Today is Sunday, Dec. 24, the 358th day of the year. There are seven days left in 2023. This is Christmas Eve.

On this date in 1968, the Apollo 8 astronauts, orbiting the moon, read passages from the Old Testament Book of Genesis during a Christmas Eve telecast.

As we move into Christmas tomorrow and New Year’s Eve a week from today, we wish you Happy Holidays.   And on Talkback today, we reprise Part #1 of a conversation we first had and brought to you near Labor Day.  Some say his job one of the toughest – Chief of Fayetteville Police.  He oversees nearly 430 sworn officers and 170 non-sworn personnel.  Having been a prior non-sworn Police employee – not in Fayetteville – I can conject that makes about 600 opinions on how his job should be done.  Most say he’s done it well – which is a credit to Kemberle Braden – now about 27 years on the force in Fayetteville. 

Interview #1 Kem Braden. 

To learn more about the Fayetteville Police Department, lookup FayettevilleNC-dot-Gov.  Then under Departments, choose “Police”.  To find out more about becoming an officer – and they always need good officers – visit JoinFayPD.com.  We’ll feature Part #2 of our conversation with Chief Braden next Sunday on Talkback. 

As our public affairs show looks ahead to a brand new 2024, we also look forward to another year of Fayetteville’s companionship with Fort Liberty.  And welcomed an end-of-year visit from  Garrison Commander Colonel John Wilcox and his Command Sergeant Major Greg Seymour.  We started our chat by asking Col. Wilcox to frame the population of those directly affected by Fort Liberty.

Interview #2 – Col. Wilcox- CSM Seymour

We’ll jump into the coming year with our next conversation with Fort Liberty Garrison Commander Colonel John Wilcox and Command Sergeant Major Greg Seymour on Sunday January 8th. 

Finally, it’s Christmas Eve on the Christian Calendar.  Please have a Merry and Safe Christmas.  Beasley Media Group knows there are lots of ways to ring in the new year a week from tonight.  Please make it safe and Happy too.  As a media group, we’re promoting everything from free hymn sings to a free public party at Festival Park.  And even a gathering of 60’s music fans at Gates Four Golf and Country Club – full disclosure here – This one  is not free . And Beasley Media Group is one of several promotional partners involved in presenting a dining and dance-party event featuring a music group from Wilmington – the British Invaders – Bill Bowman of Up and Coming Weekly describes the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre partner event at Gates Four on New Years Eve – sponsored in part by Elizabethton’s Cape Fear Winery and Distillers.  

Interview #3 – Bill Bowman/Derrick Rice

The website is Fayetteville DinnerTheater-dot-com.  The Promo Code to get the discount is “PC” .  Capital P -no space-Capital C.

A reminder this not a free event – but a production of Fayetteville Dinner Theatre.  Beasley Media Group is one of a larger group of promotional partners.  We urge all who participate to be socially responsible. 

E.T. 30:21