Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/71882
STAFF bbowman@upandcomingweekly.com PUBLISHER Bill Bowman editor@upandcomingweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Janice Burton caroline@upandcomingweekly.com MANAGING EDITOR Caroline Goins stephanie@upandcomingweekly.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Stephanie Crider hal@upandcomingweekly.com MARKETING/SALES Hal Nunn kristy@upandcomingweekly.com Linda McAlister Brown ltmcmd01@aol.com Kristy Sykes OFFICE MANAGER Laurel Handforth officemanager@ upandcomingweekly.com accounting@upandcomingweekly.com ACCOUNTING art@upandcomingweekly.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alicia Miller www.upandcomingweekly.com 208 Rowan Street P.O. Box 53461 Fayetteville, NC 28305 PHONE: (910) 484-6200 FAX: (910) 484-9218 Up & Coming Weekly is a "Quality of Life" publication with local features, news and infor- mation on what's happening in and around the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Up & Coming Weekly is published weekly on Wednesdays. Up & Coming Weekly welcomes manuscripts, photographs and artwork for publication consideration, but assumes no responsibility for them. We cannot accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or material. Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject copy submitted for publication. Up & Coming Weekly is free of charge and distributed at indoor and outdoor locations throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Hope Mills and Spring Lake. Readers are limited to one copy per per- son. Subscriptions can be purchased for $30 for six months or $60 for 12 months, delivered weekly by first class mail. ©2007 by F&B Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertisements without permission is strictly prohibited. Heather Griffi ths, Shannon Angry –––––––––––– Up & Coming Weekly CONTRIBUTING WRITERS D.G. Mar tin, Pitt Dick ey, Margaret Dickson, John Hood, Erinn Crider, Karen Poppele, INSIDE Pews to Polls? Not on Sunday Cover Photo: North Carolina Symphony Music Director Grant Llewellyn PUBLISHER'S PEN by BILL BOWMAN the position our North Carolina Legislature takes on this issue. Wow! Hatching ideas like this it's no wonder Cumberland County gets little Voting on Sunday? You've got to be kidding me! I can't wait to see this "pews-to-polls" initiative does not have political undertones. One would have to be blind not to see how this maneuver would, and could artifi cially manipulate the outcomes of local elections. Even though the Cumberland County Board of Elections voted two to one to approve this recommendation, the notion still defi es basic logic from a practical point of view. Practical – not religious point of view as Republican board member Ralph Reagan suggested. Reagan was the one dissenting vote. When common sense logic is disappeared across the American landscape, with the exception of government offi ces and Chick-fi l-A. I see little evidence of America returning to the days when the secular population yields and respects the holy day. My point is this: The reason blue laws became extinct is because the people, by their actions, demonstrated that they wanted to have Fayetteville's Weather Forecast Fayetteville's Weather Forecast Thursday June 28 Friday June 29 Saturday June 30 remember when "blue laws" were in effect and pretty much the law of the land in America – especially here in North Carolina and the South. Believe it or not there was a time when the Sabbath was recognized and respected as a holy day. God's day. A day of rest. It was a time when churches were opened on Sunday and businesses were closed. Americans could choose to take a "time out" from their jobs and everyday routines and worship with family and friends. Ahhh, the good ole days! Now, fast forward to present day when blue laws have pretty much applied the notion just can't stand up to scrutiny. Case in point: If you are under 40 years old, you probably do not respect from our peers in Raleigh. After all, with voter turnout during local, state and national elections reaching all – time highs in new lows, the notion that residents in Fayetteville and Cumberland County need an extra day or two to get to the polls defi es logic. Despite ardent declarations and assurances from some community leaders, like NAACP President Jimmy Buxton, that this request is not just a cheap political maneuver, reeks of the contrary. No intelligent, responsible citizen is buying the option to work, shop and do what they wanted to do on Sunday. This being said, there has been absolutely no demonstration by residents for the need to vote on Sunday – only from political activists. More importantly, and most disturbing, is the fact that this proposed option would be fi scally irresponsible, costing Cumberland County taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. With Cumberland County in a recession all citizens. • Early voting times are fair and equal for Cumberland County employees and election offi cials. • There is no documented need for Sunday voting except from self- • Sunday voting intrudes on and disrespects the rights of serving political activists. • Asking Cumberland County employees, who are paid to serve all costing Cumberland County taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars needlessly. There you have it. Again, you can be the judge. However, if Cumberland County residents, to give up their private time and work for the convenience of a few is irresponsible and discriminatory. • Opening the Board of Election offi ces on Sunday will be expensive, Cumberland County offi cials endorse Sunday voting it will show a conspicuous hypocrisy toward fi scal responsibility. Leadership? That's always been a problem here. We'll see. In the meantime, thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly and don't forget to VOTE for Best of Fayetteville. Now online. BILL BOWMAN, Publisher, Up & Coming Weekly, COMMENTS? Bill@upandcomingweekly.com CalCall 910.354.1679l 910.354.1679 Sunday July 1 Monday July 2 Tuesday July 3 and utilized by only a small segment of our community. and unemployment at more than 9 percent, reckless spending of taxpayer's money on a whim of convenience is totally irresponsible. I'm convinced Sunday voting would be a waste of time and money. Below, I have listed comments solicited from local community residents on the topic. You be the judge. • Current voting times are fair and equal for all citizens. Everyone has a fair and equal opportunity to vote. • Sunday voting would prove to be designed Calendar ........................................... 14 Concert Connection ........................ 19 TV ..................................................... 20 Movie Review .................................. 21 Free Wheelin' Feelin' ....................... 22 Horoscopes/Advice Goddess ......... 23 Classifieds ........................................ 24 Games .............................................. 26 4 UCW JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2012 Thunderstorms High 90° Low 72° Scattered Partly Cloudy High 91° Low 73° Thunderstorms High 91° Low 74° Scattered Forecast available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Thunderstorms High 90° Low 74° Scattered Thunderstorms High 91º Low 70º Scattered Thunderstorms High 90º Low 71º Scattered WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 24/ 7