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Letter to the Editor: Response to Rep. Hudson

5aYes, it is back to school time for our children.

However, Rep. Richard Hudson sorely needs lessons in economics, integrity, and justice. It is quite clear that President Biden has been putting in the work, giving the American Economy the medicine it needs.
He continues to bring in hundreds of thousands of jobs to America every month, keeping the economy viable and solvent, despite Inflation still hanging around.

How many Jobs have YOU created, Rep. Hudson?

Rep. Hudson is still trying to convince You and I that trickle-down economic, or Reaganomics, as it was once called, worked before, and will work now, or ever. Dead Wrong! President Biden has been giving We the People A chance to make A better future for ourselves; And There is verifiable proof of his progress.

The Facts are out there, Rep. Hudson; How about You take your blinders off and face reality.

Oh, But, Rep. Hudson, Kevin McCarthy, and House Republicans are continuing to waste millions upon millions of OUR taxpayer dollars in VAIN attempts to save Donald Trump from facing accountability for his crimes against the United States Constitution; All of those efforts are doomed to fail.

People of North Carolina, DO NOT be deceived.

In 2024, We, the people intend to put A stop to the Forcing of Socio-Fascism and Corruption on the American People. No amount of voter suppression or subversion is going to stop us.

Keith Ranson
Fayetteville,NC

Back to school season in the Sandhills

8What would you do with an extra $700 in your pocket each month?

Unfortunately, that is the cost of “Bidenomics” and inflation—but it shouldn’t have to be that way.

The opportunity to work hard and pursue a better life for your family has always been at the bedrock of our nation. However, inflation continues to make it difficult for hardworking families to make ends meet and afford goods and services.

Did you know the average American household now spends $709 more a month than they did two years ago for the same goods and services? Average monthly mortgage payments are 92% higher than one year ago, while ​​real wages are down 3% since President Biden took office. President Biden continues to ignore the real impacts of his failed economic policies, and I share these frustrations with you—especially as a fellow parent preparing my child for a new school year.

As school resumes here in the Sandhills, it is estimated that parents will spend an average of $890 per household on school supplies due to continued high levels of inflation. Binders and folders cost 48% more than they did last year, and crayons and highlighters are up an average of 18.6% from last year. Enough is enough, and House Republicans are working to get our nation and your quality of life back on track.

In addition to increased financial stress, the start of a new school year for many parents also represents uncertainty of what is being taught in their kids’ classrooms. Earlier this year House Republicans introduced and passed H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights, to strengthen the role of parents in the education of their children by guaranteeing the right to full transparency on what is being taught in schools.

Bottom line: your family shouldn’t have to pay the price for President Biden’s and Washington Liberal’s failed financial policies and woke education agenda. However, Senate Democrats continue to delay any actions on the real solutions passed by the House—which speaks volumes about their priorities for Americans.

No matter what your politics are, your hard earned money and quality of your children’s education should not be treated as a political chess match. Parents deserve a seat at the table when it comes to their children's education, and I am proud to fight for parents' right to know what their children are being taught.

From passing legislation to get our economy back on track to standing up for parents—House Republicans have delivered results on the promises we made in our Commitment to America. As your Congressman, I’m fighting back against reckless spending and promoting common sense solutions that make life easier—and more affordable—for you and your family.

Economic data paint a cloudy picture

6How healthy is our economy? If you’ve just returned from the grocery store or gas station, you may be inclined to rate it poorly. Although prices aren’t rising as fast as before, that phenomenon is properly called disinflation. It isn’t the same thing as deflation. The cost of living remains much higher than it was a couple of years ago.

Still, we have yet to experience the recession many economists predicted when the Federal Reserve began to tighten the money supply. And our labor market, at least, shows signs of continued health.
I recently downloaded data from two federal agencies, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, to compare North Carolina’s performance to that of other states. On some measures, it’s unexceptional. On others, it’s distinctive.

According to the latest unemployment data, for example, our state’s headline jobless rate was 3.3% in July, down from 3.7% a year ago. Neither the rate nor its recent trend was significantly different from the national average.
This U-3 rate, as it’s officially labeled, counts only working-aged individuals who are both unemployed and actively looking for work. BLS provides other estimates that include folks so discouraged at their job prospects that they’ve given up looking (U-4), folks who’ve stopped looking because of family responsibilities or other personal reasons (U-5), and those who are working part-time but would rather have full-time jobs (U-6).

For North Carolina, those labor-market measures were, respectively, 3.7%, 4.3%, and 6.6% for the latest 12-month period. Again, the rates were statistically indistinguishable from the national norm. Thirteen states, including Florida and Virginia, were lower than average on all BLS measures of unemployment. Only New York, California, and Nevada were higher than average.

In terms of employment, North Carolina added some 108,000 net new jobs from July 2022 to July 2023. That’s a growth rate of 2.2% — solid but not stellar. Florida (3.2%), Texas (3.3%) and Nevada (3.8%) were the national leaders in job creation. (The fact that Nevada had the fastest job growth as well as higher-than-average unemployment serves to illustrate why it’s important to look at more than one statistic at a time!)

On the broadest measure of economic activity, gross domestic product from the BEA, North Carolina’s performance has been exemplary in recent years. From 2021 to 2022, for example, our GDP expanded by an inflation-adjusted 3.2%.

That was the sixth-fastest growth rate in the country. Only Idaho, Tennessee, Florida, Nevada, and Texas posted higher growth rates.

During the first quarter of 2023, however, North Carolina’s GDP grew at an annualized rate of only 1%. That was one of the lowest rates in the country.

The BEA also measures personal income. In 2022, our average income was $57,416 per North Carolinian. That’s about 88% of the national average. On this measure, our growth rate exceeded that of most states from 2021 to 2022 — but again, our performance was weaker during the first quarter of 2023.

A statistical fluke? Perhaps. But I think caution is clearly warranted.

For the General Assembly, that means ensuring that the state budget deal likely to be voted on next week leaves sufficient money in reserve to protect taxpayers and core state services in the event of a sudden downtown in economic activity and state revenue. For counties and municipalities, there is also a good argument for prudence. Although the onset of the COVID pandemic in 2020 didn’t create the fiscal problems that many observers predicted — Congress borrowed and allocated far more money to states and localities than was truly needed, in retrospect — I hope policymakers haven’t gotten used to expecting only good news from their revenue officers.

There are other trouble signs, after all. While the Eurozone does not appear to have slid into a full-fledged recession yet, growth there was essentially flat during the first three months of 2023. Other trading partners are looking wobbly, too.

Let’s hope for the best but take precautions against the alternative.

Letter to the editor: A note from Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner

7Citizens of Hope Mills,

As your full-time Mayor, I dedicate my time and efforts to the residents of Hope Mills by networking and facilitating the town's vision and strategic plan. My days are long, and my calendar is full, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I serve Hope Mills because I love Hope Mills, its history, culture, and, most importantly, its citizens. Our Hope Mills staff and Board of Commissioners have worked together for three successful terms to move Hope Mills forward. We are incredibly proud of our achievements and successes, proving we are better together!

As your Mayor, I remain committed to building a talented and enthusiastic team that will include partnerships inside and outside of Hope Mills to continue improving our quality of life, planning for strong economic growth and development, improving our town's infrastructure and recreational resources, and providing a safe and secure environment for all Hope Mills citizens. Working for and advocating for the Town of Hope Mills is a full-time commitment, not a political stepping stone.

Below are a few examples of what I, the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners and staff, accomplished in just two short years. However, there is still so much left to do. We will get it done! I would appreciate your support and your vote in the upcoming election.

#1. Infrastructure: Hope Mills has encumbered more project funds than ever in history.

Here is the breakdown: The NC Department of Public Safety funds $3,650,000, the NC Department of Environmental Quality $650,000, NC Office of the Governor $680,000. Federal Government ARPA Funding $5,050,036. Main Street Lake Park pedestrian walkways and crossing approximately $800,000.

#2. Completion of: Public Safety Building, Thomas Oakman Chapel, restrooms and parking lot, new municipal parking at Town Hall and Parks and Recreation buildings, new sound system in Board room, and digital marquees at the lake and municipal park to improve communication with our citizens, opening of new basketball court, all-inclusive playground and splash-pad, and relocation of our Dog Park.

And to start additional parking for Veterans Memorial Park with a recent grant from Federal EPA Community Project Funding of $350,000 to start and complete Heritage Park.

#3. Traffic Solutions: Resolution with Fayetteville City Council to change Highway 59 designation to Main Street and Hope Mills Road, thereby GPS to direct through fare traffic to Highway 162 and I-295 to bypass Hope Mills. I-295 will give our growing housing developments another route to other parts of our county (Fort Liberty especially) rather than Main Street and its arteries such as Rockfish, Golfview, and Camden Roads.

Our Multimodal Congestion Plan was developed with DOT to widened traffic patterns for better and safer access for our citizens.

#4. Teamwork: Team Hope Mills's partnership with United Way for the Meal Packing Event 2022 won the Spirit Award for Most Participants. We participated in their Packing Meals this year at the Crown on August 24th. Child Advocacy Center partnership 2023 brought the first Pinwheel Event to Hope Mills, planting 1000 pinwheels at Town Hall.

The Child Advocacy Center also trained town staff in Stewardship for Children. High school students were interns in our Planning and Parks and Recreation Departments. Hope Mills police department and Alms House partnered with Cumberland County Continuum of Care. Hope Mills Ministerial Association now meets regularly to plan Easter Sunrise Service at the lake, the National Day of Prayer, Thanksgiving Community Service, and Town Board Invocations. For staff development and to build a solid, harmonious team, the Fayetteville Cumberland County Human Relations Department facilitates our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training.

#5. Planning: Our Budget Process starts early and includes all departments for 2021, 2022, and 2023. We developed a balanced budget meeting our town's needs without increasing property taxes. We continue to discuss with FAST bus lines, Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and FAMPO, to have a bus line to Hope Mills with stops at various locations so our citizens can travel within Hope Mills and a line to areas outside Hope Mills.

The Development of an MIA Plan (municipal influence area) to include an update of the Southwest Cumberland County Land Use Plan (or a new land use plan) to address the growth not expected in the writing of the 2010 SWCLUP, which extends to 2030, is underway.

#6. Leadership: Appointed by Cumberland County Commissioners as Senior Tarheel Delegate to the General Assembly and as an elected Mid Carolina Council on Aging member. I serve as Chair of the Mayors Coalition, which meets quarterly to discuss ways to support each other and Cumberland County. Former 2021-2022 chair of FAMPO –Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

We aim to develop plans that provide the safest and most efficient transportation while protecting and enhancing our environment.

Please Vote Early October 19 thru November 4th or on November 7th.

Thank you—
Moving Forward Together,
Jackie Warner

Love can be challenging

5How is your love life? Everything going smoothly? No issues? Maybe a few bumps along the road? Want to feel better about the romance in your life? It could be worse. Light up the old Schadenfreude lamp to consider the troubled love affair between our old pals, Cupid and Psyche. It will make you feel better about your own situation when you consider their troubles. The path of true love occasionally does not run smoothly.

Begin by considering the words of the great philosopher Connie Francis who wrote the song “Stupid Cupid” which includes the lines “Stupid cupid you’re a real mean guy/ I’d like to clip your wings so you can’t fly/ I’m in love and it’s a crying shame/ And I know that you’re the one to blame/ Stupid Cupid, stop picking on me.”

Cupid and Psyche show up in Roman mythology. Psyche is the uber beautiful mortal daughter of a King. She is so good looking, people stop worshipping Venus and worship Psyche instead. This does not sit well with Venus who is used to being the Love Goddess. Venus sends her son Cupid to wreak revenge on Psyche. Cupid is supposed to shoot a Love Arrow into Psyche that will make her fall in love with a loathsome dragon beast. Cupid is so smitten when he sees Psyche that he scratches himself with the Love Arrow so he falls in love with Psyche.

Meanwhile Psyche’s Daddy consults an oracle who advises that Psyche is fated to fall in love with a dragon which will destroy the Earth. Her Daddy dresses Psyche up in a funeral outfit. He sends her to the top of a cliff where he expects the dragon will come to sweep her off her feet. It’s a buy one get one free arrangement – a wedding and funeral rolled into one. Zephyr, the West Wind picks up Psyche and drops her down into a meadow where she falls asleep. She wakes up and wanders over to an empty mansion where a feast serves itself to her. A voice tells her to go into a darkened bedroom where an invisible somebody makes whoopee with her. Instead of a dragon, it’s actually invisible Cupid who is boinking Psyche.

This goes on for several nights, resulting her getting in a family way. Does this sound like the plot of “Rosemary’s Baby”? Psyche doesn’t know who her Baby Daddy is.

Because she thinks she has been sleeping with an invisible dragon, one night she hides a knife and lamp so she can find her reptilian lover and kill him. With the lamp she sees Cupid who is studly. She sticks one of his arrows into herself and falls in love. Cupid, who has commitment issues, wakes up and flies out the window to get away from her.

Psyche sets out on a quest to find Cupid. Psyche has to ask Venus for help to locate her sweetie. Venus, who is still cranky, assigns Psyche to be supervised by two of her minions named Worry and Sadness to torment Psyche. Venus demands Psyche perform difficult tasks. She has to sort out a bunch of different grains which would be impossible but for the help of some friendly insects. Always be kind to bugs, for a bug may be somebody’s mother. Psyche also has to retrieve wool from maladjusted sheep.

Lastly, Psyche must go to the Underworld to get a magic box. A friendly talking tower tells her to take some cakes and carry two coins in her mouth when she goes South. She gives the cakes to distract Cerberus the Three Headed Dachshund so she can slip into the Underworld. On the way back out she gives the coins to Charon the Ferry Dude who takes her back to the surface world. Topside, she opens the box and immediately falls asleep under a spell. Cupid escapes from his Mom’s house and flies to find her sacked out. He removes the sleep from her eyes putting it back into the magic box. Cupid takes Psyche and the box back to Venus to complete her quest.

Cupid goes to see Zeus to get permission to marry Psyche over his Mom’s objections. Zeus agrees that if Psyche helps Zeus procure mortal maidens for him, the marriage can go on. Zeus tells Venus: “Back off Boogaloo" from being an interfering Mother in Law. She has to leave Cupid and Psyche alone. The Gods get together for a big wedding feast for the happy couple. Zeus gives Psyche a wedding gift of ambrosia which makes her immortal like the other Gods.

There our story ends. The couple lives happily ever after. Now don’t you feel better about your own romantic situation? Odds are you never had to get wool from violent sheep to find true love. Ignore Connie Francis, love the one you are with.

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