From The Newsroom: The Fayetteville Observer

Water Cooler crew Kris Kroi, Myron Pitts and Beth Hutson talk living with your parents at 30 and the recently reported allegations against Morgan Freeman.

We may not be British but Meghan Markle is our princess. Here's everything you need to know about the Markle clan, the royal wedding and all the gossip inbetween.

We talk about Kanye's slavery comments and "black Twitter's" reaction.

We also think J.Cole made the right choice in hosting his Dreamville festival in Raleigh, not Fayetteville.

Digital content producer, Kris Kroi goes on a rant about her love for J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and why Harry Potter world at Universal Studio's is for adults, not for kids.

The start of the Iraq War in 2003 divided the country and mobilized a new anti-war movement. Josh Groll was in Middle School at the time.His parents were firmly opposed to the war, but unlike many other anti-war protestors, Josh's dad was on active duty, and his family was stationed at Fort Bragg.

"Our family was, for all intents and purposes, an anti-war family," Groll recalled. "I remember my mother sitting down with me and having some really honest conversations saying, 'We live in this place and we can't be totally upfront with what we think.'"

"I remember being incredibly afraid, almost just as much [of] my dad going off to war, that I would slip up and say something in school and somehow get my dad in trouble." 

Groll's father was deployed to Iraq later that year, but what he saw there only strengthened his stance against the war. 

"While he's over there, my mom is actually in anti-war activist groups," said Groll. "My dad essentially gave his blessing while he was in Iraq, fighting." 

In the era of the Patriot Act and extraordinary rendition, Groll's parents worried their dissenting political views might make it impossible to continue living at Fort Bragg.

Groll's father returned from Iraq unharmed. Despite his opposition to the Iraq war, he remained in the military until retirement. ForGroll, the experience helped shape his political consciousness at an early age.

"Being an anti-war family in the middle of a military base definitely made me think in global terms." 

Jordan Jones, project manager with Prince Charles Holdings LLC, secretly recorded a private meeting with Fayetteville City Councilman Tyrone Williams and marketing businessman T.J. Jenkins on Dec. 21, 2017, at Jenkins' office.

Jones was suspicious of the reason for the meeting, having been told there was a "cloud on the title" of the Prince Charles building, which his investor group owns and is redeveloping. Jones' lawyer said he went along with the conversation, then gave the audio to law enforcement.

The first 35 minutes is conversation between Jordan and Jenkins. Williams arrives late, having been delayed at the courthouse over a child support matter.

Rapid deployments are a fact of life for soldiers at Fort Bragg. Once notice is given, paratroopers have just 18 hours to prepare to go anywhere in the world. 

Bill Wadford was working as an operating room nurse with the 5th MASH unit on the evening December 17th, 1989, when he got the call to deploy as part of the Panama Invasion.

"We were in the process of doing an emergency C-section," Wadford recalled. "The baby was out, the mom was stable, and we were closing. I answered the phone and it was the executive officer of the 5th MASH. His voice was quite tense, and he said, 'Captain Wadford, you are ordered toimmediately report to the warehouse in case we have to move out.'"

"I said, 'Billy, we're right in the middle of the operation right now, I can't leave.' He goes, 'I repeat the order.'"

At home, Wadford had just enough time to pack his rucksack and say goodbye to his wife.  

"Her eyes got big as saucers," said Wadford. "I said, 'I can't tell you, trust me, I’ll be fine, watch the news. I don't think I'll be able to call you, but I love you, I love the kids, and I'll see you when I can see you.'" 

Hours later Wadford was in the air, headed to Panama as part of a forward surgical team. 

Wadford landed back at Green Ramp two weeks later, just in time to wish his wife a Happy New Year.  

Joseph Henderson was inspired to use his training as an actor and children's educator to help military children and their families.  

He and a team of instructors launched Shakespeare on Base, a free, two-week summer program teaching dancing, art, singing, and, of course, Shakespeare. In 2011, the program served roughly 50 children at Fort Bragg between the ages five to 17. Those with deployed parents gotfirst priority. 

At first, Henderson recalled, it was a challenge to get the children to relax and embrace their creativity.

"When they were able to let go, and be free with their expression, and to create, it was an enormous moment in those rooms," he said. "It gave the parents a chance to see their children in a whole new light." 

Showcasing the performing arts in a military environment turned out to be, as he put it, "a wonderful marriage" of structure and creativity.

But after Hurricane Matthew hit in 2016, Henderson got a call from the United Way of Cumberland County saying equipment for the program, which was stored in the basement, had been destroyed by flooding. Keyboards, sets and costumes were all ruined. Despite the setback, Henderson hopes to continue the program, and expand it.

"There are over 800 military bases across the world," he said. "I think the very least we could do is two weeks of arts enriched summer camps for kids who are on those bases. I would like to do it again. It's the very, very best I can do." 

Environmental Lawyer David Altman shares his experience with C8 in Ohio.

Melinda McDowell shares her experiences with contaminated drinking water in Ohio.