Fayetteville is an All-America City for a fourth time, and a block party is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Festival Park promenade behind the Festival Park Plaza building at 225 Ray Ave. “We’re extremely proud of what Fayetteville has to offer, which led us to this accomplishment,” City Manager Douglas J. Hewett says in a news release. “Earning this title is indicative of our community and how proud everyone is to live here.” There will be music and ice cream as part of the celebration. Fayetteville has been honored by the National Cities League previously in 2011, 2001 and 1985.
• • •
Speaking of parties, the Fayetteville History Museum is partnering with the Lafayette Society to host a birthday bash for the city’s namesake, the Marquis de Lafayette, from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at Cross Creek Park, 213 Green St., according to a news release. Lafayette is the Frenchman who fought with the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War. He became a major general under Gen. George Washington. The city, the release says, was renamed Fayetteville in 1783 in LaFayette’s honor.
• • •
Soldiers past and present will join with family members Saturday to celebrate the life and distinguished military career of retired Gen. James Lindsay at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum. “Without his vision, I am not sure what would have been built on Bragg Boulevard and Hay Street to not only welcome people to our downtown and to Fayetteville but to educate soldiers and the public on the legacy of the Airborne & Special Operations from World War II until present,” says Renee Lane, executive director of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation. Gen. Lindsay served as commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, the 18th Airborne Corps and the 82nd Airborne Division. The celebration of life is scheduled from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the lobby of the ASOM. Gen. Lindsay died at age 90 on Aug. 5.
• • •
They once were teenagers growing up under the guidance of responsible parents and the discipline of their late principal, Loyd E. Auman, at Seventy-First High School. They were from the classes of 1964 and 1965, and some of the best kids ever to come through the Cumberland County school on Raeford Road. They will be reliving yesteryear from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 4760 Lake Valley Drive, and I’ll tell you once again, they were among Seventy-First High School’s best if ever there was.
• • •
“Black Barbie,” a documentary exploring the life story of Beulah Mae Mitchell, will kick off the eighth annual Indigo Moon Film Fest at 7 p.m. Oct. 13 at the Cameo Art House Theatre downtown, according to a news release. A second screening is scheduled for 1 p.m. Oct. 15. Beulah Mae Mitchell spent 45 years with Mattel, the toymaker that brought Barbie to life. The documentary, the release says, chronicles the challenges and triumphs faced by Black women. Good choice by Pat Wright and Jan Johnson of Groundswell Pictures and their film fest. Wright and Johnson always do it well, and right.
• • •
“While the theater industry faces a wave of closures, reductions and losses, CFRT is a rare story of successful return to pre-pandemic attendance,” Ella Wrenn, managing director for Cape Fear Regional Theatre, says in a news release about a $250,000 Community Organization Resource Grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County. “We are deeply grateful for the support of the Arts Council and the community for their trust and love, and we look forward to an incredible lineup of shows, education programs and community outreach in the upcoming season,” says CFRT Managing Director Ella Wrenn. Mary Kate Burke is artistic director of the theater. “We are grateful to live in a place,” Burke says, “that values the experience of live arts.”
• • •
Once the Oct. 10 election primaries are done, the Government Relations Committee of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber has scheduled a candidates forum from 8 to 11 a.m. Oct. 18 at the Crown Coliseum. “This forum is open to the public and chamber members alike, so come on down and listen to potential City Council representatives as they discuss their platforms and vision for the future of our city,” Eva Houston-Henderson, chairwoman for the committee, says in a news release. “Whether you’re a business owner, community member or simply interested in staying informed about local policy making, the 2023 candidates forum is a must-attend event.” The forum is sponsored by the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville and Longleaf Pine Realtors. You’ll have a better turnout, Mrs. Chairwoman, if you schedule the forum for the evening when more city residents can attend.
• • •
More than 500 U.S. flags will be on display at the 16th annual Field of Honor at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum beginning Monday, according to a news release from the partnering Cool Spring Downtown District. Each American flag has a story about the military honoree and who sponsored the flag. The flags honor military members who currently are serving, retirees who have served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for liberty. The U.S. flags will be on display at the ASOM parade field through Nov. 12.
• • •
There is a pall at the UPS Store in Westwood Shopping Center, where owner Steve Milburn and his wife, Debbie, treated customers as well as this community with their giving ways at their three locations, including Fort Liberty and Hope Mills. “When I do something for someone, it gives me great joy,” Steve Milburn said when he was honored by CityView magazine as a recipient of a 2021 Power of Giving Community Impact Award. “I feel good that I’ve accomplished something. I have to give back. I feel like it’s my duty. But I don’t consider myself anybody special. I’m just a citizen of Fayetteville who wants to help others.” A 1976 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and retired lieutenant colonel, you’ll find Steve Milburn’s fingerprints on everything from the Salvation Army, Child Advocacy Center, CARE Clinic, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Second Harvest Food Bank, the YMCA and any nonprofit in need. His life motto was the Golden Rule. He lived it. Steve Milburn died suddenly at age 69 on Wednesday.
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961.
