TCB Oct. 29, 2020 — #StayAtHomecoming

Greensboro / Winston-Salem / High Point Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020 triad-city-beat.com

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#StayAtHomecoming

New A&T documentary lets Aggies celebrate GHOE at home. PAGE 13 Wine and candy PAGE 11

Anna Dominguez PAGE 6

Who has voted? PAGE 8

Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020

EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

The scariest Halloween ever The moon each. Of course, many will do it anyway, looks just right so we’ll have some candy on hand just in as we approach case.

Halloween: And while I’m positive that the HallowHanging in the een bar scene will be as vibrant as genernight sky bright ous interpretations of state guidelines will as an illuminated allow, no one will ever convince me that pearl, occasionally it’s safe to go out partying unless your

by Brian Clarey veiled by clouds costume is a hazmat suit. or fog, gradually swelling on its way to Still, is this not the most terrifying Halblue fullness — which, as it happens, will loween in ages? We’re struggling against fall squarely on Oct. 31. the weight of a global pandemic that This Halloween was keeps rebounding despite supposed to be awesome. our, frankly, meager efIt falls on a Saturday, great forts. And sure: COVID-19 Sure, COVID-19 for trick-or-treaters but might not kill you. But it might not kill also the bars and clubs, might! and the costumed partyEvery day, more of us you. But it goers who won’t have to are getting sick. More of call in sick to work the next us are out of work. More of might! day. It lands on Daylight us face uncertainty in the Savings day, which means coming months, which for that we get an extra hour of darkness on adults is a lot scarier than a monster under the spookiest night of the year. And then the bed. We’ve just witnessed a specthere’s that full, blue moon, which was tacular abuse of power as a new Supreme supposed to reign over the holiday like a Court justice was sworn in under the dark maestro before an orchestra. of night, just eight days before Election The moon will still be there, of course, Day. but most everything else is off the table.

And then the specter of the election Trick-or-treating is a terrible idea during a itself looms, a ghost in the attic readying global pandemic: groups of children stopits chains to make mayhem. ping at every house in the neighborhood So, Halloween itself is basically canto receive by hand a single item from celed. And I’m still scared as hell.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

From 2:30 to 5, what the hell were they —doing?

Maquaito Dominguez, Anna Dominquez’s wife BUSINESS PUBLISHER/EXECUTIVE EDITOR Brian Clarey brian@triad-city-beat.com

PUBLISHER EMERITUS Allen Broach allen@triad-city-beat.com

EDITORIAL SENIOR EDITOR Jordan Green jordan@triad-city-beat.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Sayaka Matsuoka sayaka@triad-city-beat.com

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1451 S. Elm-Eugene St. Box 24, Greensboro, NC 27406 Office: 336-256-9320 COVER: Illustration and cover SPECIAL SECTION EDITOR Nikki Miller-Ka design by Robert Paquette. niksnacksblog@gmail.com EDITORIAL INTERN Michaela Ratliff ART ART DIRECTOR Robert Paquette robert@triad-city-beat.com SALES

KEY ACCOUNTS Gayla Price gayla@triad-city-beat.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Carolyn de Berry, Matt Jones

TCB IN A FLASH @ triad-city-beat.com First copy is free, all additional copies are $1. ©2018 Beat Media Inc.

Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020

CITY LIFE Oct. 29-Nov. 1

by Michaela Ratliff

THURSDAY Oct. 29

FRIDAY Oct. 30

Halloween Market @ Winston Junction Market (W-S) 11 a.m.

Downtown Winston-Salem will become a fully decorated Halloween market. Featuring vendors dressed in costumes and locally handmade crafts and goods, this sociallydistanced event will be one to enjoy. Check out the event page for more information.

Star Wars Night @ Distractions (HP) 6 p.m.

Join Distractions for a Star Wars-themed pottery event! Individually wrapped snacks will be provided. Visit Distractions’ website to reserve your space and preorder your pottery to paint during the event.

Puzzles

#StayAtHomecoming Premiere (Online) 9 p.m.

This year’s GHOE highlight is #StayAtHomecoming, a documentary presented

by From A2B Studios that celebrates the history of NCA&T State University. It will be available on YouTube and Vimeo. Check out the teaser in the meantime.

Brown Truck Brewery and Yoga Mindset are teaming up to bring you Bend and Brews, 45-minute yoga session led by Kelle Yokeley. Entry is $10 and includes a 16 oz. can of beer of your choice. Visit the event page for more info.

SouthEnd’s one year anniversary celebration will include drink specials, costume contests and live music by Wristband & Artimus Pyle on the patio. For more information, visit the event page.

Shot in the Triad

Mast General Store sponsors this free drive-in screening of Monsters, Inc., the story of a little girl named Boo who wanders into Monstropolis and relies on the monsters to get back home. Although the event is free, a voucher is required for entry and can be picked up at Mast General Store.

Gates open at 6:15 p.m.

Halloween Bend and Brews @ Brown Truck Brewery (HP) 11 a.m.

Culture

Monsters, Inc. @ Marketplace Cinemas (W-S) 7 p.m.

One Year Anniversary + Halloween Bash @ SouthEnd Brewing Co. (GSO) 5 p.m.

Opinion

Stop by either Joymongers location for perfectly aged beers and a screening of Halloween. The movie will begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit the event page.

SUNDAY Nov. 1

News

Spooky Movie Night @ Joymongers (GSO, W-S) 7 p.m.

Food Justice for All Farmers Market @ 1901 McConnell Road (GSO) 9 a.m.

Hosted in partnership with Guilford Urban Farming Initiative, the Bountiful Land Farmers Market aims to bring fresh affordable food to local food deserts by selling fertilizer-free, pesticide-free and herbicide-free produce.

Helping hands are welcome! To register for the day you want to volunteer, visit the event page.

Halloween Party @ Garage Tavern (GSO) 7 p.m.

Garage Tavern is hosting a Halloween celebration with two DJ’s, food and drink specials and a costume contest. There are cash prizes for the winners, so dress to impress.

Up Front

WSNC Annual Juried Exhibition (Online) The Watercolor Society of North Carolina is dedicated to promoting and celebrating watercolor art throughout the state. The Annual Juried Exhibition of watercolor paintings is available online until Nov. 21.

Each painting in the gallery was selected by National Watercolor Society member Soon Warren.

SATURDAY Oct. 31

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Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020

Coronavirus in the Triad:

(as of Wednesday, Oct. 28, compared to last week)

Culture

Opinion

News

Up Front

Documented COVID-19 diagnoses NC

263,889 (+15,133)

Forsyth

8,756 (+555)

Guilford County

11,278 (+707)

COVID-19 deaths NC

4,218 (+215)

Forsyth

119 (+5)

Guilford

205 (+10)

Documented recoveries NC

231,611 (+13,070)

Forsyth

7,532 (+359)

Guilford

6,326 (+379)

Shot in the Triad

Current cases NC

28,060 (+1,848)

Forsyth

1,105 (+191)

Guilford

4,516 (+285)

Puzzles

Hospitalizations (right now)

4

NC

1,193 (-26)

Forsyth

41 (+11)

Guilford

99 (+11)

VP Mike Pence visits GSO, touts conservative values and warns of socialism

by Sayaka Matsuoka

Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020

NEWS

Up Front News

Most of the people that showed up to the rally did not wear masks; social distancing was not required.

‘I think the choice in this election is whether America remains America,’

Puzzles

Trump does, rather than what Trump says.

“He doesn’t have racist policies,” he said.

While immigration didn’t it into the vice president’s speech, Clarence echoed the Trump’s rhetoric that children at the border were “coyotes.”

In the end, he said that he trusts Trump to steer the country away from socialism and keep it within the capitalist system that exists today.

“We’re at a major crossroads,” he stated.

Pence echoed Clarence’s thoughts towards the end of his speech. He recounted how the polls looked to be in Hillary Clinton’s favor in the 2016 election but how Trump eventually ended up winning. Current polls according to FiveThirtyEight show Biden with a steady lead against President Trump leading into the election.

“All the polls said we weren’t going to win,” Pence said. “But I just knew in my heart of hearts that there was a victory because I saw the look on people’s faces.”

Pence urged voters to talk to their friends and family to ensure another four more years of a Trump administration.

“And I’m here because I’m gonna be your vice president for four more years,” he said.

Shot in the Triad

pointing to politicians like Nancy Pelosi ing to open up school again.” and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez who he Pence also stated that the administrasaid threaten conservative values. More tion would have a safe, effective vaccine than once, Pence and others also pointed by the end of the year and how a Trump to their recent victory of appointing re-election was the only way to ensure an Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Sueconomic recovery. preme Court.

“Joe Biden would be nothing short “We are battling against spiritual warof a Trojan horse for the radical left,” fare,” Walker said during his remarks.

Pence stated. “Now, Joe Biden said that “This is beyond democracy is on the Republicans and ballot. Well I think Democrats; we can do our economic recovthis…We must send a ery is on the ballot. I message to Joe Biden, think law and order AOC and everybody are on the ballot.” else who wants to try Nodding along in to implement these the crowd was couple radical socialistic Clarence and Robin policies on America.

Henderson, a Black We will not have it; we couple from Greenswill stand for it and boro. They said – Vice President Mike Pence we will do everything they both supported we can to fight against Trump in 2016 and it.” plan to vote for him In addition to urgagain this election. ing voter to re-elect Trump, Pence called “He’s a president for the people,” for those in attendance to vote for Thom Clarence said. “Look at what he’s done Tillis, who faces Cal Cunningham for for the Black community.” He cited his Senate seat, and Dan Forest, who is prison reform, increased funding for running against incumbent Governor HBCUs and increase school choice and Roy Cooper. gains for the Black community. When “As Joe Biden is talking about shutting asked about comments about the Proud down our economy, we’re opening up Boys that Trump made a few weeks ago, America again,” Pence said. “We’re goClarence stated that he follows what

TODD TURNER

Culture

With just a week until the election, Vice President Mike Pence spoke to voters at a rally at the Piedmont International Airport Greensboro on Tuesday, citing the need for a Trump re-election to maintain conservative values and boost the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

“In this election I think it’s not going to be so much whether Americans are more Republican or more Democrat, more liberal or more conservative, more red or more blue,” Pence said to the crowd of approximately 300 people.

“I think the choice in this election is whether America remains America.”

Over the course of the close-to three hour event at the Piedmont International Airport, Pence as well as Republicans Mark Walker, Tedd Budd and Thom Tillis, alluded to what they perceived to be “American.”

They railed against so-called socialist policies such as the Affordable Care Act, the Green New Deal and defunding the police while expressing support for increased funding for the military as well as support for law enforcement. They spoke about the need to reopen states and admonished Democratic Governor Roy Cooper for his handling of the coronavirus. Pence and others also spoke repeatedly about the threat of impending socialist policies throughout the rally,

TODD TURNER

Opinion

Vice President Mike Pence spoke to a crowd of close to 300 people in Greensboro on Tuesday.

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Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020 Up Front News Opinion Culture Shot in the Triad Puzzles

6

Troubling timeline for woman who died after stay in Greensboro jail

by Jordan Green Anna Chris Dominguez, a 24-yearold woman with liver disease who was discovered passed out in her vehicle and told a police officer she had ingested Percocet and alcohol, received a padded mat in a jail cell instead of a hospital bed.

Six hours after she was brought to the Greensboro jail, Dominguez was dead.

Prior to her arrest, Guilford Metro 911 directed Guilford County EMS to respond when she was found passed out in a vehicle in northeast Greensboro, according to a new report from sheriff’s office.

A detailed timeline released by the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday covering the seven hours leading up to the 24-year-old woman’s death indicates that a person who called Guilford Metro 911 reported that a vehicle was stopped in the roadway at 11:07 p.m. on Oct. 15. According to the report, Dominguez responded with slurred speech when the caller roused her, but the person could not determine whether she was intoxicated or suffering from a medical condition. As a result of the description, the call was directed to EMS. But six minutes later, Dominguez told a Greensboro police officer who had arrived on the scene that she didn’t need medical treatment, and the request for EMS was canceled by radio.

Ron Glenn, the public information officer for the Greensboro Police Department, told Triad City Beat that the officer’s decision to cancel the request for EMS was driven by Dominguez’s wishes.

“If she refuses EMS treatment, then at that time they would cancel EMS treatment, which is what happened,” Glenn said.

The account released by the sheriff’s office also discloses for the first time that Dominguez was taken to Moses Cone Hospital under the custody of the Greensboro Police Department for a blood draw before she was booked into the Greensboro jail.

Anna Dominguez’s wife, Maquaito Dominguez, has previously told Triad City Beat that Anna was a “heavy alcoholic” and that she had planned to get medical treatment for a damaged liver.

Dominguez was charged with driving while impaired and possession of a controlled substance, along with operating a motor vehicle without insurance and registration after police responded to the scene on Oct. 15. The report by the

sheriff’s office indicates that Dominguez tions manager for the hospital system, told the arresting officer that she had told TCB on Tuesday evening that he taken “one Percocet and some amount would pass along the inquiry, with the of alcohol” earlier in the evening. proviso that the information might be Percocet is a combination of Oxycorestricted under patient confidentiality done, a prescription opioid, and Acetlaw. aminophen, a pain reliever that is found Instead of staying overnight at Moses in many over-the-counter medications Cone Hospital, Anna Dominguez went like Tylenol. The Federal Drug Adminto jail. istration warns that Percocet should not The timeline provided by the Guilbe taken with alcohol, and that combinford County Sheriff’s Office indicates a ing the two “can cause dangerous addinoticeable deterioration in Dominguez’s tive central nervous system or respiratory condition an hour after her arrival at the depression, which can result in serious jail shortly after midnight. injury or death.” The FDA also warns Initially, the report says, when Dominthat “precaution should be taken in guez entered the intake area at 12:22 patients with liver disease,” adding that a.m., she was not handcuffed and walked “hepatotoxicity and severe hepatic failwithout assistance, and also that she ure [has] occurred in chronic alcoholics “changed seats several times while waitfollowing therapeutic doses.” ing to be seen by the magistrate.”

After Dominguez declined mediBut by 1:22 a.m., when she was finally cal treatment at the scene where she able to approach the magistrate’s winwas found passed out in her vehicle, dow for her initial appearance hearing, the report by the sheriff’s office indithe sheriff’s office reports that “she was cates that she failed a field sobriety test unsteady on her feet.” In its initial press administered by the police officer, but release about Dominguez’s death, the two portable breath tests came back with sheriff’s office said, “Due to her level a 0.0 reading. The of intoxication, the report goes on to say magistrate’s office orDominguez consented ‘From 2:30 to 5, what dered her into the custo a blood draw. tody of the Guilford the hell were they Asked why the County Jail, and that police officer did not she be brought back doing?’ ensure that Dominbefore them at 12 – Maquaito Dominguez, guez received medical noon or when sober Anna Dominquez’s wife treatment considering for a hearing and to the circumstances, sign a written promise Glenn noted that she was taken to the to appear.” hospital.

A statement previously provided to “When they responded to the scene, TCB by Lori Poag, a communications she noted what she ingested,” Glenn specialist for the sheriff’s office, also sugsaid. “She was given a Breathalyzer, and gests Dominguez’s speech was impaired. it came back with a zero reading. They Poag said at the time that when a staff took her to the hospital to determine member asked Dominguez for a family what she ingested. contact during her intake interview, “she “She was conscious when the officer was so intoxicated she could not give a was dealing with her,” Glenn continued. name they could understand.” The time “She was taken to Moses Cone Hospital of the intake interview is not noted in to be evaluated. Once she was released the timeline released by the sheriff’s ofby Cone Hospital, she was transported fice on Tuesday. to Guilford County Jail.” (TCB has not For another hour, the report indicates, independently confirmed that DominDominguez sat in the intake area. guez received any evaluation at the Then, at 2:20 a.m., according to the hospital.) report, she entered the booking area, Glenn said the police “would follow and a minute later was placed in a the advice of any medical expert” if staff single-person holding cell. Three minwere to recommend that someone in utes later, a detention officer opened the police custody remain in the hospital. door and handed Dominguez a padded TCB has requested an explanation mat to sleep on. from Cone Health for why Dominguez The first mention of any medical atwas not kept overnight in the hospital. tention at the jail is 2:25 a.m., when the Doug Allred, the external communicareport says a detention officer escorted

her “to the nearby nurse’s station, where Ms. Dominguez [had] some of her vital signs checked.”

The timeline says Dominguez was returned to her holding cell, where a detention officer brought her a cup of water at 2:29 a.m.

Maquaito Dominguez has told TCB that a detective with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office told her that, based on a review of video, Anna Dominguez “took her last breath at 2:30.”

A detention officer would discover Anna Dominguez unresponsive in the cell at 5:15 a.m.

“From 2:30 to 5, what the hell were they doing?” Maquaito asked.

James Secor, the attorney for the sheriff’s office, has strongly disputed Maquaito’s account and maintains that she inaccurately depicted Detective Amanda Fleming’s report to her.

Maquaito Dominguez has stood behind her initial statement. After learning that the sheriff’s attorney was disputing her account, she told TCB on Oct. 23 that she would be willing to take a lie detector test.

The timeline provided by the sheriff’s office indicates that detention officers checked on Dominguez three times during routine watch rounds — at 2:34 a.m., 3:42 a.m. and 4:40 a.m.

Additionally, the report says, a nurse looked into the holding cell at 2:43 a.m., and then again at 2:56 a.m. accompanied by a detention officer.

Video recorded by a camera in the holding cell shows Dominguez “breathing at least up until 4:46 a.m.,” the report from the sheriff’s office notes in a passage printed in bold for emphasis.

At 5:15 a.m., the report says, a detention officer brought a breakfast tray to the holding cell and attempted to wake up Dominguez and found her unresponsive. The sheriff’s office said another detention officer detected a pulse for Dominguez. At 5:19 a.m., detention staff called 911 and requested EMS. At 5:20 a.m., staff initiated CPR. At 5:25 a.m., first responders from the Greensboro Fire Department arrived, followed by EMS and they took over CPR. They moved her out of the cell and continued to attempt CPR in the booking area.

At 6:04 a.m., she was placed in an ambulance.

At 6:13 a.m., Dominguez arrived back at Moses Cone Hospital. By that time, she was dead.

Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020 Up Front

News

Opinion

Culture

Shot in the Triad

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7

Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020 Up Front News

Which demographics have early voted so far in Guilford and Forsyth counties and what does it mean?

by Sayaka Matsuoka With less than a week until Election Day, close to half of all registered voters in Guilford and Forsyth counties have already voted in the election. The data shows that 49.7 percent of voters in Forsyth had voted and 49.8 percent had voted in Guilford as of Wednesday at noon. Across the state, record voter turnout has been seen in both absentee ballots as well as early voting sites.

Puzzles

Shot in the Triad

Culture

Opinion

Record turnout leading up to Election Day

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This year, 544,000 voters across the state cast their ballots by mail prior to Oct. 15, which was the first day of early voting for North Carolina. In 2016, just 1 percent of this year’s voters — approximately 55,000 voters — opted to vote by mail prior to Oct. 19.

“We’re experiencing record turnout just with not just absentee votes but with in-person early voting as well,” said Almost half of registered voters in North Carolina have already voted.

Tim Tsujii, the election director of Forsyth county. “That in and of seen for early-voting numbers. Demoindicator of who they’ll support, but it’s itself exemplifies the excitement of this crats made up 47.2 percent of voters not a guarantee,” the website’s article election.” who opted to early vote while Repubstates.

So far this election cycle, 71 percent licans accounted for just 27.6 percent.

Bitzer, a Catawba College also wrote of the total number of ballots cast in However, an analysis by Michael Bitzer, in the article that the “phenomenon of Forsyth county during the 2016 election a Catawba College political science North Carolina older (Boomer or Silent have already been cast for this election professor, in an Oct. 24 post for Old generations), white, typically male, rural cycle as of early Tuesday morning. For North State Politics, found that “looking or surrounding suburban county voters Guilford county, 69 percent of the totals at the two vote methods and the overall who are registered Democratic but are, from 2016 have already been cast. Nanumbers, registered Democrats have in fact, Republican voters,” may also tionwide, voters have cast 51.6 percent an advantage, but in the past few days, skew party affiliation data. of the total votes counted in the 2016 registered Republicans have been inelection. creasing their share of in-person voting, Unaffiliated voters may Registered Democrats have cast more especially.” hold the key ballots leading up to Election Day than However, party affiliation does not The FiveThirtyEight piece also makes Republicans. In Forsyth County, Demostrictly signify that the person voted for the case that in states such as in North crats made up 43.7 percent of absentee the candidate of their registered party, Carolina, where individuals can register ballots compared to 28.7 percent of according to an analysis by FiveThiras independent or unaffiliated, knowRepublicans as of Monday. In Guilford tyEight. ing which party has the advantage can County, similar percentages could be “A voter’s party registration is a strong be more difficult. In Guilford county,

SAYAKA MATSUOKA

24.9 percent of those who have already early voted were unaffiliated. In Forsyth county, 27.1 percent of absentee voters were also unaffiliated, just behind the 28.7 percent of registered Republicans who voted the same way. According to data from the State Board of Elections, there are more unaffiliated voters than Republican voters in the state currently, a marked difference since the 2016 election when there were about 20,000 more Republican voters than unaffiliated.

According to state data by Carolina Demography, a population estimate program at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Carolina Population Center, younger voters — especially those between the ages of 18-34 — are more likely to register as unaffiliated. Unaffiliated voters are also more likely to be white and many moved here

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Wednesday compared to .4 percent of white voters’ ballots. The average rejection rate is .6 percent. Several individuals interviewed previously by TCB stated that the reason for the disparity likely has to do with the voter’s experience with mail-in absentee voting.

“Minorities have not been cultivated to use absentee ballots and probably could use some instruction to make sure they do their yeoman’s best to fill out the information correctly,” said Rev. Anthony Spearman, the president of the North Carolina NAACP and a member of the Guilford County Board of Elections.

According to both Charlie Colicutt, the director of elections in Guilford County, and his Forsyth county counterpart Tim Tsujii, the biggest reason for an unapproved ballot is missing information for the witness.

Absentee-voting rules were temporarily changed for On younger voters and voters of color the 2020 election due to the coronavirus to allow votAccording to data from the Center for Information ers to have just one witness rather than the previously and Research on Civil Learning and Engagement, required two. In mid-October, ballots that had missing younger voters are turning out in record numbers witness information such as an address or a signature in across the state. the wrong place, could have their ballots “cured” by fillAs of Oct. 23, the center found that 331,900 early ing out an affidavit. Those without a witness signature votes cast in North Carolina were by individuals beat all would have to fill out a new ballot. The deadline tween the ages of 18 and 29. For the same time frame to request an absentee ballot in North Carolina was on in 2016, that number was just 88,600 — a little more Tuesday. than a quarter of this year’s numbers. The data signiDue to the increased number of absentee ballot fied that in North Carolina, “votes cast by youth have requests and the Tuesday deadline, Tsujii of the Forsyth already exceeded the 2016 County Board of Elecmargin of victory.” tions urged voters to vote In the 2016 presidential in person.

To learn more about how to vote, election, Donald Trump “I want to convey that won North Carolina by there are other options for visit the Guilford county or Forsyth just 3.6 percent points. voters to take,” Tsujii said county board of election websites.

A national poll from in an interview.

September by the Institute He said those with filled For additional election coverage, of Politics at Harvard out absentee ballots could including our 2020 Election Guide, found that 63 percent drop off their ballots at of young Americans any of the early-voting visit triad-city-beat.com/category/ would vote for Biden over sites or the elections office, election-2020.

Trump. Another survey but to ensure that they get

by Axios found that 64 counted before Election percent of voters aged 18 Day, he urged voters to to 24 stated they would support Biden. vote in person to avoid having to cure ballots if they Younger voters of color also tend to support Biden end up having missing necessary information. over Trump.

“There is a chance that voters may forget to sign the According to a Wall Street Journal poll from Septemreturn envelope or get a witness and by the time the ber, 75 percent of younger voters of color said they ballot is received, it may be too late to cure,” Tsujii said. supported Biden over Trump. Younger white voters also “So, we’ve had a lot of absentee voters that had defitend to prefer Biden but to a lesser extent than other ciencies, come to vote in person. That resolves that.” racial blocs.

Tsujii also emphasized that if people who initially Given that younger voters tend to trend more left as voted by mail, whose ballots were found to be deficient, do voters of color, these statistics are not surprising. came to vote in person, their votes would only count Nationally in 2016, both Black and Latinx voters once. chose Hillary Clinton over Trump by wide margins — “If someone voted absentee and their ballot was 80 points and 36 points, respectively, according to data counted and they came in to vote in person, the system analyzed by the Pew Research Center. On the state would alert the poll worker,” Tsujii stated. “It’s also level, 89 percent of Black voters and 57 percent of in the registration books. If they had a deficiency, we Latinx voters said they voted for Clinton in exit polls for mark those ballots as pending, not approved. That’s CNN and the New York Times. what allows for those voters to be able to remedy that deficiency to vote in person. That absentee ballot then On absentee voting gets spoiled.”

While the Black voting bloc makes up 46 percent of registered Democrats, data from the US Elections Project shows that 1.1 percent of North Carolina’s Black voters’ absentee ballots have been rejected as of

Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020

from another state. An article by the News & Observer attempts to clarify which party unaffiliated voters are more likely to vote for, but the answer remains unclear.

One analyst, Republican strategist Paul Shumaker, is quoted as saying that unaffiliated voters tend to be right-leaning moderates who are more liberal on social issues but conservative on economics. However, William Busa, another political analyst, said in the piece that unaffiliated voters have started moving significantly to the left in the last 10 years. Bitzer states in the N&O article that about a third of the unaffiliated ballots cast so far have been by people under the age of 40, who typically tend to be “overwhelmingly Democratic” and of those who already voted, close to 70 percent chose to vote Democratic in the March primaries.

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Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020 Up Front News Opinion Culture Shot in the Triad Puzzles

10

OPINION EDITORIAL

Trump’s Hail Mary falls short

The Trump team’s October Surprise dential race on election night, and the — about Hunter Biden, the Ukraine thing will end up in the courts like in and whatever else Rudy Giuliani, Rich 2000. And maybe Trump will pull this Gannon and his crew dreamed up — one off, too — but if he does, it won’t was both everywhere and nowhere, all be because of this “But her emails!” at once. moment that carried him through in The New York Post, hardly a bastion 2016. This one didn’t take. of ethical journalism but until now And why not? conveyed with the cachet of legacy Early voting has somewhat killed the print media, famously went with the October surprise. Nearly half of regisstory on its sensational tered North Carolinians front page and folhave already voted, a lowed with variations trend that carries across Trump’s October on the theme for the the states that have Surprise was both enacted the measure — rest of the week, only to be thwarted by the 62 million have already everywhere and same social media cast their ballots, almost nowhere, all at channels that they 45 percent of the total had all counted on to that voted in 2016, and once. amplify the story. Twitthe election is not until ter banned the sharing next week. of links to the Post And some of us are article, unprecedented. The Wall Street a lot smarter about news consumption Journal passed on it after it didn’t meet than we once were. After four years their reporting standards. And unless of being bombarded with actual fake you’re ensconced in the right-wing news — and perhaps worse, unwarrantmediasphere, the only thing you likely ed accusations of fake news — we’re know about this story is that it doesn’t learning to spot it for ourselves. check out.

So Trump’s Hail Mary, always the As of this writing, I have no idea if most desperate of plays, lands without Trump won the election or not. Maybe a ripple among the undecided. All Joe Biden could be far enough ahead it did was buttress their case among on election night that the GOP will the lowest-information voters in the have nothing to litigate. Perhaps there electorate. And those folks made up will be no clear winner of the presitheir minds a long time ago.

Claytoonz

by Clay Jones

claytoonz.com

Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020

Nik Snacks In pour taste: Halloween candy and wine pairings to die for

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from RayLen Vineyards and Winery give texture to the intense blackberry and black-cherry flavors of this fullbodied and richly sweet wine. Reminiscent of a gourmet PBJ when paired with the chocolate and peanut better of Reese’s, the salty edge of the peanut butter melds expertly with the milk-chocolate couverture.

3. Starburst

Dulcimer is a refreshing blush wine with playing with notes of fresh raspberries and strawberries from Jones von Drehle Vineyards and Winery. With its tinkling and sparkling carbonation, the slightly sweet rosé makes your favorite color of Starburst pop and dance as it melts on your tongue (or gets stuck in your teeth)

4. M&Ms

5. Dark chocolate

The deep, dark and rich Jones von Drehle 2015 Petit Verdot is a high-class bold choice to pair with dark chocolate. Hershey’s Special Dark and Dark Milky Way are alternate choices to enjoy the dried plum, black cherry

and blueberry tones of this award-winning wine.

6. Candy corn

7. Hershey’s chocolate

Brown sugar, vanilla and butter are the dominant flavors of one of the season’s most polarizing candy offerings. A clean sparkling wine such as Raffaldini Vineyards’ Auguri will not only help mellow the candy’s sweetness, but it may even enhance its flavors. This classic, dry sparkler has high acidity and is a refreshing palate cleanser after raiding the candy bowl all night.

Whether in bar or Kiss form, this classic American milk chocolate is taken to the upper echelon of flavor when paired with RagApple Lassie’s Syrah. A strong black pepper taste is woven into every bite when paired with the rich and dark-cherry flavors of this varietal. The most developed palates will also notice a hint of licorice in the finish.

8. Nerds

The mouth-puckering taste of these droplets of sour candy calls for a juicy, fruit-centric wine. The Sweet White and Sweet Blush Muscadine Rosé from Childress Vineyards present super sweet fruit-forward flavors of Muscadine grapes that make the taste buds pop.

Puzzles

The milk chocolate and hard candy coating pair well with the velvety tannins of the Merlot Reserve of Divine Llama Vineyards. The peppery hints and flavors of plum, chocolate and vanilla notes of toasty oak followed by juicy fruit flavors offer a smooth finish to the sweet chocolate bits.

NIKKI MILLER KA

Shot in the Triad

The silky, lush tannins of the Caravel dessert wine

Pairing candy with wine is fun, whimsical and a welcome distraction from the state of the world.

Culture

2. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Opinion

Taste the rainbow with RayLen Vineyards and Winery’s Fizzzy Rosé or Fizzzy Bluzberry. Each is a liquid fruit basket bursting with mango, honeydew, strawberry and fresh blueberries. The fun and bubbly direct-press rosé like RayLen’s Fizzzy sparkling rosé pairs perfectly with the assortment of fruit flavors found in Skittles. Available in cans or bottle.

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1. Skittles

Up Front

orth Carolina wine is often characterized as being too sweet, unrefined and just plain awful.

I’m here to tell you that none of those things are true.

Twenty-seven weeks ago, I started making two-minute

by Nikki Miller-Ka videos featuring classic and creative sangria recipes that blend local and domestic wines with liquor, cordials and fruit. Using the hashtag #SangriaSaturday, you can find all 27 on my Instagram account and select videos on YouTube.

Pouring the wine and smiling into the camera gave me something to do under quarantine. Sipping on tart varietals, swirling juicy and complex blends and presenting glasses rimmed with caramel or granulated sugar granted me the freedom to construct elaborate garnishes of fruit skewers, citrus peels or even glazed and yeasty doughnuts. The high and long tails of deep, dark spirits, alcoholic in nature, left me room for whimsy and straightforward tastes. What started as a fun weekend project in spring turned into a schedule of summer-themed porch pounders, fall-spiced mash-ups and now candy-laced glasses.

Halloween looks different in 2020. The irony of having to wear a mask in public spaces for the past seven months sets itself up for a bunch of memes and jokes.

Rather than donning a costume and masquerading, this year you can relax and find yourself at the receiving end of a sip of wine paired with your favorite Halloween candy.

“My candy of choice is always dark chocolate,” says Diana Jones of Jones von Drehle Vineyards and Winery. As a founding member of the NC Fine Wine Society whose main purpose is to highlight the fine wine that North Carolina produces, Jones commented on the concept of pairing of candy with wine.

“Wine tasting is an experience,” Jones added. “I mean, it’s about great wine, but it’s also about a great experience.”

Pairing candy with wine isn’t as serious as the judging of fine wines of the state. It’s fun, whimsical and a welcome distraction from the state of the world.

After extensive research and a little taste testing, I have the tannic, buttery, grassy and sweet notes for this season’s holiday pairing of Halloween candy and select North Carolina wines.

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by Sayaka Matsuoka

my Lynn Greer has always been a sucker for ghost stories. As a child, she longed to dig into the books about hauntings in her school library, usually kept in the sections she wasn’t allowed in.

Opinion

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Up Front

Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020

CULTURE For Halloween, local historian recounts legend of Lydia’s Bridge

Puzzles

Shot in the Triad

Culture

Amy Lynn Greer

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COURTESY PHOTO

Once she got to second grade, she started reading books by Nancy Roberts, the bestselling author who began writing ghost stories for the Charlotte Observer.

“She was pretty famous for ghost legends,” Greer says about Roberts. “She really inspired me back then.”

As an adult Greer partnered up with a close friend, Michael Renegar, to dig into ghost stories of the Triad, namely the one surrounding a supposedly haunted bridge in Jamestown on East Main Street.

The legend goes something like this: A woman flags down a car at night, hoping to catch a ride back to her house. Her name is Lydia and she spent the evening at a dance. When the driver pulls up to the mysterious woman’s house, they find that she’s vanished. Confused, the driver approaches the front door and asks the woman who answers if she’s seen Lydia.

The woman answers that her daughter, Lydia, died in 1923 near the overpass where she was picked up and has a habit of flagging cars down.

“She is, I would say, the number-one ghost story around here,” Greer says.

“She’s one of the ones that always pops up to the top of the list.”

Greer met Renegar, whom she calls her brother, in 2006 and they became fast friends. They started researching Lydia’s legend and began digging into death certificates to try and find the real-life Lydia. Then, in 2017, Greer and Renegar stumbled across an old article that recounted the death of a young woman in the same area as the bridge in Jamestown, only her name wasn’t Lydia, it was Annie L. Jackson.

“But the timing matched up,” Greer says. “It was in June, and it was in the ’20s.”

The article explains that Jackson was killed almost instantly when the car she was riding in turned over after the driver lost control on a sharp turn. According to the article, Jackson was about 30 years old and was a native of Guilford County.

“She wasn’t a teenager going to a ball, but she was out past her curfew,” Greer says. “She lived in a boarding house in Greensboro.”

After Greer and Renegar posted their findings on their Facebook page, the duo was approached by a woman who said that Jackson was her great, great aunt.

“She said that she had been doing research too and had been thinking that her aunt was Lydia this whole time,” Greer says. “That’s where everything started matching up.”

In 2018, Greer and Renegar pubCOURTESY PHOTO Lydia’s Bridge is currently under construction. lished Looking for Lydia, a book which recounts three decades of researching “I still have a friend that goes out there once in a while to see if the legend. we can see her,” Greer says.

Greer says she spend almost a decade trying to match Lydia Earlier this month, Renegar passed away due to complications with a real person. Renegar spent closer to 30 years. of diabetes, according to Greer. She’s still mourning the loss of “We kept running ourselves into dead ends,” Greer recalls. “I her best friend and mentor but says she’s going to continue the was like we’re going to be searching death records until we’re work he started to uncover local mysteries and legends. dead trying to match this up.”

“It’s important to preserve our history,” Greer says. “to take But something always drew her back into Lydia’s story, she time to find evidence. For all those years, we thought it was an says. urban legend, like Bloody Mary…. But when it comes down to “I’ll be honest,” Greer says. “I believe she was haunting us, hauntings, my goal as an investigator or as a writer is to try to wanting us to find this. There were several occasions where I give you the history that goes with the story, not just the legend. ended up out there for no apparent reason. I kept ending up at That way it’s more believable.” this bridge. I believe that was her telling me that we needed to And while Lydia’s story is one of the most famous in the Triad, continue searching. We both felt a very strong connection to her Greer says this area is home to a lot of other hauntings and ghost spirit.” stories.

Although she personally hasn’t seen anything at the bridge, “We’re rich in haunted history,” she says. “It’s really beautiful…I which is currently under construction, Greer says on a few occathink it’s something of interest that people enjoy. It takes their sions, she felt like there was a presence when she was there. mind off of everything that’s going on.”

“There was something there that she just wanted us to find that we hadn’t found yet,” Greer says.

She says one of her friends reported having one of the last sightings of Lydia in 2012.

by Michaela Ratliff

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News Opinion Culture Shot in the Triad Puzzles

ones showcase their talents and their songs,” she says.

Jefferies, in partnership with A&T alumna and chef Nik Manning, will also host a tailgate-from-home event on Halloween, showing viewers how to make classic potato salad and Hennessy barbecue sauce.

Many will also be staying at home to watch the Deese’s new documentary.

Jasmine Wilson, a senior Psychology student serving as the Speaker’s Chair of the Student Union Activities Board, will be cheering on her friends as she views #StayAtHomecoming.

“I know some of my friends are going to be in it, so I’ll definitely be watching,” Wilson says. Ashley Deese says she was inspired to create a film showing HBCUs in a positive light after COURTESY PHOTO Brandon Deese and his wife Ashley. receiving negative comments when she pitched the idea for a Harold Martin and Sandra Hughes, 1969 graduate of A&T and show. the first Black female news anchor in the Piedmont.

“I was working in a writer’s room for a drama series and I Ashley Deese says the documentary would not have been wanted the intelligent character to attend an HBCU,” she says. possible without the help of current students, especially “I was just met with really negative, ignorant comments.” because the couple had to remotely produce the project from The couple soon began workCalifornia where they reside. Kening on a miniseries explaining the dall Ivy, a junior Journalism and legacy of different HBCUs when Mass Communications student, Willie Deese joked his alma mater #StayAtHomecoming will air Friday, served as the associate producer deserved top priority. of the documentary and says Oct. 30 at 9 p.m. on YouTube and Vimeo.

“If you’re gonna do an HBCU she’ll be having a watch party for It will be available on NCAT’s Facebook documentary, it better be mine #StayAtHomecoming. page on Saturday, Oct. 31. To learn more first!” he told the couple.

Although GHOE is definitely After the announcement of different this year, the Aggie about the HBCU Homecoming Book, visit a reimagined homecoming was pride remains strong as people TheHBCUHomecomingBook.com. made, the Deese’s saw an opgather around the living room portunity to finally release the instead of the football field. footage they’d been saving for Alford-Jefferies says that GHOE is the miniseries. a longstanding tradition, and foregoing celebrating would be “If homecoming is cancelled this year,” says Brandon Deese, impossible. “and we have all of this homecoming footage, there also “This is a first-time experience and we’re learning to adapt,” might be a story here. This idea was birthed maybe two and a she says. half months ago.” #StayAtHomecoming features appearances by Chancellor

Up Front

ish-fry grease won’t be popping at the tailgate this year.

The hearts of Aggies everywhere were broken on June 18 when NCA&T State University released a statement announcing the cancellation of all in-person homecoming activities except for the football game due to the coronavirus.

“Although we are deeply disappointed we will not be able to honor this highlyanticipated tradition, we believe if we make the necessary sacrifices now, we hope to be able to see everyone next year, with even more anticipation, excitement and enthusiasm,” Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni Relations Teresa Davis said in the statement.

“It really gutted me,” says film producer Brandon Deese. “I was like, ‘Dang, I’m not gonna be able to see my favorite cousins.’”

But rather than mope about the canceled festivities, Deese and his wife, Ashley, took the opportunity to finalize and present a new documentary, #StayAtHomecoming, which shares the rich history of A&T and how its homecoming came to be known as the “Greatest Homecoming on Earth.”

“This is really a love letter and a gift back to all that experience has given me,” says Deese, the co-owner of A2B Studios, the production company that produced the film.

Deese is the son of celebrated A&T alum Willie Deese and has been attending GHOE since 2005. His father, Willie, is a 1977 graduate of A&T and former Board of Trustees member. In February, A&T’s College of Business and Economics was renamed in his honor and the clock tower located in the middle of campus also bears he and his wife’s names.

The urge to celebrate what’s described

by Brandon Deese as a “family reunion” could not be ignored, leading many to plan GHOE activities they could do from home. Instead of meeting her sorority sisters on the yard or attending the gospel concert, LaDonia Alford-Jefferies, author and adjunct professor at A&T, will hold the first virtual Homecoming Pride Pageant on Oct. 30 to coincide with her children’s book Homecoming, listed in Essence magazine as part of the 50 Must-Read Black Children’s and Young Adult Books of the Past 50 Years in April.

“It’s always really fun to see the little

Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020

CULTURE #StayAtHomecoming lets Aggies celebrate GHOE from home

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East Hendrix Street, Greensboro

Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020 Shot in the Triad

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SHOT IN THE TRIAD

Puzzles

Halloween creativity is not running low this year.

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CAROLYN DE BERRY

Across

(#984, Apr. 2020)

by Matt Jones

We now have ice cream, nitro iced coffee open at 7 a.m.

Thank you for your business ©2020 Jonesin’ Crosswords

(editor@jonesincrosswords.com) ©2010, 2020 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com)

Answers from last issue

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Shot in the Triad Puzzles

19 Karmann ___ (classic VW model) 24 Rhett Butler’s last word 25 The ___ State University 26 Jonas who developed a polio vaccine 28 Actress ___ Ling of “The Crow” 30 “Despicable Me” supervillain 31 “Late Night” host Meyers 33 Omit 35 Initialism for the series of “Avengers” movies 37 “Keep ___!” (“Don’t give up!”)

38 “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” star Michael 39 “Jurassic Park” beast 41 God, to a Rastafarian 42 Preternatural power 43 Make retroactive, like a payment 48 “Hawaii Five-O” detective, to McGarrett 49 Go letter by letter 51 “Bon ___” (good evening, in France) 53 Photographer Diane 54 Transform bit by bit 55 Dealt a sharp blow, in the Bible 57 Asks intrusive questions 59 “The Sky ___” (1950 Italian drama) 61 Hurt all over 62 Rapper in “Law & Order: SVU” 63 Dermatologist’s case 64 Miniature golf goal 65 English school founded by Henry VI 66 1040 IDs

Answers from previous publication.

Culture

Golden State, informally “30 Rock” star Baldwin Longest possible sentence Go together perfectly With “The,” 2008 Mike Myers flop Carpet calculation Stereotypical ‘80s hairdos Words in the middle of everyone’s favorite Napoleon-based palindrome Alternate nickname for Sporty Spice (as opposed to Scary) Home of Suntory’s headquarters 2000 World Series MVP Derek “___ let you down!”

Green “Sesame Street” character “It’s either them ___”

602 S Elam Ave • Greensboro

Opinion

Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

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EVENTS

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Completely chill Cat’s resting spot “Sweat smile” or “money-mouth face,” e.g.

Et ___ (Latin for “and others”) Golden ___ O’s (cereal variety that somehow exists) Fix with a needle ITEMS IN THE FREEZER ITEMS IN THE FREEZER Affectionate greeting (that I’m guessing there will be a lot of when this is done) Raphael’s weapon, in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” Gallery offering RaÌz c˙bica de ocho Long sandwich Makeshift car cleaners Exclamations that have their moments?

Ewe’s mate Answer a stimulus ITEMS IN THE REFRIGERATOR Phone maker from Finland “Born in the ___” New employee Degs. for many professors Alternatives to Macs It’s usually due April 15 Breakfast hrs.

Android program Carp in some ponds ITEMS IN THE VEGETABLE CRISPER ITEMS IN THE VEGETABLE CRISPER Words before ante It ended on April 9 this year Musk of Tesla Motors Bedding item Get the idea Some TV rooms

SUDOKU

Up Front

1 5 8 13 14

16 17 20 21

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23 24 27 29 32 34 36 40 44 45 46 47 50 52 53 56 58 60 67 68 69 70 71 72 73

‘Cool, Cool’—another door opens.

Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2020

CROSSWORD

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