 1/2 years ago of James Allan Chambers II. Ashleman listed his home as in Wade, North Carolina.

    Chambers was reported missing to the Fayetteville Police Department by his family Aug. 24, 2014. He was last seen the next day. The FPD’s Homicide Unit suspected foul play and assumed the investigation.

    Earlier this month, homicide detectives brought formal murder and armed robbery charges against Ashleman. Police didn’t say how they got a break in the case. The FPD’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team, along with SBI agents and Randolph County Sheriff’s deputies, apprehended Ashleman in Sophia, North Carolina.

    Police have not said whether Chambers’ body has been found. Ashleman is being held in the Cumberland County Detention Center without bond.

    Local bridge to close March 5

    The Grove Street/NC 24 bridge over the Cape Fear River will close for about one month for repairs and maintenance work that will extend its longevity. The contractor, ACC West Coast LLC of Benicia, California, will make concrete repairs below the bridge and replace deck joints on the driving surface.

    The North Carolina Department of Transportation awarded the $999,500 contract in December. DOT did not say whether an inspection had found the bridge to be structurally unsound. The bridge was built in 1974 and carries about 25,000 vehicles each day.

    Preliminary work is already underway with the closure of both inside lanes. If Mother Nature cooperates, the contractor will close the bridge to all traffic. While the bridge is closed, local residents will be detoured using Person Street to Cedar Creek Road/ NC 53, Clinton Road and U.S. 301/Business 95.

    Photos: Top row, L-R: Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Washington; Sgt. La David Johnson of Miami Gardens, Florida; Bottom row, L-R: Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio; Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, 29, of Lyons, Georgia.

  • 15Pat HallNow that Hope Mills Lake has finally returned, an equally long journey may be coming to a fruitful conclusion: the struggle to open a museum dedicated to sharing the story of the old mill village that today’s town of Hope Mills grew from.

    Pat Hall and the Hope Mills Historical Preservation Commission have been working with various pieces to make the museum a reality, and with the lake finally restored, she’s hoping things will begin to move quickly so the museum can open its doors to visitors within a year or more.

    “Our goal is to preserve the history of the mill village and educate people about a lot of things that happened here that people are completely unaware of,’’ Hall said.

    Prior to the Civil War, Hope Mills was home to the largest textile mill in the state, which stood in what is now a wooded area near the entrance to the Clifton Forge subdivision that sits by the restored lake.

    The mill was destroyed by General William T. Sherman’s army when it came through the area in March of 1865.

    The long-range plan is to turn some seven acres of land where the mill once stood into Heritage Park, which would stretch from the Clifton Forge entrance all the way back to Main Street and the old Episcopal Church and parish house.

    The town acquired that area some years ago with the intent to use it for cultural purposes, possibly a museum. But a variety of delays forced Hall and her committee to seek an alternative, and it fell into their lap not long along when a house in the historic district near the intersection of Trade and Main Streets with a view of the lake went on the market.

    “We called the realtor, took it to the town and said please look at this and consider it for a museum,’’ Hall said. “They did and bought it.’’

    Now with a place to actually put memorabilia on display, the committee still has a good bit of work left to tackle, Hall said. The house will require some renovation, mostly to get it up to accessibility standards required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

    They also need to compile and catalog the many items they’ve acquired over the years that may be on display in the museum, which will be designed with the goal of telling the story of the mill village.

    The town provided a collection of written records, she said. Much of the memorabilia came from Eddie Brower and the late Hope Mills mayor, Eddie Dees, Hall said. Hall added that after becoming mayor, Dees uncovered a heritage plan the town had commissioned some years ago that had gotten lost. Much of the information in that document has been guiding the current committee on how it will preserve the history of the mill village.

    Another Dees innovation that has helped the gathering of living history was his idea to hold a reunion of mill workers during the town’s annual Ole Mill Days celebration.

    “We held the first reunion in 2008,’’ Hall said. “That has been a popular part of Ole Mill Days in October. The attendees have items like trophies, rings, jewelry and awards they received when they worked at the mill. They have been bringing some of that to the reunions and donating it to us.’’

    The next big challenge for the committee after sorting out all the things that have been donated will be the actual construction of display cases and finding the best way to present the town’s story in museum form.

    “We’ve had volunteers offer to build displays,’’ she said. “One of those volunteers is the person that works at the Museum of the Cape Fear (in Fayetteville),’’ she said. “We’ll reach out to other local museums for any advice they have.’’

    The greater long-range project will be the construction of Heritage Park. Hall said there are much larger items they hope to put on display there, including the gates from the old dam and other larger pieces of equipment associated with the mills that were a central part of life in old Hope Mills.

    When the whole project is done, Hall said Heritage park will likely include trails along the creek bank, canoe slips, fishing piers and picnic tables. There will be a hanging bridge over the creek where people can walk to the property where the old Episcopal Church and parish house stand.

    Hall thinks it’s fitting that much of the completed project will be just a short distance from the Eddie Dees Building, which stands with his name on it at the corner of Main and Trade Streets.

    The former mayor made the return of the lake a major part of his years in office. “It’s like he’s still guiding us,’’ Hall said. “A lot of years of effort, perseverance and tenacity are behind that little mill house that hopefully will be our museum.’’

    If anyone has items they would like to donate for possible display in the museum, contact Hall at 910-308-8663.

    Photo: Pat Hall

  • 09panhandlingFayetteville City Council’s hopes for recommended changes to the local panhandling ordinance have been delayed again. City Attorney Karen MacDonald asked that the item be removed from council’s February work session agenda. She said she would try to have her long-awaited report ready in March. Last fall, City Manager Doug Hewett said the administration would research the local ordinance and report back with some ideas. That was in October.

    McDonald has been meeting with Police Chief Gina Hawkins since then but twice has asked council for delays as to her findings.

    “For one thing, work session agendas have been full recently,” she said.

    The existing ordinance makes it illegal for panhandlers to beg anywhere in the city after dark. It prohibits panhandling altogether in the downtown area, along busy roadways and within 50 feet of ATMs and outdoor dining areas. Council members are especially concerned about routine begging on highway medians and at street corners.

    One problem is that the law is rarely enforced and hardly ever prosecuted in the courts.

    “Panhandlers are having a chilling effect on commerce,” said Councilman Jim Arp. “We need more aggressive enforcement.”

    He noted that panhandling is prohibited in the downtown area, and a police officer who walks a foot post attempts to shoo them off.

    But, “it’s getting worse,” said Councilman Larry Wright.

    Police officials have said they are kept busy on patrol and that detaining panhandlers takes them off their beats for hours at a time.

    “Most researchers and practitioners seem to agree that the enforcement of laws prohibiting panhandling plays only a part in controlling the problem,” said The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing. “Public education to discourage people from giving money to panhandlers and adequate social services for panhandlers are essential components of an effective and comprehensive response,” it concluded.

    Before the November election, two members of city council suggested that people who give money to panhandlers should be charged.

    “Problem-oriented policing places a high value on new responses that are preventive, that are not dependent on the use of the criminal justice system and that engage other public agencies, said Herman Goldstein, professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School. He was the architect of the concept.

    “As courts strike down laws that authorize police to regulate public disorder, and as police are less inclined to enforce such laws, panhandling flourishes,” noted the Center for Problem Oriented Policing’s Michael Scott.

    MacDonald said she is studying the ways other North Carolina cities are dealing with panhandling and street people in general. Officials elsewhere have found that the more specific panhandling ordinances are, the more likely they can withstand court tests.

    But, enforcement of local laws alone will not solve the problem. If MacDonald stays on schedule, she will make her recommendations to city council March 5.

     

  • 08Stadium aerial overviewFayetteville city and Cumberland county policymakers have resolved their funding differences on a pair of downtown development issues. Cumberland County commissioners voted unanimously to reaffirm their support of the Hay Street minor league baseball stadium. And they agreed to continue funding their share of the Franklin Street parking garage through 2030.

    Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin said at a recent meeting of the Fayetteville-Cumberland Liaison Committee that he and County Commission Chairman Larry Lancaster had discussed the agreements.

    “I applaud Chairman Lancaster and the commission for partnering with us in this transformative project,” Colvin said. “This is a new day in our community, and I am excited about our future.” City council confirmed minor revisions county government agreed to.

    Commissioner Jimmy Keefe said the county had intended to help pay for the garage until the debt was paid off. He made the motion to adopt the interlocal agreements that had previously been agreed to by city council. “We are getting to where we need to be with the city of Fayetteville,” he said. Keefe served for several years on city council before being elected to the county board.

    County Attorney Rick Morefield told commissioners his review of the agreement from the city was in keeping with county expectations.

    The city is building a $33 million baseball stadium on Hay Street that will be home to a Houston Astros’ advance single-A farm team. City and county officials agreed a year and a half ago to jointly support the project, but the city’s baseball committee became concerned when county government sought to modify its funding of the parking deck. The city, county and Fayetteville Public Works Commission shared in the construction cost of the four-story garage. Any change in that arrangement would have negatively impacted the business plan adopted for the ballpark.

    County commissioners this month agreed to rebate 100 percent of county property taxes earned from new development associated with the stadium for five years and 75 percent for the following 15 years. City council made an identical pledge of financial support.

    PCH Holdings, a Durham-based private developer, is renovating the former Price Charles Hotel adjacent to the stadium. It will be transformed into an apartment building, with the eighth-floor ballroom becoming a posh, high-level apartment.

    The firm also plans to build a four-story hotel atop a new four-story parking garage immediately adjacent to the Fayetteville train station. PCH Holdings also plans on developing the commercial property it has acquired in the available acreage surrounding the ballpark footprint. The numerous projects, including the stadium, are expected to represent $100 million in economic development.

  • 07NewsDigestEight senior officers of the Fayetteville Police Department comprise Police Chief Gina Hawkins’ new Executive Command Staff. Four of them have been promoted to the rank of major: Laura Downing, James Nolette, Robert Ramirez and Darry Whitaker. Four lieutenants were promoted to captain. They are Kemberie Braden, Brian Gainey, Todd Joyce and Samuel Oates. They will answer to Assistant Chiefs Anthony Kelly and Michael Petti.

    The promotions took effect Feb. 5 and represent the first significant change in the FPD’s command structure in more than 30 years.

    Public safety recruiting enhanced

    Over 140 participants representing 45 jurisdictions in three states attended Fayetteville’s first public safety diversity forum at Fayetteville State University. The daylong series of workshops was entitled “Inclusive & Diverse Talent Acquisition for 21st Century Public Safety.” Experts in diversity recruitment gave Fayetteville fire and police executives an opportunity to network with their counterparts from other agencies.

    “It provided us with an opportunity to understand what has worked well in other communities and what may work well for us,” said Fayetteville Fire Chief Ben Major. The Fayetteville Fire Department has historically had difficulty recruiting minority men and women. Fewer than a dozen of FFD’s 300 firefighters are African-American.

    Fayetteville City Council sets goals

    City council spent two days earlier this month coming up with what they called targets for action in the new year. Consultant Marsha Johnson ran the sessions. Council members were frustrated from time to time with the strict format of the meetings. Even Johnson was surprised.

    “I did not expect to see this level of misunderstanding,” she said late in the final session.

    Council members tried to reduce 13 issues they had collectively come up with to five. Council members Jim Arp and Larry Wright verbally bickered with one another, causing Bill Crisp to step in.

    “We need to respect each other and not get upset,” he said.

    Ultimately, the body selected improved coordination of street lighting among the three utilities that serve annexed areas of west Fayetteville as a priority. Other prioritized items included improved mentoring of city interns, engagement of young adults in city government and continued study of alternative options for solid waste management in the city.

    A step forward for military spouses

    Frequent moves and spouses who are away from home for months at a time can be disruptive of family life. Military families are more likely to be struggling on single incomes than other American families. Forty-three percent of military spouses are not in the labor force, compared to 25.5 percent of civilian families, according to a 2016 survey by the nonprofit Blue Star Families.

    In proposing new legislation, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said the ripple effect is impacting military readiness, leaving service members burdened with deployments, financial concerns and frustrated spouses.

    “If we can make their path a little easier, it’s a good thing for military readiness and family happiness,” he said. The Military Spouse Employment Act of 2018 seeks to give military spouses a leg up in federal hiring and to push the Defense Department to offer more opportunities for spouses: enable them to run private businesses on post, expand educational opportunities and training and give them more access to affordable childcare.

    Kaine said he wants to attach his bill to the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act with bipartisan support.

    Here a hole, there a hole, everywhere a pothole

    Winter weather brings more potholes as water freezes in cracks in the pavement. The North Carolina Department of Transportation says you can help by visiting DOT’s website to let them know where the potholes are. Your report will go directly to the county maintenance office that will handle the request, expediting the process.

    As its name suggests, a pothole is a bowl-shaped hole in a road. Water expands when it freezes, and the cracks become wider and deeper. Over time, the larger cracks, combined with the weight of traffic, cause the road’s pavement to break up. While potholes are more prevalent in early spring, they can occur year-round.

    Repairing potholes is important because they not only lead to more expensive road repairs but cause wear and tear on vehicles, make for bumpy rides and pose safety risks.

  • 14LakeJackie Warner had been waiting to say these words since she was elected mayor of Hope Mills eight years ago.

    “The lake is back,’’ she said a week ago Monday. “It filled last night due to rain. They closed the gate this morning.’’

    The news came barely four days after the town of Hope Mills got the word from the state dam safety engineer that the impoundment of water behind the repaired Hope Mills dam could begin.

    Mother Nature stepped in and dramatically shortened the expected threeweek time it was expected to take to fill the lake.

    Maybe that was a reward for the town’s patience battling back from not one but two failures of the dam dating back to 2003 when heavy Memorial Day weekend rain caused the first breach.

    Since she was elected in 2010, Warner said she’s not had answers for people who kept wondering when the lake would return.

    “You just knew it was going to happen,’’ she said. “Time kept going by. The process seemed like it was never-ending. Then the delays started happening.’’

    Warner said she never ran for mayor on a platform to bring the lake back. But, she added, it became the centerpiece of her job because of its omnipresence.

    “I wish Bob Gorman was here,’’ said Warner of the longtime Hope Mills commissioner who died last year. “He and I traveled so much together, going to different legal things.’’

    Warner said she attended so many meetings and learned so much about architecture and dam building she felt she could be both an engineer and architect. She praised the town’s board of commissioners for staying focused on the dam rebuilding project and assuring that the people doing the work were held accountable.

    “We put more scrutiny into making sure we were on top of things,’’ she said. “We just had to pick the very best team and turn them loose to do what they were supposed to do. We were very fortunate that the design companies we picked were not only good, but they did the checks and balances on each other.’

    Jerry Legge has been a Hope Mills commissioner since the late 1990s, serving through both times the dam failed and the lake was gone. He was with Warner at a League of Municipalities meeting when they got the word the dam had finally been approved. “All these years of suffering and worrying, trying to make both ends meet, all the overcharges and stuff like that we’ve had,’’ Legge said.

    Now, with the lake back, Legge thinks back to 1982 when he first came to Hope Mills with his wife. “I had an aunt and uncle who lived here,’’ Legge said. “We drove by the lake and my wife said, ‘This is it. This is where I want to live.’

    “When people drive through the town and see the lake with the additions we’re doing, I believe they’re going to feel the same way.’’

    Legge’s fellow commissioner Pat Edwards is in her fourth term on the town board. She said the town has been growing by leaps and bounds even without the lake and that she anticipates things will accelerate quicker now that it has returned.

    “The mayor has plans to have a big lake party later on,’’ Edwards said. “That’s something to look forward to. I think the lake has always been a centerpiece for Hope Mills. We have a lot of plans for the future.’’

    Those plans include a museum telling the story of how the mill village that grew from Rockfish Township came to be. There will also be a new park at the lake, along with a large pier for people to fish from.

    “When the final plans are done, you can go to the museum, park and trails,’’ Warner said. “You can canoe, kayak or go fishing on a beautiful lake with a large pier for fishing that can accommodate lots of people.’’

    With its businesses, festivals and good schools, Hope Mills already has an assortment of things that have made it the fastest-growing municipality in Cumberland County.

    “Now you add the lake to it,’’ Warner said. “I think that is going to entice more people to move to this area.’’

  • 13ARCA typical morning inside Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Assessment and Retention Center, commonly referred to as the ARC, begins with the opportunity to help make a positive contribution to a student’s educational journey. Quite often, students visit the ARC seeking personal, one-on-one assistance.

    Students express emotions ranging from excitement about having made the decision to return to school to apprehension about the academic challenges they may face wh ile being in class with younger students. Students at FTCC represent a diverse population, with some students attending immediately after high school graduation and others attending several years later. The return to the classroom experience after many years can understandably cause anxiety for some students. At the ARC, people receive reassurance that they have made a smart choice to study at FTCC, where every student is important and appreciated.

    The ARC staff is comprised of part-time employees and some FTCC students who spend a portion of their days working in addition to attending classes.

    Students who use the resources at the ARC are quite often seeking assistance with class registration, navigating and understanding Blackboard (an internet platform used for online classes), and utilizing WebAdvisor, a student portal where a great deal of academic information is stored, such as classes completed and grades for completed classes. At the ARC, students also receive technical assistance with student email, resetting passwords and other technical issues.

    FTCC recently collaborated with Ellucian to implement a new technology tool that serves to improve the communication between advisors and advisees. Ellucian Advise has the capability to increase student success by giving advisors the ability to view students’ overall “success picture,” based on pre-configured criteria. Ellucian Advise creates alerts when students fall below a specific grade point average or experience class absences or missed assignments. Ellucian Advise is a great technological tool for helping students stay on track to reach their academic goals.

    Staff members at the ARC recognize that working with caring faculty and staff is just as important as great technology for student success. With that in mind, the ARC staff reaches out to students who may be struggling. Working with instructors, ARC staff will inform students about available help and resources, such as on-campus free tutoring, counseling and online resources.

    Staff members at the ARC feel the opportunity to work with students and a caring staff and faculty at FTCC is very rewarding. As an ARC supervisor, I especially enjoy offering additional encouragement and support to students I see around campus who have visited the ARC. One of the greatest joys is seeing students march across the stage at graduation to begin their new careers or continue their education at four-year colleges.

    The ARC is located inside the Tony Rand Student Center at the Fayetteville campus. Visit to learn why over 40,000 students annually make the choice to study at FTCC.

  • 01 UAC0020718001Last year, Deanne Gerdes, executive director of Rape Crisis of Cumberland County, spearheaded an effort to change North Carolina’s law regarding untested sexual assault kits. She was supported by Lt. John Somerindyke, Fayetteville Police Department’s Special Victims Unit commander, and state Rep. Billy Richardson, D-Cumberland. July 1, 2017, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Gerdes’ House Bill 731. Thursday, Feb. 22, the Fayetteville chapter of the National Organization for Women will honor Gerdes and Somerindyke at its 18th Susan B. Anthony Birthday Celebration. The honorees will speak about why they worked so hard for the passage of this bill. The event takes place at VFW Post 6018 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

    When asked about his role in getting House Bill 731 passed, Somerindyke said all the credit goes to Gerdes and Richardson. “I was really just along for the ride,” he said.

    “He was not along for the ride; he was the bus driver,” Gerdes said.

    In the spring of 2015, Somerindyke called Gerdes with a question: Was there any funding available for shelved sexual assault kits? “I have to be honest; I didn’t know there was an issue with shelved kits,” Gerdes said. She learned that thousands of sexual assault kits were sitting on shelves at law enforcement agencies untested. She also learned that Vice President Joe Biden had just released $72 million to test backlogged kits.

    “Part of my job is to go with victims to the hospital when they have a rape kit done,” Gerdes said. “That experience can be humiliating and very, very difficult. And it’s re-traumatizing. So to have this kit performed to only sit on shelves is wrong. Why are we even asking victims to do it if nothing’s going to be done with these kits?”

    That’s what Somerindyke was wondering when he called Gerdes. He’d recently been transferred to FPD’s investigative bureau and had started reviewing old sexual assault files to see if there were enough to justify forming a cold case unit. He noticed there were several unsolved rape cases for which evidence had been discarded without being tested.

    “Nobody realized how many kits had been disposed of over the years,” he said. “In many cases, they were just being cleared out to make more space in the evidence room.”

    He informed then- FPD Chief Harold Medlock of his findings, and Medlock immediately ordered a complete audit of all the department’s sexual assault kits. The cold case unit was formally instituted under Somerindyke’s leadership a month later.

    When the audit was complete, the FPD discovered more than 300 kits had been disposed of through the years. It was devastating. Rather than covering it up, the department held a press conference informing the public.

    That same month, September 2015, the FPD received a $363,090 grant to conduct DNA testing on the nearly 650 previously un-submitted sexual assault kits still in the FPD’s possession. Somerindyke had written the grant proposal after his phone call with Gerdes that spring. He applied again the following year and received $793,372. That money was shared with RCCC so Gerdes was able to hire two victim advocates to contact and work with the survivors whose kits are finally being tested.

    “It all originated with that grant,” Gerdes said.

    “(Somerindyke) brought this issue to my attention.”

    In February 2017, two years after Somerindyke first called her, Gerdes attended the North Carolina Council for Women’s legislative day in Raleigh. The event is an annual chance for attendees to network with state lawmakers and learn about state government.

    She was armed with information packets and a desire to discuss her findings with someone who could help bring statewide attention to the issue. She found herself talking with Richardson.

    “Honestly, I thought Billy was going to be the last person to have interest in what I was going to say,” she said. “I profiled him because he was a defense attorney. But within 30 seconds of the conversation, he was onboard.

    “After our conversation, Rep. Richardson said to me, ‘OK, now what I need you to do is … I need you to draft the bill.’ I was thinking, I couldn’t even find parking at the legislative building!”

    Luckily, Gerdes’ daughter, Kathryn, had been an FPD cold case intern a few years back and had just graduated with a degree in political science. “She said, ‘I got this, Mom.’”

    Over the next few months, Gerdes worked with her daughter, Richardson, Somerindyke, Fayetteville NOW vice president Roberta Waddle, and legislative draft writers in Raleigh.

    “We got a lot of information from researching how other jurisdictions in other states had gone on their own similar journeys,” Gerdes said. “We read a lot about what the state of New York was doing.”

    That is how Gerdes and her team successfully drafted House Bill 731, which was passed only six months after her conversation with Richardson.

    Waddle said Fayetteville NOW loves to honor people whose impact is unique or achieved in unusual ways. “As far as people who propose laws, it’s usually lawyers or legislators who have an idea of what they want done,” she said. “I think it is quite remarkable that we have two people who are not political – this is not what they do, they don’t lobby the legislature, they don’t work on campaigns. They do their jobs (at RCCC and the FPD), and they saw a need and went to work on it and got this law passed.”

    Gerdes and Somerindyke both said that, though the bill is a win for sexual assault survivors, it’s only a first step. The bill, passed last July, required every law enforcement agency in North Carolina to count how many untested sexual assault kits they had in their possession. The deadline for those numbers to be turned in to the North Carolina Attorney General’s office was Jan. 1 of this year.

    “But lawmakers in this state need to go all the way with this and find the funding to support a law mandating testing of all sexual assault kits,” Somerindyke said. “If we get to a point where we are doing that in this state, cases will be solved and rapists will go to jail. And most importantly, survivors of rape will get the closure and justice they deserve. Then we can talk about a positive impact. Until then, I’ll just say it’s a nice first step.”

    Gerdes encouraged those who see an issue they want changed to start having conversations about it and making an effort with the resources they have.

    “It’s kind of like the #MeToo movement,” she said. “I’ve been fighting in this area and having the same conversations for 10 years, but now, with #MeToo, the whole nation is having conversations. We’re not in this fight alone.”

    Past Fayetteville NOW Susan B. Anthony Birthday Celebration honorees from Cumberland County include Joyce Malone, the first African- American woman to earn Airborne Wings in the U.S. Army Reserves; Jeanette Wallace Hyde, former ambassador to seven Caribbean countries; and Dr. Naveed Aziz, a physician, activist and candidate for the North Carolina Senate in 2016.

    The Feb. 22 event will include a basic reception and meet and greet, heavy hors d’oeuvres and speeches by Gerdes and Somerindyke. VFW Post 6018 is located at 116 Chance St. Paid reservations must be made by Feb. 17 and are available by calling Sharon Johnson, Fayetteville NOW president, at 910-489-0100.

    Visit https://now.org/chapter/fayetteville-now/ to learn more about the organization.

    Photos: Deanne Gerdes (left) and Fayetteville Police Department Lt. John Somerindyke (right) worked together to change North Carolina’s law regarding untested sexual assault kits.

  • 08Chemours Logo copySince the revelation a few months ago that the Cape Fear River has GenX in it, there’s been a lot of activity from state environmental and health officials to determine whether the chemical byproduct is a threat to human health. GenX is the trade name of a chemical ingredient used in recent years to make Teflon, which DuPont invented for nonstick cookware 45 years ago. Before GenX, Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, including PFOA, also known as C-8, was a large group of synthetic chemicals known as PFAS that were widely used in industry since the 1950s.

    C-8 was used for more than 60 years, which has some wondering why it’s an issue now. There were no public complaints in all that time. DuPont discontinued its use and introduced GenX in 2009. It is believed to be significantly safer. GenX is described by the company as a patented, more sustainable technology that enables Chemours to manufacture high-performance fluoropolymers without the use of PFOA.

    C-8 has, however, has been in the news for years elsewhere. It seeped into local drinking water at the DuPont plant in Parkersburg, West Virginia. The contamination – and the fact that DuPont executives knew about it and concealed it – set off a class-action lawsuit that DuPont settled for $671 million.

    C-8 was never detected in North Carolina drinking water. But, in 2016, GenX was found in the Cape Fear River below Cumberland County. New Hanover County health officials wondered if the river water might be contaminated. Below Elizabethtown, the Lower Cape Fear River is joined by the Black River approximately 10 miles northwest of Wilmington, where it receives the Northeast Cape Fear River and Brunswick River. Cape Fear River water provides the water supply for Brunswick County Public Utilities, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority in Wilmington and Pender County Utilities. Combined they serve 250,000 people.

    There is no known process for filtering GenX out of the water, whichs explains why Chemours announced last year in a news release that it “would capture, remove and safely dispose of wastewater that contains the byproduct GenX” generated at its manufacturing plant near Fayetteville.

    GenX is not regulated by state or federal environmental or health agencies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had established health advisories for the older C-8 chemicals. The EPA has no such recommendations for GenX.

    Chemours maintains that emissions from its Fayetteville facility have not affected the safety of drinking water, and there is no substantive evidence that it has. Trace amounts in the Cape Fear River since mid-June of last year have been well below the health screening level announced by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services at that time. That has done little to relieve the fears of Cape Fear River water users in Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender Counties.

    Last month, the North Carolina House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that would have provided $2.3 million in state funds, largely for equipment and personnel, to address emerging contaminants such as GenX.

    “The state Legislature should play a decisive leadership role in controlling any chemical spills into the Cape Fear River,” Rep. Marvin Lucas, D-Cumberland, said. “Our drinking water should never be exposed to dangerous spills.”

    The state Senate declined to take up the funding. The bill “leaves North Carolina taxpayers holding the bag for expenditures that should be paid for by the company responsible for the pollution,” said state Sen. President pro tem Phil Berger, R-Rockingham.

    “Regardless of party affiliation, as legislators, we all have one primary job: to develop policies and pass laws that protect our community,” said Sen. Ben Brown, DHoke, Cumberland. “To date, Republicans have failed to do their jobs. The discovery of GenX in drinking water in Cumberland County, Bladen County, and as far west as Wake County is not an isolated incident.”

    The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not gotten involved in Cape Fear River contamination allegations.

  • 07fluIt’s been called one of the deadliest flu seasons by doctors across the country. So far, in North Carolina, upward of 70 people have died from the flu. We’ve been fortunate in Cumberland County thus far.

    “We have not seen a large number of absences because of influenza reported to the Health Services Office,” said Cumberland County Schools Health Services Director Shirley Bolden. “Our hope is that none of our students get the flu; however, our Cumberland County schools are being proactive in educating parents, staff and students on ways to reduce their risk.”

    Officials say students should go to school so long as they are not sick and do not exhibit any symptoms.

    Meanwhile, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center is restricting children under age 12 from visiting the hospital. “Our Emergency Department is limiting visitors to one per patient,” the hospital said in a statement. Cape Fear Valley treated 619 flu cases in January. Doctors are concerned not just by the number, but by the severity of the cases. Physicians say children, the elderly and people with existing health problems are at greatest risk. Doctors say shortness of breath, dizziness and severe localized pain are red flags.

    Another fatal fire

    A Fayetteville house fire Jan. 28 was the second fatal residential fire this year. Officials said units from Fire Station Four responded to the alarm in the Cumberland Heights neighborhood.

    They found smoke billowing from a home in the 900 block of McKimmon Road and dispatched additional units. Neighbors told first responders they feared someone was still in the house. Rescue crews entered the home and located an occupant who was quickly removed and treated by firefighters.

    The victim of the fire, identified as Louis Esteban Rivera, 65, was dead on arrival at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, fire department spokesman Jamie Averitte said.

    The cause of the fire remains under investigation. It does not appear suspicious at this time.

    Court reviews former inmate records

    Cumberland County District Attorney Billy West says one in five people in North Carolina has a criminal record, which often prevents them from getting good jobs. West credits state Rep. Elmer Floyd, D-Cumberland, with championing changes in the law designed to assist individuals who previously were ineligible for relief.

    District attorney West and Cumberland County Commissioner Charles Evans briefed faith-based leaders at a breakfast at the Cumberland County Courthouse. West explained the process by which an individual can have his or her record expunged. Evans explained his Project Fresh Start, which is designed to aid individuals who may not qualify for expungements. Legal Aid of North Carolina has agreed to provide free legal services to those individuals who qualify for invitations to attend court clinics.

    Cumberland County Animal Shelter repairs

    A Cumberland County Animal Control Shelter contractor started resurfacing shelter floors Feb. 5. A spokesman for the Animal Control Shelter, located at 4704 Corporation Dr., said adoptable dogs will be housed in other areas of the facility while the work is underway. Once all those areas are full, as many as 20 overflow dogs will be housed at the Fayetteville Pet Resort, 2102 Strickland Bridge Rd.

    Animal Control will share a designated building with a separate entrance and parking lot at Fayetteville Pet Resort. This will allow for public access to the area after the pet resort’s normal operating hours.

    “The floors in the shelter area must be sealed with epoxy to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and to maintain their integrity as waterresistant floors,” said shelter manager Jennifer Hutchinson-Tracy.

    This is the first time since the shelter opened 12 years ago that the floors have had to be resurfaced. The work is expected to take at least two weeks to complete. Cats at the facility will not be affected by the work.

    Operation Inasmuch fundraiser

    This month’s Fourth Friday will support the ministry of Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch. The 11th annual Bread ‘n Bowls meals will be served Feb. 23 at Hay Street United Methodist Church, 320 Hay St. Chicken corn chowder or chili will be served in the choice of handmade North Carolina pottery bowls or freshly baked bread bowls. A cookie, tea and coffee will also be available. Advance tickets are available online at faoiam.org.

    FTCC now has a futuristic website

    Fayetteville Technical Community College has launched a new website in conjunction with Walk West, a digital marketing and strategic communications agency based in Raleigh. The new digital web platform, www.faytechcc.edu, is considered more user-friendly than previous sites. It features artificial intelligence technology that recognizes the type of user to match relevant content and improved navigation plus updates based on the specific user.

    “Walk West has truly transformed our digital properties and brought an unmatched experience to our educational community,” said FTCC President Dr. J. Larry Keen.

    “We have thrown away the old playbook for how to put together a website for higher education and created a radically new platform for growth for Fayetteville Tech,” said Brian Onorio, founder of Walk West.

  • 06Baxley copyCharlie Baxley recently announced his intent to run for Cumberland County sheriff. Baxley is a 21- year veteran of the Fayetteville Police Department and a 15-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office.

    The Republican ran for sheriff in 2014. He feels confident based on his strong performance in that election against 20-year incumbent Earl Butler.

    “I predicted that Butler might break his promise to stay a full four-year term,” Baxley reminded local voters. “I told folks he would probably make a political deal and parachute somebody else in, and that’s pretty much the way it turned out.”

    Baxley has a clear vision of what he wants to do as sheriff.

    “If you live out in the county somewhere and you report a burglary or assault, you’re going to wait close to an hour before a deputy gets there – unless it’s election season when they want your vote and hustle more. That’s not right. If the sheriff has an organized patrol plan, a car should never be more than a few minutes away.”

    While organization is important to Baxley, so is follow-up.

    “If you report a drug house down the street from you, or a drug gang tries to sell drugs to your child and you report it, you need to get a follow-up call from a detective – you deserve to know what they’re doing about it.” That’s not happening very often, Baxley stated. “Except when we’re close to an election,” he added.

    He also believes that law enforcement is no place for politics. “Sheriff’s deputies shouldn’t be made to get involved in politics just so they can keep their job or get a promotion,” he said. “Their job is to enforce the law and keep people safe – period.”

    Baxley gets disgusted, he said, at credible reports that deputies are expected to contribute time or money to a political campaign. Deputies shouldn’t be asked to distribute campaign signs or provide traffic control for fundraising events. As sheriff, he said, “I won’t use taxpayer money for my personal political gain; I don’t want deputies to have to work behind the scenes for the election or re-election of the sheriff. A trained, experienced officer shouldn’t be made into a political errand boy or errand girl – it’s just that simple.”

    He also noted that public safety is important for the county to thrive and grow. Economic development starts with public safety, Baxley insisted.

    “It’s just common sense – why would any company relocate here and bring jobs here if the crime situation is bad and their staff and families won’t feel safe?” he asked. “I want to change that.”

    Baxley is a Cumberland County native and a graduate of Reid Ross High School. He and his wife Debbie have been married for 30 years. She is a respiratory therapist at Womack Army Hospital on Fort Bragg, and the couple attends Manna Church. They have a son employed at Goodyear, two sons serving in the Fayetteville Police Department and a daughter in college.

    Photo: Charlie Baxley, Cumberland County sheriff candidate

  • Is Government Expansion the Answer?

    The City of Fayetteville’s planning retreat, held this past week, ended on a high note, but has me wondering if our new city council and staff members are aware of the myriad of organizations, businesses and institutions that are already serving this community to encourage local economic development.02-12-14-pub-notes.gif

    This question arises after the introduction and discussion surrounding a proposal recommendation by Deputy City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney to create a new city department. According to Small-Toney this new Department of Economic and Business Development would focus specifically on local citywide economic development.

    Hmmmm? In my opinion, this seems like an intrusion of local government into those things best left to the expertise of the private sector. No doubt progressive, healthy economic development that leads to the creation of good high-paying jobs goes hand-in-hand with keeping any metropolitan city’s crime rate low and its unemployment rate under control. Having low crime and unemployment rates lead to a better quality of life. Fayetteville is no exception. However, you would think that after at least four decades of implementing “on-again off-again” economic development plans, programs and strategies in this community (all with limited success) it’s amazing that with this idea, what is old is now new, again.

    When it comes to coordinating economic development efforts, recruiting industry and retaining and expanding local businesses in Fayetteville and Cumberland County you would think we would have learned to leave that to the professionals. We should know by now that government employees and full-time bureaucrats have a miserable track record navigating the private sector. So, why go there? Again.

    But according to Small-Toney there is a desperate need. She states, “We have a gap and now we have an opportunity to close that gap.”

    Really? A gap? Where is this gap and what is it? Can it be defined and quantified? It begs the question whether our new city staffers are even aware of all the current services and programs offered here through organizations like FTCC, Fayetteville State University, Methodist University, Fayetteville Regional Chamber of Commerce and CEED (the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development). Many of these organizations are supported by the City of Fayetteville. I think Small-Toney would be impressed if she sat down with people like Chamber President Doug Peters, Russell Rogerson, vice-president of the Economic Development Alliance or Lexi Hasapis or Sylvia Ray of CEED to find out just what services they provide the citizens of Fayetteville. I think she would come away with a new found understanding of what they are collectively doing to address the issues and concerns she has.

    As a matter of fact, I think she would be pleasantly surprised to find that their missions are identical to the ones she would like to see addressed with her proposal, i.e. the need to focus on minorities, women-owned enterprises, startups and small businesses. Interesting that there was no inclusion or mention of assisting our military veterans. A concerning omission.

    Councilman Jim Arp and other council members should be concerned about creating “duplication of services.” Fayetteville residents and city taxpayers are already contributing heavily to this process. And, the council will already be challenged to find the funding for Police Chief Harold Medlock’s $5 million plus plan to increase his ranks to fight Fayetteville crime making the community safer place for all of us to live, work and play. The people have spoken. Crime is the #1 priority now and we must support Chief Medlock with our time, talent and money. Yes, it will take money. Tax dollars. So, there is no place for duplication here. We just can’t afford it.

    There are other issues with this idea. Besides funding, there’s another more subtle concern with Small-Toney’s suggestion of creating a new in-house city department for economic development. This is that we would again be widening the cooperation and communications gap between city officials, Cumberland County Commissioners, the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development officials. Why would we want to do that? Successful, economic development comes from having everyone at the table when strategizing a development plan. Fayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson and many other council members actually campaigned on the issue and notion that they wanted to achieve greater levels of cooperation, harmony, teamwork and foster better working partnerships between the city, Cumberland County and supporting agencies. So, this idea of Fayetteville “going it alone” just doesn’t seem like it is in sync with the collective ideals of the council.

    This is in no way an attack or criticism of Deputy Small-Toney and it’s not to say I don’t appreciate her initiative. From all accounts, the comments I have heard about her performance have been very complimentary noting that she is extremely smart and competent and is making worthwhile contributions to our city as part of Ted Voorhees’ management team. This being said, one wonders from who or where is she getting her information? Obviously, not from someone who is informed and in tune with the important and pressing issues of this community. The last thing our city needs at this sensitive and critical stage is the introduction of a “community organizer” mentality micro-managing the future of our city.

    Now, addressing her idea about the need to market the city’s available business parks and redevelopment areas, well, isn’t this what our local, regional and statewide commercial realtors and economic developers do? Again, why try to compete with the private sector?

    Fayetteville does not need to add to the expansion of government bureaucracy by creating a new city department, adding a department director, three new staff members, an administrative assistant, a business recruiter and development recruiter.

    Nor do we needlessly need to spend hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ dollars to promote and duplicate the business and industry development process when it is already a coordinated effort between the city, county and region. It will not work and we can’t afford to create or take ownership of a failed economic stimulus package of our own creation. This economic-development strategic plan is not well thought out. There are no guidelines or pro forma for the money, yet, the purpose would be to provide business loans to entrepreneurs and business owners and provide down payments for private funding by providing working capital. Then, this newly created department would advertise, market and promote these services to those residents in need and the local business community. What does this sound like? Community organizing! It is not enough to just make a general statement that the city isn’t doing enough to attract economic development. Nor is it fair or prudent to ignore the conditions of our economy, our tax rates, unemployment rates, incentive programs or lack of, the lasting effects of the recession, ever changing technology and the changing demands and qualifications of the American work force.

    So, tell me, what is not working? Can it be defined specifically? I don’t think so. Small-Toney said her idea isn’t to duplicate services but work in partnership to provide people with information and services to start and develop small businesses here in Fayetteville. Well, look around. Not only do we have these services and organizations (CEED, Chamber etc.) but they are currently being supported by taxpayer dollars. So, if the real concern is that taxpayer-funded economic development responsibilities are relegated to outside organizations and they are not being accountable to the city, make them accountable! The city is the client. They are working for the City of Fayetteville. However, it is the city’s responsibility to step up and understand the complexities of the process. This would be a very exciting and worthwhile job for the Deputy City Manager. I’m sure after a full year of this kind of involvement we all will hear a more realistic story about the state of our local economic development affairs and, hopefully, how to deal with them. We’ll see.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    Photo: Deputy City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney

  • Thank You PWC and First Responders for Keeping Us Safe

    Well, there’s nothing like back-to-back snow storms to prove the mettle and patience of any community. As you read this editorial, the weather is probably mild, over 50 degrees and sunny with absolutely no hint or residue of the treacherous snow and ice storm that recently plagued our community less than a week ago.

    Ah, life in the south. Where else can you play golf one day and be covered in snow the next? As I listened to the regional, statewide and nationwide reports on how these devastating storms were affecting our nation, I could only think of how proud I was of the way Fayetteville and the Cumberland County community responded to the nastiness of this dangerous and freaky winter weather.

    Our local government officials, both city and county, were at the top of their games making quick and timely decisions that put the safety and welfare of our residents as their highest priority. From opening up shelters to the timely closing of02-19-14-pub-notes.gif schools, government offices and businesses, our leadership made all the right decisions at the right time.

    As damage from wind, frozen rain, heavy ice and snow generated reports of fallen trees and downed power lines leaving tens of thousands of people without electricity and heat, Fayetteville and Cumberland County suffered no such travesty. And, for this, we must give thanks and credit to the dedicated men and women of our local PWC and our fearless, relentless hard working first responders. Police officers, utility linemen, snow plow operators, firemen, EMS personnel all working together in concert to keep our community safe. No doubt these organizations were prepared and at the top of their game.

    Some will say that Cumberland County was really lucky not to have been ill affected by this recent storm. However, many more will say that Fayetteville and Cumberland County made its own luck by having those smart, dedicated leaders and loyal hard working people all in the right place at the right time to help us forge ahead and react to what could have been a very tragic situation.

    We also need to thank Cumberland County Schools Superintendent Dr. Frank Till and school officials for making wise decisions about closing schools and keeping our children safe. There was some rumbling in the community about the school closings, but those questioning the decision do not see the big picture. Our county schools serve children who live in remote areas of the county, many of which did not see sand or salt trucks until several days into the storm. Dr. Till must look at the safety of all the children in the community – not just those who live in the city proper. These were smart and prudent decisions that again prove good leadership perpetuates itself.

    Stay safe and enjoy reading your Up & Coming Weekly.

    Photo: Fayetteville first responders did a great job keeping people safe during last week’s snow storms.

  • Fayette-NAM or Fayette-FAM?

    by JENNIFER WHITE GRADNIGO

    A long-time advocate for the Fayetteville area, Bill Bowman yields this space to guest writer Jennifer White Gradnigo this week.

    Allen’s selection for an Air Force ROTC detachment command allowed us to choose our next assignment. We chose Fayetteville primarily because of Allen’s expected impact at Fayetteville State University. However, we also chose Fayetteville due to its proximity to Washington, D.C., where I lived for 20 years, and also because it is central to so many wonderful cities we want to explore. Because of its beauty and access to both the ocean and the mountains, North Carolina is in the top four states for our possible retirement home so we thought we’d give it a test run.

    Unfortunately, a lot of what I read and heard prior to moving to Fayetteville was negative. I had deployed from Fort Bragg in 2004 but hadn’t seen much of the area and only remembered the “strip,” which wasn’t a lot to remember. As recently as last month, when asked how I like the area I replied that we really like it. I was told, “Oh come on, you can be honest.”02-26-14-pub-notes.gif

    No, I’m not a fan of strip malls, but downtown Hay Street reminds me of Old Town Alexandria. Cute shops, plenty of outside dining, and unlike the DC area, free and plentiful parking. Allen and I are definitely ready for more date days and nights. We’ve already been to numerous restaurants downtown with great food and service, and many are also kid-friendly which is a plus for us since we have a 3-year-old daughter.

    We stumbled onto some of these restaurants because of location. We were looking for outdoor dining on a fall-like day, and decided to give them a try. Our waiter at a local Italian restaurant was incredibly friendly and told us what a great place Fayetteville is to raise a family. Many of the other restaurants we’ve enjoyed were noted by fellow Fayetteville Regional Chamber members.

    One of the top items on my agenda when we moved here six months ago was to join the local chamber. From my very first networking breakfast to being accepted into Leadership Fayetteville, I’ve had fruitful experiences. As Woody Allen said, “Eighty percent of success is just showing up.”

    After one event, I decided to make copies of my company’s fact sheets. Not finding a Kinkos online, I pulled out the business card of a person who I had just met at the Chamber breakfast. I walked in the door of the copy store where he works and was approached by one of the friendliest people I’ve encountered since we arrived, and what great customer service! He sat next to me through the entire process to ensure I received what I expected. I found out later that he owns the store.

    Because of the warm and friendly people I’ve met through the Chamber and elsewhere, my community feels smaller, in a good way. Allen and I were becoming tired of the congestion and noise of the big city. We were excited about spending the next two or three years at a slower pace with our daughter. We wanted to feel a better sense of community and family and we’ve found it in Fayetteville.

    From bumping into a Leadership Fayetteville teammate at a Hay Street restaurant to one-on-one business planning sessions at a local business development center, I already feel like I can reach out to my neighbors for assistance or lunch. With lovely people like the woman at the weigh station who told me my husband was just there when she recognized the photo of our daughter on my credit card, and the caring staff at an upscale day spa, we definitely live in Fayette-FAM, a place with some big city luxuries along with a warm embrace.

    Photo: For years Fayetteville was known as Fayette-nam, but that is no longer the case. Once a trouble spot, Hay Street is now a family-friendly place to visit.

  • Keep It Local

    Anyone in the local pageant business knows that the lovely and talented Jocelyn Naylor was our Miss Fayetteville in 2014. However, I can say confidently that few Fayetteville residents outside the franchised pageant organization that sponsors the Miss Fayetteville Pageant know of her.

    There is a reason for that. Naylor is not from Cumberland County. She is, in fact, from Fuquay-Varina in Wake County. She was crowned last year by the 2013 Miss Fayetteville, Victoria Huggins, who hails from the city of Lumberton in neighboring Robeson County. Both these ladies are extremely talented, beautiful and deserving of their title, honors and scholarships. They are just not from Fayetteville. 02-04-15-pub-notes.gif

    On Jan. 24, during the 2015 Miss Fayetteville Pageant at Huff Concert Hall at Reeves Fine Arts Building on the campus of Methodist University, Naylor gave up her Miss Fayetteville title to another Lumberton native, the lovely, talented and beautiful, Comfort Johnson, a 23-year-old student attending UNC Pembroke. Comfort will represent Fayetteville and compete for the coveted Miss North Carolina title and hopefully, for the title of Miss America. This is many young women’s dream and we wish her the best.

    The Miss America Scholarship Program has many merits and I applaud the amount of time, effort and dedication that goes into this endeavor by the contestants. What I have never understood is why this program and process on the local level seems to be so subdued and quiet in our community. I am not alone in this observation. As a media source, I have the same concerns as many others familiar with the organization. This is that the process being used to publicize the event and recruit contestants to participate is a flawed process. Flawed in its orchestration and perhaps unfair or at best, misrepresented. After all, what other reason could there be for allowing outside contestants to enter another city’s local event?

    First, the program appears to be more selective in nature than inclusive. This limits participation and the number of contestants simply because they are not made aware of the opportunity. Second, the pageant itself is grossly understated and poorly marketed with little or no promotion or advertising. Matter of fact, the Miss Fayetteville Scholarship Pageant does not have a website and uses Facebook as its only source for information. Once there, you have no contact information, no “about us” information or information about the contest, requirements, scholarships or how to get involved with the process.

    Third, advertising and promotion of the pageant itself is virtually nonexistent. The only publicity and awareness there was that a Miss Fayetteville Pageant was even taking place this year was posted online by The Fayetteville Observer... the night of the event. The newspaper updated its post for the next day and then featured the winners in the Saturday Extra supplement.

    Finally, last, but not least, our Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville. Believe me, people are baffled and confused by that. For an entire year Miss Fayetteville will travel around the region under the guise of being from Fayetteville but, in reality, she cannot be an effective Ambassador because she really doesn’t know anything about our community. And, that is what is unfortunate. These young women work extremely hard to compete for that title. Sure, beauty, poise and talent are important, but so are work ethic, character, dedication, commitment and matters of the heart. We see and experience these traits from the contestants who commit to participate locally. By not emphasizing this “local” qualification in the competition, the Miss Fayetteville Pageant franchise owners are doing a grand injustice to the contestants and the communities from which they hail. They rob local communities of true recognition and the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from supporting one of their own.

    Again, this is not about the contestants, it’s a commentary about the operation of an organization that chooses to operate in a way that diminishes their own goals and objectives.

    Over the years, Fayetteville has had several wonderful “local” young women win the Miss Fayetteville title. All have represented our community with beauty, dignity and style. Now, I’m not a pageant person so I don’t keep up with such things, however, in the last decade we have had several “local” Miss Fayetteville’s. Kinsey Boarts, Tiffanie Wagner, Katie Elizabeth Mills and Brooke McLaurin come immediately to mind. These local, homegrown queens received much local support and encouragement from residents, friends, family and local businesses and organizations.

    Everyone took great pride in watching them work in our community, show up at community events, donate countless hours supporting children and working with local charities. I never really saw or met any franchise pageant committee members reaching out in support of these young women on their quest for the Miss North Carolina title. My point is that when the contestants were local everyone took pride, ownership and had a vested interest in the success of the young girls. They represented the City of Fayetteville and we supported them. Brooke McLaurin, who actually went on to become Miss North Carolina, and Katie Mills were two of the most devoted and hardest workers for this community. Again, I never saw much outside support.

    I guess I’ll conclude by saying this: The rules are the rules. However, if our city name is going to be invoked, the community should benefit from it and the contestants should benefit also. Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville or Cumberland County not from Lumberton, Raeford, Wake County or Harnett County. On the same hand, our local talent should not be forced to compete in other communities. Crowning a Miss Fayetteville should be a “big deal” in Fayetteville each and every year. Not served up as a nonevent or afterthought that surprisingly shows up in the Saturday Extra the day after.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    Photo: If our city name is going to be invoked, the community should benefit from it and the contestants should benefit also. Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville or Cumberland County not from Lumberton, Raeford, Wake County or Harnett County. 

  • Liar! Liar! Pants on Fire


    02-11-15-hillary_clinton.gifNBC’s Brian Williams is the latest casualty in what seems to be the incapability of the media (and our political and elected officials) to tell the basic truth. It concerns me that lying, cheating, telling half-truths and deception have reached an all-time high in new lows and is unfortunately becoming the new normal.

    Who are we, our children and our children’s children going to trust in the future? See below: Historically, our track record is not good.

    President Richard Nixon: “I’m not a crook.” (Whoops.)

    President Bill Clinton: “I did not have sexual relations with that woman”. (Ok!Wink, wink.)

    President George Bush: Weapons of Mass02-11-15-obama.gifDestruction.

    Hillary Clinton (2008 Presidential Candidate) : (March speech referring to her heroism during a 1996 visit to Bosnia) “Landing under sniper fire. .ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base.” Hillary was steady under fire? (Big Lie.)

    Susan Rice: (former U.S. Ambassador to the UN) proclaimed “The attacks on Benghazi were a result of spontaneous demonstrations.” (Actually, this was not true x 5 times.)

    President Barack Obama on ObamaCare: “If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your healthcare plan, you’ll be able to keep your02-11-15-charles_evans.gifhealthcare plan.” (Stated publically at least 36 times.)

    Congress woman Nancy Pelosi: (former House Majority Leader on Obamacare): “What we are talking about is affordable, quality, accessible healthcare for all Americans. If you like what you have and you want to keep it, you have the choice to do that.” (Really? Again?)

    Nationwide Media on the tragedy in Ferguson, Missouri: “Michael Brown was an 18-year old, 6’4, 280-pound ‘gentle giant’ who was shot in the back.” (Never true.)

    County Commissioner Charles Evans (on why he voted against a public02-11-15-pub-notes-4.gifhearing for the Sanderson Farms Chicken Processing Plant): “The chamber is not doing their due diligence. We have been asking and requesting information from the Chamber of Commerce to provide to us.” Evans said the commissioners were emailed information and that “some statistics and other concerns of ours” were not provided. (Untrue, Evans had the answers to all his questions and concerns.)

    Who will we be able to trust for the real truth?

    Which brings us to our most recent disappointment, NBC’s disgraced anchor, Brian Williams. And, with my apologies to Hank Williams and his hit country classic “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” I will close with a song:

    “Your lying heart
    Has made us weep
    Brian Williams
    You’re a lying Creep

    All those lies
    You told as true
    Your lying heart
    Has told on you.

    Now the truth comes out
    Like falling rain
    NBC ratings fall
    And shout your name.

     

    America trusted you
    To tell the truth
    You let us down
    For a false salute.

    It’s time for you
    To take your place
    With Hillary and friends
    In the Hall of Disgrace.

    Stolen Valor
    That we deplore
    You disrespected America
    But hopefully-No More.

    A decade of lies
    You told as true
    Your lying heart
    Has told on you.”

    America deserves better. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • NAACP and the Grievance Industry

    No doubt about it, the grievance industry and its minions are alive and well in North Carolina and I can’t help but think they have better things to do.

    The grievance industry is comprised of organizations and people who make their living convincing other people that they are severely unhappy, that they are being treated unfairly, are cheated or discriminated against or just that they deserve more and better. They seem to have an endless supply of issues when it comes to matters of discontent and resentment.

    Last week the issue was education, next week it’s poverty and unemployment, the following week it may be minimum wage, abortion rights or the death penalty. You just never know with these folks. 02-18-15-pub-notes.gif

    However, last week, under the misguidance of Rev. William Barber, N.C. NAACP president, it was education.

    Barber led a moral march in Raleigh where hundreds of followers weathered the cold, not knowing that their voices and efforts benefitted only Barber and served to prolong the longevity of an industry built entirely on creating diversion and discontent. Yes, Barber led the march in Raleigh on the pretense of supporting teachers and public education. In actuality, it was a protest against everything, assuring Barber a steady paycheck and justifying his station.

    It’s truly amazing. Barber has people marching, protesting, shouting and chanting and it’s obvious they really don’t understand the issues. Honestly, it would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

    Last week, a Fayetteville Observer article written by Paul Woolverton revolved around a young Fayetteville State University student who is not a teacher, but is studying to become one. She joined Barber’s march protesting issues in an industry that she isn’t even a part of yet. What? I guess this represents grievance preplanning by taking an aggressive stance on perceived and inevitable cases of injustice and discontent. Makes you wonder why she wants to become a teacher in the first place.

    Having never stepped foot in a classroom as a teacher, there she was shouting, marching and chanting on behalf of teachers, public education and equal rights. These grievance guys are really, really good when they can get people demonstrating and protesting against the very industry and careers they are pursuing.

    And, protesting for equal rights? Really? Did I miss something here or are they reminiscing about issues of the ‘60s? Where did that come from?

    At some point, someone needs to start asking questions about the real intentions of these egregious grievance promoters. Questions like: Why march on the state capitol if no one is there to see or hear your voice? Could it be that Barber and friends intentionally organized the demonstration on the weekend when no one was there so the rank and file wouldn’t notice that nobody really cared.

    Another question to address is why the grievance promoters only stage a protest against the “system” when they don’t like how decisions affect their livelihoods? And, why is so little time and effort devoted to constructive, civilized conversation and negotiations with elected officials and community leaders rather than opting for one dimensional marches and protests?

    Looking closely and examining the motives of these professional grief peddlers, it becomes obvious that the best interest of the citizens are seldom being served. The citizens are being used as pawns; assuring a healthy paycheck and prolonged meal ticket to the provocateurs.

    So, back to basics. Our freedoms and governance at local, state and national levels are guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. Freedoms are for “all the people.” I’ve always interpreted “all the people” to mean “all the people.” Our civic leaders and elected officials, regardless of political affiliation, are charged with the responsibility of enacting policies and laws that best reflect the will of “all the people.”

    If we do not specifically like the laws that have been passed on our behalf, we have the right to voice our opinions and, of course, vote. Organized dissent, protests, marches and chants should be reserved for accentuating and expressing real heartfelt injustices and not for the profit of professional manipulators. This trivializes the process.

    Rev. Barber’s actions in Raleigh, Al Sharpton’s behavior in Ferguson, Missouri, and most recently, Jesse Jackson who is currently in Chicago pontificating on the similarities of racial injustice and grown adults blatantly cheating the system.

    These are definitely not role models for our youngsters. They are all examples of the grievous industry creating problems just to create the illusion of solving them. They solve nothing.

    Finally, I want to point out the most looming hypocrisy of all. As Fayetteville community leaders rallied, especially the leaders in our African-American community, to rekindle and salvage the prospect of bringing the Sanderson Farms’ $95 million chicken processing plant and 1,000 jobs to Cumberland County, the grievance industry with the likes of Rev. Barber and his loyal union buddies are chastising and discrediting this company and like corporations.

    Sanderson Farms would bring jobs paying nearly $12 an hour plus benefits to Cumberland County. No, it isn’t Google or a BMW factory, but in a community where the majority of jobs are in the service industry and pay at best minimum wage and at worst for those who wait tables, $2.85 and tips, it is a big boost. The professional complainers are saying workers are being oppressed and that $12 an hour is not a living wage. Really? I say having no jobs, no money and living under a bridge on the Cape Fear River is much more oppressive.

    Rev. Barber is not a friend to the uninformed resident nor those special interest groups that bankroll his lifestyle and itinerary.

    Believe me, Rev. Barber is no friend to Fayetteville, Cumberland County or its poor, unemployed, homeless or downtrodden citizens regardless of their race, gender or political affiliation.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    Photo: Top members of the grievance industry, Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson live to create controversy... the more they stir it up, the more money goes in their pockets.

  • 021016_comedy-club.jpg

    One Night Stand Comedy Tour is a laugh-out-loud funny show featuring four talented comedians.  The brilliant men sharing the stage are Kier “Junior” Spates, a new addition to the Steve Harvey Morning Show; Tony Roberts, a multitalented comedian writer, actor and director; Robert Powell, who is known for his political satire and Bill Bellamy, known for his many on-screen performances as well as having his own show in the 90’s.  Bellamy is also featured in the new upcoming film Bounce Back, which will be coming to theatres on March 18. The One Night Stand Comedy Tour hits the Crown stage on Feb. 13.

    One of the best aspects of the One Night Stand Comedy Tour is the great mix of talent. Each comedian has their own unique style of comedy. Bellamy describes his own as, “I am outlandishly funny, up close and personal… I go hard to make people laugh.” He also adds that current events have made it into his material. Political candidates and recent feuds on twitter just to name a few. 

    As exciting as this comedy tour is for audiences it is equally as fun for performers. “It’s a lot of fun. Comedians come with a lot of good energy. Everybody jokes around and laughs. And the entertainment grind is hard and you’re traveling all the time so it is good to catch up with old friends. Comedians have camaraderie. We don’t have beef like rappers. We are all chill people,” Bellamy explained. 

    Bellamy says that he is particularly excited to come perform in Fayetteville. He has performed for the troops on Fort Bragg in the past and was overwhelmed with the positive welcome and enjoyed meeting all the military families and fans. With this past experience in mind he says, “I am excited to come to the city. It is gonna be a good time. A while ago I did a performance on base and I was like ‘wow!’ The love here is incredible the people are so real and so nice.” He has a strong appreciation for his fans and loves connecting with them while on tour both in person and through social media. 

    Bellamy’s personal success story is one about courage and risk taking. After graduating from college, he left his more traditional job to pursue his dreams. For him it was a life-changing decision and one he is grateful to have made. “When I was in college I was messing around with comedy. I would do talent shows; host step shows, nothing to really make my career. When I graduated I decided I was going to do comedy in the city. I was at Rutgers at the time. I decided I wanted to figure out how to make this thing work because it looked like fun. One thing led to another and the next thing I know I was performing in clubs with Chris Rock. One lucky break got me on MTV and after that is was like Rock Star. My life changed overnight,” he says.

    One Night Stand Comedy Tour will be at the Crown Theatre on Feb. 13. The show starts at 8 p.m. To purchase tickets visit CapeFearTix.com or SteveHarvey.com. For more information visit crowncomplexnc.com or call 910.438.4100. The Crown Complex is located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. Bellamy reminds audience members that the show is coming just in time for Valentine’s Day, and says “don’t come alone!” 


  •    Congratulations to Dr. William Harrison on his new job — taking charge of the educational needs of North Carolina’s K-12 public school children. This is great news!
       Last week, Gov. Beverly Purdue took action to elevate Harrison to the state’s top education position. Her announcement was swift, to the point  and with a sense of urgency that has rekindled the faith of parents, teachers, administrators and school officials as to the  future of quality public education in North Carolina. Purdue acknowledged the need for hard work and bold and deliberate leadership to rally the once strong educational system that has long since been tarnished and weakened by years of apathy and neglect.
       Will I miss Jane Atkinson, former superintendent of North Carolina Schools? I never even knew Jane Atkinson. Nor have I ever had an opportunity to meet her. That’s pretty unusual considering that in the last three years our homegrown literacy newspaper and educational resource Kidsville News! has been provided “free of charge” monthly to more than 250,000 K-6 grade children in 30 school districts throughout North Carolina.   {mosimage}Our publication has also been used several times by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction for EOG testing and evaluation.
       Every copy of the Kidsville News! is provided courtesy of local businesses and organizations that believe strongly that before a child can really learn, he must be able to read. The unique Kidsville News! concept was created  in 1998 shortly after Dr. Harrison came to Cumberland County.
       Though the concept of a countywide community-supported reading and literacy program was a good one, the shear expense of it made the reality doubtful. However, Harrison supported the Kidsville News! vision and within one year, with the help of a grateful community, this “free” fun, family reading resource was in the hands of every elementary school child in Cumberland County, Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force.
    Eleven years later it is a staple in the classroom. That’s vision. In 2005, we started allowing other newspapers in North Carolina to make Kidsville News! available in their communities. However, they had to agree to two major stipulations: It had to be published the same way it was done in Cumberland County; and it had to be “free” and available to every child in the community.
       Consequently, this same reading  program Dr. Harrison supported in Cumberland County exploded onto the education scene.
       In three short years Kidsville News! has expanded out to more than 130 communities in 28 states with a circulation of more than 1.25 million per month. This all started with Harrison’s support and a shared vision that young children need to read and can read with quality educational resources in the classroom.
       Sure, we’ll miss Bill Harrison here in this community, but our loss is North Carolina’s gain. Besides, what better compliment to him than to share Kidsville News!and his accomplishments with our state and all children, teachers and parents in educational communities all across this great nation. We’re proud of you Dr. William Harrison and Truman,the Kidsville mascot, is one happy dragon!

    Contact Bill Bowman at bill@upandcomingweekly.com

  • Chronical (Rated PG-13)   5 Stars02-22-12-movie-reciew.jpg

    Generally speaking, I think found shaky-cam footage movies are not only irritat-ing, but migraine inducing. A movie needs to be pretty good for me to overlook the risk of a two day headache. Well, I know what I hate, and I didn’t hate Chronicle (84 minutes). For a relatively low-budget effort with the potential to be a bad CW super-powered melo-drama, it actually tells a relatively sophisticated story with eas-ily relatable themes. Yes, writing team Landis and Trank went a little heavy-handed on the Nietzschean Übermensch/Will-To-Power thing, but to be fair they probably thought they were being real subtle-like.

    The film takes its time introducing its main characters. First up is Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHaan AKA Timbo from True Blood), a high school outsider who is “chronicling” his life with a video camera that’s at least 15-years-old. Andrew, who really should have found his niche in the AV club by now, is dealing with a few things. His mother is dying, his father (Michael Kelly) is a drunk and his personality is a bit hostile/defensive. As you can imagine, Andrew is quite the popular kid.

    Andrew has a cousin, Matt (Alex Russell) who takes him to a party. Despite Matt’s excellent advice on how not to be a great big dork, Andrew decides to stay the course and naturally winds up crying into his camera outside. The BMOC, Steve (Michael B. Jordan), wanders over gig-gling and drags him into the woods to meet Matt, who has given up on the party. I guess? To go wander in the woods with Steve? Hmm. This part seems a bit clum-sy. It could either be a straight-up case of the writers just not thinking through this part very well, or the writers deciding too much explanation would be beside the point, or the mysterious force that eventually changes the newly formed triumvi-rate is somehow drawing them into the woods.

    The mysterious force is apparently located deep in a hole in the ground, which means that if Andrew wants to get it on film, he needs to maneuver his giant an-tique camera down a vertical shaft. Possibly to his credit, or a credit to his naiveté, the possibility that the other two are planning to ditch him in the hole and stand over him laughing does not seem to cross his mind. While in the hole things get weird and the camera fizzes out. The next scene shows the boys playing with telekinesis in someone’s backyard as one boy off-handedly mentions that (a) they left the old camera in the hole and (b) Andrew has a cool new modern camera. Which begs the question: If the central conceit of the movie is that this is “found” footage, and the old camera got left in the hole, where did the first 20 minutes of the movie come from?

    So at first, despite a few nosebleeds, the Super Best Friends Club has a ball, what with the sleepovers and scaring small children, and moving cars with their minds. Then Andrew has a whoopsie moment and they all agree that they need to voluntarily limit themselves and the way they use their powers.

    After using the power of telekinetic flight to slip from the surly bonds of Earth, the boys decide that not even flying is more impor-tant than girls. Matt and Steve do their best to hook Andrew up, but Andrew has another whoopsie so that plan goes south. But it does set up the final act! See, as the movie goes on, Andrew has fewer and fewer reasons not to do exactly what he pleases, and more and more reasons to engage in a destructive rampage. Finally, in a super powered frenzy of narcis-sism and teenage angst, the boys work through the feelings by dropping cars and helicopters on each other.

    Overall, it is nice to see a more focused take on the genre that actually manages to bring something new to the origin story. But, alas, no after credits scene.

    Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

  • Does Music Education Improve Academic Performance?

    The education a child receives will set the groundwork for future success. There is a strong connection between edu-cational achievement and music education. Data from the College Board, Profile of College-Bound Seniors National Report for 2001, revealed that for every year a student par-ticipated in music instruction, their SAT scores improved significantly. Students with four or more years of music study received an average score of about 544 as opposed to a score just above 482 for those with at least one semester of music instruction, thus showing a strong correlation between music lessons and academic success.

    Grade-school music students also show increased learning in math and reading. The Public Schools of Albuquerque, N.M., conducted a study that found that instrumental-music students with two or more years of study scored significantly higher in the California Test of Basic Skills than did non-music students.

    High school students also achieve greater academic excel-lence when exposed to music training. A study by Mission Veijo High School in Southern California (1981) shows that the overall grade point average of music students is consistently higher than the grade point average of their non-music peers. The music students achieved a 3.59 average while the non-music students achieved a lower 2.91 average.

    Dr. Earnest Lamb is the chair of the Department of Performing and Fine Arts at Fayetteville State University. Prior to accepting the position at Fayetteville State, Dr. Lamb taught orchestra in the public schools of Little Rock, Ark. He later joined the faculty at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff before coming chair of its music department. Lamb found that music education encouraged students to stay in school because it improves their self-esteem, and those music educational activities give students a sense of belonging.

    For example, the students in the marching band, the glee club, choir or any other performing ensembles have an enhanced feeling of satisfaction and pride in their school. Having pride gives the students a reason to stay in school. Lamb has found that, especially in public schools, the lead-ers and the academic achievers were almost always involved in performing-arts programs.

    Lamb further noted that even the top-tier engineering and science universities have musical ensembles composed of students who had a background that included music lessons.

    Just 15 minutes a week of private keyboard instruction, along with group singing at pre-school, dramatically im-proved a kind of intelligence needed for high-level math and science, suggests a new study.02-29-12-sounds-of-music.jpg

    Music lessons appear to strengthen the links between brain neurons and build new spatial reasoning, says Psychologist Frances Rauscher of University of California-Irvine. “Music instruction can improve a child’s spatial in-telligence for long periods of time — perhaps permanently,” Rauscher told the American Psychological Association meeting according to the study in 1997.

    Her study compared 19 preschoolers who took the lessons and 14 classmates enrolled in no special music programs. After eight months, she found:

    • A 46 percent boost in spatial IQs for the young musicians 

    • A 6 percent improvement for children not taught music

    “If parents can’t afford lessons, they should at least buy a musical keyboard... or sing regularly with their kids and involve them in mu-sical activities,” Rauscher said.

    Photo: There is a strong connection between educational achievement and music education.

  • What Is Hiding in Your Closet?02-20-13-margaret.gif

    What is hiding in your closet … not to mention your attic, your basement and your garage? How about your desk drawers?

    The Dickson house has no attic. The basement has been turned into a bedroom; the garage is full of sports equipment — fishing gear, waders and a jumbo canoe along with my assortment of gardening supplies, implements and birdseed. Closets are full of clothes, most of which are seldom worn and which someone, usually moi, threatens to clean out and give away. The desks are stuffed with important papers — insurance information, passports, tax returns and the like.

    Some families, though, actually have interesting items in their storage.

    A childhood friend recently told me about Civil War-era family letters detailing daily life during those agonizing years as well as accounts of the bodies of soldiers lying when they fell on her family’s Alabama land. The letters are written on wallpaper, apparently the only medium available, and stowed in envelopes folded from the same.

    My friend and many others like her are just the folks the Museum of the Cape Fear is hoping to meet.

    The Civil War unfolded and played out on southern soil, including our own here in the Fayetteville community. North Carolina suffered more casualties than any other state. These historical realities mean that many southern families have kept Civil War-era documents and photographs, handing them down reverently through subsequent generations.

    The Museum of the Cape Fear, which is part of the North Carolina Museum of History, wants to know about these photos and documents — letters, diaries, entire books even. More than that, it wants copies of them to preserve for posterity in our state’s archives, and it is making it easy for those who have these materials to share them with the rest of us.

    On Saturday, March 9, professionals from the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources will be on hand at the museum to scan such family documents and pictures digitally or to photograph them. This is an opportunity to make sure that individual family histories as revealed in writing and in picture — records of people and events which shaped our state’s larger history — are both known and preserved. The documentation effort is also part of the planning for a proposed statewide North Carolina Civil War Center, which would be built near the current Museum of the Cape Fear adjacent to the grounds of the historic Fayetteville Arsenal. Says Cape Fear Historical Complex Foundation President Tad Prewitt, “We are excited about this program as we believe the documents and photographs people have could potentially unlock some exciting stories that might become part of the story we will tell with the new, proposed history center.”

    Interest in the Civil War and its aftermath is high as our nation commemorates the 150th anniversary of this wrenching conflict. It is also high in our own community, which endured a visit from Union General William Tecumseh Sherman, his more than 60,000 troops and 25,000 camp followers for several long days in March of 1865. It is stunning to contemplate what that invasion of humanity must have been like for the maybe 6,000 Fayetteville residents, 2,000 of whom worked at the doomed arsenal. Sherman came to our city solely to destroy that arsenal, which he did with efficiency and dispatch. Visitors today can walk along the stones of its foundations, but that is about it. Sherman executed his job well in the waning days of the Civil War.

    The scanning project is a pilot for a larger program, which museum leaders hope to rollout region-wide later in 2013 and statewide in 2014 to gather as much historical material in private hands as possible.

    A word about what the scanning project is not.

    It is not an opportunity for Civil War documents and photos to be appraised or sold. Your family treasures will simply be copied and put into our state’s archives and returned to you. They must be original and the property of those bringing them in to be scanned. Oversized or fragile documents or items such as multi-page documents may have to be transported to Raleigh for scanning.

    Many people in our community and beyond have stories of Civil War-era heroism, suffering, tragedy and healing that resonate through their family histories, and they are also part of North Carolina’s history.

    We can share these with each other and the rest of the state on March 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Museum of the Cape Fear on Bradford Avenue, just off Hay Street.

    I hope to see you there, even though the Department of Cultural Resources has expressed no interest in a photo of the Dickson’s large red canoe.

    Photo: Interest in the Civil War and its aftermath is high as our nation commemorates the 150th anniversary of this wrenching conflict.
  • The Final Countdown

    Since midnight on New Year’s Eve 2012, many residents in our community, including me, have been living under the gun. It’s a threat that we have little control over and one, in which our voice has not been heard, but come March 1, it’s one that we all will face.

    02-27-13-publisher\'s-pen.gifIf you are not a news junkie, you might not know what I am talking about, but in the coming weeks, even if this threat doesn’t directly affect you, it ultimately will.

    I’m talking about Sequestration.

    Sequestration is just a big word for making cuts in our national budget with no rhyme or reason. In particular, it targets the Department of Defense. And if you think civilian cuts to the DoD don’t affect you, wake up! The very economic health of this community is built on the budgets of every unit and command assigned to Fort Bragg. There are around 14,125 Department of Defense civilians employed on Fort Bragg. In total, the annual payroll for these employees is $548,502,504. Triple those numbers and you will be knocking on that of the soldiers assigned here.

    Think about how much of that money is going into our community in housing, dining, retail, etc. If you don’t think it impacts our community, then you are probably living in the same dream world as the Congress.

    If, over the next week, Congress makes no move to prevent Sequestration there will be $85 billion in cuts to the U.S. budget that will impact everything from food inspections to air traffi c control to law enforcement to education. If left as is, these austerity measures could cost 750,000 jobs and keep weak economic growth stunted for the rest of 2013, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.

    First implemented in 2011, these dire measures were supposed to be so painful that it would force the children serving in Congress to work together to make more intelligent cuts. That didn’t happen. So, instead of working as the clock winds down, Congress went on an eight-day President’s Day Break. President Obama, said on Tuesday from his golf hiatus that the Sequestration would “visit hardship on a whole lot of people.” Obviously not anyone who lives in Washington, D.C.

    But here in Fayetteville, it’s a different story. Sequestration will directly impact this community. The hardship will be evident. Many of the companies that have relocated to Fayetteville in order to pursue government contracts will be left with their pockets empty as contracts are slashed. Remember those government civilians who bring more than $548 million to the economy? Cut that by close to $110 million. Guess who won’t be eating out? Guess who won’t be shopping? Guess who won’t be getting their haircut, their carpets cleaned or buying new cars or houses? Now think about how that will impact you and your neighbors.

    Do you think our elected officials have thought about the second- and third-order effects of their inability to govern? Let’s look at what they are doing and what they are saying. First, they are on vacation. Really? When I have a deadline looming, I’m at my desk hard at work. I’m not taking a break.

    Let’s look at what the House Minority Leader had to say when it was suggested that if all government employees were going to lose 1/5 of their pay over the next six months, then she should as well. Nancy Pelosi’s well-reasoned response was:

    “I don’t think we should do it; I think we should respect the work we do,” Pelosi told reporters in the Capitol. “I think it’s necessary for us to have the dignity of the job that we have rewarded.”

    Seriously? Who would have thought these words would have ever come out of her mouth. Consider them against the words of Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter when testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee. Carter, who spoke eloquently of the dangers implicit in these cuts to our national defense brought it down to a personal level.

    “There’s a real human impact here,” Carter said. “And in addition to the military and civilian personnel, the effects will be devastating on the defense industry, upon which we depend.”

    Carter said that if Sequestration happens, and if government civilians are forced into 22 days of furlough, they will not feel the pain alone. He pledged to return a fifth of his own salary to the U.S. Treasury, noting that he cannot be furloughed because he is a Senate-confi rmed presidential employee. But he gets it. You can’t ask others to absorb the pain if you aren’t willing to do it yourself.

    I propose that every member of Congress return 22 days of their pay, which collectively is $779,000. Further President Obama should return his 20 percent or $46,538.

    It’s time that Congress gets the message: Get it together or get out.

  • Work Ethic and the American Way

    I love people who work. I especially admire people who really work hard. It’s the American way, and yet, today, too many people feel that the true American work ethic is falling by the wayside. Really?

    Well, I’m resisting that notion, but, then again, I’m a child of the ‘50s. I have fond childhood memories of attending school assemblies and viewing short films with titles like Industry on Parade that showcased patriotic music and images of scientists in lab coats and muscular, sweaty, shirtless men in hard hats pounding and forging metal with gigantic vats of red-hot molten steel pouring out in the background. Chilling.

    There were also images of four or five farm tractors working in tandem, harvesting a wheat field. These films celebrated pride, integrity and ingenuity; virtues that America was built on. Some things just don’t change.

    Ah, the American work ethic. Americans getting their hands dirty, doing manual labor or serving the public in thousands of retail positions; working and giving 110 percent to provide the best possible service to their customers. Nothing symbolizes or expresses the American Way better than hard work and excellent customer service.

    This past week, one of the highlights at the Fayetteville Regional Chamber of Commerce annual awards dinner, which took place at the Crown Coliseum, was seeing 23-year-old Alexis Kondratyk practically speechless with pride when presented the 2013 Outstanding Customer Service Award. Kondratyk, a cashier at IGA located in Eutaw Shopping Center, was nominated for her warm personality and consistent and extreme sensitivity to the needs of her customers. Mike Lallier, general manager/owner of Reed-Lallier Chevrolet, sponsored the recognition and presented her the award and keys to a new Chevrolet, which she will be able to drive for the next year. Her shy response: “I was just doing my job.”

    Wow! How refreshing.02-05-14-pub-notes.gif

    Our community, our state and our nation need more people like Alexis. Work ethic speaks volumes about character. The victimization of America is becoming much too prevalent as government entitlement programs paralyze the working class by encouraging dependency and discouraging the development of a sound work ethic.

    It is my hope that the Chamber of Commerce will continue to recognize people who and businesses that exemplify sound business practices, excellent customer service and the proliferation of solid work ethic and the American Way.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    Photo: Alexis Kondratyk receiving the Reed Lallier 2013 Outstanding Customer Service Award with (l-r) Fayetteville Regional Chamber President and CEO Doug Peters, Mike Lallier, owner of Reed Lallier Chevrolet and Chairman of the Board Vincent Venturella.

  • 02-12-14-cancer-awareness.gifMethodist University has always been incredibly active in the community. This February the university is providing the community with an opportunity to support breast cancer awareness and enjoy local basketball. Although October is the official breast cancer awareness month, there is no bad time to bring awareness to the dangers of breast cancer. Methodist is doing this by sponsoring a few events, all running under the banner of Play 4Kay Breast Cancer Awareness Events. These events all take place on Feb. 15.

    The event is the annual 4K Run and Walk. The Student Athletic Trainers Association hosts the 4K Run and Walk again this year. The event begins at 8:15 a.m, but registration opens at 7:30 a.m. Students and faculty have a discounted registration fee of $10. Registration for the public costs $15. The 4K begins at the March F. Riddle Center and all who participate will receive a Play 4Kay T-shirt.

    The main event of the cancer awareness effort is the woman’s basketball game. This is the sixth annual basketball game Methodist University has hosted. The game is at 2 p.m. in March F. Riddle Physical Activities Center. The Methodist Monarchs take on Averett University. Breast Cancer survivors are invited to attend, and will be honored during half time. There will also be a reception after the game to celebrate all breast cancer survivors. Tickets are $2 for students and $4 for the public. However, anyone wearing pink and making a donation will be admitted for free. Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated. Information about breast cancer prevention will also be available.

    There will be more than just a fierce competition at this basketball game. A silent auction is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. and will last until ten minutes into the second half of the woman’s game. The auction will be in the Riddle center and promises a wide variety of amazing items. There will be sports memorabilia, jewelry, gift certificates and handmade items. During the game, Play 4Kay shirts are available for purchase.

    All proceeds generated by the Play 4Kay events will be donated to two different cancer-oriented foundations. This combination of foundations allows the events to have both a local and global reach. The first beneficiary is the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center. This foundation provides free mammograms for uninsured women. These mammograms are an important part of detecting breast cancer early, and help keep the women of the community safe and healthy. The second foundation is the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. This foundation was founded in honor of the legendary basketball coach from North Carolina. She was the women’s head basketball coach for North Carolina State University, and unfortunately, fell victim to breast cancer. DeeDee Jarman, the women’s basketball coach at Methodist, feels a special connection to this fund because; “She had a huge impact on my life as a player and as a coach. I strive to live my life the way Kay would want me to. Educating people about cancer prevention will hopefully save lives.”

    The fund uses the donations and monies raised during the year to provide grants in order to fund the research of cancer care facilities.

    For more information, contact Jarman at 910.630.7283, or visit www.mumonarchs.com/play4kay.

    Photo: Although October is the official breast cancer awareness month, there is no bad time to bring awareness to breast cancer.

  • Keep It Local

    Anyone in the local pageant business knows that the lovely and talented Jocelyn Naylor was our Miss Fayetteville in 2014. However, I can say confidently that few Fayetteville residents outside the franchised pageant organization that sponsors the Miss Fayetteville Pageant know of her.

    There is a reason for that. Naylor is not from Cumberland County. She is, in fact, from Fuquay-Varina in Wake County. She was crowned last year by the 2013 Miss Fayetteville, Victoria Huggins, who hails from the city of Lumberton in neighboring Robeson County. Both these ladies are extremely talented, beautiful and deserving of their title, honors and scholarships. They are just not from Fayetteville. 02-04-15-pub-notes.gif

    On Jan. 24, during the 2015 Miss Fayetteville Pageant at Huff Concert Hall at Reeves Fine Arts Building on the campus of Methodist University, Naylor gave up her Miss Fayetteville title to another Lumberton native, the lovely, talented and beautiful, Comfort Johnson, a 23-year-old student attending UNC Pembroke. Comfort will represent Fayetteville and compete for the coveted Miss North Carolina title and hopefully, for the title of Miss America. This is many young women’s dream and we wish her the best.

    The Miss America Scholarship Program has many merits and I applaud the amount of time, effort and dedication that goes into this endeavor by the contestants. What I have never understood is why this program and process on the local level seems to be so subdued and quiet in our community. I am not alone in this observation. As a media source, I have the same concerns as many others familiar with the organization. This is that the process being used to publicize the event and recruit contestants to participate is a flawed process. Flawed in its orchestration and perhaps unfair or at best, misrepresented. After all, what other reason could there be for allowing outside contestants to enter another city’s local event?

    First, the program appears to be more selective in nature than inclusive. This limits participation and the number of contestants simply because they are not made aware of the opportunity. Second, the pageant itself is grossly understated and poorly marketed with little or no promotion or advertising. Matter of fact, the Miss Fayetteville Scholarship Pageant does not have a website and uses Facebook as its only source for information. Once there, you have no contact information, no “about us” information or information about the contest, requirements, scholarships or how to get involved with the process.

    Third, advertising and promotion of the pageant itself is virtually nonexistent. The only publicity and awareness there was that a Miss Fayetteville Pageant was even taking place this year was posted online by The Fayetteville Observer... the night of the event. The newspaper updated its post for the next day and then featured the winners in the Saturday Extra supplement.

    Finally, last, but not least, our Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville. Believe me, people are baffled and confused by that. For an entire year Miss Fayetteville will travel around the region under the guise of being from Fayetteville but, in reality, she cannot be an effective Ambassador because she really doesn’t know anything about our community. And, that is what is unfortunate. These young women work extremely hard to compete for that title. Sure, beauty, poise and talent are important, but so are work ethic, character, dedication, commitment and matters of the heart. We see and experience these traits from the contestants who commit to participate locally. By not emphasizing this “local” qualification in the competition, the Miss Fayetteville Pageant franchise owners are doing a grand injustice to the contestants and the communities from which they hail. They rob local communities of true recognition and the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from supporting one of their own.

    Again, this is not about the contestants, it’s a commentary about the operation of an organization that chooses to operate in a way that diminishes their own goals and objectives.

    Over the years, Fayetteville has had several wonderful “local” young women win the Miss Fayetteville title. All have represented our community with beauty, dignity and style. Now, I’m not a pageant person so I don’t keep up with such things, however, in the last decade we have had several “local” Miss Fayetteville’s. Kinsey Boarts, Tiffanie Wagner, Katie Elizabeth Mills and Brooke McLaurin come immediately to mind. These local, homegrown queens received much local support and encouragement from residents, friends, family and local businesses and organizations.

    Everyone took great pride in watching them work in our community, show up at community events, donate countless hours supporting children and working with local charities. I never really saw or met any franchise pageant committee members reaching out in support of these young women on their quest for the Miss North Carolina title. My point is that when the contestants were local everyone took pride, ownership and had a vested interest in the success of the young girls. They represented the City of Fayetteville and we supported them. Brooke McLaurin, who actually went on to become Miss North Carolina, and Katie Mills were two of the most devoted and hardest workers for this community. Again, I never saw much outside support.

    I guess I’ll conclude by saying this: The rules are the rules. However, if our city name is going to be invoked, the community should benefit from it and the contestants should benefit also. Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville or Cumberland County not from Lumberton, Raeford, Wake County or Harnett County. On the same hand, our local talent should not be forced to compete in other communities. Crowning a Miss Fayetteville should be a “big deal” in Fayetteville each and every year. Not served up as a nonevent or afterthought that surprisingly shows up in the Saturday Extra the day after.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    Photo: If our city name is going to be invoked, the community should benefit from it and the contestants should benefit also. Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville or Cumberland County not from Lumberton, Raeford, Wake County or Harnett County. 

  • 02-23-11-pub-notes.gifThe Vietnam War has always been a sensitive topic in my family. My father was called Gramps by the young men who served with him. He was not the normal soldier. He was in his 30s. He had five children.

    I was a toddler during those years. I grew up hearing stories of how much I missed my father while he was gone. Prior to his going to war, I would wait patiently at the front door for him to come home. No matter how hard they tried, my family couldn’t break me of that habit while he was gone. My mother and my grandfather would try to coax me away from the door, but I wouldn’t budge. Only after I fell asleep could they move me to my bed. When they got up in the morning, they would fi nd me sleeping in front of the door.

    Patiently, I waited.

    The father who left my family wasn’t exactly the same one who came home. He was wounded in an explosion, and spent quite a bit of time in the hospital when he returned home. That father cried out in his sleep. It wasn’t wise to surprise him. His patience wasn’t what it had been.

    He had no love for hippies or protesters and even today, the name Jane Fonda is an anathema in his home. He recalls the protesters, the anger, the lack of a welcome home. He, like his fellow service members, had no heroes welcome. There were no ticker tape parades. No yellow ribbons. Flags did not fly to symbolize a service member. It was more a mark of shame than anything else.

    Knowing this, you now know that the Vietnam War shaped a part of my life. The idea of Fayetteville finally holding a welcome home for Vietnam veterans holds a special place in my heart. The controversy raging around it does not.

    To me, the old saying about the road to hell being paved with good intentions seems apt in this situation. I believe Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne and his volunteer group have nothing but good intentions. I also believe that their intentions are not shared by Chuck Fager or those in his organization. (Note: I support their right to believe what they want, but I don’t have to agree with it. Bottom line, up front, I don’t agree with them.)

    I believe that veteran’s groups and other volunteers should step up to the leadership position for the welcome home event — not because Mayor Chavonne’s heart is not in the right place, but rather that circumstances and people — the Quaker House and members of the media who have sensationalized the reporting around the controversy — have compromised Chavonne to the point that he is becoming a distraction.

    That being said, I hope that all those who have it in their hearts to honor the service of our Vietnam veterans step forward and support this endeavor. I implore the veterans and others in the community not to let the controversy ruin the event. Participate. Mend wounds. Ignore sensationalism. Become a part of the solution.

    To do less is just another slap in the face of the heroes the event is designed to honor.

  • The Time has come Up & Coming Weekly saw it coming as the publication has on a number of downtown issues. This time it is the ultimate and final demise of the Prince Charles Hotel. The old girl has run her course and the outcome, called for by UCW writers as far back as three years ago, is now clearly foreseeable.

    Of course there are those that want to deny the hotel’s death rattle, continue compressions, rush the building EMTs to her bedside and put her on life support. But the inevitable is at hand. Have the wrecking ball standing by and advise John Chen to get the family together. Of course Chen may not be the owner in a few weeks and if that should be so then all bets are off. Latest news is that the county, at the city’s direction, is planning to serve foreclosure papers on Chen and have the hotel sold at public auction. Should that be the case and the building is sold, another chapter, in a litany of chapters about the Prince Charles Hotel will begin.

    My bet is that the auction will not find any suitable bidders except Chen.

    Chen has tried the patience of Fayetteville’s long tolerant city fathers and city manager enough. Now the condition of the building has deteriorated to the point that if Chen continues to hide in his New York City bunker, refusing to respond to telephone calls and emails, he may return here one day to find his Prince Charles Hotel has become the Prince Charles parking lot. There’s the matter of fines and other invoices from the city that have not been satisfied. The latest is the disconnection of the building’s electricity which has created a serious fire issue. Before that the building began shedding its masonry in large chunks offering adventure and excitement for those who would brave the north side of that section of Hay Street.

    Let’s get serious about the Prince Charles Hotel. First of all, the building is currently Chen’s problem. It is not the Fayetteville City Council’s problem, at least not yet but the city must very soon adopt the old building and its associated issues as its own or put it on the auction block as announced. As has been carefully pointed out in the past, Chen knew or should have known all of the troubles surrounding the hotel when he made his ill-advised but successful bid to buy it.

    The hotel, for reasons that are somewhat obscure to me, is on the Historical Register. That means that changes to the building’s exterior must comply with state and city rules for such structures. That regulation is where Chen and city government first crossed swords. But needed attention to exterior matters was only given lip service by Chen. Things got worse.

    Tenants were evacuated due to fire-code violations. Today the people that care about our city have had enough of John Chen and his obstinacy. If a commercial building, apartments or residential structure in Fayetteville were to be in such poor and unsafe condition as the Prince Charles Hotel the city would move to demolish the offending edifice and would send the property owner the bill for the demolition costs.

    The hotel will receive a life extension because it is on the National Register of historic buildings. That does not mean the life extension will be forever. The hotel is also in the city’s historic district which counts for something although it should not. According to Bruce Daws, Fayetteville’s historic properties manager, a procedure to demolish a building on the historic register is protracted and fraught with obstacles to prevent the needed execution. A certificate of appropriateness must be prepared and presented to the city’s Historic Resources Commission. That organization does look askance at any effort to tear down Fayetteville’s old buildings. But it does happen.

    A case for the demolition has to be made that can override subjective arguments to let it stand.

    If in the Historic Resouurce Commission’s infinite wisdom the decision is life rather than letting the building ride the equivalent of the death-house gurney, what use can be made of the derelict building? It has failed a sufficient number of times as a hotel, dare we say every time, and to the point that all should accept that it cannot function successfully as an accommodation source. Gut it and build upscale condos or apartments is another poorly considered idea that would go nowhere with credit providers. Maybe a minimum fix up and let the homeless live there. Perfect. It would be magnet for the under the bridge dwellers right in the heart of downtown.

    02-15-12-wilson.jpgPerhaps it could be made into an office building. Maybe it could, but the cost would far exceed that of a same size new building and then there’s the still unsold PWC building where a line of buyers is yet to form.

    If the save-old-downtown-structures crowd continues to have their way and say the rest of us will be required to involuntarily tolerate this wart on the city’s nose. But one day sanity and practicality will prevail over sentimentality and a higher and better use will be given to the ground now occupied by the Prince Charles Hotel. Let us hope that day is soon.

    Photo:  The sidewalk in front of the Prince Charles Hotel is blocked because pieces of the building’s facade have been falling. The historic building may be up for demolition.

  • 02-22-12-smallest-helmet.jpgTime and time again we hear about people talking about the smallest half helmet and we hear them asking where they can find one. The truth of the matter is that the smallest helmet isn’t always necessarily the best one.

    There are a number of things that you should think about when you begin your search for the smallest helmet. One thing that you might want to ask yourself is will the smallest half helmet provide you with the necessary protection. Many times those who try to make a helmet that is really small will skim on the parts that matter the most.

    One part of the helmet that manufacturers might take shortcuts on is the inner padding. In order to make the outer shell of the helmet small, you have to reduce the size of what is inside of the helmet right? This isn’t necessarily the best way to go because it reduces the effectiveness of the helmet all together. DOT helmets are made to meet certain standards that are set in place in order to provide safe helmets for riders. If your helmet does not meet these standards, then you should question whether or not it is right for you. Beware of those that claim to have the smallest helmet because it may not necessarily be the safest one for you.

    Appearance often has a lot to do with how riders pick their gear. The helmet is certainly no exception, which is why many riders really don’t care what it looks like on the inside as long as it looks good on the outside. Unfortunately, this isn’t the right attitude to have when it comes to your helmet. Safety should always be your number one priority.

    Finally, you might want to inspect the materials used to make the supposed smallest half helmet before you purchase it. There may be some instances where manufacturers will skim on the materials used in order to make the helmets smaller. This means that the outer shell might be thinner than normal. Again, this isn’t going to make the safest helmet for the rider. Instead, look for helmets that have thick polycarbonate shells that will hold strong against high impact pressure.

    The next time you shop for a helmet, ask yourself whether or not you are willing to sacrifice your safety for the appearance. This might help you make your decision when considering which one to buy.

  • 02-27-13-ftcc.gifThe traditional and still popularly accepted perception of gaming and simulation establishes two distinct and mutually exclusive spheres using the same technologies: games, purely entertaining, more often than not violent, and largely catering to a group of persons who can only find fulfillment in virtual combat; and simulations, purely occupational, more often than not academic, and largely catering to soldiers, doctors, scholars and an erudite society of persons who can only find fulfillment in calculus solutions. These two spheres have enjoyed immense growth, both financially and technologically, in the last two decades. However, the industry has borne a certain stigma that links it to mass murder, fanaticism, and decadence in the propaganda of politics and pop culture.

    What if visiting a virtual world on a daily basis became as esteemed and as essential to modern living as visiting one’s favorite stores? Then we could say that the industry has fulfilled its true potential, and we could expect industry giants to emerge. To achieve this lofty goal, there needs to be a game or simulation for everyone, and for everything, but is this possible? I believe it is because almost any situation in the real world can be morphed into a virtual world.

    Then what stands in the way? Certainly not technology: graphically stunning and physically realistic 3D worlds — and 3D controllers that map all the intricacies of human body action onto them — have pushed the virtual envelope much closer to the reality of a Star Trek holodeck. If not technology, then what? I believe the limiting factor is content: although the traditional game repertoire of combat and sport has expanded into many far-flung and unexpected new realms with simulation creeping into a diverse portfolio of professions such as medicine and law. While the commercial successes such as The Sims and Second Life have popularized gaming, the minutiae of everyday life, content-wise, the simulation and game industry seems to be caught on the dichotomous cusp separating frivolity from functionality.

    I believe the answer lies in the merger of the two: professionals debate the difference between a game and a simulation, ultimately concluding that the difference lies in the end use of the same technology. But is there a difference at all? Cannot a topic be gamed and simulated at the same time? Can we not find entertainment in simulating and training for reality, and can we not learn from even the oddest of game adventures? Life is already structured as both a game, with competition, levels of achievement, victory conditions, and above all, a never-ending quest for entertainment; and as a learning experience, comprising an ocean of details and procedures, and above all, a never-ending quest for experience.

    I propose that we view every aspect of the real world as a source for virtual worlds, that our virtual lives always become a preparatory or experimental examination of real-life choices, and that we maximize the entertainment and satisfaction value of real-life events through the experience gained in virtual ones. In practical terms, this unified approach to simulation design will attract new mindsets to the industry, young and old, male and female, pragmatic and artistic; and a whole new set of life topics — from infancy to senescence — will emerge, continually revitalizing and reinventing game simulations and the academia and industry built around them. Only then will popular perception fully evolve, and only then will simulation and game technology gain the full respect that it deserves.

    At Fayetteville Technical Community College, our Simulation and Game Development program is designed to promote this change in perception, not only for the future benefit of the industry, the technology, and those involved with both, but for the benefit of increased student diversity and the full integration of Simulation and Game Development into the mainstream of technology education and research. By assigning a more comprehensive and unified mission for the application of simulation and game technology, we can attract a broader spectrum of minds that will in turn train a more diverse professional pool than the current somewhat cultish one, and that will ultimately provide the broad human experience necessary to apply the technology to every facet of this experience.

    We achieve this lofty goal by stressing a philosophical approach to simulation design that examines and integrates not only technology, but also psychology, sociology, engineering and history into the process. We also teach simulation technology as a conceptual tool to be learned and applied independently of the video game in its accepted format. Finally, we strive to diversify our student population by promoting the potential of simulation to enhance the life of every individual, by challenging individuals to come and discover and develop this potential.

  • Collective Impact: Fayetteville’s Heading in the Right Direction

    The term Collective Impact has surfaced in various conversations about crime reduction and quality of life throughout Fayetteville and Cumberland County. I’m happy that it is being discussed. Collective Impact (with capital “C” and “I”) is a set of specific conditions that if properly done, can make significant positive differences where implemented. It includes a formal set of tools and strategies and is not a feel-good process-only outcome. I am a believer in Collective Impact based on conclusions drawn from decades of community-based intervention research, collaborative initiatives as well as my own experiences in many locations. Research from the Collective Impact literature is promising (see the Stanford Social Innovation Review for example). Major philanthropic organizations (Ford, Annenberg, Pew among others) and other philanthropy groups have invested in Collective Impact efforts and endorse the approach with confidence. Collective Impact is outcome driven, its five essential conditions are well documented, and the success that comes from well-implemented projects can be enduring and sustainable (when support and resources remain in the system).

    The secret sauce of Collective Impact includes much of what Bill Bowman, publisher of Up & Coming Weekly, noted in his Jan. 29 Publisher’s Notes column — strong and enduring political support, creativity and innovation so that cross-agency and cross-community solutions can be implemented; but most importantly, the backbone organization (or organizations) must be created within a safe zone of work so that politics and ideologies do not erode the mission or the staff in place to do the work. Collective Impact is transparent. Backbone organizations build forward-facing dashboards filled with reports and outcome data on each participating entity. The management and board members of the Collective Impact project hold each element of the project accountable for its portions (including themselves and the backbone organizations). The results are posted for all to see. Efforts are data-driven and outcome focused. All voices are at the table and the governance structure of a Collective Impact project is set up to neutralize the typical problems that often confront community and/or grassroots initiatives. Collective Impact initiatives find innovative and cost-effective ways to solve problems such as the use of community service banks, shared services and bartering, blended funding streams and strategies, innovative trade and educational strategies AND civic crime fighting tools among other ideas.

    If the political, civic, business, faith and “grassroots” communities get behind a Collective Impact effort, support will be needed from the greater Fayetteville-Cumberland County area. What really drives the work is the backbone structure itself to enable an effective and high impact initiative fostered through Collective Impact strategies. The backbone organization(s) do not sit within existing government entities. They should be built as expansions or evolutions of existing nonprofits, university or college departments, collaborative philanthropic entities, or innovative twists on these types of agencies/organizations and should not duplicate existing programs. They should be resourced for 4-6 years minimally and should have clearly defined goals, objectives, strategies, tools, measures and outcomes reported routinely to all participants and the general public. Most of all, stakeholders within the governance structure must be empowered and able to make tough decisions. And the public must be willing to support them. Budgets may change, organizations may evolve (some may come, some may go). People’s lives will surely change.

    I applaud Up & Coming Weekly, Mayor Nat Robertson, Chief Medlock, Sheriff Butler, the faith and business community folks, Fayetteville Publishing Company, and many others that are considering this dialogue. There are a myriad of ways to engage folks that have not been tried before here in Cumberland County. Collective Impact can be a highly effective pathway for our community to dramatically improve the quality of life for its citizens.

  • 021016_cover.jpg

    The right thing isn’t always the easiest – or most economical or efficient thing. But what if it was? Picture this: What if getting solar panels on your home meant the electric meter would run backwards and you could pocket the savings? What if food waste from restaurants and colleges was used to create biofuels – and for a profit? What if dirty cooking oils from restaurants could be cleaned up and refined to power commercial fleets of trucks and buses? It would save money and resources and create new jobs. It’s not just a pipe dream. These things are happening. Right now. In the Sandhills. The Sustainable Sandhills Clean Energy Summit on Saturday, Feb. 20, brings together government officials, educators, industry and small businesses for an open discussion about clean energy and what it means for the community’s schools, homes, jobs and businesses. It’s free and there is offsite children’s programming as well.

    The summit opens at 11 a.m. for registration and the Clean Energy Business Pitch and Networking Coffee. Dr. Cindy Burns of Fayetteville Technical Community College and Tamara Bryant of the Small Business Center will speak.

    At noon, N.C. Representative John Szoka presents the keynote speech “The Energy Freedom Act.”  Hailed as a bill that goes above and beyond by the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters, this legislation, of which Szoka is a sponsor, seeks to promote opportunities for homeowners and businesses to “generate more renewable and affordable energy on their own property.” “Representative Szoka will be talking about the future of energy in North Carolina,” said Sustainable Sandhills Executive Director Hanah Ehrenreich. “He is a Republican and a conservative and he has really embraced renewable energy. He sees it as good socially, economically and educationally.” 

    The remainder of the day’s programming is broken up into three tracks: business/entrepreneurs, energy professional and job seekers and residents. While the topics are geared for different groups of people, attendees are welcome to go to any of the sessions they choose. 

    Ehrenreich is excited about the speakers and said that she is expecting about 300 people to attend. “We have several excellent presentations planned,” she said. Topics include things like how to grow your business by getting on a national board. “Gary Bilbro served on the Carolina Recycling Association and the National Recycling Coalition. He runs Smart Recycling. He runs a main street composting program in Charleston that is unbelievable. And he just got a contract with Fort Bragg to take compostable waste from DFACs. He also does school recycling from dining halls at Coastal Carolina and ECU. His business model is sound and it is growing, which is really exciting to see.”

    Grease for Good recycles cooking oil. The company is based in eastern North Carolina. The company works with schools and businesses to bring clean burning locally-made biodiesel to run fleets of trucks and buses.

    Fayetteville State University’s Dr. Juan Ma teaches public policy related courses and is leading the effort to integrate sustainability into academic programs.

    Jay Blauser is UNC Pembroke’s first Sustainability Director. As such, he works to make UNC a leader in sustainability both operationally and academically.  Under his watch, the campus is the first college in the state to partner with the  U.S. Department of Energy’s Workplace Charging Challenge.

    NC Warn is a 26-year-old nonprofit in Durham that focuses on climate change. Sally Robertson is the Solarize Coordinator at NC Warn and will present at the Solar as Social Justice session during the three 0’clock hour.

    Mark Brown will represent PWC, Fayetteville’s Hometown Utility at the Sustainable Sandhills Clean Energy Summit during the discussion about the state of power in the Sandhills.

    Sometimes energy trends are obvious and sometimes they are a bit more extreme and creative. “We have a tiny house that will be shown from Carolina sustainable structures,” said Ehrenreich. “The gentleman who is joining us will present it and talk about tiny houses. There will also be electric vehicles for people to look at and learn about.”

    Cumberland County Public Library and Information Center is partnering with Sustainable Sandhills for this event and is set to provide children’s programming from noon until 4:30 p.m. “They are going to do kitchen science and construction projects,” said Eherenreich. “They are going to do some good stuff. It is for ages 8-12 and the library does require that parents pre-register their children.”

    The Clean Energy Summit takes place at New Century International Elementary School at 7465 Century Circle. Doors open at 11 a.m. Visit http://www.sustainablesandhills.org/ to register or for more information.

  • What’s happening with wild populations of cheetahs, the fastest land animals on Earth?      

    — Eduardo Ramirez, Braintree, Mass.

      The brainchild of Grameen Foundation founder MuhDue to its plight in recent decades, the cheetah, which can reach speeds of 70 miles per hour, is considered one of the world’s most endangered species by the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
      A hundred years ago some 100,000 wild cheetahs inhabited 44 or more countries throughout Africa and Asia. According to the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), a Namibia-based non-profit organization, today the species exists in only two dozen of those countries — including areas of North Africa, the Sahel, East Africa and southern Africa — with worldwide population numbers now between 12,000 and 15,000 individuals living in small groups. In addition, about 150-200 of the fast cats live in the wild in Iran (where they are known as the Asiatic Cheetah), their forebears having been brought in from Africa in the early 20th century.
      The chief threats to the cheetah’s existence are loss of habitat, poaching and hunting (their hide and trophies can command top dollar), and getting shot by livestock farmers. Decline of gazelles, wildebeests, impalas and other preferred prey species (also due to hunting and habitat loss) is a factor, too.
      {mosimage}According to CCF, throughout Africa cheetah numbers are dwindling even within protected wildlife reserves due to increased competition from other larger predators like lions and hyenas. As a result, most protected areas are unable to maintain viable cheetah populations, so individual cats tend to fan out beyond wildlife reserves, placing them in greater danger of conflict with humans. Those cheetahs that do survive in the wild come from a smaller, less diverse gene pool, leaving them susceptible to disease and predation in their own right. Furthermore, captive breeding has proven tricky, and wildlife biologists are not optimistic that such efforts can have a measurable positive impact on the cheetah’s future.
      Cheetahs have lean bodies, long legs, a large heart and expansive lungs. And with these features come additional speed; perhaps this is why the cheetah is often referred to as the “greyhound” of the cats. In fact, some say a cheetah looks like a “dog with a cat’s head.” But with weaker jaws and smaller teeth than other large predators, cheetahs have difficulty protecting their kills, let alone their own cubs. This has meant that population numbers for wild cheetahs are falling faster than for other big cats.
      The cheetah’s future may look dim, but conservationists have been working to lessen the decline in some areas. For instance, CCF began educating livestock farmers around Namibia in the early 1990s about how to prevent cheetahs from preying on their livestock without resorting to the rifle. As a result of these education efforts, along with stronger enforcement of endangered species and anti-poaching laws, cheetah populations in that country stabilized — now some 2,500-3,000 cheetahs make their home in Namibia — after having fallen to half that the previous decade. Clearly more such efforts are needed.
      CONTACTS: Cheetah Conservation Fund, www.cheetah.org; Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), www.cites.org.
      GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. archives.php.


  • The Grey(Rated R)  4 Stars02-15-12-movie.jpg

    See, there’s this guy. He might seem like an ordinary guy, but then something happens, and he becomes a special agent/mercenary/special forces guy/survival-ist/MacGuyver/Superman. Related to this, he is a crack shot, does stuff with chewing gum and duct tape, and is always the last man standing. Like the modern day superhero he is supposed to be, this character typically has one major superpower. For example, in Kinsey, he played a character with a really big … brain. Alongside this superpower, he also has one major weakness. For example, in Unknown, he has amnesia. Well, if Joe Carnahan can pull off The A-Team, I guess he can pull this off too.

    John Ottway (Neeson) is a sharpshooter working for an Alaskan drilling company, but he doesn’t really seem to enjoy his job or his co-workers very much. Or, at least this is what I am led to believe by his frequent use of the phrase “scum of the earth.” The job finished, he and the team of dirty, hairy guys prepare to fly out. But wait! They crash into the Andes Mountains and need to eat each other to survive!

    Ok, that doesn’t happen. But there is a crashing-in-a-snow-storm scene that is easily as cool as the one in Alive. When he recovers from being slammed into the ground at a fantastic rate of speed, he finds his hat and checks around the flaming wreckage. By nightfall, he has alpha-maled the other survivors into a more or less cohesive pack. His pack includes Hendrick (Dallas Roberts), Diaz (Frank Grillo), and Talget (Dermot Mulroney), and a whole lot of red-shirt wearing can-non fodder.

    The next morning, realizing that they crash landed in the hunting territory of a wolf pack, Ottway mobilizes his pack to get out of dodge. PSA: wolves are beauti-ful majestic creatures that should not be hunted or molested. When you crashland your noisy smelly plane into their home, soaking the earth with blood and gasoline, do not take their efforts to defend themselves personally. End PSA.

    The group plans to hike to a nearby wood, and never thinks about the value of making snowshoes. Which will come back to haunt them in a big way, as they spend most of the movie sinking up to their hips in snowdrifts. The wolves track the group, trying to pick them off one at a time. This forces them to continue moving despite the fact (that Ottway should know) that if you are lost in the woods you are supposed to stay put until the rescuers find you. A nice wolf pack/human pack parallel develops, when some members of the human pack try to challenge Ottway, just as subordinate wolves try to challenge the alpha wolf. In both cases, the alpha wins pretty decisively.

    I guess spending a few days starving out in the freezing cold and being chased by a wolfpack makes you stupid, because when the guys come across a deep ravine, they decide they are expert knot tiers and plan to jump the gorge by creating a rope from jackets and stuff. Does it count as a spoiler if I tell you that it doesn’t go according to plan?

    As the men receive increasingly hilarious injuries, the film verges on cliché, with Ottway screaming into the sky in a search for God or something. It doesn’t fit the tone of the movie, and really does slow the film’s climax.

    At this point in his career, you can pretty much write a Liam Neeson “man-with-a-certain-set-of-skills” action thriller with a homemade plot generator. Like all the rest, The Grey (117 minutes) is a moderately enjoyable addition to his already long, long, list of action-thrillers, and if you like Neeson, you will like this. Of course, some might complain about the ending. If it means that much to you, stick around for the final scene after the credits.

    Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

  • 021016_karl-merritt.jpg

    This column addresses a matter specific to Cumberland County, North Carolina, which includes the City of Fayetteville. Even though the situation is specific to the city and county where I live, examination of what is happening shines a bright light on the dysfunctional and ineffective political conditions that are present across America. 

    For some period, the Cumberland County and the nine municipalities located in the County were seeking agreement on how to equitably distribute locally collected sales-tax. Fayetteville is by far the largest of the municipalities and was the only one disagreeing with the distribution formula proposed by the County. By North Carolina law, county commissioners decide how these funds are to be distributed. The distribution can be done one of two ways. As is currently done, by per-capita distribution where the total of the countywide population (in incorporated and unincorporated areas) and the populations of each municipality are used to calculate a proportional per-capita distribution. The other is ad valorem distribution where the sum of ad valorem (property) taxes levied by the county and each municipality in the immediately preceding fiscal year are used to calculate a proportional share of sales tax proceeds. 

    In 2004, Fayetteville annexed areas of Cumberland County that added some 43,000 residents to the city. Given that annexations reduce the amount of sales tax distributed to the county, a 2003 agreement was reached that called for the city and towns to reimburse the county or one another half the sales tax distribution gained because of annexations. The initial agreement was for 10 years but was extended in 2013 for three years. Former Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne was in office during the period leading up to and when the extension was signed. Without equivocation, he says the extension came about because the city and county could not agree on a distribution arrangement beyond the 10 year agreement. He adds that the reason for the extension was to allow time to settle the matter. 

    Fast-forward to Jan. 27. No agreement has been reached regarding future sales-tax distribution and the three-year extension is about to expire. The county wants to extend the current agreement for 10 years. Eight of the nine municipalities are willing to accept this extension of the agreement because it will not cause any reduction in their receipts. Fayetteville City Council members refuse to sign because they argue the 10 year agreement was intended to allow the county to prepare for future reductions in the county’s sales-tax income. Further, the current agreement has caused Fayetteville to reimburse the county and other municipalities nearly $60 million total for fiscal years 2004 thru 2015. The county commissioners are refusing to negotiate. Per comments by County Commission Chairman Marshall Faircloth, the county’s position is that the proposed 10-year agreement extension is a compromise; consequently, there is nothing to negotiate. As was the case in 2013, the county is saying if Fayetteville does not agree to extend the current agreement, the commissioners will change the distribution method to ad valorem. That change would financially benefit the county while reducing income to Fayetteville and the other municipalities. The negative impact of a change on the other municipalities puts pressure on Fayetteville.

    So, Fayetteville and the county are at an impasse. The pressing question is how should this matter be settled? I agree with newly installed Fayetteville City Councilman Kirk deViere. In a meeting of Cumberland County Citizens United, after Chairman Faircloth had presented the county’s case, deViere said what’s needed is “collaboration.” That is, the county and municipalities working together to come to an arrangement that serves all the people fairly and well. My thinking is achieving this goal would require elected officials and staffs to put on the table every piece of information that should be considered. Because the aim of those who represent the county and municipalities is to protect their turf, collaboration is probably a pipe dream. The accepted practice is every entity for itself. 

    I have made a long listing of what I see as needing to be on the table. Here are just a few of those items:

    1. Primary Tax Generating Area. Fayetteville’s Mayor, Nat Robertson, and City Manager, Ted Voorhees, led an information meeting on Jan. 13 that was open to the public. One slide in the prepared presentation read: “Taxable sales within Fayetteville accounted for 82.6 percent of the countywide total sales for FY2009 (the last year for which data is available). Under the state distribution methods, for FY2015 Fayetteville could only receive approximately 25 to 36 percent of the sales tax distributions.” It would appear reasonable that this be a point for consideration in determining fair distribution.

    2. Full Disclosure Regarding Bragg Annexation. Sometime after the annexation of some 43,000 and the initial distribution agreement were in place, Fort Bragg was voluntarily annexed to Fayetteville. In spite of the existing agreement, somehow the county claimed 100 percent of the sales tax portion from that annexation. Faircloth justifies that action by saying Fayetteville does not provide any services to Bragg. Former Mayor Chavonne points out those services such as public safety in the city are impacted by the presence of personnel from Fort Bragg. He also explained that as part of the annexation, Fayetteville made a substantial financial investment to run a water line to Fort Bragg. Faircloth also mentioned that Fayetteville receives benefits from franchise and Powell Bill revenues based on the Fort Bragg annexation. There should be open discussion as to what this is, how much is received and what is mandated to be expended by the city against that income. 

    3. Clear Assessment of Financial Resources. In print and in person, Faircloth talks about Fort Bragg residents attending county schools, but says nothing about the Impact Funding received from the Federal Government to help offset the associated costs. There is also no mention of the new funding stream to schools from red light camera fines.

    4. Total Picture of Ad Valorem Method. I suppose in an attempt to promote ad valorem tax distribution, the Faircloth also states that 7 of 10 large cities in North Carolina use that arrangement. On this point, Chavonne emphasizes that Fayetteville has very few industrial properties. The seven cities pointed to by Faircloth most likely have substantial industrial properties; therefore, the ad-valorem tax does not disadvantage them as it would Fayetteville.

    5. Legitimacy of Budgeting/Spending Levels. Fayetteville is now responsible for providing police and fire services to some 43,000 citizens no longer served by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department. In the Jan. 16 meeting of Cumberland County Citizens United where Faircloth spoke, Fayetteville Councilman Ted Mohn presented information on increases in the Sheriff’s budget along with other county and Fayetteville financials relevant to this discussion. In spite of the dramatic reduction in the number of citizens served, the Sheriff’s budget increased from $33,285,663 in Budget Year 2006-2007 (first full year after 43,000 annexation) to $48,419,606 in Budget Year 2015-2016. That’s a 45 percent increase. Over the same time period, ad-valorem tax receipts in Fayetteville did not cover police and fire department costs in any one year. The annual shortfalls start at $4,278,160 and stand at $8,447,215 for the current budget year. Mohn advises that the figures used here for the City and County were accurate at the time budgets were adopted. Budget amendments are often done throughout the year so the final numbers once the budget year ends may be a little different.

    The listing goes on. Just the information above cries out for thoughtful negotiations resulting in a sales-tax distribution method that serves the County, Fayetteville and the eight other municipalities as a whole in a fair and productive fashion. Instead, I contend Cumberland County Commissioners and eight municipalities pressured the Fayetteville City Council to agree to extend the current agreement for three years. Mayor Nat Robertson and Councilman Bobby Hurst were the only “no” votes. Councilwoman Kathy Jensen was not present. Hurst got it right when he said the can has been “kicked down the road.” By my count this is the third kicking. 

    Those who are politically entrenched wonder why many Americans are disgusted with government and why Donald Trump is doing well in his presidential quest. It is because of the kind of “do nothing, fix nothing, walk on some citizens” activity described here. This stuff is happening at every level of American government and many of us are fed up. I hope this sales-tax distribution “can-kicking” will bring more citizens of Cumberland County, including those in municipalities, to get informed and involved in making government work for the good of all, not just for individual groups, separate municipalities or those residents of unincorporated areas of the county.


  •   President Obama has something North Carolina is missing, something he could give us. And we have something he is missing, something we could give him. What he needs is an active Republican to serve as Secretary of Commerce and work within the Democratic administration.
      What we need is to have somebody from North Carolina in Obama’s cabinet. So far the new president has left us out. It would be a blessing to have a cabinet member who cares about our state and will be there when North Carolina folks need help.
      So, there may be potential here for something that is good for both Obama and North Carolina.
      We have lots of good people who can bring a bipartisan imprint to Obama’s cabinet. They are Republicans who have relevant experience and have shown they can work with Democrats.
    Here are a few candidates:
      {mosimage}Former U.S. Senator Lauch Faircloth has all the resume qualifications for Commerce Secretary. He is a Republican, a real-life businessman, and a former U.S. Senator. More than that, he has already proved that he can serve as Secretary of the Department of Commerce in a Democratic administration. He did just that during Jim Hunt’s first two terms as governor. Of course Faircloth was, himself, a Democrat back then. But he was a conservative, much more so than Hunt or most of the other members of Hunt’s cabinet. Nevertheless, he worked pragmatically and loyally within the framework of Hunt’s program.
      Former U.S. Senator and Congressman Jim Broyhill is another former North Carolina Secretary of Commerce who might be a perfect candidate if he were a year or two younger.
      Another North Carolina Republican with relevant experience in business and government is Luther Hodges, Jr. He served as Undersecretary of the U. S. Department of Commerce in 1979 and as the first Deputy Secretary of Commerce in 1980, in the Carter administration. Although, like Faircloth, Hodges was a Democrat at the time, he certainly demonstrated that he could work in a leadership position in the Department of Commerce under a Democratic president.
      Former Governor and U.S. Congressman Jim Martin has maintained his Washington contacts and knows the economic development game. A scientist with a PhD in chemistry, he understands the importance of education and scientific research to business and economic development. Although a strong Republican, he is collegial and would be a good player on Obama’s team.
      There are hosts of other North Carolina Republicans who ought to be on Obama’s list for Secretary of Commerce, including several Charlotte mayors, whose roles required them to be an active participant in the business recruitment efforts of their city. Current mayor Pat McCrory and former mayors Richard Vinroot and Eddie Knox come to mind as Republicans who would welcome another chance to serve the public, even under Democratic leadership.
      A good case can be made for all these Republicans. But the most likely North Carolina Republican to get Obama’s attention is former furniture executive Dave Phillips. He just stepped down as George Bush’s Ambassador to Estonia. Phillips may be the strongest Republican of the group, having raised thousands and thousands of dollars for Bush’s presidential campaigns. But he may also have the strongest case for working successfully in a Democratic administration, having served as North Carolina Secretary of Commerce under Hunt in the late 1990s.
      In his role as the state’s chief business development officer, Phillips had no problem working hand in hand with Hunt to beef up business recruitment efforts and to sell North Carolina. Surrounded by Democrats in the Hunt administration, Phillips showed could be loyal to Hunt and work pragmatically for the governor’s goals without giving up his own core beliefs.
  • COVEROur Mission is to be an advocate for economic development and quality of life by engaging our business leaders in influencing local public policy issues. We will provide a respected business voice to which government, policy, and media leaders turn for reliable, non-partisan policy guidance.

    And so it begins: A sizeable group of Fayetteville business, professional and civic leaders have come together to tackle a decades-old problem in our community. Some see the issue as lack of unified direction. Others see the problem as community divisiveness and resistance to change. John McCauley, president of Vision 2026, defines the issue as all the above. At a kick-off social gathering last week to officially launch the Vision 2026 initiative, McCauley challenged nearly 200 local community movers and shakers in attendance to join the movement. “We’ve been resistant to change and it’s costing us jobs. We’ve allowed too many forces to divide us,” he added. McCauley is a local businessman and president of Fayetteville’s Highland Paving Company.

    Vision 2026 was founded by Developer Ralph Huff, owner with his wife Linda of H&H Homes of Fayetteville. He is also an owner/partner in Coldwell Banker Advantage, one of the largest real estate brokerage firms in the region. Huff, a native of Hoke County, is a 1972 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in business administration. He was recently inducted to the Fayetteville Public Works Commission board of directors. In 2010, Huff co-chaired the Linda Lee Allan Legacy Fund on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce and raised $2 million for economic development in our community. His commitment to the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community has been unwavering and his generous contributions have left an indelible legacy.

    Mac Healy serves as Vice President of Vision 2026. He is the owner and Vice President of Healy Wholesale. Healy has been a driving force behind the North Carolina Civil War History Center proposed for Fayetteville. Fayetteville native Jason Poole is serving as treasurer of the organization. He is a CPA and partner in the Certified Public Accounting firm of Todd, Rivenbark and Puryear. These four noteworthy executives lead a founding board of directors that reads like a virtual Who’s Who of successful local organizations, businesses and institutions. Already, Vision 2026 has recruited over 150 members to this non-profit organization, and the momentum is growing. The timing is near perfect. The Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce is about to name a new president and CEO. They have recently increased their staff by hiring Patricia Gonzalez to head up membership development. In addition, Jack Rostetter, an executive with H&H Homes, has been named chairman of the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation and recently hired Robert Van Geons of Salisbury, North Carolina, to serve as the FCEDC’s executive director and industry hunter.

    The overall objectives and mission of the Vision 2026 organizers and members is to rally the community as well as our city and county elected officials and move Fayetteville and Cumberland County forward into the 21st century. Huff, McCauley, Healy and Poole are devoting their time and energies toward economic development and making our community more attractive to business and industry with anticipation of providing the jobs, amenities and quality of life that will be attractive to young professionals. “We had become uncompetitive,” declared McCauley in his address to the crowd last week. Vision 2026 is unique. It is the first local economic development initiative to be launched exclusively by successful business and professional leaders. In addition to the 100 plus committee members, it was estimated that dozens of local and supportive community leaders along with several city, county and state elected public officials attended the launch party, said Huff. Not only is the mission of Vision 2026 to advocate for economic growth and improve the quality of life in Fayetteville, but also to engage business leaders in the process of influencing local public policy issues.

    Early last year, Huff led a team that successfully promoted passage in the city of a $35 million dollar parks and recreation bond. This became the impetus for Vision 2026. Vision 2026 has identified five projects they believe will propel our community to the forefront of the state and position us to compete economically with other communities. Two of these projects are already well underway.

    Baseball Stadium: The Vision 2026 executives predict as much as $100 million dollars in value added to downtown Fayetteville with construction of the $33 million baseball stadium and the renovation of the former Prince Charles Hotel. Residential, retail, eateries and professional offices are planned for the acreage around the baseball stadium in the general area bounded by the mainline railroad tracks, Hay Street and Ray Avenue. An apartment building and parking deck are included. The final plans are still under development between the city and the developing contractor, Prince Charles Holdings. The stadium itself is being modeled after a larger but very similar ballpark in Columbia, SC and will seat an estimated 4,500 fans.

    The North Carolina Civil War History Center is proposed for the grounds of the Fayetteville Arsenal. Private pleges of $7 million have been committed and both the City and County governments have pledged $7.5 million dollars each, pending the state legislature provides $30 million. Once built, the history center would become a branch of the North Carolina Museum of History which would be responsible for its upkeep.

    A multi-million dollar performing arts center is another proposed project. The PAC as envisioned by Huff would be located on Person Street near Eastern Boulevard although other potential sites are also under consideration. Vison 2026 will also advocate for County-wide water expansion. “Inferior water will not fuel economic expansion,” Huff said. The Fayetteville Public Works Commission, the local electric, water and sewer utility, recently lifted previous restrictions that limited extension of public water outside the Fayetteville city limits. PWC Executive Director David Trago and members of the board were on hand at the launch. Controlling storm water runoff is the fifth objective. However, Huff and many others agree that this may not be the time to promote what has become a political hot potato following Hurricane Matthew.

    Huff and the Vision 2026 committee believe the movement will succeed in bringing the community together by utilizing local leadership as the catalyst for bringing local residents, the elected officials of the city, county and school board, the cultural arts community and the hospitality industry and others to all work together for the public good. In a recent newspaper article Huff wrote: “This new era of cooperation will help lead Fayetteville and Cumberland County into the forefront of progressive communities in our state.”

    We believe this, and Vision 2026 believes this. Many of those leading this bold initiative have already made their fortunes and left their philanthropic mark on this community. Now, it’s time for us to get to work on behalf of our future generations. I heard someone say very emphatically “It’s now or never!” I prefer to think “It’s Now, forever.”

    If you would like to know more about Vision 2026 or become an official member by joining the movement of the Vision 2026, go to www.vision2016.com. Up & Coming Weekly will keep you informed on its progress and on all related Vision 2026 events.

     

  • 13Campbell Stadium“Campbell University is in the final stages of a major expansion to Jim Perry Stadium that will literally change all facets of the facility from just a few short years ago,” said Campbell University Athletics Director Bob Roller. The university’s 2017 baseball season is underway, and next month, the Buies Creek Astros will take to the field. The Astros are a new minor league team licensed to Fayetteville. But they will call Campbell home for the 2017 and 2018 baseball seasons while a new stadium is built in downtown Fayetteville.

    The most recent contribution to Campbell’s stadium is new synthetic turf, which was donated by the Houston Astros organization. “We were already underway with a multimillion-dollar fundraising effort for the opening of the Jim and Daphne Perry Pavilion in March of this year,” said Roller. The Pavilion, which overlooks the third base line, “will have a state-of-the-art locker room, a training room, coaches’ offices and a recruiting lounge for Campbell baseball,” Roller added. “It will also add more than 300 spectator seats to increase our capacity to approximately 1,500.” The expansion also includes new dugouts, an outfield wall, a ticket window and restrooms, and the largest video scoreboard in the conference. It will be ready by April of this year. “The one area we were unable to finish was a new field turf at the stadium, and the negotiations with the Houston Astros allowed that goal to be reached with the Astros providing the majority of the funding as part of their lease agreement with Campbell,” Roller explained.


    What is commonly known as AstroTurf is a surface of synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. The main reason for its use is maintenance. Artificial turf stands up to heavy use and requires no irrigation or trimming. Artificial turf first gained substantial attention in the 1960s when it was used in the newly-constructed Astrodome. The specific product used was developed by Monsanto and named AstroTurf. The term has since become generic for any artificial turf and while AstroTurf remains a registered trademark, it is no longer owned by Monsanto.


    Jim Perry was born in Williamston, North Carolina, and attended Campbell University until being signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1956. He is the older brother of Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry and was a fine pitcher in his own right. Jim Perry was a three-time All-Star and won the 1970 AL Cy Young Award when he posted a record of 24-12. Jim and Gaylord Perry are the only brothers in Major League history to win Cy Young Awards. He also won 20 games in 1969 and won at least 17 games five times. His longest tenure in the majors was with the Minnesota Twins from 1963
    to 1972.

     

  • 12OpioidFayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson hosted a roundtable discussion last week on the opioid epidemic sweeping the nation. Robertson and Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Director Elizabeth Goolsby have co-chaired a local task force on efforts to reduce the scourge for about a year. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein and more than a dozen other local and state officials in law enforcement and healthcare were in attendance to hear and learn about their successes. 

    “I’m excited to hold this roundtable with Attorney General Stein so that our community can assist the rest of the state in reducing opioid abuse,” said the mayor. Stein applauded the effort and achievements the Fayetteville community has made to reduce opioid addiction. “The opioid epidemic is tearing families apart all across our state,” said Stein. “Fayetteville is a leader in implementing innovative programs to combat this crisis, and I’m excited to learn from the community leaders. It has taken 15 to 20 years for the state to get into this crisis and we must take it on,” he added.

    The Fayetteville Opioid Abuse & Awareness Task Force focuses on reducing the number of opioid overdoses and educating providers who prescribe opioids. They also want to bring awareness about opioid addiction to the public while promoting treatment and recovery resources. “The epidemic is unlike anything I’ve seen since I’ve been district attorney,” said Billy West. “It’s the biggest problem we have in the criminal justice system,” he added.

    Opioids or opiates include strong prescription pain relievers, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl and tramadol. The illegal drug heroin is also an opioid. The attorney general can learn a lot from Fayetteville’s Task Force on Opiate Abuse and Awareness. Opportunities for assistance in substance abuse are continuing to develop in Fayetteville. Cohen Veterans Network provides quality, accessible, comprehensive mental health care for veterans and family members. And it’s free. In a task force report for August 2016, the company said it would “open a Fayetteville facility costing between $8-$12 million.” For now, it is leasing space in a Village Drive office building, said Mayor Robertson.

    Cumberland County Communicare will soon be opening a recovery center that will “provide open access for screening, assessments and referrals for anyone looking for recovery services, including substance use treatment, opioid treatment, 12-step programs and other resources,” stated the report. It has opened a 24-hour crisis phone line as well. Numerous organizations, providers and faith-based groups will volunteer their time at the call center. Recently, the Cumberland County District Attorney’s office in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies initiated the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program. It is a comprehensive program geared toward helping those addicted, not the drug dealers. This is the only program of its kind in the Southeastern United States and only one of four in the country.

    Fayetteville Police got involved in combatting opiate overdoses nearly two years ago. Former Police Chief Harold Medlock equipped his patrol officers with Naloxone heroin antidotes. This medication is used to block the effects of common opioids like heroin, specifically in overdose situations. This medication, along with the dedicated training of the Fayetteville City police, can be credited with saving 55 lives since the program began. No doubt the program works and the City of Fayetteville is the recognized agent of this positive change. Now all that is needed is more state and federal money to enhance and extend the program.

     

  •  

    07 Police Search1The search to replace retired Police Chief Harold Medlock hasn’t begun yet. But background information is being gathered by headhunters from Developmental Associates of Durham. Steve Straus, president of the firm, has been speaking with members of the police department’s command staff, community representatives and citizen groups. “We’ll recruit for 30 days, followed by two screenings,” he said. Straus says he expects at least 50 police executives to apply. His firm will narrow the field to 15 who will be thoroughly vetted and referred to City Manager Doug Hewett. He will likely narrow the field to two or three before holding community meetings for introductions. Straus says he hopes to refer his recommendations to Hewett by mid-May. Medlock retired the end of last year after spending three-and-a-half years as chief.

    Haymount Grill Boarded Up
    It’s been 10 months since the Haymount Grill & Steak House was destroyed by fire. The cause of the blaze remains unknown and the Skentaris family, which owns the restaurant, has not indicated whether they will rebuild. Meanwhile, it has not gone unnoticed by the city that the owners have failed to board up the property according to code. “Code enforcement is aware of the violation,” said City of Fayetteville spokesman Nathan Walls. “When you board up a building, by Chapter 14, the boards are supposed to match the color of the building and fit in place,” he said “Some boards don’t match the color of the building, and some don’t fit in place,”

    Bridge to Replace Hurricane Damage
    The North Carolina Department of Transportation is replacing a local underground highway culvert destroyed during the recent hurricane with a bridge. The culvert was on Bingham Road near North Carolina 162. Sanford Contractors, Inc. was awarded what’s called a $1 million express design-build contract. The express design-build method allows for faster construction and earlier completion by combining the work into one contract. DOT says the project should be wrapped up by Aug. 8. This is one of eight road and bridge projects approved by the State Board of Transportation this month, totaling $73.2 million.

    A New Fayetteville Business Co-op
    Sustainable Sandhills is delighted to be one of the founding private office members of Revolutionary Coworking, a collaborative workspace that acts as an incubator for the business community. The organization has relocated to the sixth floor of the Self Help building at 100 Hay Street in Downtown Fayetteville. It’s designed to encompass small and startup businesses, independent professionals and students. Revolutionary Coworking fosters a green business environment that promotes education, innovation and collaboration. A ribbon-cutting presented by the Downtown Alliance was held Feb. 23 and was followed by a tour of the shared workspace. For more information about Revolutionary Coworking, visit www.revolutionarycoworking.com.

    New V.A. Secretary
    The Senate has confirmed Dr. David Shulkin as the new Veterans Affairs Secretary, making him the first non-veteran ever to serve in the post. Shulkin currently serves as the head of VA health programs. He was approved by a remarkable vote of 100-0. The 57-year-old physician was praised by lawmakers from both parties and veterans advocates as a leader with inside knowledge of ways to reform the agency. Shulkin is the only member of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet to be held over from former President Obama’s administration. His parents both served in the Army. He has repeatedly promised not to “privatize” VA services and told lawmakers he would not have accepted Trump’s nomination if it came with such a requirement.

     

  • The new Fayetteville Area System of Transit bus terminal will come online under budget this spring. City officials say that, despite numerous delays, the transit center is more than $500,000 under budget. The City of Fayetteville was awarded a Federal Transit Administration grant of $8 million in 2012. At that time, the facility was a concept that had been in development for over six years. The project was selected by the federal government on a competitive basis and was the largest FTA grant of its kind ever awarded in the state of North Carolina. It represents 80 percent of the cost to build the basic transit portions of the facility.


    Transit Ctr ConstructionA local firm, Construction Systems, Inc., was the low bidder and was awarded the building contract in August of 2014. The total cost of construction was set at $12,150,000. City council increased the budget to $12,441,000 to cover unforeseen costs of soil remediation and removal, said Transit Director Randy Hume. The site at West Russell and Robeson Streets was the former location of a commercial laundry, and toxic cleansers had saturated the ground over time. In addition to the federal grant, the State of North Carolina initially contributed more than $1 million in matching funds, and has added to it since then. The city’s current share of the project is $1,486,325. That’s more than half a million dollars less than the $2,003,750 originally committed by city council.


    The current total budget for the project is $12,654,125. The contract with CSI, with change orders, is $11,891,751. The city has additional commitments related to construction management, inspections and testing totaling $441,000. Also, Hume says, FAST expects some additional costs related to bus bay signs, technology components and public art of $270,000. That brings the total cost to $12,602,751, which is under budget.

    Unforeseen delays in construction have not resulted in added costs from the contractor. “Based on our contract, we will have substantial claims against CSI for liquidated damages,” Hume stated. “Liquidated damages are a contractual agreement … when damage occurs,” said Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer. “We have contractually agreed that the loss is $1,000 per day,” he added. FAST applied for and received federal grants to cover 80 percent of the added costs. And, NCDOT provided $213,125 of additional grant funds which were set aside as a contingency.

    “I am not expecting any significant cost overruns from CSI,” Hume stated. “We will have added costs related to construction administration and management because of the delays in completing the project. We have enough contingency in the budget to handle these.”

    The city makes “progress payments” to the contractor as construction proceeds. Payments are based on the work completed as certified by the project architect, according to Bauer. The construction contract has a provision whereby the city holds out about 5 percent of each payment to ensure all the work is completed, Bauer added. He pointed out that this project experienced three different challenges along the way. The first was the unexpected requirement to remove contaminated soils. The second was a series of permitting and design issues, some of it relating to relocation of previously permitted utilities. The third issue was with a subcontractor who was unable to deliver and assemble steel for bus bays. That subcontractor had to be replaced. The soil was addressed early. The other two issues have had spillover effects described as far more complex. “At each stage, however, the City has timely inspected work, provided effective notice and held the appropriate party accountable,” noted the deputy manager. Completion date for the transit center originally was June 17, 2016. “A six- to eight-week preparation period is needed following completion before our opening,” said Hume. Had the general contractor met the contract date, the center would have opened in late August 2016. Hume says the new date for operations to begin is this May.

  • Patricia Gonzales“Every day we are working with our members to capitalize on opportunities to prosper and grow. It is only through our collective efforts that we can truly strengthen our economy. ”These are the words of Patricia Gonzalez, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber’s new director of membership services. Patricia is no newcomer to Fayetteville. She’s lived here for 15 years and is the wife of a retired Air Force officer who’s now working for the N.C. Department of Public Safety.
    Gonzalez is a native of Petaluma, California, and a graduate of Cal Poly State University in northern California with a degree in business. She withstood what she called a rigorous, in-depth interview process before being chosen for her new post. She’s looking forward to working with a new Chamber President and CEO, a position that has been vacant for 10 months. Interim CEO Darsweil Rogers notes in this edition’s News Digest that the chamber hopes to fill the vacancy about the end of the month.


    Gonzalez has been on the job a little over a month and is anxious to get to know the chamber’s members. She regards her duty as one of service to the membership of 800 businesses and military units. She hopes her interpersonal skills will allow her to increase the chamber membership to 1,000 in two years. She’s in “the process of creating processes,” of building the chamber’s rolls, she says. “We’re here to champion Greater Fayetteville’s businesses.” First, comes shoring up existing members by providing them with the expertise and support vital to their economic success. Gonzalez believes the chamber is an essential element of the community’s efforts to expand economic development, noting that small business is the community’s underlying foundation.


    Gonzalez tells of lessons learned from reading a book several years ago on how to clean house. Typically, she says, one begins by straightening up one bedroom at a time. The mistake you can make is to come across an item that belongs in another room and taking it there. Then you turn attention to that room and overlook the one where you started. Completing the task at hand is the lesson learned, which is the key to concentrating on the needs of one business at a time. Gonzalez is a perpetual note taker, insisting that good notes are so important. Clearly written, accurate notes help to capture information for later study and review. She’s “already filled up four notepads,” she says. Asked how she keeps up, she said: “You just do it!”


    The things Gonzalez says makes her job most enjoyable are the longtime members who’ve supported the chamber and the community. She cites Bryan Honda’s unique position as the Greater Fayetteville Chamber’s oldest and most dedicated member having first joined in December 1954. In her introductory message in last week’s edition of Up & Coming Weekly Gonzalez wrote: “Through collaborative efforts, we’re able to provide valuable networking opportunities, advocate for the business community with government and work with our current business leaders while preparing our next generation of leaders.”

  • Bobby HurstFifth District City Councilman Bobby Hurst is considering not seeking re-election in the fall. Councilman Ted Mohn, who represents the 8th District, said earlier that he will not run. Hurst said, “My new job with Senator Meredith and Cardinal Landscaping and Fayetteville Beautiful are priorities that take a lot of my time.” Hurst became an aide to Meredith after closing his family business recently. “Perhaps it is time to let someone else serve this great city,” Hurst added. He has been on council since 2007 and before that from 2000–2001. Mohn has served four terms, the last two of which came following a two-year interruption after he chose not to run.

    Hurricane Matthew Costs
    City of Fayetteville taxpayers may end up picking up part of the tab for costs associated with Hurricane Matthew last fall. Budget Director Tracey Broyles has told city council the Federal Emergency Management Agency will likely reimburse the city much of the $9.6 million in damages or recovery costs the city has incurred. FEMA will send the city $6.9 million; the state will reimburse the city $2.3 million and insurance will cover $150,000 in costs. After $225,000 has been taken from city reserves or fund balance, it will leave a projected $325,000 which may not be reimbursed, Broyles said. It too would likely come from this year’s fund balance, which is an unappropriated surplus the state requires local governments to maintain.

    Chamber Hunt for CEO Nears an End
    The Greater Fayetteville Chamber hopes to select a new President and CEO in a matter of days. “Three finalists among 20 candidates from across the country have been interviewed,” said Interim CEO Darsweil Rogers. None of them are from North Carolina, he added. Rogers has held down the post for 10 months. “It’s been a wonderful ride,” he said. Rogers says the most important thing he has learned in his chamber experience is the importance of communicating among members. He suggests it will be job one for the new CEO. “There’s a presumption the chamber is a good ole boy’s club,” he said. “There has been a gap, a misunderstanding” of what chambers do, Rogers added.

    Housing Rehab Contractors Needed
    Building contractors are encouraged to apply for Cumberland County’s approved Community Development registry. Contractors who reside in Cumberland County and want to be added to the registry should apply at the Cumberland County Community Development office at 707 Executive Place. Information is online at www.co.cumberland.nc.us/community_dev.aspx. Those jobs include single-family, owner-occupied homes and homes damaged by Hurricane Matthew. Homeowners must reside within Cumberland County but outside the city limits of Fayetteville which has its own community development program. Cumberland County has been awarded funds by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency through the Disaster Recovery Act of 2016. Funding is also provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

  • Student interns 2The City of Fayetteville is partnering with Cumberland County Schools to support and help fund a program that encourages students to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The mission of Career and Technical Education is to help empower students for effective participation in a global economy as world-class workers and citizens. “This year we would like to hire between 30 and 40 student interns with an investment of $50,000,” said City Councilman Kirk deViere. That would build on the initial project this past year that saw 16 students spend time working alongside city staff as paid interns.

    Career and technical education provides students the opportunity to participate in actual work-based programs. Students will learn the relevance of their education and apply acquired knowledge in a meaningful way through exposure to the real workplace, in this case, municipal government. The program will last between four and six weeks, from June 19 to July 28. 

    Student opportunities for internships include:


    Agricultural Education, which provides students an integrated educational model that focuses them on careers in food, fiber and environmental systems.

    Business and Information Technology Education, which is a program designed to integrate business and information technology skills into the middle and high school curriculum.

    Career Development Education, which involves students, parents, teachers, counselors and the community. The goal is to help students make good decisions about themselves and their futures.

    Family and Consumer Sciences Education, which prepares students for careers working with individuals and families. The concept of work, whether in a family or career, is central to the program area.

    Health Science Education program, which seeks to meet the needs of health care workers. The program recruits and prepares qualified and motivated students for appropriate health careers.

    Marketing Education, which prepares students for careers in marketing and management. It encompasses activities within production, as well as aspects of consumption.

    Technology Education, which helps students develop an appreciation for and understanding of technology through the study and application of materials, tools, processes, inventions, structures and artifacts of the past and present.

    Trade and Industrial Education, which is a secondary program that provides students the opportunity to advance in a wide range of trade and industrial occupations.

    Cumberland County Schools staff will collect weekly time sheets of participating students, deposit monies earned into participants’ accounts, keep detailed records of total hours/amounts paid and provide the City of Fayetteville and other partners with documentation of the recorded hours and wages. “The City of Fayetteville provides a professional contact person to serve as a liaison between the school system and the city, and to assist as needed,” said Council Member Larry Wright.

    The City will also be working directly with PWC to provide additional funding. Recruitment of additional businesses to support the jobs would come through Chamber of Commerce and partnerships with the County and Cape Fear Valley Hospital as well as PWC. Job partners would share 50% of the cost of the interns.

  • UAC021517001For such a small organization, Sustainable Sandhills has a big impact on the community. From green schools programs to forums about climate preparedness to an environmentally-focused film series and locavore pop up dinners, this organization is not afraid to get creative when it comes to important issues. On March 10-11, Sustainable Sandhills and Fayettevile Technical Community College will host the Sandhills Clean Energy Summit. Each day includes a keynote luncheon with a speaker along with several forums, discussions and panels covering topics related to just about every aspect of clean/renewable energy.


    “Friday is more focused on the business perspective. We will have professionals in sustainable energy fields there to talk, as well as people who work in energy policy,” said Denise Bruce, green action coordinator at Sustainable Sandhills. “So if you are a small-business owner looking to find out about clean energy or learning about how energy policies affect business and industry, this is a day you won’t want to miss. Something that I think will be really fun is that we are touring a local solar farm at the end of the day. Tickets for the tour are limited, though. Those who don’t go on the tour are invited to stay and network.”

    The event is at FTCC. Doors open at 11 a.m. The keynote luncheon runs from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Bruce noted that this is the only part of the event (each day) that requires purchasing a ticket. It is $25 per ticket to attend the luncheon.

    From 1-2 p.m. Friday, attendees can choose from three topics: Renewable Energy Investing and Infrastructure opportunities for Your Business; Land Use Planning for Solar Installation; and Solar Farm Operations and Maintenance.

    From 2:15-3:15 p.m., topics include The State of Energy in North Carolina and Energy Efficiency in Business and Government.

    At 3:15 p.m., loading for the solar tour begins. Departure for the tour is at 3:30 p.m. At FTCC, from 3:30 p.m., attendees are invited to attend a networking session with representatives from Key Energy and Tom Butler of Butler Bio Farms.

    Saturday is more consumer oriented. “We will be talking about things like jobs in the clean energy field and how people can get training that will prepare them to work in this field. We will also be talking about things like climate resilience and social justice and power.”

    Saturday’s events also begin with registration, which runs from 11 – 11:30 a.m. Opening remarks are at 11:30 a.m.followed by a speaker.
    Topics from 1-2 p.m. cover home energy efficiency, training and workforce development opportunities and climate resilience. From 2:15-3:15 p.m., speakers will talk about social justice and power, community solar issues and electric vehicles and EV infrastructure. Climate talks and closing remarks are from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

    In conjunction with the Clean Energy Summit is the World Climate Simulation. It takes place March 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the FTCC General Classroom building. It is an interactive simulation of the International Climate Negotiations. A collaboration between Climate Interactive and MIT, this simulation is based on the COP22 climate conference held in Marrakesh, Morocco, in November 2016. Participants are cast in roles as world leaders who have gathered to produce an agreement to reduce CO2 emissions enough to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. Register at gogreen.ccs.k12.nc.us.

    Speakers throughout the Clean Energy Summit include professionals and experts in their respective fields.
    Gary Bilbro is president of SMART Recycling U.S., which provides services including food waste diversion to composting, anaerobic digestion and energy generation. SMART is claimed to be the cleanest, easiest, least expensive and most efficient food diversion program that exists.

    Jay Blauser is UNC Pembroke’s first sustainability director and chief sustainability officer. Blauser and his team work to minimize the university’s global warming emissions and to educate graduates about social, environmental and economic issues.

    Mark Brown is Senior Customer Programs Officer at Fayetteville Public Works Commission. His team develops energy and water efficiency programs, services and tools that make it possible for PWC customers to take advantage of the company’s smart grid initiatives.

    Stephan Caldwell is the creator of the Grease for Good program. This program helps communities see how locally-made biofuels can benefit the community not only as an energy source but also as a tool to educate and inspire others.

    Kacey Hoover has a strong technical background in regulatory, government affairs, and market trends pertinent to the industry. Hoover currently serves as North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association’s Strategic Relations Manager.

    Ken Jennings is the Renewable Strategy & Policy Director for Duke Energy Carolinas and works out of the Raleigh Office. He’s held numerous business roles and ultimately landed in the regulatory policy field. Throughout his career, he has developed new generating facilities, managed business analytics teams, testified in numerous rate proceedings in multiple states.

    Jodie Lasseter will attend on behalf of Power Up NC. Lasseter works closely with community leaders and environmental justice organizations to build grassroots power throughout the U.S. and abroad.

    Katie LeBrato is the marketing communications director at NC GreenPower. She brings leadership to their Communications Working Group and Sustainability Group.

    Jay Lucas works for the Public Staff of the North Carolina Utilities Commission where he has managed the regulatory aspects of the state’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard since 2009.

    To find out more about Sustainable Sandhills or to register for the Clean Energy Summit, visit http://www.sustainablesandhills.org/sandhills-clean-energy-summit.

     

  • Any CannonCumberland County local government officials have known property values were falling for the last eight years, but apparently were unable to stop the plunge. The downturn was first noticed during the appeal process following the release of 2009 property values. “We weren’t expecting it. It kind of happened all of a sudden,” said Tax Administrator Joe Utley. The 2009 revaluation was published toward the tail end of The Great Recession, which officially lasted from December 2007 to June 2009. It began with the bursting of an $8 trillion housing bubble. The resulting loss of wealth led to sharp cutbacks in consumer spending combined with financial market chaos which led to a collapse in business investment.

    “Although other communities in our state have seen significant growth since the recession, Cumberland County’s economy continues with a pattern of weak growth,” said County Manager Amy Cannon early last year. She primarily blames a reduction of troops at Fort Bragg. During the recession, the military was still at full strength, she said, and that kept sales tax revenues up and property values had not been affected. “The local economy thrives during major conflicts,” Cannon said, noting that wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were still going strong. When soldiers return from deployments they spend a lot of money “so our sales tax revenues were up while other counties surrounding us saw a significant drop in their sales tax,” added Cannon.

    Utley noted that sales tax revenues began dropping off in 2011. Add to that a decline in the number of soldiers at Fort Bragg. “It doesn’t take a huge fluctuation in military contractors or troops to have an effect on our economy,” Cannon noted. County officials say a net loss of about 2,000 troops began the downward spiral in local consumer spending. “Our sales tax revenues remain stagnant” as property values continue to decline, the manager added. Cannon said in 2014 the county began doing serious research trying to figure out what to do about the reduction of property values and a correlated lack of population growth.

    County Commissioners “look to us for solutions and options,” said Cannon. A significant disadvantage for Cumberland County is that 74 percent of the tax base is residential as opposed to industry and commerce. “The downturn in property values was scattered rather than concentrated, said Utley. “From our perspective, it’s very difficult to compare our county with any other community,” Cannon said. “We struggle with that.” Because Fort Bragg’s land area is not taxable, we are unique. Our tax base per capita is significantly lower than other metropolitan areas,” she noted. The Fayetteville / Fort Bragg community lost another 1,900 troops in the last couple of years because of federal sequestration.

    But, there is hope for the future. Cannon says the growth of downtown Fayetteville will spur the economy because that’s where millennials want to live. “We are better known today among developers and site selectors than we were just two years ago,” Cannon insisted. “I just believe we have some real opportunities for economic development.”

    Tax Administrator Utley points to “$70 million in growth this past year – nine new shopping centers, three new hotels and three apartment complexes.” Utley’s expectations for economic growth include distribution, back office development such as business incubators, warehousing and minor textile sectors. Cannon believes there will be new growth at Fort Bragg. The FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act raises the Army’s end strength to just over a million soldiers for all components, according to Sgt. Maj. Of the Army Daniel A. Dailey. “We’re not in a drawdown anymore; we’re in an increase situation,” Dailey added.

  • Kristoff Bauer 2Fayetteville City Manager Doug Hewett has decided to reorganize his administration team, which includes retaining Deputy Manager Kristoff Bauer as his No. 2. Bauer, 51, became deputy city manager seven-and-a-half years ago, but it’s been a rocky tenure. He was asked to submit his resignation last fall. Hewett also asked former Deputy Manager Rochelle Small-Toney to resign. Within one week, she cleared out her office and left town in October. Small-Toney remained on the city’s payroll through the end of the year to care for her ailing parents. Up & Coming Weekly learned last September of the deputy managers’ impending departures from sources with direct knowledge of the situation.

    As part of Hewett’s reorganization of his administration, he decided this month to replace Small-Toney. That position as a deputy manager had been left open since her departure. Her successor will be redesignated an assistant manager. The third member of the administrative management team is Assistant Manager Jay Reinstein. “I do not anticipate any other structural changes in the organization,” Hewett said.
    Bauer was hired in August 2009 by then City Manager Dale Iman. He holds dual bachelor’s degrees, an MBA and a law degree, all from the University of Washington. He was passed over for promotion in April when former Manager

    Ted Voorhees was fired. Hewett got the job as Interim City Manager. Several years ago, Hewett served as an assistant manager but left town when Iman was let go in 2012. A year later, Hewett came back to Fayetteville to take a middle management position.

    Under the council/manager form of local government in North Carolina, elected city councils hire and fire only their chief executives and city attorneys. Hewett was serving as Interim City Manager until the first of the year when the council gave him a one-year employment contract. That was unprecedented. Some council members said confidentially the one-year agreement would give Hewett an opportunity to prove himself. Hewett’s original plan for Bauer, sources said, was to keep him on temporarily in a consultant’s role.

    City Hall dynamics in late 2016 saw Bauer take on some of Small-Toney’s responsibilities, thereby enhancing his position. And he became the chief architect of development plans for the minor-league baseball stadium that will be under construction this summer. Hewett and Bauer became more interdependent as Hewett found himself spending time working more closely with city council. Bauer won’t deny that the new arrangement gave him a chance to earn his way back into his boss’s good graces, which he did. Despite his talents, Bauer previously had disagreements with some colleagues and members of city council. Some of those associates have said in confidence they’ve seen a change for the better in his persona.

    Except to confirm an inquiry from Up & Coming Weekly on the recent reorganization of his office, Hewett cites state personnel privacy laws as reasons he cannot comment on or confirm our reporting.

  • FAST CoachFayetteville City Council is concerned about the accidental death of a teen who died after being struck by a car seconds after she disembarked from a FAST bus. The mishap in late January occurred on Murchison Road when Miyosha Noel-Davis, 16, stepped into traffic from the front of the bus and was hit by an oncoming car. She died several days later at UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill. “Our training teaches our bus operators not to have passengers cross in front of the bus,” said Randy Hume, Transit Director. He said signs are posted inside buses saying “CAUTION-Do Not Cross in Front of the Bus.” City councilwoman Kathy Jensen declared teenagers cannot be expected to use caution. Councilman Larry Wright suggested FAST coaches be equipped with extended crossing arms like those on some school buses. They discourage passengers from crossing in front of buses. They are asked to use the rear door when getting off buses to allow people who are getting on the bus to use the front door, said Hume.

    City to Recover Haz Mat Costs
    The Fayetteville Fire Department will be reimbursed for costs associated with a major gasoline tanker truck accident early this month. Fire crews found a fully-loaded tanker truck on its side on Murchison Rd near the future I-295. The tanker carried 8800 gallons of gasoline, according to Battalion Chief David Richtmeyer. A fuel leak was discovered and the department’s hazardous materials team was called to the scene. The state’s Haz-Mat Regional Response Team-3, which is manned by Fayetteville Firefighters, also responded because the situation “required a higher level of equipment and manpower for mitigation,” said Fire Marshal Michael Martin. He did not indicate how much fuel was spilled before it could be contained. The gasoline was pumped into another tanker in a procedure that took several hours. The state will bill the owner of the truck, and the city will be reimbursed for its costs. There were no injuries. State statutes and a local ordinance allow the fire department to recover costs associated with dealing with hazardous materials incidents.

    Army Pharmacy Opens
    The new Womack Army Medical Center Pharmacy Annex opened for business this month. It’s fully operational, providing refill distribution services plus hard copy and electronic prescriptions. It has also assumed the weekend pharmacy mission from the main outpatient pharmacy at the hospital which no longer operates on Saturdays. The annex is located off Reilly Road, in front of the mini-mall across the street from the Iron Mike Conference and Catering Center. “The new pharmacy will improve efficiency by providing everything right there at one location,” said Col. Jorge Carrillo, Chief of the Department of Pharmacy, WAMC. The new pharmacy also has a drive-thru window for refill prescription pickup.
    Weed for Vets
    A clinical trial designed to determine whether smoking marijuana is an effective treatment for PTSD among veterans is underway. The study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of using medicinal marijuana to help vets manage their symptoms, officials with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies said in a news release this month. The study is funded by a $2 million grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Colorado’s Amendment 64 was passed by voters in 2012 which led to the legalization of marijuana in 2014. The new study will monitor four levels of marijuana potency in 76 veterans. The data gathered is intended for clinicians and legislators who will consider whether marijuana is an appropriate treatment for PTSD. Volunteers will complete 17 outpatient visits over a 12-week period, with follow-up visits in six months. “As this is the first placebo-controlled trial of cannabis for PTSD, we are breaking important ground needed to identify improved treatment options for veterans with PTSD,” said Marcel Bonn-Miller of the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. The research was approved in 2014 by the federal Health and Human Services Department.

    College Fair
    A college fair for rising freshmen among historically black colleges and universities will be held in Fayetteville on March 18. It will be held at Smith Recreation Center, 1520 Slater Avenue, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Program highlights include students being able to connect directly with college admissions representatives to learn about local scholarship opportunities. And they’ll be able to attend college planning seminars. A light lunch will be served. There are 11 historically black colleges and universities in North Carolina, including our own Fayetteville State University.

  • Judge Maurice BraswellJudicial Icon Dies

    A beloved Fayetteville jurist, E. Maurice Braswell, has died. He was 94. Judge Braswell served for 16 years on the North Carolina Court of Appeals following a 20-year career on the Superior Court bench. Braswell was born in Rocky Mount, N.C. As a young man, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, and because of his excellent eyesight, was assigned as a tail gunner on a B-17 “Flying Fortress.’’ After flying in more than 40 combat missions, his plane was hit and burst into flames. Braswell parachuted safely but landed behind enemy lines and spent two months as a POW in a Romanian prisoner of war camp. After the war, he studied at the University of North Carolina Law School and came to Fayetteville to practice law. In 1955, he was appointed district solicitor (now district attorney) by then-Gov. Luther Hodges. Braswell was elected a Superior Court judge in 1962. In the 1970s, Braswell signed one of the last outlaw warrants issued in the state prior to the statute’s repeal. It gave lawmen the authority to shoot to kill wanted fugitives. In this case, the ‘outlaw’ was a Cumberland County jail escapee. He was apprehended without incident. In 1982, Braswell ran for a seat on the state Court of Appeals and received more votes than anyone running for statewide office that year. Braswell is survived by his three children. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth.

    Rowan Street Bridge Construction Underway
    Preparation work is underway for construction of the new Rowan Street Bridge and realignment of city streets in the vicinity. Timber in a city park and areas where the replacement bridge will be built has been cleared. The off ramp from the existing Rowan Street bridge to Murchison Road has been closed and sections of W. Rowan and Hillsboro Streets have been barricaded. Some streets have marked detours. Others do not. Inbound traffic on Hillsboro Street now must turn left onto Moore Street. No detour is posted. S.T. Wooten Corp. of Wilson, N.C., is the general contractor for the $24 million project. Construction will take three years, said DOT Division Construction Engineer Randy Wise. Two new overpasses will be built immediately adjacent to the existing structure. Rowan Street, Bragg Boulevard and Murchison Road will be realigned to join one another at a single intersection.


    City Code Being Enforced Again
    With Hurricane Matthew four months behind us, the City of Fayetteville has decided it’s time to resume enforcement of the city code. The city’s Code of Ordinances governs everything we do and shouldn’t do as citizens of Fayetteville. The city “responds to concerns from citizens and oversees nuisance enforcement and ongoing compliance with City codes and regulations, such as overgrown lots or yards, inoperative vehicles, maintenance of structures, illegal signs and public nuisances.” says the city’s website. Downed trees from the hurricane are also covered. Officials say there are still about 300 homes with storm debris that hasn’t been disposed of. Letters giving those homeowners 30 days to complete the cleanup are in the mail, says city spokesman Nathan Walls, after which code enforcement will resume.

    I-95 Business Closed Temporarily
    The N.C. Department of Transportation has closed I-95 Business/U.S. 301 in Cumberland County for routine maintenance. Both the northbound and southbound lanes are closed between N.C. 24 (Grove Street) and I-95, exit 55 at Eastover. The road will remain closed through Friday, Feb. 24, said DOT spokeswoman Peggy Beach. Motorists are advised to take the signed detour route that involves I-95, Murphy Road, Dunn Road, Grove Street and Eastern Boulevard. This section of U.S. 301 was closed once before for more than two years while new bridges were constructed over the Cape Fear River and Cross Creek.

    Police Ball Needs Community Support
    The Fayetteville Police Foundation hopes the business and civic communities will chip in to sponsor tables and defray the cost of officers and their guests at the annual Police Ball. It’s scheduled the evening of May 12 at Highland Country Club. The ball features dinner and dancing as well as a silent auction. The Police Foundation raises money to augment the needs of the FPD. It was instrumental in raising much of the money that allowed the department to equip uniformed patrol officers with body cameras. Sponsorships vary in cost and the foundation gladly accepts donations in any amount. For more information, contact Executive Director Cindy McCormic at 433-1746 or 988-0797.

  • insuranceThere’s a danger to you and your family in Cumberland County, and it’s not going anywhere. It’s not crime, 100+ degree heat indexes, or the Zika virus. The danger is underinsured drivers. I know, it’s not exactly the apocalypse, but let me explain.


    North Carolina law requires drivers to have liability insurance. This insurance pays for damages caused by the “at-fault” driver in a collision. At a minimum, everyone is required to have what is called “30/60/25” limits. If an at-fault driver only has the minimum, that means there is $30,000 to cover the injury or death of one person, $60,000 to cover the injury or death of two or more people, and $25,000 to cover property damages. That’s it! In many accidents, the minimum is just not enough. Where there is a serious injury or fatality, it doesn’t come close.

    Did you know that the drivers of city-owned vehicles performing a traditional government function, like picking up garbage, are immune from suit? In the past, the City of Fayetteville hasn’t waived this immunity. This means that although the city drivers have liability insurance, it is never used because the at-fault city drivers can’t be sued. These city drivers and their city vehicles are effectively uninsured.

    To make matters worse, many citizens who drive in Fayetteville have no insurance. This is a fact. As an assistant district attorney, I watched people pour into Cumberland County Courtroom 2C on Fridays and routinely have their tickets for no insurance dropped if they brought in a certificate that said they’d since gotten coverage. No harm, no foul, right?

    Wrong. As an attorney, I too often have to tell severely injured people that even though the accident was clearly the other person’s fault, they will not be fully compensated for their injuries because that person wasn’t insured or had minimal coverage.

    Now that we know the problem, let me give you the solution: “UM/UIM” coverage “UM,” or “uninsured motorist” coverage protects you if you are hit by an uninsured driver. “UIM”, or “underinsured motorist” coverage protects you if you are hit by a driver with insurance limits too low to fully compensate you or your family.

    UM/UIM coverage is often inexpensive. For a few more dollars a month, you can eliminate a substantial risk to you and your family. Add or increase your UM/UIM limits through your insurance agent or company. Protect yourself and your family.

  • Typical HomeCumberland County government has never experienced what it’s about to go through — raising taxes to offset a loss of usually reliable tax revenue. Tax administrator Joe Utley says the value of the county’s tax base of $18,780 billion has declined by half a billion dollars, or 2.9 percent, since 2016. That represents more than $4 million in lost money. Utley said tax notices were mailed Jan. 31. Property taxes represent only about one-half of annual general fund revenues needed to operate county government. The loss will be offset by an increase in sales and motor vehicle taxes, which are up.


    The County Board of Commissioners Finance Committee got the bad news last week. “it’s not good but could have been much worse,” said committee chairman Marshall Faircloth. County Manager Amy Cannon has said over the past several months that our community has not bounced back from the great recession in 2008 as other cities have. Asked about that, Faircloth gave a one-word answer: “jobs.” What he meant, of course, is lack of jobs. Faircloth pointed to the unavailability of mortgage money over the last eight or nine years.


    While residential property values are down, the worth of commercial properties is up — shopping centers by 11 percent, mini-storage warehouses by 12 percent and vacant commercial land by 13 percent. Contrast that with a crash in the value of local condominiums whose value is off by 31 percent from last year. Single family residential values are down by about 5 percent. Approximately 72 percent of the tax base comes from residential properties and 28 percent is from commercial and industrial, said Utley. “Sixty-two percent of properties had an assessed value reduction,” said Utley. County commissioners would have to raise the tax rate by two cents from the current 74 cents per $100 of property valuation to make up the $4 million loss.


    What does all of this mean for the taxpayer? Responses are mixed: Faircloth, who is a certified public accountant by profession, believes even most homeowners will painlessly absorb a two-cent tax rate increase. For those who suffered a loss of worth, a tax increase will make up the difference to achieve revenue neutrality. The tax rate would have to go up slightly to bring in the same amount of money to operate county government at current levels. For her part, Cannon is not so optimistic. “The best thing we can do is develop some options for the board to consider,” Cannon said. “That could include reducing our expenditures, which may lead to a reduction in county services.”


    The total assessed value for the City of Fayetteville dropped about 3.5 percent overall. Residential values were down $604 million (7.2 percent) but commercial values increased $169 million (4.2 percent). A boost in the tax rate would be needed for the city to earn the same amount of revenue it now does. Hope Mills got by almost unscathed with less than a 1 percent loss. Spring Lake’s properties lost about 1.5 percent of their value.

  • GeonsCity and County elected officials are watching as the new President and CEO of the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation digs in. Robert Van Geons comes to Fayetteville from Salisbury where he earned recognition from Consultant Connects as one of the 2017 Top 50 North American Economic Developers. Also listed is Fayetteville’s Juawana Colbert Williams, Economic Development Director of the FCEDC. Consultant Connect is a Michigan-based consulting firm that works with developers and site selectors.  In his nine years as a business hunter in Rowan County, Van Geons is credited with having direct involvement in nearly $2 billion of announced projects and was directly responsible for creating or retaining more than 4,500 jobs.

    He’s in his fourth week on the job in his office at Fayetteville Technical Community College. He tells Up & Coming Weekly in an exclusive interview that he’d been intrigued with Cumberland County on the few occasions he passed through here. Since settling in, Van Geons believes Greater Fayetteville has what he calls “a great balance of opportunity, affordability and accessibility,” which many cities lack. He’s especially excited about the 6,500 soldiers who leave the service at Fort Bragg each year. They are mostly young, experienced and disciplined people who should be persuaded to settle here. “We should leverage Fort Bragg to make our community better,” he said.

    Van Geons sees Cumberland County as a whole, from Spring Lake to Hope Mills. When told Spring Lake is often seen as “that town on the other side of Fort Bragg,” he responded that Spring Lake is the northern gateway to Cumberland County and should be treated as such. Hope Mills is the southern gateway. He wants all of Cumberland County to come together to promote itself. 

    The first thing he’d like to change is “the poor self-perception” many local people have. He all but echoed the words of the City of Fayetteville Business Development Director Jim Palenick in a recent interview, saying that from what he’s been able to discern, community leaders “lack a hunger for a unified purpose.” 

    “I’m about closing deals,” Van Geons told Up & Coming Weekly, “using a numbers-based, results-driven philosophy.”  He says business brokers and site selectors start with a list of prospective locations. They begin a “site selection process of elimination from the bottom up.” Geons notes that Fayetteville and Cumberland County have often been in the mix among major site selectors. 

    Van Geons has learned about some of the community’s failures to attract business in recent years and says we can learn from the past, but must put it behind us. “Tangible results are achievable,” he insists. “I wish everyone could see the community with fresh eyes.”             

     

  • It is too bad that sports reporters and historians at Atlantic Coast Conference headquarters are not reading ACC Basketball. This UNC Press book by Sam Walker was published last year and chronicles the game during the conference’s first 20 years. On the other hand, maybe it is a good thing for my old basketball coach, Lefty Driesell.02-15-12-martin.jpg

    How do I know sports reporters and ACC staffers are not read-ing the new book? It came out in the controversy that developed about UNC Coach Roy Williams taking most of his players off the court 14 seconds before the game ended in Carolina’s recent loss to Florida State. Williams thought the game was ending early. One story line in the following days was about other times that ACC basketball games ended early.

    After checking with an ACC staffer, the Raleigh News & Observer reported, “As best as anyone can tell, UNC’s loss at Florida State would have been just the second ACC game to end before time expired. The first time it happened — and apparently the only time — came in Maryland’s 60-55 home victory against N.C. State on Jan. 7, 1967.”

    If the ACC and N&O had read ACC Basketball, they would have found, on page 2, Sam Walker’s description of another early game ending when Maryland played South Carolina in Columbia. “On December 16, 1970, South Carolina was cruising to an easy victory when, with 4:52 remaining in the game, two players got into a shoving and elbow-throwing skirmish. Both benches rushed to the aid of their teammates, and a slugfest broke out. As Driesell tried to separate players and stop the melee, he was struck twice by South Carolina forward John Ribock. The fracas continued for about four min-utes before police managed to halt the fighting and the referees decided to end the game.”

    That story of another early ending is not the “good thing” for Coach Driesell.When I read and enjoyed ACC Basketball I asked UNC Press to send him a copy, thinking he would enjoy some of the stories about him.

    I was wrong. Driesell called me the day after he got the book. “I’m going to sue them,” he said. Hepointed to a paragraph in the book about the recruitment of basketball star Charlie Scott in 1966. Scott was headed to Davidson, where Driesell was coaching, until Coach Dean Smith persuaded him to go to Carolina. It said that when Smith and Driesell met afterwards, “Smith offered his hand to Driesell and said something along the lines of ‘no hard feelings.’ A fuming Driesell indicated that there were indeed some hard feel-ings by spitting on Smith’s outstretched palm.”

    Driesell was livid. “I would never spit on anybody’s hand. That is terrible.”

    He was worried about his friends’ reactions and especially about what “Dean’s family would think.”

    Thanks to ECU athletic director, and Driesell’s assistant coach at the time, Terry Holland, the book’s version was corrected. Holland told Walker and UNC Press that “I was standing right beside Coach Driesell and can guarantee that there was no spit-ting involved.”

    As a result, the new printing of ACC Basketballrevises its report to say simply, “Driesell looked down at Smith’s hand and shook his head to indicate that he was not ready to concede defeat.”

    So the good thing for Driesell about reporters not reading ACC Basketball yet, is that when they do, he can hope they will read the revised version and not see a word about spitting.

    “But what about people who read the earlier version?” Driesell asked me.

    “All I can do,” I told him, “is write a column that says you didn’t spit in anybody’s hand, and my readers will know the truth.”

    Photo: The good thing for Driesell about reporters not reading ACC Basketball yet, is that when they do, he can hope they will read the revised version and not see a word about spitting.

  • 021016_margaret.jpg

    Wedding season is just around the corner, and a friend recently received a wedding invitation from a young out-of-town cousin. My friend was unable to attend the festivities, but she wanted to remember the couple with a present, so she called to ask in which stores the couple had registered their fondest desires. “Well, none,” replied the bride-to-be, explaining that she and her intended had lived together for almost a decade so they did not need household items, but they would love some help with their mortgage payments.

    Indeed! 

    I remember when an older neighbor, whom I revered like a movie star, displayed her wedding presents on tables laid with white cloths in her family’s rumpus room. Discrete cards disclosed the names of the givers of china plates, crystal water goblets and monogrammed towels. 

    Has anyone seen that lately?

    Wedding customs and celebration styles evolve over time, of course, and just think how boring it would be if we all married the same way our parents and grandparents did. At the same time, a quick Google search brings home that evolution in short order. Here is a sampling.

    Glamour magazine, aimed at women 18-49, which presumably includes plenty of would-be brides, opines that 2016 bridal gowns will include “boho” looks with crocheted fabrics, off the shoulder necklines worn with flowers in the bride’s hair. On the other end of the all important gown spectrum, we can expect backless gowns with a sexier more glamorous vibe. I worry about brides with gigantic butterflies tattooed between their shoulder blades, a disconcerting look I once saw on a bridesmaid. 

    Speaking of bridesmaids, Glamour forecasts no more “uniforms.” Instead we can expect mismatched dresses, a welcome trend to bridesmaids themselves who come in all shapes, sizes and colors and who welcome the opportunity to choose a dress that suits them individually. This sounds like a terrific idea to me as long as everyone agrees to stick with one color family, sky blue perhaps, and no one turns up in lime green.

    Glamour also sees a trend toward brunch weddings. This is a cost-saving measure as the average cost of a wedding in the United States is now bumping up on $30,000. Yikes!

    Brit + Co sees more casual weddings ahead this year, with barefoot brides and grooms, even more pets decked out in wedding regalia as attendants at the altar and comfort food served at receptions. This prediction is accompanied by a photograph of spicy tomato soup shooters topped by wedges of grilled pimento cheese sandwiches. Yum! And what a refreshing break from over-the-top reception food with ingredients we might not want to think about, like squid ink. A cousin once declared that no one is ever really married until she has consumed ten crustless chicken salad mini-sandwiches at their reception, but we do not see those often anymore either.

    The Huffington Post has lots to say about wedding trends, including a piece entitled “Wedding Dresses That Aren’t Strapless.” Lest you are thinking Kate Middleton’s lacey long sleeves, HuffPo’s non-strapless looks include crop tops — not a great option for brides anywhere close to the upper end of Glamour’s demographics, split- level dresses — short in the front and long in the back, jumpsuits and palazzo pants and dresses topped by swinging capes. The article includes a photograph of a bridal model heading down a runway wearing what appears – inexplicably – to be a set of sequin-adorned headphones. I am at a loss to think what a bride might want to listen to as she goes down the aisle to her groom.

    Perhaps as a balance, HuffPo also features “50+ Wedding Dresses Fit for a Princess,” which includes more traditional designs but not all would likely have passed muster with Buckingham Palace. 

    Also trending are non-traditional wedding parties in which not all attendants are contemporaries of the bride and groom. Think grandma in a bridesmaid’s dress. I have actually seen this trend in action, although grandma wore a nice suit in a color that blended with the other maids’ barer attire.

    Speaking of non-traditional, Offbeat Bride offers suggestions on donating wedding leftovers to shelters or animal rescue groups and flowers to hospitals, shelters and the elderly, lovely ideas to me. It also shares homage toward “naked” wedding cakes, a treat for those who dislike icing.

    The point of all this, of course, is for two people to set off on their lives together, and we all do it our way whether we elope to Dillon, marry in the back yard or spring for the extravaganza of the century. So, to all of those planning nuptials in 2016, we wish you a great time at your wedding and a long and happy marriage – whatever you decide to wear.

  • 022416_cover.jpg

    Better Health has been taking care of Cumberland County citizens since 1958. The organization offers services like diabetes monitoring, education clinics and a menagerie of classes. In order to provide all of these vital services, the board hosts annual fundraisers like this year’s Evening at the Theater. “Better Health has hosted an Evening at the Theater event for 19 years and last year’s event was our most successful! Bringing the casino and live music back, we expect this year to be a huge success as well,” said Amy Navejas, the executive director of Better Health. So, save the date — March 5 — and come ready to have a great time.

    A unique event that provides high-quality entertainment with a night of high-spirited fun, this year’s Evening at the Theater is set in a London casino. “Our theme is The Beatles LOVE Fay Vegas. Last year’s Viva Fay Vegas event was a huge success! Everyone raved about the casino and Vegas feel, so the committee decided to bring the casino back! Reminiscent of the Las Vegas Beatles LOVE show, we will have a live band, the British Invaders, here to provide musical entertainment. Much of the food will also follow along with the Beatles theme,” Navejas said. 

    The British Invaders were formed in 2014 and have already made a name for themselves in the Triangle music scene. They specialize specifically in popular British music from the 1960s. 

    In addition to the music, Britain is known for its hearty food. “Highland Country Club will be providing the food for the evening. The spread will include carving stations, fish and chips, Strawberry Fields salads, bangers and mash, Union Jack cake, Yellow Submarine martinis and more,” Navejas said. There will also be themed desserts and beverages.

    This year the event organizers decided to add to the entertainment and include the infamous UNC/Duke game, which will be playing during the event, to the festivities. Not only will the game itself be interesting, the local rivalries always bring some excitement to the room. For Navejas there is no contest, “UNC hands down! I went to UNC for my undergraduate degree and support the Tar Heels all the way. You know where my chips will be! We will offer prize packages for the UNC/Duke game book half-time winners and final game winners. You don’t want to miss this!”

    Along with the British theme, there is also a continuation of the successful casino theme. “The casino will include blackjack, roulette, craps, poker and a UNC/Duke wager board. All casino fun will use ‘fun money,’ which will be provided to each attendee at check-in. Additional casino fun money will be available for purchase from the casino show girls,” Navejas explained. Last year’s casino theme was fun for the guests and extremely successful. 

    An Evening at the Theater is a much-anticipated event and one that Better Health loves to host each year. About 250 attendees are expected and Navejas advises people to purchase tickets early so as not to miss the exciting night.

    As fun and exciting as this evening will be, the real joy is that the proceeds will benefit an organization that’s mission is to provide for the unmet healthcare needs of Cumberland County residents through assistance, referral and education. Sometimes that means offering classes for things like how to deal with diabetes or how to manage and prevent childhood obesity. Sometimes it means arranging for free eye exams and free glasses or loaning medical equipment to someone who can’t afford to purchase it. Maybe it is dental assistance or help purchasing medical supplies. It might mean financial assistance for people dealing with prolonged serious illnesses — or a host of other things. A healthy population translates in to a healthy and thriving community and that is what Better Health is about — providing the tools and education that the community needs to get and stay healthy.

    “Proceeds from this fundraiser will go to Better Health’s programs, which include Diabetes Management, Emergency Direct Aid and Childhood Obesity Prevention,” Navejas says, “Because of generous operational support from the United Way, we are able to put fundraiser revenue back into our programs and to clients in need.”

    If you’ve never been, don’t be afraid to roll the dice on this event. Better Health’s annual Evening at the Theater will be held on March 5 from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m. The venue this year is the Highland Country Club located at 105 Fairway Drive. Tickets are $75 per person and can be purchased at www.BetterHealthcc.org. For more information visit http://www.betterhealthcc.org or call 910.483.7534. 


  •   Spring is right around the corner, which means warmer weather, more time outdoors, spring break and summer vacations not too far away. It may still be a little too cold outside to take a trip to the beach or an amusement park, but it is not too early to start planning the trip. 
      {mosimage}Throughout the winter months, many of us sit bundled up in our living rooms imagining ourselves in a warmer setting. We want to go to the beach, spend the day on the boat, take the kids to the amusement parks and just be out and about. The ultimate questions we often ask ourselves during these cold months are where do we want to go and what do we want to do? The annual Tickets and Tours Travel Extravaganza is the perfect event to get all these questions, and more, answered.
      The fair features vendors from some of the most popular vacation spots and attractions all along the east coast. You can visit booths and talk with the various representatives about what they have to offer. After stopping at a few booths, you are certain to have all the information you need to make the best decision about your upcoming getaways and summer vacation.
      There is more to the 17th Annual Travel Extravaganza than simply information gathering. There will also be prize drawings throughout the event. You can win weekend getaways, tickets to amusement parks, gift bags, discount coupons and much more. The 2009 Travel Extravaganza will be held on Thursday, Feb. 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., inside the Officers’ Club at Fort Bragg. 
      If you plan on taking a vacation or even just getting away for a long weekend, stop by the Tickets and Tours Travel Extravaganza to discover the many places you can go and things you can do.
      For more information, please call 396-TRIP/TOUR.


  • 02-08-12-john-spratt.jpgIt is the kind of surprise for which every ambitious politician must be prepared: The unexpected decision by an incumbent elected official to retire.

    It is, my friend Jay Rivers told me, the kind of window of opportu-nity that opens ever so slightly and rarely. Be ready to decide quickly and pounce on the unexpected opportu-nity, before the window closes as a result of others’ decisive action.

    John Spratt, the former South Carolina Congressman, once told me about his first campaign. It started when his Congressman dropped the bombshell that he would not run for reelection. Many other ambitious politicians would have loved to go to Congress, but all were surprised and unprepared to gear up a campaign. Spratt, though surprised, was ready. Sometime earlier he had made a telephone list of key people in his district. Before the day was over, he called everybody on the list.

    First, he asked for their support. He tried to get them to make a solid en-dorsement. When seasoned political leaders make such early commitments, most try to keep them. There are exceptions, but whatever their failings, such leaders like to have a reputation for keeping their word.

    Politicians, like the rest of us, have a hard time turning down a request for support from a friend. Although the people on Spratt’s list had other friends who might have wanted to run, Spratt got their commitments because he was first to ask.

    Some on the Spratt’s list would be more cautious, saying something like, “I am not ready to commit.” Spratt would try to get them to promise not to support any-one else until the dust settled and “We’ve had a chance to visit again.”

    Others might tell Spratt that they liked him but that he would not be their first choice, saying, “I really hope Joe Blow will decide to run, and, if he does, I will have to support him.”

    Then Spratt might ask, “If Joe doesn’t run, can I count on your support?”

    All this early work garnered Spratt important supporters, some of whom might have gone to other candidates if he had not asked first.

    Spratt’s first campaign was 30 years ago, but being first to make the calls is still critical.

    Today, however, there is something even more important: Being ready, willing and able to raise or give the multimillion dollars necessary to conduct the campaign.

    When today’s political candidate makes these early calls for support, the first questions from many people will be, “Where is your money going to come from? Do you have enough personal money to put in the pot? Where are you going to get the millions and millions it takes to win?”

    After Governor Beverly Perdue’s announcement that she will not run this year, Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton and state Representative Bill Faison were ready. They have the advantage of being first to make the public request for support.

    But as they are making calls and asking for commitments, they have to re-spond to the money questions. Faison has some personal wealth, but he will have to persuade prospective supporters that he has enough money and is willing to spend it. Dalton has shown he can raise funds to win a statewide race, but he will have to convince people that he can step up the fundraising to a much higher level.

    Both are getting some cautious responses from people who think Erskine Bowles would be the strongest Democratic candidate or those loyal to one of the many other possible candidates.

    But there is something nobody can take away from Dalton and Faison. They were ready. They are out there, making early calls. And they have a better chance to win than if they had waited until that window of opportunity started to close.

    Photo: John Spratt

  • Despite his recent stumbles in Colorado and Minnesota, Mitt Romney is still the favorite to win the Republican nomination for president. As Democratic and Republican strategists begin to work on their general-election strategies, swing states such as North Carolina will be their main focus. But the presiden-tial race, as important as it is, won’t be the only political story that focuses on battleground states.

    Republican hopes to hold their majority in the U.S. House and win control of the U.S. Senate will hinge on the fate of key races in a handful of states. Some but not all of these are also battleground states in the presidential race. Similarly, Republican efforts to secure their newfound power in state capitals will focus on at least four gubernatorial races and battles for control of legisla-tive chambers in about a dozen states.

    The indispensable website RealClearPolitics lists 25 seats in the U.S. House as most likely to flip from one party to another. Three states have multiple seats in play: Illinois with five, and California and North Carolina with four each. Our state’s most competitive House races will be in 7th, 8th, 11th, and 13th districts, all currently held by Democrats but made more competitive for GOP candidates by GOP-led redistricting. These four districts span the length of the state, with the 7th District covering Southeastern North Carolina, the 8th District stretching from the Sandhills to the outskirts of Charlotte, the 13th District including parts of Wake County and Eastern North Carolina, and the 11th District covering the western mountains.

    These House races partially make up for the fact that our state has no Senate race this cycle. Nationally, Republicans need four seats to win a major-ity in the upper chamber. The GOP is currently favored to pick up Democratic seats in North Dakota and Nebraska. No current GOP seats are in similar danger. Of the eight Senate races rated as toss-ups, six are Democratic and two (Massachusetts and Nevada) are Republican.

    At the state level, Republicans spent 2009, 2010 and 2011 achieving their greatest political victories since the 1920s. At the start of the year, Republicans held 29 of the nation’s governorships, with 20 in Democratic hands and one independent (Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island). There are 27 Republican leg-islatures, 15 Democratic ones, seven splits, and one nonpartisan (Nebraska). Republicans hold 53 percent of state-senate seats and 54 percent of state-house seats.

    In 2012, it’s fair to say that Republicans will be playing offense in state-wide races while Democrats will be playing offense in legislative races. Only one Republican governorship — a Wisconsin recall election for Scott Walker — appears to be in danger in 2012, while Democratic governorships in Washington, Montana, New Hampshire and North Carolina are all very much in play. As for legislative politics, the impact of redistricting, demographic shifts and local political and economic factors has yet to be fully analyzed. Nevertheless, it seems likely that there will be spirited battles over control of at least one legislative chamber in Colorado, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington, among others.

    Add all this up, and here’s one way to think about the various electoral battlegrounds for 2012:

    • Triple-crown states will host competitive races for president, competitive races for either U.S. Senate or multiple U.S. House seats, and competitive races for either governor or legislative control. There are four triple-crowns at the moment: Montana, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

    • Double-crown states will host competitive races for president as well as key federal or state contests. They include Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

    Of the triple-crown states, I figure that North Carolina and Wisconsin will draw the most national attention, the former because of this year’s Democratic National Convention in Charlotte and the latter because of last year’s high-profile battle over labor union power.

    So if you are a political junkie, a political journalist, a po-litical operative, or a purveyor of political advertising, North Carolina is a wonderful place to be at the moment.

  • 021016_pub-pen.jpg

    I love this community. All of it, from Linden to Hope Mills to Spring Lake. Yes, it is all Cumberland County more commonly known as the Fayetteville Community. And, as the “Fayetteville Community,” 300,000 plus residents must live with the history, consequences, sins and deficiencies from decades of poor and neglected leadership. Leadership that has robbed us of our pride, dignity and sense of worth; saddling us with a dubious reputation and relegating us to a less than attractive destination for business or industry and a poor quality place to raise a family.

    We are, and, have been for generations, our own worst enemy. To be fair, not all of our past city and county leadership has been self-serving, incompetent and unresponsive to the needs of the community. However, conscientious leaders have been scarce and, in their defense, most tried their best to move the community forward in spite of an underlying “What’s in it for me?” political culture. 

    We have had so many opportunities to do great things for our community, but instead we always seem to find a way to skirt success and broadcast to the nation that Fayetteville is a third-rate city that doesn’t know what is good for it. Frustrating? We want industry to locate in our county, yet, we turn away Sanderson Farms. We want to attract and develop new business, yet poor, unresponsive municipal and county customer service and tedious and repetitious codes and ordinances have frustrated corporate decision makers who vow never to return. 

    We fight among ourselves (city vs. county on sales tax distribution). We sue ourselves (PWC vs. City of Fayetteville). We deprive our residents of basic quality-of-life amenities for decades then form opposition groups to fight righting the wrong (Parks & Rec Bond) without compromise. We protest raising taxes and fees yet tolerate waste and questionable expenditures on surveys, consultants and lavish meals. Go figure. When will this madness end? Surely, we are better than this. Come on, Fayetteville. It’s time we matured and stopped airing our dirty laundry for the world to see. We must get along, communicate and start to build a better community. We must demand that our leaders lead and stop being political “placeholders.” All the Rodin exhibits, Dogwood Festivals, Community Concerts Series and “arts and entertainment” districts will not secure our reputation or assure our children the home and future they deserve unless we do it and do it now! We are running out of time. 

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

     

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    February is a celestial month. All manner of Starship Trooper events happened in February. Our old pal Galileo was born in February 1564. Galileo gets credit for inventing the telescope and astronomy. This hobby resulted in him becoming one of the most famous subjects of the Inquisition. After pondering the night sky with his telescope, the G-Man came up with the heretical theory of Heliocentrism. The G-man ciphered that the Earth rotated around the Sun instead of the Earth being the center of the universe. This theory contradicted sixteenth century theology dropping Galileo into hot water with the Inquisition. Galileo was convicted of heresy for contending the Earth wasn’t the center of the universe. He spent the rest of his life under house arrest and his books were banned. At his trial, to avoid worse punishment, Galileo publicly denounced his theory that the Earth moved around the sun. Legend has it that he softly muttered “And yet it moves” at the end of his confession to the Inquisition. 

    Clyde Tombaugh, the discoverer of America’s favorite planet Pluto, was born in February 1906. Following in Galileo’s footsteps, Clyde as an Illinois farm boy used a homemade telescope to study the night skies. Clyde got a gig working at the Lowell Observatory where he discovered Pluto on Feb. 18, 1930. Like Ernest Hemingway’s short story title character, Francis Macomber, Pluto had a short happy life as a planet. Macomber was killed after being shot by his wife on safari. Pluto was killed as a planet in 2006 by Professor Mike Brown of Cal Tech who convinced the Astronomical Union that Pluto was too small to be a plan

    Pluto was demoted to the ranks of dwarf planet. Fans of Pluto were upset about America’s planet being kicked downstairs to dwarf planet status. The Politically Correct Astronomical police pointed out that calling Pluto a dwarf planet was offensive to small planets. They prefer Pluto to be referred to as a Midget planet or better yet, a Little People Planet. The Astronomical Union is still working on the correct title to assign to Pluto in light of these objections.

    Pluto is not going down without a fight. Despite its demotion, Pluto is more popular than ever. Like Bill Clinton in the 1992 New Hampshire presidential primary, Pluto is the Come Back Kid. NASA’s space probe New Horizon visited Pluto recently and sent back Pluto selfies that boggle the mind. Pluto has giant floating mountains on its surface. Pluto’s skin is a layer of frozen nitrogen featuring ice volcanoes spewing out frozen water. Frozen water being lighter than frozen nitrogen results in giant icebergs even bigger than the one that sank the Titanic and killed Jack. NASA says the pictures show floating mountains that are bigger than the Rocky Mountains being 25 miles long and 3 miles high. Imagine floating mountains half the size of Mount Everest stretching from Fayetteville to Raeford. That is Pluto’s Sputnik Planum ice field. As Larry David would say, “That’s pretty, pretty cool.” 

    New Horizon found four of Pluto’s moons which are even weirder than Pluto itself. The names for Pluto’s newly discovered moons are Stix, Nix, Keberos and Hydra. Those names sound like something Sarah Palin would name her kids. I think that Huey, Dewey, Louie and Moe would have been better names but no one asked me. 

    Bill Clinton came back from the Gennifer Flowers’ scandal to become President. Pluto has come back from being demoted to dwarf status to become the solar system’s most popular planet. 

    President Pluto will make America great again by ridding us off our current presidential candidates. Pluto is three billion miles from Earth. That’s a long, lonesome road. Light takes 4.6 hours to go from Pluto to Earth. It takes from 9 to 16 months to send a picture back from Pluto. The New Horizon space craft took over 9 years to get from Earth to Pluto. If all the Presidential candidates were sent to Pluto for a debate they would never come back. Say good bye to Hillary, Bernie, The Donald, Marco, Ted, Chris, Jeb!, Carly and Kasich. 

    Pluto for President. Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. Pluto wasn’t born in America, but neither was Ted Cruz. If Pluto was good enough to be Mickey’s Mouse’s dog, it’s good enough to be President. Pluto may not be a planet and yet it moves. 


  • 022416_fourth-friday.jpg

    One of the things that makes 4th Friday so special is the variety of things to see and do. Downtown offers a treasure trove of options on any given day, but the fourth Friday of the month is something special because this is when all the galleries and businesses roll out the red carpet for visitors. It is when new exhibits open, when performers pop up at venues throughout the downtown area and businesses and restaurants stay open late and routinely offer great deals and specials. This month 4th Friday falls on Feb. 26. 

    If you haven’t been by the Arts Council lately, come check out the latest exhibit: Romare Bearden: Beat of a Different Drum. Bearden’s work includes collage, watercolor and ink pieces that are vibrant and colorful with a distinctive voice. Bearden’s children’s book, Li’l Dan the Drummer Boyis part of the display. The exhibit runs through March 5. Find out more at http://www.theartscouncil.com.

    Cape Fear Studios, opens Chikyu No (of the Earth). This exhibit features the work of member ceramic artist Guy Jencks and oil paintings by member artist Annette Szczekutek. Works will include vibrant painting and garden lanterns, totems, various birdhouses and bird feeders. With Spring in mind, there will be plenty of art for sale just waiting to add a breath of fresh air to any home or garden. There is an opening reception at 6 p.m. http://www.capefearstudios.com.

    Fascinate-U is a delightful place for youngsters on any day, but 4th Fridays are special. During this event, admission is free and children can enjoy free play from 7-9 p.m. Fascinate-U offers programs throughout the month  which include but are not limited to Super Science Saturdays, camps events and birthday party specials. Find out more about at Fascinate-u.com.

    The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum rolls out several new exhibits this month and 4th Friday visitors will get to see them all because the museum is open from 6-9 p.m. for this event. In conjunction with the museum the second floor of the Market House is open and features the educational exhibit “Dr. E. E. Smith”  from 6 to 10 p.m.  This exhibit is in addition to the permanent exhibit, A View from the Square: A History of Downtown Fayetteville. Call the museum at 433-1457 for more information.

    The Ellington-White Contemporary Art Gallery at 113 Gillespie St. opens the Cumberland County Schools Art Teacher Exhibition at 4th Friday. The reception runs from 5-9 p.m. Find out more about the gallery at http://www.ellington-white.com.

    Jazz fans won’t want to miss the Jazz Series at Marquis Market. Enjoy the ambiance of Downtown Fayetteville while listening to live jazz. It starts at 8 p.m. Find out more at the Marquis Market Facebook page.

    Headquarters Library is set to host The Piney Woods Boys. The band plays traditional string band  Bluegrass music. They will be at the library from 7-9 p.m. Headquarters Library is located at 300 Maiden Lane.

    Find out more about 4th Friday at www.theartscouncil.com or by calling 323-1776.


  •   Strange how our urban lifestyle causes us to stereotype the words “farm” and “rural.”  It conjures up images that will not support an adjective like “entrepreneurial” or “innovative.”
      Well, dear friends. Let’s take it a step further and suggest “dirt” farmer may be a future trend. Perhaps the way farmers did it thousands of years ago may be a long forgotten answer that could help us through this economic downtrend and be a formula for survival if climate change, plague and pestilence or terrorist attacks (among other catastrophes) are visited on us. And it is an idea that creates jobs.
      {mosimage}Last September I visited the great ancient agricultural centers of Peru. The Incas had built terraced fields that awed me since it was the cradle of corn and potatoes (apologies to our Native American and Irish ancestors). The terraces demonstrated wonderful erosion control. But it was what those terraced fields contained that amazed me. Terra Preta! It was the top soil (dirt) that was richer and more productive after thousands of years than the soil in the fields surrounding them. Yet it is a simple process that turns unproductive dirt into a rich organic top soil that lasts a thousand years without fertilizer and sequesters carbon. Do not scoff. Top soil is serious infrastructure that we take for granted. There is a new book on the market named Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations that documents the displacement and fall of civilizations for lack of productive topsoil (i.e. Iraq).
      Yet these ancient Inca “alchemists” knew the secret of “manufacturing” top soil. And it is so simple. The Inca farmers took “char” (wood chips are the feed stock of choice at the N.C. Farm Center) and mixed it with any organic material or waste (I happen to have turkey litter) and put it on dirt. Vuella! Rich, organic topsoil requiring no fertilizer, lasting a thousand years and sequestering carbon. I cannot repeat that enough.
      I have char on the farm that is over 200 years old and is a testament to the kilns built by our predecessors lying in the small cemetery who boiled the pitch out of longleaf pines for the naval stores industry. I would consider making char the old-fashioned way but I was cautioned by my “land whisperer,” John Ray, that young boys tended the kilns because they could run faster if the kiln decided to explode. Since I am not easily discouraged, I have located a magic machine at N.C. State University called a torrefier. Researchers at N.C. State are experimenting with using the baked wood pellets created from heat and pressure as a “green coal.” The pellets do retain 90 percent of their original energy and are a carbon-neutral source of energy. And while I value energy independence, I am acutely aware that the U.S. only has a three-day supply of food. Lately, food security and food safety have also been making the headlines. And if a global financial collapse were to create a terrible depression, urban farming in empty buildings with terra preta or even gardening in formerly barren sandy soil has appeal. I am a child of the bomb shelter age so I would suggest planting vegetables from survival seeds (not genetically altered) as the crop of choice — watered from a well with a solar pump.
      If the N.C. Farm Center is successful in obtaining one of these magical machines and we perfect the formula we will be inviting you, our community, to visit and to sample.  And it will prove my formula — the land is the link to our past and to our future.

    Contact Sharon Valentine at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

  • Haywire (Rated R)   Two Stars02-08-12-movie-review.jpg

    Seeing as how Haywire (87 minutes) features a supposedly strong female lead, I really, really wanted to like it. But I didn’t. I thought it was improbable, poorly cast, badly acted, stupidly plotted and inanely written. Points for getting Michael Fassbender to star in your crappy movie Steven Soderbergh, but you get an F- for everything else. And Fassbender, you’re on notice. Star in one more crapfest and I’m not your girlfriend anymore.

    The film opens in a good place, a clearly half-frozen woman, Mallory Kane (Gina Carano) eyes a roadside diner from a snowy wooded area, focusing particularly on the hot coffee offer in the sign. I feel you Mallory! She is cautious for some reason, but eventually heads in and orders something. Not too long after, a guy named Aaron (Channing Tatum, who is dumb and gross) walks in and orders some of that coffee.

    This is when the movie lost me, as Mallory has possibly the most grating throaty tone I have ever heard coming out a woman’s mouth. It sounds affected and pretentious, and I hope at some point she gets a karate chop to the throat and can’t speak for the rest of the movie. So, like Itchy and Scratchy, after a few preliminaries Aaron and Mallory fight, and bite, and fight and bite and fight, involving all sorts of innocent bystanders in their ballet of combat. Given the options, I am not sure who to root for.

    Mallory manages to extricate herself and grab a would-be knight in shiny armor’s car. Scott (Michael Angarano from Sky High) is surprisingly blasé about the whole thing, and way more helpful than I would be at this point in the discussion. What’s that? You’re on a black-ops mission for a company that is sending people to kill you and are now kidnapping me and stealing my car? Why, of course I will extract the bullet from your arm and dress your wound while you drive us to points unknown! Since you’re so pretty, there’s no way you’re an evil spy!

    Now begins the super irritating narrative framing device that I am sure Soderbergh just felt so arty and clever for using. Mallory starts to tell Scott about a mission in Barcelona, quizzing him every few scenes on names and details like they actually matter. You know what would have been cool? If it turned out she was pulling a Keyser Soze, and the whole story was based on random stuff she found in stupid Scott’s stupid car? I really wish they had gone there

    .It turns out that she is an ex-Marine, working as a subcontractor with her ex-boyfriend Kenneth’s (Ewan McGregor) company. Kenneth was hired by a government agent, Coblenz (Michael Douglas) and some other character, Rodrigo (Antonio Banderas), to rescue a guy named Jiang (Anthony Brandon Wong) from Barcelona. The next part of the story involves Mallory getting yet another assignment, working with British Intelligence. Her contact, Paul (Michael Fassbender) meets her in Dublin, and spews sexist comments at her for a while.

    Rightfully suspicious, she figures out that some kind of double-cross is in the works and starts beating people up and running around Dublin. She runs for a really long time, and then contacts Coblenz to set up a meet with Kenneth. Which should totally work, because of all the people who might have been involved in the set-up, I am totally sure that guy who part of your last mission that you now know caused all the trouble is com-pletely trustworthy.

    That brings us back to the beginning of the movie, and, lucky for Scott, Mallory sends him on his way and heads out to meet her Pop (Bill Paxton). The two set up an ambush that is both elaborate and stupid, which should not work, but which does thankfully speed up progress towards the climax a bit. Overall, I have never sat through a lon-ger 87 minutes in my life. View at your own risk.

    Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

  • Music and Education Go Hand in Hand

    Education of children is one of the greatest responsibilities of parents and guardians. Parents care about their kids’ academic achievement. Superior academic achievement is especially important in the current employment climate because employers are looking for the best students.

    Music educators have always believed that a child’s cognitive, motivational, and communication skills are more highly developed when exposed to music training. Now, study after study proves that music instruction is essential to children’s overall education because it improves their academic performance. The positive effects of music education are finally being recognized by science, verifying what music teachers have always suspected.

    Since the dawn of civilization, music has been an integrated part of a child’s education, as society realized the potential that sounds have in shaping the mind of a young pupil. In most countries in the world today, music lessons are still offered in schools as part of the basic curricula, along with sports and drawing. The Ancient Africans and Greeks recognized the importance of all these activities being performed alongside mathematics and physics, because they complemented each other. 02-15-12-sound-of-music.jpg

    Many studies have been performed to examine the affect of musical instruction on the brain. Researchers at the University of Munster, Germany, (1998) reported that music lessons in childhood actually enlarge the brain. The auditory cortex is enlarged by 25 percent in musicians compared to those who have never played an instrument. According to a study by Frances Rauscher of the University of California, Irvine, (1997) links between neurons in the brain are strengthened with music lessons. Dr. Frank Wilson’s study (1989) involving instrumental music instruction and the brain revealed that learning to play an instrument refines the development of the brain and the entire neurological system.

    Mrs. Kia Walker, the owner of the Blue Violin Music Education Center has instructed music for 15 years. She found that music education improves the students skills in several categories in as little as four months of instruction. Improvement categories include academic, social, memory, language, mathematics and science. She also found an improvement in the confidence of the students to excel. By having a musical instrument to express themselves they are able to surpass in all activities. She has also found an improvement in the students’ time management skills. The students have to assess the time needed to master the skills it will take to perfect their public performances of songs and melodies. The multi dimensional activities leading to the performance include memories, rehearsals and playing skills.

    Photo: In most countries in the world today, music lessons are still offered in schools as part of the basic curricula, along with sports and drawing. 

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    Don’t you just love the Internet!?!

    Our recent “weather event”— as I actually heard one television news anchor refer to the snow and ice smothering a good part of our nation — gave me plenty of time to surf the Web. A meeting I had assumed would take most of a day was cancelled, so I had an entire day of unexpected, but welcome freedom inside my own house. Such fun!

    I read book and movie reviews, caught up on most of the too many magazines I take and checked online with friends and neighbors to make sure everyone was weathering the storm. When I could stand sitting in front of the screen no more, I made two pots of soup and a chocolate cake!

    I surfed both out of curiosity on subjects I do not usually have time to learn about and just for fun. I confess to being a digital immigrant, but how did I find out anything before the Internet?

    We all know we Americans adore lists, and there are lists galore on the Web.

    Inexplicable laws that make you wonder why someone thought of that. Every state has them, and here are a few gathered by The Huffington Post.

    You will be zapped in Alabama if you wear a fake mustache that causes laughter in a church. A pickle cannot be considered a real pickle in Connecticut unless it bounces — not sure about eating that! If you tie your elephant to a parking meter in Florida you must feed the meter just as you would if the critter were a vehicle. If your frog dies during a frog-jumping contest in California, it is illegal to eat him. EEW! 

    Planning to be in Idaho over Valentine’s Day? Be careful — it is illegal to give your sweetie a box of chocolate weighing more than 50 pounds! No wife-beater tees in Maryland parks, where wearing a sleeveless shirt risks a $10 fine. In Massachusetts, it is illegal to own an exploding golf ball. I would love to know why that one got enacted. I would not dream of trying this anywhere, but in Missouri it is illegal to drive with an uncaged bear. And, heaven forbid you should try this at home, but in Minnesota, it is illegal to cross state lines with a duck on your head. In New Jersey, men are not allowed to knit during hunting season, and in Utah, it is illegal NOT to drink milk, lactose intolerance notwithstanding. 

    What about the Tar Heel state? Don’t even think about plowing your cotton field with an elephant!

    Computers and Web surfing, unlike books, require passwords, and from Gizmodo.com under the title “We’re All Such Idiots” come the 25 most popular passwords. Raise your hand if you are guilty of any of these…123456, password, 12345678, qwerty, 12345, 123456789, football, 1234, 1234567, baseball, welcome (identity thieves must love that one!), 1234567890, abc123, 11111, 1qaz2wsx, dragon, master, monkey, letmein, login, princess, qwertyuiop, solo, password (again!) and starwars. 

    As long as we choose passwords like these, crooks will laugh all the way into our bank accounts.

    From the “Mouths of Babes” department with a nod to Art Linkletter’s “Kids Say the Darnedest Things” comes a series of questions.

    1. How to decide who to marry? You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. Alan, age 10

    2. How can a stranger tell if two people are married? You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids. Derrick, age 8

    3. What do you think your mom and dad have in common? Both don’t want any more kids. Lori, age 8

    4. What do most people do on a date? Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough. Lynnette, age 8

    5. When is it okay to kiss someone? The law says you have to be 18, so I wouldn’t want to mess with that. Curt, age 7

    Another child had another view. The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It’s the right thing to do. Howard, age 8

    6. Is it better to be single or married? It’s better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them. Anita, age 9

    7. How would the world be different if people didn’t get married? There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn’t there? 

    8. And my personal favorite….

    How would you make a marriage work? Tell your wife she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck. Ricky, age 10

    That boy has a future in the diplomatic corps.


  • 021716-bill-crisp.jpg

    A recent (The Fayetteville Observer) newspaper editorial stated there are eight former council members opposed to the Parks and Rec Bond. How soon we forget. Citizens should remember that Robert Massey, Curtis Worthy, Paul Williams, Juanita Gonzalez and Lois Kirby were members of the city council that “inflicted” the Big Bang upon us. It is easy to talk and criticize, but the present council is trying to allow citizens to objectively make informed decisions about the future of Fayetteville. What did they do to enhance significant growth and development for the city? These are the same people who did nothing about broken-down buses and buses catching on fire and a host of other shortcomings while they were in office. Mrs. Applewhite was twice rejected by citizens as mayor because of her views. Jerry Reinoehl was rejected by the citizens of District #1 for city council. Former Councilman Don Talbot was angry because he wasn’t appointed to the NC State Veterans Park Commission. He then sent an email to council stating no one on council knew anything about the military, when in fact there were four retirees on council, each with more than twenty years of military service: Applewhite, Bates, Mohn and Crisp. The naysayers are going on radio and are visiting community watch meetings trying to convince citizens to vote against the bond package. Here is my point: The present council has vision to improve this city, but the ultimate decision is for the citizens to decide on the bond. As I visit groups I answer their questions factually in order to allow citizens to make their own informed decisions on March 15. FAYETTEVILLE FORWARD, FAYETTEVILLE STRONG.


  • 022416-pr-bond.jpg

    The Fayetteville City Council has agreed to place a parks and recreation bond referendum on the March 15 ballot. The $35 million made available by the bond would fund the following: two senior centers, tennis center, sports field complex, two skateboard parks, Cape Fear River park-downtown riverfront, improvements to seven existing parks, seven splash pads. Information is available that, I believe, explains why passage of this bond referendum is essential to the economic development and general progress of Fayetteville and the surrounding area. My fear is that, in spite of an abundance of information, this referendum will go the way of similar past efforts… it will fail. 

    By way of history, consider what Andrew Barksdale, The Fayetteville Observerstaff writer, wrote in an article titled “Fayetteville City Council revises bond package; senior centers approved, aquarium, multipurpose center axed:”

    City voters since the 1980s have twice rejected parks and recreation bond issues. In 1986, they voted down an $8 million package by a margin of 51 percent to 49 percent. In 1990, city voters defeated three proposed bond issues totaling $11.55 million in parks and recreation improvements; each referendum was rejected by a more than 4 to 1 margin.

    Barksdale gives more history in an article titled “Several former Fayetteville City Council members oppose parks bond.” Addressing a 5-5 Council vote in 2012 that ended efforts to put a $45 million parks referendum before citizens, Barksdale writes:

    At the time, there was political infighting, questions about the scope and cost of the package, and worries the city didn’t have adequate policies to encourage local and minority-owned contractors to bid for the work. 

    The critical question is “Why do parks and recreation bond initiatives not get to the ballot, or fail when they do?” I hold that a quote attributed to former Fayetteville Mayor Bill Hurley in Barksdale’s article regarding the council’s revised plan gives the primary answer to that question. Hurley said, “I really don’t think the majority of the voters really know what’s going on.” 

    I totally agree with Bill Hurley. Consider the conversation going on in Fayetteville and Cumberland County. I constantly hear and read the outrage expressed by citizens who contend there should be more jobs in Fayetteville and the surrounding area. I saw it just a couple of weeks ago in a meeting of citizens to discuss removing the Market House from the Fayetteville City Seal. In a scolding tone, an attendee expressed his outrage to County Commissioner Charles Evans that jobs are not coming to our area. He asked, “Why is it all we can get is a chicken processing plant?” I was tempted to remind him we did not even get the chicken processing plant. I could not help but wonder what meaningful information has been provided to that gentleman regarding what attracts job-producing enterprises to an area.

    As I have written before, we have become a society that, for the most part, only gives attention to sound-bites. That approach does not allow for gaining detailed information and processing it in a thoughtful manner. This condition is compounded by media, politicians and others who bow at the altar of sound-bites; thereby, reinforcing development of public opinion and decision-making in a low-information atmosphere. The result is a public that often makes progress-hindering, and even destructive, decisions.

    The approach being used by the Fayetteville City Council to provide information to the public regarding the parks bond referendum is an example of what is described in the preceding paragraph. Consequently, many citizens do not understand the need for approving this bond package. In the “Former officials” article, Barksdale writes: “The city is spending $50,000 in tax money educating voters about the vote. The money includes $13,000 on radio spots; $4,000 on TV commercials; $9,000 on billboards; and $13,000 in various printed publications.” By my (Merritt’s) calculation, that total is $39 thousand. I do not know how the other $11 thousand will be spent. However, what I see here is attempting to pass information by sound-bites. Doing so does not prompt serious examination of the issue nor does it move a citizen toward thoughtful conclusions. The approach is used because this is what most citizens have been conditioned to employ in decision-making.

    Interestingly, there is more detailed and persuasive information available. I stumbled onto some while working on an unrelated gardening project. That bond information appears on the city’s website. The link is http://fayettevillenc.gov/government/city-departments/parks-and-recreation/2016-parks-recreation-bond-referendum-copy. What is presented here covers: What, Why, Why Now, Cost, Funding Repayment, Referendum Process, Sustaining the Facilities, Property Tax Impact, and so on. Another helpful link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeXbIrIiQAo. This link accesses a very informative video that gives even more detail than the link above. 

    Further, there is informative public discussion of this bond referendum. For instance, Russ Rogerson, executive director of the newly formed Fayetteville-Cumberland Development Corporation, was recently interviewed by Jeff “Goldy” Goldberg on WFNC Radio. Corporation Board Chair Jack Rostetter and Vice Chair Andrew Pennick also participated. The discussion focused on what conditions make a city or area attractive to job-producing companies. The amenities that answer the question “what is there to do?” were very high on the listing of necessary conditions. There was full agreement that approval of the bond referendum would definitely make Fayetteville and our area far more competitive by way of amenities.

    On the competitive front, every citizen of Fayetteville should look at the amenities offered by Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Go to www.cityofws.org and click on “Residents” then “Recreation.” Look at the offerings and compare them with Fayetteville. More importantly, on the homepage are three rotating banners. One says, “Track Progress of the 2014 Bonds.” Click on that banner and read about what is being done. Here is the opening paragraph:

     In November 2014 city voters approved $139.2 million in general obligation bonds to finance unmet capital needs in the areas of public safety, recreation and parks, streets and sidewalks, economic development and housing.

    In 2014, Fayetteville had an estimated population of 200,582 while Winston-Salem was at 229,634. Fayetteville has $8.6 million in outstanding general obligation debt while Winston-Salem, in 2014, took on $139.2 million. Many Fayetteville citizens are opposing $35 million in spending while Winston-Salem is well on the way to completing $139.2 million in job-attracting actions. This is the competition and we better “wake-up” to what is required for economic development. Forming economic development entities and then tying their hands gets zero return or very near it.

    The primary reason Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and the eight other municipalities in the county keep failing to attract quality jobs is obvious even to my untrained eye. There is a climate in which decisions are made solely on whether tax rates will increase. Limited focus is extremely dangerous in any decision-making process. On the bond matter, all the rest of what is discussed above is thrown to the wind. To see this point, one only has to read letters to the editor in The Fayetteville Observer. Couple this with the opposition raised by eight former Fayetteville City Council members as reported in Barksdale’s “Former Officials” article. As follows, he reports comments by Curtis Worthy who is chairman of the Vote No Bond Tax referendum committee:

    Worthy said he and other committee members don’t oppose new parks and recreational amenities. Rather, he said, they oppose the estimated city tax increase of 1.35 cents per $100 for each $100 in tax value that would be needed to retire the general-obligation bond debt. “I think we can pay as we can,” Worthy said. “It creates a better method of accomplishing the same thing instead of borrowing a bunch of money.”

    The fact of life is sound-bites and limited focus do not inform. They only stir emotions and almost always lead to wrong and costly decisions. I beg the leaders of this city and area to move beyond sound-bites and limited focus regarding this bond referendum and other important issues of our time. On the other hand, citizens must invest the time and effort required to get informed. Please, decide this matter based on thorough and thoughtful examination of the facts. 


  • SENIOR CORNER

    Last wee02-16-11-senior-care.gifk’s broadcast of ABC’s World News with Diane Sawyer closed with a story featuring Home Instead Senior Care, as “Person of the Week!” This is part of a series called “Families on the Brink: What to Do about Mom and Dad.”

    Sue and Skip Hollcroft are two of the more than 20 million people struggling to take care of their children and their aging parents. In January, when her widowed father, John C., almost 86-years-old, wrecked his car, it got even more difficult. Because of her father’s declining health, the family decided that it was unsafe for him to live in the house he loved and had lived in for more than 30 years. Though Sue Hollcroft said it was terrifying to have her dad living alone in the house, he refused to move. He said he felt comfortable there.

    For months, the family searched for a solution as Sue and Skip’s stress increased. “That’s where we said, We’ve got to find something. How can we? What can we do?” Skip Hollcroft said.

    Finally they found a compromise, and today John C. is home but he’s not alone. A caregiver provided by a service called Home Instead Senior Care visits John C. for four hours a day, five days a week. The caregiver helps him with household chores, accompanies him to his favorite restaurant and provides him with comfortable companionship. “It’s kept him inhis home and that’s what he wants,” Sue Hollcroft said. 

    Nine out of 10 people over 60 want to stay in their homes as long as possible. They are able to do that thanks to new technologies — like seniors alertingfamily members of a problem — and the help of neighbors and caretakers, according to the AARP. Amy Goyer of the AARP said that now there is a trend for seniors to age at home. “That is the goal of most adults as we live longer, most people want to stay in their own homes,” she said.

    “That means that families have to be involved in support, neighborhoods, communities, but there is also the industry of technology that supports and aids people to stay in the home,” Goyer said. She pointed to such innovations as vibrating pill boxes that sound an alarm when it’s time for a person to take their medication and a website created for seniors so they can stay connected with family members in one place.

    Goyer said franchised organizations and local nonprofit agencies also provide personal care to aging adults living at home. 

    Home Instead Senior Care is one of the many services designed to allow seniors to stay out of nursing homes.

    Offering the “Families on the Brink” series shows how this topic is clearly on the minds of Americans. Sometimes just starting the conversation is the most awkward position for the family member. Having a conversation around the dinner table might be the benefit that gets everyone informed. Accurate information is essential.

    Home Instead Senior Care is one of the
    many services designed to allow seniors
    to stay out of nursing homes.

  • jeff-thompson.png

    At another marathon Fayetteville City Council meeting, City Manager Ted Voorhees suggested another property-tax increase may be needed to meet mounting capital improvements. 

    Council agreed to move forward with plans to change their terms of office. In an 8-2 vote, council agreed to schedule a referendum in November asking residents to approve staggered four-year terms of office for the mayor and council. They currently serve two-year terms. 

    Members also heard a presentation on the prospect of a minor league baseball stadium near downtown. It was the second time in a month that the city’s governing body spent more than six hours going over an agenda full of housekeeping chores and major projects. They consumed more time than some council members liked. Councilman Ted Mohn scolded his colleagues for not managing their time better by being more disciplined.

    Council talked for two hours about a five-year capital improvement plan that Voorhees introduced. It was one of those ‘darned if you do, darned if you don’t’ episodes for the administration. Voorhees brought the plan forward because council members had insisted a few weeks ago that they wanted earlier exposure to fiscal budget recommendations. Come spring the city will begin annual preparations for adoption of operating and capital budgets for the fiscal year beginning July 1st. As soon as Voorhees mentioned the need for another penny on the dollar tax increase, councilman Jim Arp accused the manager of “poor timing.” He noted a bond referendum for parks and recreation improvements is up for a vote next month. Passage would result in a $1.35 tax rate bump. Arp said discussion of an additional tax increase was “premature” and recommended tabling the capital improvement plan. His colleagues overruled him, and members agreed to allow Budget Director Tracy Broyles to continue with her presentation. 

    Voorhees insisted he was “not trying to bamboozle” Council; that they have to be aware of the needs. Voorhees said the additional penny on the tax rate is primarily for public safety. A new fire station on Hope Mills Road is a pressing need to replace aging Fire Station #12. A new fire station #16 on Cedar Creek Road and relocation of Fire Station #4 are also part of the five-year plan. A consolidated city/county 911 communications center is also on the drawing board. Council flagged numerous items in the plan for further discussion at this month’s annual strategic planning retreat.

    Dan Barrett of the Barrett Sports Group briefed council on what to expect as consultants continue to explore the feasibility of a minor league baseball stadium. Consultants are being paid $130,000 to determine interest in the sport. Deputy City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney says professional baseball has indicated a “very high interest” in locating a minor league team in Fayetteville. The consultants say they’ll determine if it’s financially feasible and affordable for the city to enter into a public-private partnership to build and operate a stadium. The six-and-a-half hour meeting ended at 11:30 p.m.

  •   Have you ever seen a child, or do you remember from the mists of your own childhood, having literal growing pains?
      I am thinking about the deep ache in their bones that children report feeling and which sometimes reduces them to tears. It can sometimes do the same to their sympathetic mothers. While uncomfortable, even painful, such aches are really positive signs. They mean the child is healthy and developing as he or she should.
      States can have growing pains as well, and North Carolina is in the throes of some deep and serious aches.
      We are now the 10th-largest state in the nation, having recently out-peopled New Jersey, and still growing. I believe without question that our state’s growth is a good thing. It means that our economy and our quality of life are such that people want to make their homes and their livelihoods here, somewhere between the mountains of Murphy and the beaches of Manteo. Estimates are that about 21 people are born or arrive in North Carolina every hour, a growth rate which will bring us about 4 million more people by 2030. This is roughly the equivalent of every blessed soul in South Carolina pulling up stakes and moving here.
     {mosimage} I would not want North Carolina to be a state that is losing population and wondering where its future lies.
      That being said, growth brings challenges — growing pains for our state.
      The Institute for Emerging Issues is a Raleigh think tank associated with North Carolina State University. It considers all sorts of issues each year, and once a year it puts on a two-day forum exploring an issue facing North Carolina. Over the last two decades, IEI has delved into many meaty issues, including the challenge of innovation and competition, investing in our health, the fragile partnership between people and our planet and public schools and higher education. Such topics have drawn national experts to speak, including the likes of Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, Marian Wright Edelman, Steve Forbes and Thomas Friedman.
      This year’s forum occurred earlier this month on the topic of “Changing Landscapes: Building the Good Growth State” and included such luminaries as Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd and New York Times columnist David Brooks. The talk was all about growth and infrastructure. How do we meet the needs of a steadily and rapidly growing population at a time when the resources to pay for those needs are dwindling?
    Provocative ideas and stimulating conversation were everywhere, but the most interesting to me by far was Sen. Dodd’s challenge to North Carolina — and really to all of America — to “be bold.”
      The senator reminded us all that our nation has been transformed several times by advances in our infrastructure — advances that fundamentally altered the way we live and the way we develop as a country.
      He reminded us of the importance of the Erie Canal, which in 1825 opened up transportation from New York on the East Coast and the Great Lakes. The Erie Canal took 100 years to build and changed our commerce forever.
      He reminded us of the importance of the 1844 message that Samuel F. B. Morse pecked out in dots and dashes to the office Dodd now occupies in Washington. The coded message said “What hath God wrought,” and it ushered in the era of instant communication which has morphed into what you and I take for granted every day, the Internet.
      He reminded us of driving the final stake at Promontory Point, Utah, in 1861 to create the first intercontinental railroad and, thus, interstate commerce as we know it, and of Franklin Roosevelt’s lighting up of our nation through rural electrification in the 1930s.
      He nudged us once again on a grand plan begun during my own childhood which made us the most mobile nation in the history of the world. President Dwight D. Eisenhower had been mightily impressed by the German Autobahn and wanted roads like that in our country. The result is our Interstate highway system of 46,000 miles of roadways and which took decades and $400 billion to complete.
    Each of these projects was bold. Each was wildly expensive, and each was ridiculed in its time as folly and extravagance. But where would we be without them? Dodd was challenging.
     Why are we who consider ours the greatest nation in the world letting our infrastructure age and decline? Why, when China is spending 9 percent of its gross domestic product and conducting the largest railway system expansion in world history, are we investing only 2 percent of ours in infrastructure? European nations are investing at double our rate.
     Why, Dodd asks, are we thinking small and patching what we have instead of envisioning, as one of Dodd’s constituents does, projects like a freight rail system that would run from California to North Carolina?
     What has happened to our courage, our vision, our innovation and our willingness to take risks? What has happened to our confidence in ourselves and in our nation?
     Where, asked Dodd, are today’s Erie Canals?
     Where, indeed?

    Contact Margaret Dickson at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

  • 02-15-12-half-helmet.jpgTime and time again we hear about people talking about the smallest half hel-met and we hear them asking where they can find one. The truth of the matter is that the smallest helmet isn’t always necessarily the best one.

    There are a number of things that you should think about when you begin your search for the smallest hel-met. One thing that you might want to ask yourself is will the smallest half helmet provide you with the neces-sary protection. Many times those who try to make a hel-met that is really small will skim on the parts that matter the most.

    One part of the helmet that manufacturers might take shortcuts on is the inner padding. In order to make the outer shell of the helmet small, you have to reduce the size of what is inside of the helmet right? This isn’t necessarily the best way to go because it reduces the effectiveness of the helmet all together. DOT helmets are made to meet certain standards that are set in place in order to provide safe helmets for riders. If your helmet does not meet these standards, then you should question whether or not it is right for you. Beware of those that claim to have the smallest helmet because it may not necessarily be the safest one for you.

    Appearance often has a lot to do with how riders pick their gear. The helmet is certainly no exception, which is why many riders really don’t care what it looks like on the inside as long as it looks good on the outside. Unfortunately, this isn’t the right attitude to have when it comes to your helmet. Safety should always be your number one priority.

    Finally, you might want to inspect the materials used to make the sup-posed smallest half helmet before you purchase it. There may be some instances where manufacturers will skim on the materials used in order to make the helmets smaller. This means that the outer shell might be thinner than normal. Again, this isn’t going to make the safest helmet for the rider. Instead, look for helmets that have thick polycarbonate shells that will hold strong against high impact pressure.

    The next time you shop for a helmet, ask yourself whether or not you are willing to sacrifice your safety for the appearance. This might help you make your decision when considering which one to buy.

  • 021716_margaret.jpg

    I have finally figured out something Barack Obama and George W. Bush have in common besides living in the White House for eight years each. I suspect both of them are horrified — as in hair standing straight up on their heads horrified — by the directions voters of all stripes are taking as Presidential politics 2016 unfold. It is almost as if Democrats, Republicans and Independents held a secret convention and agreed to do their own thing this year and to do it loudly.

    As I heard a TV talking head express this stunning phenomenon, it is as if American voters are in full political revolt.

    When Democrat-turned-Republican Donald Trump, with all his insulting ways, and 74-year-old self-described Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders began resonating with voters, the Establishment of both parties pooh poohed them. Surely, party elders said, voters will come to their senses any minute now. Surely, they will acknowledge the wisdom from above and fall back into line, supporting the candidates we have put forward and bankrolled for them.

    Wrong-o! 

    The troops have quit taking orders.

    American voters have apparently taken a lesson from the 1976 film Network in which a main character holds up his fist and declares, “I am mad as h*#l, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” “This” varies from voter to voter, of course, but it generally involves the sense that the political Establishment is, at the very least, not listening to real Americans and at the very worst is lying and thoroughly corrupt. Nevermind that Establishment candidates like Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush have long records of public service and zillions of dollars behind them. This season’s voters are sending messages that both parties’ elders are loathe to receive.

    We are far from done, of course. Early voting has been in small states with, from North Carolina’s perspective, amazingly homogenous voters and overwhelmingly white populations. So, what to expect as the rest of the nation continues to express its frustration and anger at the polls? 

    My guess and my hope are that much of this emotional political tsunami stems from the reality that politics-as-usual has brought us inequities of all sorts — economic, environmental, voters’ rights, educational, access to health care, our personal and national safety and more. These are not easy or comfortable topics for many on this year’s political stage, but they loom large in the minds of voters. The Donald’s support base of largely white, lower income men without college degrees illustrates the frustration. They are people for whom today’s technology and economy are not working well. They may have lost jobs to other nations or to technological advancements and they are angry. Who would not be?

    On the other end of the spectrum, Bernie Sanders appeals to women and younger voters, a real concern for Hillary Clinton. What is that appeal? Sanders talks about both free and debt-free higher education, notions much on the minds of younger people and others hoping to move up the educational ladder. 

    In the midst of all this swirling frustration, candidates and voters seem farther away from each other than ever. Voters simply do not believe much of what they hear from candidates, often with good reason. An entire industry of debate fact checkers has popped up during the 2016 cycle, another of countless examples of our federal government having become so polarized by partisanship that it is virtually paralyzed. The immediate partisan reaction to last weekend’s sudden death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is but the latest manifestation of our polarization.

    All of this feels a bit like a high profile sports competition with both sides cheering and booing. 

    Call me Pollyanna, but I have faith in the common sense of American voters. With only a few exceptions, we have elected reasonable people to our presidency, and I have my fingers crossed that we will do that this year as well. I also sense that voters will do our best to force candidates and our eventual party nominees into talking honestly not about what divides us but what shapes our daily lives — our jobs, our schools, the environment around us, our health, our safety. 

    If those honest conversations can and do occur, America is likely to elect a reasonable and realistic president, be he or she a Democrat or a Republican. If they do not, the frustration and anger so many of us feel now can only grow and carry over into future election cycles and push us ever farther apart.

  • 022416_margaret.jpg

    Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, and this is one of them.

    It has been floating around the Internet for a while, and I fall in love all over again every time I see it.  It reminds me of my first ballet recital when the 4-year-old class dressed as rosebuds in pink tutus with green overlays to represent the leaves.  We had worked hard for the big event, but as we raised our little arms and twirled on tippy toe, I apparently twirled in the wrong direction.  Another rosebud loudly and publicly pointed my error out onstage, which stopped our performance in its tracks.  I chose to deal with my embarrassment by decking the other little rosebud, and our very annoyed instructor promptly escorted our 4-year-old selves off stage mid-performance.

    My ballet career ended shortly thereafter.

    The photograph also reminds me of some of my dearest friends, the Dames You Thought You Knew.  Two years ago, Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s Founding Artistic Director Bo Thorp put together the stories of five local women of a certain age who then presented them on stage, for better or worse.  If we look at the little girls in this photograph and imagine those performing women as little girls from long ago, from left to right they might be former CEO of a national company Terri Union, former Fayetteville City Council member and Cumberland County Commissioner Rollin Shaw, and former rosebud Margaret Dickson.  I leave you to decide which of the other two little girls is former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson and which is real estate magnate Suzanne Pennink.

    One of the Precious Jewels asked why this photograph draws me in so thoroughly, and I think it is because the girl on the right looks so happy.  She is clearly doing her own thing, marching to the beat of her private drummer, living life on her own terms, or whatever cliché we might use for people who make their own fun. The girl on the right exudes joie de vivre and is self-possessed and totally comfortable in her own skin.  Not all women want to hang upside down from a ballet barre, of course, but most of us do want to be ourselves even if we are a bit different from other folks.  

    So how do we raise our daughters to be the girl on the right? 

    In no particular order are some of my own thoughts and some from other sources.  

    Erin Dullea is a coach, a writer and the mother of three little ones.  Her thoughts…

    “It is important to be kind, but nice is not always necessary.”   Nice can mean pretending something we are not.

    “Beauty is an inside job.”  My mother expressed this sentiment as “pretty is as pretty does.”   As Jill Conner Browne, mother of the Sweet Potato Queens, put it, “Pretty will last a short time… but stupid can last forever.  Fortunately, so can smart.”

    “You are what you say to yourself.”  This is harder than it sounds, but if you don’t like you and value your accomplishments, why should others?

    Nancy Lundgreen of familyshare.com offers these thoughts among others.

    “Teach her to find genuine people… ”  Find people who have more purpose than drama in their lives.

    “Teach her to make learning a lifetime gift to herself.”  This can and should be formal education, but it always means having a mind open to new information and ideas.

    “Teach her to never settle for “ just any” partner.  I married for the first and only time five days shy of my 30th birthday.  My mother always told me that anyone could get married.  The trick is finding the right person.

    “Teach her that the girlfriends she accumulates…will always play a big part in her life, and will sometimes be even more valued than family…  so advise her to make very good friends.”  Amen.

     Forbes magazine weighs in on what not to do.

    Do not buy gender specific toys.  Many girl toys address appearance while boy toys address invention, exploration, competition and problem solving.  ‘Nuff said in our cutthroat economy.

    Compliment her on her accomplishments more than her looks, even though she is the loveliest person you have ever seen.

    She is not a princess.  We do not have princesses in America, so do not fool her into thinking she is one.  She will pay a high price for this later.

    Author Brene Brown weighs in with this:  “We have to be the women we want our daughters to be.”

    Finally, from me.  Teach her to love herself and to enjoy her own company.  Parents, siblings, friends and spouses, even children aside, the only person who will take every step of life with you is you.  We come into life alone and leave the same way, and we are happier if we are our own best friend.

    The upside down girl on the right may already know all of this.

  • Editor’s Note: This letter was addressed to Up & Coming Weekly’s Associate Publisher, Janice Burton, in response to her editorial — “Politicians Flunk Out With EOG Test” — from the Feb. 11-17 edition of Up & Coming Weekly.

    Dear Ms. Burton:
      I am sure thousands of parents in our state relate to your feelings concerning the end-of-course test your son will be subjected to later this academic year. Many teachers and their students become fearful and apprehensive regarding end-of-course tests every year.
      The history of the end-of-course is complicated. I was fortunate to work for the Department of Public Instruction from 1970 until 1979 and then for the next 19 years as the science curriculum specialist for the Cumberland County Schools. In those two positions I was actively involved in the development for the state science curriculum and peripherally in the development of the end-of-course and end-of grade tests during those years.
      The process leading to the imposition of the state curriculum and testing program began in the early 1970s when members of the legislature compared notes related to visits in classrooms across the state. They concluded there was no pattern to instruction and asked the state superintendent to develop and publish a curriculum guide for teachers to follow in their classrooms. After some wrangling, the department published a short curriculum guide and distributed the guide to the schools in the mid-70s. The legislators hoped teachers would teach the topics in the guide at the grade level or in the junior high or high school course as they were listed in the guide. While some schools followed the suggestions, most continued teaching the way they had prior to the guide’s publication.
    Several years later, after more classroom visits, members of the legislature pushed for a more detailed guide for teachers. As a result, an expanded version of the curriculum, entitled Performance Goals and Indicators, was distributed to the schools. The hope was that teachers and administrators would use the goals to design their instruction and use the indicators to design assessments. Unfortunately, as before, there was little change in what happened in classrooms across the state.
      The frustration of legislators continued growing with the result that in 1985 they passed legislation requiring a significantly more detailed curriculum for all grade levels (K-12) and implementing a statewide testing program. The North Carolina Standard Course of Study, which provided detailed lists of concepts, objectives, and performance indicators in each discipline at every grade level from Kindergarten to the 12th-grade, was published as a result. An indication of the curriculum’s scope is provided by the fact that one copy of the document for grades K-12 occupied 12 feet of book shelf space. The present K-12 curriculum is essentially a modified version of the one developed in 1985 and the testing program has developed from its start to its present form by means of nearly continuous modification.
      {mosimage}North Carolina wasn’t the only state to implement such a detailed curricula and assessment program. Indeed, legislatures across the nation have followed one another in trying to “stamp” out graduates in a production line type of program. The culmination of this kind of instructional program was No Child Left Behind. The result has been incredibly high levels of frustration on the part of administrators, teachers, parents and pupils. These programs have also led to the perception that our public schools are doing a poor job of educating students. In fact, the United States is the only country in the world which offers complete educational opportunities to every child regardless of ability. Hundreds of children graduate in our state each year and move on to pursue university degrees in a variety of highly technical fields. For example, five of our astronauts graduated from high schools in Bladen, Carteret, Duplin, Moore and Robeson counties.
      Obviously, students who wish to study and are supported by their family can acquire an excellent education in our schools.
      The majority of parent’s across the country would agree with you that the pressure of testing is totally unwarranted. The most unfortunate aspect of the testing program, as it exists in our state, is that it does virtually nothing to improve instruction. The tests do provide information concerning the overall performance of students, teachers, and schools; however, they provide no information which can be used to improve classroom instruction. The problem exists for two reasons:
      First, the assessment program is required to test the entire curriculum. Teachers must teach the entire curriculum for a grade or course if their students can perform well on the end-of-grade or end-of-course tests.
    So  teachers are not “teaching to the test” — they, in fact, do so by simply teaching the curriculum. The size of the curriculum has continued to grow and the resulting growth of the material to be taught has made it basically impossible for a teacher to cover what he or she is supposed to teach in a semester or an academic year. This is particularly true in the case of high school courses. In every tested course there are too many concepts to be covered in the time allotted. As a result much of the instruction has reverted to a mode many of us think of as read the chapter, answer the questions, take the test. In essence, the middle and high school curricula are best suited to students who are most proficient at memorizing and regurgitating information. This problem is reflected by the constantly increasing size of textbooks which now weigh so much that they present back injury hazard to students who attempt to take more than two home at one time.
      The problems are different in elementary grades where teachers are supposed to be able to teach reading, writing, mathematics, science and  social studies with equal facility. On its face such a challenge is impossible to accomplish. At the same time, our teachers have become recipients of students with all the problems in our society. There is no way one teacher, even with an aide, can provide all the individualized help today’s students require and teach them the skills they must master to succeed on end-of-grade tests.
      Second: the present end-of-grade and end-of-course tests are required to test every concept listed in the curriculum for a specific subject at a given grade level or a specific course. As a result on any given test there can be no more that three to five questions on each major concept.
      In most cases only two or three questions address a specific concept. The number of questions related to one specific concept is too small to provide a statistically valid measure of the student’s understanding of that concept . Without such information, teachers and administrators cannot use the test results to find and correct instructional problems.
    In spite of a number of efforts to change the kinds of questions on the tests, virtually all the questions are specific problems in mathematics or content-recall questions in science and social studies. Even if teachers desire to teach students by having them explore an idea or investigate a phenomenon, the nature of the questions on the tests require that they have their students memorize information.
      The students we are graduating lack the reasoning and teamwork skills industry is seeking because there simply isn’t time to teach those skills while covering an “overstuffed” curriculum. Across our state many educators are struggling to find ways to prepare students for success in the adult world while trying to deal with a curriculum and assessment program which work against their best efforts.
      Parents across our state need to do more than simply worry about how their students will do and react to the state testing program — they need to write their legislators and demand that:
      • The curriculum be reduced to a size that can be taught by inquiry and exploration in the present school year.
      • That both the curriculum and assessments be revamped in ways which recognize the impossibility of using memorization to cope with the knowledge explosion by promoting reasoning, problem solving, and teamwork.
      • The assessment program be changed to provide information primarily designed to help teachers and schools improve instruction rather than simply making legislators and board members feel that they have succeeded in evaluating each individual school’s performance.
    Fred L. Beyer Jr., Fayetteville
  •  

    Sanderson Farms: No Winners, No Losers

    and Certainly No Heroes

    Red shirts? Green shirts? In the end, will it really matter? Did it really matter? I think not. When all is said and done, there will be no real winners or losers here, and, certainly no heroes. Just a shamed, embarrassed, red-faced community we call Cumberland County again hanging its head to avoid eye contact with its North Carolina peers. Well, this is something we all should be getting use to. And, if anyone has future plans for running for political office, a good strategy might be to engage in your own pre-campaign apology tour. This way, Cumberland County residents will know what to expect and, consequently, be less disappointed.

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    Ugh! Sanderson Farms! Just the thought of that politically charged circus and clown parade makes me want to ask PETA to defend the rights and dignity of my Chick-fil-A sandwich. Well, hopefully, we are close to the end now and perhaps there is a lesson to be learned here. The question remains: Will we learn it? Will we, as a Cumberland County community, ever learn it?

    Anyway, I must thank and commend County Commissioners Glenn Adams, Dr. Jeannette Council, Jimmy Keefe and Charles Evans for voting positively on the Sanderson Farms incentive package on behalf of ALL the residents of Cumberland County. The emphasis, of course, being on ALL residents. It was very encouraging to see that Adams, the newest member of the commission, took the time and energy to do his job. He actually studied the Sanderson Farms issue, evaluated pros and cons, did the research and then made a decision that satisfied his intelligence and his conscience — this being a decision that w

     

    as in the best interest, again, of all Cumberland County residents.

    Hopefully, this marks the beginning of the end of elitist “good ole boy” local politics where the influence and wealth of a few privileged landowners manipulate the course of local quality-of-life actions that affect the health, wealth and futures of hundreds of thousands of Cumberland County residents. From the very beginning, Adams, Council and Keefe have demonstrated character and did the right things for the right reasons.

    They should feel good and extremely proud of their decision. Let it be known that this level of integrity, honesty and leadership does NOT go unnoticed.

    This is the style of leadership that will move our community forward and we should all thank them for their service and commitment. As for everyone else, well, we can do better. Content of character is the element we should be looking for in great community leaders. Action by default is not leadership (Mr. Evans). Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    Photo: Sanderson Farms has been a hot topic in the community recently. When all is said and done, there will be no real winners or losers here, and, certainly no heroes. Just a shamed, embarrassed, red faced community we call Cumberland County again hanging its head to avoid eye contact with its North Carolina peers.

     

     

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    Much ink and reel has been given over the past week to the seizure of The Haven Friends for Live, a no-kill rescue by the ASPCA. Our televisions, social media and newspapers have been filled with photos of animals in makeshift cages. Thousands of words have been written regarding the plight of the animals at the shelter and about the 15 graves of animals that died while in the care of organization. But few, if any, have told the total story of the shelter. And, this is where I would like to weigh in.

    I first met Linden Spear in the spring of 1998. I had recently moved to Fayetteville to be with my then-boyfriend, now husband, and was working as a reporter at Up & Coming Weekly. Spear invited me out to her relatively new shelter to talk about the plight of animals in our community. At the time, she was lobbying to have the county pass a law requiring anyone who wasn’t a breeder to have his or her pets spayed or neutered. She was also trying to bring attention to the way the county was euthanizing its unwanted animals. Instead of using the gas chamber at the facility, the shelter was shooting animals. Spear was horrified.

    On my first visit to the county pound with Spear, she rescued two or three dogs. Our next stop was at a local vets office, where the vet donated his service to spay or neuter her rescues. We dropped the newest animals off and picked up several cats and a few dogs. While there, Spear talked about the irresponsibility of pet owners who allow their animals to breed uncontrolled. She talked about not only how it added to the local animal population, but also hurt the animal’s health in the long run.

    We talked about the way that feral cats were a problem in the community because of the quick rate of cat reproduction and the number of cats that are allowed to breed unchecked. Also on her mind that day was the practice of some military family’s that got pets, but when they received orders to a new place, they simply left the pets in their old neighborhoods. This was something that hit home with me, as I had recently taken in a beautiful cat that we lovingly called Big Kitty. He became a beloved pet and member of our family. 

    Spear also talked about the plans she had for her shelter. She was writing grants, seeking support not only from the local community but also nationally. She was building relationships with stores that would give her damaged bags of pet food. She was reaching out to non-profits to get volunteers out to help her build kennels and do the never-ending work at the shelter.

    Also on her mind were the folks who would wait until the pound, local veterinarian’s office and her shelter closed. They would quietly slip up to these places at night and throw boxes of kittens over the fence or tie pets to the gates. These were the people who made her angry.

    At the time, Spear had the resources and volunteers to keep it all together. But as the problem of abandoned animals grew, she became overwhelmed. Where she is now is not where she started, and it definitely is not the vision she had for her shelter. Some call Spear a hoarder and some, who have not followed her journey, call her cruel. But that’s not the case. Spear has an absolute love and passion for animals. The thought of killing animals broke her heart. But she couldn’t save them all and she surely could not keep up with the sheer number of animals that wound up at her farm. 

    Linden Spear is a woman whose passion exceeded her ability to meet the demand. I believe that she simply became overwhelmed by the war she waged for more than two decades. She is not the demon that some would portray her to be, and perhaps that is the story I wanted to tell today. When Linden Spear started her journey at The Haven, she had a clear plan. Unfortunately, the problem was much bigger than her, and, if the truth is told, we, as 

    a community are as much at fault as she is. 


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    We did it! Actually, Fayetteville did it. The community showed up in supportive numbers to debut the area’s newest theatrical venue – the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre. Both performances sold out last Friday and Saturday nights as the Holiday Inn I-95, Up & Coming Weekly and Allegra Printing presented their first dinner theatre production: A Southern Girl’s got to Have It.  Written and directed by former Fayetteville resident Elaine Alexander, this hilarious southern comedy was the perfect centerpiece for an evening of music, food and fun – a cultural experience that complements and defines what Fayetteville is really about despite its frustrating attempts to overcome self-inflicted, dog-eared downtrodden perceptions of itself. 

    But, not last weekend. Both evenings were about excitement and making sure our guests, who each invested $75 a ticket, had an experience that defined the hospitality, cultural excellence and sophistication that so many naysayers accuse Fayetteville of lacking. Well, no more driving to Raleigh, Chapel Hill or Durham for that ultimate theatrical experience.

    So, a very special thank you to the perfect combination of people, organizations and local businesses that contributed to its success. The mission: give them the best we have locally. It was all about staying local and putting our best foot forward.  Our host, the Holiday Inn I-95, served up a great dinner with an extremely conscientious and uncommonly pleasant staff. Local businesses Draughon Brothers and Carolina Convention Services actually built the stage a nd provided the lights and sound under the supervision, talent and expertise of long-time Fayetteville resident and theatre technician, Martha Claybrook. Music was provided by Kia Walker, Bob Lawrence and Denny Dey of the Blue Violin while Lu Mil Vineyards served samples of their best wines. Bottom line: Fayetteville has revived the Fayetteville Dinner Theater.  Applause, applause.

    P.S. A special thank you to our special guest 2016’s Miss Fayetteville Victoria Baskett. We wish her the best of luck in running for Miss North Carolina.


    Last word: Residents of Fayetteville and Cumberland County no doubt recognize, appreciate and support quality venues and events. All we have to do is know how to provide them. Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.


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     In the aftermath of the South Carolina and Nevada primary elections, it looks like what our nation prefers is exactly what Fayetteville and Cumberland County need: bold, unadulterated, unfiltered leadership! We need community and political leaders who are not afraid to jump in, take charge, tell it like it is and get the job done for the betterment of the community, the state and the nation. That’s Donald Trump’s style of leadership. Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. This undeniable public sentiment has overwhelmingly indicated that people are fed up with the slick maneuverings of career politicians and the politics as usual attitudes coming out of Washington D.C. Hence, the derogatory term “Washington establishment.” The same goes for unscrupulous business as usual.

    This style of leadership is killing America from the inside out, and it is trickling down from Washington D.C. to our capital in Raleigh and to the local confines of Fayetteville and Cumberland County. We are a nation, state, city and county all choking and suffocating growth, prosperity and progress because of their inability to resist the partisan pressures of status quo party-line politics. Current doctrine dictates that politicians say anything and do anything, but always put party politics first, win the election and, by all means, be a good “placeholder.” This means, specifically, after elected, you don’t do anything, say anything or recommend anything that you could be held accountable for or cannot responsibly deny.  Also, you must stay out of the community and public limelight (constituents ask too many questions). Always try to stay “off the record.” Avoid the media. Attend as few committee meetings as possible, and, by all means, go on every elaborate retreat and conference the taxpayers are willing to pay for.

    Yes, what we need locally is a little Trump Trickle Down. Taxpayers at all levels  are tired of being treated like mushrooms, tired of being ignored and tired of being the ones who have to ultimately pay for this kind of political “party first” non- leadership. The outspoken and non-beholden Donald Trump, for better or worse, serves as a fresh and welcomed alternative.

    Like it or not, regardless of nationality, political affiliation (Democrat, Republican, Independent) or socioeconomic status, when you look at the facts, the hard facts, we are far worse off now as a nation in every measurable category than we were eight years ago. Worldwide prestige, health care, immigration, violent crime, economic growth and national debt, just to name a few. Yet, the reality of this deplorable state is ignored in lieu of loyalties to established political hierarchies. Say what???? Yes, it is my prediction that Donald Trump will be our next President. After all we have been through as a nation since 2008... how bad could “The Donald” be? At least you will always know where he stands. 

    The question locally is: Who will be our Donald Trump? Who in Fayetteville and Cumberland County will be dynamic? Who will step up and speak out? Who will take a positive and aggressive leadership position? Who will stop being a placeholder and start being a policy maker? Stay tuned. We are about to find out. Our future depends on it. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

     

  •   Dave Hurt was a presence when he entered a room.
      He would look the room over, assess the situation and then with his big, booming voice, greet his friends. Everything about Dave was big — from his height to the way he loved his family. Mostly, his heart was big. He was one of America’s elite — a Special Forces Soldier — and had that air about him. But he never took himself too seriously. I have a picture in my mind of Dave at our church’s annual vacation bible school. Unlike the other men who help their wives out with their classes, Dave didn’t mind being a kid himself. I remember the year our theme was sports — Dave sported a whistle and marched his class of first-graders around like a crack team. On his head, he wore a tiny, plastic baseball hat that didn’t quite fit. And when it came to music, he was at the front of the line leading his little cherubs in the singing and dancing that is a trademark of vacation bible school. The other guys watched from the sidelines. That wasn’t Dave’s style.
      {mosimage}Dave loved being a soldier. He was good at it. For the past few years he was a trainer at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center. I got to see him in action one day and saw a totally different side of Dave. I walked up to a training site at Fort Bragg and heard a voice I recognized coming over a megaphone. It was Dave. He was pushing his soldiers to do better, to do more, to be the best. And his encouragement was somewhat colorful. I paused by one of his fellow trainers and said, “Hey, go tell that guy his Sunday School teacher is watching him.” I’ll never forget the look that crossed his face, and the good-natured laugh he always gave when I ribbed him about it later on.
       Dave liked to karaoke. He had a machine at his house and he was the first to grab the mic. One of his favorites was Johnny Cash. Did I mention that Dave really couldn’t sing? But that didn’t matter — he put everything he had into it.
       He did that with his family (real and extended). He always offered his best, and tried to take care of everyone he knew. Nothing was more precious to Dave than his beautiful wife Kelly, his daughter Avery and his son Wyatt. Everyone knew that.
       Dave loved God. He loved his church and his church family. No one questioned that.
       Dave loved his country. And this past week, he paid the ultimate price.
       Like the death of any soldier, Dave’s loss has been acknowledged by press releases and official notices in the daily newspaper. I would have been remiss to let his passing go unnoticed. You see, Dave was larger than life. He lived that way. He loved that way. For those of us who were lucky enough to know him and call him friend, our lives are a little darker, our hearts broken. In time, this part will pass. And I know when I think of Dave, I’ll see him in a loud Hawaiian shirt, dancing with our kids — always a little off beat.

    Contact Janice Burton at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

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    “I am a black woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there, I was promoted to washtub. From there, I was promoted to the cook kitchen. And from there, I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations. I have built my own factory on my own ground.” –Madam C.J. Walker  

     Laundry is the only thing that should be separated by color yet our history is full of separation of the races.  History has a way of repeating itself with the good, the bad and the ugly. February is Black History Month and it is a celebration of the contributions of black people throughout American history which is why the 13th Annual BlackHistory4ever Quiz Bowl will take place on Saturday, Feb.  20 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in Cross Creek Mall’s food court area.  The event will also feature a Health & Business Fair and the Ride 2 Freedom Convoy.    

    “The quiz bowl is for students ages 10-18 and they have an opportunity to answer questions about black history facts,” said Joe McGee, creator of the BlackHistory4ever Quiz Bowl. “Some years ago we added a change and realized there are other subjects that were just as important as black history such as business, economics, politics and black college life.” McGee added that the quiz bowl has a 60 percent makeup of black history and 40 percent is comprised of business, economics, politics and the Divine 9.  

    “Take the Challenge” is one adult challenging a student to participate in the quiz bowl. “A kid can go online this year and take the practice test and the study guide is available,” said McGee. “They can get points for the questions that they can cash in for prizes.”  

    McGee added that the study guide consists of 100-150 facts. On Feb.  6, hundreds of youth in the eastern seaboard states will take the online placement test.  The students with the highest test scores will be invited to represent their city in the quiz bowl on Feb. 20.  

     After the quiz bowl the Ride 2 Freedom Convoy will take place. Everyone will come together—car clubs, bike clubs, vans, cars and more to ride from Cross Creek Mall to the Airborne & Special Operations Museum.  

    “The theme is what are you riding for,” said McGee. “In the spirit of Black History Month we call on every organization that advocates for something from breast cancer to domestic violence to come and ride with us.” 

    “We are looking forward to the quiz bowl being a big event this year,” said McGee. “Please come out and support it.” 

     Students ages 10-18 are eligible to participate in this free event. The deadline to register for the quiz bowl is Feb.  12 and only 104 students can participate. For more information or to sign up, visit www.BlackHistory4ever.com or call 978-2829.    


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    Every spring the Fayetteville Urban Ministry hosts the Duck Derby. In years past, crowds gathered at the banks of the Cape Fear River and watched as thousands of rubber ducks float to the finish line. It’s always a lot of fun because the day included fun activities, music and prizes. Now a Dogwood Festival sanctioned event, the derby takes place in Festival Park, where there is still plenty of food, music and fun. In the spirit of helping the community, Fayetteville Urban Ministry decided to kick off this year’s duck season with another fun-filled event. The inaugural Duck Walk Waddle Run. It’s a healthy way to kick off the Duck Derby festivities that conclude with the duck race on April 24. On Feb. 20, Fayetteville Urban Ministry and Camping World open the duck adoption process with the 5k foot race, which takes place at Camping World in Hope Mills. If attending the race is out of the question, don’t fret. Ducks will be available online for adoption as well.

    “We used to throw a Very Important Duck party. It was very exclusive and it was a fun night, but we weren’t getting the word out like we could. So this year, we decided to take a healthier approach,” said Fayetteville Urban Ministry Community Outreach Coordinator Austin Dukes. “There is a huge running community here. So, we decided to give this a shot. We already have more than 100 people registered. We are hoping to get 150 runners, but 200 would be amazing. Our main sponsor is Camping World in Hope Mills and we wanted to let people see the camper which it the first place price for the Duck Derby, too. That is why we are holding it there.”

    The Duck Walk Waddle Run includes the L’il Quack 5k for kids 6-17 (registration $20), the Big Quack 5k for those 18 and up ($30 registration) and the Very Important Duck 5k, which includes an autographed picture with Ducky Derby Mascot Quacky, a souvenir duck and a shirt ($50 registration). Register at active.com. Packet pickup is Friday, Feb. 19, at Candlewood Suites, 4108 Legend Ave., from 4-7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 20 from 7-8:30 a.m. at the race site. 

    The awards ceremony will be held at Camping World of Fayetteville, as well. The top three overall runners are granted the title of “Top Duck” and receive an autographed picture with Quacky, a free Fayetteville Duck Derby Duck and a trophy. Medals and one T-shirt will be given to the top three men and women in the following age groups: 14 and under, 15-17, 18-23, 24-29, 30-35, 36-41, 42-47, 48-53, 54-59, 60 and over. Fruit, coffee and water will be available after the race as well. 

    Then duck adoption opens and plans for the derby begin in earnest. One of the things that makes the Duck Derby so unique is that it’s a fundraiser that helps many nonprofits and organizations and offers prizes to the race winners. From the primary sponsor, Fayetteville Urban Ministry, to art-related organizations, medical organizations and even the Cumberland County Schools System, the Fayetteville Duck Derby has touched people from every corner of the community. While the Duck Walk Waddle Run 5k, where you can adopt a few ducks and get in a nice run, officially kicks off duck season the actual Duck Derby brings several months of effort to fruition at the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival.

    Organizations that are looking to raise funds can start a team to compete in the race. Just go to https://www.duckrace.com/fayettevilleduckderby/teams and register. Then let your friends, clients, customers and office mates know so that they can go to the website, adopt a duck and make a difference in your name. A portion of the adoption fee goes back to Fayetteville Urban Ministry to cover the cost of the event. 

    Individuals looking to have an impact on the community can adopt a duck and choose from any of the registered organizations. Go all in on one nonprofit or spread the love around. There are plenty of teams to choose from. It costs $10 per duck or $50 for six ducks. 

    On the day of the event there will be at least 5,000 ducks in the derby. Once the ducks are launched, there is no interference in the race unless deemed necessary by the race committee. Prior to the race, a number is attached on the bottom of each duck relating to the number on the adoption papers. The person’s name appearing on the adoption papers corresponding to the first ducks in order of finish, as gathered in the duck trap or collected by the race officials, will be awarded prizes. Positive identification will be required to claim any prize(s). The winner will be notified by mail, and must pick up their prize from Fayetteville Urban Ministry within five business days.

    This year’s prizes include a 25-foot 2016 Deluxe Coleman Camper for first place plus $300 cash to the winner if they are present the day of the race. The second place prize is a 60-inch TV from Wal-Mart Distribution Center. The third place winner can look forward to a set of tires (up to a $500 value) from Ed’s Tires. A $250 Food Lion gift card is the fourth place prize. The fifth place winner will receive a full year membership at Spa and Fitness Wellness Center. The last place winner also gets recognized in this race with a NTK Panda 4 Nautika tent and a jar of molasses.

    The Duck Derby takes place on April 24 at 3 p.m. at Festival Park. “When we got the opportunity to partner with the Dogwood Festival, we couldn’t pass it up. Hopefully the weather will be good this year, too,” said Duke. “It is great to see so much good will in the community. With the proceeds we plan to fulfill our mission and build our community together. We know how to stretch a dollar - 91 cents of every dollar we get is put into these programs.”

    Find out more at https://www.duckrace.com/fayettevilleduckderby.

    Fayetteville Urban Ministry is focused on … “transforming lives through faith, hope, love and security. The Find-A-Friend youth program strives to spark faith in youth for a brighter tomorrow. The Adult Literacy Program establishes hope for a better future through the gift of reading, education and job preparation. The Emergency Assistance program seeks to love our neighbors by meeting their basic needs for food, clothing and crisis support.  Finally, The Nehemiah Project builds security in our community by providing free home repairs to low-income homeowners.” Find out more about Fayetteville Urban Ministry at http://www.fayurbmin.org.

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    Many people travel great distances to see the works of masters like Auguste Rodin, whose pieces are routinely shown in premier museums like New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Rodin Museum in Paris. The David McCune International Art Gallery at Methodist University and Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Foundation have arranged to make Rodin’s works available for viewing in Fayetteville. The exhibit Rodin: Portraits of a Lifetime, Selections from the Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Collections opens with a reception from 6 -9 p.m. on Feb. 11. The exhibit is open until May 7. The opening reception features Executive Director of the Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Foundation Judith Sobol as the guest speaker. She will speak at 7 p.m. The reception and the exhibit are both open to the public. 

    “I am confident that viewers will find this show’s 17 bronze Rodin sculptures to be a stunning installation featuring works that span the artist’s long career,” Art Gallery Director Silvana Foti explained. “The exhibition includes Rodin’s famous depictions of writers Victor Hugo and Honore de Balzac; of the musician Gustav Mahler; and of the artist Claude Lorrain. Also included in the show is a photographic portrait of Rodin by Edward Steichen.”

    Francois-Auguste-Rene Rodin was born in  Paris in 1840. Well-known for his works “The Thinker” and the uncompleted “Gates of Hell,” Rodin didn’t blossom as a sculptor until later in life. As a youngster, he struggled in school. He was nearsighted but did not realize it. He turned to drawing as a way to ease his academic frustrations. By the time he was a teenager, Rodin was taking formal art classes. His confidence still suffered though, and when he was 17 he applied to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts only to be rejected not once, but three times. 

    It was a trip to Italy in 1875 where Michelangelo’s work reignited Rodin’s artistic passion. In 1877, Rodin’s sculpture “The Vanquished,” which was later renamed “The Age of Bronze” premiered. The sculpture is of a nude man with clenched fists. The work was so realistic that some accused Rodin of using molds directly from the model’s body. By his 40s, Rodin had become established as an artist creating pieces like “The Three Shades,” The Old Courtesan,” and “The Thinker.” He died Nov. 17, 1917. Rodin is considered a pioneer in the world of modern sculpture.

    The David McCune International Art Gallery provides an intimate space for patrons to enjoy the exhibit.  “Art students everywhere study Rodin,” Foti said. “I was fortunate to see Rodin sculptures in museums in Europe and large U.S. cities, and it’s nothing short of amazing that a gallery in Cumberland County will have the opportunity to exhibit his work.”

    Since opening its doors in 2011, the David McCune International Art Gallery, housed in the William F. Bethune Center for Visual Arts at Methodist University, has hosted several exhibits featuring nationally recognized artists. Last year saw “Picasso: 25 Years of Edition Ceramics from the Rosenbaum Collection” at the gallery and fall 2013, the featured exhibit was “Igneous Expressions,” which featured the works of contemporary glass artists including Harvey Littleton, John Littleton, Kate Vogel and Mark Peiser. 

    The Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Foundation supports the arts through exhibitions and other programs that recognize and show appreciation for visual and performing arts. The foundation also supports medical institutions that focus on biomedical research and clinical care, especially those that focus on women’s healthcare.

    Exhibit hours are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. The gallery can arrange “touch tours” for groups of visually impaired visitors. Admission is free. Find out more at http://www.davidmccunegallery.org or by calling 425-5379.

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