YES! Weekly - October 9, 2024 by YES! Weekly

“MORNINGSIDE”

In 2015, author and historian Aran Shetterly ﬁrst learned about the subject of his new book “Morningside: the 1979 Greensboro Massacre and the Struggle for an American City’s Soul.”

3 The RiverRun International Film Festival continues its ongoing partnership with Marketplace Cinemas for a special 65th anniversary screening of the 1959 Alfred Hitchcock classic NORTH BY NORTHWEST at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 25 at Marketplace Cinemas

4 The Greensboro Public Library, in partnership with The Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, is excited to announce the upcoming “ ATOMIC HABITS for Artists Learning Circle,” designed to help local art entrepreneurs cultivate lasting habits for entrepreneurial success.

4 The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem will hold auditions for “ A CHRISTMAS CAROL,” by Charlie Lovett, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, October 14, at 419 N. Spruce Street in Winston-Salem. No appointment is necessary, and everyone is encouraged to audition.

6 If you are a BRIGHTSPEED customer, you have my deepest sympathies. If you don’t have Brightspeed, please tell me where you live so I can move there.

4 7 9

7 WHITE BIRD, based on producer R.J. Palacio’s 2019 graphic novel, is billed as A Wonder Story and is a sequel (of sorts) to the 2017 drama Wonder , although the ties are negligible.

9 With her new album, “Tell It to the Wind” out in the world, JOY CLARK is looking forward to breezing into Greensboro as part of Abigail Dowd’s songwriter series at the Flat Iron on October 15.

12 Catastrophic events happen all the time but when an event hits close to home, it makes it more personal. HURRICANE HELENE roared through several states last week causing damage from major river flooding and leaving entire communities in ruins.

14 After the first sip, you’re grabbed. There’s a slight tingle in the chest and a warm sensation that almost pulses throughout your body. It’s remarkable, it’s PULSE VODKA.

Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com

EDITORIAL

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A “Hitchcock Halloween” at Marketplace Cinemas

The RiverRun International Film Festival continues its ongoing partnership with Marketplace Cinemas for a special 65th anniversary screening of the 1959 Alfred Hitchcock classic North by Northwest at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 25 at Marketplace Cinemas, 2095 Peters Creek Parkway. Tickets are $12 (general admission) and free for students with valid ID. For more information and to purchase advance tickets, visit https:// riverrunﬁlm.com/north-by-northwest/ “We are thrilled to be showing Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest as our October RiverRun o ering,” said Rob Davis, the festival’s executive director, who will introduce the screening. “This is the ideal year to revisit this classic as the ﬁlm is celebrating its 65th anniversary with a restoration, this year marks the 125th anniversary of Hitchcock’s birth, and star Eva Marie Saint celebrated her 100th birthday last July 4th.”

This presentation also exempliﬁes the festival’s altruistic side given the extensive damage caused late last month by Hurricane Helene. “We are donating ticket proceeds to the N.C. Arts Disaster Relief Fund helping artists and arts organizations in the western part of our state. RiverRun traces its roots to that area having been founded in Brevard, located on the French Broad River south of Asheville.” North by Northwest is a delirious, dizzying adventure that never lets up for an instant. Cary Grant stars as a New York advertising executive who is mistaken for a man named George Kaplan by a mysterious group of enemy agents, led by James Mason and Martin Landau (in his feature debut). It’s not long before Grant ﬁnds himself on the run from friends and foes alike, especially after being framed for murder, and only an alluring blonde (Saint) seems to believe his far-fetched story … or does she?

It’s never made clear who George Kaplan is (or was) and what nefarious intent the villains have in mind, but it scarcely matters given the breathless, virtuoso prowess of Hitchcock, which keeps the audience guessing and on the

edge of their seats throughout, culminating in an unforgettable climax on Mount Rushmore that has remained an indelible part of cinema history the last 65 years. The sequence in which Grant is pursued by a crop-dusting plane on a lonely desert highway is yet another legendary component of this masterful thriller.

Oddly, North by Northwest always seemed to be a little overshadowed by Hitchcock’s previous ﬁlm (1958’s Vertigo) and subsequent ﬁlm (1960’s Psycho) despite having earned Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay, Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (color), and Best Editing — and grossing what was then the sizable sum of almost $10 million (!).

“‘Fun’ is a strange word to use when discussing Alfred Hitchcock, but I truly believe North by Northwest is his most ‘fun’ movie,” observed Davis. “I think he realized it, too, as one of the trailers features him in a travel agency! I met Eva Marie Saint when we did a program in Florida and then were both speakers at NYU’s Alfred Hitchcock Centennial Conference in 1999. She was delighted he chose her for

the ﬁlm and let her play, in her words, ‘a sexy spy lady.’

“Some writers have said the film is a forerunner to the James Bond films, and I can see that,” Davis said. “While the film has many Hitchcock touches, not the least of which is mistaken identity, having it set in almost constant motion across basically half the country is certainly one way it foreshadows the Bond films with their own travelogue tendencies.”

It’s well-known among Bond bu s that Cary Grant was a good friend of producer Albert R. Broccoli and was o ered the role of 007, although he didn’t want to sign a long-term contract. Sean Connery ended up playing James Bond and the rest is history.

In its review of the 65th-anniversary restoration, The Film Magazine stated: “The crowning jewel of Hitchcock’s spy ﬁlms, North by Northwesttakes everything the genre had been building on for decades prior and bundles it into one package. North by Northwest is a glorious mishmash of parody and paranoia. It is sublimely written, larger than life, a blockbuster behemoth before the inven-

tion of that brand of spectacle. It has lasted not just because of its stellar cast, or the name of its director. It remains one of the all-time greats for the simple reason that it is one of the all-time greats ... North by Northwest might well be the greatest spy thriller ever made.”

“Showing North by Northwest for its anniversary screening is a terriﬁc choice, as most younger Hitchcock fans haven’t gotten to see it on the big screen – and if they have it’s not this stunning restoration,” said Zack Fox, general manager of Marketplace Cinemas. “Additionally, this will be a Hitchcock ﬁlm with a cause because the wonderful team at RiverRun have generously decided to donate the proceeds to the N.C. Art Disaster Relief Fund.”

Having partnered with RiverRun the last several years for special screenings, both during the annual festival and throughout the calendar year, has been a mutually rewarding experience, according to Fox. “RiverRun continues to o er superb year-round screenings at our cinema that our audiences love,” he said. “I can’t wait for the RiverRun Christmas event this year!”

The 27th annual RiverRun International Film Festival is scheduled for April 11-19, 2025.

For more information, call 336-7241502 or visit the o cial RiverRun website: https://riverrunﬁlm.com/ !

BAND AUDITIONING

Rock Mix for talented, dedicated, artsy, female musicians!!!

- 1 4string electric bass guitar.

- 1 analog synthesizer/organ. Must sing when playing your pro gear right on originals songs, lyrics music. We are writing own band songs, music. Do you want to play your instrument with the right real band Musicians??? You could just be the one that fits our band name. What are you waiting for??? Don’t hold back your dream... Must be ages 30’s to 40’s. No drugs, drunks, ego, or scammers. For more Info: Email madstix76@ymail.com and include heading so we see it.

We are in Winston-Salem, NC

Mark Burger

Contributor

Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and Martin Landau

North By Northwest

The Greensboro Public Library & The Arts Council of Greater Greensboro announce “Atomic Habits for Artists Learning Circle”

The Greensboro Public Library, in partnership with The Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, is excited to announce the upcoming “Atomic Habits for Artists Learning Circle,” designed to help local art entrepreneurs cultivate lasting habits for entrepreneurial success. This four-part series is inspired by the bestselling book “Atomic Habits” by James Clear.

The sessions will take place at the Central Library, Nussbaum Room, on the following dates from noon to 1:30 p.m.:

• October 10: Mindset Reset

• November 14: The 1% Rule for Atomic Habits

• December 12: Crafting Your Business Plan

• January 9: Setting Entrepreneurial Goals

Participants will engage in collaborative learning and explore practical tools to build effective habits. Each session encourages open dialogue, diverse perspectives, and peer-to-peer learning. The first session will include a complimentary lunch, and each participant will receive a free copy of “Atomic Habits.” Registration is required, and space is limited. Participation in all four sessions is encouraged. To register, please visit the Greensboro Public Library’s website: https://library.greensboro-nc.gov/

Home/Components/Calendar/Event/119573/5186?cur m=10&cury=2024.

“This Learning Circle provides a unique opportunity for creatives to foster the kind of mindset and routines necessary for sustained entrepreneurial success,” said Jaymie Meyer of The Arts Council of Greater Greensboro. “We are excited to help local artists unlock their potential through these sessions.” !

THE ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER GREENSBORO is dedicated to fostering creativity and enriching the cultural lives of all residents. We support, promote, and elevate local artists and arts organizations, making a lasting impact on the community.

THE GREENSBORO PUBLIC LIBRARY connects our community with free educational, informational, and creative resources. The library’s mission is to inspire lifelong learning and provide spaces where people can explore, imagine, and engage with the world.

The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem Announces Auditions for “A Christmas Carol”

PRESS RELEASE

The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem will hold auditions for “A Christmas Carol,” by Charlie Lovett, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, October 14, at 419 N. Spruce Street in Winston-Salem. No appointment is necessary, and everyone is encouraged to audition.

This vibrant adaptation, which played to sold-out houses in the past two seasons, brings new life to Charles Dickens’ classic tale. Imprisoned in the dark and miserly life he has chosen, Ebenezer Scrooge faces a fateful night of ghosts, memories, visions, and fears. Will the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come help him ﬁnd the way to a kinder heart and a brighter future? The Little Theatre is pleased to bring this hopeful and merry adaptation of everyone’s favorite Christmas classic to the stage this holiday season.

Jim McKeny will direct. There are roles available for 9 men (ages 16+), 8 women (ages 14+), 3 boys (ages 5-12), and 1 girl

(ages 10-15), plus ensemble. Additional details and character descriptions are available at www.LTofWS.org/auditions

Auditions will consist of reading from sides. Certain characters will have prominent singing roles, others will not, but everyone will be a partof a choir during the show. Bring your Christmas cheer! Please bring your calendar and be prepared to list all potential conﬂicts for the rehearsal andperformance period.

The ﬁrst read-through will be held Monday, October 28, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Rehearsals will tentatively be held Mondays-Fridays from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., with occasional Saturday daytime rehearsals. We plan to take Halloween night and the week of Thanksgiving o . Performance dates for “A Christmas Carol” are December 12-22, 2024. All performances will be held in WinstonSalem at the Hanesbrands Theatre, 209 N. Spruce Street.

For further information, please visit LTofWS.org. !

PRESS RELEASE

[ WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP]

ARTS COUNCIL ANNOUNCES FY25 GRANT PROGRAMS TO BOOST ARTS AND CULTURAL INITIATIVES

Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County is pleased to announce its grant o erings for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), continuing its mission to nurture creativity, cultural diversity, and community engagement across the region. The new suite of grants replaces previous programs and has been tailored to better meet the needs of the evolving arts landscape and fulﬁll new requirements as set by the North Carolina Arts Council. In FY25, Arts Council introduces three new grant opportunities to foster innovation and inclusivity:

General Operating Support Grants: Designed to provide unrestricted funding to arts organizations, allowing them to focus on sustaining their operations and fulﬁlling their missions.

Multicultural Grassroots Arts Grants: Aimed at promoting cultural diversity, these grants support community-driven arts initiatives led by and for underrepresented populations.

Arts for EveryBody Community Project Grants: Created to encourage projects that make the arts accessible to all, particularly those in underserved communities.

In addition to these new grants, Arts Council will continue o ering funding through the Artist Support Grant Program, which provides direct support to individual artists, and the Wells Fargo Arts in Education Grant Program, which is the largest funder of initiatives that integrate the arts into Winston-Salem/

VOTED SECOND BEST CHICKEN WINGS

Forsyth County Schools. In FY25, AC will grant $902,000 compared to $900,000 in FY24.

“We are thrilled to introduce a more ﬂexible, inclusive grant structure this year,” said Shannon Stokes, Vice President of Strategy and Community Impact of Arts Council. “These programs reﬂect our commitment to making the arts a vital part of every person’s life in Forsyth County. By addressing the unique needs of diverse communities, we are helping ensure the arts remain accessible and vibrant for all.”

Applications for the FY25 grant programs are now open and will close on October 31. Interested organizations and individuals can ﬁnd more information on eligibility, deadlines, and application guidelines by visiting Arts Council’s website at intothearts.org/funding. An Arts Council Grants Program Information Session will take place on Monday, October 7 at 11 a.m. EST on Zoom. Interested applicants may register online at bit.ly/ grantsWSFC. !

ARTS COUNCIL of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County is the leading advocate of arts in our region and seeks to enhance and support the local artistic and cultural landscape. Established in 1949 as the ﬁrst arts council in the nation, the pioneering organization is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024. Arts Council owns and operates a campus which includes the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts. In 2023, it hosted 670 on-campus events with 60,000 attendees and distributed over $1.2 million in grants, beneﬁting over 800,000 people. Arts Council is the largest funder of arts education for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.

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

Band Schedule

OCTOBER 10 Jimmy Hayes

OCTOBER 17 Johnny O’ and The Jump Out Boys

PHOTO BY OWENS DANIELS

SUBMITTED BY KATIE HALL NICOLAS

Brazilian Festa

Over the past ﬁve decades, I’ve always tried not to use my television shows or columns to address a personal grievance. That would be self-serving. Besides, nobody wants to hear about my problems anyway. There is, of course, an exception to this rule. If I have a problem that also a ects thousands of people, then I have an obligation to shed light on the situation. Such is the case with Brightspeed, whose very name is an oxymoron.

Two years ago Brightspeed bought Lumen, the parent company of Century Link, and there has been ample time for a smooth transition since then. But the transfer of residential telephone and inter-

net service from one company to another has been anything but smooth. It has been a customer service disaster.

My wife and I have had landline and internet service in Kernersville for the past 20 years, provided by an array of companies including Embarq, Century Link, and now, Brightspeed. There have been glitches and outages along the way. Back in 2009, for example, we lost internet service 400 times in one 300-day period. But that was because company infrastructure was old and pairs of wires would randomly rub against each other at the pedestal that services our neighborhood. My point is that faulty equipment can be repaired, but consistently poor customer service cannot, and that’s what thousands of Brightspeed customers have been experiencing over the past two years.

Just Google any number of blog sites and websites and you’ll ﬁnd one complaint after another about Brightspeed service.

Here’s a sampling:

Tall Progress 1732 writes, “If you have a problem, don’t try to contact them [Bright-

speed] either by phone or chat. Waste of time.”

Vegetable Soil 1851 wrote, “I called today 3 times and got disconnected three times. On the 4th call, I was told there would be a two-week delay before a tech could come out. Brightspeed is the worst I’ve ever dealt with.”

Salt-enc posted, “I have worked in the tech industry for over 20 years and I’ve called and seen a lot of bad support. I have to say Brightspeed doesn’t care that their reps have zero accountability, and their outsourced support is terrible.”

There are also plenty of complaints registered with the BBB against Brightspeed, including these two recent ones:

“My internet service has been out for over 2 weeks. I have contacted customer support numerous times, only to be transferred and hung up on multiple times. I have since spoken with 4 di erent representatives and had to repeat the same information and run the same diagnostic tests every time. I still have no service.”

left. It took numerous calls to Brightspeed before I could convince one of their techs that there was a problem with their lines at the street level. After three more tech visits, they found frayed wires at the street and replaced them. So much for replacing a battery!

One week later we suddenly lost our caller ID function. It took over a month and a half before caller ID was restored. Two weeks after that we lost our longdistance service on all three lines, and that took over a week to restore.

“I called Brightspeed on behalf of my parents who are in their 60s and have health issues. They live in an area where cell phones have no signal unless connected to WiFi. On July 31, I called to report my parents’ phone was out and no Internet service. I received an email from Brightspeed saying a tech would be sent out on August 15. Later I received an email saying the tech would come on August 26th. That date came and went, and I was told someone would come out on September 26. Still no tech support or service yet, and if my Dad should have a health emergency he can’t even call 911.”

I know how these folks feel. In May of this year, I began to hear a loud hum on all three of our landlines. A tech was scheduled but arrived a day early when I wasn’t home. He quickly listened to one extension and told my wife to replace the battery in the hand-held unit, and then he

I then decided to cancel my Brightspeed broadband service and go with Spectrum. On that day I spent over an hour on the phone, first with one rep then another, each one trying to talk me out of canceling and then writing up an order to cancel my phone service instead of Internet. Once we cleared up that matter, I received a new invoice in which I am still being charged for the broadband service that I canceled. In addition to service interruptions and poor customer service, Brightspeed continues to have a communication problem, beginning with a network of CSRs in foreign countries where English is their forth or fifth language. They cannot be understood, and they impart inaccurate information. For example, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, we lost our phone service. The storm had caused death and destruction, so there was no need for me to call in a trouble report. However, since my internet was still working (thanks to Spectrum) I visited the Brightspeed website for an update and it stated that there were “no outages” in our area. That meant we must have a problem with our phones and would need to schedule a tech to come to the house. It took two days of constant calling to finally get someone at Brightspeed to answer the phone. The foreign agent assured me that their website was correct and that there were no outages in my area. The next day before a technician could show up, our phone service was restored. Storm-related damage (not our personal phones) had caused the outage that Brightspeed claimed did not exist.

If you are a Brightspeed customer, you have my deepest sympathies. If you don’t have Brightspeed, please tell me where you live so I can move there. !

Well-intentioned White Bird never takes ﬂight

BY MARK BURGER

White Bird, based on producer R.J. Palacio’s 2019 graphic novel, is billed as A Wonder Story and is a sequel (of sorts) to the 2017 drama Wonder, although the ties are negligible. It could just have easily been a standalone ﬁlm, and it marks the ﬁnal production of Participant Media, which ceased operations earlier this year.

Bryce Gheisar is the only Wonder actor to reprise his role, that of school bully Julian Albans, newly enrolled in a New York school and still brooding over the events of the earlier ﬁlm. It is then that his grandmother, acclaimed artist Sara Blum (Helen Mirren) sits him down and recounts the story of growing up in France during World War II. Sara talks and Julian listens, which is essentially the extent of their participation here.

Ariella Glaser plays the young Sara, who manages to elude capture with

the help of Julien (Orlando Schwerdt), a lonely classmate stricken with polio who surreptitiously hides her in his family’s barn, where she is tended by Julien’s parents (Gillian Anderson and Jo Stone-Fewings). Comparisons to The Diary of Anne Frank are inevitable, and rather unfortunate given how that comparison stacks up. That Julien is also the projectionist at the local cinema echoes Giuseppe Tornatore’s Oscar-winning Cinema Paradiso (1988), which results in the film’s most cringe-worthy scene, where Julien attempts to entertain Sara by doing an imitation of Charlie Chaplin. White Bird qualifies to an extent as a faith-based film, but in this case, the faith is primarily in oneself and in one’s fellow men, although there are instances where divine intervention comes into play, one in an incident involving bats and the other involving wolves — and it’s not even Halloween. Inevitably, given the setting and story there are some tender and touching moments, as well as a lot of padding. Director Marc Forster

manages to incorporate some scope and sweep to the proceedings, but Executive Producer Mark Bomback’s screenplay lays on the melodrama in thick, heavy fashion.

The ﬁlm’s lofty intentions are consistently swamped by its sentimentality. Rather than being inspirational or inspired, it’s an overlong, overstated ﬁlm in which the characters tend to speak in platitudes: “The world of reality has its limits. The world of imagination is boundless.” “When kindness can cost you your life, it becomes a miracle.” And so on. Given that Sara is narrating the story, there’s no suspense regarding her character’s fate, and Julien’s fate is not necessarily surprising.

Glaser and Schwerdt are a pleasing duo, but no one else manages to make much of an impression. At this stage in her career, Mirren is beyond critical reproach, but this is an easy payday for her, requiring little more of her than her customary dignity and a passable French accent. White Bird, which was originally

slated for release in 2022, is only now reaching theaters, perhaps in the hopes of Oscar consideration

But that may be one miracle too many. !

DOWN T OWN WI N

M OCTOBER 31 — NOVEMBER 3 | 2024

Now’s a great time to enjoy downtown shopping. Visit downtownws.com for Shop the Block exclusive deals that’ll put a bounce in your step. And who knows, maybe even shoes on your feet.

See MARK BURGER ’s reviews of current movies.

Fitting name for a herding dog

Tense, with “up”

“This Is 40” director

“... I could — horse!”

(totally)

Start of a riddle

Composer Antonio featured in “Amadeus”

With her new album, “Tell It to the Wind” out in the world, Joy Clark is looking forward to breezing into Greensboro as part of Abigail Dowd’s songwriter series at the Flat Iron on October 15.

A couple of righteous babes in their own right, Dowd and Clark share gifts of storytelling through song — with the latter’s debut album on the heels of its early-October release via Righteous Babe Records.

Louisiana-born and raised, Clark resonates soulful compositions to match Dowd’s sandhills storytelling; with “Tell It to the Wind” o ering tender, intricate rhythms and warm melodies that reveal a sweet sense of vulnerability — supported by notions of peace and the undeniable, all-encompassing, power of love. The authority of intimacy, translated in an array of blues chords and folkster solos.

“‘Tell it to the Wind’ is about dreams,” Clark explained. “It’s about standing in my own power and my own light and in the light of others. I’m so proud to share this album with the world.”

And it’s that power that fuels Clark’s foundation as she sets course on her own path — standing apart, though gracious in the light of the formative traditions of her upbringing — the youngest of ﬁve, born in a deeply religious home, the queer daughter of a Louisiana minister.

On her own, “Tell It to the Wind,” establishes Clark as a presence on the national stage — “a proud, queer, Black woman blending the social consciousness of folk, the rhythms of Southeast Louisiana, and the soul-centered music she grew up with.”

Growing up in the church, Clark quickly attuned herself to creating atmospheres to enliven emotional experiences — staunch in the belief of music, ministry, and intimacy as “her superpower.” Weaving joy and grief (and even the pursuit of therapy in “Here”) into a sort of vulnerable euphoria, Clark’s songcraft explores ideas of freedom, self-acceptance — and a variety of lessons both learned and shared along the way.

Rising to prominence on festival stages,

Joy Clark Tells It to the Wind

Clark caught the eye of Grammywinner Allison Russell, which led to a spot in The Rainbow Coalition; and performances with superstars like Brandi Carlile and the Indigo Girls. As well as touring as part of the Black Opry, playing the Ryman in Nashville, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., and the esteemed New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

When it came to making a record, Clark wrangled a partnership with one of her musical heroes: the four-time Grammy-nominated Margaret Becker, whose inﬂuence carries across nearly every track. Citing Becker as the top, right next to Tracy Chapman, Clark considers Becker’s music intrinsically formative to her own — having learned Becker’s songs to perform in the church of her closeted years.

The magnitude of Becker embracing Clark as a queer artist — on her own terms — percolates throughout the album. Soul-bearing, joyful. The album sees Clark welcoming the rush of a new era over intricate guitarwork; accented by piano, strings, and Clark’s own smooth vocal prowess, supported by a community of players within her periphery (fellow Black Opry member Roberta Lea, Kyshona, and Lisa Coleman, just to name a few).

It’s a contrast from the years Clark’s coming out expelled her from leading the praise band in her father’s church. Leaning into her experiences, Clark looks ahead — taking lessons into song, using the love of elders as inspiration — turning out her own lessons she sings into the wind.

“Over the last several years, I’ve had the privilege of playing music and touring and learning from so many people I admire,” Clark explained. “And I continue to learn the same lesson — there’s room for all of us and the world is only made more beautiful when we all shine as our unique selves. ‘Tell it to the Wind’ is my story of how I learned to shine, and I hope that it might encourage others to stand out as their whole, true selves too.”

“Go and get your lesson,” Clark insisted, referencing her “Lesson” single; “an homage to the beautiful gifts our elders and ancestors impart to us to take our rightful place in the struggle for freedom.”

Writing shortly after her grandmother passed, “ancestors like my grandma teach us so many lessons, and it makes me smile to know this work is out in the world,

encouraging all who hear,” she added. “Freedom is a struggle and I’m happy to be in that ﬁght and retaining my HUMANITY and KINDNESS with each step.”

With a nod to the past and an eye to the future, “My grandmother is and was my root, and when she passed, I thought

back on what she imparted to me in her 86 years of life,” Clark explained. “I honor her remarkable journey with a bluesy chant that highlights a life lived through loving strength and kindness.”

“‘Lesson’ isn’t just a reminder of rock music’s Black, queer and Southern roots, it’s also an unapologetic demand that we take our rightful place in the struggle for freedom.”

Riding the wind of honest, authentic songwriting, “Tell It to the Wind” kicks o like boots into spurs with the uplifting “One Step in the Right Direction;” closes with the title track, a ballad of determination; with a ﬂair of Big Easy energy electrifying the seven-tracks in-between.

“Tell It to the Wind” is out now on Righteous Babe Records. Joy Clark blows into the Flat Iron for Abigail Dowd’s Songwriter Series on October 15. !

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

20-22 High Point Ballet’s The Nutcracker and Land of the Sweets JANUARY 17 The Karens (Comedy show)

13 BANFF Mountain Film Festival World Tour Acts and dates subject to change. For a full line up of events, and up to date news, visit our website. NATIONAL NAMES. HOMETOWN HOSPITALITY. VI SIT: HighPointTheatre.com for more information FOR TICK ETS CALL: 336-887-3001

@ 6:30PM SHOW @ 7:30PM Peter achieved international fame as Herman, lead singer of the legendary 60s pop band Herman’s Hermits. As “Herman,” he graced the cover of nearly every international publication.

SAT URDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2024

DOORS @ 6:30PM SHOW @ 7:30PM

Kelly Swanson is an award-winning storyteller, comedian, motivational speaker, author, a cast member of The Fashion Hero, and creator of the one-woman show Who Hijacked My Fairy Tale, the story of her own life and how she rewrote her fairy tale.

Katei Cranford

Contributor

“Morningside”: City hosts conversation about 1979 Massacre

In 2015, author and historian Aran Shetterly first learned about the subject of his new book “Morningside: the 1979 Greensboro Massacre and the Struggle for an American City’s Soul.”

That year, Greensboro City Council voted 7-2 to use the word “Massacre” on a historical highway marker for the site of the deadly white supremacist attack on a “Death to the Klan” rally preparing to march from east Greensboro’s sincedemolished Morningside Homes.

Cesar Cauce, Michael Nathan, William Sampson, Sandra Smith, and James Waller were killed when Klansmen and Nazis opened fire, while Nathan died in the hospital. All but Waller were labor organizers and members of the Communist Workers Party. Nathan and Waller were physicians; Smith, shot in the head while getting children to safety, was a nurse and a former student body president at Bennett College.

The anti-Klan march was organized by activist and future Reverend Nelson Johnson, who received a permit after giving a map of the route to police, who shared that information with the Klansman and informant who led the

deadly caravan. Johnson was stabbed through the forearm while fending off a knife-wielding Nazi. Nine other marchers, one Klansman, and two reporters were wounded.

The council members opposed to calling the murders a “massacre” rather than a “shootout” were not what brought Aran Shetterly and his wife, Margo Lee (author of the award-winning “Hidden Figures”), to Greensboro that year.

The Shetterlys were in town for “Americans Who Tell the Truth,” a traveling exhibition of paintings by Aran’s father Robert Shetterly, which was then on display at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum.

“The organizer of my father’s event said there was a couple we needed to meet. At Manny’s Universal Cafe, we spent two hours with Reverend Nelson Johnson and his wife Joyce. I left that conversation with the hair standing up on the back of my neck.”

The author of the first book on the massacre from a major publisher (HarperCollins) was astonished by what the Johnsons told him.

“I couldn’t believe I’d never heard about how, after they and their activist comrades struggled to build interracial unions in Greensboro’s vast textile mills and called for a march against Klan terrorism, a Klan/Nazi caravan opened fire on that march, killing five labor organizers and injuring another 10. How, when Joyce, Nelson, and other survivors

said they suspected law enforcement was somehow involved in the shootings, they were ostracized in Greensboro, fired from their jobs, and blamed for the deaths of their friends. How our justice system held no one criminally responsible for the shootings. Or how a later civil trial found Klansmen, Nazis, and Greensboro police officers jointly liable for wrongful death. As far as I can tell, no such combination of co-defendants had ever been found jointly responsible for death in our country’s history.”

“But what really gave me goosebumps as I walked out of that Salvadoran Cafe was witnessing that despite this traumatic history, the Johnsons could continue to radiate a positive, hopeful, and loving spirit out into the world.”

Shetterly began working on “Morningside” after anti-racist activist Heather Heyer was murdered while peacefully protesting the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. “That made what happened in 1979 even more relevant and compelling, but it was by no means an easy project.”

One obstacle was the sheer volume

of primary source material, including a Freedom of Information Act request that yielded over 20,000 pages of FBI documents. And then there was the Blue Wall of Silence.

“There were a few cracks in the facade, but it was impressive how, after all these years, so many police still echo the narrative of the report put out by GPD Chief William Swing on November 19, 1979, in his report on the shooting, a report which is riddled with inaccuracies and omissions that benefit the police department and the city.”

In 2020, Greensboro City Council voted 9-2 to issue an official apology for the city and police department’s complicity in the massacre, in which GPD and FBI information Edward Dawson warned his handler, Intelligence Detective Jerry “Rooster” Cooper, that the heavily armed Klan-Nazi caravan was heading for the march. Rather than intercepting the gunmen, Cooper and other officers pulled back and allowed the violence to happen.

The dissenters were District 4’s Nancy Hoffman and representative At-Large

Ian McDowell

Contributor

Marikay Abuzuaiter. Unlike the seven members of the city council who voted for the resolution, Hoffmann and Abuzuaiter said that the GPD should not be blamed for the massacre. Abuzuaiter stated that she believed “the city administration and policed acted as best they could on the information they had,” while Hoffman told CNN that she was “unable to support this resolution based on its language indicting the City of Greensboro Police Department and other city personnel for an event that occurred 41 years ago which has been exhaustively investigated and vetted.”

Shetterly said that Hoffman and Abuzuaiter seemed to believe that the initial reports of the murders by Swing and others were more truthful than later findings.

“In fact, these reports were likely skewing the truth intentionally or were relying on incomplete information.” He also noted they “seem to overlook the outcome of the 1985 Federal Civil Trial, which found Greensboro Police Officers, together with informant Eddie Dawson, Klansmen and Nazis jointly liable for wrongful death. As far as I can tell, no such combination of co-defendants had ever been found jointly responsible for death in our country’s history.”

Plaintiff attorneys in that trial and researchers for the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission turned up what Shetterly called “overwhelming evidence” that the GPD, FBI, and BATF could have prevented the attack. “Even former Police Chief Sylvester Daughtry says now, and claims to have said at the time, that the ‘low profile’ approach to the march, an order which came directly from the top of the GPD, was a terrible mistake.”

“The big question,” said Shetterly, concerns how and why, once police were informed that an armed caravan was heading towards Morningside Homes, they did nothing to intercept the killers. “What I try to do in the book is to show how the answer is rooted in our shared national history, in Greensboro’s history, and also, interestingly, in the FBI’s history at that moment in time.”

But Shetterly said he considered the votes from Mayor Nancy Vaughan, Mayor pro tem Yvonne Johnson, District 1’s Sharon Hightower, District 2’s Goldie Wells, then-District 3 representative Justin Outling, District 5 representative Tammi Thurm and then-at-large-representative Michelle Kennedy a significant indicator of how attitudes have changed since civic leaders called the massacre a “shoot-out” between rival groups that “had nothing to do with Greensboro.”

“Tammi Thurm, for example, worked for a lawyer who defended the Klansmen after 1979. What a journey she’s made from that time to being a lead author of the resolution. It shows that personal growth and change can lead to public growth and change. That’s powerful.”

Shetterly acknowledged the skepticism of civic leaders like Jim Melvin, the former Greensboro mayor and longtime CEO of the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation, who in 2015 said the victims “picked a fight” with the Klan.

“It’s interesting how often in our culture we demand apologies and admissions of culpability from the victims of violence. ‘If only you hadn’t provoked me.’ It seems to me that Reverend Johnson and the other survivors of November 3 have done much more selfreflection than the Greensboro Police Department and other city officials from that time. They have admitted that their brash language was both inflammatory and naive, [but] they also went through proper channels to hold their march, asking for and receiving a parade permit from the city, which meant that the city accepted responsibility for protecting the marchers. It seems to me that the city had a great deal to apologize for in its inadequate response to the threat the white supremacists posed. What the 2020 apology doesn’t get into is the city’s and the GPD’s motives and biases against Nelson Johnson and the Communist Workers Party. That’s something that I try to cover in my book.”

Those biases, said Shetterly, began with, if not before, “the Dudley/A&T revolt in 1969 when Nelson Johnson’s reputation among city officials as ‘dangerous’ seems to harden into shared belief.”

“I think that the 2020 City Council Resolution did help Greensboro get beyond this final myth. But I think there are some who will never admit that 1979 is connected to historical inequalities and inequities in the city.”

On Monday, October 21, Shetterly will discuss his book with Dr. Love Jones, City of Greensboro Executive Director for Human Rights. This event, free and open to the public, is from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Greensboro History Museum. Afterward, Shetterly will sign copies of his book, on sale at the venue, and, starting October 15, at Scuppernong Books on Elm Street. !

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.

Relief e orts continue for hurricane victims

BY CAROL BROOKS | cab1hp@gmail.com

Catastrophic events happen all the time but when an event hits close to home, it makes it more personal.

Hurricane Helene roared through several states last week causing damage from major river ﬂooding and leaving entire communities in ruins. The western North Carolina mountains were hit very hard, with roads — including Interstate 40 — washed out in many places. Cities, towns and small communities were cut o not only from rescue aid but also without a way for residents to leave their homes for much-needed supplies.

We see groups advertising everywhere for residents to bring items to their location to be sent to the mountains — but beware. Not all of these requests are legitimate. Always make certain your donations, whether monetarily or with tangible items, go to reputable organizations.

The Town of Jamestown posted this reminder on Facebook last week: “Per the State of North Carolina Department of Public Safety, to donate goods such as food, water, clothing, and other products, you must contact an accredited organization that is ready and available to receive donations. There is currently no designated drop-o site for the general public — please do not travel to Western N.C. with donated goods that have not been coordinated through an existing organization that is ready to accept donations and has a safe location for receiving them.

“We have been in touch with United Way, Samaritan’s Purse, Red Cross, and other organizations who are vetted organizations to deliver aid in times of disaster. They indicated that at this time they believe this will be a very long recovery

process. Rather than physical donations, those who wish to help are encouraged to donate a monetary gift to one of the vetted organizations listed at www.ncvoad. org/members.”

Locally, the Jamestown Rotary Club is accepting ﬁnancial donations to assist those a ected by Hurricane Helene. But even with some rescue organizations’ suggestion to donate money, not items, that is what seems to stir our hearts. Many local groups — Absolute Comfort, who is collecting toiletries and cleaning supplies, and Southern Roots who has organized food drives for mountain residents — are stepping up to help out. Stores like Dollar Tree and Dollar General have been kept busy restocking shelves as customers clear merchandise to send to the mountains. One couple in High Point even talked a store manager into taking unopened cartons of toilet paper from the stock room as part of their purchase.

Food is what we think of most to purchase for those in need but clothing, personal care items/toiletries, fans, baby bottles, trash bags, hand sanitizers and wipes, inﬂatable mattresses, pet food, blankets, pillows and even new and used prepaid cell phones are needed. Additionally, cleaning supplies and gloves would be greatly appreciated by those who received some damage, but not total destruction. In addition to bottled water, batteries and ﬂashlights are high on many lists.

If you would like to donate, contact one of the vetted organizations or local churches. Anything you can do can help those trying to recover from this natural disaster. !

One Community, One Pulse: Veteran Creates Unity Through Vodka

Maggie Marshall

Contributor

After the first sip, you’re grabbed. There’s a slight tingle in the chest and a warm sensation that almost pulses throughout your body. It’s remarkable, it’s Pulse Vodka. Bottled here in North Carolina at The Old Nick Williams Company in Lewisville comes a locally sourced premium handmade vodka that is nearing its fourth birthday.

The devastating mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida in 2016, left George Gerdes and Patrick Reese wanting to band together and create something unique in remembrance of those 49 lives lost and 56 injured. For three years the two brainstormed ideas for a product, until ultimately deciding on vodka. Gerdes said Reese “caught him on a good day” when he decided to invest in Pulse. As a Marine and third generation Veteran, Gerdes was “all in” after discovering that three army personnel were shot and killed the day of the shooting.

As an ultimatum for investing with Reese, Gerdes insisted that the slogan “One Community — One Pulse” be printed on the back of every bottle. “I served this country for everybody to have the right to be who they are,” said Gerdes. “It’s about time we remove hatred with one bottle of Pulse Vodka at a time.”

While Gerdes was focused more on the military side, Reese wanted to shed light on the LGBTQ+ community. “We support both sides, we support everybody, not just the military and not just the LGBTQ+, we’re all one big happy family,” said Gerdes.

To return some love to the community Pulse donates a portion of their proceeds to various fundraisers and organizations such as The WinstonSalem LGBTQ+ Organization, Toys For Tots, American Legion Post 55, 40 and 8, La Femmes, American Legion Riders, Angels Among Us, local youth soccer teams, Winston-Salem State University, Breast Cancer Awareness and since Gerde’s wife is from the Philippines proceeds help to sponsor scholarships for the Filipino Community.

Readers may ask themselves, out of the hundreds of vodka brands to choose from, why should I choose Pulse?

Gerdes said it would be because of their ingredients.

“Our ingredients, it’s 60 percent sweet corn, 40 percent wheat, and is force filtered four times,” said Gerdes. He credits Ryan Reynolds for the inspiration behind the production process, stating “[He] says if you force filter something four times it’s the purest and cleanest product you’ll ever get. You can force filter something 100 times, but at that point, you’re only wasting your time and money.”

When compared to other vodkas, Pulse gives off a smooth finish, and doesn’t burn the throat like most vodka does when drunk straight, describes Gerdes. Unlike gin or whisky or bourbon, which are all chest-heavy spirits, most vodkas punch you in the back of the throat, but Pulse has leveled the playing field by creating a vodka that gives a slight vapor feeling in the chest, hence the rainbow vapor that appears on the bottle.

In October 2021, Reese and Gerdes had a falling out resulting in Gerdes buying out Reese and taking over the company. Pulse vodka can be found in 140 ABC Stores in North Carolina, along with some liquor stores in New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Las Vegas, Nevada. It is also under contract to be in Montego Bay, Jamaica by November, according to its owner.

Gerdes is currently working on expanding to Massachusetts, Vermont, and Rhode Island. When it comes to the future of Pulse, he has had thoughts about curating canned drinks using the vodka, broadening his horizons to other spirits like whisky, and possibly making a lavender-infused vodka inspired by his wife, Candy. Recently, Pulse won silver for Premium Vodka at the Vodka Masters competition in London this past August. Pulse is now on the shortlist of competitors and in November Gerdes will find out where he stands in the world. !

MAGGIE MARSHALL is a Greensboro based freelance writer and zine maker. She graduated from UNCG with a bachelor’s degree in Media Studies. Her writing interests include music, ﬁlm, sustainability and niche communities.

Just wow!” —Broadway World From The Joyce Theatre in New York City to the UNCG Auditorium Lindy Hop and Social Dance set to the sound of a Live Big Band

To top it all off, you’re invited to dance along when the audience is invited on stage to join in the jam!

Natalie Garcia

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of October 14, 2024

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Your bold approach to a di cult situation turns a doubter into a supporter. Be aware, though, that you still need to dig for facts to build an even stronger case.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Distractions continue to nibble at your available time. Turn them o and concentrate on setting your sights on your goal. Progress might be slow, but it is steady.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) An opportunity opens up in a new ﬁeld. You might not feel that it’s for you, but check it out anyway. You could be surprised; you might be able to adjust to its requirements.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A new work environment presents some di cult choices. Best advice: Be ready to defend your decisions while still keeping your mind open to suggested alternatives.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) Don’t let your Leonine pride continue to jeopardize a cherished relationship. You’ve already taken too long to make that apology. Do it now before it’s too late.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A friend needs assistance but fears that you might want to know more than they are prepared to reveal. Provide help without probing into the situation.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You face an important personal decision that could a ect a family member. Have a full, frank, no-holds-barred discussion with them before you act.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Take some time out to think over the choices that have suddenly emerged in your life. Don’t be rushed into making a decision until all the facts are known.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Someone might be trying to gain your trust for their own advantage. Be wary: A seemingly friendly smile might be an exercise in teeth-baring.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A situation that emerged earlier can no longer be ignored. You need to deal with it now so that it won’t interfere with more important considerations.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A job situation presents some problems. Deal with them one by one, and they’ll soon vanish. Meanwhile, in your personal life, a Libra would like to know your intentions.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Let your partner know how you feel about your stalled relationship. A delay will result in your swimming around in circles and going nowhere.

[BORN THIS WEEK: Your high energy level allows you to take on and complete more projects than most. You are also an inspired and inspiring teacher.