YES! Weekly - January 22, 2025 by YES! Weekly

GREENSBORO GARGOYLES

Finally, came the big reveal — the Greensboro Gargoyles! The name and logo are conceived as a stone monster that watches over and protects the city of Greensboro.

3 A wastewater discharge permit case in Asheboro could have a future impact on the TRIAD’S WATER SUPPLY. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is calling for tougher state action to limit 1,4-dioxane, a cancer-causing chemical, into the state’s drinking water.

4 Greensboro resident TURKESSHIA MOORE received the 2025 Everyday Champions of Civil Rights Award from the City’s Human Rights Commission (HRC) Monday.

5 On Jan. 27, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart will turn 269 years old, and the School of Music at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) will commemorate this momentous milestone with its annual “ HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOZART!” concert of chamber music

6 As sometimes happens, two seemingly unrelated news stories get reported on the same day, yet when taken together they are revealed to have A LOT IN COMMON.

7 Anchored by yet another strong Colman Domingo performance, SING SING is a well-intentioned, often uplifting drama that tells a story not necessarily based on fact but based on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program instituted in 1996 at the infamous Sing Sing Prison in upstate New York

9 As the footing of 2025 takes hold, so does a fresh calendar of OPEN MIC opportunities for performers resolved to putting themselves out there. With offerings nearly every night of the week, there’s no better time than the present to show off your work and witness the wonders the Triad arts community can offer.

12 “The people who own and run this place aren’t LIVING LIKE THIS,” said Annette Roseboro, a resident at New Garden Place apartments in East Greensboro. “Why can’t we get things fixed? He now wants to raise my rent from $750 to $1,000 a month, but he hasn’t fixed a damn thing.”

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EPA issues action order, could step in to reduce 1,4-dioxane

BY CAROL BROOKS | Cab1hp@gmail.com

Awastewater discharge permit case in Asheboro could have a future impact on the Triad’s water supply.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is calling for tougher state action to limit 1,4-dioxane, a cancer-causing chemical, into the state’s drinking water. The action follows the proposed wastewater discharge permit for the city of Asheboro. The Agency recently sent a letter to Richard Rogers, director of the Division of Water Resources of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and copied to Michael Rhoney, water resources director of the City of Asheboro, demanding “the reinstatement of strict e uent limits,” according to WRAL. If the DEQ does not comply with a revised permit request within 90 days, the EPA could step in. NCDEQ submitted a permit request for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) on October 7. After an initial review, the EPA objected to the permit later in the month.

“The original permit contained a water quality-based e uent limit (WQBEL) for the toxic pollutant 1,4-dioxane,” the EPA letter read. [E uent means wastewater.] The new permit deleted the WQBEL. “In his decision, the [N.C.] O ce of Administrative Hearings (OAH) Administrative Law Judge determined ‘the 1,4-dioxane e uent discharge limitations is VOID AND UNENFORCEABLE All other conditions remain enforceable,’ (capitalization, bolding, and underlining contained in original decision). The proposed permit currently under review

by the EPA implements the OAH decision and does not contain a limitation on the discharge of 1,4-dioxane.”

The EPA remarked that removing the 1,4-dioxane e uent limits could violate the Clean Water Act, which “e uent limits as stringent as necessary to meet state water quality standards.”

The Clean Water Act states, “the concentration of toxic substances, either alone or in combination with other wastes, in surface waters shall not render waters injurious to aquatic life or wildlife, recreational activities, or public health, nor shall it impair the waters for any designated uses.”

“The OAH decision asserts that the translator mechanism for ‘carcinogens’ in the [report] does not apply to toxic pollutants classiﬁed by the EPA as ‘probable’ or ‘likely’ carcinogens,’ the EPA letter continues. “[However,] the EPA has assessed 1,4-dioxane as ‘likely to be carcinogenic to humans’ based on evidence of multiple tissue carcinogenicity from animal studies.”

It appears Asheboro used outdated 2013 EPA criteria as a guide to their permit application, without acknowledging that new science and methodology has resulted in many updates to the criteria.

According to WRAL, “The EPA’s intervention follows a controversial September 2024 ruling by Chief Administrative Law Judge Donald van der Vaart, which stripped the DEQ of its authority to impose limits on 1,4-dioxane in Asheboro’s wastewater permit. The ruling came after Asheboro, Greensboro and Reidsville challenged the state’s restrictions, arguing they were unenforceable.”

“Instead of using the power cities have

to control pollution coming from their industries, Asheboro, Greensboro, and Reidsville have chosen to attack the laws that protect our basic right to clean drinking water,” said Kelly Moser, senior attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center.

The SELC stated in an article on its website, “Asheboro, Greensboro, and Reidsville’s 1,4-dioxane pollution comes from industrial customers that pay the cities to send their industrial waste into the cities’ wastewater sewer plants. Because the cities’ wastewater plants do not remove the toxic chemical, they release the harmful pollution directly into downstream drinking water supplies. The cities have the legal authority and obligation to stop their industries from sending such toxic chemical pollution to their wastewater plants.”

The O ce of Administrative Hearings decision has been appealed to the North Carolina Superior Court.

How this relates to Jamestown

The chemical 1,4-dioxane has been a hot topic in Jamestown in recent years. It is a cancer-causing chemical and is probably linked to liver and kidney damage. It is described as “miscible,” or capable of mixing with water and resistant to biodegradation.

While the EPA letter calls out the Deep and Haw rivers, a map from the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) does not indicate the area north of the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority’s Randleman Regional Reservoir is part of the problem. This reservoir uses surface water as the source of drinking water supplied to Jamestown, High Point,

Greensboro, Archdale, Randleman, and Randolph County. Deep River ﬂows into Haw River in Chatham County.

PTRWA plans an expansion of the Reservoir that will nearly double the amount of water the plant can handle from 14 million gallons per day currently to 26.7 million gallons per day.

In a March 8, 2023, press release, Jamestown Town Manager Matthew Johnson stated, “The Town of Jamestown is a ‘purchase system’ and purchases all of the water it provides to our citizens through several agreements between the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority (PTRWA) and the cities of High Point and Greensboro. The majority of our water is sourced from PTRWA’s Randleman Lake and transmitted via lines owned by both High Point and Greensboro. Similarly, the Town is a capital partner in the City of High Point’s Eastside Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The Town does not participate in the daily operations of the WWTP.

“The water delivered to Jamestown’s citizens is extremely safe.

“To be proactive, however, the Town and its partner agencies are monitoring for emerging compounds such as PFAS and 1,4-dioxane in surface waters such as Randleman Lake and several of our partner agencies have already started accessing treatment strategies to address emerging contaminants.”

It is believed that the former Seaboard Chemical Plant, which has a Jamestown address but is outside the town limits, is responsible for some of the contaminants. !

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Moore Wins City’s Everyday Champions of Civil Rights Award

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Greensboro resident Turkesshia Moore received the 2025 Everyday Champions of Civil Rights Award from the City’s Human Rights Commission (HRC) Monday. Human Rights Department Deputy Director Maria Hicks-Few made the presentation as part of the HRC’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Breakfast at the Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons.

The HRC ﬁrst presented the honor in 2023 to city residents who have gone “above and beyond” to champion increased human rights and social justice. Winners are nominated through a citywide process and selected by the MLK Breakfast Planning Committee.

Moore is the ninth city resident honored with the award. She owns Brain Power Academic Services, which tutors kindergarten through eighth-grade students in all subjects and o ers induction support for new teachers. Her company provides low-cost and free tutoring services, which demonstrates her dedication to equitable education access.

Moore’s professional experience also includes nearly 17 years of service with

Guilford County Schools where she served as a classroom teacher, curriculum facilitator, and district curriculum facilitator. She served as a literary specialist and advisor with Wilson Language Training and presently works as a principal digital navigator for the Center for Digital Equity in Charlotte.

Moore’s extensive volunteer service includes mentoring college students, especially ﬁrst-generation students. Since 2022, she has chaired the Guilford County Health and Human Services Advisory Committee, which addresses public health and social service needs. Moore also serves as a board member with the Greensboro History Museum and the Volunteer Center of the Triad. The former foster parent also boasts nearly two decades of service as a children’s ministry director at her church. She is a life member of the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated.

The HRC is tasked with improving the quality of life for Greensboro residents by encouraging fair treatment and promoting mutual understanding and respect among all people. Visit www.greensboronc.gov/hrc for more information. !

Photos courtesy of the City of Greensboro / Photo by Troy Herring Pictured from left to right, Human Rights Department Deputy Director Maria Hicks-Few, Human Rights Department Director Love Jones, Ph.D., Turkesshia Moore, Mayor Nancy Vaughan, and City Manager Trey Davis.

Celebrating the music, magic, and mystique of Mozart

On Jan. 27, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart will turn 269 years old, and the School of Music at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) will commemorate this momentous milestone with its annual “Happy Birthday, Mozart!” concert of chamber music, which will be presented at 3 p.m. Sunday in Watson Hall, located on the UNCSA main campus, 1533 S. Main St., Winston-Salem. Tickets are $25 (adults) and $20 (non-UNCSA students), and are available at Happy Birthday, Mozart! — UNCSA . The event will also be live-streamed for free.

UNCSA School of Music faculty member Steven LaCosse will again helm the extravaganza, which UNCSA has presented annually since 1978. As the A.J. Fletcher Distinguished Professor of Opera and artistic director of the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute, LaCosse has over 100 productions to his credit and was the recipient of the University of North Carolina Board of Governor’s Excellence in Teaching award in 2011. He brings not only his experience and expertise to “ Happy Birthday, Mozart! ” but also a lifelong adoration of and appreciation for Mozart’s work.

“Mozart was a true genius, and his music speaks to everyone,” LaCosse stated. “There were many other composers at the time Mozart lived, but none of them has stood the test of time. There is something universal about his works that overcomes the fact that it is over 200 years old. His most popular opera, for example, “ The Marriage of Figaro,” is performed all the time. The core of the story is a man whose eye has wandered away from his wife and how that situation unfolds. The fact is that everyone can relate to that.”

If UNCSA’s annual production of The Nutcracker marks the school’s year-end capper, so too does “ Happy Birthday, Mozart!” kick off each new year in grand fashion.

“This is a big concert as it is a true UNCSA School of Music tradition,” LaCosse confirmed. “Mozart wrote 600

pieces of music, so there is a lot of (his) repertoire to choose from. It just takes planning and soliciting the faculty for recommendations for the concert. The addition of two drama students to the concert to play Mozart and his wife, Constanza, can be challenging, but not impossible. While it is just after (holiday) break, the concert is planned in the fall semester, so we can hit the ground running.”

Born in Salzburg, Mozart (1756-’91) remains one of the most prodigious and prolific composers of all time, to say nothing of his time, considering that he died only in his 35th year, and his work continues to influence and inspire artists the world over, including those in other disciplines and genres. With so many selections to choose from, no “birthday” is ever quite the same. Each one is different and distinctive, and that is entirely intentional.

“The concert changes from year to year, depending on the performers,” LaCosse said. “As I said — over 600 works to choose from.”

As to what he hopes audiences will take away from the concert, “They should enjoy the music of a genius composer, who could write some of the beautiful melodies that can make you laugh and cry.” !

WANNA know?

For more information, visit the o cial UNCSA website: https://www.uncsa.edu/.

[

WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP] EXPERIENCE “DOUBT” AT STAINED GLASS PLAYHOUSE

SUBMITTED BY STAINED GLASS PLAYHOUSE

“What do you do when you’re not sure?” So asks a young and progressive priest in the opening line of John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt, A Parable,” playing in February at Stained Glass Playhouse. Father Flynn’s words soon come full circle as Sister Aloysius, the conservative principal at St. Nicholas Church School, becomes suspicious of his relationship with one of the students. Her questions put him on the defensive, and he in turn accuses her of trying to undermine him in a vain attempt to keep the church from reforming progressively. Caught in the middle are the young Sister James, whose innocence and optimism are challenged by the growing tension at the school, and Mrs. Muller, the pragmatic and protective mother of the student at the center of the conﬂict.

The truth? The audience must decide for themselves, as the play — quite intentionally — does not answer deﬁnitively one way or the other. This production strives to maintain that ambiguity. In the author’s own words, “You may come out of my play uncertain. You may want to be sure. Look down on that feeling. We’ve got to learn to live with a full measure of uncertainty. There is no last word.”

As the title suggests, “Doubt” is a parable, a story used to illustrate a moral lesson; in this case, it is about the conse-

quences of being too certain of any one viewpoint. In approaching the script, the cast was challenged to reﬂect on the inﬂuence of doubt and certainty in their own lives. “I think most people are familiar with uncertainty about their capabilities and dreams, and whether the pursuit of those dreams leads to success,” noted Tanisha Watkins, who plays Mrs. Muller in the production. “Auditioning was my way of confronting my own doubt about my abilities and embracing the me that John Patrick Shanley would say was under the response of easy.”

For Stained Glass Playhouse, the decision to tackle this show was itself a source of hesitation. As Mark Graves, associate artistic director and marketing coordinator for the theatre, acknowledged: “I think some people are probably surprised we decided to do this one. It’s not the kind of subject matter you would really expect to see here. But the central lesson is just too relevant to be ignored. I also think it ﬁts our space perfectly, and the cast and the direction are just incredible. So, I hope the message really resonates with our audiences.”

“It could also be a little preview of things to come,” he added, hinting at the Playhouse’s upcoming season announcement later this spring.

“Doubt, A Parable”, directed by Pam Barrans, will be presented Feb. 7-9, 14-16, and 21-23. For tickets and more information about the show, visit stainedglassplayhouse.org/doubt. !

Mark Burger

Contributor

Steven LaCrosse

Photos courtesy of Neil Jester - Fine Art Photography

Makenzie Degenhardt (Sister James), David Bricquet (Father Flynn), Tanisha Watkins (Mrs. Muller) and Kathy Anne Cissna (Sister Aloysius) in Stained Glass Playhouse’s “Doubt, A Parable,” Feb. 7-23, 2025.

As sometimes happens, two seemingly unrelated news stories get reported on the same day, yet when taken together they are revealed to have a lot in common. That’s what happened last week when we finally got to see Jack Smith’s report on his derailed prosecution of Donald Trump, while concurrently we learned about a Forsyth County official who committed a new crime by hiding an old one. The two stories tell us a lot about what’s wrong with our political and judicial systems on every level. I’ll start with the Smith/Trump saga. Donald Trump has been in and out of court so often that it’s hard to keep

Soiled Elections

track of his convictions, which include one for defaming a woman he allegedly raped, and 34 felony counts relating to a hush-money scheme. Trump also had some near misses in New York and Georgia (for bank fraud and election interference respectively) when those cases were dropped after the Supreme Court granted him presidential immunity for anything and everything he’s ever done or ever will do. Had those cases not been delayed for various reasons, Trump would have been serving prison time before the high court even got involved. And that brings me to special prosecutor Jack Smith whose rock-solid case against Trump for trying to overturn the 2020 election was also derailed by the court’s immunity ruling.

Last week Attorney General Merrick Garland released Smith’s scathing 130-page report which detailed Trump’s criminal activities. Smith wrote, “When it became clear that Mr. Trump had lost the [2020] election and that lawful means of challenging the election

results had failed, he resorted to a series of criminal efforts to retain power.”

The report, which Trump did not want made public, made it clear that had the case gone to trial, he would have been convicted and on his way to the slammer. Critics of the judicial system like to say, “ If it had been any other person who committed all those crimes, that person would be doing hard time.” The fact that Trump has set a new standard for avoiding punishment of any kind brings me to another political story that unfolded last week involving a Triad area agency.

The Forsyth County Soil and Water Conservation Board is an agency that doesn’t get a lot of attention, but they do important work. Board members assist property owners with “ conserving soil and water and other natural resources.” They also offer technical and financial assistance to individuals, schools, and corporations on soil and water-related matters. Sadly, we don’t hear much about all of the great things they do, but as of last week, we’re hearing a lot about something its newest member didn’t do.

Edward Jones was elected to the board last November by 63% of the 93,000 Forsyth County residents who voted. According to the Winston-Salem Journal , prior to the election Jones was forthcoming about a lot of things including that he had been shot 37 times, and about his faith in God and his career as a rapper. But Jones neglected to reveal that he was a convicted sex

offender, something that he apparently never disclosed to anyone outside of the state of New Jersey where his crimes had been committed. The problem is that North Carolina General Statute 163-106 requires anyone running for elected office to fill out a “Notice of Candidacy” form and to disclose any prior felony convictions on that form. Thanks to reporting by the Journal ’s Scott Sexton we now know about Jones’ failure to disclose his felony conviction, which in itself is a Class I felony. We also know that Jones will probably escape punishment and remain in office because no one seems to know exactly how to make him accountable for his most recent crime. For example, the State Board of Elections says there’s nothing it can do because the election results have already been certified. One SBE official told Sexton, “ You would need to contact the Forsyth Soil and Water Conservation Commission regarding this matter. Since the candidate is already serving in this office, this is not an election-related matter.” But Forsyth elections chief Tim Tsuji contradicts that assessment , saying the matter, “is in the hands of the State Board of Elections.”

Meanwhile, George Teague, a past chairman of the State Soil and Water Commission says that the Forsyth Soil and Water Board can only remove Jones if he stops showing up for meetings or is found to have committed some wrong-doing in carrying out his duties. In other words, there’s no one willing to prosecute Jones because he’s already been elected. Call it a kind of convoluted immunity, sort of like what Donald Trump has used to escape punishment for his crimes.

your

and community will

Is it any wonder, then, that most voters have become apathetic about political criminals? We’ve gotten used to elected officials breaking the law in part because they’re rarely held accountable for the laws they broke. And if they’re not punished that must mean they were wrongly accused. As a result, men like Trump and Jones become victims rather than convicts, and our elections continue to be polluted by men who think laws only apply to other people. !

JIM LONGWORTH is

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Longworth

Anchored by yet another strong Colman Domingo performance, Sing Sing is a well-intentioned, often uplifting drama that tells a story not necessarily based on fact but based on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program instituted in 1996 at the infamous Sing Sing Prison in upstate New York, wherein inmates would participate in conceiving and producing stage productions that often encompassed elements of classical theater, pop culture, and the real-life experiences of its cast and crew.

Domingo plays John Whitfield, known as “Divine G,” based on the co-writer of the film’s screen story, who has emerged as a star performer and playwright with the theatrical project. Incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit, he finds solace — and a purpose — fashioning Sing Sing’s productions with the help of compassionate and supportive theater director Brent Buell (played by Paul Raci). For their latest production, titled Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code, Divine G is particularly impressed by the charisma and presence of fellow inmate Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin (playing himself), whom he persuades to participate.

Not only does the program give the prisoners a common purpose and a chance to express themselves, it’s also a respite from the regimented lifestyle of imprisonment and a constructive way to kill time, especially considering that some participants will be incarcerated for many years to come. Despite Divine Eye’s sometimes recalcitrant reluctance, Divine G attempts to become a sort of mentor, and Divine Eye vacillates between appreciation and resentment. He doesn’t like being told what to do, and it falls to Divine G to break down that barrier.

Sing Sing was not actually shot on location at the actual Sing Sing but primarily at the Downstate Correctional Facility in New York, which was decommissioned in 2022. That several cast

members are, or were, actual participants in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program lends further authenticity to the proceedings. The attitude and prison lingo feel and sound just right. Sing Sing also holds a distinction of being one of the (very) few prison movies with virtually no violence. Some of the tense exchanges seem to be leading toward it, but it never happens.

Maclin, who also had a hand in crafting the screen story and makes an auspicious feature debut, has the showier part and takes full advantage of it, but Domingo — who has really come into his own the last few years with an Oscar nomination for Rustin (2023) and an Emmy-winning stint on HBO’s Euphoria, is the ﬁlm’s rock, grounding it in reality. Divine G may not have as explosive a temper as Divine Eye, but the emotions swirling around inside him are plainly evident throughout.

Domingo doesn’t need to say anything; it’s all there, in his eyes. He’s an ingratiating presence throughout and also has a pleasing chemistry with Sean San José as his right-hand man Mike Mike, who gives Divine G a pat on the back when he needs it but is also sometimes his voice of reason. The real Brent Buell also makes an appearance in the ﬁlm. Despite a few lapses into melodrama, Sing Sing is very satisfying overall and succeeds in conveying its noble intentions without being heavy-handed. It has humanity and even some welcome touches of humor, and best of all it’s got the dynamic Colman Domingo giving yet another top-notch turn. !

Mark Burger

[KING CROSSWORD]

by Donna Moore

with Sam Stowe, Shannon Lindgren, & Andrea Clemmer

Open your Mind to Open Mics

As the footing of 2025 takes hold, so does a fresh calendar of open mic opportunities for performers resolved to putting themselves out there. With offerings nearly every night of the week, there’s no better time than the present to show o your work and witness the wonders the Triad arts community can o er.

SUNDAY

Starting with the ﬁrst day of the week, Oden Brewing Company (802 W. Gate City Blvd. in Greensboro) keeps its Sunday Open Mic tradition going strong into the new year. With veteran host (and fellow musician) Bryan Toney continuing to call out to all local musicians; with an invitation to join him on Sunday nights beginning at 6 p.m.

MONDAY

Hidden Gate Brewing (102 Barnhardt St. in Greensboro) welcomes musicians to the working week with a Monday evening open mic, nestled next to train tracks in the heart of downtown. With frequent host, Bruce Culp on duty from 7 to 9 p.m., the taproom turns into a stageroom where “local musicians, poets, and performers of all kinds share their art in a laid-back, supportive atmosphere,” organizers said. “It’s not just about the performances though — this event is a vibrant celebration of creativity, community, and connection. With a welcoming vibe and great company, it’s the perfect place for both seasoned artists and newcomers to step into the spotlight.”

Following a similar beat in a more dive bar setting, Walker’s Bar (2116 Walker Ave. in Greensboro) also o ers an Open Mic to ﬁll out Monday night plans — starting a bit

later at 9:30 p.m. Welcoming all acoustic musicians, Walker’s prides itself on a lowkey atmosphere and a hearty platform for even the most novice player to hone their skills.

Meanwhile, over in Winston-Salem, Monstercade (204 W. Acadia Ave.) beckons both weirdos and laughs, with a weekly Comedy Open Mic, starting every Monday at 8 p.m.

TUESDAY

The laughs roll into Tuesday (and Wednesday) at Nextdoor Beer Bar and Bottle Shop (505 North Greene St. in Greensboro), as the space lives up to its good neighborly name, hosting the Idiot Box’s standup comedy open mic (running 7:30 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays); and its “Rough Draft” Sketch Comedy Open Mic, 7:30-9 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Getting back to the music, Grapes and Grains Tavern (2001 Yanceyville St. in Greensboro) is out to prove that “Revolution Mill’s got talent,” with a musician open mic, every Tuesday from 7 to 10 p.m. Meanwhile, local musician Grey Hyatt (the shantyman of Folkknot and guitarist in When We’re Sober) holds down hosting duties at Gate City Growlers (1724 Battleground Ave. #103 in Greensboro) on Tuesdays from 7 to 10 p.m. (with sign-ups starting at 6:30 p.m.)

WEDNESDAY

The “Matty Sheets” Open Mic at The Continental Club (816 S. Elm St in Greensboro) proves Wednesday is the highlight of the local performer’s week. Named in honor of the late-open mic maestro; Erin Hayes is the current host picking up the mantle and carrying on the torch of what’s arguably “the best open mic this side of the Mississippi!” With performers across the gamut of genres, styles, and art forms — it’s a wonderfully supportive “anything goes” environment — with two simple rules: “no hate speech, and be cool to everybody.” Sign-ups start at 6 p.m.; the open mic runs 7-10 p.m

THURSDAY

Little Friday takes on a life of its own, with several open mics across the Triad. On the west end of Greensboro, the Guilford College radio station, WQFS, has started hosting its own open mic series; Thursdays starting at 7 p.m. in the Community Lounge. “All are welcome,“ despite the open mic being an on-campus a air — like the airwaves of 90.9fm, the outreach extends to the whole community. Meanwhile, Lindley Park is open mic central as Common Grounds (602 S. Elam Ave in Greensboro) keeps its Thursday night open mic ﬂowing, seven years on, with Gage Winslow among the new guest hosts wrangling the fervent open mic family, Thursday nights from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Across the block, Wahoo’s ( 2120 Walker Ave.) takes the open mic and jam into the late-night hours; running just after Common Grounds closes out.

And in High Point, Plank Street Tavern (138 Church Ave.) o ers a monthly thematic approach to spice up their Thursday evening open mic; with an appropriate ”Great Reset” set for January. “Basically it’s a no-theme month to catch up on some songs, write new ones, and think of some ideas for the New Year,” said host Tim Fogarty. “I’m challenging myself to write one new song per week for the whole year. I’d like to hear some of your original ideas, too!” While the theme itself is optional, Fogarty ﬁnds fun in the endeavor. “It’s fun to play within the theme, but equally fun to play whatever you’d like,” he said. “As always, we want to hear whatever you’d like to play.” Sign-ups start at 6:45 p.m.; with performances starting at 7 p.m. “Each artist can play three songs or 12 minutes,” Fogarty added. “We’re proud to have an awesome group of musicians that love meeting new players, and creating an environment where everyone feels welcome! See ya there!”

While weekly open mics keep the tunes ﬂowing, there’s also a handful of monthly o erings for writers, songwriters, and sweethearts.

“Scuopenmic,” every third Thursday at Scuppernong Every third Thursday of the month “Scuopenmic” takes over Scuppernong Books (304 S Elm St. in Greensboro) with a writer’s open mic, geared to “all kinds of writers. Everybody. Even you.” Each performer is allotted ﬁve minutes to show o their best work; with sign-ups starting at 6 p.m.

“The Last Thursday Songwriters Circle” at Doodad Down at Doodad Farm (4701 Land Rd. in Greensboro), the “Last Thursday” Songwriters Circle is taking a break for January but will make its return on February 27.

“The Art of Love” open mic on February 15 at the Artist Bloc And over at the Artist Bloc (1020 W. Gate City Blvd.) a special open mic event, “The Art of Love”, starts at 4 p.m. on February 15; with a January 31 deadline for interested performers to sign-up.

Hosted by Anylah C., “The Art of Love” aims to uplift the beauty of community through music, poetry, and more. “It’s a creative mixer and open mic night celebrating The Art of Love,” organizers said. “A love for community, creativity, and connection.” A multimedia pursuit, organizers invite artists from an array of disciplines, “from poets and musicians to visual artists and storytellers, this event is a space to share your art, network, and vibe with likeminded creatives.”

As the year begins, open mics around the Triad o er opportunities as the great equalizer — season pros to folks making their public debut — it’s all about sharing your art; embracing your community and just putting yourself out there. Break a leg! !

KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who enjoys spotlighting artists and events.

Katei Cranford

Contributor

SBY OGI OVERMAN

omething’s happening here

What it is ain’t exactly clear Buffalo Springfield, “For What It’s Worth”

By 5 p.m., the Piedmont Hall parking lot was full, and people were parking in the adjacent Convention and Tourists Bureau lot. The line to get in stretched around the building, down the sidewalk, all the way to the gate separating the parking lot from the entrance to the First Horizon Coliseum lot.

A 20-ish girl near the front of the line was overheard saying, “I saw Big Head Todd and the Monsters here, and I thought that was a big crowd.” And a hulking, bearded, middle-aged fellow responded, “Damn, there’s more people here than there were at a Monarchs game.”

And that was a half-hour before the doors opened for the 6 p.m. event.

The event was the introduction to Greensboro of its long-awaited professional hockey club, where its name, logo, and colors were revealed. The players,

coach, schedule, season — and gameticket prices, and NHL/AHL affiliates will all be announced in due time, but on this Tuesday the emphasis was on hype, building excitement, and showing the public how to put on a show.

And a show it was.

Once the crowd, estimated at 1,500, entered the building, they were greeted by a well-dressed staff; a Zamboni and hockey nets; a merchandise area with the T-shirts, pucks, etc. covered until the name was revealed; a catered, restaurant-quality buffet; dessert and beverage tables; open concessions selling beer and sodas; and cameras from all the local electronic media outlets. The speakers leading up to owner Andy Kaufmann were Coliseum and Tanger Center General Manager Scott Johnson, East Coast Hockey League Commissioner Ryan Crelin, investor J. J. Jansen (former Carolina Panthers long snapper), and Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan. Then Kaufmann, a Long Island, N.Y. native, took the stage and, after a brief speech, the two huge video screens began the presentation.

HOCKEY? ARE YOU READY FOR

Finally, came the big reveal — the Greensboro Gargoyles! The name and logo are conceived as a stone monster that watches over and protects the city of Greensboro. It has already had over 400,000 views on social media. The colors are purple, gold and black, or in promoter speak, Gargoyle Grape, Greensboro Gold, and Midnight. The merch lines formed immediately, and money was still changing hands long after the rest of the crowd had thinned.

So, all this begs the question: What has changed since the last Greensboro Generals puck dropped after the 2002’03 season? Is it the changing demographics? Or the booming business climate that is creating an influx of folks from other parts of the country and the world? Or the success of the Carolina Hurricanes that has migrated from Raleigh to Greensboro (notwithstanding the two dismal years we were the placeholder while the Raleigh venue was being built)? Or the growing general interest in the NHL and hockey itself?

Or a thirst from the remaining fanbase who recall the glory years of the original

Generals and the first iteration of the Monarchs? And, intangibles aside, what was it about Greensboro that convinced Kaufmann and the Zawyer group to invest here?

“Based on the success of our franchises in Jacksonville and Savannah, we were well aware that hockey is on fire throughout the South,” said Kaufmann. “Jacksonville has led the league in attendance for eight years, and Savannah has sold out [its venue] the last three years. This summer we bought the Charlotte Checkers, and we just love this area. Greensboro is such a vibrant city with a long history of hockey and a beautiful coliseum, that we were confident that the market was ready. We knew hockey had succeeded here before, and after over two decades without hockey, we’re going to light that spark again.”

Another difference between now and then is that former Monarchs and Generals owners over the past 40 years — Morris Jeffreys, Bill Coffey, Bill Black and Art Donaldson — were all well-connected men of means. But the distinction

between them and Kaufmann was that Greensboro hockey was their only sports franchise (although Donaldson briefly tried his hand at arena football). They all had other professions and needed their hockey clubs to make money, or at least break even. Conversely, Zawyer Sports and Entertainment, founded by Kaufmann in 2018 and headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., is a successful conglomerate. Yes, they plan to make money, but if they don’t hit their breakeven point, they won’t need to pull out or seek other owners.

“We’re here for the duration,” assured Kaufmann. “We’ve turned around franchises that have failed before and made them successful. We are very well-capitalized, so there are no worries there. We’re Gargoyles forever.”

In addition to the Gargoyles, Zawyer owns and operates the Jacksonville Icemen, Savannah Ghost Pirates, members of the ECHL, and the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers; the Gastonia Ghost Peppers, an indie team playing in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball; a fullservice marketing agency, 32 Degrees Marketing; Community First Igloo, a Jacksonville practice facility for the Ice-

men as well as an entertainment venue; and is a consultant on operations for the Tahoe Knight Monsters and Ghost Pirates Ice.

After many had given up on hockey ever returning to the Gate City, and amid recently retired Coliseum Managing Director Matt Brown’s tireless yet fruitless efforts to bring the sport back, how did all this happen out of the blue?

“We came to them,” smiled Kaufmann. “We asked the Oak View Group (which now manages the Coliseum) if they were ready for ECHL hockey. We wanted to be here badly, and obviously, they wanted us. It was as smooth as that.”

The Gargoyles season opener will be in October, and season ticket deposits at GargoylesHockey.com. are already being accepted. If this impressive launch and Zawyer’s track record are any indication, hockey is back to stay in this burg.

“We’ve got to love you first before you can love us,” mused the affable Kaufmann. “We’re going to make you proud.” !

Specials MON: $3 Domestic Bottles & All Burgers $10.99 TUE: 1/2 Price Wine | WED: $4 Draft THU: $8 Bud Light Pitchers & $3 Fireball

Daily Happy Hour Specials

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 3-6PM MON: $9.99 Wings | TUE: $9.99 Nachos WED: $5.99 Snackables

Code violations continue at local apartments

“The people who own and run this place aren’t living like this,” said Annette Roseboro, a resident at New Garden Place apartments in East Greensboro. “Why can’t we get things ﬁxed? He now wants to raise my rent from $750 to $1,000 a month, but he hasn’t ﬁxed a damn thing.” Roseboro was referring to developer Srinivas Potlurri, whose over 60 LLCs manage approximately 2,400 housing units across the Carolinas.

As YES! Weekly reported in the Nov. 27 article “East Greensboro residents allege housing bias, poor living conditions,” in December 2023, the Capstone Carolinas brokerage team sold Potluri three multifamily East Greensboro properties with a combined 232 units: Lincoln Grove Apartments at 503 S. O. Henry Blvd. (116 units), New Garden Place Apartments at 1916 Phillips Ave. (76 units), and Alexander Homes at 403 S. O. Henry Blvd. (40 units).

That article reported that, as of Nov. 6, 2024, Potluri owed the City of Greensboro $17,150 in civil penalties for code violations at those apartments.

According to an email Deputy City Manager Chris Wilson sent to city council on Jan. 8, the amount Potluri owes in ﬁnes is now $28,000. The chain of correspondence Wilson sent to council, City Attorney Chuck Watts, and Mayor Nancy Vaughan documents Potluri’s resistance to paying these ﬁnes and repeated delays in repairing occupied apartments.

“This is a follow-up to your requests to investigate the status of code compliance cases at New Garden Place Apartments located at 1912 Phillips Avenue,” wrote Wilson to Vaughan, Watts, and council.

“As was discussed in the meeting last night, the owner of this property, New Garden Apartments LLC (Srinivas Potluri, registered agent) has been less than cooperative and continues to face accumulating ﬁnes/penalties nearing $28,000. I have reviewed December’s inspector case notes, which indicate a plan of action that was outlined with ownership, but also show that most of the owner’s e orts toward compliance have been focused on vacant units and not occupied units. Our pursuit of compliance is not for lack of e ort, as you will see in the

attached communications, but rather a lack of cooperation from ownership. I will work with our City Attorney’s O ce to look at any possible elevated e orts that may be used to achieve needed compliance with this property.”

As Vaughan, District 1’s Sharon Hightower and District 2’s Goldie Wells observed at the Jan. 7 council meeting, it’s easier to force a delinquent landlord to repair vacant properties by condemning the units in which the code violations have occurred than when such units are occupied, as to do so would render those tenants homeless.

Wilson also wrote, “I have attached a list of repairs needed in priority order from November.”

“High Priority Repairs” listed in Wilson’s attachment include ensuring that all units have properly working heating systems “su cient to heat the entire unit, including bathroom;” repairing sewage leaks and wiring issues throughout the property; verifying that ground wires behind all A/C units are not live; and installing operable smoke detectors.

The list also stated that a “certiﬁed professional ‘must’ perform testing and inspect for mold” in multiple apartments in which inspectors have reported evidence of it.

Wilson also attached previous correspondence between city o cials and Potluri.

On Nov. 20, Linda Harris of the City of Greensboro’s collections division sent Potluri an email with the subject line “Lincoln Grove Apartments LLC - Delinquent Assessment Liens 500 Gillespie St & 324 Bingham St.” In it, she requested “payment of $726.70 on the Bingham Street property and $1,257.80 on the Gillespie Street [property] not later than November 29, 2024 to prevent further collection action.”

Potluri responded that day, asking, “Are these for water or violations?”

“Code violations,” replied Harris. Potluri

responded by requesting “a waiver of these penalties.”

Harris’s reply explained that, as “notiﬁcations of the city’s request to resolve the violations were sent, the property was properly posted and time given for you to correct all violations,” any question about the violations should have been addressed before the date required to correct them. “These violations are liens on these properties and are delinquent. Please remit payment by the 29th to avoid further action by the collections division.”

Potluri responded by alleging, “contractors took care of all outstanding code violations inside the units.”

On Nov. 27, code compliance operations manager Christine Holt emailed Potluri, stating:

“The $726.70 for 324 Bingham Street and $1,257.80 for 500 Gillespie Street is for the exterior grounds. We paid a contractor to maintain the grounds after the property was posted and the notice of violation was mailed to the GIS address and still remained in violation.”

Holt stated that the “bills you are receiving for Civil Penalties are for the individual apartment units that are not in compliance,” and “will continue to accrue at a rate of $10 per day for each apartment unit until the unit is brought into compliance.”

On Nov. 30, Potluri emailed Harris and Holt, asking, “Is there a waiver for the civil penalties?” and alleging, “My team is on the repairs” and “coordinating” with code inspector Valerie Sarver.

“There is not a waiver for Civil Penalties,” replied Holt on Dec. 6. “Reduction of penalties is a possibility with documentation of money spent to correct violations, such as receipts, once all the violations are cleared. However, as long as violations exist, civil penalties will continue to accrue and collections will pursue collection of those ﬁnes.”

On Jan. 8, Holt sent Potluri an email

with the subject line “New Garden Apartments LLC,” in which she wrote:

“Since Valerie’s last inspection on 12/13/24, she has been unable to get a response from anyone in regard to the status of repairs. There are many outstanding violations, but the worst of it is the fact that there is not heat at the following 3 units — 1515 Woodmere #F; 1914 Phillips #B; [and] 1914 Phillips #J. With the extreme cold temperatures right now, often people resort to heating with unconventional methods such as ovens, which greatly increases the risk of ﬁre. Your tenants need to have their heat working.”

Holt also stated that “civil penalties currently total almost $28,000 are continuing to accrue for these 17 units at a rate of about $5,100 a month, and will not stop until these violations are cleared.”

On Jan. 17, Roseboro described conditions in her apartment.

“The heat works when it wants to, and when it does, it takes a long while to come on. When it does come on, it blows out cold air for a long time. It eventually gets kind of warm, but once it starts to blowing real good, it shuts o . If this keeps happening, I’m going to have to use the space heaters they don’t want me to use, because you can’t take a bath or shower because it’s so cold. You don’t want to use your stove, like me and some neighbors have had to do in the past.”

She also said the New Garden Apartments maintenance crew has not completed repairing multiple code violations in her unit.

“Now they got all these extra people working in the o ce, and they’re saying they ﬁxed this and that, but I tell you they haven’t. For instance, the bathroom commode hasn’t been ﬁxed. It’s working, but the tank is real wobbly, and the parts inside where the chain is need to be replaced. And they put what looks like putty over the bathroom vents.”

Potluri did not respond to YES! Weekly’s requests for comment. Neither has anyone from Capstone Carolinas, the brokerage team that sold the properties to Potluri in December 2023.

When asked what measures might be taken to ensure compliance from Potluri, Watts stated, “We have limited authority to punish landlords.” !

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.

Ian McDowell

Contributor

Srinivas Potlurri

Chris Wilson

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of January 27, 2025

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Your batteries should be fully recharged by now, making you more than eager to get back into the swing of things full-time. Try to stay focused so that you don’t dissipate your energies.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You’re eager to charge straight ahead into your new responsibilities. But you’ll have to paw the ground a little longer until a surprise complication is worked out.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Rival factions are pressuring you to take a stand favoring one side or the other. But this isn’t the time to play judge. Bow out as gracefully as possible without committing yourself to any position.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Reassure a longtime, trusted conﬁdante that you appreciate their words of advice. But at this time, you need to act on what you perceive to be your own sense of selfinterest.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) You need to let your warm Leonine heart ﬁre up that new relationship if you hope to see it move from the “just friends” level to one that will be as romantic as you could hope for.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) There’s still time to repair a misunderstanding with an honest explanation and a heartfelt apology. The sooner you do, the sooner you can get on with other matters.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Expect a temporary setback as you

] crossword on page 8

progress toward your goal. Use this time to reexamine your plans and see where you might need to make some signiﬁcant changes.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Some missteps are revealed as the cause of current problems in a personal or professional partnership. Make the necessary adjustments, then move on.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Jupiter’s inﬂuence helps you work through a pesky problem and allows your naturally jovial attitude to reemerge stronger than ever. Enjoy your success!

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Set aside your usual reluctance to change, and consider reassessing your ﬁnancial situation so that you can build on its strengths and minimize its weaknesses.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Some recently acquired information helps open up a dark part of the past. Resolve to put what you’ve learned to good use. Meanwhile, travel plans continue to be favored.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Act on your own keen instincts. Your strong Piscean backbone will support you as someone attempts to pressure you into a decision that you’re not ready to make.

[BORN THIS WEEK: You embody a love for traditional values combined with an appreciation of what’s new and challenging. You’re quite well-rounded.