TCB July 1, 2021 — Planted

WINSTON-SALEM EDITION

JULY 1-7, 2021

TRIAD-CITY-BEAT.COM

w-s police alternatives

PAGE 9

the return of pride

PAGE 13

‘Fred shouldn’t be dead.’

PAGE 6

PLANTED Former Mozzarella Fella Brian Ricciardi kicks off his vegan empire

BY SAYAKA MATSUOKA | PAGE 12

JULY 1-7, 2021

EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

The lord of the flies

I

think they came in with the strawberries. Sure, it might have been the vermi composter, that wooden box

by Brian Clarey of live worms and decomposition in the corner of the kitchen, that attracted them. Or maybe the litter boxes, enough of them to accommodate four cats — which I realize is far too many cats. Or what about the tiny succulent plants on the countertop?

It could have been them.

But if you ask me, and truly no one has, the fruit flies came in with the strawberries: two big buckets of them, procured straight from the farm for Mother’s Day. They spent a couple of days on the countertop, festering with fruit-fly eggs no doubt; we started noticing them shortly thereafter.

Every North Carolina homeowner is waging some form of war against the encroachment of the natural world: weeds that pop up through the driveway cracks and on the patio; tree roots that threaten a foundation or growing limbs that can crash through a roof; floods that will destroy a finished basement overnight. And

then there are the critters: flies and ants and termites and roaches and stinkbugs and hornets and spiders and these weird little worms and I’ll even throw mice in there, which if these cats were worth a damn, we wouldn’t have any mice, which I guess we don’t.

For us, now, it’s these fruit flies, thickets of them hovering like nasty little clouds in the kitchen, speckling the cabinetry, coupling on the ceiling. Put your drink down for more than 10 seconds, and you’re gonna have to fish one out of there with your fingers.

Over the weekend, with my wife out of town, I festooned the kitchen with sticky fly tape — “Like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon!” I told my kids. I used a hand-vac to wipe out an entire generation from the kitchen ceiling, driving the survivors into my stalactites of tape.

“Scorched earth!” I said to the kids, enough times that they never want to hear me say it again.

It seems to be working. There were no fruit flies in my morning coffee this morning, no hovering insect clouds hanging in my field of vision like eye floaters, but they’re plastered all over the fly strips in an organic pattern.

I haven’t won. I’ll never win. But I’ve made things more bearable. For now.

Every North Carolina homeowner is waging some form of war against the encroachment of the natural world.

1451 S. Elm-Eugene St. Box 24, Greensboro, NC 27406 Office: 336.256.9320 BUSINESS PUBLISHER/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Brian Clarey brian@triad-city-beat.com

PUBLISHER EMERITUS

Allen Broach allen@triad-city-beat.com

KEY ACCOUNTS

SPECIAL SECTION EDITOR

CONTRIBUTORS

Michaela Ratliff michaela@triad-city-beat.com Nikki Miller-Ka niksnacksblog@gmail.com

EDITORIAL ADVISOR

OF COUNSEL

Jordan Green jordan@triad-city-beat.com

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR

ART ART DIRECTOR

STAFF WRITER

SALES SALES EXECUTIVE

Jonathan Jones

Sayaka Matsuoka sayaka@triad-city-beat.com Nicole Zelniker nicole@triad-city-beat.com

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CHIEF CONTRIBUTOR

Robert Paquette robert@triad-city-beat.com

Drew Dix drew@triad-city-beat.com

TCB IN A FLASH @ triad-city-beat.com First copy is free, all additional copies are $1. ©2021 Beat Media Inc.

Chris Rudd chris@triad-city-beat.com Carolyn de Berry, James Douglas, Matt Jones, Jordan Howse, Jen Sorensen, Clay Jones

COVERS

W-S: Brian Ricciardi is on his way to becoming the vegan king of the Triad. [courtesy photo] GSO/HP: Fred Cox Jr.’s mother Tenicka Shannon speaks out during the June 26 rally for her son. [photo by Carolyn de Berry]

JULY 1-7, 2021

Coronavirus in the Triad: (As of Wednesday, June 30)

Documented COVID-19 diagnoses NC 1,013,689 (+2,128) Forsyth 37,028 (+142) Guilford County

47,667 (+243)

COVID-19 deaths

NC

13,437 (+44)

Forsyth

421 (+3)

Guilford

711 (4 weeks no new deaths)

Documented recoveries NC

994,472 (+2,330)

Forsyth

*no data*

Guilford

46,605 (+109)

Current cases NC

5,780 (-291)

Forsyth

*no data*

Guilford

350 (+134)

Hospitalizations (right now) NC

393 (-49)

Forsyth

*no data*

Guilford

9 (-8)

Vaccinations NC First Dose

4,751,372 (+52,352)

Fully vaccinated

4,466,471 (43%, +68,591)

Forsyth First Dose

182,557 (+2,027)

Fully vaccinated

171,913 (45%, +2,402)

Guilford First dose

259,674 (+2,490)

Fully vaccinated

245,198 (46%, +3,516)

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UP FRONT | JULY 1-7, 2021

CITY LIFE July 1-4

by Michaela Ratliff

THURSDAY July 1

Outdoor Vendor’s Market @ Cooks Flea Market (W-S) 11 a.m.

FRIDAY July 2

July Housing Hangout — Lead Safe Housing, Weatherization, & Repairs @ UNCG Center for Housing and Community Studies (GSO) 12 p.m.

Independence Day yoga @ High Point Yoga School (HP) 10 a.m.

High Point Yoga School is hosting a special Independence Day yoga class, designed to “find freedom in your flow” just before the holiday. Visit HighPointYS. com to purchase tickets.

Stop by Cooks Flea Market each Wednesday through Friday for an outdoor vendors’ market featuring food trucks, music and goods from local creators. Find more information on Eventbrite.

Tie Dye the Fourth of July @ Lindley Recreation Center (GSO) 3 p.m.

Lindley Recreation Center invites you to a tie dye party to kick off 2021 Parks and Recreation Month!

Register with the Facebook event page link to secure your shirt.

Join the Center for Housing and Community Studies for a discussion of substandard housing conditions in Guilford County and the programs designed to address those issues. Find the free registration link on Eventbrite.

NC Brass Band: SECCA, Stars & Stripes @ Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (W-S) 5 p.m.

Jasmé Kelly’s Freedom Season: The Legacy of Nina Simone @ Carolina Theatre (GSO) 8 p.m.

As part of Carolina Theatre’s Ghostlight Concert Series, soul singer Jasmé Kelly, also known as Lady Jasmé, will be performing various songs by Nina Simone and discussing her legacy, activism and impact.

Purchase tickets in advance at CarolinaTheatre.com or pay at the door.

SATURDAY July 3

Paddleboard yoga @ City Lake Park (HP) 8:30 a.m.

Gather on the back lawn of SECCA for a performance by the Otesha Creative Arts Ensemble. Drinks will be available as well as dinner provided by Pit Glory.

Learn more and purchase tickets on the event page on Facebook

SUNDAY July 4

High Point-Thomasville Locos vs.

Carolina Disco Turkeys @ Truist Stadium (W-S) 2 p.m.

Boxer Takeover @ Doggos Dog Park & Pub (GSO) 6 p.m.

Head to Truist Stadium for an intense wood bat game to kick off the holiday. Find tickets on the event page on Facebook.

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Busy boxers and their humans are invited to Doggos for an evening of socializing. Be sure to bring digital or paper proof of up-to-date shots and a smile for the group photo at 7! Before you go, be sure to check out the house rules on Doggos’ website.

Zenful U yoga studio invites you to a morning of paddleboard yoga, enhanced by the beauty and serenity of the surrounding water. Register at City Lake Park or by calling 336.883.3498. Find more info and future event dates on the event page on Facebook.

Fourth of July Bash @ Baxter’s Tavern (GSO) 3 p.m.

Celebrate the Fourth of July at Baxter’s Tavern.

Enjoy drinks and vibe to live music by Cory Luetjen & the Traveling Blues Band. View more events at BaxtersTavern.com.

Little Light Bread & Soup Co. JULY 1-7, 2021 | UP FRONT

Scratch-made soup and bread for everyone - regardless of ability to pay.

Seasonal Italian menu available for dine-in and takeout.

3205 Yanceyville Street Greensboro, NC. 27405

littlelighttriad.com

5

NEWS | JULY 1-7, 2021

NEWS

‘Fred was a hero’: Activists, family members and lawyers gather in High Point to protest the killing of Fred Cox Jr.

by Sayaka Matsuoka

CAROLYN DE BERRY

Fred Cox Jr.’s mother Tenicka Shannon was joined by lawyers Antonio Romanucci and Ben Crump, who represented the family of George Floyd during a June 26 rally. Romanucci and Crump are now part of Shannon’s legal team.

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few years ago, when a family friend’s house burned down, Fred Cox Jr. went into his closet to give all of his clothes to their kids.

“That’s the kind of kid Fred was,” said Tenicka Shannon, his mother. “I asked him, ‘Well Fred, what are you going to wear?’ And he said, ‘I’ll wear this same outfit all week. I’ll find something to wear.’”

Shannon was joined in High Point by more than 100 people on Saturday for a march and rally in her son’s honor. Cox was just 18 years old when he was shot and killed by Davidson County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Shane Hill. Cox had been attending a memorial service at Living Water Baptist Church in High Point on Nov. 8, 2020, when cars driving past the church started shooting from the street, according to a district attorney report. Cox, who was on the opposite side of the building from the shooting, began running towards the church for cover and helped a mother and son into the building before being shot and killed by Hill, according to a witness.

Both the autopsy report by the Office

of the Chief Medical Examiner and the According to the DA, Deputy Hill was incident report by the High Point Police attending the service to investigate the Department note that Cox’s death was a death of Jonas Tramone Thompson Jr., result of a homicide. The police incident who was murdered approximately two report lists Cox, as well as two other weeks prior, and that Hill had notivictims, but makes no mention of Hill. fied both the High Point police and the According to the report, no charges were Davidson County Sheriff’s Office that he made at that time. was in attendance. However, early news Vivian Wright, the reports stated that Hill mother who was helped was not in uniform,

by Cox, said that she and that neither law enAccording to the and her son Tavaris are forcement agency knew district attorney’s alive today because of about Hill’s attendance Cox’s bravery. report, there was no at the service. The au“I came out because topsy report determined evidence that Cox I had to get that truth that Cox died as a result out,” Wright said. “Be- was in a gang or that of multiple gunshot cause the story in the wounds. Cox was the he used a gun during only person shot despite community is false.”

Early media reports there being approxithe incident. alleged that Cox was mately 70 rounds of killed because he had shots fired during the a gun or was involved in gang activincident. Wright said one bullet grazed ity. However, an official report by the her 12-year-old son’s arm.

Guilford County District Attorney’s On June 1, a grand jury was presented office from early June stated conclusively with two bills of indictment for volunthat “there was no evidence presented tary manslaughter and felony assault that Cox Jr. was in a gang or that he with a deadly weapon inflicting serious discharged a weapon.” injury. After hearing witness interviews

and viewing the evidence investigated in this case, the grand jury returned two no true bills of indictment, finding insufficient evidence to support criminal charges.

Who is Michael Shane Hill?

A

ccording to a public records request by TCB, Hill is still employed by the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office. He was first hired on Jan. 18, 2019 as a sheriff lieutenant.

He made $51,257 per year at that time until he was demoted to sheriff deputy investigator on Feb. 16, 2020, about nine months before Cox’s death. The reason for Hill’s demotion was not clarified by the sheriff’s office. Hill was briefly suspended after shooting Cox from Nov. 8 to Dec. 15, 2020. As a sheriff deputy investigator, Hill was making $46,494 after being demoted.

While the public records request did not include Hill’s race, it did note that Hill is currently 43 years old. A voter registration for the only Michael Shane Hill in Davidson County shows that Hill is a white male and has historically voted for the Republican party. The voter reg-

‘Fred should not be dead.’

O

n June 26, members of Cox’s family were joined by more than 100 community members as well as family members of other unarmed Black men killed by police.

Also in attendance were attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who represented the family of George Floyd.

The two lawyers are now working with Tenicka Shannon to find out why her son was killed.

“I’m honored because I get to stand for the people that I care about the most,” Romanucci said during the Saturday rally. “The people who represent loved ones who died because of warrior mentality and not guardian mentality…. Our police are supposed to protect and serve, they’re not supposed to be warriors and we will leave no stone unturned. We will peel back every onion layer and we will reveal the truth to you what happened to Fred.”

Romanucci, Crump and others who worked as part of the legal team for George Floyd’s family had a historic victory last week when they helped convince a judge to sentence Derek Chauvin to 22.5 years in prison.

During the rally, other family members of victims killed by police spoke out in support of Cox and his family. One of the most emotional speeches of the day came from Monica Wright, Daunte Wright’s older sister. Daunte Wright was shot and killed by a police officer in Minneapolis after the officer claimed to have mistaken her gun for a Taser.

“Since finding out, I’ve lost 30 pounds from not eating,” Wright said as she cried. “I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. It’s hard but I’m going to stand here and I’m going to talk. I’m his voice now. I’m not going to stay quiet. I don’t care how nervous I am at any event, I’m going to speak for my brother…. I want all of us to stand together with this family, with my family and I want us to speak and I want our voices to be heard.”

As family members of other victims spoke out, Shannon expressed her gratitude for the community support.

“I want to let everybody know from the bottom of my heart that I appreciate them,” Shannon said. “I can’t do it by myself. I’m fighting an army, a true gang because the police are a gang. And I appreciate all of the people helping me with this battle.”

Many who spoke during the rally pointed out the inconsistencies in the narrative before the official DA’s June report came out. Shannon said that they painted her son as a gang member and that he was brandishing a weapon and that’s why Hill shot him.

“They said he was in a gang,” she said. “What gang? He hung out with all kinds of people. He wore red, he wore blue, he wore orange, he wore pink.

He was comfortable with himself going anywhere. So, was he guilty by association? He was in Tenicka Shannon’s gang because he was in my house and he listened to me. He’s gang affiliated by his mother; I’m his gang. I’m his big homie.”

Still, Rev. Frank Thomas of Mt. Zion Baptist Church of High Point made the point later during his speech that it doesn’t matter if Cox was in a gang.

“Even if he was in a gang, Fred should not be dead,” Thomas said. “Even if he did have a weapon, Fred should not be dead.”

Crump echoed Thomas’ assertion by mentioning the many white men who have been taken into custody safely by law enforcement even after shooting and killing others like Kyle Rittenhouse and Dylann Roof.

He, like others during the rally, stated that Hill needs to be held accountable for his actions, despite the grand jury failing to indict.

“I just came to say, just like we got charges for Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, and we got charges for George Floyd in Minneapolis, we’re going to get charges in North Carolina for Fred Cox,” Crump said.

The grand jury didn’t indict. Now what?

W

hile Cox’s mother would not confirm the next steps in how her family will seek justice for Cox, Jennifer McGuffin, an employee who works with Romanucci and Crump, said in a statement to TCB that, “civil litigation is being carefully prepared and will be filed upon completion of a thorough review of the facts to ensure accountability for the death of Fred Cox.” Several questions remain unanswered in this case in the minds of family members and activists. Why was Hill at the back of the building when the shooting from the cars was taking place on the other side? Why is there no body-camera footage? Why was Hill shooting into the church where Cox and Wright were running to for safety?

JULY 1-7, 2021 | NEWS

istration for the Michael Hill in Davidson County also notes that the voter was born in 1977 which aligns with the age provided by the sheriff’s department.

CAROLYN DE BERRY

More than 100 protesters, family members, attorneys and clergymen joined the Cox family to protest his death in High Point.

“Why are you shooting recklessly into They can either hand the case over to a a church?” Shannon asked. grand jury, which is what happened in Wright, who took shelter in the church this case, or they can tell the charging with her son after Cox opened the door agency that they should take out charges for them, said that as she passed under and arrest the individual. The case his arm, that she could feel him getting would then go through district court. shot.

However, Jones said that in cases involv“I hope that there is a special invesing police officers, they almost always go tigation launched and that through a grand jury. this case is revisited, that incredibly rare for ‘I’m fighting an an“It’s charges are filed,” Wright officer to be charged in army, a true said. “When [Hill] shot North Carolina,” Jones said.

Fred and he went down, he gang because In fact, it’s incredibly rare kept shooting so who was for officers to be charged he trying to get? If that was the police are a anywhere in the United my son, what would he have gang.’

States, according to data said about my son? That he – Tenicka Shannon, Fred collected by Philip Matthew had a gun?”

Stinson, a criminal justice Cox Jr.’s mother Towards the end of the expert at Bowling Green rally, Shannon had diState University. An April rect words for District Attorney Avery Vox article that cites Stinson’s work Crump, who activists and family say stated that even though there are appresented a false narrative about Cox for proximately 1,000 fatal police shootings seven months before issuing her official reported each year in the United States, statement in early June. “the arrest rate is around 1 percent, “District Avery Crump, I’m ready for never higher than 2 percent.” you ma’am,” Shannon said. “I’m ready McGuffin said in a statement that they for all the smoke with you.” “hope that the district attorney’s office According to Jonathan Jones, a lawyer is always ready and open to review any out of Durham, there are two pathways new evidence developed for the pursuit that district attorneys can take when of charges ensuring justice for Fred’s a felony case comes across their desk. community.”

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NEWS | JULY 1-7, 2021

I

n the year since George Floyd was murdered by former officer Derek Chauvin, police have fatally shot a reported 1,068 civilians across the United States, according to data by Mapping Police Violence.

So far in 2021, police have killed 482 people, including 12 in North Carolina and one in the Triad. Police-reform activists continue to focus on bringing those numbers down.

The city of Winston-Salem is currently considering a co-response model similar to Greensboro’s, which was implemented last year. This would involve a police officer and a mental-health professional responding together to calls that have a mental-health component rather than an officer responding alone.

During a May public safety meeting, the city presented an overview of 911 call data, which is being used to determine whether an alternate response model would work for their police department. They hired RTI, a nonprofit research institute, to collect the data.

There were 578,338 calls involved in the analysis, which included calls from September 2017 through August 2020.

Of those calls, 9,455 were officially classified as pertaining to mental health, which amounts to just under 2 percent.

“The overall project analysis helps identify the police services requested by residents,” said Meridith J. Martin, strategic initiatives administrator for the city. “The research helps determine the available systems that exist that could aid in providing a higher level of service.”

Martin said that the city will offer more information at the public safety meeting this August.

The problem, activists say, is that those calls would still have police officers involved.

For the past several months, leaders with Triad Abolition Project and Hate Out of Winston-Salem have been calling for an alternative to police when dealing with mental-health calls.

“We don’t need police every time there’s a call,” said Selene Johnson, a volunteer with Hate Out, an organization currently demanding police accountability in Forsyth County.

Johnson, who works with people every day who are dealing with mental-health crises, says that more often than not, police will escalate the situation. A 2020 investigation by TCB found that in the many instances in which people were killed by law enforcement officers in the

Triad during the last decade, people suffering mental health crises made up a large portion of the deaths.

As part of the researching process, RTI conducted focus groups with the Winston-Salem Police Department patrol officers and first-line supervisors, according to Martin.

A presentation of the 911 call data during the May public safety meeting outlined that Winston-Salem police officers receive a variety of calls for service that they feel ill-equipped to handle.

Officers also noted that they support a co-response model which could include mental health clinicians, emergency services or CIT officers.

Still, even with the call data, Johnson says she feels as though the percentage of calls that are flagged as mental-health related are low. need,” said Jones.

“We’re questioning how we can make Jones and the rest of Hate Out began models for our city when the data is demanding alternative models of policinaccurate,” Johnson said. ing that center around mental-health last In an August 2020 article by Vox, reyear, after George Floyd was murdered searchers stated that 911 call dispatchers in Minneapolis. They based their often paint calls as being more serious demands on the CAHOOTS model in to police if the callers are ambiguous Eugene, Ore., which involves sending about the circumstances. Because of this, mental-health professionals and medics article noted that “between 20 and 40 to 911 calls rather than police officers. percent of all crime calls that 911 call CAHOOTS began in 1989 and retakers enter are downgraded by officers sponds to nearly 20 percent of all emeronce at the scene.” gency calls in Eugene and neighboring Given the subjective nature of 911 Springfield according to Mental Health calls and the way Portland. It developed they are categorized, as a result of discussions Miranda Jones, director with Eugene’s govern‘We’re questioning ment, the police and of Hate Out, said they are advocating for more fire departments and how we can make oversight, accountabilother services. Because ity and transparency. models for our city the program budget is She says that while she about $2.1 million per believes the city has the when the data is year, the CAHOOTS people’s best interests at inaccurate.’ team has saved Eugene heart, she wonders how – Miranda Jones, Hate Out of an estimated $8.5 milexactly they will deterlion every year.

Winston-Salem mine what constitutes The CAHOOTS a mental health crisis model classifies several without prior training. issues as mental-health “We’ve already been told [off the related, including conflict resolution, record] by one politician that they’re not welfare, substance abuse and suicidal going to defund the police,” said Jones. ideation. Various cities across the coun“So as activists, I’d be skeptical of any try have now considering adopting a data that does not include the people.” similar program.

In this case, the only people viewing This past April, Jones and others the data before its release were members circulated a letter among mental-health of the Winston-Salem Police Departprofessionals around the state asking ment. them to testify whether they believe an “We value and respect data, but we alternative response would decrease the also recognize that it can be a tool of the amount of police violence in the city. have versus the have-nots if the inten“When the conversation moves betions are not to give the people what they yond data collection with transparency

JULY 1-7, 2021 | NEWS

City of W-S using 911 call data to implement alternative policing model

by Nicole Zeniker

FILE PHOTO

with Black mental-health clinicians at the table, to being a part of the city and county’s budget, to implementation by nonprofits and agencies with measurable outcomes over time, then Hate Out will say that’s progress,” she said.

Hate Out sent the letter to the Winston-Salem city council and Mayor Allen Joines on May 6 with signatures from 107 mental-health professionals across the state.

“The clinicians could be a voice for the voiceless,” said Jones. “These clinicians are constituents. That’s why it was important to bring them in.”

Sabrina Basquez, a clinical social worker and therapist in Greensboro who signed the letter, called the letter a response to Black Lives Matter, which in her opinion is overdue.

“The fact is that when police officers who are not trained to help individuals with mental illness, they often use violence,” she said. “Mental-health people learn how to respond in non-violent ways. They’re trained and compassionate and kind. It’s a different perspective from police officers, who are quite frankly often on power trips.”

For folks with mental-health conditions like psychosis, paranoid delusions or autism, Basquez said what might look like a threat to a police officer is probably fear.

“They might not be resisting arrest,” said Basquez. “They might be turtling because they’re overwhelmed … Obviously the way we’re doing it isn’t working,” said Basquez.

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NEWS | JULY 1-7, 2021

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Judge to GSO: Produce previous police hogtying incident footage

By Sayaka Matsuoka

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federal judge ruled on Friday afternoon to uphold a previous judge’s decision to compel the city of Greensboro to produce body-worn camera footage involving hogtying incidents as part of the Marcus Smith lawsuit.

The decision was made by Judge Loretta C. Biggs after both parties — the lawyers representing the Smith family as well as lawyers for the city — made their cases as to why or why not, Judge Joe L. Webster’s April ruling should be upheld.

“Our task here is not to relitigate the motion to compel,” Biggs said. “We are here to make a determination on whether Judge Webster made a determination erroneously.”

In the end, after about three hours of back and forth between the parties, Biggs upheld Webster’s April ruling to compel the city of Greensboro to produce bodyworn camera footage from 50 incidents in which individuals in custody were hogtied prior to Smith’s death.

The ruling was made as part of an ongoing civil lawsuit between the city of Greensboro and the Smith estate including Marcus Deon Smith’s parents, Mary and George Smith. After Judge Webster’s initial ruling from April 28, the city — represented by attorneys Alan Duncan, Stephen Russell and Hillary Kies — filed a motion to stay the order to produce the camera footage, meaning they asked for a pause on the motion. Friday’s ruling

by Judge Biggs upholds Webster’s decision and once again compels the city to produce the body-worn camera footage, this time by July 16.

In their arguments, attorneys Duncan and Russell made repeated claims that the production of the footage was irrelevant to the lawsuit because they did not include footage of Marcus Smith nor did many of the incidents involve the eight police officers who killed Marcus Smith who are also involved with the lawsuit.

The city’s attorneys also made the argument that producing the footage would be too burdensome and take too much time and resources.

On the Smith family’s side, attorney Flint Taylor argued against the city’s assertion that the body-worn camera videos from the 50 incidents were irrelevant. During the discovery process, Taylor said that they found out that there had been close to 300 incidents in the five years dating back from when Smith was hogtied in Sept. 2018 in which other individuals were also hog-

SAYAKA MATSUOKA

On June 25, Judge Loretta Biggs upheld Judge Joe Webster’s decision, compelling the city of Greensboro to produce police body camera footage from 50 hogtying incidents dating back from Marcus Smith’s death in Sept. 2018.

tied. At least one individual was hogtied For Taylor, the body-worn camera just hours before Smith was, according footage from those hogtying incidents to Taylor. He said that while his team could show evidence of individuals has been given incident reports from constitutional rights being violated and those same years that show whether or could show a pattern of lack of training not someone was hogtied or as the city when it comes to the use of the RIPP calls it, “maximally restrained,” that the Hobble or the hogtying mechanism. The police reports do not show the extent to city of Greensboro officially banned the which the restraints were used. use of the RIPP Hobble or restraining “They don’t show someone by their how long it took, hands and feet From Sept. 2013 to Sept. how much force was last year. applied, whether the 2018, Greensboro police According to person cried out in Taylor, his team used a hogtie 294 times . pain,” Taylor said analyzed the inciduring this argudent reports given Of those incidents , 68 ments. “That’s all to them from percent of the victims relevant.” the city in which To see that, the were Black and 15 percent officers used the attorneys would RIPP Hobble and were experiencing mental- found that of the need access to the body-worn camera 294 incidents, 68 health crises . footage, he said. percent of the vic“If they had tims were Black detailed reports, we wouldn’t be here,” and about 15 percent were experiencing Taylor said. mental health crises. Triad City Beat has Initially, Taylor said that his team submitted a public records request for had requested to see body-worn camera police incident reports in which officers footage from all 294 incidents which inhave hogtied people from Sept. 2014 to cluded 50 incidents in which at least one Sept. 2018, but the city has denied TCB’s of the eight officers involved in Smith’s request citing that the documents are not death were present. However, Judge public record because they are part of Webster narrowed the scope of Taylor legal proceedings. and his team’s ask to body-worn camera After Biggs’ ruling, Mary Smith, Marfootage from only the 50 most recent incus Deon Smith’s mother, said she was cidents dating back from Smith’s death. thankful for her decision.

“We are just so excited that the judge ruled in our favor,” she said. “This has been a long journey and we will continue to fight.”

Taylor, the lead attorney for the Smith family, said he too, was pleased with the judge’s decision.

“I think it strongly reaffirms our right to access the videos,” he said. “We feel that it’s in the spirit of the importance of the case.”

Outside of the courthouse, surrounded by activists who have been advocating on behalf of Marcus Smith and his family, Taylor spoke passionately about how supportive the community has been towards the family and to him as the legal counsel. He also said he believes that both judges acted on right side of history.

“We appreciate that Judge Biggs did the right thing in this case,” Taylor said.

“We appreciate that Judge Webster did the right thing in this case, and we hope that judges continue to do the right thing in the future.”

The lawyers for the city declined to comment on the Judge Biggs’ ruling.

As the group outside began to pack up, Mary Smith yelled one final chant before she and George walked away, hand in hand.

“What’s his name?,” she yelled.

“Marcus Smith,” the group answered.

OPINION

THE RETURN OF THE TRIAD’S BEST DINING GUIDE

EDITORIAL

A warning from the late-stage pandemic

H

ello? Hello there? Hey! Yes, May, unvaccinated Americans made up you! The ones who forgot 99 percent of COVID-19 related hospitheir masks, stopped using talizations and deaths. hand-sanitizer, started hugThis high un-vaccination rate remains, ging people again or maybe French-kisseven after the governor declared a $1 ing strangers on the street — whatever: million lottery for everyone who gets it. we don’t tell people how to party.

The first of four winners was declared We know that you know the deadly, today: Shelly Wyramon, a teacher from global COVID-19 pandemic has taken a Winston-Salem. turn, mostly for the better, as more and It’s troubling because: Why would more Americans become vaccinated, you not get a life-saving vaccine after a leaving fewer and fewer to just act like deadly pandemic? Yes, there are legitithey’re vaccinated, perhaps even going so mate, health-related reasons not to get far as to score one of any of the vaccine, those fake vaccinabut the notion tion cards. But the that all 48 percent In May, unvaccinated of unvaccinated coronavirus itself does not actually North Carolinians Americans made check paperwork, legitimately suffer so carrying bogus from one or more of up 99 percent of vax docs is a little them is statistically like cheating on an improbable.

COVID-19 related eye exam: You have This is also behospitalizations and perfect eyesight, cause variants form but you can’t see in these pockets of deaths. anything. the unprotected, But yes, vaccinawhich is how we got tions have drastically the Delta Variant. It’s reduced transmission in North Carolina. a persistent new strain, more contagious Active-case numbers have been dropping than the ones that came before and steadily since the vaccines were introwhich can thwart the Johnson & Johnson duced in the early spring. But even now, vaccine, according to data from Delta as mass-vaccination sites are shutting outbreaks in the United Kingdom. down due to lack of willing arms, just 52 And we cannot forget that the US is in percent of adults in the Old North State far better shape than most of the rest of are fully vaccinated. That’s just 42 percent the world, where the Delta Variant, which of the entire population, several pie-slices originated in India, has caused widespread short of the figure where herd immunity outbreaks in Europe, Africa and even becomes a factor in our survival.

Australia, which is in lockdown again after Shorthand: About a third of the people months without restrictions. in the bar have probably not been vacThis is all to say that, no matter how cinated. much we all want it to be, this pandemic is Here’s another, more exact statistic: In not over. How it ends is entirely up to us.

JULY 1-7, 2021 | OPINION

FOOD+DRINK

To get in front of the hungriest readers in the Triad, contact Drew. drew@triad-city-beat.com

Claytoonz

by Clay Jones

claytoonz.com

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CULTURE | JULY 1-7, 2021

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Culture

by Sayaka Matsuoka

B

Former Mozzarella Fella aims to be the vegan king of the Triad Brian Ricciardi is taking customers on a vegan food journey with his new restaurants

rian Ricciardi is a hard guy to nail down.

He’s always on the move these days between his two restaurants in Winston-Salem and Greensboro. And he likes it that way.

Ricciardi is one of the original owners of Mozzarella Fellas in Winston-Salem, the homey Italian outfit that gained a following after its opening in April 2016.

Over the years, Ricciardi experimented with the menu, increasingly adding plant-based options and eventually turning the whole venture into a vegan restaurant, now called Dom’s.

Located on Spruce Street on the outskirts of downtown, drivers would likely miss Dom’s unless they had the exact address. Outside of the standalone brick building, a misleading sign still reads “Spruce Street Garden.” But inside, the walls have been painted black and a new neon sign signifies that you’re in the right place. Plus, the menu’s all plantbased.

Both of Ricciardi’s restaurants — Dom’s in Winston-Salem and the soonto-be-open Radici in Greensboro — are the only fully-vegan full-service restaurants in the Triad.

For the longest time, Greensboro had Boba House on Tate Street as its sole vegetarian, but not fully vegan, option.

In recent years, the addition of Mike’s Vegan Cookout food truck and the Well Café have increased variety, but Dom’s and Radici will be the first two straightup vegan restaurants that the cities can call their own.

“I was vegan for a year going into Mozzarella Fellas, so it was a growing passion of mine because I was new into it,” says Ricciardi. “Back then things were rough, especially around here.

There were no options and at that point I wasn’t even thinking of it as a need, it was more like I just want to be able to eat while I’m working.”

Ricciardi says he started eating vegan around May 2015 when he tried his aunt’s food at one of her vegan popups in Brooklyn. She challenged him to stick with the diet for a month and he never went back.

“That’s how we started growing the menu,” he says. “I’ve always been about trying to provide the community with what it needs rather than what it already has. That’s one thing that really bothers me is seeing the same thing over

COURTESY PHOTO

The Korean BBQ cauliflower wings are a customer favorite at Dom’s.

and over again. We’re just offering something different.”

When he closed Mozzarella Fellas last year, Ricciardi says At Dom’s, the homestyle cooking known to fans of Mozhe was ready to be done with the food industry, but then he zarella Fellas acts as a through-line on the menu. Named for found the storefront for Radici in Greensboro and the location his great-grandfather Dominic, the restaurant boasts a variety for Dom’s in Winston-Salem. He felt compelled to continue, of burgers, pasta and fried cauliflower plates that tempt even this time on his own terms. those whose palettes have become accustomed to eating “I just felt like I couldn’t pass it up,” he says. meat, with their flavorful design and convincing alternatives.

In Greensboro, Ricciardi is busy opening Radici, which means The Korean BBQ cauliflower is a particular customer favorite. “roots” in Italian in a storefront just a few paces down from However, in traditional Ricciardi fashion, he says customers Crafted on Elm Street. This location, too, will be fully vegan, shouldn’t get too attached to any single dish. but Ricciardi says he envisions his second location being more “Ideally, we should be changing seasonally,” he says. “If “upscale” and focused on smaller plates. we’re not, it doesn’t make sense. We’re a plant-based restau“It’s going to be more vegetable focused,” he says. “It will be rant.” about highlighting the vegetables, not doing Back when he started changing the menu mock meats.”

Dom’s is located at at Mozzarella Fellas, he says he got grief from He says it makes business sense to do two 134 N. Spruce Street in customers who had been going for years, different concepts so that customers will ordering the same thing. But the whims with be willing to travel to both cities to try each Winston-Salem. which Ricciardi changes up his businesses is His hope is to officially open Radici Radici will be located at restaurant. part of his charm, he argues. some time in July.

214 S. Elm Street in “I don’t draw hard lines at all in life,” he And as customers visit Dom’s and eagerly says. “I feel like that’s a dangerous thing…. await the opening of its sister restaurant in Greensboro.

It’s fun for us to constantly be doing different Greensboro, Ricciardi urges them to be patient things. I could also see where we will have a with him and to accept if he makes changes. few staples, but we’ll always be diverse with it, and we’ll make “At the end of the day, I change with the weather,” he says. sure there’s something on there that you’ll fall in love with all “That’s why I change things so often, so people are just on over again.” the journey with me. As frustrating as I know it can be, I want people to understand that I’m giving it my all.”

Culture

A

Black and out: Annual Pride cookout returns to Winston-Salem

gainst the backdrop of Beyoncé, Cardi B. and Rihanna, the annual Pride Cookout kicked off its 10th celebration in Winston-Salem this past weekend. The event is meant to hold up Black queer and trans community members, though anyone is welcome to attend.

Organizers cancelled the event last year due to COVID-19, but Ky-sha Duncan said that makes this year even more special.

“This is the only time we have it,” she said as her cohort set up drinks and supplies behind her. “It’s Pride month in June, of course. But this is the only time we actually get together, and it’s important for the Black community to have an event like this.”

Across the country, organizers have put together more and more events to celebrate the Black queer and trans community, from Oakland and Seattle to Washington, DC. Some of these events have gone on for years, like the cookout, while others are brand new.

The first Pride, in fact, began with the Stonewall Riots and is largely credited to two women of color: Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera.

The cookout, which took place at Bolton Park, had ordinary picnic tables turned into celebratory symbols with rainbow tablecloths. The hosts wore matching 2021 Pride Cookout T-shirts with their names on the back; dozens of attendees carried rainbow flags. At least one attendee sported rainbow slippers, NICOLE ZELNIKER while one organizer wore a rainbow mask.

The predominantly Black annual Pride cookout returned last week and signified the importance of being able to gather with community.

Along with a DJ and free food, cookout organizers hosted games like cornwere still able to host virtual celebrations. Since March 2020, bisexual and 5 percent of Black people according to Gallup. hole. Vendors, including Drip King and Black Americans have been dying at 1.4 times the rate of white “It is still prevalent in our community, particularly in the Ms. G’s Creations, brought merchandise.

Americans due to the pandemic.

African American community,” said Hayes of HIV and AIDS. “We have to support each other,” said Roger Hayes of ReNewal Fellowship “We still see high numbers. Now coming out of a pandemic, Tori Griffin, otherUnited Church of Christ represented AIDS we still have another pandemic. It is the first pandemic if you wise known as Ms. Healthcare Foundation, the largest HIV would, and we’re just trying to make sure we keep that focus G, a vendor who was and AIDS healthcare organization in the in the community.” showcasing her handworld, which is currently promoting their Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines, who attended the made gift baskets at Share American Vaccines Everywhere (SAVE) event, noted that this was one of many events to come back the event. “We’re a campaign. after last year, when Winston-Salem had mask mandates and family. We haven’t “We’re really focusing on that right now,” capacity requirements. been out in a while, so said Hayes.

“And we’re just glad to be out “Everybody’s remembering how to do these things since we it’s very important to - Ky-sha Duncan, organizer here supporting the community.” had the limitations last year,” he said. “The more we can come get together when we Even today, HIV and AIDS disproportiontogether as a community and support all aspects of our comcan, especially during ately impact queer communities, especially munity we’ll be in a much better place.”

Pride month, so we can support each Black queer communities.

In 2018, Black gay and bisexual men From late afternoon until sundown, community members other.” made up 26 percent of all new HIV diagnosis according to laughed and talked together, danced to pop music courtesy The majority of cities across the the CDC, despite being a much smaller percent of the United of DJ Robin and enjoyed free food. And while Pride month country cancelled their Pride events last States population. will not come around again until June 2022, the event was a year due to the pandemic, though many That same year, 3.9 percent of men identified as gay or reminder that community exists all year long.

JULY 1-7, 2021 | CULTURE

by Nicole Zeniker

‘it’s important for the black community to have an event like this.’

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SHOT IN THE TRIAD | JULY 1-7, 2021

SHOT IN THE TRIAD

East Green Drive, High Point

CAROLYN DE BERRY

The No Justice, No Peace March in High Point on June 26 for Fred Cox — attended by more than 100 supporters — featured civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Rev. Greg Drumwright and families of Black men who have been killed by police.

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CROSSWORD

1 “25” singer 6 “No thanks” 11 “Awesome!” (and the letters seen on the outside of each theme answer) 14 Cartoon cat with a “bag of tricks” 15 “Same here” 16 Fight of the Century participant 17 They’re coming to save the day 19 Downside 20 Announcer Hall 21 Hardly sympathetic 23 Noble partner?

26 “A ... crawly thing!”

27 Fivesome on a clock face 28 Gathered 30 “Semper Paratus” org. © 2021 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) 32 Cereal box activity, maybe 33 Easy two-pointers 36 Tire filler 39 “Carmen” composer 41 “La ___” (Debussy opus) 42 “Gandhi” character 44 “Angry Anymore” singer DiFranco 45 “The Wizard of Oz” setting 48 Illuminating gas 49 Financial subj.

51 ___ souchong tea Answers from last issue 53 Get hold of 55 Come up short 18 Automotive disaster of the 1950s 58 “Sir, this is a ___” 22 Sinbad’s giant egg-layer (fast food-based meme response) 23 “La ___” (Ritchie Valens hit) 59 Rookie 24 At full speed, on the sea 61 It gets spilled, so to speak 25 What “Dolittle” won in the category of Worst 62 Singer Rita Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel, in 2021 63 Colorful final track in most Mario Kart games 29 2017 Kendrick Lamar album 68 Make a dent in 31 Taxpayer’s no.

69 Kemper who plays Kimmy Schmidt 34 Positive feedback 70 Avoid skillfully 35 Mountain range separating Europe and Asia 71 Button on some flip phones 37 O. Henry’s specialty 72 “Black Velvet” singer Alannah ___ 38 Ladder parts 73 Suffix with poly 40 Ring decision 43 Gets tangled up Down 46 Deviation 1 2nd-largest continent, for short 47 Handled, as a matter 2 River in Scotland that sounds like a letter 50 “Hockey Night in Canada” broadcaster 3 See 57-Down 52 TV “Playhouse” name 4 Franchise operator 53 Lawn figurine 5 Gives off 54 Put on TV again 6 Proofs of age 56 Brecht’s “Threepenny Opera” collaborator 7 Raise, as curiosity 57 With 3-Down, golf legend from South Africa 8 Carry ___ 60 City NNW of Provo 9 Compare 64 Wanna-___ (copycats) 10 Vending machine drink 65 On vacation 11 Leaving competitors in the dust 66 Sports drink suffix 12 Privately 67 “Dawson’s Creek” actor James Van ___ Beek 13 Fender flaws

SUDOKU

If you read

then you know...

• Which Aggies are going to the Olympics.

JULY 1-7, 2021 | PUZZLES

Across

‘Pretty Cool’—from the outside.

by Matt Jones

• Where to get vegan

Chinese food.

• Where to find coffee on a bike. ©2021 Jonesin’ Crosswords

Triad City Beat — If you know, you know

(editor@jonesincrosswords.com)

To get in front of the best readers in the Triad, contact Chris or Drew

Answers from previous publication.

chris@triad-city-beat.com drew@triad-city-beat.com

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