Castle McCulloch under foreclosure
CASTLE MCCULLOCH
Have you ever wanted to own a castle? You might have a chance now that entertainment and wedding venue Castle McCulloch is scheduled to be auctioned o at the end of January.
4
Owner Adam Andrews named YOUNG CARDINAL CAFÉ in honor of North Carolina’s state bird. The restaurant survived what has to be one of the most difficult beginnings in restaurant history, opening in February 2020, just a few weeks before COVID shut down all operations.
5 The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem’s production of Kate Robin’s “WHAT THEY HAVE” will open Friday at Mountcastle Forum in the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, 251 N. Spruce St., WinstonSalem. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
6 If you’ve traveled through North Carolina lately, you may have spotted billboards from the capital to the coast featuring failed 2024 Supreme Court candidate JEFFERSON GRIFFIN.
7 In THE LAST SHOWGIRL we see Pamela Anderson like never before — reaching, stretching, giving a real performance, and it was undoubtedly a wise decision by Coppola to surround her with a solid cast that does its share of the heavy lifting at various points in the narrative.
Fax 336-316-1930
Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com
EDITORIAL
Editor CHANEL R. DAVIS chanel@yesweekly.com
YES! Writers JOHN BATCHELOR MARK BURGER KATEI CRANFORD
4 7 9
9 Creative Greensboro welcomes music artist JACKIE SPADE as the inaugural GROW Artist Resident for the 2025 season. During his residency “Ugly Rose: An Immersive Experience,” Spade will create a multi-sensory journey reflecting the themes of his latest album, “Ugly Rose.”
9 The Blue Ridge Music Center is competing for BEST FREE MUSEUM in USA Today’s 10 Best readers’ choice poll open through February 10. The public is invited to vote for their favorite music museums, with the top 10 winners claiming a spot on the list.
11 Two hours into the January 7 meeting of Greensboro City Council, At-Large Representative MARIKAY ABUZUAITER was sworn in as the new mayor pro tem , replacing the late Yvonne Johnson.
12 Bookmarks Bookstore in WinstonSalem is hosting its 13th Annual MOVEABLE FEAST WEEKEND on Saturday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 26 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Reynolds Place Theatre inside Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, located at 251 N. Spruce St. in Winston-Salem.
PRODUCTION
LYNN FELDER JIM LONGWORTH MAGGIE MARSHALL IAN MCDOWELL
Senior Designer ALEX FARMER designer@yesweekly.com
Designer SHANE HART artdirector@yesweekly.com ADVERTISING
Marketing ANGELA COX angela@yesweekly.com
TRAVIS WAGEMAN travis@yesweekly.com Promotion NATALIE GARCIA
DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT ANDREW WOMACK We
Chow Down with John Batchelor at Young Cardinal
BY JOHN BATCHELOR
Owner Adam Andrews named Young Cardinal Café in honor of North Carolina’s state bird. The restaurant survived what has to be one of the most di cult beginnings in restaurant history, opening in February 2020, just a few weeks before COVID shut down all operations. At the beginning, Andrews and Chef David Swing worked together, not only cooking, but also devising survival strategies. They not only survived, they thrived. Young Cardinal has been chosen Best Brunch three times in YES! Weekly’s annual Triad’s Best voting, and David Swing made runner-up for Best Chef. The restaurant also earned Best Sunday Brunch and Best Breakfast designations in the Winston-Salem Journal’s 2024 Readers’ Choice awards. Much of the produce served at Young Cardinal (and other Andrews restaurants) comes from Andrews’ farm (andrewsrestaurantsws. com/andrews-farm).
Chef Swing has since departed. Nick Shea currently leads the kitchen. Reservations are not accepted. Be forewarned. This place is wildly popular for Sunday Brunch. Seating is easier on a weekday, of course. You are greeted at a hostess station, where the attendance roster is maintained. The bar occupies a separate room to the right, a pleasant arrangement that helps reduce noise. One row of seating in the bar is available on a first-come, first-served basis, not
restricted. My party (of four) was grateful to Christina Simeone and Alma Dillon, two of Young Cardinal’s many regulars, who volunteered to move over a few seats so we could sit together. This place not only has great food, it attracts a good — in many senses of the word — crowd. And I use the term “great food” deliberately. I enjoyed my meals here as much as any place I have been in years. The bar earns commendations for its Bloody Mary, with crisp celery, plump green olives, and just the right amount of heat in the tomato juice. “Fabulous,” quoth Anna, an unindicted co-conspirator. I have been known to try eating just about anything, but I have my favorites, just like anybody else. Avocados rank high on that list, so the Avocado Toast here was an obvious selection. This is a special, the details of which change often. On the occasion when I ordered it, two eggs (preparation customer’s choice) cov-
ered a blend of mashed avocado, Brie cheese whipped with basil, slices of roasted red peppers, plus pickled asparagus slices and cut artichokes, all enclosed within two slices of whole wheat bread. The plate is laced with balsamic syrup, which adds flavor accent as well as decoration. This adds up to a big lunch/ brunch, every bite a taste adventure.
Hot Honey Chicken forms the foundation for salad, biscuit, and sandwich selections. I chose a Hot Honey Biscuit, and I can tell you that this kitchen knows how to make biscuits — light and flu y, but with a tasty crust. The hot honey is prepared by mixing honey with Texas Pete hot sauce, a surprisingly compatible blend. The chicken bears a pleasant brown crust, giving way to moist breast meat.
At least to my way of thinking, Eggs Benedict is an essential dish for a restaurant built on this concept. Young Cardinal’s versions are available in several configurations — traditional, with Canadian bacon, as well as pulled pork, corn and black beans, thick-cut maple bacon, in addition to hot honey chicken with pimento cheese. Our party chose the traditional version, with Canadian bacon, and found the eggs cooked just as ordered, ladled with a pleasantly rich hollandaise sauce, placed over toasted English mu n halves.
Continuing, more or less, with the breakfast/brunch selections, Huevos Rancheros is a complex assembly consisting of two eggs (preparation customer’s choice), plus pinto beans, pico de gallo, sliced avocado, queso fresco, and chipotle cream, plus a choice of pulled pork or chorizo sausage, all combined between corn tortillas. Companion Jerry chose the pulled pork. It is moist and fork-tender, deeply flavored, well served by the other ingredients.
Other breakfast-brunch options include pancakes, wa es, and French toast, several other biscuit assemblies, plus grits or hash brown potatoes bowls.
Moving into the more lunch-oriented section of the menu, my wife ordered a Turkey Reuben sandwich. I was pleasantly surprised when she shared a bite of the Boar’s Head turkey — it is moist and fresh-tasting, thin sliced. (All deli meats here are Boar’s Head brand.) The turkey slices are enclosed between lightly toasted rye bread. She chose French fries as her side, and I rank them among the area’s best. Uniquely cut — about a half inch wide by a quarter inch thick, fried just crisp enough to add texture and impart additional flavor, while allowing the natural taste of real potatoes to come through.
The Chicken Salad sandwich comes on a croissant. The main ingredient eschews things that are not inherently related to chicken flavor (i.e., no nuts or grapes). It’s a fairly simple preparation that stands on the strength of quality chicken, enhanced with mayonnaise, celery, and relish, decorated with lettuce and tomato. Although sweet tater tots, grits, pintos, hash browns, or fruit are also available as sides, a repeat of the French fries was too enticing to pass up.
The manager is Paul Henson. This is a winning team, one that I hope to encounter more often in the future! !
JOHN BATCHELOR has been writing about eating and drinking since 1981. Over a thousand of his articles have been published. He is also author of two travel/cookbooks: Chefs of the Coast: Restaurants and Recipes from the North Carolina Coast, and Chefs of the Mountains: Restaurants and Recipes from Western North Carolina. Contact him at john.e.batchelor@gmail.com or see his blog, johnbatchelordiningandtravel.blogspot.com.
WANNA go?
Young Cardinal Cafe 424 4th Street NW Winston-Salem 27101 336-448-5188 andrewsrestaurantsws.com/young-cardinal/
Hours: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday
Omelets and Egg Dishes: $13-$17
Pancakes, Wa es, and French Toast: $5-$9
Salads: $7-$15
Sandwiches and Burgers: $9-$18
Most recent visit: January 5
Huevos Rancheros
Chicken Salad Croissant
Director brings compassion and insight to “What They Have”
BY MARK BURGER
The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem’s production of Kate Robin’s “What They Have” will open Friday at Mountcastle Forum in the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, 251 N. Spruce St., Winston-Salem. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Ticket prices start at $18 and can be ordered by calling 336-725-4001 or visiting the Little Theatre website at https://www.ltofws.org/. The show runs approximately 75 minutes and is recommended for audiences 16 and over.
“What They Have” focuses on two couples: Connie and Jonas (played by Daphne Escalante and Dillon Sparks), who live a seemingly picture-perfect life of a uence and privilege, and Suzanne and Matt (played by Sarah Chrysson and Drew Baker), who are struggling artists dealing with grief and hardship. During the course of the show, cracks begin to appear in each couple’s relationship which threaten not only their long-standing friendship but also each relationship.
Recipient of both the Princess Grace Award for Playwriting and the Princess Grace Statuette for Career Excellence, Robin served as executive producer and showrunner of the Amazon Prime Video comedy series One Mississippi (2015-’17) and was the first female writer to work on the award-winning HBO series Six Feet Under (2001-’05), becoming a producer in 2003. She was also a co-executive producer of the award-winning Showtime series The A air (2014-’19). “What They Have” made its premiere in 2008 at the South Coast Repertory Theatre in California, and Robin’s other stage credits include “Anon,” “Intrigue With Faye,” “Bride Stripped Bare,” “Given Away,” and “Swimming in March,” which won the Independent New England Reviewers’ Award for Best Play in 2001.
The Little Theatre’s production of “What We Have” is directed by Janel Boyd, who relished the opportunity to helm an intense, incisive, character-driven drama laced with heartbreak and humor — and which operated on multiple levels.
“I went through the heartache of losing a baby, going through fertility treatments, and the unfortunate demise of a marriage,” she revealed. “The way Kate Robin wrote these lines are so applicable to any couple going through the decision to try to
start a family. It’s what makes the show so relatable for anyone thinking about what it may be like to start a family, and the sacrifices that grown-ups face.”
In addition, Boyd is “definitely a fan of Kate Robin’s work,” she said. “Six Feet Under is a perfect example of how her writing style creatively takes a deep dive into the dark moments that we don’t always vocalize. Sure, we hear it in our heads — the innermost voice — but the bravery it takes to turn that into a voice that everyone can hear and ingest, takes a powerful voice. I applaud Kate for her bravery.”
If there’s one thing Boyd wants audiences to take away from “What They Have” is “be grateful for what you do have,” she said. “The show highlights the human condition of thinking things are better on ‘the other side,’ especially on social media. The grass is not greener on the other side. The dark humor will keep the conversation going after the lights fade to black.”
Working on “What They Have” has been “stimulating to say the least,” Boyd said. “As previously mentioned, I lost a child and went through all the fertility treatments mentioned in this show. The hurdles were easy to cross — the entire cast embraced the feeling of loss in one way or another. That’s one of the human conditions we can all connect to: Loss is loss. Pain is pain. If you can pull from a situation that has been a hurdle, it can showcase the most beautiful transformation to gratitude, and that is exactly what this cast has done.
“I am grateful that I have been able to watch this cast find parts of themselves that may not have been easily accessible in everyday life. A sincere thank you to the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem for the opportunity to direct this show.”
For more information, call 336-725-4001 or visit the o cial Little Theatre website: https://www.ltofws.org/ !
[ WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP] ARTCRUSH IN 2025!
BY VIKKI VASSAR
2025 will begin Art District’s third year of ART CRUSH, a celebration of all things art in the heart of Winston-Salem’s Downtown Art District. Arts District believes that art is a universal language and a source of connection that knows no boundaries.
2024 was a big year for Art Crush, with six events spanning six different months, helping support over 175 local artists and hosting over 12,000 event attendees.
Why crush on ART CRUSH?
Art Crush in downtown Winston-Sa-
lem is a unique opportunity to support local art and artists while experiencing the vibrant culture of Winston-Salem. Art Crush showcases a wide range of creative works, from visual art to performances, allowing attendees to connect directly with local talent. By attending, you help sustain the local arts scene, providing artists with exposure and opportunities to grow. It’s a great way to enjoy a fun and engaging evening, meet like-minded art enthusiasts, and contribute to the ongoing development of WinstonSalem’s cultural landscape. Plus, you might find a one-of-a-kind art piece to take home!
Art Crush 2025 will re-start in April with monthly events every 3rd Friday, centered on the intersection of Trade Street and Sixth Street. There will be plenty of parking available, either streetside or in one of Downtown Winston-Salem’s parking decks. Find us on Facebook or Instagram at @artsdistrictwsnc , or connect with us on our website, artsdistrictws.org. !
Opposition to Je erson Gri n’s “Meritless” Election
BY SAILOR JONES
If you’ve traveled through North Carolina lately, you may have spotted billboards from the capital to the coast featuring failed 2024 Supreme Court candidate Je erson Gri n.
The billboards, inspired by growing public backlash against Gri n’s e orts to reverse his election results by tossing the votes of 60,000 North Carolinians, point to an online hub (ccnc.me/wematter) hosted by Common Cause North Carolina where concerned voters can check if they’re on Gri n’s “discounted vote” list.
Hundreds of North Carolina voters spent their holiday break doing just that.
A family member found Dr. Dawn Baldwin Gibson’s name among pages of implicated Pamlico County voters.
“I thought I would look at the list and find friends and family to contact…and
there I was,” Baldwin Gibson told me by phone.
Dr. Baldwin Gibson is just one of many surprised (and surprising) citizens ensnared in Gri n’s gambit to target tens of thousands of eligible voters, including fellow Republican politicians and even Gri n’s own donors. A pastor and long-time una liated voter, who has supported both Republican and Democratic causes, Baldwin Gibson is a member of the North Carolina Judicial Branch’s Faith and Justice Alliance Steering Committee, a coalition of “legal practitioners and faith-based leaders” helping state courts better serve our needs.
Now, it’s Dr. Baldwin Gibson who finds herself in need of help. She took to Facebook to express her frustration, garnering thousands of responses for a video she entitled, “Is this really happening in America?”
“This is something I’ve never seen before, never experienced before...our citizenship is being challenged… It came right to my front door,” Baldwin Gibson told her followers.
Unfortunately, Gri n’s challenge has now come right to the front door of the N.C. Supreme Court.
On Jan. 7, just a day after a federal judge punted Gri n’s case back to the state, the Republican-led majority on the Supreme Court halted the certification of the 2024 election to determine whether their GOP candidate deserves an unprecedented election “do-over.”
Amid this head-scratching move by the court, led by Chief Justice Paul Newby, more unlikely voices have emerged to echo the concerns of impacted voters.
For starters, ProPublica reported that in 2024, the leader of the North Carolina’s chapter of the Election Integrity Network — a group that gained notoriety for among other things plotting to challenge any Tar Heel voters with “Hispanic-sounding” names — said he believed the type of case now pursued by Gri n amounted to “voter suppression.”
Just before the 2024 election, when the Republican National Committee attempted a similar lawsuit to remove 225,000 N.C. voters from the rolls, a Trump-appointed judge denied their case after challengers called the claim a “mass disenfranchisement.”
A New Year brought new bipartisan opposition to Gri n’s legal bid. This included former Congressmembers who called for a resolution favoring voters at the federal level.
And yet, the most surprising and important pushback has come from inside the N.C. Supreme Court itself. Following the Court’s order on Jan. 7, blocking the victory by Gri n’s opponent and their Democratic colleague, Justice Allison Riggs, Republican Justices Trey Allen and Richard Dietz used the opportunity to voice their own concerns about Gri n’s e orts to overturn Riggs’ election.
Justice Allen wrote in the order, “If a critical mass of the public ever comes to believe that our state Supreme Court bases its decisions in politically-charged cases [less] on the law than on our politics, our justice system will not endure.”
In a rare dissent, Justice Dietz went further saying he didn’t believe Gri n’s request should even be considered, calling it “almost certainly meritless.” It all begs bigger questions. Will others on the Supreme Court join this growing chorus and reject an argument even extreme election deniers won’t support and fellow Republicans think shouldn’t be considered? If the court does gamble with our votes to save Gri n, does it open the door for them to invalidate more election results? If the court calls for a new election, will North Carolinians vote for a Justice who would so easily silence their voices for their own best interests?
Or, as Dr. Baldwin Gibson put it, “Is this really happening in America?” !
SAILOR JONES is Associate Director at Common Cause N C and one of the 225,000 North Carolinians implicated in a similar lawsuit to remove eligible voters from the rolls.
We want to hear from you!
The Sportscenter Athletic Club is a private membership club dedicated to providing the ultimate athletic and recreational facilities for our members of all ages. Conveniently located in High Point, we provide a wide variety of activities for our members. We’re designed to incorporate the total fitness concept for maximum benefits and total enjoyment. We cordially invite all of you to be a part of our athletic facility, while enjoying the membership savings we offer our established corporate accounts. YES! Weekly welcomes letter to the editor. Our VOICES page allows readers the opportunity to share comments, opinions, and views regarding the issues that a ect us all.
Please limit your letters to 250 words or less and include your name, address, and daytime phone number. Only your name and community will be printed. The other information is needed for author verification. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters are limited to one per month. YES! Weekly reserves the right to edit or withhold any letter from publication for libelous content. Letters to the Editor represent the opinion of their writers, not that of YES! Weekly and its employees.
Hand-deliver, email chanel@yesweekly.com, or mail your letter to YES! Weekly, Attention: Letters to the Editor, 5500 Adams Farm Lane, Suite 204, Greensboro, NC 27407
Anderson asserts herself in The Last Showgirl
BY MARK BURGER
By any measure, Pamela Anderson defines the term “pure celebrity.” Her rise to fame — and, to some extent, infamy — coincided with the advent of the Internet and social media. Cover girl, tabloid queen, paparazzi bait, subject of rumors and speculation that range from the ridiculous to the scandalous to the sublime (and back again), she’s one of the best-known women in the world. She’s been a star and a punchline, and she still attracts headlines, yet none of it has been predicated on her thespian abilities. That has changed, perhaps unexpectedly, with her titular turn as Shelly Gardner, a fading Las Vegas showgirl entering her fourth decade in Le Razzle Dazzle, a splashy stage extravaganza on the Las Vegas Strip nearing the end of a long run. Shelly has devoted much of her life to the show, often at the expense of her personal life, and its imminent closure sends her into an emotional tailspin.
That’s the crux of The Last Showgirl, which marks the first feature screenplay by Kate Gersten, who initially conceived it as a play before it fell into the hands of producer/director Gia Coppola (granddaughter of Francis). Yes, in The Last Showgirl we do see Pamela Anderson like never before — reaching, stretching, giving a real performance, and it was undoubtedly a wise decision by Coppola to surround her with a solid cast that does its share of the heavy lifting at various points in the narrative.
Kiernan Shipka and Brenda Song portray two of Shelly’s fellow dancers, who perceive her (rightly or wrongly) as something of a matriarch. A fabulously earthy and fleshy Jamie Lee Curtis plays Shelly’s best friend and confidante Annette, who left the revue years before and now makes ends meet as a cocktail waitress, while Billie Lourd plays Shelly’s estranged daughter Hannah, who was raised by friends in Tucson and still nurses a grudge over being a “casualty” of her mother’s career. In an ensemble cast dominated by females — which is a nice touch — Dave Bautista scores as Eddie, the revue’s producer and Shelly’s on-again/o -again lover. It’s a successful change of pace for big Bautista, although he has an incessant penchant for
clearing his throat before speaking.
There aren’t many surprises here. That the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas is transparent is hardly a revelation, nor is the rampant ageism that, for better or worse, defines a showgirl’s longevity. Shelly’s been clinging to illusory dreams her entire life, and one can’t help but wonder why this realization didn’t occur to her (much) sooner. There are numerous scenes of Shelly practicing her dance moves or silently strolling around Las Vegas, as if seeing the sights for the first — or perhaps last — time. Yet it’s never quite as profound as it wants to be.
The Last Showgirl falls somewhere between Leaving Las Vegas (1995) and Showgirls (1995), although it could have used a bit more of the former’s edginess and the latter’s campy humor. The last scene, where we finally get to see a bit of Le Razzle Dazzle, is clearly meant to end the film on an upbeat note, if not one of outright triumph (at least for one night), but too many plot threads are left dangling. Some initially pivotal characters fade into the background or fade away altogether. The Last Showgirl is worthwhile, yet its sum never quite seems equal to its parts. At its best, the film is thoughtful and a ecting. At its worst, it simply doesn’t reach the heights it aspires to. That’s not a bad average in any league. !
MON: $3 Domestic Bottles & All Burgers $10.99 TUE: 1/2 Price Wine | WED: $4 Draft THU: $8 Bud Light Pitchers & $3 Fireball
Happy Hour Specials MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 3-6PM MON: $9.99 Wings | TUE: $9.99 Nachos WED: $5.99 Snackables
[WEEKLY SUDOKU]
ACROSS
[KING CROSSWORD]
He played Al Bundy on
23 Planners of campus events 25 Often-pickled red vegetable
Atop, in poems
Lena of The Reader
Latin “I love”
Patron saint of sailors
Brotherhood
Capital of aMexico state
Hard to find
Burdened
Travail
Political campaigners for a particular issue
Wonderment
Dragon in The Hobbit
Su x with racket
Not at all tight
Medieval protectors of trade
Icebox
Boise’s state
Gel in a lab
By means of
Claimed psychic gift 69 Regulators of a moral code 76 Bath fixture 79 Printer fluid 80 Years on end
More devious
Surfs the
National headlining comedians Karen Mills and Karen Morgan join together to bring you an evening of comedy filled with much needed laughter and zero toxic behavior. They are funny (not fractious), intelligent (not ignorant), and affable (not angry). They both bring a different hilarious point of view to this clever and clean comedy show. The Karens is a great date night or fun night out with friends!
Music Artist Jackie Spade to Curate an Immersive Musical Experience as Next GROW Artist in Residence
Creative Greensboro welcomes music artist Jackie Spade as the inaugural GROW Artist Resident for the 2025 season. During his residency “Ugly Rose: An Immersive Experience,” Spade will create a multi-sensory journey reflecting the themes of his latest album, “Ugly Rose.” Audiences can engage with the themes of beauty, pain, and personal growth through various events, including a live concert, film screening, and poetry slam. The residency will take place January 14 through February 10.
In Week 1, participants are invited to contribute their own work to the space by crafting roses from paper and mixed media, and embedding personal a rmations. Week 2 will delve deeper into the album’s themes with a listening session, a short film screening, and a marketing workshop for aspiring music artists. Week 3 invites local poets to explore “Ugly Rose’s” themes during a “Love Jones” style poetry event. Finally, in the last week, attendees can fully immerse themselves in “Ugly Rose” at a live concert by Spade, held during Downtown Greensboro’s First Friday event.
The GROW residency space is located next to the Davie Street entrance of the Greensboro Cultural Center, 200 N. Davie St. To learn more about the residency, visit www.CreativeGreensboro.com.
EVENT SCHEDULE
All events and open studio sessions are free to attend.
WEEK 1
• Tuesday, Jan. 14 | 6-9 p.m. – “Intro” Introduction to the reimagined “U.G.L.Y. R.O.S.E.” studio. Visitors are invited to participate in the creation of roses to transform the studio and dialogue about the cycles of love.
• Friday, Jan. 17 | 6-8 p.m. – Open Studio Studio is open to the public. Visitors are invited to participate in the creation of roses to transform the studio.
• Saturday, Jan. 18 | 3-5 p.m. – Open Studio
WEEK 2
• Tuesday, Jan. 21 | 6-8 p.m. – Ugly Rose Listening Session A listening session of the “Ugly Rose” album followed by an open discussion of the project.
• Friday, Jan. 24 | 6-8 p.m. – Music Marketing Workshop Introduction to the basics of music marketing
• Saturday, Jan. 25 | 3-5 p.m. – Short Film
Screening A screening of the Ugly Rose short film followed by a Q&A session
WEEK 3
• Tuesday, Jan. 28 | 6-8 p.m. – Open Studio
• Friday, Jan. 31 | 6-9 p.m. – “Love Jones” Poetry Night An open mic for poets to share their work on the theme of love
• Saturday, Feb. 1 | 3-5 p.m. – Open Studio
WEEK 4
• Tuesday, Feb. 4 | 6-8 p.m. – “Recap” A listening and rose-making session plus a reveal of the Rose Robe
• Friday, Feb.7 | 6-9 p.m. – First Friday Live Performance A live musical performance from Jackie Spade
• Saturday, Feb. 8 | 3-5 p.m. - “Outro” Visitors are invited to experience the full “Ugly Rose” immersive exhibit !
AKEEM FAISON, known by the alias Jackie Spade as well as his producer alias Tojuso, is a versatile artist whose music blends rap, soul, and storytelling. His lyrics reflect personal journeys, social consciousness, and creative exploration. After releasing his breakout project “Ugly Rose,” Spade has continued to evolve, working on new sounds and building his fan base with a series of live performances and creative collaborations.
GROW is a flexible creative space, managed by Creative Greensboro, the City’s o ce for arts and culture. Compensated residencies of up to eight weeks are awarded to Guilford County-based creative individuals and organizations to produce new and original works that encourage visitation and engagement by the public. Each residency includes at least six hours of weekly programming that is o ered to the public free of charge. For more information, visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/GROW.
Blue Ridge Music Center competes for Best Free Museum in USA Today poll
Online voting continues through Feb. 10
The Blue Ridge Music Center is competing for Best Free Museum in USA Today’s 10 Best readers’ choice poll open through February 10. The public is invited to vote for their favorite music museums, with the top 10 winners claiming a spot on the list. To vote, visit BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org. Individuals can vote once per day, per device.
The Blue Ridge Music Center earned Top 10 honors from the public in 2023 and 2024, with fans voting the Music Center fourth in USA Today’s Best Free Museums in 2023, and ninth in 2024.
First conceived in 1977 by Joe Wilson, former executive director of the National Council of Traditional Arts, and Gary Everhardt, former superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Blue Ridge Music Center was decades in the making. Opening in 2002 as an outdoor amphitheater, the venue quickly expanded to include a visitor/interpretive center, indoor theater, gift shop, and classroom.
The onsite Roots of American Music Museum opened in 2011. This free interactive exhibition tells the compelling story of the region’s rich musical heritage through family and performer histories, musical recordings, and instruments. The exhibition traces the musical origins of the roots-based folk and Americana music of today from the old-time string bands, ballad singing, and dancing that define the traditional music of Southwest Virginia, Northwest North Carolina and Tennessee, to blues influences and the growth of bluegrass. It was developed by Ralph Appelbaum and Associates, the firm behind exhibition designs at the Country Music Hall of Fame, American Museum of Natural History, and National Constitution Center. A virtual tour of the museum can be viewed at BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org.
USA Today’s 10 Best readers’ choice polls highlight the best of the best in categories such as destinations, food and drink, hotels, and things to do. Nominees in all categories are submitted by a panel of experts and the final set of nominees are selected by the publication’s editors. Readers can vote once per category, per device, per day. After four weeks of voting, each contest closes, and winners are announced the following Friday. The Blue Ridge Music Center, located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, celebrates the music and musicians of the mountains. The Blue Ridge Music Center and Roots of American Music Museum are open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily May through October. It is a national park facility, a major attraction along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and a venue partner of The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail and Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Parkway/National Park Service maintains and operates the facility, and sta s the Music Center Visitor/Interpretive Center. The programs are managed, coordinated, promoted, and produced by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, a nonprofit partner organization. For more information, visit BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org !
PRESS RELEASE
Castle McCulloch under foreclosure
BY CAROL BROOKS | Cab1hp@gmail.com
Have you ever wanted to own a castle? You might have a chance now that entertainment and wedding venue Castle McCulloch is scheduled to be auctioned o at the end of January.
On Dec. 19, Judge Louis Bledsoe III ordered the foreclosure sale of the property at 3925 Kivett Dr. in Jamestown to settle a financial dispute after years of lawsuits and countersuits were filed against the former Southeastern Eye Center of Greensboro. Southeastern was sold to Carolina Eye Associates earlier this year.
Southeastern became a 25-percent owner of Castle McCulloch after paying owner Richard Harris $2.1 million in 2004. Southeastern principals were to use the castle for a loan for medical equipment. Harris’ brother, Douglas, was the attorney involved in the transaction. However, Southeastern defaulted on the loan.
Now, Nivison Family Investments, a real estate investment company in Raleigh, believes it has the right to seize the castle to pay o Southeastern’s debt to the company.
The September 30, 2004, foreclosure proceeding summary, states “JDPW [a trust created for the Southeastern Eye Center-Castle McCulloch arrangement] previously initiated a non-judicial foreclosure proceeding to exercise the power of sale in a deed of trust on the Castle McCulloch property which secured a promissory note held by JDPW. Following a hearing, the clerk of court entered an order denying foreclosure on the ground that [JDPW] did not hold a valid debt.” JDPW appealed and the denial was reversed under N.C. General Statute § 45-21.
Historic Castle McCulloch LLC, the owner of the Castle McCulloch Property, opposed the foreclosure and argued that the 2012 payment to the bank on behalf of JDPW paid o , rather than purchased, the note. HCM also argued the 10-year statute of limitations for collection had run out. The court disagreed. Apparently, the transactions were done by Douglas Harris (the initial trustee for JDPW) for the benefit of himself and his brother Richard, rather than for JDPW’s benefit. The court determined Douglas Harris had breached his fiduciary duty as trustee of JDPW. But the court said the start of the foreclosure action began in 2023 and was within the 10-year statute. The court then reversed the clerk of court’s ruling and permit-
ted the foreclosure. An appeal is expected. Interested parties have until February 12 to protest the settlement prior to a hearing on March 10 at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse.
CASTLE MCCULLOCH HISTORY
Castle McCulloch was originally called McCulloch’s Gold Mill, a former gold mine, and was probably constructed about 1832. Richard Harris purchased the property in the 1980s and transformed it into a wedding facility and a location for hosting corporate events in 1984.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 under the name McCulloch’s Gold Mill. The application also calls it the Rock Engine House and North State Mine.
The National Register nomination describes the site on Copper Branch “as the only known surviving example of a gold mill engine house in North Carolina, consisting of a remaining historic structure with two dams, a mill race, ore dumps, and roads. It was built in 1832 by South Carolina entrepreneur Charles McCulloch to crush rock and extract gold ore using a steam engine and stone mill stones, and would eventually be owned by a cotton mill company [Oakdale] that bought it from a lumber company. Local tradition states that the structure was built by slave labor under the supervision and probable design of the mason Elesier Kersey, who was of English origins.”
Only two walls remained standing at the time of the nomination and the remaining building was described as resembling an engine house in Cornwall. !
Photo courtesy of ©Castle McCulloch Inc. used with permissions Castle McCulloch after renovation.
Photo courtesy of Library of Congress McCulloch Gold Mill as it looked for the National Register application in 1978.
Ian McDowell
Contributor
Council chooses Abuzuaiter as mayor pro tem
Two hours into the January 7 meeting of Greensboro City Council, At-Large Representative Marikay Abuzuaiter was sworn in as the new mayor pro tem, replacing the late Yvonne Johnson.
This occurred after a lengthy polite but divided discussion, in which District 2’s Goldie Wells, District 1’s Sharon Hightower, and At-Large Representative Hugh Holston unsuccessfully argued that Wells rather than Abuzuaiter should be appointed.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan, District 3’s Zack Matheny, District 4’s Nancy Ho man, and District 5’s Tammi Thurm disagreed, arguing that, as an at-large member, Abuzuaiter had more experience representing the whole city, an argument also made by Abuzuaiter herself.
“Yvonne was a very special person and she means a lot to everybody here on this council and everybody in the city, so I know that this is a di cult time for us all,” said Vaughan, who explained that the position of mayor pro tem (short for the Latin pro tempore, meaning “for the time being”) is “largely ceremonial.”
“I get invited to a lot of places to speak or to do a presentation, and when I’m unavailable, it’s usually the mayor pro tem who is contacted next.” Vaughan also explained that, in the mayor’s temporary absence, the mayor pro tem signs time-sensitive contracts over $30,000, but does not automatically become mayor if something happens to the person holding that office. Stating, “We know it’s going to be a divided vote,” Vaughn said she was aware of Wells’ desire to be appointed mayor pro tem.
“Goldie is an amazing person, but I will support Marikay. I think there’s a reason why it’s been tradition that it’s an at-large person, as the o ce has to represent the entire city, and there’s no time to get to know areas of the city that they haven’t necessarily been in. District people typically stay within their district.”
Wells said she was well aware of the tradition, but there were larger matters to consider, such as Greensboro’s status as a majority-minority city, meaning a municipality in which a racial, ethnic, or religious minority is the majority of the population.
“I believe that leadership should reflect that truth. Therefore, I suggest that a minority council member serve as mayor pro tem to demonstrate our embrace of the vision of our city and our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusivity. We can also make history because this has never been done before.”
Wells stressed that she was not looking for political advantage, as she is retiring from council at the end of 2025.
“When you look up here, we’ve always had a Black person for the last few years, but when you look at our leadership now, it’s not going to show that and I just believe our city should show our diversity.”
Hightower agreed.
“You come from the same district as our previous mayor pro tem, from the east side of Greensboro. You would be the second Black female Mayor pro tem. I
think it sends a statement of being inclusive and openminded.”
Hightower noted that traditions are not always a good thing.
“Yes, traditionally it’s been at-large, but every one of us up here votes on every single issue that comes before council. And there have been traditions that we have stepped away from. The tradition of slavery we walked away from because it was wrong and had to go. Let’s pull the good things out of what we now see to be something that’s unprecedented. And not necessarily following tradition, but to be bold, to be a bringer of change. To say ‘Why not Dr. Goldie Wells from District 2 as our mayor pro tem?’ as opposed to ‘We shouldn’t do that.’ We need to start thinking more positive. We don’t know what next year is going to hold up here at all. The whole leadership is going to look so di erent. It’s scary, but we know what’s here now. We don’t always agree on everything but I think we have to be more broadminded and think outside the box.”
Holston agreed.
“I second that motion because of the comments I’ve heard from Dr. Wells and Sharon Hightower. It has nothing to do with the individuals; it simply has to do with the work Dr. Wells has done for the community. She’s led us with expertise and wisdom through sage advice. We’re talking about a practice versus a policy. In some sense, I’m arguing against myself as an at-large candidate.”
Abuzuaiter responded by saying that she respected both Wells and her argument, but described herself as having months of experience acting as the de facto mayor pro tem.
“About a year ago, Yvonne started giving me all her duties, when she was slowing down.” Abuzuaiter also spoke of diversity. “We don’t want to forget our international communities; we don’t want to forget our Hispanic communities.”
She alleged that the late Johnson “saw no color.”
“She didn’t care if you were Black, you were white, you were brown, she would help you. That’s the way she taught me, and I will certainly try to honor her legacy.”
Hightower disagreed.
“Yeah, Yvonne said that, but in all the conversations she and I had, she was keenly aware of race, and I think all of us have had conversations with her like that. Race is something that, whether or not we agree tonight, we
cannot walk away from. When people look at me, that is the first thing they see.”
Discussions remained respectful, but no other council member responded to Hightower. When it was Matheny’s time to speak, he stressed his commitment to the city before describing his agreement with Vaughan.
“With every vote, I say my prayer that I will serve the city with honesty and integrity. And so, I agree with Mayor Vaughan’s comments earlier. I hate that we’re coming down to this, it sucks. But I support the at-large position because I know that everywhere we go, Marikay is always there. She is accessible and can sign checks if she needs to, and she ran the recent meetings when Mayor Vaughn was absent, mainly because Yvonne did not want to. So, it’s not necessarily tradition that I’m following; it’s the fact that Marikay has been accessible to the entire city. I love you, Dr. Wells, and thank you for hiring my mama. I owe you, just not tonight.”
Ho man and Thurm also said they would vote for Abuzuaiter because they found Vaughan’s argument compelling.
Council first voted 5-3 against the motion of Wells being appointed mayor pro tem. “Dr. Wells, it really pains me to hit the no button,” said Vaughan. Council then held a second vote in which all members voted for Abuzuaiter.
After the meeting, Hightower explained why she, Wells, and Holston supported Abuzuaiter in the second vote. “I guess we saw which way it was going and just said, what the hell.”
Council still needs to choose a third at-large representative. The application process closes on Thursday, Jan. 17. At the Jan. 28 meeting, all candidates will give a five-minute presentation, and the chosen applicant will be sworn in on Feb. 4.
On Jan. 3, four days before the meeting at which Abuzuaiter was appointed mayor pro tem for the remainder of 2025, Johnson’s son Vernon Johnson announced he would be applying for the vacant third seat. If chosen, he would be an incumbent in the November 2025 municipal election, in which the at-large candidate with the most votes will succeed Abuzuaiter as mayor pro tem. !
IAN MCDOWELL is an award-winning author and journalist whose book I Ain’t Resisting: the City of Greensboro and the Killing of Marcus Smith was published in September of 2023 by Scuppernong Editions.
Marikay Abuzuaiter
Sharon Hightower
Dr. Goldie Wells
Bookmarks host its 13th Annual Moveable Feast
The new year is in full swing, but what are your resolutions? Many folks love to add reading goals to their list of resolutions for the new year. Some aim to read one book while others shoot for 25. Another goal might be to support as many small businesses as possible. Whatever your goal is, what better way to help ignite the enthusiasm to cross that bridge than with an engaging afternoon spent with light refreshments and 20 rotating authors chatting about literature?
Bookmarks Bookstore in WinstonSalem is hosting its 13th Annual Moveable Feast Weekend on Saturday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 26 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Reynolds Place Theatre inside Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, located at 251 N. Spruce St. in Winston-Salem. The event is sponsored by Nova Triad Homes and Inside the Writer’s Studio.
Bookmarks wasn’t always a bookstore. Before opening its doors in 2017, Bookmarks was simply just a festival. The Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors began in 2000 when then Junior League President, Debbie Harllee, visited the
Baltimore Book Festival and was inspired by the idea. Since then they also started hosting the Moveable Feast Weekend in 2012.
In 2006, Bookmarks spun o from the Junior League and became its own 501(c) (3) organization. Bookmarks is a unique nonprofit bookstore due to it being a part of a larger organization that solely owns and operates a very large annual book festival. Bookmarks are notorious for having a large community backing and people who understand the importance of the festival and bookstore.
The Moveable Feast includes light snacks and beverages alongside a book signing at the end of the event for attendees to have books signed and personalized. In between the rotating authors, an intermission will be held to digest the discussions and to snack on food. Books will be available for purchase at the end of the event or attendees may buy their books in advance on the Bookmarks website.
The Movable Feast event will have each author visit 10 tables for 10 minutes each. Some might compare it to speed dating with authors. Every table will hear from 10 di erent authors over the course of the
afternoon. Each table seats eight guests. The tickets for one afternoon are $60 (plus tax and fees). One event equals 10 artists so to see all 20 you will need to purchase one for each day. Table purchases are available and cost $480 (plus tax and fees). Each ticket includes event admission, access to the book signing line, light snacks, and beverages.
The authors include:
• Daniel Black - “Isaac’s Song”
• Joy Callaway - “What the Mountains Remember”
• Ann Dávila Cardinal - “We Need No Wings”
• Essie Chambers - “Swift River”
• Rania Hanna - “The Jinn Daughter
• Terah Shelton Harris - Long After We Are Gone”
• Leigh Ann Henion - “Night Magic”
• Elizabeth Hilborn - “Restoring Eden”
• Chris La Tray - “Becoming Little Shell”
• Brianna Labuskes - “The Lost Book of Bonn”
• Je rey Dale Lofton - “Red Clay Suzie”
• Shawntelle Madison - “The Fallen Fruit”
• Emilie Menzel - “The Girl Who Became a Rabbit”
• Steven Petrow - “The Joy You Make”
• Tita Ramírez - “Tell It To Me Singing”
• Aggie Blum Thompson - “Such a Lovely Family”
• Ti any L. Warren - “The Unexpected Diva”
• Charmaine Wilkerson - “Good Dirt”
• Tracey Enerson Wood - “Katharine, the Wright Sister”
• Adrienne Young - “A Sea of Unspoken Things”
What are you waiting for? Go ahead, buy your ticket, and get a jump-start on your reading goals!
You can find tickets on the Bookmark Bookstore website through Eventbrite. !
PRESS RELEASE
Natalie Garcia
[TRIVIA TEST]
by Fifi Rodriguez
[1.
What is the smallest continent by area?
[2. MOVIES: What is Deadpool’s real name in the movie series?
[3. MEASUREMENTS: How many ounces are in 1 gallon?
[4. TELEVISION: What is the name of the character that Jason Bateman plays in Ozark?
[5. FOOD & DRINK: What is the dimple at the bottom of a wine bottle called?
[6. U.S. CITIES: Which city also is known as Motown?
[7. LITERATURE: The movie Bridget Jones Diary is loosely based on which novel?
[8. ANIMAL KINGDOM: Which is the only big cat that doesn’t roar?
[9. MEDICAL: What is a common name for fasciculation?
[10. LANGUAGE: What does the Latin term “magnum opus” mean?
answer
10. “Great work.”
9. Muscle twitch.
8. The cheetah.
7. “Pride and Prejudice.”
6. Detroit, Michigan.
© 2025 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Punt.
Marty Byrde.
Wade Wilson.
Australia (Oceania).
[SALOME’S STARS]
Week of Week of January 20, 2025
[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Shutting people out to avoid distractions, even under a deadline, can cause hurt feelings. Instead, return calls and messages, and explain why you need a zone of privacy for now.
[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Although your keen Bull’s eyes can usually discern what’s fact from what’s faux, an upcoming decision will need really solid data before you can risk a commitment.
[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) As your confidence grows, you should be able to work toward your goals with more enthusiasm. Open your mind to suggestions; some of them might even work for you.
[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Reconnecting with someone from your past stirs up an old sense of adventure. But before you do anything else, be sure to get answers to any lingering questions.
[LEO (July 23 to August 22) Some people might resent the way you plan to resolve a di cult situation. But your commitment to making tough but fair
decisions soon wins you their respect and support.
[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Mixed signals could be causing a vexing workplace problem. Before you choose to leave a project, ask for a meeting where you can get things out in the open.
[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Your good intentions could backfire if you’re not careful with other people’s feelings. Try using persuasion, not pressure, to get others to see your side of the situation.
[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your dedication to finishing the task at hand is laudable. But be careful not to overdo the midnight oil bit. Instead, take time for relaxation with someone very special.
[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Although your intuition will help you make some tough choices during the first half of the month, you’ll need more facts to back up your actions later on.
[cAPrIcorN (December 22 to January 19) All your hard work and research in the workplace finally pays off as you’d hoped it would. Ignore comments from jealous types who are out to get the Goat riled up.
[AQuArIus (January 20 to February 18) An unfair decision creates unnecessary problems, but avoid anger and move carefully as you work this out. Expect to get support from an unlikely source.
[PIsces (February 19 to March 20) A fuzzy financial vista persists until the end of the month, when things begin to clear up. You’ll also gain a better perspective on how to handle some pesky personal problems.
[BorN THIs week: You have a wonderful way of being there for those who need your help in difficult times. You’re a very reliable person.
© 2025 by King Features Syndicate
answers
[crossword]
crossword on page 8
[weekly sudoku]
sudoku on page 8
ALL ARE INVITED TO THIS COMPLIMENTARY CELEBRATION
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. SERVICE
Monday, January 20, 2025
WORSHIP SERVICE
10:30 am
HPU Charles E. Hayworth Memorial Chapel
Guest Speaker: UMC Bishop Gregory Palmer Music provided by Rev. Andria Williamson, Ms. Reyna Alston, HPU Genesis Gospel Choir, Collision Worship Band, and Chapel Choir.
PUBLIC DIALOGUE
12:00 pm
Francis Auditorium in Phillips Hall (across Kester Promenade)
“Being Our Best Selves in Uncertain Times” presented by High Point Mayor Cyril Jefferson and UMC Bishop Gregory Palmer, moderated by Rev. Dr. Preston Davis, Vice President and Minister to the University. Transportation provided
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
IS TAKING THE FIRST STEP, EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T SEE THE WHOLE STAIRCASE.
