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The Fayetteville Observer, N.C., Live Wire column
[June 03, 2012]

The Fayetteville Observer, N.C., Live Wire column


Jun 03, 2012 (The Fayetteville Observer - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Q: Why didn't last year's "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery perform on this year's show? -- T.S., Eastover A: He did.



McCreery performed "Water Tower Town" on the episode that revealed the top nine contestants.

These days, that's about as far into the season that reigning idols perform. In Season 3, reigning idol Ruben Studdard did perform on the final results show, along with Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson and the 10 top 12 contestants who'd been eliminated.


But most years since, the reigning idol has performed on the show's following season somewhere between the top-eight and the top-24 shows. Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks is the only reigning idol not to have performed at all in the following season of the show. He has performed once on "American Idol" since then, on Season 8's top-five show.

McCreery had a bigger presence on the just-passed season of AI than his single performance on the show might suggest. His remake of Tim McGraw's "Please Remember Me" was the exit song this season.

And the 18-year-old country music singer from Garner has done plenty well otherwise. His first album went platinum.

Q: How can I get in touch with the "American Idol" people? I want to tell them I didn't think one of the performances on the finale was appropriate for a family show that all ages watch. -- A.B., Dunn A: You can write the show's production company, FremantleMedia North America, at 4000 West Alameda Ave., 3rd Floor, Burbank, CA 91505.

Q: What happened to all of the Baskin-Robbins stores that were in Fayetteville? Have they shut down for good? -- D.T., Fort Bragg A: They have, indeed, shut down for good.

But a member of the family that owned those stores is opening a different sort of ice cream shop in the former Baskin-Robbins location on Owen Drive. Pauline Harger, who opened the first of the local Baskin-Robbins stores back in 1969, plans to run a SweeTreats Ice Cream and Coffee House in that space.

The business is expected to open in the next couple of weeks.

The family owned 10 Baskin-Robbins stores around the state in the '90s but scaled back. The local stores closed as a result of the poor economy and expensive remodeling demands by Baskin-Robbins' corporate parent. The stores on Bragg Boulevard and Owen Drive closed in 2010. The Skibo Road store closed last month.

SweeTreats, a small chain based in Highlands, sells both ice cream and yogurt, as well as coffee.

Live Wire seeks to answer questions of general interest and consumer topics within two weeks. Initials are used to identify questioners when names are given. Contact Live Wire at [email protected], blogs.fayobserver.com/livewire or 486-3516.

___ (c)2012 The Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, N.C.) Visit The Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, N.C.) at www.fayobserver.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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