INDY Week October 4, 2023

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Raleigh | Durham | Chapel Hill October 4, 2023

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Following union organizing and a sanitation workers' walkout, Durham's lowestpaid employees are on the brink of a major victory.

By JusTin LaIdLaw, p. 12

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Raleigh W Durham W Chapel Hill VOL. 40 NO. 30

CONTENTS NEWS 7

For UNC housekeepers, the decades-long fight for fair wages endures. BY RIYA SHARMA

12 Following union organizing and a strike, Durham's lowest-paid workers are on the brink of a major victory. BY JUSTIN LAIDLAW 15

Best of the Triangle 2023 Orange & Chatham Counties

ARTS & CULTURE 27 Like its namesake The Can Opener, a new downtown food truck park hopes to bring residents together. BY LENA GELLER 28 Carlos Miguel Prieto, the North Carolina Symphony’s new music director and conductor, hopes to usher in an era of world-class international music.

BY JASMINE GALLUP

30 Her Take: New releases by MaDrique, Durham High, and Pat Junior do North Carolina hip-hop proud. BY KYESHA JENNINGS

THE REGULARS 4

Voices

6

15 minutes

32 Culture calendar

CORRECTION In our story about proposed new ordinances for Glenwood South, we misidentified Beale Street as being in Nashville. It is in Memphis.

COVER PHOTOS FROM UNSPLASH AND PEXELS. ILLUSTRATION BY NICOLE PAJOR MOORE.

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Durham Solid Waste and Public Works department employees attend a forum at the Community Family Life & Recreation Center at Lyon Park in Durham. (See story, page 12.) PHOTO BY ANGELICA EDWARDS

WE M A DE THIS P U BLISH ER John Hurld EDITOR IAL Editor in Chief Jane Porter Culture Editor Sarah Edwards Staff Writers Jasmine Gallup Lena Geller Reporters Justin Laidlaw Chase Pellegrini de Paur Contributors Spencer Griffith, Carr Harkrader, Matt Hartman, Brian Howe, Kyesha Jennings, Jordan Lawrence, Glenn McDonald, Thomasi McDonald, Nick McGregor, Gabi Mendick, Shelbi Polk, Dan Ruccia, Harris Wheless, Byron Woods, Barry Yeoman Copy Editor Iza Wojciechowska

Interns Mariana Fabian, Hannah Kaufman, Iris Miller C R EAT I VE Creative Director Nicole Pajor Moore Graphic Designer Izzel Flores Staff Photographer Angelica Edwards AD VE RT I S I N G

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Contents © 2023 ZM INDY, LLC All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without permission.

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VOICES

Thanks to the Service Industry Working in hospitality brings flexibility and friendships to young people in the Triangle as they find they can make a living while they pursue their passions.

BY ELIM LEE backtalk@indyweek.com

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omething about me is that I’m 23. This means that I’m allowed to be “figuring myself out,” to make mistakes, to run at full blast.

You can find me between many different life paths, unable to close doors on potential and possibility. Full-time jobs present a stifling box that shut me off from doing everything. But the gig economy of writing, selling art, and working with kids doesn’t pay bills reliably. And as someone who refuses to give anything up, I was yo-yoing between running out of money and running out of steam.

I started hosting after leaving corporate life, working only weekends and living down to brass tacks. I spent my weekdays on my own artistic projects, finally able to cobble together part-time gigs in all my little niches of interest. I learned that the service industry is always there for the support I need, to be “a landing place for transitioning,” as Lily, one of my friends, puts it.

I currently balance working in service with teaching full-time. And while I am staving off burnout, I feel firmly close to what I want my life to look like.

As a server, whenever I tell customers I’m a teacher, they thank me for my service as if I’m in the military. But really it’s a social butterfly’s dream, making small talk, smiling and laughing every few minutes, darting in and out and between new faces.

When I first met Makayla, she joked that she might do something other than serving once she’s less pretty. Makayla is a server at the restaurant where I’m a hostess.

Makayla has been working since she could. Money meant freedom and independence. And serving would be the best money. When the pandemic hit, Makayla took a break from college. Joining an understaffed team of three, she dove right into 4

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being a diner server. Everyone was always needed, and there were a solid 18 days straight she worked at one point, from early in the morning until the afternoon.

But it was a high-demand, high-reward system, fostering intimate relationships with her coworkers and her customers. To this day, she says the most money she has ever made was Christmas Eve there, when all her regulars came in bearing envelopes.

Now resuming her time at UNC, she

“I learned that the service industry is always there for the support I need, to be ‘a landing place for transitioning.’” works the peak restaurant hours at night and takes classes in the mornings, a schedule that sometimes “feels like every moment is accounted for.” She echoes a lot of common sentiment that “it’s hard to describe what it is about zooming around that is enjoyable, but I feel like I respond very well to the opportunity to hustle.”

As my friend Lily says, “The [local] hustle industry kicks ass right now.” Thanks

to the service industry, they have been able to carve out the time to “turn a fascination and hobby of mine into a skill.” A self-taught tattoo artist, Lily started a home studio and found community around it. The unique schedule of a server who picks up bartending shifts around town allows them to work three days a week, opening up the week to creative collaboration.

I met Lily when they gave me a tattoo, and I have the cutest little fruits on my right arm to prove it. The tattoo was bestowed at a Barbie party that I found out about via Instagram, hosted by someone welcoming strangers into their home for the sake of connection. It was there that I met a couple of other part-time service workers with richly woven Elim Lee PHOTO BY ANGELICA EDWARDS lives outside of work.

Connection is a big part of what makes bartending appealing to Lily, that they get to see humans con- that her next step seemed to be reliant nect literally in front of them while enjoy- on a lot of things falling into place. And ing something interesting. The DIY tattoo when your future seems to demand a lot of scene holds a similar structure, with art- waiting, you might go into the coffee indusists as young as 20 or 21 emerging with try, which Grace did and refers to fondly as unique styles, feeding off of each other’s “acoustic bartending.” She originally chose creative energy in a city that is queer, cool, her studies for the human interaction, and and changing. now cafés provide her with “emotional supGrace agrees that when it comes to work- port customers.” ing service, “the perks make it worth it.” For Through the service industry, Grace has her, it has more to do with the coworker met everyone that she ends up playing crowd of fellow musicians that goes hand music with. At the café, she gets to take in hand with the industry. control of aux and shamelessly plug local When Grace graduated college with an bands. A coworker referred her to a job at environmental studies degree, she found a local farm when she wanted to follow her

roots back to the dirt, and she ended up finding a lot of common threads weaving together surprisingly at a farmer’s market.

Grace feels more connected to her community and local food system as a barista and farmhand than she was at a job that followed the college degree. She actually just got her dream job! Grace is now a local farmer’s market manager, something that she only realized she wanted thanks to the service industry.

Isabella had some idea upon graduating that she wanted to work with kids, but she knew a classroom would come with paperwork, headaches, and the dulling throb of censorship. She had gotten into bartending as a summer job during college, and she soon saw the potential of flexibility in the industry.

I met Isabella this summer at the Museum of Life and Science. She is one of their Innovation and Learning fellows, learning how to engage kids while supporting nonprofit administration.

Occasionally, she goes straight from the museum to behind the bar, and the workday lasts from nine a.m. to 11 p.m. Isabella says she loves the contrast, but it can get emotionally taxing. Kids have demands similar to the average customer: patience, understanding, validation, and the ability to have their needs met with a smile. It can take a lot out of you.

I asked Isabella if she’s happy with the exhaustive way we incorporate our passion into our lives. We talked about how full-time service would make more money than splitting it with education work, but she says she loves the fellowship for giving her next steps, and she loves bartending for the leeway to figure out what she loves.

In this industry, Lily says there are no burdens of having to “pretend to be happy making someone else money.” You are allowed to love what you love about life, whether it’s something that makes you money or not. The job itself won’t always be something you love, and the industry has been due for a labor rights upgrade for a while now, but working in service is a skill you can take away for yourself.

It can help you live your life. It can be a welcome break from chasing your dreams because here, there’s an immediate gratification to the rhythm. You do the work and you get paid. You do a better job, you get paid more. It’s the “meritocracy” that America promised. W Elim Lee is a Georgia peach who took a detour in New England and came back to her roots in the South this past year. Her leastin-progress, most-finished project is her children’s book Needle and the Too Big World.

Follow her on Twitter @wellwhatgives and Instagram @elimscribbles.

INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

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Marcella Thompson PHOTO BY LENA GELLER

on their salary.

Do the clinics fall under the blanket of your primary initiative, the Mustard Seed Project?

And can you talk a little bit about what the Mustard Seed Project is?

Durham

15 MINUTES Marcella Thompson, 68 Vaccination clinic organizer and founder of the Mustard Seed Project

BY LENA GELLER lgeller@indyweek.com

What led you to start organizing vaccination clinics in Durham?

I was the first person in the United States to get the COVID vaccine from Walgreens. It was covered on Good Morning America. The country was able to see a little old Black lady getting her vaccine done live on television at 7:06 in the morning—which opened a lot of people up to trusting it.

But when the vaccines became available at my neighborhood Walgreens, a lot of people [in the neighborhood] didn’t have computers, or couldn’t afford internet, or had a language barrier, so appointments were not really open to them. And I noticed that a lot of the people filling up the store’s appointment calendar were coming from other cities and even other states. There weren’t enough slots available for the people who live and work in the neighborhood.

In early 2021, I talked to the Walgreens—it’s the one on Fayetteville Street and Lakewood Avenue—and they agreed to shut their computer scheduling system down for a weekend and block off the time for people in the neighborhood.

So my daughter and I went door to door. People know me, so, again, there was a trust component. We dispelled all the myths: that there were tracking devices in the vaccines; that there were different vaccines for white people and 6

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Black and brown people; that the vaccine will make you sterile. We allayed the fear in the community.

So many people showed up to the first clinic that the Walgreens store let us block off more weekends over the next six months. We vaccinated thousands of people. With the new booster out, we’re starting the clinics up again.

To clarify, do you vaccinate people yourself?

No. Pharmacy techs come in. What I do is knock on doors, help people fill out their paperwork and sit with them at the clinic. You get a bottled juice and some crackers. I’ll hold your hand and I’ll pat your back. People usually stick with me for about 15 minutes [after getting vaccinated], because I want to make sure they don’t have any kind of reaction. For seniors, I organize remote clinics at apartment buildings. My daughter [Alex] speaks Spanish, so she helps with the paperwork, and she’s also certified to administer vaccines, so she helps give the shots.

We also help people get vouchers for flu shots. Many of the people in this community work six days a week and don’t have $60 for a flu shot. Their jobs don’t provide insurance, and even though there’s supposedly an affordable marketplace [for health care], people can’t afford it

The Mustard Seed Project is really just [conducted by] myself and my daughter. We serve food to over 300 people and families a week. We go around to grocery stores and restaurants and load up my van with food that would have been thrown away [due to store policies around sellby dates]. Some of the store managers know me and they know that the food is going to people who need it. The Tall Grass CSA also gives us a lot of produce, and Feed Durham helps us out.

I distribute it to lots of different places: courthouses, churches, doctors’ offices. At apartment complexes, I’ll blow the horn and people will come out and get what they want.

The Mustard Seed Project is based on the idea that with faith, a little teeny speck of a seed can grow to be over six feet tall. We take the little bit that we have and plant it in fertile soil, meaning we work very hard. We want to give people what they need to grow. So our main focus has been food. But we do what needs to be done at the moment.

People were dying. They needed to be vaccinated.

When and where are the upcoming clinics, what vaccines can people get, and who are the clinics open to?

Most of the people who come to the clinics are people who I serve food to, but the clinics are open to anyone who needs a shot—you just have to contact me [at themustardseedprojectnc.com], because I’ll put the appointment in the calendar for you.

We’re doing a remote clinic for people who live at JJ Henderson apartments on October 10. At the Walgreens on Fayetteville Street, we’ll have clinics from 10:00 a.m. to six p.m. on October 7–8, November 4–5 and 11–12, and potentially some weekends in December or January, depending on how bad the new [COVID-19] variant ends up being. We do COVID vaccines, flu shots, and the RSV vaccine for people over 60.

My goal is 250 people a weekend. W

N E WS

Chapel Hill

An Enduring Struggle The latest chapter in UNC housekeepers’ decades-long fight for fair wages.

BY RIYA SHARMA backtalk@indyweek.com

Robin Lee PHOTO BY RIYA SHARMA

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obin Lee sat on the steps of South Building, cooling down from the heat with a cup of cold water. She looked on at the crowd, which now stretched from her vantage point to the front of the Campus Y on the north end of the main quad on UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus. Students, graduate workers, union representatives, and housekeepers were in attendance. Many held signs: The University Works Because We Do! UE: Organize the South! Expand Collective Bargaining. I NEED A LIVING WAGE. As people continued to gather, organizers from UNC’s chapter of the North Carolina Public Service Workers Union, UE 150—the union representing housekeepers at UNC’s campus—handed out materials, encouraging housekeepers to join the union. It was February 22, 2023; the rally was intentionally scheduled during the UNC Board of Governors (BOG) meeting. As student volunteers set up the microphone, Lee admired how many people had shown up to support her and her fellow housekeepers, and the chants started to pick up volume.

“What do we need?”

“Twenty dollars an hour.”

“When do we need it?”

“Now!” Sixty-two-year-old Lee, lovingly called “Miss Robin,” has been working for the state for 17 years. She wears black glasses with rectangular frames, her work shirt—some days layered with a cropped denim jacket or a plaid overthrow— and a lanyard around her neck. Her red curls sit comfortably above her shoulders. Born in Harlem, Lee relocated with her family to Charlotte after she graduated high school.

Growing up, her mother used to warn her, “One day, your mouth gonna get you in trouble.” Good trouble, Lee assured

me. Her willingness to speak out led her to the forefront of the housekeeper movement at UNC. Today, Lee had hurried to finish cleaning her building so she could make it to the rally at noon. The housekeepers who were active with the union, including Lee, had to use their lunch breaks to attend meetings and events.

Despite Lee’s already exhausting workday, she found herself in these circumstances repeatedly. Regardless of her skepticism and fatigue, Lee continues to show up on behalf of other housekeepers.

The day’s event, “Occupy the Board of Governors,” had originally been scheduled to take place at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill.

But less than a week before the BOG meeting, the board announced a new location for the meeting: a building in Raleigh called the Dillon.

Organizers for UE 150 told me that the last-minute relocation was because the board members feared the rally. The BOG said its move to Raleigh was mandated by state law.

Only a month earlier, a similar group of union workers, student supporters, and housekeepers gathered at the same spot to reiterate their demands. The current campus-wide movement for housekeepers’ rights had its roots in the fall of last year, with a petition supporting the two major demands—a $20 hourly wage and free parking—receiving more than 2,000 signatures. As the issue

gained attention, the university invited the housekeepers to a Board of Trustees meeting, during which Lee gave an emotional speech. In response, UNC leaders offered the housekeepers a 90¢ raise. Housekeepers and union workers alike say the change was a disproportionately bleak response to their demands.

Today, housekeeper Saw Moo had dressed up. His rally attire consisted of black loafers, gray work pants, and a suede sport coat. He took the microphone. “We really do deserve $20 an hour.

Why? Because we work too hard. We keep the buildings safe. We keep the buildings clean. I just want to make our situations known.

Nobody cares about us. We work too hard.” As the crowd cheered, Moo began the second portion of his speech in his native Karen.

When it was her turn, Lee walked toward the microphone. Her nerves kicked in as she stood up, but they quickly vanished as her eyes settled on familiar faces in the crowd. A light breeze had intensified, giving onlookers momentary relief from the unseasonable heat. Lee thanked supporters for showing up to the rally. She waved a piece of paper in the air—an information sheet her supervisor had given her—detailing the facts of a recently announced retention bonus for state employees.

As Lee expressed her dissatisfaction with the policy, the audience engaged, each pause between sentences filled

“I just want to make our situations known.

Nobody cares about us.

We work too hard.”

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with verbal affection from the crowd.

Effective a week prior to the rally—on February 14—the State of North Carolina announced retention bonuses for state employees in the UNC System and the Department of Health and Human Services. The university said the bonuses aim to recruit and retain employees in positions with high vacancy and turnover rates. Housekeepers and union representatives argued that the policy has too many strings attached. The contract offers an initial employee bonus, but if the employee is fired or cannot complete a year of consecutive work, they must repay their bonus. This repayment is also owed if the employee transfers to another state agency. The amount owed will be deducted from the employee’s final paycheck; if this paycheck is not enough to cover their full debt, the employee has 60 days to repay the university in full.

“I hope, I pray today, nobody signed this paper,” Lee said.

Cheers rang from the crowd. She spoke into the microphone with added urgency. “Please don’t sign this paper,” she begged, waving it in the air again.

“What you gonna do with it, Robin?” a supporter called out from the crowd.

She tore the paper into pieces. The onlookers erupted into cheers, fist pumps, and excited hollers.

them. McSurely explained that the group must file an official grievance to protect themselves from retaliation. “Well, have you got a piece of paper?” someone asked.

In February 1991, McSurely and the HKA filed a Step 1 Grievance against the university, citing racial discrimination from poverty wages and unjust treatment. The next few years involved a back-and-forth between the HKA and the university, which continued until the HKA filed a Step 4 Grievance in January 1993. The escalation meant that administrative law judge Brenda Becton would take the case. The HKA’s demands would be heard.

The housekeepers’ lawsuit was grounded in the protections offered in the 13th Amendment of the United States, which prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude. Their petition argued that the housekeeper supervisory system at UNC was reminiscent of a racialized plantation system.

The memorandum of law for the case cites that “90% of the 400 or so UNC-CH employees in the lowest and most menial ranks are African American,” which the HKA argued was a direct product of UNC’s institutional history with enslavement. The case further argued that the petitioners were tasked with the same work that the university’s

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“I have people who do speak English but won’t join the union. They want to complain but not join.

They want a raise but don’t want to fight.”

hile the housekeepers’ movement saw considerable development during the last academic year, it is grounded in a history that dates back almost a century.

In 1930, four Black janitors formed the Janitors’ Association at UNC, making way for the first organized union on campus affiliated with the national Congress of Industrial Organizations. In 1969, the Black Student Movement led a strike at UNC’s Lenoir Dining Hall to protest the poor work conditions and discrimination that the majority-Black dining hall staff endured. With hundreds of supporters and the National Guard on standby, the event was a turning point in campus-wide labor efforts.

More than 20 years later, housekeepers Marsha Tinnen, Barbara Prear, and Annie Pettiford faced the same issues.

In response, they founded the UNC Housekeepers Association (HKA) in 1991. The group held weekly meetings to pursue their three critical demands for housekeepers: higher wages, fairer treatment, and supplementary training programs.

Next to Sutton’s Drug Store—on campus-adjacent East Franklin Street—concrete stairs run down into Amber Alley.

One floor above Chapel Hill staple Ram’s Head Rathskeller was the office of attorney Alan McSurely. A native of Dayton, Ohio, McSurely was well known among civil rights leaders for his community organizing. He made national headlines after his Kentucky home was raided on charges of sedition. Before meeting the HKA, McSurely established himself in Chapel Hill after winning an anti-discrimination case against the university on behalf of UNC campus police officer Keith Edwards. Edwards, the first Black woman ever hired by the UNC police department, took seven UNC administrators to court for denying her equal opportunities and a discrimination-free workplace.

McSurely stopped in his tracks as he walked into the second floor of the Rathskeller building. He was greeted by 35 Black women and two Black men, all sitting on the rug at the end of the hallway. They asked if he would represent them. McSurely paused. If the housekeepers’ bosses knew that the group came to see him, they could fire 8

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enslaved population was responsible for, drawing a clear parallel between the two systems.

In February 1996, a major victory arrived for the HKA. in the form of a settlement of more than $1 million in raises, back pay, and special programs for housekeepers.

The settlement, entitled “A Modest Proposal,” came after more than two months of negotiations with Chancellor Michael Hooker. A press release following the case read, “Over 350 housekeepers won a historic victory this week in their 6-year legal battle with the nation’s oldest state university.” HKA leader Barbara Prear emphasized that the most important part of the victory was “the long run … programs the University has agreed to.” Included in these were accountability checks such as monthly meetings with the chancellor’s office—one of several commitments that organizers say went unfulfilled.

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stack of papers flew around the table. One read, “Retention Bonus is a Bribe—They Don’t Care About Us!” Another was a printout of an Excel spreadsheet with union members’ contact information. Dante Strobino, an organizer for UE 150, suggested that everybody take turns to read aloud the first piece of paper. In the center of

the room, four skinny tables were arranged like a square, creating a visual fishbowl. Twelve of us total—housekeepers, union organizers, student leaders, and one reporter, myself—sat facing each other. It was Thursday, February 16—the union’s weekly meeting. The agenda for today was to prepare for next week’s “Occupy the Board of Governors” rally. We were gathered in the Campus Y, a building dedicated to UNC’s social justice initiatives.

“Last week, the state announced a retention bonus for state employees in the UNC System,” began the drafted statement. Housekeeper Aung Than, sitting to the left of Strobino, tried passing on his turn to read. Chuckling, he explained that he wasn’t good at English. The room lit up with encouragement, urging him to do his best. He finished his passage with the help of other Burmese-speaking housekeepers.

The readings continued, person by person.

“This retention bonus takes advantage of poor and struggling workers.”

“We deserve a significant pay increase.”

“Workers must continue to organize and build our union to challenge the state legislature.”

In Burmese, Karen, and Spanish accents, the drafted statement came to life through the distinct voices of each housekeeper at the meeting.

Every Thursday at noon, the Housekeepers Subcommittee of UE 150 gathers in this corner of the Campus Y. The building is the historic home for UNC’s social movements, student activism, and community service projects. The Campus Y’s entablature reads “YMCA” in gothic letters, paying homage to its foundations in 1859 as the Young Men’s Christian Association. At the time, the Campus Y sought to “promote Christian sympathy and brotherhood” and extend “religious advantages to the destitute.” Today, the 15,000-square-foot building remains situated across from the university’s symbolic Old Well and houses more than 30 student social justice organizations.

After her turn to read, Tracy Harter, a UNC housekeeper of 16 years, held up the paper detailing the retention bonus. She told us her colleagues had called it “a magician trick.” Nodding his head in agreement, Strobino suggested that Harter encourage her coworkers to join the union. He leafed through the folders in front of him and handed her a stack of blank union membership agreements to take to her assigned zone. As more housekeepers entered the conference room, Strobino continued to hand out union literature, some of which was translated into Burmese and Karen. As a leader of the movement, Lee’s presence is felt at every meeting. Today, she looked exhausted. She refused Strobino’s papers, informing the room that other workers in her zone were afraid of the union. There was no use asking them to join.

From across the table, Burmese housekeeper Khin Kyi jumped into the conversation. She said her coworkers confide in her, “We’re old now. We don’t speak English. How will we ever find a new job?”

Lee waited for her to finish, then announced, “I have people who do speak English but won’t join the union.” The room filled with soft murmurs of agreement.

Kyi added, “They want to complain but not join. They want a raise but don’t want to fight.” The energy constrained in the small meeting room became palpable.

In the back left corner of the Campus Y conference room is a framed black-and-white photo of historic UNC antiwar

protests, reading, “Protest, Movement Building, and Justice.” Union president Trey Anthony sat across from it. It was nearing one o’clock, and Anthony needed to wrap up the conversation so the housekeepers could get back to work. He began rushing through logistics for the upcoming rally. Lee leaned in her seat as Anthony talked, her frustration growing until she couldn’t remain still. “I don’t know how long the $20 will take,” she confessed, referencing the housekeepers’ $20 per hour wage demand. She detailed her longtime part in the fight and announced her impending retirement. “I don’t want to waste my time,” she said. A heavy pause followed, as if the room were paying homage to her sacrifices for the movement. Several voices broke the silence to call out their goodbyes as Lee got up to leave the meeting early.

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ee stood in the Carolina Inn hallway, face-to-face with UNC chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz’s chief of staff, Christi Hurt. Beside her, housekeeper Saw Moo held a sign reading “Solidarity with UNC Housekeepers.” Hurt, tightly gripping a mug with both hands, nodded repeatedly. “We understand, the chancellor understands,” she remarked as Lee expressed her frustrations with the housekeepers’ work conditions.

Hurt waved over two men wearing suits and ties, who greeted Lee in the hallway. Shifting eye contact between the two, Lee reiterated her points to the men. She paused for breaths of exasperation between each sentence, trying to convey her disappointment with what she called the university’s dismissive behavior. The men stood in place, barely moving.

On November 9 last year, UE 150 led a rally of house-

keepers to the Carolina Inn. Situated on the corner of Cameron Avenue and Columbia Street, the inn is an iconic location for the university, often playing host to its highest-caliber events. On this sunny November day, the inn’s Chancellors’ Ballroom was hosting the UNC Board of Trustees—a regular meeting that occurs about six times a year.

As the trustees’ lunch break ended at one o’clock, one of the two men, trustee R. Gene Davis Jr., invited the housekeepers into the meeting. As he led them toward the ballroom, the other man—chairperson of the Board of Trustees, David Boliek—began speaking. Boliek assured the housekeepers that the current pay scale and working hours were “very much on the forefronts of the minds of the chancellor and this board.”

Lee stood in the front left corner of the room, in front of a projector screen. Rows of attendees sat facing her—about 20—clad in suits and ties, dress coats, and pencil skirts. Lee began speaking.

Lee has always fought the idea of scripted speeches. She told me that if someone tells her what to say, she will forget. Instead, she speaks from the heart.

“I bring home $829 every two weeks,” she told the room of high-ranking administrators. “I don’t have money to pay my bills.” As Lee spoke, her throat began tightening. It was unlike her to cry in front of others, but as she recounted the story, the sudden intensity of her emotions separated this moment from her other speeches.

Lee lives with her two dogs in Pittsboro, a town about 20 miles south of Chapel Hill, home to many of UNC’s housekeepers. On a typical day, she works first shift, meaning her work hours are seven a.m. to four p.m. Due to short

staffing, however, she and two of her coworkers clock in at six a.m. to clean the basement of Cobb Residence Hall before they start cleaning their assigned buildings. After finishing the Cobb basement, Lee drops off her bag and lunch in the breakroom at Graham Memorial, then arrives to clean Kenan Residence Hall at 7:15 every morning. The walk to Kenan is over half a mile long. It’s a three-story residence hall with about 120 residents, study rooms, a laundry room, a TV room, lounges, and a parlor. Lee is responsible for cleaning the entire building alone. Neighboring McIver Residence Hall is assigned to a temporary worker, meaning that on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Lee and her coworker are also responsible for cleaning McIver.

Later, she would be called to a third dorm—to clean up a room where a student had been found dead.

At the end of the day, Lee and her coworkers walk across two quads to clock out at Cobb Residence Hall, where they pay to park. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, Lee drives to the nearby hotel Aloft Chapel Hill right after her shift at UNC. She clocks in and works there until 10:00 p.m. before getting gas, preparing dinner, and taking care of her pets and home. Lee has lived in her house for more than 20 years now. “The foundation is cracking in, you know, I need repairs,” she explains. Retirement is unavoidably approaching, and Lee gets emotional discussing the home repairs she cannot afford. She is afraid of her age and of accumulating debt.

The room was completely still as Lee spoke. When she finished, everybody stood up in unison to give her an ovation. Moo, still holding his sign, grinned in pride as Trey Anthony, defiantly clapping above his head, looked back toward him. A man a bit shorter than Lee reached into his

Tracy Harter PHOTO RIYA SHARMA INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

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pocket and pulled out his handkerchief. He handed it to Lee as she wiped her tears away.

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orth Carolina is one of two states that prohibit public-sector employees from entering collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) without exception. A CBA is a legal document that binds employers and workers to a mutually approved set of terms and policies. With their accumulated power, a union engaging in collective bargaining can successfully attain improved workers’ pay, benefits, and safety.

The state of North Carolina’s harsh attitude toward labor can be traced alongside its political history. In the 1870s and ’90s, North Carolina suffered an agricultural depression that led to economic decline for many farmers. The Democratic Party—then the party of the Confederacy— grew increasingly in favor of big business, aligning its political interests with those of large manufacturers, banks, and railroads. In solidarity with farmers, however, a group of former Democratic Party affiliates created the People’s Party, also called the Populist Party.

In the 1890s, Fusion politics rose in North Carolina; the Populists and the Republicans, dubbed the Fusionists, created a political alliance with each other. The Fusionists supported labor rights, public education, democratized voting, and high government spending.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party preferred lower state expenditures and disapproved of public education. The Fusionists swept the state in 1894 and 1896, electing several congressional representatives and senators and a Fusionist-backed governor. For a moment, it seemed that the Fusionists could not lose.

However, in 1898 and 1900, the Democratic Party claimed power through force and massive electoral fraud, led by white supremacy campaigns that peaked with the 1898 Wilmington massacre. Armed men guarded polls throughout the states, preventing Black people and known Fusionists from voting. The Democratic Party was successful; North Carolina had become a one-party state in their favor at the turn of the century.

In the early 20th century, the cotton mill industry boomed in the Southern Piedmont. Majority-white mill workers flocked to mill villages, where they worked long hours with low pay. Mill owners bolstered their anti-union narrative with racial violence; companies warned workers that unions favored race mixing. Mill companies adopted a paternalistic role, telling workers they didn’t need to unionize because the company would provide for them— “We’re all family here.” The oppressive conditions at the mills led to violent strikes in the late 1920s, with police and state highway patrol deployed as militias for mill owners. In 1929, the Gastonia strike led to the deaths of a police chief and local labor leaders. That same year, in Marion, North Carolina, vigilantes and deputized antiunion people fired on crowds of strikers, killing six people and wounding 15 others. While this was some of the worst violence, anti-labor sentiment existed throughout the region.

Southern manufacturing interests portrayed unions as communist groups that favored racial equality. This narrative often worked—white workers clung to their identi-

ties as white Southerners over their own labor conditions.

“And that’s been the battle of Southern labor … the Gordian knot that’s been unable to be untied between white workers choosing their race over their economic interest,” historian Tim Tyson told me in an interview.

The North Carolina general statute that prevents workers from entering CBAs was signed into law in 1959 by an all-white legislature. On March 2 of this year, Democratic Representatives Carolyn G. Logan, Pricey Harrison, Zach Hawkins, and Nasif Majeed introduced House Bill 243 in an attempt to repeal the statute. It died in committee.

L

ee meandered down the hallway, admiring the antique furniture and eccentric art on display. It was Friday, March 24. She had taken a half day off for an excursion to Raleigh, a 30-minute drive southeast of Chapel Hill.

Lee followed Strobino’s lead, who had parked in front of the Department of Administration building around noon.

Housekeepers Tracy Harter, Aung Than, and Htoo Paw and student Beatriz Triay joined them. Strobino told the group that they were looking for Andrea DeSantis—the policy adviser for the Office of Governor Roy Cooper.

While meeting with the governor was his next objective, Strobino explained that they could not get straight to him.

Almost immediately, the group’s entry was stopped short.

A large, unobstructed hallway with offices lay in front of them, but security would not let the group pass through.

Lee watched as Strobino and the officer exchanged words of disagreement. After some back-and-forth, the officer

“We’re short-staffed. We’re overworked. It just seems like we’re bringing pennies home.

“If they got all this money and it’s sitting on the budget, put it on our paychecks, so we can see it,” Lee explained, again.

Inside the legislative building was a grand staircase lined with red carpet. Sunlight pooled across the foyer, reflecting off the gold-trimmed window frames. Unlike in the previous building, security let the group enter after passing through metal detectors.

Lee and the others followed Strobino to the office of Britt Bryson—the senior policy adviser for the House Office of the Speaker. Bryson was not there. Strobino dropped a packet of demands on his desk instead. “I just wanted to see somebody so I could say something to somebody,” Lee explained, recounting how almost every office they visited in the legislature was empty.

They continued down the hall, sliding packets of demands under lawmakers’ doors; Strobino haphazardly dropped the pages while housekeeper Paw followed, ensuring each corner of each stack of papers made it underneath each door.

As the rest of the group was preoccupied with paper distribution, Lee looked at the pictures plastered on the walls.

She noticed portraits of a few people that she had voted for. Her thoughts were interrupted as Strobino stopped the group at a small printer room. The wall behind the printers featured four flags plastered in a diamond: an American flag, a firefighter flag, the North Carolina state flag, and a blue lives matter flag.

The day continued, and the group made its way around the building. Lee was back in the main foyer, watching an elementary school group wait to go through the metal detectors. The children giggled with excitement as they threw off their backpacks. Last month, Lee’s public-school-teacher granddaughter had brought her fourth graders to the Legislative Building on a field trip. “Why don’t you tell those legislators to give your grandma some money?” Lee had joked to her granddaughter. Lee smiled, remembering the interaction fondly, as she watched the children make a game out of running through the metal detectors.

Under the Legislative Building, a small food court facilitated the group’s lunch break. Paw snuck each receipt to the counter and paid for everyone’s meal before the others could stop her. The afternoon was ending, and it was difficult to tell what next week’s meeting would bring. W

“We’re short-staffed. We’re overworked.

It just seems like we’re bringing pennies home.”

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agreed to check if DeSantis was in her office. Unbothered by the confusion, Lee continued to explore the hallway art.

In his hand, Strobino held a sheet outlining the housekeepers’ demands and a printed copy of their petition. Lee stood by as Strobino searched his bag for a legal envelope, which he handed to the security officer. The officer accepted the packet and disappeared down the hall. The group stayed in the waiting area, as instructed. Shortly after, DeSantis appeared in the hallway, holding the legal packet in her hand. She reiterated that she would be happy to share information about the union’s questions with the governor, offering to meet with the housekeepers in Chapel Hill the following week. The group settled on noon at the Campus Y. The conversation was only a few minutes long.

Next door, the General Assembly is marked with a sign reading “Legislative Building,” written in thick gold letters, right above an image of the state of North Carolina. The group walked down the street to the General Assembly at half past noon. As CBS 17 set their cameras up for the press conference that Strobino had scheduled, Lee assumed her position to the left of the signboard. The cameras began rolling, and Lee started speaking, reiterating her experiences and demands—a story that she has had to publicly deliver several times.

Update: Since the reporting on this story wrapped, housekeepers continued to meet throughout the summer to demand $20 an hour in pay and free parking. Lee has since been appointed president of the campus worker co-chapter of the workers union at UNC, UE 150. Her team’s efforts to build a statewide coalition to pressure lawmakers to raise public workers’ pay saw some movement when, last month, North Carolina’s $30 billion state budget passed following an eight-month delay. The budget provides a 4 percent raise for state employees this year, followed by a 3 percent raise next year. Workers and union leaders say the pay raises are insufficient to meet rising costs and employee turnover.

Boost your Homeschool Learning with a Trip to Marbles Kids Museum Our first Homeschool Day of the 2023-2024 school year is Tuesday, October 10th Each day includes museum admission, a 3D IMAX experience, a Learning Lab, a MasterMind and activities in the museum. Homeschool Day is the perfect opportunity to connect with other families, groups and resources.

Read more on indyweek.com INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

11

N E WS

Durham

Strike in September After demanding higher wages and $5,000 bonuses and walking off the job for several days last month, Durham’s lowest-paid workers are on the brink of securing some of their key asks from city officials.

BY JUSTIN LAIDLAW jlaidlaw@indyweek.com

Montrell Perry, a Durham solid waste department employee, asks Durham City Council candidates a question during the recent city council and mayoral candidate forum. PHOTO BY ANGELICA EDWARDS

O

n a warm September evening, dozens of city workers, donning their blue uniforms and yellow safety vests, gathered outside of Durham’s city hall. Residents carrying signs that read “FAIR PAY” and “Our workers deserve a living wage” filled the plaza in anticipation. After brief remarks, a group of sanitation workers was ushered to the front of the crowd.

A man introduced himself, grinning from ear to ear.

“My name is James Davis, a.k.a. the Number One Can Slinger,” he said.

But his tone quickly switched from jovial to impassioned. He was fired up standing shoulder to shoulder with his fellow Solid Waste Management Department employees, who were demanding immediate $5,000 bonuses and salary increases for city workers in next year’s budget.

“During COVID, everybody you see up here worked. Every day!” Davis shouted through the PA system. “While the people that sit behind that podium was at home on their computers shooting emails out, we was in here at five o’clock shooting our head with the laser, checking our temperature, putting these masks on our face, putting gloves on, and sticking us on the truck by ourselves because they said they don’t want us ridin’ with nobody else.

People don’t see that.”

Davis, a Durham native, worked for a private maintenance company doing HVAC, electrical, and carpentry work prior to tak12

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ing a job with the city. He has worked for the City of Durham for 14 years and is currently employed as a maintenance technician in the solid waste department.

“It actually took me about four or five years to get on with the city,” he says. “Every year, I kept getting little letters coming back to me saying I was overqualified. I never did understand that. How can you be overqualified to dump a trash can?”

On September 5, solid waste employees delivered their demands to the city council. Feeling their concerns were not adequately addressed, workers walked off the job the next day. Elected officials, in the heat of a contentious election season, expressed sympathy with the workers, and in mid-September, city manager Wanda Page brought forth a proposal that gave bonuses to all city employees. The council deferred the original proposal, requesting that Page’s staff allocate more money to lower-salaried workers. This weekend, Page returned with a counteroffer that will likely result in onetime bonus payments of $5,000 to the city’s lowest-paid workers and $3,500 to those who make less than $70,000 annually. Additionally, an upcoming pay study will likely recommend salary increases for all city workers for the next fiscal year. In what the public employees’ union is calling a major win, the council is poised to approve the bonus payments this month.

Sanitation workers go on strike The discussion about city workers’ wages reached a boiling point in June when the city passed its 2023–24 fiscal year budget.

At the beginning of the meeting, city firefighters and police officers made a last-minute bid for pay raises in addition to the 7 percent salary increase and $300 bonus for all sworn employees already in the budget.

Mayor Elaine O’Neal, with the support of councilors DeDreana Freeman and Monique Holsey-Hyman, motioned for a vote to grant the first responders’ request, a move that caught her remaining colleagues off-guard.

“We had no advance notice of this,” said councilman Mark-Anthony Middleton during the meeting. “I’m hard-pressed to see this as anything other than posturing on behalf of our colleagues since this matter is already on the agenda.”

The mayor’s motion set off a raucous discussion about the budget that lasted over two hours. The council eventually voted 4–3 in favor of passing the budget with no additional pay for workers.

The first responders’ demands didn’t come out of nowhere. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, pay increases for all city workers were suspended due to financial uncertainty and the first responders had been vocal during the budget negotiating period for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

But it’s not as clear why, suddenly at the September 5 council meeting, sanitation

workers, who had far less representation during the budgeting cycle negotiations compared to their public safety colleagues, brought demands for higher salaries and bonuses before the council.

With no immediate action from the council on the workers’ demands, employees from the city’s solid waste department went on strike for five days. UE Local 150—a union that represents public workers and has chapters across the state with the goals of securing “better wages and working conditions and protection from unfair treatment”—helped organize the workers and guide them in their negotiations with the city. UE Local 150 aims to eventually establish collective bargaining rights for public employees in North Carolina.

“When workers delivered their petition at the council meeting, they were hoping for there to be some concrete movement to implement that,” says Dante Strobino, a UE International representative. “Instead they just got ‘supportive’ political platitudes and nothing concrete. That night after the council meeting, frustrated and seeing this dragging on endlessly, they decided to take some determined action.”

City functions North Carolina General Statute 95-98.1 prohibits public employees from striking, making the sanitation workers’ strike an

illegal one. The statute applies to employees at any level of government within North Carolina. While council members say they’re understanding of the workers’ plight, many of them have said their hands are tied when it comes to raising salaries off-budget and are wary of actions the state may take against them if they’re seen as being too sympathetic toward the striking workers.

“Somebody [in state government] sent us an email, and sent us the statute that talks about what you’re supposed to do when you engage in collective bargaining,” Middleton said during a September 21 work session. “It talked about what happens to employees who engage in the strike. I invite you to Google that. So they’re watching what we’re doing here.

They’re watching Durham.”

Engaging in a strike is a Class 1 misdemeanor in North Carolina, and employees who walk off the job are not legally protected. They could be fired on the spot.

And while city officials didn’t take such drastic action in response, they’re still at the mercy of state law.

Instead of terminating workers during the work stoppage, the city hired contractors from Waste Industries, a subsidiary of GFL Environmental Inc., to collect city residents’ trash and recycling. That’s not an uncommon practice for cities like Durham, according to city attorney Kimberly Rehberg.

“Cities provide public services in a range of methods,” Rehberg says. “Some cities have people fully employed in-house to provide a wide array of services. Some of them use private contractors to handle many of their governmental activities and functions.”

Rehberg adds that certain jobs that fall under the city’s purview may require specific skills that its workers don’t have, or the volume of work may be too high for just city staff to manage. Citywide emergencies, like the storm that ripped through the Triangle in August, are situations where the city might contract out additional support.

“A lot of it tends to be based on the size of the municipality,” Rehberg continues. “A city the size of Durham, or Raleigh, or Greensboro, or Charlotte is going to have a lot more capacity but also a much larger population to service, and given the scale, it is going to make more sense to have employees employed by the city. Still, even the largest cities routinely use private contractors for specialized activities and exceptional service needs” Still, the move angered the sanitation employees, who felt the money spent on contractors could have been put toward the workers’ demands.

But Middleton said the council has a

responsibility to the city’s residents.

“When the strike started and garbage was on the street, the government has no choice,” he said, “because it is now an emergency situation, to do whatever it has to do to make sure disease is not spread through the city, to make sure that the garbage gets picked up.”

By the numbers At the direction of council, city manager Page proposed onetime bonuses for all employees across four salary tiers: salaries less than $57,000 would receive $3,000 bonuses; salaries between $57,000 and $90,000 receive $2,500 bonuses; salaries more than $90,000 receive $2,000; and part-time employees receive $1,000. The bonuses would be administered from the city’s fund balance.

Durham’s General Fund, which provides funding for core city services, is $281.5 million for the 2023–24 fiscal year. The city is required to have at least 16.7 percent in its fund balance—the city’s savings, to operate in case of emergency. According to city staff, Durham operates at around 25 percent savings.

The total fund balance isn’t set until after the previous year’s budget is already adopted. Additional revenues come in that the city can’t fully account for prior to its annual budget deadline in June, so that money is added to the fund balance. From there, the city manager and their staff can make recommendations for how to allocate the extra funding that is left after meeting the 25 percent threshold. Those extra funds can only be used for onetime expenditures. In previous years, the city purchased things like new trucks and other equipment upgrades.

Christina Riordan, the interim director of budget and maintenance services, explained at the September 21 council work session that the money for the bonuses would come out of the city’s reserve funds and, accordingly, why the city can’t raise salaries outside of the last budget cycle.

“Fund balance and reserve maintenance are important because they provide financial safety nets in the event of emergencies, economic downtowns, or other unforeseen circumstances,” Riordan said. “Fund balance and reserve maintenance are also major factors considered by bond rating agencies when evaluating the city’s creditworthiness.”

But the council didn’t approve the proposed bonuses, and at the end of the work session, members directed Page and her staff to rework the structure so that employees at the lower end of the pay scale

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13

would receive more in bonuses and those at the higher end would receive less.

This weekend, Page returned with three options, on which the council will vote this month. The updated proposal offers onetime bonuses to employees based on Durham’s area median income (AMI). All three options include $5,000 bonuses for employees making under 60 percent of the AMI, which is calculated to be roughly $42,480 for one person.

The workers’ other demand, an increase in annual compensation, will have to wait until after the city conducts its pay study and proposes market-based salary adjustments in the budget for the next fiscal year. City staff conduct market studies on a regular basis to assess whether the city offers competitive employee compensation packages. The pay study is scheduled to begin this month.

Affordability It will take months to complete the pay study, and any raises likely won’t be approved until the new budget is adopted next summer. And while city employees are likely to get their bonuses in November, it’s time that they say they don’t have. The cost of living has increased exponentially, workers say, and many say they can’t afford to live in the city limits.

“Just about everyone lives abroad,” says solid waste employee John Burwell. “Very few live in Durham. Different places, they’re spread out. You can barely afford Durham.

It’s outrageous.”

The property tax rate in Durham is 55.77¢ per $100 of assessed value, meaning a house valued at $244,538, the median in Durham, would generate a tax bill of $1,364, according to the Durham County website.

Outgoing city council member Jillian Johnson says that once the pay study wraps, it’s probably a good time for the city to consider raising taxes.

“Taxes in this community are really low,” Johnson said during the budget meeting back in June. “Property tax … hits lower-income residents harder than higher-income residents. So raising the property tax rate in a housing crisis is a really difficult decision and really hard to sell to a community that’s already struggling.”

While raising taxes is a hard sell, as Johnson said, the results of the pay study will likely indicate a need to also raise salaries. And in order to provide those salary increases, the next city council could be looking at having to increase property tax rates, a decision that could prove to be politically unpopular.

Still, some council members are trying to leverage the workers’ strike and demands for salary increases into a campaign issue.

“Let’s stop playing who’s for it and who’s not for it. Everybody has seen who is for it,” said Holsey-Hyman during a city work session.

“It’s really hard, especially what I’ve been through, to sit here and say, ‘Oh yes, we care about you. Oh yes, we support you,’ but then you’re not moving in the direction

Pins are displayed on a table during the city council and mayoral candidate forum, hosted by the UE 150 Durham City Workers Union at the Community Family Life & Recreation Center at Lyon Park on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. PHOTO BY ANGELICA EDWARDS 14

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you could have moved in a long time ago.”

Willie Brown, a public works employee and UE Local 150 member, worked with other city employees to host a candidate forum last week at Lyon Park where workers could ask questions about issues that are important to them. Brown was a CDL truck driver for years before joining the city over a year ago. He and his wife settled in the Triangle to help raise their grandchildren. Brown remains concerned that life in Durham is becoming increasingly harder.

“As a disabled veteran, my wife has to go to the VA department in Durham, so we tried our best to get a home in Durham, but we were unable to afford a house,” says Brown. “I live in Knightdale, and I travel 45 minutes every day to work in Durham. I actually love it, but it’s too far.”

At the candidate forum, workers shifted between cracking jokes with one another as they enjoyed the catered Alpaca and listening intently to candidates as they made their cases for election. One by one, workers approached the stage to ask their questions to the group.

George Bacote, a solid waste employee who moved to Durham from New Jersey in 2014, asked the panelists about their experience engaging with federal and state agencies, as these are the ones with the power to most directly impact workers’ rights.

Bacote moved to Durham after his sister relocated to the Triangle to pursue degrees at NC Central University and UNC. He said this experience with the city has been stressful but that he’s learned to “hold peo-

ple to their word, and listen closely.”

Bacote says he didn’t engage with politics much before.

“Nobody in my community, neither.

Nobody in the neighborhood,” he adds. “I mean, we were always taught to vote Democrat. That’s pretty much it.”

Now that he’s seen how it impacts him more directly, Bacote says he’s excited to continue participating in the process.

“I’m here for the long run.”

The crowd was mostly in good spirits, even as folks asked candidates tough questions. But James Davis sat in the back of the room with his arms crossed, unimpressed with the candidate’s answers. He couldn’t resist firing back after mayoral candidate Leonardo Williams finished responding to one of the prompts.

“Wasn’t you against us?” blurted Davis, referring to the 4–3 vote in favor of passing the budget in June.

On the brink of securing a major victory, workers like Burwell, Bacote, Brown, and Davis have been clear that fair pay has been at the center of the ongoing tension between the city and its employees. But to these workers and their union counterparts, it’s only part of the equation. There’s also the question of what paying workers a fair wage represents: dignity for those who do some of the city’s least appealing, physically challenging, and most dangerous—but ultimately crucial—jobs.

It’s a matter of respect.

“Money ain’t everything,” Davis says. “It’ll help you live, but it ain’t everything.” W

James Davis attends the recent city council and mayoral candidate forum. PHOTO BY ANGELICA EDWARDS

A

nother year, another round of winners in INDY Week ’s much-imitated, neverreplicated Best of the Triangle contest, where you tell us who’s the best of the best in our beloved region.

e h t f o t Bes gle n a i r T

3 2 0 2 Chatham

Orange & Counties

While Best of the Triangle has been running for two decades now, astute readers and INDY fans will notice that we’re doing things a little differently from now on. Instead of presenting all winners in all categories, ranging from restaurants, bars, and yoga studios to hair salons, museums, and preschools, all at once, we’re running individual contests and presenting winners in different categories one county at a time—Wake, Durham, and Orange/Chatham— ending with Orange and Chatham.

At the end of the year, a contest will be held pitting the best of each region against each other for the “Best of the Triangle” crown. There are a handful of additional categories that only apply to the entire Triangle. We’ll honor all Best of the Triangle winners in hundreds of different categories in a special issue in early December.

This year’s list of Orange/Chatham winners, as voted by our readers, really does look like a best-of-the-best list of businesses and service providers in these two counties. You could make a perfect local day—or several—out of dining at the restaurants, touring the wonderful parks and museums, and shopping at all the stores for which our readers cast their ballots. As for service providers—your lawyers, bartenders, chiropractors, and dog walkers—our readers really have chosen the best in the business.

Thank you for nominating and voting for all of your favorites! Congratulations to all of the finalists in Orange and Chatham Counties, who will receive our coveted star decal to display in their windows. Winners will also receive a poster to display in their shop. Look forward to CONTRIBUTORS celebrating our ? Best of the Best of the Triangle in our special edition.

INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

15

Orange & Chatham Counties

Best

Businesses Best Attorney

Best Dog Grooming

Cedar Grove Law (Anna and Jonathan Williams)

Ooh La La Pet Spa

Runners-up: Bagwell & Holt, Amos Tyndall

Best Auto Mechanic

Auto Logic Best Bridal Store/Boutique

Best Dog Walking

Sofia’s Boutique

Walk & Wag

Runner-up: Lark

Runner-up: Rachel McNeil

Best CBD/Head Shop

Best Electrician

Carolina Hemp Hut

Bonneville Electric

Runners-up: Magic on 70, Quantum Soul by MagikCraft

Runners-up: Carol’s Electric, Klassic Electric Services Inc

Best Clothing Consignment

Best HVAC Company

Best Dance Studio

Boer Brothers Heating & Cooling Runners-up: Warren Hay, Stone Services

Best Insurance Company

7 Dance Centre Runners-up: Renner Dance Company, Pink Cherry Pole & Dance Studio

Best Dog Boarding

Green Beagle Lodge, Chapel Hill Runners-up: Top Dog Training & Resort, Noah’s Ark Kennel and Cattery

INDYweek.com

Paws4Ever Runners-up: Top Dog Training & Resort, Hearth and Hounds

Runners-up: My Secret Closet, Second Bloom

October 4, 2023

Best Dog Training

Runner-up: Sanders Automotive

Rumors Chapel Hill

16

Runners-up: Hair of the Dog Grooming, Love Overboard Kennels and Grooming

NC Farm Bureau Runners-up: Ola Stinnet with State Farm, Nationwide

Best Jeweler/Jewelry Store

WomanCraft Gifts Runners-up: Olmaz Jewelers, Quantum Soul

Best of the Triangle 2023 Orange & Chatham Counties

Best of the Triangle 2023 Orange & Chatham Counties

INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

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Best Local Bookstore in Orange & Chatham Counties: Flyleaf Books PHOTO OF FLYLEAF’S LEAD BUYER AND MANAGER ELESE STUTTS BY JADE WILSON

Best Landscaper

Best Real Estate Company

Bombadil

Triangle Key by Flex Realty

Runners-up: Piedmont Mowing, Weslee Winston Landscaping

Best Local Bookstore

Flyleaf Books Runners-up: Epilogue Books & Chocolate Brews, Quantum Soul

Best New Business

The Cheese Shop Runners-up: Golden Fig Books, Quantum Soul

Best Painters

Runners-up: Weaver Street Realty, Boro Realty

Best Realtor

Justin Burleson Runners-up: Susan Worthy, Crystal Fisher

Best Vintage Store

Rumors Chapel Hill Runners-up: My Secret Closet, Carlisle & Linny Vintage Jewelry

Gonzalez Painters & Contractors Inc. Runners-up: Tar Heel Painters, Garcia Painting

Best Place to Buy Locally Made Art

My Muses Card Shop, Carrboro Runners-up: WomanCraft Gifts, Peel Gallery

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Best of the Triangle 2023 Orange & Chatham Counties

Orange & Chatham Counties

Best

Arts

Best Art Gallery

Best Radio Station

FRANK Gallery

WUNC-FM

Runners-up: Peel Gallery + Photo Lab, NC Craft Gallery

Runners-up: WCHL 97.9 FM, 89.3 WXYC

Best Art Museum

Ackland Art Museum Runner-up: Horace Williams House

Best Drag Show/Event

Naomi Dix - Cat’s Cradle Best Electronic Concert Venue

Cat’s Cradle Runners-up: The Kraken, Local 506

Best Film Theatre Venue/Event

The Chelsea Theater, Chapel Hill Runners-up: Silverspot, Varsity

Best Science/History Museum

Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Runners-up: Orange County Historical Museum, Burwell School

Best Theatre Company

PlayMakers Repertory Company Runners-up: Stone Soup Theatre Company, Kenan Players

Best Unplugged Concert Venue

Community Church Concerts Runners-up: The ArtsCenter, The Kraken

Best Local/Regional Podcast

The Hill Runners-up: Arcane Carolinas, John News

Best of the Triangle 2023 Orange & Chatham Counties

INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

19

Orange & Chatham Counties

Best

Food & Drink

Best Alcoholic Cocktails

Best Burger

The Crunkleton

Al’s Burger Shack

Runners-up: Belltree Cocktail Club, Atlas

Runners-up: Town Hall Burger and Beer, Shake Shack

Best Bagel

Brandwein’s Bagels

Best Catering

Runners-up: Bruegger’s Bagels, Phoenix Bakery

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery, and Catering

Best Bakery

Runners-up: The Root Cellar Cafe and Catering, Beau Catering

Guglhupf Bake Shop Runners-up: Weaver Street Market, Kim’s Bake Shop

Best Barbecue

Best Cheap Eats

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery, and Catering Runners-up: Carrburritos, Virlie’s Grill

The Pig Runners-up: Hillsborough BBQ Company, Allen & Son Bar-B-Cue

Best Beer Retail Store

BeerStudy Runners-up: House of Hops, Der Nachbar

Best Cheese Shop

The Cheese Shop Runners-up: Weaver Street Market, Wegmans

Best Chinese Restaurant

Gourmet Kingdom Runners-up: Jade Palace, Red Lotus

Best Biscuits

Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen Runners-up: Rise, The Flying Biscuit Café

Best Coffee Shop

Caffè Driade Runners-up: Open Eye Cafe, Magic on 70

Best Brewery

Steel String Brewery, Pluck Farm

Best Desserts

Runners-up: Top of the Hill, Craftboro

Runners-up: Kim’s Bake Shop, Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews

Guglhupf Bake Shop

Best Brunch Restaurant

Breakaway Cafe Runners-up: Acme Food & Beverage Co, Crossroads, Carolina Inn 20

October 4, 2023

INDYweek.com

Best of the Triangle 2023 Orange & Chatham Counties

Best Draft Selection

Best Japanese Restaurant

Wooden Nickel Pub

Akai Hana Japanese Restaurant

Runners-up: House of Hops, Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery

Best Ethnic Grocery Store

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery, and Catering Runners-up: Bravos Market, Mikyin’s Asian Market

Best Food Truck

Bulkogi Runners-up: Burmese Hot Bowl, Garnachas Rivera

Best Indian Restaurant

Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe Runners-up: Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar, CholaNad Restaurant & Bar

Best Italian Restaurant

Runners-up: Iza Whiskey and Eats, Oishii

Best Late Night Meal Past 10 p.m.

Cosmic Cantina Runner-up: The Northside District

Best Mexican Restaurant

Fiesta Grill Restaurant Runners-up: Carrburritos, Monterrey Mexican Restaurant

Best Neighborhood Bar

Wooden Nickel Pub Runners-up: Orange County Social Club, The Kraken

Best New Restaurant

Bluebird

Tesoro

Runners-up: Tesoro, Bombolo

Runners-up: 411 West Italian Cafe, Magone Italian Grill & Pizza

Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Caffe Driade Runner-up: Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews

Best Draft Selection, Neighborhood Bar and Wings in Orange & Chatham Counties: Wooden Nickel PHOTO BY ALEX BOERNER Best of the Triangle 2023 Orange & Chatham Counties

INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

21

Raleigh's Community Bookstore

EVENTS Catering multiple cuisines for all occasions

IN-STORE

Ben Fountain Devil Makes Three

WED 10.4 7:00 PM

IN-STORE

Christopher Rowe, The Navigating Fox

THU 10.5

Best Wine Retail Store in Orange & Chatham Counties: Rocks + Acid Wine Shop PHOTO BY BRETT VILLENA

7:00 PM

Award-winning Local Fare with a Global Flair Thank you for voting us

Winner of :

IN-STORE

Robyn Silverman, How to Talk To Kids About Anything

TUE 10.7 7:00 PM

- Vimala Rajendran

TUE 10.17 7:00 PM

Best Seafood

Best Vegetarian Eatery

Best Small Plates/Tapas

Glasshalful Runners-up: Kipos, Bartaco

Best Southern Food

Mama Dip’s Kitchen

431 W Franklin St #415, Chapel Hill, NC 27516 919-929-3833 www.curryblossom.com

22

October 4, 2023

INDYweek.com

Get tickets to these events and others at www.quailridgebooks.com www.quailridgebooks.com 919.828.1588 • North Hills 4209-100 Lassiter Mill Road, Raleigh, NC 27609 FREE Media Mail shipping on U.S. orders over $50

Cham Thai Runners-up: Thai Station, Twisted Noodles Chapel Hill

IN-STORE

David Menconi, Oh, Didn’t They Ramble

Best Thai Restaurant

Runners-up: Italian Pizzeria III, Amante Gourmet Pizza

Runners-up: Squid’s Restaurant, Postal Fish Company

in Orange/Chatham Counties

Orange/Chatham Counties

Pizzeria Mercato

Tom Robinson’s Carolina Seafood

Best Indian Restaurant

Best Chef in

Best Pizza

Med Deli Runners-up: Spotted Dog Restaurant & Bar, Twisted Noodles Chapel Hill

Best Wine List

Glasshalfull Runner-up: Bluebird

Best Wine Retail Store

Rocks + Acid Wine Shop

Runners-up: Acme, Hillsborough BBQ

Runners-up: Chapel Hill Wine Company, Hillsborough Wine Company

Best Sushi

Best Wings

Akai Hana

Wooden Nickel

Runners-up: Spicy 9 Sushi Bar, Oishii

Runners-up: Heavenly Buffaloes, Wingman

Best of the Triangle 2023 Orange & Chatham Counties

Thank you for voting us

Winner of: Best Biscuits in Orange/Chatham Counties

Best of the Triangle 2023 Orange & Chatham Counties

INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

23

Orange & Chatham Counties

Best

Health

Best Barber Shop

Best Holistic Medicine

Best A

Chapel Hill Barber Shop

UNC Wellness

Runners-up: Friendly Barbershop, Clark’s Barber Style

Runners-up: Duke Integrative Medicine, Acupuncture Healing Center

North Garde

Best Childcare

Best Massage Therapist

Best D

Emerson Waldorf SchoolEarly Childhood

Carole L Pope, LMBT # 12671

Cat’s

Runners-up: Schoolhouse of Wonder, Chapel Hill Daycare Center

Runners-up: Nirvana Kneads (Martina Blackwell), Edie Stuber

Best Chiropractic Practice

Best Pediatric Practice

Advance Physical Therapy

Chapel Hill Pediatrics

Runners-up: NC Chiropractic (Dr. Chas Gaertner), Swiss Chiropractic

Runners-up: Carrboro Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, North Chatham Pediatrics and Internal Medicine

Best Dental Practice

Best Spa

Holman Family Dental Care

Best G

Finley

Runner-u

Best H

Carol

Runners Colonial

Hillsborough Spa and Day Best H Retreat Colon

Best Dermatological Practice

Best Veterinary Practice

Best K

Carrboro Plaza Veterinary Clinic

The N

Best Gym

Runners-up: Cole Park Veterinary Hospital, Kindred Heart

Best Women’s Health Practice

Planet Fitness

Chapel Hill OBGYN

Runners-up: Gold’s Gym, Carrboro O2 Fitness

Runners-up: UNC Women’s Health

Best Hair Salon

Best Yoga Studio

Purple Coffin Hair Studio Franklin Street Yoga Center Runners-up: Mina’s Studio, Aveda Institute Chapel Hill

INDYweek.com

Runners

Runners-up: Aveda Institute Chapel Hill, Runners Mina’s Studio Graduate

Runners-up: Central Dermatology, Chapel Hill, UNC Dermatology

October 4, 2023

Runner-u

Runners-up: Ellis Family Dentistry, Susanne Jackson, DDS

Chapel Hill Dermatology

24

Orange C

Runners-up: Loving Kindness Yoga School, YogaSix

Best of the Triangle 2023 Orange & Chatham Counties

Runner-u

edicine,

artina

cs

and m

Orange & Chatham Counties

Best

Places

Best Arboretum or Garden

Best Place to People Watch

North Carolina Botanical Garden

Weaver Street Market

Runner-up: UNC/Coker Arboretum

Best Dance Venue

Cat’s Cradle

Best Preschool/Early Education Program

Runners-up: Hot Tin Roof, Local 506

Emerson Waldorf School

Best Golf Course

Runners-up: Carolina Friends School, Learning Outside

Finley Runner-up: Siler City Country Club

Best Hotel

Carolina Inn Runners-up: The Fearrington House Inn, Colonial Inn

d Day Best Hotel Lounge Colonial Inn

pel Hill, Runners-up: The Siena Hotel, Graduate, Chapel Hill

e

Runners-up: Wooden Nickel, Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews

Best Karaoke Place/Event

The Northside District Runner-up: Music Bingo at House of Hops

Best Sports Bar

FOUR CORNERS Runners-up: House of Hops Pittsboro, Havoc Brewing Company

Join us for our two-day Festival to experience the power of LIVE storytelling

Best Summer Camp

Carolina Friends School Summer Programs Runners-up: Emerson Waldorf School, Schoolhouse of Wonder

Best Trivia Bar/Event

Music Bingo @ Gizmo Runners-up: Epilogue Books, House of Hops

y

Friday and Saturday, November 3rd and 4th Live at the Cary Theater, 122 East Chatham St, Cary

Acclaimed storytellers will present family-friendly stories and music to entertain, warm your heart, and inspire Four Showcase performances over Friday and Saturday in the intimate Cary Theater.

Presented by the North Carolina Storytelling Guild and the Town of Cary Theater.

actice

FEATURING

th

ga

Donna Washington

Best Arboretum or Garen in Orange & Chatham Counties: North Carolina Botanical Garden PHOTO BY JEREMY M. LANGE Best of the Triangle 2023 Orange & Chatham Counties

Larry Pearlman

Lona Bartlett

Kim Weitkamp

Lipbone Redding

Greg Whitt-Emcee

More information and tickets at oldnorthstatestorytellingfestival.com INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

25

Orange & Chatham Counties

Best

People & Misc.

Best Chef

Best Politician

Vimala Rajendran

Graig Meyer

Runners-up: John Horne, Brandon Sharp

Runners-up: Jenn Weaver, Danny Nowell

Best DJ

DJ Special K (House of Hops Music Bingo) Runners-up: DJ Wilder, DJLicious

Best Draft-Slinger

James Peery at The Kraken Runners-up: Kacie (House of Hops), Evan Patton (House of Hops)

Best Kids Non-Profit

Learning Outside

Best Reason to Love Orange/Chatham County

The People/Community Runners-up: The Greenery/Outdoors, UNC

Best Use of Public Money

Affordable Housing

Best Local Activist Group

Best-Kept Secret

Runners-up: Refugee Community Partnership, CARE

Speakcheesy Secret Supper @ Belltree Cocktail Club

Best Mixologist

Runners-up: The Gathering Place, Quantum Soul

Runners-up: Zach White (The Belltree), Tyler Upchurch (The Kraken)

Best Non-Profit

INDYweek.com

Runners-up: Growing Traffic, Construction

Runners-up: Nature Trails and Walking Paths, Bike Transit

Britton Murray (Wooden Nickel Pub)

October 4, 2023

Cost of Living

Runner-up: Schoolhouse of Wonder

Planned Parenthood

26

Best Reason to Leave Orange/Chatham County

Biggest Waste of Public Money

Developer Incentives Runner-up: Badly Planned Road Construction

Orange County Rape Crisis Center

Worst Politician

Runners-up: Paws4Ever, Hillsborough Arts Council

Runner-up: Adam Searing

Matt Hughes

Best of the Triangle 2023 Orange & Chatham Counties

FO O D & D R I N K

THE CAN OPENER 205 S Gregson Street | @thecanopenerdurham (on Instagram)

L to R: Gus Megaloudis, Joe Choi, and Ernest Harris pictured in front of Durham’s Can Opener bridge, the namesake of their food truck park that will open around the corner at 205 S Gregson Street this winter. PHOTO BY ANGELICA EDWARDS

.

Nowell

y

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nity

ors, UNC

ey

alking

Opening Up The Can Opener has always brought people together. Soon, a downtown Durham food truck park named after that famous bridge will do the same.

BY LENA GELLER food@indyweek.com

I

n a world of increasingly contrived reality TV show premises—even falling in love, one of the most dramatic things a person can do, seems to no longer provide enough basis for entertainment unless contestants are blindfolded, Money naked, or quarantined—there’s something to be said about the lasting success of The Great Food Truck Race. s Now in its 16th season, The Food Network show features competitors attempting to perform the day-to-day operations of a food truck owner. It’s a premise that works without manufactured drama because food trucks involve grind, and as longtime Durham food trucker Joe Choi notes, mobile eateries “come with a catch-22.”

“The beauty of food trucks is the freedom to go wherever you want,” says Choi, who launched a Korean barbecue food truck, Bulkogi, in 2009. “But on the other end of that, you’re working under unpredictable conditions.

Beyond your food, your location, and your aesthetics, you really don’t have much control.”

That’s part of the reason why Choi will soon be parking

,

his Bulkogi truck for good.

Well, one of his Bulkogi trucks. He has three. Two will remain mobile around town—but one is set to be permanently stationed at the Can Opener, downtown Durham food truck park that Choi is launching this winter alongside his business partner, Bo Kwon; Ernest Harris, owner of the Knightdale-based barbecue food truck Chick-N-Que; and Gus Megaloudis, of the Durham-based Greek street food truck Gussy’s.

A indoor-outdoor concept slated to open at the intersection of South Gregson and West Pettigrew Streets, the Can Opener will include a semicircle of five food trucks—Bulkogi, Chick-N-Que, and Gussy’s, with spots for two others that will change up day by day—as well as a bar, harbored inside the old American Postal Workers Union building, with coffee, wine, and 30 beers on tap. The space will seat around 350 people, with indoor tables, a covered outdoor dining area near the trucks, and a rooftop patio. A line of trees buffers the site from nearby train tracks. In winter months,

when branches are bare, rooftop diners will have a prime vantage point of the business’s namesake: the “can opener” bridge at Durham’s Norfolk Southern–Gregson Street Overpass, nicknamed thusly for its tendency to rip the aluminum tops off of trucks that collide with its low beam.

The bridge, for example, has claimed the hoods of Choi’s trucks on at least five occasions.

For Choi, who has a brick-and-mortar Bulkogi location at Boxyard RTP and also co-owns the Durham restaurant Namu, the Can Opener is a sort of culmination of his existing businesses. Namu, a sprawling restaurant off 15-501, plays host to both a coffee bar and a beer hall. Boxyard RTP, nestled within the Research Triangle Park, contains a hodgepodge of food and beverage spots housed in shipping containers. Both concepts are echoed in the Can Opener, an unorthodox space with lots of moving parts.

For Harris and Megaloudis, the Can Opener marks a more significant shift. Harris, who has multiple Chick-NQue trucks but no brick-and-mortar location, will now be able to tell customers exactly when and where to find him.

Megaloudis, who has a brick-and-mortar Gussy’s location in South Durham but only one truck, will no longer be on wheels.

After more than 10 years of showing up at gigs to find that a site doesn’t have hookups for power or water, Megaloudis says, or that an event’s schedule has changed, he’s ready to trade mobility for stability.

Choi, Harris, and Megaloudis became friends in the early 2010s. Back then, the Triangle’s food truck community was smaller and more close-knit, which meant that if disaster struck, owners weren’t on their own. Once, for instance, when a Bulkogi truck’s generator broke down, a nearby food truck sawed off its generator and gave it to Choi.

Now that food trucks are a dime a dozen, the scene has become more competitive in the way the rest of the restaurant industry is, the owners say—which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but, in recent years, has pushed them toward creating a communal space. The Can Opener will join the ranks of other Durham spots working to foster human connection after years of pandemic-induced isolation, like Boxyard, the Durham Food Hall, and Common Market.

The Can Opener is still under construction, so its owners are reluctant to specify a projected launch date, though they’re aiming to open late this year. They envision the space as a breakfast and lunch spot for downtown employees (a breakfast food truck will be on-site each day starting at 6:30 a.m.), as well as a lively gathering place for families and a venue for weddings, live music, and other events.

The Can Opener, Harris envisions, will be “a return to that quaint, family-type feel—a return to that camaraderie.” W INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

27

M U SIC

New Notes Carlos Miguel Prieto, the North Carolina Symphony’s new music director and conductor, hopes to usher in an era of world-class international music.

BY JASMINE GALLUP music@indyweek.com

New music director Carlos Miguel Prieto conducts the North Carolina Symphony, guest trumpeter Pacho Flores, and guest cuatro player Héctor Molina. PHOTO BY JOHN HANSEN PHOTOGRAPHY

A

riotous celebration of Latin American music filled Meymandi Concert Hall, late last month, as renowned conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto took the stage to open the North Carolina Symphony’s new season.

Prieto, who was hired as the symphony’s new music director in February, kicked off his first full season with the orchestra in style. The classical concert wasn’t a subdued, somber event: instead, it was a party, with Prieto leading talented international soloist Pacho Flores first through Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat Major, followed by a contemporary Paquito D’ Rivera piece commissioned specifically for the trumpet player.

Flores, undoubtedly the star of the show, was later joined

by Héctor Molina on the cuatro, a small four-string guitar originating in Latin America. Just before intermission, the two left the stage to huge applause, only to return minutes later for an exceptional encore: Cantos y Revueltas, composed and performed by Flores, with Molina and the orchestra’s string section. It was a playful set as the duo improvised musical riffs and engaged the audience in a call-and-response.

September’s opening weekend gave audiences a good idea of what Prieto, who replaced former music director Grant Llewellyn, hopes to achieve during his tenure. The new conductor has a history of mixing styles, drawing audiences in with classical favorites like Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 (which was played during the second half of the concert), then hitting them with something new like New Orleans swing.

28

October 4, 2023

INDYweek.com

“I love [conducting] what people love hearing, but I wouldn’t be myself if I just had a season with only the things that orchestras play over and over again,” Prieto says.

“I am not someone who believes [in] putting together a season through what I know the audience already likes. I don’t think that’s challenging enough. I like to challenge the orchestra. I like to challenge the audience and expand everyone’s horizons.”

Prieto, originally from Mexico, is the orchestra’s sixth music director since its inception in 1932. He’s served as a guest conductor for the North Carolina Symphony since 2011, occasionally stepping in to direct concerts featuring the music of Anna Clyne, Gabriela Ortiz, and others.

Before coming to North Carolina, Prieto served as the director of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, also conducting concerts across the globe.

The North Carolina Symphony needs to maintain a strong connection to its classical repertoire, but it should also work to expand that repertoire, Prieto says—and “not because of any kind of external pressure but because [the music is] good,” he adds.

“If the orchestra goes into a certain direction, it should always be a direction that’s driven by excellence and quality,” Prieto says.

But that doesn’t mean they can’t explore new music or find different ways to connect with a more diverse audience, he adds: world-class music can and should include music from around the world.

The North Carolina Symphony is already heavily involved in the community through music education programs, but Prieto says he wants to build an even stronger rapport with people from across the Triangle. The world of classical music has an unfortunate stigma of elitism, Prieto says, but speaks to, and can be accessible to, a large number of people.

“North Carolina, and specifically Raleigh, has a growing Latin community, growing in size and importance and relevance,” Prieto says. “I really think that my presence there will allow for some nice connections to happen.”

In addition to building a more diverse audience, Prieto wants to grow the symphony’s overall place in the community, he says. When it comes to the things that draw people to North Carolina, he would like for the orchestra to be mentioned alongside the Triangle’s universities, hospitals, and sports teams.

Prieto’s enthusiasm and passion for music is almost palpable as he talks about the orchestra’s upcoming season.

Asked whether there are any shows he’s particularly excited about, he responds, “Every single one.”

Attending only select classical shows is like visiting a museum and only going to see the paintings you already love, Prieto says. He encourages audiences to not just visit the famous paintings everyone is crowding around but explore new rooms, in the hopes they’ll find something that speaks to them.

“I beg the audience not to prioritize one series over the other or one composer over the other,” he says. “Truly, the orchestra is there for the community.” W

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29

M U SIC

Her Take

New releases by MaDrique, Durham High, and Pat Junior do North Carolina hip-hop proud.

BY KYESHA JENNINGS music@indyweek.com

O

ne of hip-hop’s greatest strengths is its ability to evoke a feeling that can be best described as love— what it feels like to fall in love and what it feels like to be loved. As everyone’s favorite fictional hip-hop journalist Sidney Shaw once said, “Just when you think you know hiphop, it surprises you and reminds you why you fell in love with it in the first place.”

Whether through relatable lyrics, an innovative sample, immaculate wordplay, or a dope-ass chorus, hip-hop has the power to instantly transport listeners into an artist’s world.

As listeners and fans of the culture, we have a window into an artist’s passion—and also who broke their heart.

It’s no secret that I believe in North Carolina’s rap scene.

I hope to convince whoever is reading this to believe in it, too. Talent has always been high here and the range of sounds expansive; one of the most impressive things about North Carolina artists is the way they package their music.

Their creative marketing abilities are truly impressive, as they leverage social media to engage audiences and attract new listeners. Consider Pat Junior’s actual gold tape for his latest Grill Talk Mixtape Vol. 1, or Nance’s satirical skits inspired by Drake’s as-yet-unknown album release date, or Shame Gang’s mechanic-themed album rollout.

For the past two weeks I’ve found myself playing the latest releases from MaDrique, Durham High, and Pat Junior on repeat. Whether I am in the gym, riding in the car, or in need of background music while writing, their music has captivated. The Bike Ride Tape 2 has been a sweet reminder of how much I enjoy relationship rap and creative storytelling. Durham High effortlessly showcases the creative potential of alternative rap. In many ways, this introspective paean to Durham, drawing inspiration from lyricism, funk, and soul music, resonates spiritually. And then there’s Grill Talk Mixtape Vol. 1, which invokes a sense of pride in North Carolina hip-hop because of Pat Junior’s exceptional 30

October 4, 2023

INDYweek.com

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: DURHAM HIGH ALBUM PHOTO BY SAMANTHA EVERETTE; MADRIQUE ALBUM PHOTO BY MADRIQUE; PAT JUNIOR ALBUM PHOTO BY JESSICA DUNSTON

rap skills and precision.

Experiencing simultaneous excitement for three distinct projects has been incredibly refreshing, especially considering the path mainstream hip-hop has taken recently. I’ve eagerly shared these projects with anyone willing to listen.

You should check them out, too.

MaDrique: The Bike Ride Tape 2 There’ve been many discussions on social media and hip-hop blogs lately about the lack of innovation in hiphop sampling—often little or no changes are made to the beat structure of a popular artist’s already-sampled track.

But MaDrique’s new project can be best described as a case study in the art of sampling and storytelling. Through poetic narratives and mellow cadence, listeners—in particular, those experiencing the highs and lows of dating—are able to profoundly connect with the North Raleigh artist and realize that they are not alone in navigating the complex ebbs and flows of love. The five-track project is primarily produced by Ace Dizzy (Jeremy Macon), and the synergy and sonic connection between MaDrique and Ace make it feel as if they were destined to meld together.

Consider track 4, “You Can’t Keep Doing This Girl,” for example: Ace’s use of a rare ’90s R&B sample carves out space for MaDrique to share his personal experience of heartbreak. MaDrique’s talented 14-year-old cousin QG The Great (Quinn Michael Gray) also blessed him with a dope beat on track 2, “Wanna Love You.” Here, instead of

glorifying the toxic relationship dynamics often present in rap, MaDrique reminds his lady what his true intentions are: to love her. And as with track 4, he uses creative sampling to support his storytelling efforts. Throughout the entirety of The Bike Ride Tape 2, MaDrique’s talent undeniably lies in his storytelling; whether he’s reflecting on financial challenges, his love for vintage fashion, or relationships, you’re going to be tuned in. He skillfully crafts vivid narratives that deeply resonate with his audience. His willingness to be vulnerable not only fosters a connection with listeners but also infuses his lyrics with a profound layer of authenticity.

Favorite Tracks: “Been Too Long,” “You Can’t Keep Doing This Girl”

Durham High: Durham High A collaboration between G Yamazawa and Wreck-NCrew is like a gift from the rap gods. In case it wasn’t clear before, the three Durhamites—George Yamazawa (G), Montrice Goodwin (Trie Cartier), and Brandon Sutton (Sutton)—are now officially Durham High.

Though the three didn’t attend high school together (G attended Jordan and Trie and Sutton graduated from Mt. Zion), Durham High the group and Durham High the project are an ode to all things Durham.

“Durham High is kind of like a metaphor for showing Durham on a higher-echelon level. We’re showing Durham art at its highest form,” Trie Cartier shared. Durham High

is arguably one of the most cohesive and experimental projects released in 2023, pushing the boundaries of rap innovation in a truly remarkable way. G, Trie, and Sutton are rapping rapping. There’s bars and intricate rhyming patterns, wordplay, and vulnerable, honest admissions. There’s Durham.

There’s beautifully structured choruses, layered melodies, and impressive ad libs. One noteworthy aspect of the project is the effective sequencing of the tracks: There’s no need to skip a song. Listen straight through and you’ll hear a portrait of our city that captures its beauty and struggle.

Favorite Tracks: “Lifestyles,” “Fayetteville Rd”

Pat Junior: Grill Talk Mixtape Vol. 1 Pat Junior stands out as one of North Carolina’s most consistent artists. His track record reflects a commitment to excellence in every aspect, from high-quality raps to innovative visual storytelling. With each of his six solo projects, he provides a communal listening experience, and his album rollouts are executed with meticulous intention.

Have you seen the gold tapes? On Grill Talk Mixtape Vol. 1, as expected, the Raleigh artist continues to deliver scorching rap verses that fans crave. Yet, what sets Pat Junior apart is his ability to offer an alternative sonic experience with each project.

He masterfully explores varied cadences, keeping listeners guessing whether he’ll use a distinct voice, or rap fast or slow, with well-placed pauses and subtle inflections that impress even the most discerning music connoisseur. It is no surprise that Pat Junior’s confidence shines brilliantly throughout the project, bringing a bold and invigorating energy that adds a distinct and admirable element to it. His confidence coupled with his sharp lyrical gift allows him to fit right in with The Wales, The Drakes, The Coles, and The Kendricks.

It’s no wonder he was invited to perform on Hopscotch’s main stage this year.

Grill Talk Mixtape Vol. 1 is a reminder of how captivating Pat Junior’s talent is.

A standout feature of the project is the album’s production: It’s filled with a little bit of everything: gritty boom-bap beats that add a nostalgic, authentic feel, with jazz-infused beats, trap beats, and alternative hip-hop beats that, together, ultimately showcase the Raleigh rapper’s versatility.

It won’t be long before Pat Junior becomes a household name.

Favorite Tracks: “Black Gold,” “Boundaries” W INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

31

C U LT U R E CA L E NDA R

LIKE TO PLAN AHEAD?

THURS 10/5

WED 10/4

FRI 10/6

MUSIC

ART

MUSIC

PAGE

MUSIC

PAGE

Paige King Johnson $15+ 5:45 p.m., Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary.

Art of the Brick: An Exhibition of LEGO Art 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Pleasant Valley Promenade, Raleigh.

Cayucas $15+, 8 p.m., Motorco, Durham.

Ben Fountain: Devil Makes Three 5:30 p.m., Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill.

Charlie Ballantine Trio 8 p.m., Sharp 9 Gallery, Durham.

Christopher Rose: The Navigating Fox 7 p.m., Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh.

Field Medic $20, 8 p.m., Motorco, Durham.

Amrita Chakrabarti Myers: The Vice President’s Black Wife 5:30 p.m., Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill.

Perpetual Groove $22.50+, 8 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh.

Chew / Geeked $10, 8 p.m., Rubies on Five Points, Durham

Artist Talk: MJ Sharp, Our Disappearing Darkness and Recreating True Night 7 p.m., Shadowbox Studio, Durham.

STAGE SCREEN

Comedian Heather Shaw $22+ ,8 p.m., Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh.

Coal Miner’s Daughter 2 p.m., NCMA, Raleigh.

Russell Howard Live $32+, 7:30 p.m., Carolina Theatre, Durham.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower 7 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

PAGE

Stop Making Sense 40th Anniversary $10, Oct. 4-7, 8 p.m., The Rialto, Raleigh.

Ben Fountain: Devil Makes Three 7 p.m., Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh.

Matthew Fiander: Ringing in Your Ears 6:30 p.m.

Letters Bookshop, Durham.

Civic / Shrine $17+ 8 p.m., Pinhook, Durham.

Fogo no Trio with Rebecca Kleinmann 8 p.m., Sharp 9 Gallery, Durham.

Frenship $20, 8:30 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Houndmouth: One Night, Two Night, Three Night Tour $22, Oct. 5-7, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Terror Reid $20+, 9:30 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh Zac Brown Band $25+, 6:30 p.m., Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Raleigh.

STAGE Comedian Kevin Nealon $27+, Oct. 5-7, Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh.

Comedian Steve Wrigley $20+, 8 p.m., Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh.

ART Artist Talk: Devan Shimoyama 6 p.m., Hanes Art Center, Chapel Hill.

Conversation with Clarence Heyward 6:30 p.m., Ella West Gallery, Durham.

SCREEN Deconstructing the Beatles: Rubber Soul 2 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

The Hate U Give 7 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

The Homecoming Kick-Off Party Feat. DJ SNS $20+, Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh Mamis & the Papis and Party Illegal present: Moodboard $5, 10 p.m., Rubies on Five Points, Durham.

Ben Fountain: Devil Makes Three 6:30 p.m., Letters Bookshop, Durham.

SCREEN A Clockwork Orange 8 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

The Music of Billy Joel and Elton John with the North Carolina Symphony $66+, Oct. 6-7, various times, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh.

No Love Kickback $10, 7 p.m., Local 506, Chapel Hill.

STAGE Comedian Mary Radzinski $20+, Oct. 6-7, Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh.

Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It 2 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

COMMUNITY National Hispanic Heritage Month Día de la Comunidad 10 a.m.–2 p.m., W.D. Recreation Center, Durham.

Triangle Oktoberfest Oct. 6-7, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary.

Gaspard & Dancers $30+, 7:30 p.m., Stewart Theatre at NC State, Raleigh.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Oct. 5-15, various times, Theatre in the Park, Raleigh.

Never Twenty One 7:30 p.m., Rubenstein Arts Center, Durham.

Perpetual Groove performs at Lincoln Theatre on Wednesday, October 4.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LINCOLN THEATRE

32

October 4, 2023

INDYweek.com

SU 10/8 @CAT’S CRADLE BACK ROOM

TU 10/10 @CAT’S CRADLE BACK ROOM

SU 10/8 @CAT’S CRADLE

W/ JOHNNY PAYNE

W/ SECO

WILDERADO

MAPACHE

3 NIGHTS

HOLY FAWN

!

W/ CARACARA

@CAT’S CRADLE

TH 10/12 @CAT’S CRADLE BACK ROOM

HOUNDMOUTH

TU 10/10 @CAT’S CRADLE

ELECTRIC SIX AND SURFRAJETTES

10/5 W/ CHESSA RICH 10/6 W/ THE DEAD TONGUES 10/7 W/ ALEXA ROSE 11/14 TU: SLAUGHTER BEACH, DOG, W /BONNY DOON

CAT'S CRADLE 10/5 TH: HOUNDMOUTH W/ CHESSA RICH 10/6 FR: HOUNDMOUTH W/ THE DEAD TONGUES 10/7 SA: HOUNDMOUTH W/ ALEXA ROSE 10/8 SU: WILDERADO W/ SEGO 10/10 TU: ELECTRIC SIX AND

SURFRAJETTES 10/12 TH: DAN DEACON W/ MACULA DOG 10/13 FR: CIAN DUCROT W/ BRADEN BALES 10/14 SA: GEORGE CLANTON W/ FROST

SU 10/15 @CAT’S CRADLE

NEIL FRANCES

12/6 WE: THE MOSS 12/ 9 SA: SOUTHERN CULTURE ON

THE SKIDS

10/5 TH: FRENSHIP W/ BIZZY 10/7 SA: ESSENGER AND PUPPET W/ YOUNG MEDICINE

10/28 SA: CRANK IT LOUD PRESENTS

10/8 SU: HOLY FAWN W/ CARACARA

W/ EMMURE, BODYSNATCHER

10/10 TU: MAPACHE W/JOHNNY PAYNE

WE CAME AS ROMANS

W/ FROST CHILDREN, DEATH’S DYNAMIC SHROUD 10/22 SU: ANDMOREAGAIN PRESENTS:

THE BRUMMIES

10/24 TU: MARGO CILKER W/HUMBIRD 10/27 FR: GATLIN W/BEL 10/28 SA: AUSTIN SNELL W/LAUREN WATKINS

SOLD OUT

10/29 SU: BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT W/ NOT A TOY, AVA MAYBEE

11/7 TU: A. SAVAGE W/ SLUICE 11/9 TH: JACK KAYS GOES SOUTH

SOLD OUT

11/17 FR: VICTORIA VICTORIA FEATURING CHARLIE HUNTER ( $20)

10/15 SU: THE HANDSOME FAMILY W/DRUNKEN PRAYER

11/20 MO: GOLDEN APPLES

11/11 SA: THE OCEAN BLUE 11/12 SU: LENNY KAYE AND FRIENDS: A 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF NUGGETS! FT LENNY KAYE, JON WURSTER, STEVE WYNN, KEVN KINNEY, JAMES MASTRO, LUIGI SCORCIA AND JOEY HUFFMAN ( $30/$35)

10/16 MO: BLUE CACTUS, TOBACCO CITY,

11/30 TU: KELSEY WALDON W/ WILLIAM MATHENY

10/17 TU: YAM HAUS AND SAWYER

12/3 SU: SYDNEY SPRAGUE W/ WHEELWRIGHT

10/18 WE: TROUSDALE W/ANNA VAUS 10/19 TH: NICK SHOULDERS

AND THE OKAY CRAWDAD

SOLD OUT

SOLD OUT

10/20 FR: CLEM SNIDE 10/21 SA:TWIN HOUSE MUSIC 5 YR PARTY:SLOW TEETH, HOT BRAINS, WARKA

SOLD OUT

3/1/24 FR: YO LA TENGO

10/10 TU: THE MIDNIGHT W/ FLAMINGOSIS

FREEMAN

10/14 SA: DAN RODRIGUEZ,

11/9 TU: NATION OF LANGUAGE W/ MISS GRIT

12/ 9 SA: ANGEL OLSEN 3/2 2/24 SA: YO LA TENGO

11/16 TH: HUSBANDS W/ WORK WIFE

VERITY DEN

VALERIE JUNE, RACHAEL DAVIS, THAO & YASMINE WILLIAMS

11/12 SU: SUN JUNE, RUNNNER, GREG

10/13 FR: CERTAINLY SO, COYOTE ISLAND

SOLD OUT

11/3 FR: RAYLAND BAXTER W/ FLYTE 11/5 SU: A MUSICAL CONVERSATION WITH

11/30 TH: SAM GRISMAN PROJECT PRESENTS THE MUSIC OF GARCIA / GRISMAN

11/2 TH: TORTOISE W/ RICH RUTH

NOAH GUTHRIE

SOLD OUT

11/1 WE: VINCE HERMAN BAND W/AIRSHOW

10/12 TH: A GIANT DOG, DREGS,

11/3 FR: ROBBIE FULKS / SEATED

10/12 TH: SUZANNE VEGA

11/10 FR: NICK LOWE W/ LOS STRAITJACKETS

10/31 TU: BELL WITCH W/ SPIRIT POSSESSION W/LUNAR CREATURE

THE SILVER DOORS

HAW RIVER BALLROOM (SAX)

10/30 MO: MICHAEL MINELLI W/ TONY22

11/14 TU: BILLY RAFFOUL W/ LUCY GAFFNEY/ THE INDIANA DRONES

11/6 MO: THE JAPANESE HOUSE

W/ ABBY SAGE

GEORGE CLANTON

11/30 TH: PATRICK DRONEY W/ CECILIA CASTLEMAN

2/7/24 WE: HOTELIER + FOXING 10/16 MO: VACATIONS AND LAST DINOSAURS W /ELIZA McLAMB 2/9/24 FR: MICHAEL SHANNON & 10/18 WE: GUS DAPPERTON W/ ABBY SAGE JASON NARDUCY AND FRIENDS PLAY REM’S MURMUR 10/20 FR: YEULE W/ SASAMI 2/10/24 SA: ERICDOA 10/21 SA: KYM REGISTER + MELTDOWN RODEO W / SPECIAL GUEST 5/19/24 SU: SOEN THE A'S ALBUM RELEASE SHOW 10/24 TU: BARNS COURTNEY CATS CRADLE BACK ROOM

W/ DELTA SLEEP, ALL GET OUT

GUS DAPPERTON

SA 10/14 @CAT’S CRADLE

1/13/24 SA: MAGIC CITY HIPPIES

SHOW SLAID CLEAVES 11/4 SA: PETEY 11/5 SU: THE DEAR HUNTER

WE 10/18 @CAT’S CRADLE

11/25 SA: CRAZY CHESTER: A VERY CARRBORO TRIBUTE TO THE BAND & THE LAST WALTZ

10/15 SU: NEIL FRANCES

11/27 FR: VEDO

W/ FLAMINGOSIS

SOLD OUT

12/15 DEXTER AND MOONROCKS

W/YONAKA, JAMES BRUNER

THE MIDNIGHT

11/15 WE: CITIZEN W/NARROW HEAD, MODERN COLOR

CHILDREN, DEATH'S DYNAMIC SHROUD

10/26 TH: JUKEBOX THE GHOST PRESENTS HALLOWQUEEN

TU 10/10: @THE RITZ

A GIANT DOG, DREGS, THE SILVER DOORS

RITZ (RALEIGH) MOTORCO ( DURHAM) 10/6 FR: FIELD MEDIC W/ OLIVIA BARTON 10/18 MO: GENERATIONALS W/ MMEADOWS 10/24 TU: PALEHOUND W/ EMPATH 10/28 SA: HOJEAN W/JEREENA MONTEMAYOR 10/29 SU: SLOW PULP W/ BABEHOVEN 11/ 8: JOHN R. MILLER W/FERD 11. 9: MARY LATTIMORE W/ ROSALI

12/7 TH: WE ARE SCIENTISTS

3/ 21/ 24: BAR ITALIA

1/28/24 SU: OCIE ELLIOTT

LINCOLN THEATRE ( RALEIGH)

2/6/24 TU: JEFFREY MARTIN

10/31 TU: QUICKSAND W/GLITTERER

2/14/24 WE: SQUIRREL FLOWER 2/27/24 TU: THE HAILS

CATSCRADLE.COM • 919.967.9053 300 E. MAIN STREET • CARRBORO INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

33

C U LT U R E CA L E NDA R

SAT 10/7

SUN 10/8

LIKE TO PLAN AHEAD?

MON 10/9

TUES 10/10

MUSIC

PAGE

MUSIC

MUSIC

MUSIC

Essenger & Puppet / Young Medicine $15, 8 p.m, Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Sandra A. Gutierrez: Latinísimo 6 p.m., Lantern Restaurant, Chapel Hill.

Johnnyswim $32.50+, 8 p.m, Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh.

Electric Six $20, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Jeffrey Lewis and the Voltage / Stray Owls 6:30 p.m., Pinhook, Durham.

SCREEN

An Evening with Brandy Clark and Lori McKenna $27+, 8 p.m., Carolina Theatre, Durham.

Merz Trio 8 p.m., Baldwin Auditorium, Durham.

Neighbor $17+, 9 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh.

King Coal 5 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

My Love Affair with Marriage 8 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

Sick Chick Flicks Film Festival 12 p.m., Varsity Theater, Chapel Hill.

Night Therapy $5, 10 p.m., Rubies on Five Points, Durham.

Where the Wild Things Are 2 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

Rex Richardson Group 8 p.m., Sharp 9 Gallery, Durham.

Rissi Palmer $5, 11 a.m., Carolina Theatre, Durham.

The Taylor Party $20+, 8:30 p.m., The Ritz, Raleigh.

There’s a Cow on the Roof! $30, 7:30 p.m., Carolina Theatre, Durham.

STAGE Comedian Chelsea Handler $55+, 8 p.m., DPAC, Durham.

A Wrinkle in Time 11 a.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

COMMUNITY NC Courage vs. San Diego Wave $30+, 7 p.m., WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary.

Raleigh Little Theatre Costume Sale 10 a.m., Raleigh Little Theatre, Raleigh.

Comedian Majah Hype $27+, 7 p.m., Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh.

Black Violin $35+, 7:30 p.m., DPAC, Durham.

Holy Fawn $15, 7:30 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Ringing & Swinging Jazz Concert 3 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

Wilderado $22.50, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

STAGE FUNHOUSE, a Terrifyingly Twisted Circus Show $20+, 6-10 p.m., Motorco, Durham.

PAGE Second Sunday Poetry Series 2:30 p.m., Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill.

Twain $12, 8 p.m., Rubies on Five Points, Durham.

STAGE The Legend of Sleepy Hollow $7.50+, various times, The Carolina Theatre, Durham.

PAGE J. Myrick Howard: Buying Time for Heritage 5:30 p.m., Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill.

SCREEN Hocus Pocus Costume Screening 6 p.m., Alamo Drafthouse, Raleigh.

Mapache $16, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

The Midnight $30+, 7 p.m., The Ritz, Raleigh.

The Reunion Tour $70+, 8 p.m., PNC Arena, Raleigh.

Switchfoot: The Beautiful Letdown 20th Anniversary Tour 7:30 p.m., Carolina Theatre, Durham.

STAGE Beautiful: The Carole King Musical $23+, Oct. 10-15, various times, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh.

MJ the Musical $44+, Oct. 10-22, various times, DPAC, Durham.

PAGE Robyn Silverman: How to Talk to Kids about Anything 2:30 p.m., Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh.

SCREEN Misery 7:30 p.m., Varsity Theatre, Chapel Hill.

Queer Movie Night: Beetlejuice $10+, 7:30 p.m., Pinhook, Durham.

Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It 7 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

Comedian Will Burkart $22+, 7:15 p.m., Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh.

SCREEN Frankenstein and The Invisible Man Double Feature 1:45 p.m., Alamo Drafthouse, Raleigh.

COMMUNITY

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit $35+, 5:30 p.m., Red Hat Amphitheater, Raleigh.

Harvest Festival 1-4 p.m., Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Durham.

Wilderado performs at Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, on Sunday, October 8.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAT’S CRADLE

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October 4, 2023

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C U LT U R E CA L E NDA R

FIND OUR COMPLETE COMMUNITY CALENDAR AT INDYWEEK.COM/CALENDAR

WED 10/11

THURS 10/12

FRI 10/13

MUSIC

MUSIC

STAGE

ART

MUSIC

STAGE

Dear Rube: A Birthday Tribute to John Prine $10, 8 p.m., Rubies on Five Points, Durham.

A Giant Dog $17, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Carolina Ballet’s Frankenstein Oct. 12-29, various times, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh.

Artist Talk: Mary Mattingly 6 p.m., NCMA, Raleigh.

Certainly So / Coyote Island $15, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Artist Talk: Michelle Van Parys 6 p.m., Gregg Museum of Art & Design at NC State, Raleigh.

Cian Ducrot $17, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

12 Angry Jurors $24+, Oct. 13-29, various times, The Justice Theatre Project, Raleigh.

St. Paul and the Broken Bones: The Angels in Science Fiction Tour $42+, 8 p.m., Carolina Theatre, Durham.

STAGE Comedian Michael Palascak $20+,8 p.m., Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh.

Misery Oct. 11-31, various times, PlayMakers Repertory Company, Chapel Hill.

SCREEN Dark Harvest Early Access Screening 7 p.m., Alamo Drafthouse, Raleigh.

Concurrent DJ Soundscape with the Pinhook and Femithefemme 6 p.m., Pinhook, Durham.

Dan Deacon $20, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Lando $10, 8 p.m., Rubies on Five Points, Durham.

Margaret Glaspy $22+, 8 p.m., Motorco, Durham.

Comedic Cody $27+, 8 p.m., Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh.

Misfit: A Gary Gulman Stand-Up Comedy and Book Tour $15, 8 p.m., Carolina Theatre, Durham.

Sun Room / Sports Team $18+, 8 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh.

Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia $30, Oct. 12-29, various times, Burning Coal Theatre Company, Raleigh.

Suzanne Vega: An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories 8 p.m., Haw River Ballroom, Saxapahaw.

The Uproar: A Halloween Sketch Comedy Show Oct. 12-15, 8 p.m., Theatre Raleigh Arts Center, Raleigh.

Worriers / Talking Kind $15+, 8:30 p.m., Pinhook, Durham.

The Wedding Singer $15+, Oct. 12-15, William Peace University, Raleigh.

SCREEN Hocus Pocus 7 p.m., Raleigh Little Theatre, Raleigh.

King Coal 7 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

My Love Affair with Marriage 2 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

George Huntley / Leisure McCorkle $14.50+, 8 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh.

Gimme Gimme Disco $15+, 9 p.m., Motorco, Durham.

Keith Ganz Quartet with Ariel Pocock 8 p.m., Sharp 9 Gallery, Durham.

The Kingsbury Manx / bhajan bhoy $10+, 8 p.m., Local 506, Chapel Hill.

Piazzolla Four Seasons, North Carolina Symphony $22+, Oct. 13-14, various times, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh.

Saxapahaw Oktoberfest 5:30 p.m., Haw River Ballroom, Saxapahaw.

Travis Scott: The Circus Maximus Tour $56+, Oct. 13-14, 8 p.m., PNC Arena, Raleigh.

Comedian Michael Blackson $51+, Oct. 13-14, Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh.

Comedian Simon Gibson $20+, Oct. 13-14, Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh.

PAGE Fergus M. Bordewich: Klan War 5:30 p.m., Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill.

SCREEN Cassandro 8 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

Farewell My Concubine 2 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

SplatterFlix Film Series $12+, Oct. 13-15, various times, The Carolina Theatre, Durham.

Misfit: A Gary Gulman Stand Up Comedy and Book Tour performs at The Carolina Theatre on Thursday, October 12. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CAROLINA THEATRE

INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

35

C U LT U R E CA L E NDA R

SAT 10/14

SUN 10/15

LIKE TO PLAN AHEAD?

MON 10/16

TUES 10/17

MUSIC

STAGE

MUSIC

MUSIC

MUSIC

PAGE

Conspirare 7 p.m., Duke Chapel, Durham.

Comedian Daniel Van Kirk $20+, 7 p.m., The Rialto, Raleigh.

Band of Horses 7 p.m., The Ritz, Raleigh.

Blue Cactus $12, 7:30 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Ed Rutick Party and Jam Session 2 p.m., Sharp 9 Gallery, Durham.

Trewn / Not Flailing / My Sister Maura $10+, 8 p.m., Pinhook, Durham.

Daisychain 2 / Bonies / Pornbred $10+, 8 p.m., Local 506, Chapel Hill.

Black Poetry Day with NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green and Friends 9 a.m., NCMA, Raleigh.

The Handsome Family $20, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Vacations and Last Dinosaurs present TOURZILLA $30, 7:30 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Sincere Engineer / Cliff Diver / Canadian Rifle $17+, 7:30 p.m., Pinhook, Durham.

Voidward $8+, 8 p.m., Rubies on Five Points, Durham.

Yam Haus / Sawyer $20, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Dan Rodriguez / Noah Guthrie $15, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

George Clanton $26, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

North Elementary / Horizontal Hold / Bangzz $10+, 8 p.m., Local 506, Chapel Hill.

Robin Sherwin Quartet 8 p.m., Sharp 9 Gallery, Durham.

Comedy Night with Ryan Erwin and Paul Snyder 8 p.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

Samhain Shimmy $18+, 8 p.m., Pinhook, Durham.

Ventriloquist Steve Brogan 2 p.m., The ArtsCenter, Carrboro.

PAGE

Shallow Cuts Presents: Autumn $5, 10 p.m., Rubies on Five Points, Durham.

Chapelboro Book Crawl 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Peel Gallery, Carrboro.

COMMUNITY

Southall: World Tour with The Weathered Souls $20+, 8 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh.

Hum Sub Diwali 10 a.m., Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary

Trap Bingo $19+, 8 p.m., The Ritz, Raleigh.

SCREEN Ballet 422 11 a.m., The Cary Theater, Cary.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 1 p.m.

(Part 1) and 4 p.m. (Part 2), The Cary Theater, Cary.

Mac McClure and Juan Carlos Higuita 2 p.m., NCMA, Raleigh.

Neil Frances $22, 8 p.m., Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro.

Superchunk $20+, 7 p.m., Motorco, Durham.

STAGE Comedian Brent Pella $22+, 7 p.m., Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh.

SCREEN

Pinkshift $17+, 7 p.m., Motorco, Durham.

PAGE Daniel Weiss: Why the Museum Matters 7 p.m., NCMA, Raleigh.

SCREEN An Evening with Don Hertzfeldt, Who Will Not Be There 7 p.m., Alamo Drafthouse, Raleigh.

Found Footage Festival: Vol. 10 7 p.m., Alamo Drafthouse, Raleigh.

COMMUNITY The Zine Machine Printed Matter Festival 11 a.m., The Fruit, Durham.

Black Poetry Day with NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green and Friends performance at NCMA Museum on Tuesday, October 17. PHOTO COURTESY OF NCMA MUSEUM OF ART

36

October 4, 2023

INDYweek.com

David Menconi: Oh, Didn’t They Ramble 7 p.m., Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh.

Margo Steines: Brutalities: A Love Story 5:30 p.m., Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill.

SCREEN The Right to Read Film Screening and Conversation 6 p.m., Hayti Heritage Center, Durham.

[REC] 9:30 p.m., Alamo Drafthouse, Raleigh.

P U Z Z L ES If you just can’t wait, check out the current week’s answer key at www.indyweek.com, and click “puzzle pages” at the bottom of our webpage.

www.regulatorbookshop.com

720 Ninth Street, Durham, NC 27705 10-6 Daily

su | do | ku

this week’s puzzle level:

© Puzzles by Pappocom

There is really only one rule to Sudoku: Fill in the game board so that the numbers 1 through 9 occur exactly once in each row, column, and 3x3 box. The numbers can appear in any order and diagonals are not considered. Your initial game board will consist of several numbers that are already placed. Those numbers cannot be changed. Your goal is to fill in the empty squares following the simple rule above.

If you just can’t wait, check out the current week’s answer key and previous puzzles at indyweek.com/puzzles-page.

Best of luck, and have fun!

10.04.23 INDY CLASSIFIEDS classy@indyweek.com

INDYweek.com October 4, 2023

37

C L AS S I F I E D S

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

Sr. Software Developer SAS Institute Inc. seeks Sr. Software Developer in Cary, NC to design, develop & debug software of diverse scope for new & existing products in accordance w/ CI/CD development practices, timelines & quality expectations.

Reqs: BS or equiv in Comp Sci or related quant field + 8 yrs exp. Will accept 3 or 4 yr BS degree. May work remotely pursuant to SAS’ Flexible Work Prgm. For full reqs & to apply visit www.sas.com/careers and reference Job # 2023-33669

Software Engineer Software Engineer LexisNexis USA in Raleigh, NC to perform complex research, design, software development assignments within software functional area or product line & provide direct input to project plans, schedules, methodology in development of cross-functional software products. Minimum of Master’s degree or foreign equiv in Computer Science, Computer Engg, or rltd + 3 yrs exp in job offered or rltd occupations required. EE reports to LexisNexis USA office Raleigh, NC but may telecommute from any location within US. Interested candidates apply by mail to T. Hayward, RELX Inc; 1000 Alderman Dr, Alpharetta, GA 30005. Ref job code: 01204.

Business Information Lead Consultant Business Information Lead Consultant, F/T at Truist (Raleigh, NC) Partner w/ business leaders to align business strategy, info reporting, & information delivery. Apply deep subject-matter or functional expertise & industry solution knowl to research, analyze, dsgn, &/or maintain data sources in info systems in support of projects, info needs, & changing reqmts. Must have Bach’s deg in Comp Sci, Comp Engg, MIS or closely related deg. Must have 4 yrs of exp in IT positions performing/utilizing the following: architecture & dsgn for the analytics dvlpmt; providing tech’l leadership for solving complex prgmg tasks; providing datadriven decision support; responsible for project life cycle, incl analysis, dsgn, dvlpmt, implmttn, support & enhancement; dsgng & maintaining coding standards to enhance application dvlpmt & maintenance; & utilizing exp w/: SQL Server, Oracle, SAP Business Intelligence, SAP BODS, & SSIS. In the alternative, employer will accept Master’s Deg in Comp Sci, Comp Engg, MIS, or closely related deg + 2 yrs of exp performing/ utilizing the aforementioned. Position may be eligible to work remotely but is based out of & reports to Truist offices in Raleigh, NC. Must be available to travel to Raleigh, NC regularly for meetings & reviews w/ manager & project teams w/in 24-hrs’ notice. Apply online (https://careers.truist.com/) or email resume to: Paige Whitesell, Paige.Whitesell@Truist.com. (Ref. Job R0079714).

Sr. IT Administrator First Citizens Bank seeks Sr. IT Administrator in Raleigh, NC to be responsible for system administration of a loan origination system. Reqs: BS in Comp Sci, Math, Comp Info Sys, or related + 8 yrs exp or MS in Comp Sci, Math, Comp Info Sys, or related + 6 yrs exp. May work remotely pursuant to First Citizens’ Remote Work Guidelines policy. For full reqs & to apply, go to https://jobs.firstcitizens.com/jobs and submit your resume to Job # 19183.

Sr. Solution Architect SAS Institute Inc. seeks Sr. Solution Architect in Cary, NC to act as strategic member of the larger sales team, leveraging knowledge of SAS Viya, cloud architecture, best practices & sales cycles to help differentiate SAS & advance sales opportunities. Reqs: BS in Comp Sci, Engrng (any field), or related technical field + 8 yrs exp. Requires up to 25% travel domestically. May work remotely pursuant to SAS’ Flexible Work Program. For full reqs & to apply visit www.sas.com/careers and reference Job # 2023-33654 Technical Service Technician Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. seeks a Technical Service Technician in Cary, NC. Provide product support either remotely or on-site for Siemens CT product line.

Reqs: Assoc. deg or foreign equiv in Comp Eng, Comp Sci, Electronics, or rel fld & 8 yrs of rel exp. May work remotely. Mail resume to: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc c/ o Chris Manuszak, 209 Gregson Drive, Cary, NC 27511-6495. Reference #: 386365 Software Developer SAS seeks a Software Developer in Cary, NC to develop high quality, testable & scalable sftwre slns. Reqs: BS in Comp Sci, Electric Engineer, Info Systems, Telecomm, or a reltd + 5 yrs of exp; or MS in Comp Sci, Electric Engineer, Info Systems, Telecomm, or a reltd + 2 yrs of exp. May work remotely pursuant to SAS Flexible Work Policy. For full requirements & to apply go to www.sas.com/careers and submit your resume to Job # 2023-33686.

Sr Product Support Tech Advisor Sr Product Support Tech Advisor, IQVIA RDS Inc. Durham, NC. May telecom from Durham area & report to office for in-person meetings. Provide issue resolutn for cust through Service NOW & JIRA. Reqs Bach/ Mast in Comp Engg/IT /rel/ equiv. Reqs 5 yrs w/ Bach / 3 yrs w/ Mast: PL/SQL db desg & devel; use OpenText content ste incl Content & Archive svr, Brava & OTDS; SQL, Javascript, Css, Tomcat, web serv, IIS, HP, ALM & Oscript; & (4 yrs w/ Bach / 2 yrs w/ Mast): Enterprise Scan, Doc Pipeline, & Capture cntr; Java, Eclipse, Toad, Oracle 9i, 11g, & SQL Svr 2012/ 2016/ 2019. M-F, 40 hrs/wk. Apply: resume to: grace.gibson@iqvia.com & ref #113878.

Sr Global Marketing Manager Teleflex LLC seeks a Sr Global Marketing Mgr (GM-SK) in Morrisville, NC (up to 25% unanticipated int’l & dom travel req’d) to provide day-to-day mgmt of designated product line(s) issues, programs, & sales support. Reqs BS+5 yrs prog, rltd exp or MS+2 yrs rltd exp. Email resume to tfxjobs@teleflex.com. Must ref job title & code.

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Application Architect Application Architect, F/T at Truist (Raleigh, NC) Provide application, systems, or process dsgn recommendations based on short- & long- term Technology organization strategy. Dvlp enterprise level application & custom integration solutions including major enhancements & interfaces, functions & features. Must have Bach’s deg in Comp Sci, Comp Engg, IT or related tech’l field. Must have 7 yrs of progressive exp in application architect or similar IT positions performing the following: s/ ware dsgn; fixing complex bugs, providing solutions, & improving current systems/applications; exploring & studying new technologies to stay up to date w/ the latest tech’l changes in the market; key prgmg concepts & Java implmtn of each, incl data structures, algorithms, OOPS, exception handling, multi-threaded prgmg, & RDBMS basics; & utilizing Java, Maven, Spring, & Hibernate. Must have 3 yrs of exp w/ the following: dsgng, implmtg, & documenting features for multiple functional modules; writing code, conducting unit tests, & collaborating w/ others to ensure high quality implmttn; assisting/guiding team members; working on a Scrum Team using Agile principles & methodology; Cloud technologies & familiarity w/ major cloud platform(s); big data technologies incl MapReduce, Hadoop, Spark, & Hive; technologies in the cloud including EMR, HDInsight, & Google DataProc; Cloud dvlpmt for AWS & Azure; advanced API dsgn & dvlpmt; & Kubernetes.

Position may be eligible to work remotely but is based out of & reports to Truist offices in Raleigh, NC. Must be available to travel to Raleigh, NC regularly for meetings & reviews w/ manager & project teams w/in 24-hrs’ notice. Apply online (https://careers.truist.com/) or email resume w/ cvr ltr to: Paige Whitesell, Paige.Whitesell@Truist.com (Ref. Job R0079712) Scrum Master III Scrum Master III, F/T at Truist (Raleigh, NC) Troubleshoot, solve, or consult on, highly tech’l, complex problems & recommend appropriate actions. Ensure Truist SDLC is appropriately followed. Leverage knowl of Agile & Scrum principles to ensure that Scrum Team deliverable are met on time & w/in budget. Must have Bach’s deg in Comp Sci, Comp Engg, or related tech’l field. Must be a Certified Scrum Master. Must have 7 yrs of progressive exp in IT delivery roles (i.e. Dvlpr, Tester, Architect, Project Manager, etc.), utilizing/performing the following: Scrum, SAFe, & Kanban methodologies; Agile skills & tools & their application, incl implmtg Scrum/ SAFe for s/ware teams, Agile coaching, & tools incl Rally & Agility Health Radar & their application; working on or w/ agile teams; & managing & leading cross functional s/ ware dvlpmt teams to build high performing self- organizing teams. Position may be eligible to work remotely but is based out of & reports to Truist offices in Raleigh, NC. Must be available to travel to Raleigh, NC regularly for meetings & reviews w/ manager & project teams w/in 24-hrs’ notice. Apply online (https://careers.truist.com/) or email resume w/ cvr ltr to: Paige Whitesell, Paige.Whitesell@Truist.com. (Ref. Job R0079806)

Data Engineer III Data Engineer III sought by LexisNexis USA in Raleigh, NC to perform data transfers in various capacities including collection setup, data transfer setup, contributor/customer setup, etc. Minimum of Master’s degree or foreign equiv in Computer Science, Computer Engg, or rltd + 2 yrs exp in job offered or rltd occupations required. EE reports to LexisNexis USA office in Raleigh, NC but may telecommute from any location within US. Interested candidates apply by mail to T. Hayward, RELX Inc; 1000 Alderman Dr, Alpharetta, GA 30005. Ref job code: 00860 Senior Software Engineer Senior Software Engineer sought by LexisNexis USA in Raleigh, NC to perform complex software design, research/development activities & provide direct input into development project plans, schedules & methodology, across multiple software systems. Minimum of Bachelor’s degree or foreign equiv in Computer Science, Computer Engg, Information Technology, or rltd + 4 yrs exp in job offered or rltd occupations required. EE reports to LexisNexis USA office Raleigh, NC but may telecommute from any location within US. Interested candidates apply by mail to T. Hayward, RELX Inc; 1000 Alderman Dr, Alpharetta, GA 30005. Ref job code: 00042.

Systems Engineer III Systems Engineer III sought by LexisNexis USA in Raleigh, NC to be responsible for management of user provisioning & access to resources within cloud environments. Minimum of Master’s or foreign equiv degree in Computer Science, Computer Engg, Information Technology or rltd + 3 yrs exp in job offered or rltd occupations required. Must have AWS or Azure certification (required). EE reports to LexisNexis USA office in Raleigh, NC but may telecommute from any location within US. Interested candidates apply by mail to T. Hayward, RELX Inc; 1000 Alderman Dr, Alpharetta, GA 30005. Ref job code: 00848.

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C L AS S I F I E D S EMPLOYMENT

HEALTH & WELL BEING

Manager, Clinical Operations Manager, Clinical Operations, IQVIA RDS Inc., Durham, NC. Must telecom from anywhere in US. Mng Clin Ops staff in accrdnc w/ orgs policies & applcble regs.

Supervise 16-18. Reqs at least Bach in Pharma sci /scientific/hlth cre disciplne/rel/equiv. Reqs 3 yrs clin ops exp incl 3 yrs: apply GCP & ICH gdelnes w/in clin rsrch; MS Wrd, Excl & PPT. Reqs 30% US trvl. M-F, 8a - 5p & occ aftr hrs. Apply: send resume to: grace.gibson@iqvia.com & ref #111535.

Product Manager Product Manager, Veradigm LLC fka Allscripts Healthcare, LLC. May teleco frm US & rept to Raleigh, NC offce. Wrk on variety of actvties rltd to devel & launch of hlthcare tools, DBs & RWD prodcts. Reqs at least Bach in Comp Sci, Health Inf Mgmt, Bus/ rel / equiv. Reqs 3 yrs hlthcare / tech prod devel exp incl 3 yrs: VoC technqs; sec mkt resrch; writ tech reqs; Prod Lifcycl Mgmt; Agile devel; prod edu & train intrnal teams & custmrs. Wrk M-F, 8a - 5p, 40 hrs/wk. Reqs up to 10% US trvl. Apply: resume to: applicants@veradigm.com & ref #111361

919-416-0675

www.harmonygate.com

Scientist I KBI Biopharma, Inc. seeks a Scientist I in Durham, NC to apply bio-analytical techniques such as HPLC, SDSCGE, IEF, Fluorescence, biophysical characterization techniques on proteins, and other techniques applicable to monitor physical and chemical stability of the proteins. PhD + 2 yrs rel exp. or Master’s + 5 yrs rel exp.

For full req’s and to apply send please vist: https:// www.kbibiopharma.com/careers Job Reference Number: R-00005382

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