TCB Aug. 8, 2024 by Triad City Beat

Salary Guide 2024

CITY LIFE

THURSDAY

Into Shakespeare’s Woods or What the Puck is Happening? @ Greensboro Arboretum (GSO) 6 p.m.

Creative Greensboro will present Into Shakespeare’s Woods or What the Puck is Happening, a compilation of some of Shakespeare’s outdoor and forest scenes with the entire evening hosted by Puck. Performances are free but donations are accepted. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

Alice by the Heart @ Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance (W-S) 7:30 p.m.

Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance and Rising sTArs, a program that provides young performers aged 15-20 a challenging theatrical experience, is hosting Alice by the

AUGUST 8 - 10

Heart, an indie-folk musical inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Purchase tickets at theatrealliance.ws/ box_office

FRIDAY

Painted Piano Festival: Year of the Voice @ Downtown (Thomasville) 6 p.m.

The Painted Piano Festival is a celebration of music, art and community where pianists will play a variety of genres on painted pianos along Main Street. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

All the Love with Casey McQuiston @ Hanesbrands Theatre (W-S) 6:30 p.m.

Scan the QR code to find more events at triad-citybeat.com/local-events

Siren Series Jazz @ The Continental Club (GSO) 8 p.m.

As a lead up to the John Coltrane International Jazz Festival, Siren Series Jazz is hosting a show where they will perform jazzy renditions of their favorite tunes. More information on Facebook

SATURDAY

Medicine in the Historical Park @ High Point Museum (HP) 10 a.m.

If you’re curious about medicine in the 1800s, stop by the Hoggatt House to learn about the four humors of the body, homemade remedies and popular medicines used for typical ailments. Free. Visit Facebook for more information. 8

Bookmarks is hosting New York Times bestselling author Casey McQuiston for a conversation about their new book “The Pairing.” Read more about the book and register at bookmarksnc.org/CaseyMcQuiston

AUGUST

11 - 17

Bloom & Sip: A Self-Care

Soiree @ Fiber Space (GSO)

2 p.m.

Fiber Space invites you to indulge in an afternoon of relaxation and rejuvenation as you enjoy delicious beverages and create beautiful floral arrangements, offering a perfect blend of creativity and self-care. Purchase tickets at workatfiberspace.com

Kaleideum After Dark: Beerology @ Kaleideum (W-S) 6:30 p.m.

Discover the science of beer with Radar Brewing Company, and try a little too. You can also make your own bottle opener in the Try It! Studio. There will be a DJ, cash bar, a food truck and more to enjoy without kids! Get tickets at kaleideum. org/kaleideum-after-dark

JuggHeads for their 2025 pet calendar release party. If you ordered one, pick it up here, and if you didn’t, you’ll be able to purchase one. You can also get it paw print stamped by one of the calendar winners. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

Climb by Nicole Uzzel

Exhibit Opening @ West Salem Art Hotel (W-S) 6 p.m.

This art exhibit is inspired by ladders and the heights they take us. Uzzel says “Ladders literally give us a lift and this work gave me a creative lift. The results are deep-seated in play, material exploration and allowing the natural qualities of the fibers to shape the ladder forms.”

11 16

SUNDAY

Disney’s Beauty & the Beast Jr. @ Centennial Station Arts Center (HP) 2 p.m.

High Point Community Theatre is putting on a production of Disney’s Beauty & the Beast Jr., an adaptation based on the original Broadway production and the Academy Award-winning motion picture. Purchase tickets at highpointtheatre. com

MONDAY

The Man Who Knew Too Much @ Carolina Theatre (GSO) 7 p.m.

FRIDAY

Brews and Bites @ Paddled South Brewing Co. (HP) 6 p.m.

Paddled and Tabitha Robinson are hosting Brews and Bites with a menu including lemon orzo salad balsamic bruschetta italian pinwheels cannoli cups. More information on Facebook

Art Crush @ Downtown Arts District (W-S) 7 p.m.

12 17

As part of its Summer Film Fest, the Carolina Theatre is screening The Man Who Knew Too Much, a thriller/mystery that follows a couple who must find a way to get their child back after the family becomes tangled in an assassination plot, and the son is abducted to keep the plot a secret. Buy tickets at carolinatheatre. com

THURSDAY

Pet Calendar Release

Party @ JuggHeads Growlers & Pints (W-S) 5 p.m.

Join the Forsyth Humane Society at

Alison Brown Quintet

+ Wayne Henderson & Friends Aug. 24

Art Crush, a free night of creative expression, exploration and celebration, is held on the third Friday of each month featuring some of the city’s visual artists and performers. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

SATURDAY

Doggos Pool Pawty

Luau @ Doggos Dog Park & Pub (GSO) 4 p.m.

Doggos is hosting a luau featuring member-only food specials featuring a pulled pork sandwich bar and Hawaiian shaved ice. View the house rules at doggosparkandpub.com

— Tonalmitzin Guzmán Pérez, pg. 15

OPINION

EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

Should we have kids?

by Sayaka Matsuoka

Should we have kids?

If we don’t, won’t we be lonely when we’re older?

But what about the cost? Both the physical and monetary? What about the emotional? They say it’s all worth it in the end, that it’s an indescribable experience, that they don’t regret it.

But I’m scared. What about my free time? My hobbies? My career? My passions? My wants? My desires?

What about sleep? I love to sleep. Is it selfish to not want kids? Is it selfish to want them?

What if I’m not good at it? What if I lash

out? What if I’m not patient enough? Kind enough? Gentle enough?

What if I don’t want to?

Will we regret it?

Will we regret not having them?

I don’t know.

But what about climate change? What about tuition? What about health care? What about democracy?

But if we don’t, who will carry on the torch of our knowledge? Our idiosyncrasies? Our values? Our culture?

Does that matter?

Will I be remembered?

Will I be forgotten?

Does that matter?

I don’t know.

Brian Clarey brian@triad-city-beat.com

PUBLISHER EMERITUS

Allen Broach

allen@triad-city-beat.com OF COUNSEL

Jonathan Jones

Sayaka Matsuoka

sayaka@triad-city-beat.com

CITYBEAT REPORTER

Gale Melcher

gale@triad-city-beat.com

Chris Rudd chris@triad-city-beat.com AD MANAGER Heather Schutz

heather@triad-city-beat.com

TCBTIX

Nathaniel Thomas nathaniel@triad-city-beat.com CONTRIBUTORS

Carolyn de Berry, John Cole, Owens Daniels, James Douglas, Michelle Everette, Luis H. Garay, Destiniee Jaram, Kaitlynn Havens, Jordan Howse, Matt Jones, Autumn Karen, Michaela Ratliff, Jen Sorensen, Todd Turner

Sam LeBlanc

Aiden Siobhan aiden@triad-city-beat.com

COVER: Design by Aiden Siobhan

Campbell means Business

Master of Business Administration [ MBA]

n Options to focus on Entrepreneurship, Financial Services, Global Business, and Risk Management

n Flexible 37-hour program that can be completed in 1 year

n Raleigh Founded co-working space for networking with entrepreneurs

Master of Accountancy [ MAcc]

n Enhanced curriculum that aligns with CPA Exam evolution

n Flexible 30-hour program that can be completed in 1 year

n Concentration options (7 core + 3 electives)

Master of Trust & Wealth Management [ MTWM ]

n Nation’s only graduate program in Trust & Wealth Management

n 95% placement rate nationwide

n Graduates are eligible to sit for the CFP Exam

n National alumni network provides extensive networking opportunities

YOUR CAREER, YOUR CALLING. Campbell University invests in each student. We prepare each one to make a life, to make a living, and to make a difference. Our students are welcomed into an inclusive community of family, and mentored to become leaders who will impact the world. Inspired by our faith and belief in the power of education, we encourage each student to grow academically, spiritually and socially through the world of opportunities that surround them. Go beyond the expected. Learn more at: business.campbell.edu/graduate-programs

campbell.edu

The 2024 Salary Guide

How much do city officials and employees make

Triad?

by Gale Melcher | gale@triad-city-beat.com

Your guide to city workers’ salaries in Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point is here.

After cities passed budgets in June — $658.9 million for Winston-Salem, $802 million for Greensboro and $518 million for High Point — we compiled a list of salaries for city employees across the Triad thanks to public records requests and data from each municipality. These do not include the salaries of employees who work at the county level. Salaries are listed in descending order from greatest to least. This year, the minimum wage for city workers in Winston-Salem was raised to $18 per hour; in Greensboro it’s $18.75, and in High Point the lowest pay grade rate is $15.76 per hour.

Legal

• City Attorney Charles “Chuck” Watts, Greensboro — $280,452

For the first time in years, Matt Brown, Greensboro Coliseum director since 1994, is no longer the highest-paid city employee in the Triad. Brown made $418,615 last year and retired in July, which means we have to make some more original jokes now after years of enjoying the running gag. The Greensboro Coliseum Complex, as well as the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, is now managed for the city by Oak View Group, per the city council’s March decision.

To see the salaries from years’ past, go to our website

Executive

• City Manager William “Pat” Pate, Winston-Salem — $285,000

• Pate has been city manager since November 2023.

• City Manager Tasha Logan Ford, High Point — $263,294

• Ford has been city manager since July 2021

• Interim City Manager Chris Wilson, Greensboro — $216,180

• Wilson has been interim city manager since March 2024.

• Assistant City Manager Ben Rowe, Winston-Salem —$206,071

• Rowe has been an ACM since December 2013

• Deputy City Manager Greg Ferguson, High Point — $199,459

• Ferguson has been deputy city manager since January 2022

• Assistant City Manager Larry Davis, Greensboro — $195,013

• Davis has been an ACM since July 2019

• Assistant City Manager Nathaniel “Trey” Davis, Greensboro — $195,013

• Davis has been an ACM since June 2019

• Assistant City Manager Nasha McCray, Greensboro — $193,004

• McCray has been an ACM since July 2022

• Assistant City Manager Aaron King, Winston-Salem — $191,338

• King has been an ACM since November 2021

• Assistant City Manager Eric Olmedo, High Point — $182,124

• Olmedo has been and ACM since October 2019

• Assistant City Manager Damon Dequenne, High Point — $172,352

• Dequenne has been an ACM since June 2022

• City Attorney Angela Carmon, Winston-Salem — $251,360

• Chief Deputy City Attorney Anthony Baker, Greensboro — $200,268

• City Attorney Meghan Maguire, High Point — $196,100

• Deputy City Attorney Anargiros “Jerry” Kontos, Winston-Salem — $183,401

• Police Attorney Brian Beasley, High Point — $138,016

Budget

• Budget and Performance Management Director Scott Tesh, Winston-Salem — $161,129

• Budget and Evaluation Director Jon Decker, Greensboro — $142,939

• Budget and Performance Director Stephen Hawryluk, High Point — $130,663

Finance

• Finance Director Marlene Druga, Greensboro — $177,771

• Chief Financial Officer Kelly Latham, Winston Salem — $174,894

• Financial Services Director Bobby Fitzjohn, High Point — $168,199

Legislative

• City Clerk Angela Lord, Greensboro — $131,092

• City Clerk Sandra Keeney, High Point — $90,099

• City Clerk Jayme Waldeck-Cranfill, Winston-Salem — $81,053

• Deputy City Clerk Victoria Howell, Greensboro — $65,322

• Deputy City Clerk Alison Glynn, High Point — $63,999

• Deputy City Clerk Tatiana Banner, Winston-Salem — $58,890

Elected officials

• Mayor Nancy Vaughan, Greensboro — $33,722

• Mayor Pro Tempore Denise D. Adams, Winston-Salem — $28,190 (plus $9,000 for expense and car allowances)

• Council members Barbara Hanes Burke, Annette Scippio, James Taylor, Jr.,

John Larson, Kevin Mundy, Robert C. Clark and Jeff MacIntosh, WinstonSalem — $28,190 (plus $9,000 for expense and car allowances)

• Mayor Cyril Jefferson, High Point — $26,649

• Mayor Pro Tempore Yvonne Johnson, Greensboro — $26,805

• Council member Goldie Wells, Greensboro — $26,042

• Council member Nancy Hoffmann, Greensboro — $26,042

• Council member Marikay Abuzuaiter, Greensboro — $26,042

• Council member Sharon Hightower, Greensboro — $26,042

• Council member Hugh Holston, Greensboro — $25,803

• Council member Zack Matheny, Greensboro — $25,686

• Council member Tammi Thurm, Greensboro — $25,075

• Council members Britt Moore, Amanda Cook, Vickie McKiver, Tyrone Johnson, Patrick Harman, Tim Andrew, Monica Peters, and Michael Holmes, High Point — $20,307

• Mayor Allen Joines, Winston-Salem — $8,400 according to city payroll documents. The city’s budget outlines a $35,310 salary, $8,400 expense allowance and $3,900 optional car allowance for Joines. However, according to the city’s Budget Director Scott Tesh, Joines does not take it and usually gives it back to the community agencies throughout the city.

Police

• Police Chief John Thompson, Greensboro — $243,963

• Thompson has been GPD’s police chief since 2022 and has served with the department since 2012. Thompson was an assistant police chief from 2020-22.

• Assistant Police Chief Wilson Weaver, WinstonSalem — $210,131

• Weaver has been with the department since 1984.

• Police Chief William Penn, Winston-Salem — $186,374

• Penn has been WSPD’s police chief since 2023 and has served with the department since 1997. Penn was an assistant police chief from 2019-23.

• Assistant Police Chief Doug Tabler, Greensboro — $167,475

• Police Chief Curtis Cheeks, High Point — $152,000

• Cheeks became the new police chief in July after former Police Chief Travis Stroud retired last year.

• Assistant Police Chief Jose “Manny” Gomez, Winston-Salem — $149,123

• Assistant Police Chief Richard Newnum, Winston-Salem — $141,773

• Assistant Police Chief Stephanie Mardis, Greensboro — $139,647

• Assistant Police Chief Rick Alston, Greensboro — $139,647

• Assistant Police Chief MJ Harris, Greensboro — $139,647

• Assistant Police Chief Katie Allen, Winston-Salem — $136,430

• Assistant Police Chief Cory Kramer, High Point — $115,003

• Assistant Police Chief Matthew Truitt, High Point — $111,363

• Assistant Police Chief Rachel Juren, High Point — $110,524

• Assistant Police Chief Daniel Griffiths, High Point — $110,092

• GPD Public Safety Research Scientist Josie Cambareri-Wolfe, Greensboro — $101,153

Starting pay for police officers

• Greensboro: $55,000

• Winston-Salem: $52,500

• High Point: $49,325

Fire

• Fire Chief Jim Robinson, Greensboro — $216,347

• Fire Chief William “Trey” Mayo, Winston-Salem — $199,570

• Interim Fire Chief Brian Evans, High Point — $165,314

Starting pay for firefighters

• Greensboro: $47,812 — hasn’t risen in the last year, per the city’s website

• Winston-Salem: Varies between around $40,000-$46,000 — starting pay rose by around $2,000 since last year

• Firefighter Trainee: $40,447-$44,491

• Certified Firefighter Salary: $41,469-$46,716

• High Point: $44,736 — rose by around $8,000 since last year

Winston-Salem’s Community Assistance Liaisons

Each ward has an assigned liaison who addresses concerns on behalf of the ward’s council member. Liaisons organize and coordinate special events and community meetings on behalf of council members to “engage residents and seek feedback on community issues.”

City Manager Lee Garrity established the Office of Community Assistance in 2007. The office “facilitates the resolution of complaints, receives suggestions and requests from city residents and assists them in navigating city government.”

• Vernetta DeVane, South Ward — $105,042

• Jennifer Chrysson, Southwest Ward — $89,575

• Yolanda Gilliam-Taylor, Southeast Ward — $81,079

• Zina Johnson, North Ward — $76,986

• Sabrina Stowe, East Ward — $69,264

• Breasia Wynn, Northwest and West Wards — $62,505

• Tamra Bradshaw-Sheller, Northeast Ward — $59,717

Greensboro’s Office of Community Safety

This office focuses on collaboration and cooperation between city leadership, the Greensboro Police Department and the community to enhance public safety.

• OCS Manager Latisha McNeil — $125,000

• BHRT Team Lead Erin Williams — $88,579

• BHRT Team Member Dewey Mullis — $74,752

• Violence Prevention Coordinator Arthur Durham — $72,740

• BHRT Team Member Ebony Pittman — $70,230

• BHRT Team Member Quentin Ealey — $70,042

• BHRT Team Member Kristina Giordano — $70,042

• BHRT Team Member Jamaral Rease — $66,582

• BHRT Team Member Keshia Barksdale — $64,245

• BHRT Team Member David Fuller — $64,245

• LEADS coordinator Mary Houser — $63,018

Winston-Salem’s Behavioral Evaluation and Response (BEAR) Team

The BEAR Team is housed within the fire department and helps people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. The team began answering calls in 2023.

• BEAR Team Director Kristin Ryan — $86,913

• BEAR Team Crisis Counselor Victoria Williams — $63,528

• BEAR Team Crisis Counselor Maiya Phillips — $63,266

• BEAR Team Crisis Counselor Jeffery Banks — $59,048

• BEAR Team Crisis Counselor William Hollis — $55,038

• BEAR Team Crisis Counselor Jasmine Long — $53,733

Utilities

• Utilities Director Courtney Driver, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County — $180,339

• Electric Utilities Director Tyler Berrier, High Point — $175,071

• Water Resources Director Mike Borchers, Greensboro — $173,232

• Director of Field Operations (Stormwater, Erosion Control, Streets and Drainage Maintenance) Keith Huff, Winston Salem — $146,339

Street Maintenance

• Street Maintenance Manager Nathanael Moore, Greensboro — $109,301

• Street Maintenance Supervisor Tim Dees, High Point — $63,333

• Streets Supervisors Daniel Sprinkle and Johnnie Smith, Winston-Salem — $58,350

Sanitation

• Field Operations Director Griffin Hatchell, Greensboro— $156,000

• Sanitation Director Charlie Dulin, Winston-Salem — $124,402

• Deputy Sanitation Director Johnita Campbell, Winston-Salem — $88,413

• In Greensboro, solid waste operators in the solid waste and recycling department make between $40,173-$45,189.

• In High Point, sanitation workers make $34,051-$40,740 annually.

• In Winston-Salem, sanitation laborers make between $32,136-$34,390.

Planning

• Planning Director Sue Schwartz, Greensboro — $173,232

• Planning Director Chris Murphy, Winston-Salem —$144,680

• Planning Director Sushil Nepal, High Point — $136,553

Housing and Neighborhood Development

• Director of Housing and Neighborhood Development Michelle Kennedy, Greensboro — $151,638

• Neighborhood Services Director Shantell McClam, Winston-Salem — $141,644

• Community Development & Housing Director Thanena Wilson, High Point — $137,090

• Housing Program Manager Shereka Floyd, Winston-Salem — $90,175

Sustainability/Environmental Services

• Chief Sustainability Officer Shameka Dorestant, Greensboro — $116,641

• Recycling Program Administrator Derek Owens, Winston-Salem — $76,477

• Energy Management Coordinator Lindsey Smith, Winston-Salem — $70,790

• Food Resilience Program Manager Moriah Gendy, Winston-Salem — $70,991

• Beautification Supervisor Rebecca Coplin, High Point — $66,071

• Keep Winston-Salem Beautiful Coordinator Nancy Szabat, Winston-Salem — $56,439

Transportation

• Transportation Director Hanna Cockburn, Greensboro — $173,232

• Transportation Director Greg Venable, High Point — $133,723

• Transportation Director Jeff Fansler, WinstonSalem — $128,865

Engineering and Inspections

• Engineering & Inspections Director Kenney McDowell, Greensboro — $185,287

• City Engineer Wesley Kimbrell, Winston-Salem — $132,128

Libraries

• Library Director Brigitte Blanton, Greensboro — $173,232

• Library Director Mary Sizemore, High Point — $147,582

• Note: Libraries in Winston-Salem are operated by the county.

Information Technology

• Chief Information Officer Tom Kureczka, Winston-Salem — $185,133

• Chief Information Officer Rodney Roberts, Greensboro — $162,106

• IT Services Director Adam Ward, High Point — $153,649

Public Information

• WSPD Public Information Officer Annie Sims, Winston-Salem — $85,000

• GPD Public Information Coordinator Patrick DeSota, Greensboro — $67,495

• Police Communication Specialist Victoria Ruvio, High Point — $64,284

• PIRT Administrator Kurt Brenneman, Greensboro — $62,377

Parks and Recreation

• Parks and Recreation Director Phillip Fleischmann, Greensboro — $159,050

• Parks and Recreation Director Lee Tillery, High Point — $151,072

• Parks and Recreation Director William Royston, Winston-Salem — $129,225

• Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Kobe Riley, Greensboro — $128,608

• Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Leah Friend, Winston-Salem — $96,315

Emergency Services

• Guilford Metro 911 Director Melanie Jones, Greensboro, High Point — $173,232

• Emergency Management Director August Vernon, Winston-Salem — $117,491

• High Point 911 Telecommunications Manager Kyle Thaggard, High Point — $96,566

• High Point 911 Telecommunications Supervisors Devin Fennelly, Joseph Meservey, Kaleigh Reddick and Christopher Downey, High Point — $74,493$78,551

Human Relations

• Human Relations/Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director Wanda Allen-Abraha, Winston-Salem — $170,457

• Human Rights Director Love Jones, Greensboro — $140,095

• Human Relations/DEI Assistant Director Ronnie Christian, Winston-Salem — $99,967

• Human Relations Manager Rase McCray, High Point — $84,123

• Community Relations Specialist Danice Taylor, High Point — $47,172

Human Resources

• Human Resources Director Marquis Barnett, Winston-Salem — $175,931

• Human Resources Director Angela Kirkwood, High Point — $170,445

• People & Culture Director Jamiah Waterman, Greensboro — $166,458

Purchasing

• Procurement Services Director Angie Waters, Greensboro — $107,342

• Purchasing Manager Candy Harmon, High Point — $90,201

• Purchasing Director Darren Redfield, Winston-Salem — $88,379

• Senior Buyer Tawanna Gates, Winston-Salem — $72,132

Museums

• Greensboro History Museum Director Carol Hart, Greensboro — $106,656

• Museum Director Edith Brady, High Point — $82,998

Marketing and Communications

• Communications & Public Engagement Managing Director Jeron Hollis, High Point — $158,071

• Director of Communications and Marketing of Carla Banks, Greensboro — $148,909

• Director of Marketing and Communications Veronique George, Winston-Salem — $128,280

• Marketing Manager Ryan Ferguson, High Point — $106,184

• Senior Community Educator Tabetha Childress, Winston-Salem — $84,765

• Senior Communications Specialist Amanda Lehmert, Greensboro — $72,044

• Senior Community Educator Theresa Knops, Winston-Salem — $53,032

• Senior Community Educator Lillian Craven, Winston-Salem — $50,218

A NEWS After period of uncertainty, Greensboro’s Interactive Resource Center secures funding from the city for the next six months

by Gale Melcher | gale@triad-city-beat.com

On Aug. 5, after a tumultuous few weeks, the Interactive Resource Center in Greensboro finally received the funding it needed to continue offering services to people experiencing homelessness. City council voted 9-0 to grant the organization $463,000, which will help fund services for the next six months.

In an interview with TCB after the Aug. 5 city council meeting, Housing and Neighborhood Development Director Michelle Kennedy explained that the funding will “essentially pay for 200 days, in combination with the county funding that’s already in place.”

According to Kennedy, the city has set aside $2.1 million for homelessness prevention for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Most of the total anticipated funding — $821,000 — that the IRC will receive from the city for this fiscal year, which began on July 1, comes from that pot of money, Kennedy explained, while $155,300 comes from a federal Housing and Urban Development grant.

However, in order to receive the full amount, the center must meet certain conditions — including addressing trash issues and meeting with community leaders — that were outlined in a 30, 60 and 90 day plan

The center will also be looking for funding from the county, which is crucial, according to the IRC’s executive director, Kristina Singleton. According to her, if they don’t get the funding, the IRC will need to make adjustments to the schedule and services they can provide.

During the July 25 work session, County Commissioner Skip Alston reminded others that the county committed $300,000 last year to help the IRC go 24/7. The IRC has yet to make a formal request for funding to the county as of this year.

“We have not committed anything for this year…I was hoping that we wouldn’t have to do that, and that was a temporary thing,” Alston said, adding that he hoped they could fund other programs to help the unhoused so that the IRC wouldn’t need to operate 24/7.

It’s not in the county’s budget “as far as a promise or commitment,” he said.

The road to securing this funding has been a long one for the center’s leaders.

Previously a day center, the IRC became a 24/7 operation after receiving more than $600,000 last year from the city and county to do so. The move aimed to help serve the growing unhoused population. But the increased hours led to more calls for service and subsequent complaints from locals which resulted in the council delaying funding during a July 16 council meeting.

Advocates of the IRC spoke in favor of the center during the Aug. 5 council meeting, stating the important gap that the organization fills in providing vital services to the unhoused community.

Greensboro NAACP President and IRC board member Kay Brown urged city leaders to think about the harsh realities of cutting funding to the center.

“I used to hear about how people would freeze to death outside because there weren’t enough warming centers, and police having nowhere to take people outside of jail,” Brown said. “We made the decisions on Tanger…We made decisions on the Coliseum…So I’m sure that we can find the continued support and resources for our most vulnerable folks.”

Record numbers of clients results in scaled back services

According to data from the IRC, four-fifths of the people they serve are homeless. The other one-fifth are at risk of becoming homeless. Seventyone percent are Black and 64 percent are adult males, and 100 percent live below the federal poverty line.

In a May 10 email to city leaders, Singleton noted that the IRC has seen “record numbers” of unduplicated guests this year. In April they served 979 individuals — 208 more people than they did in March and 444 more people than they did the same time last year.

According to Singleton, the IRC adheres to a low-barrier approach to giving people services, as well as the belief that people’s “primary need is housing.”

Singleton also said that they advocate for a “whole person” model by trying to have as many services as possible under one roof so that people facing homelessness don’t have to repeatedly relay traumatic experiences to different service providers.

Tax records show that the IRC — previously a day center that was open 35 hours per week — operated on a $1.76 million budget during the 2022-23 fiscal year. Now it’s open 24/7 — except between 3-6:30 p.m. for deep cleaning — which amounts to more than 140 open hours per week.

That led to increased calls for service which concerned local business owners situated around the center.

Between Jan. 1, 2023 and Jan. 16 this year, there were 590 events that required emergency services or police presence at the IRC. But between Jan. 17 — the day the IRC went 24/7 — and May 22 of this year, 642 events occurred.

It’s natural to “expect” that there will be some “issues,” Councilmember Marikay Abuzuaiter said during the July 25 meeting. Any kind of business that grows that fast is “not prepared,” she added.

“I’m not trying to audit your company, that’s not my job here. But I’m trying to see… how can we help? Because the criminal activity has taken over,” Abuzuaiter stated.

The IRC’s drop-in center has showers, laundry services, mail services, phone and electronic charging, medical clinic, mental health clinic, case management, benefits enrollment navigation, transportation assistance and document recovery.

Although the center is not a shelter, they do run a rapid re-housing program, funded by $155,300 from the city and serving 10-12 clients per year. Between 75 and 91 percent of participants remained housed after program enrollment, and 50 percent of participants were likely to become employed during the first year, according to the IRC. They also run the Doorway Project, an annual program that houses people in Pallet shelters during the coldest months of the year. They housed 81 people this past winter season with the 56 beds available. While the first season of the project was met with criticism for lack of resources and a shortened timeline, Singleton said that the project led to higher rates of clients being put in stable housing compared to traditional shelters.

But the variety of services the center provides combined with the increased hours they are open have posed problems and a reduction of services.

In May, IRC leadership announced that they would no longer be able to accept families or serve families during day services. And after the Aug. 5 council meeting, Kennedy told TCB that the center would no longer be offering Safe Parking, a program that offered people living in their vehicles a security-monitored place to sleep at night. It was funded by the city, and officially stopped on July 31. Instead, that funding has been reallocated to increase funding for the drop-in center, according to city documents

Numbers show that the IRC was seeing between seven and 15 individuals using the Safe Parking program per night. Additionally, because the IRC is no longer serving families, any time a family showed up to Safe Parking, they were moved to a hotel-stay program.

“If there’s going to be 24/7 operations, there’s not really a need for Safe Parking because those folks can come inside 24 hours a day,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy said that the Safe Parking program “could certainly be run by another organization,” however, she’s “not sure at this point if it will be revived, or what location and who will be administering” the program.

For now, the center’s leadership is concerned with keeping the services they have in operation and securing funding after the initial six months allocated by the city.

“The past few weeks have highlighted the opportunity for increased partnerships to address the magnitude of need, but the journey isn’t over,” Singleton said in a press release. “Resources like bathrooms, showers, and laundry are the center of everything we do at the IRC, and we will continue to do all we can to offer the most fundamental services to our community.”

EDITORIAL

Real patriots watch the Olympics

by Brian Clarey

If you’ve been tuning into the Olympics this season, then you know it’s been one for the ages so far.

The return of Simone Biles and Sha’Carri Richardson. US Women’s Rugby’s lastsecond win over Australia. Noah Lyles becoming the fastest man alive. Coolass sharpshooters from Turkey and South Korea. Pommel Horse Guy. The dude who could have won the pole vault if he wore underwear. It’s a firehose of noteworthy backstories, dramatic finishes, first times, those beautiful moments that happen on the world stage when humanity is at its best.

to the Olympic opening ceremonies… in Paris, a rather provocative city. And chances are you’ve got it all wrong.

If you’re still upset about Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, then I know you’ve got it all wrong. A right-wing disinformation machine targeted Khelif, who has been boxing competitively as a woman for years, distributing the lie that Khelif was a trans man competing in women’s sports. This was almost immediately debunked with facts troubling to those who insist upon gender as a simple binary: Khelif was born female in a country that does not acknowledge transgenderism; her body naturally makes a lot of testosterone, more than many “men”; and the fact that international press had to do a deep dive on this woman’s particular biology is troubling and weird.

If you’re sitting out the Olympics because they offend you, I urge you to reconsider this position.

You can be forgiven for missing out on all the action if you’re just too busy to engage — like you’re working two jobs or you’ve got kids in day camp or, even worse, on a traveling sports team. But if you’re sitting out the Olympics because they offend you, I urge you to reconsider this position. Forces are at work to turn you against the Olympics; we are not sure why.

Perhaps you were offended by the opening ceremonies, which featured heavy-metal band Gojira pulling some satanic-looking shit on the side of a freakin’ castle, but also a theatrical performance piece that angered many misinformed viewers. It was a staged parody of a bacchanal that harkened, like the Olympics themselves, back to Ancient Greece — but not, technically to the Last Supper.

If this is the case, you should get over yourself. A tiny group of American Christians has no right to dictate terms

Don’t let this lie keep you from enjoying the rest of the games.

This biennial tradition is always a global triumph, existing for spectators on a level somewhat removed from the petty politics of the world. It gives us hope, for our planet and our species. Maybe that’s why they hate it. But they should love it, too.

It’s also a banner year for the United States, with more medals, at 75, than any other nation up to this point and running second in gold only to China. Rooting for your country in the Olympics is the best and perhaps only acceptable form of nationalism, the only time when most of us feel comfortable chanting, “USA! USA!” which the right wing made weird years ago.

Because when one of our athletes takes the top of the podium, we can shout “We’re No. 1,” and it actually means something.

John Cole

Courtesy of NC Policy Watch

CULTURE

Greensboro’s Community Bike Shop empowers newly arrived refugees by offering community, new modes of transportation

by Elise LeSage

Child-sized bikes are rarely donated to Barber Park’s Community Bike Shop but today, the Delawar family is in luck.

After offering the children popsicles — much needed in the July heat — shop volunteer Tonalmitzin Guzmán Pérez wheels out a tiny bike for the family’s youngest. She sets the toddler up with a bright pink helmet and watches as the kids test out their new wheels.

Cooled by pop-up canopies and an industrial fan, volunteers and patrons mingle on the lawn outside the workshop’s brick facade. Some are here to learn about bike repair. Others came to borrow bikes for pleasure rides around Barber Park.

Muzhgan Delawar, who emigrated from Afghanistan just six weeks ago, is here for a different reason: her family needs a means of transportation to get around town.

A car, for now, is out of the question — it would be too pricey, and acquiring an American driver’s license is difficult with her visa. Delawar hopes the Community Bike Shop can help.

Delawar was connected with the Community Bike Shop through the New Arrivals Institute, a non-profit that helps refugees get settled in Greensboro. The Community Bike Shop, known by locals for its free bike library and repair workshops, partners with organizations like NAI to gift bikes to those in need.

“We need a bicycle, especially for my husband and my son so they can bring some food from the supermarket,” she says. “We need a bicycle for the shops, and for my kids so they can play.”

Delawar has four kids between the ages of 3 and 16 all of whom, except her toddler, will start school in the fall. Like many refugees from Afghanistan, her family found themselves in danger when the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

“Nobody can work, nobody can study, nobody can get a job,” says Delawar, a US government employee who was forced into hiding when the Taliban began persecuting women at her workplace.

She refers to her eldest daughter, a 14-year-old who enjoys riding bikes for sport.

“She cannot study,” Delawar explains. “We just counted the days. Which day can we go to America? Which day can we go to America?”

When volunteer Guzmán Pérez first started visiting the Community Bike Shop in 2023, she and her brother were often the only ones using the bike library. Now, she sees an average of 20 cyclists each Sunday. The growth is exciting, but it also puts the pressure on, “to fix bikes faster,” she says.

The shop receives bike donations from Greensboro businesses such as Cycles De Oro and Reconsidered Goods and individuals who are familiar with their mission. While

Muzhgann Delawar and her famnily have become regulars at the shop.

PHOTO BY ELISE LE SAGE

some of these bikes arrive ready to ride, most need significant work.

“We recently received 300 bikes,” says Guzmán Pérez, who has been volunteering for more than a year. “I don’t think it’s a problem, but it is a challenge.”

Guzmán Pérez is a college student from Mexico. Her family immigrated to the Triad three years ago and like the Delawars, they first heard of the Community Bike Shop through the NAI. Her father and brother, both engineers, were eager to help repair broken bikes. Now, her whole family pitches in at the shop every Sunday, either tinkering on or setting up fellow community members with bikes.

Their help is badly needed, Guzmán Pérez says. According to her, around a fifth of the bikes they received were beyond repair.

“We can’t fix them; we just take pieces,” she says. “So we lost 20 percent of bikes we need for people on the wish list.”

The wish list of individuals waiting for bikes — each a member of either the NAI, the North Carolina African Services Coalition, or one of the shop’s other local partners — grows every week. The Community Bike Shop volunteers do their best to keep up with the demand. However, they understand that these bikes will be many recipients’ primary means of transportation, relied on for errands, employment and gigeconomy positions like Uber Eats. As such, the volunteers work hard to ensure that each bike is fully repaired before it gets given away.

“People need the bikes for work,” says Guzmán Pérez, who describes relying on the Greensboro bus system as “horrible.” “And for fun. Families come and say: ‘I used to have bikes in my country, and I want for my kids.’”

For Guzmán Pérez’s family, helping their community is part of their personal philosophy.

“My brother and my dad, they’re closer now because they’re working on e-bikes together, and my mom practices English,” she says. “I met a lot of people here, and now when I hang out, I have more friends.”

The repair shop and bike library, which welcomes patrons of all backgrounds and experience levels, is open on Sunday afternoons from 1-4 p.m. If you have a bike to donate or are interested in volunteering at the Community Bike Shop, reach out to the volunteer team at bikesatbarber@gmail.com or on Instagram at @communitybikeshop.barberpark.

Volunnteer Tonalmitzin Guzmán Pérez says she sees about 20 cyclists every Sunday.

PHOTO BY ELISE LE SAGE

Pérez has been volunteering at the shop for the past couple of years after she and her family were introduced to the organization through the New Arrivals Institute.

PHOTO BY ELISE LE SAGE

SHOT IN THE TRIAD

BY CAROLYN DE BERRY

Bellemeade Street, Greensboro

Members of the Asheville Tourists send a clear message to the kids about the availibility of spare baseballs during a game against the Greenshopper Grasshoppers.

THE TRIAD’S LOCAL EVENT TICKETING PLATFORM

TCBTix is the local ticketing platform created exclusively for Triad-area community events. It’s free, easy to use, and fully customizable with all-access ticketing features to meet your event’s unique needs.

For more information, scan the QR code or email chris@triad-city-beat.com.

PLACEHOLDER

by Matt Jones

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

PUZZLES & GAMES YOUR AD GOES HERE

by Matt Jones

Across

1. Big name in cat food

5. Minn. winter hours

8. ___ Bottom (SpongeBob’s hometown)

14. Dis

15. State of reverence

16. Aphrodite’s beloved

17. King, Waters, or Johnson, e.g.

19. Personally handle

20. Short story

22. Mount Rushmore guy

23. Holy Fr. woman

24. 1990s burgers considered one of the most expensive product flops ever

28. State home to the headquarters of Maverik convenience stores

29. Some style mags

30. Nutrition label listing

31. Dumbledore’s slayer

34. Opposite of old, at Oktoberfest

35. Jury ___ (summons subject)

36. Bar offer

40. Cincinnati’s home

41. Digit before a toll-free number

42. Richter and Roddick

43. Gold, in Grenada

44. “32 Flavors” singer DiFranco

45. The A that turns STEM to STEAM

47. The fruit it bears is olive-sized and orange-colored

50. “Antiques Roadshow” network

53. Crunch targets

54. Pat who announced 16 Super Bowls

56. Superlatively sweet?

59. Skincare brand and subsidiary of Estée Lauder

60. Bearded Egyptian deity

61. “I’m Just ___” (movie song of 2023)

62. Dessert spread made with fruit

63. Film villain Hannibal who’s definitely fictional

64. Regulation, for short

65. Klimt work, with “The”

Down

1. Publishing IDs

2. Portion out

3. Lavender relative

4. Captain Hook’s first mate

5. Smartphone function

6. 1980s timekeeping fad

7. Like J, in alphabetical order

8. Louisville Slugger, e.g.

9. Aspirations

10. Edible kelp in Japanese and Korean cuisine

11. Stock portfolio of sorts

12. Thing to be picked

13. “Looking for,” in ads

18. Christian of “Mr. Robot”

21. Did a lawn maintenance job

25. Prefix for distant or lateral

26. “___ shorts!” (Bart Simpson catchphrase)

27. Eye annoyances

28. “It’s ___ you”

31. “Succession” actress Sarah

32. ‘60s jacket style

33. Like self-evident truths

34. 180 degrees from SSW

35. Puts on

37. “Game of Thrones” actress Chaplin

38. Dosage figures

39. Shiny cotton fabric

44. Bondi Beach resident

45. Band worn around the biceps

46. Jog the memory

48. Arcade title character who hops around a pyramid

49. Knees-to-chest diving positions

50. Former spicy chip brand

51. Gets fuzzy

52. Downhill rides

55. Rock and jazz YouTuber Beato

56. Rank for Mustard or Sanders, for short

57. Take up

58. Co. that introduced Dungeons & Dragons

Thu 8/08

Iam Tongi @ 6pm Hangar 1819, 1819 Spring Garden St, Greensboro

Nashville Nights feat. LadyCouch and Admiral Radio (Greensboro) @ 6pm Steel Hands Brewing, 1918 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro

Fri 8/09

William Nesmith

@ 7pm

Kernersville Brewing Company, 221 N Main St, Kern‐ersville

RetroVinyl Band: RetroVinyl LIVE @ Sawmill II

@ 8pm Sawmill II, 5529 W Market St, Greensboro

Sat 8/10

Greensboro True Crime Tour

@ 5pm / $12

Explore the dark side of Greensboro's history with this guided tour sites related to Greens‐boro's history of crime Scuppernong Books, 304 S Elm St, Greensboro. an drew@nason.net, 206-914-9492

Jay Benjamin: National Anthem at Truist Point

@ 6:30pm Truist Point, 301 N Elm St, High Point

Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein Songbook - Music Carolina SummerFest

@ 7:30pm / $27

Highlights from some of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved Broadway musicals. Hanesbrands Theatre, 209 North Spruce Street, Winston-Salem. mountjf1@ gmail.com, 336-972-2389

Sun 8/11

She Tris Sprint Triathlon - WinstonSalem (NC) @ 9am / $105

Clemmons West Recreational Association, 3376 Middlebrook Dr, Clemmons. sarah@shetris.com

Sunday Yoga @ SouthEnd Brewing Co. @ 10am / $5

SouthEnd Brewing Co, 117b West Lewis Street, Greensboro

The Montgomery Family: Gospel SingWhispering Hope Baptist Church @ 10:30am

Whispering Hope Baptist Church Inc, 300 E Spring‐�eld Rd, High Point

Greensboro Grasshoppers vs. Rome Emperors @ 2pm First National Bank Field, Greensboro

Mon 8/12

Jay Benjamin: MondayMic @ 6pm High Point Bistro, 3793 Samet Dr # 165, High Point

Tue 8/13

Vegetarian Night @ 6pm / $63.04

Reto's Kitchen, 600 South Elam, Greensboro

Wed 8/14

Vegetarian Night @ 6pm / $63.04

Reto's Kitchen, 600 South Elam, Greensboro

Thu 8/15

Rare of Breed @ 6pm

Place of Prayer, King

Lynn Drury @ 8pm

The Ramkat & Gas Hill Drinking Room, 170 W 9th St, Winston-Salem

Ben Chapman @ 8pm

Steel Hands Brewing, 1918 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro

Fri 8/16

Carson Peters & Iron Mountain @ 7pm

Muddy Creek Cafe And Music Hall Old Salem, 137 West St, Winston-Salem

Triad Pride Acting Company presents “Avenue Q” August 16th at 8pm @ 8pm / $20 Avenues Q, an award winning musical comedy that features puppets and human actors, will be presented by TPAC. While the show’s format is a parody of Sesame St, this show involves adult-oriented humor. Congregational United Church of Christ, 400 West Radiance Drive, Greensboro. contact@triadprideper formingarts.org, 336-589-6267

Asylum 213� The Benson and Lo�eld @ 9pm

Monstercade, 204 W Acadia Ave, Winston-Salem

Sat 8/17

Peter and the Wolf Family Concert @ 12pm

Kaleideum, 120 West 3rd Street, Winston-Salem. lwoodruff@kaleideum.org

Greensboro True Crime Tour @ 5pm / $12

Explore the dark side of Greensboro's history with this guided tour sites related to Greensboro's history of crime Scuppernong Books, 304 S Elm St, Greens‐boro. andrew@nason.net, 206-914-9492

Worthington's Law @ 8pm

The Ramkat & Gas Hill Drinking Room, 170 W 9th St, Winston-Salem

Sun 8/18