YES! Weekly - December 4, 2024 by YES! Weekly

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

2024 Triadfoodies Holiday Gift Guide: A Western North Carolina Edition with a little help from our friends… ’Tis the Season to remember, relieve, and …reﬂect.

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Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com

EDITORIAL

Editor CHANEL R. DAVIS chanel@yesweekly.com

YES! Writers JOHN BATCHELOR MARK BURGER

KATEI CRANFORD

LYNN FELDER

JIM LONGWORTH

MAGGIE MARSHALL

IAN MCDOWELL

PRODUCTION

I have found a significant, positive correlation between quality and price. And when the inverse appears, it is usually when I think that the level of enjoyment just doesn’t match up to the cost, not the other way around. JAKJIN BISTRO defies that pattern.

Senior Designer ALEX FARMER designer@yesweekly.com

Designer SHANE HART artdirector@yesweekly.com

ADVERTISING

Marketing ANGELA COX angela@yesweekly.com

7 HERETIC, the latest big-screen shocker from the writer/producer/director duo of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (best known for writing 2014’s A Quiet Place ), marks a substantial accomplishment and a potential landmark in the genre.

TRAVIS WAGEMAN travis@yesweekly.com

Promotion NATALIE GARCIA

DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT ANDREW WOMACK

This weekend, Trafalgar Releasing will present the concert extravaganza LAUFEY’S A NIGHT AT THE SYMPHONY: Hollywood Bowl at selected theaters nationwide.

9 Calling all you rock’n’roll reindeer around the Triad: the holidays are in full swing, which means it’s time to rock around Christmas trees and DECK THE HALLS — from the windows to the walls.

Roy Cooper is proud to double down on his commutations of CONVICTED MURDERERS. In a public statement last month, Cooper said, “ We carefully consider recommendations made by the Juvenile Sentence Review Board to commute sentences for crimes committed by minors. All of these individuals are deserving of clem-

12 The week before Thanksgiving, 71,000 Greensboro and Winston-Salem residents received letters about possible LEAD CONTAMINATION in their drinking water. So did millions across the country. Shortly after those letters were mailed, Greensboro Water Resources Director Mike Borchers and Mayor Nancy Vaughan said recipients shouldn’t be alarmed.

Chow Down with John Batchelor at Jakjin Bistro and Pho

BY JOHN BATCHELOR

Quite a few years ago, a reader wrote to chastise me for giving high ratings to expensive restaurants. “A reviewer’s job is to ﬁnd the best bargains, tell us where we can get great food at a good price,” she wrote.

In my defense, I have always considered value an important criterion when writing about restaurants. But I have found a signiﬁcant, positive correlation between quality and price. And when the inverse appears, it is usually when I think that the level of enjoyment just doesn’t match up to the cost, not the other way around.

Jakjin Bistro deﬁes that pattern. Prices range from low to moderate, depending on ingredients, with consistently strong value and high levels of enjoyment. The cuisine is Vietnamese and Thai.

Owner Daniel Hole (pronounced ho-lay’) conserves costs by skipping décor. This is about as casual as it gets, with seating for maybe 20 at unadorned tables in a small space in a strip center. His wife, Puyen, does the cooking. They came to Greensboro to join family in the 1990s.

I discovered this place when my wife sent me to the laundromat located a couple of doors down.

I had lunch while the heavy stu was tumbling in the driers. This was Shrimp Stir-Fried with Vegetables, the main ingredient medium-sized, deveined and fresh, presented amidst broccoli, clipped green onions, bok choy, and red bell pepper strips, brown rice alongside. Simple, fresh-tasting, and nutritious — just what lunch ought to be! That meal made me want to look at this place more seriously.

I used the convenient takeout system for dinner meals. An online system links from the website, or just call ahead. One caution — use the “Check Availability” button or call ahead, especially if you are ordering seafood.

An Appetizer Sampler provides a welcome opportunity to, well, sample several appetizers. I am not a tofu fan, but this kitchen prepares it as well as anyone else — four rectangles, lightly battered and browned. “She knows how to cook chicken,” my wife remarked after a few bites of chicken wings. A pleasant, dark brown crust gives way to a steamy hot interior. Shrimp rolls and egg rolls are similarly fried to a dark brown, very crisp crust.

Fresh Spring Rolls, Goi Cuon, on the other hand, are delightfully light and fresh

tasting, the shrimp tender, the herbs and vegetables fresh, especially beneﬁtting from leafy herbs, cilantro predominating, all wrapped in translucent rice paper.

Pho — soup entrées — occupy a lot of the menu.

Shrimp Pho repeated those high-quality shrimp, in a pungent chicken broth redolent of fresh cilantro and basil in abundance. I grow my own basil, but I wish I could grow basil this good! Noodles and sprouts, plus rice and a fresh lime wedge, complete the assembly. This tastes great, and it is very ﬁlling, easily shareable by two. Of course, you could use it as a shared starter, too.

Pho Bo Vien/Meatball Pho is based on beef broth, exhibiting what is to my taste just the right level of heat, with big sprigs of fresh cilantro and basil, sliced hot pepper, plus rice and sprouts, on the side. The meatballs are not like anything else I have ever encountered — dense and ﬁrm, closer to sausage, by comparison. When I go back, I will order Pho Tai Nam, rare beef and brisket, instead. I really like the ﬂavor of the beef broth.

One of my wife’s favorite dishes is Thai Beef Salad. Jakjin’s version uses thin strips of lean beef, emitting good, solid ﬂavor, on a bed of fresh herbs scattered with peanuts. Lime wedges lend bite. As served, the level of heat is mild. To the kitchen’s credit, however, the level of heat is customizable while you eat, with a small container of Asian hot red peppers provided alongside. Add these a little at a time. I like hot, spicy food, but it’s easy to go too far with these. Further caution — American hot peppers

give you a blast up front, whereas the Asian varieties tend to intensify in e ect after you have swallowed. Savor slowly!

Thai Eggplant Stew is paired with Pork Spareribs, a great combination. The stew is soft, the eggplant pieces cut bite size. I would be happy with the eggplant all by itself. But the spareribs are tender and juicy, slightly charred, and they go great with the eggplant. Thai basil, clipped green onions, and white rice add to enjoyment.

Chicken Basil comes from the stir-fried section of the menu. The presentation, while simple in execution, is gorgeous in appearance. Vibrant red pepper strips contrast with cooked dark green Thai basil, interspersed with cream-colored chicken pieces, mostly white meat. White rice sits alongside. Mix everything to get the full e ect.

I also ordered Red Snapper Curry and Fried Pompano, but none of the ﬁsh dishes were available. Hence my caution about checking in advance.

As a break from traditional American food following Thanksgiving, or any time just for good food at a reasonable price, Jakjin Bistro and Pho earns a solid recommendation, especially for takeout. !

JOHN BATCHELOR has been writing about eating and drinking since 1981. Over a thousand of his articles have been published. He is also author of two travel/cookbooks: Chefs of the Coast: Restaurants and Recipes from the North Carolina Coast, and Chefs of the Mountains: Restaurants and Recipes from Western North Carolina. Contact him at john.e.batchelor@gmail.com or see his blog, johnbatchelordiningandtravel.blogspot.com.

WANNA go?

Jakjin Bistro and Pho 4414 Lawndale Dr. Greensboro, NC 27455 336-285-6892 jakjinbistropho.com

Hours: 11:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday

Appetizers: $2.75-$15.50

Salads: $18.95-$20.50

Soups/Pho: $3-$25.50

Entrées: $8.99-$15.50

Desserts: $6-$15.75 Most recent visit: November 23

Senior Program Manager

(Greensboro, NC) - Plan, direct, & coordinate the activities & resources necessary for an Integrated Project Team to ensure the on-time delivery of program deliverables to specified functional & quality requirements. M, Tu, Th, inoffice; W, F remote. Up to 20% domestic & international travel. Reqs. incl. 1) MS+3 yrs. exp., OR 2) BS+5 yrs. Exp. Mail CV w/cvr. ltr. to: Zim Aircraft Cabin Solutions, 8010 Piedmont Triad Pkwy., Greensboro, NC 27409, Attn: HR.

Shrimp Pho

Meatball Pho

Grammy winner Laufey headlines Hollywood Bowl concert

This weekend, Trafalgar Releasing will present the concert extravaganza Laufey’s A Night at the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl at selected theaters nationwide, showcasing the Grammy Award-winning artist’s singular vocal talents backed by the esteemed Los Angeles Philharmonic in a performance that Variety praised: “Laufey feels like she was born to play the Hollywood Bowl.” Laufey’s A Night at the Symphony, which was directed by Sam Wrench (who also helmed Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour), will be screened at The Grand 18, 5601 University Parkway, Winston-Salem Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. Tickets are $19.26. The ﬁlm will also be screened at The Regal Greensboro Grande RPX, 3205 Northline Ave., Greensboro at 7:05 p.m. Friday and 3:15 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $16.01. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit https://www. anightatthesymphony.com/.

In only a few short years, the IcelandicChinese composer/singer/producer/multiinstrumentalist Laufey (born Laufey Lin Bing Jonsdottir) has skyrocketed to international stardom, capped o by her Grammy Award in the category Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for her second album “Bewitched” (2023). Hailed as “a musical tour de force” by the Los Angeles Times, Laufey embarked on a sell-out worldwide tour that included dates at the Hollywood Bowl, Radio City Music

Royal Albert Hall, and Sydney Opera House, to name a few.

The Reyjavik-born artist, who was also raised in Washington, D.C. with annual visits to Beijing, was a talented cellist and pianist who chanced across her father’s record collection of jazz standards and instantly became smitten with the classic stylings of such legends as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Chet Baker.

While still attending Berklee College of Music in 2020, Laufey released her ﬁrst single “Street by Street,” which caught the attention of young audiences worldwide and inaugurated a thriving online fanbase. Two years later her debut album “Everything I Know About Love” reached number one on Billboard’s New Artist Album Chart upon its release. “My goal is to bring jazz and classical music to my generation through a more accessible road,” she stated.

Laufey’s o cial website is https://www. laufeymusic.com/. !

[ WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP]

SHOP HANDMADE FOR THE HOLIDAYS AT SAWTOOTH SPOTLIGHT: HOLIDAY MARKET

SUBMITTED BY ROBERT GRAND

Throughout the holiday season, Sawtooth School for Visual Art has long been a destination for showcasing quality, handmade works crafted by regional artists.

The tradition continues this year with Sawtooth Spotlight: Holiday Market + Juried Exhibition, a year-end celebration of ﬁne art, craft, and community featuring one-of-a-kind artworks perfect for holiday gift-giving.

On Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sawtooth Spotlight: Holiday Market transforms the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, ﬁlling the halls, studios, theater, and galleries with artist vendors, hands-on activities, craft demonstrations, food trucks, and fun for the whole family! Spend the day at Sawtooth Spotlight before the downtown holiday parade that evening.

Over 65 artists from across the region will o er a variety of handcrafted items, including ceramics, jewelry, textiles, painting, photography, and woodworking, making it easy to ﬁnd something for everyone on your list.

View the full artist list online today at sawtooth.org/spotlight or pick up a program at the entrance, which includes a map.

Families can enjoy numerous hands-on activities, including Sawtooth’s interactive art wall and a quiet coloring room when children and families need some downtime. There will be wheel-throwing demonstrations in the Ceramics studio throughout the afternoon and a special “Calligraphy Corner” demonstration with longtime Sawtooth instructor Joyce Teta. Special T-shirts screen-printed on-site will be available to purchase from Peter Daye of Cut The Music Prints.

Arrive early to register for your own light portrait created by Sawtooth’s Director of Photography, C. Stephen Hurst. To make these interstellar images, you will sit in complete darkness while Stephen, or your friend, magically “paints” with light around you. Each portrait showcases vibrant, neon, and otherworldly visuals, ensuring that every photo is a one-of-a-

ON SATURDAY, DEC. 7

kind keepsake that’s perfect for social media. Enjoy this experience for just $10 for one adult or $15 for the entire family (up to two adults and two kids). Registration will be available at the Holiday Market.

Food trucks like Astro Dogs, Cirque du Sucre, INTI House, MO’ Empanadas, and Rockin’ Moroccan will be at the Holiday Market, with additional concessions from the Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County available for purchase. Stop by the school’s Davis Gallery to see the Sawtooth Spotlight: Juried Exhibition, which opened earlier this month and runs through Feb. 1, 2025. The show features original works by over 75 regional artists, including Sawtooth students and instructors. This exhibition showcases the talented Piedmont Triad community, with most artworks available for purchase. !

SAWTOOTH is proud to partner with Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, presenting the Sawtooth Spotlight: Holiday Market as one of the community-wide celebrations acknowledging Arts Council’s 75th anniversary. For decades, Arts Council has been a pioneering force in uplifting, creating awareness, and providing support to grow and sustain artistic, cultural, and creative o erings throughout the region. Celebrations throughout this momentous anniversary are designed to engage the community, honor the Council’s rich legacy, and inspire future support for the arts.

WANNA go?

Sawtooth Spotlight: Holiday Market is open to all with a $5 suggested donation supporting Sawtooth’s scholarship and community outreach programs. Find more details and full artist lists for the market and exhibition at sawtooth. org/spotlight

Hall,

Mark Burger

Contributor

PHOTO BY SKYLER BARBERIO

Cooper’s Love A air With Murderers

No one knows who first opined about second chances, but African author Lailah Gifty Akita said it best when she wrote, “We all make mistakes, everybody should be given a second chance.” It’s hard to argue with that sentiment, at least in theory. For example, if someone who is struggling to support his family robs a bank and gets caught, then he deserves a second chance when it comes time for parole. But if that same man kills the bank clerk during the commission of his crime, then he deserves to serve his full sentence, whatever that might be. The difference between the two scenarios seems obvious, except for

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper who has been rather lenient with his commutations over the years.

Thirty-two years ago, then-15-yearold April Barber was tried as an adult and was convicted of killing her grandparents. The judge gave her two life sentences. But in 2022 the North Carolina Juvenile Sentencing Review Board determined that Barber was now ready to take her place in civilized society again. After all, she had been an exemplary prisoner, having earned her GED and a paralegal certificate. The problem is that there was nothing civilized about the crimes Ms. Barber committed. April Barber had not been misidentified or wrongly convicted. There were no extenuating circumstances. She hadn’t been abused by police or held hostage by terrorists who forced her to commit a crime. There was no DNA mix-up, she didn’t act out of self-defense, and she freely confessed to both murders. In fact, April and her 30-year-old boyfriend carefully planned, and then deliberately

set fire to her grandparents’ house, killing both of them. Why? Because April was pregnant, and according to her testimony, April’s grandparents had threatened to have the boyfriend charged with statutory rape if she didn’t abort the pregnancy.

Cooper agreed with the board’s recommendation to release April, perhaps because he felt that a 15-year-old didn’t know it was wrong to pour gasoline on a house, set fire to it, and trap two elderly people inside. Pardon my language, but that’s bullshit reasoning. Anyone old enough to get a driving permit, get pregnant, and plot a double murder, is old enough to know right from wrong and deserves to have served her full prison term. But I guess Roy didn’t hear what Jack Shepherd heard on that fateful night in 1991. Shepherd who lived next door to the Barbers, told the Greensboro News & Record that, “She [April] could hear her grandmother crying and screaming in pain, and hollering for her, just as well as I could.” The fire had blocked all exits to the house, so there was no escape for the loving couple who had been caring for April since she was a child. In March of 2022, Cooper commuted Barber’s sentence to time served. Nine months later, our governor decided to open the cell door for another mass murderer.

In 2002, 23-year-old Janet Danahey (a former Olympic torch bearer) was upset because her boyfriend, Thad Johnson, had just broken up with her. She could have slashed his tires or egged his lawn to exact revenge, but instead, she set fire to a sofa on the porch of his apartment building in the middle of the night. Some residents escaped the fire, but four did not. Twenty-one-year-old Rachel Llewellyn and her sister 24-year-old Donna died in the blaze. So did 20-yearold Beth Harris and Ryan Bek, age 25. The four victims had tried to escape via a wooden staircase, but it had already burned down. Rhonda Colwell was one of the lucky ones who escaped the fire on that tragic February night. She told the Greensboro News & Record , “You heard screaming. All of us were in such a state of shock.”

Danahey had been given a life sentence for the six people she burned to death, but thanks to Cooper she was released from prison at age 44 . That brings me to last month when “Law and Order Roy” was at it again as he

commuted the sentences of four more violent criminals. One of them is Terence Smith.

In 2000, Smith, now 42 years old, was involved in a robbery in which three people were shot and injured. The following year he was convicted of three counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury. He was also convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon. Even though Smith (then 17 years old) didn’t do the actual shooting, the judge sentenced him to a prison term of from 40 to 52 years. Last month Cooper released Smith who has only served half of his sentence, saying, “While in prison, Smith participated in community college classes, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, and self-improvement classes.” Cooper also made Smith promise not to commit any more felonies, own a gun, or assault anyone. Good luck on that.

In March of 2009, Kriston Angell was charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a 74-year-old Davie County man and attempted murder of two other men, but he later struck a plea deal and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The judge sentenced Angell to a prison term of from 25 to 33 years, but last month good old Roy commuted that sentence to the 15 years already served. And why not? After all, while in prison, Angell graduated with honors from the College of Southeastern in its field ministry program and ministered to younger inmates at the Foothills Correctional Institute. I guess he advised the youth not to murder people.

None of this makes any sense to me, but Roy Cooper is proud to double down on his commutations of convicted murderers. In a public statement last month, Cooper said, “We carefully consider recommendations made by the Juvenile Sentence Review Board to commute sentences for crimes committed by minors. All of these individuals are deserving of clemency.”

Too bad the victims of Terence Smith, Kriston Angell, April Barber, and Janet Danahey aren’t alive to tell Governor Cooper what they think of his policy on second chances. It’s something they never got from their murderers. !

JIM LONGWORTH is the host of Triad Today, airing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. on ABC45 (cable channel 7) and Sundays at 11 a.m. on WMYV (cable channel 15) and streaming on WFMY+.

Jim Longworth

Longworth at Large

Heretic hits the high notes of horror

Heretic, the latest bigscreen shocker from the writer/producer/ director duo of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (best known for writing 2014’s A Quiet Place), marks a substantial accomplishment and a potential landmark in the genre. Heretic is grade-A grand guignol and a ferocious black comedy in equal measure, with a premise that is both horriﬁc and tantalizing. Once it takes hold, it never lets up.

Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) are contemporary Mormon missionaries spreading the word in picturesque British Columbia. Refreshingly, they are not portrayed as Bible-thumpers or typical damsels headed for distress but as thoughtful, intelligent believers in what they preach. That, however, is about to change when they pay a visit to the remote home of one Mr. Reed (the astonishing Hugh Grant), who politely invites them inside for blueberry pie.

In quick succession, their discussion about religion turns into a serious debate and heady discourse in which Mr. Reed casually, methodically dismantles the notion of religion — any religion. Paxton and Barnes are initially impressed by his extensive knowledge of theology but are soon disturbed by his cynical attitude. Like the ﬁlm itself, Grant never overplays his hand as Mr. Reed. He appears perfectly normal and his observations, while unorthodox, are intelligent, even thoughtprovoking ones. With cool assurance, the ﬁlmmakers employ the power of suggestion to hint at the horrors to come before proceeding full throttle in that direction … and yes, there will be blood.

To divulge much more about the Byzantine storyline would be unfair. Su ce to say there are twists and turns aplenty, some of them quite twisted indeed. Chung-hoon Chung’s stylish cinematography and Chris Bacon’s score further enhance the ﬁlm’s increasingly unsettling

tone, which Beck and Woods successfully sustain through to the end.

Heretic is countless cuts above the usual cheapjack exploitation schlock. The characters are inexorably drawn into circumstances beyond their control yet seem inevitable nonetheless, not unlike Bill Paxton’s Frailty (1999) — which may explain the name of East’s character — and Ari Aster’s Hereditary (2018). The ﬁlm also recalls two of Anthony Sha er’s classics: Sleuth (1972) and The Wicker Man (1973), and it has an occasional air of smugness, perhaps an inevitable result of it being so intelligently conceived and rendered. But it’s never condescending, either to its premise or to the audience.

Thatcher and East are both excellent as the endangered protagonists, and this will undoubtedly boost their careers considerably. Thatcher even contributes a ﬁne rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” during the end credits. But it’s Grant who’s the standout here. He’s never played a character remotely like Mr. Reed before, and he clearly relishes the chance to play someone abundant in both wickedness and wisdom. And never has the old Hollies standby “The Air That I Breathe” been utilized in such brilliant and chilling fashion — not unlike Hereditary’s use of “Both Sides Now” by Judy Collins. As 2024 draws to a close, Heretic stands tall as one of the year’s best, most wellrealized ﬁlms of the year. It’s not just a cult classic but a classic — period. ! See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies.

Deep

sea divers

know pressure... but can they handle a bidding war?

Mark Burger

Contributor

[WEEKLY SUDOKU]

Canonized Mlle.

[KING CROSSWORD]

Met or La Scala frequenter

“That didn’t escape my notice”

Prior to, to bards

Pooch’s cry

Country singer Blake

Andrea — (ill-fated ship)

Jinglebell Rockin’ around the Triad

Calling all you rock’n’roll reindeer around the Triad: the holidays are in full swing, which means it’s time to rock around Christmas trees and deck the halls — from the windows to the walls. Christmas shows kick into high gear around Greensboro–the punks in 30 is Dead are dishing out some “Krampus Karate” at the Flat Iron, with Girl Scout Riot and Wash Away, on December 5. On the other end of downtown, A Taste of Ireland (the “Irish Music & Dance Sensation”), will kick up its heels; and present its holiday spectacular performance, “A Celtic Christmas”, direct from its O -Broadway season, at the Carolina Theatre. Kicking into December 6, the Festival of Lights takes over downtown Greensboro — making merry and a whole mess of fake snow in tow — with a slew of “Elm Street Entertainers,” including the Greensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Grimsley Madrigal Singers, Travie and the Band, Rod McCoy and the Real McCoy Band, Sinai Mountain Ramblers, Finn Phoenix, High Lonesome Strings, the Ragsdale High Carolers, Starlights, and Adam Doyle & Ben Jacobs. Over in the cultural district, the Center City Park tree will spark alight, as April Talbott & the Drew Hayes Five lead a community singalong. And it’s a Winter Wonderland in South End, with artists like Benjy Johnson & Tinsel Too, the Greensboro College Brass Quintet, and The Reids. As is tradition, the Greensboro Holiday Parade rolls on the following afternoon. Meanwhile, the Flat Iron carries the light the evening of December 7, with “Make the Yuletide Gay,” a holiday concert featuring award-winning and Billboard-charting artist Flamy Grant, a “shame-slaying, hip-swaying, singing-songwriting drag queen from Western North Carolina,” who topped the iTunes Christian Charts; and is “proof positive that nothing is sacred (but everything is holy); shame belongs in the closet; and you are a brilliant, resilient badass ready to take on the world.” Grant will be joined by two-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, Jennifer Knapp, and Nashville’s Crys Matthews.

Keeping the spirit all season long, the Flat Iron will also host the Hobex holiday

jam with Tom Mackell and Tom Troyer on December 20; the Finns will get festive at the Flat, with their Holidaze special on December 22; the Sam Fribush Organ Trio will be joined by friends and special guests during their Holiday Spectacular show on December 23; and the dudes in Super Yamba Band will keep the festivities ﬂowing — after the gifts get opened and Santa’s gone home — with their post-Christmas bash, going down December 26.

But the Flat Iron aren’t the only Gate City folks feeling festive. In Glenwood, etc will host Chicago’s Advance Base, for a stop on his Christmas Tour, celebrating his “Horrible Occurrences” album release, on December 12. Greensboro’s Kill the Buddha will join along for the ride that includes a special solo set from Sluice’s Justin Edward Morris.

On December 14, beer slingers and headbangers are out to do some good with a double dose of toy drives for families in Western N.C. J. Timber will perform the drive going down at The Bodega (in partnership with Zero Dark Nerdy and Aberle and Connolly, PLLC), who are o ering ra e tickets for each toy donation (they’re also donating 10% of food sales to Beloved Asheville all month long).

Things get hardcore at Oden Brewing for the ﬁrst annual Suerte Sueños Mercadito holiday market and toy drive (presented in partnership with Strange World Booking). Bridgeburner, Owe You Nothing, and Refuse to Lose will perform; along with the dummies in Doltz, who beckon folks to “come play Santa for all the little kiddies out there in Western N.C. Do the right thing. Put on

your thinking cap and think about which new toy to bring.”

Doltz aren’t the only nutcrackers looking to do some good. In Winston-Salem, the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society will host its annual “Spirit of Giving” toy drive and fundraiser concert, on December 11 at Gas Hill Drinking Room, with 2024 “Road To Memphis Challenge” winners, Africa Unplugged and Mark Dillon, performing. “Your generosity supports local families through His Laboring Few Ministries and helps our musicians shine on the world stage,” said PBPS organizers. “Let’s make it a night to remember for our community and the blues!”

Down the road, the D.O.S.E. Artist Collective will host a holiday fundraiser, inviting the community to “dive into the vibrant, underground world of and experience live art demonstrations, immersive installations, local music, and a silent auction featuring unique pieces from local talents!,” with music from Martha Bassett, The Good Madness and Kay Marion at Hanesbrands Theatre on December 12.

Over at the Ramkat, High School Reunion will host a “Christmas Vacation” on December 13; featuring an “epic Christmas Vacation-themed show, featuring a set of holiday classics and a mix of HSR favorites.” Griswold costumes and Christmas sweaters are encouraged, and a portion of the proceeds will beneﬁt The Shalom Project of Winston-Salem. They’ll also be collecting freshly washed, in-season clothing, shoes, and accessories in donation bins on-site. Meanwhile, “The Holiday Ugly Sweater

Edition” of R&B Karaoke takes over Hoots on December 15; with DJ SK joining the RBK band in festivities and giveaways to drum up a toy collection for the children at Crossnore. R&B heads can head to Fair Witness Fancy Drinks the week before, to catch DJ Suzchef spinning for a special Soul and R&B Xmas Bingo on December 7. Those looking for more traditional fare can enjoy the UNC-School of the Arts Cantata Singers’ annual holiday concert at Home Moravian Church on December 8; a Christmas concert featuring the WinstonSalem Pops Chorus in the Magnolia Room at Historic Broyhill on December 8; the Piedmont Wind Symphony’s “Boogie Winter Wonderland” at the Ramkat on December 17; and a Holiday Concert from Camel City Jazz at the Agnes de Mille Theatre on December 19.

It’s time to trim the trees and cut a rug, y’all. Happy holidays, Triad music lovers! !

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

Katei Cranford

Contributor

Triadfoodies 2024 Holiday Gift Guide

BY KRISTI MAIER | @triadfoodies

AWestern North Carolina Edition with a little help from our friends…

’Tis the Season to remember, relieve, and … reﬂect. While many of us in the Triad and North Carolina are so thankful for all that we have, as I looked back on this year deciding what our favorite things of the year are, I couldn’t help but think of our neighbors in Western North Carolina. I don’t know how many of you know this, but for the past seven years, I have lived in beautiful Banner Elk. Our mountain town and the surrounding areas were absolutely devastated by Hurricane Helene in September. Several days of rainfall preceded the storm before it struck on Sept. 27 and no one here could have predicted the impact all the rain and wind would have on our mountain streams and rivers. You really have to see the damage with your own eyes to believe it.

When we collaborate with our gift guide partners, the businesses featured willingly contribute to our winning basket. It is the best and it is the most fun to curate. Hot sauce, pasta sauce, cookies, confections, spices and ferments, we have had some incredible “stu ” for the stocking. This year, I wanted our focus to be on businesses and delicious things from Western North Carolina, but I didn’t want to ask these businesses, likely already su ering from storm damage and lack of sales, for a donated item even if the basket was being given away to worthy winner (more about that later). What happened was even better! Some of our friends and favorite things from gift guides of Christmas past generously donated their products but then actually partnered and purchased a product from a Western North Carolina business for a very special edition of our Holiday Gift Guide. As such, we are bringing you a Holiday Gift Guide of Glorious Deliciousness East Lifts West Edition. We hope you support these locally owned businesses and ﬁnd a way to support Western North Carolina as they slowly start welcoming guests and visitors to their towns, restaurants, and stores.

GORILLA GRAINS SUPPORTS LEGALLY ADDICTIVE FOODS

If you’ve been here for a minute you know that my love for Gorilla Grains swings long and strong. We love its rich, simple buttery goodness. No granola comes close to me and you can actually taste the love. Owner Alicia Rehberg is such a doll and she did not hesitate to agree to not only donate a bag of her Gorilla Grains to our basket, but she drove straight to Greensboro to pick up a bag of Legally Addictive, dubbed part cracker, all cookie. Located in Weaverville, Legally Addictive fared pretty well during the hurricane, unlike so many businesses in the areas around Asheville. Though they had no physical damage, Legally Addictive was without power and water for 10 days and that is an incredible disruption as we approach a very busy season. Founder Laura Sha erman’s crunchy sweet, slightly salty to ee and chocolate-covered cracker is kind of indescribable. They’re delightful on their own, on a cheese board, crumbled over ice cream or desserts, you name it. These little cuties come in all kinds of ﬂavors, the O.G. which is simply chocolate, to ee and sea salt, but also Churros, Peppermint, Everything and Chai Masala, and

more. You can ﬁnd these snacks at The Fresh Market, Kim Taylor and Company in Winston-Salem, Fleet Plummer in Greensboro, and legallyaddictivefoods.com.

SMOKE CITY MEATS AND SPICEWALLA

Neither of these businesses are strangers to our holiday gift guide. Smoke City Meats graciously contributed a gift card one year and Spicewalla’s Buxton Hall Chicken Rub made the list a few years back. This year, Smoke City donated their App St.eak Rub which is amazing on all things beef and pork. We love the chunky salty seasoned bits that make an incredible crust. SCM owner Rob Richardson immediately agreed to be a part of building our basket with Asheville’s Spicewalla Chesapeake Seafood Seasoning. Even though Smoke City Meats makes great blends of their own, they also support Spicewalla and have used the blends in the shop located at 833 Reynolda Road in Winston-Salem. We love that Spicewalla founder, Meherwan Irani and his teams at his popular restaurants Chai Pani and Botiwalla supported their neighbors by teaming up with World Central Kitchen, providing meals as well as importing water for the area. You can ﬁnd Spicewalla spices and blends at Mast General Store, specialty shops nationwide, and spicewallabrand.com. Even better, be sure to pop into Spicewalla’s downtown Asheville location at 1 Page Avenue, which is kind of like Disney World if you like spices.

SUTLER’S SPIRITS AND EDA RHYNE

The very ﬁrst person I called when I got the idea to partner up our east side with the west side was Scot Sanborn. Scot has a giving heart and I knew I could count on him to

find a distiller or beverage purveyor that needed the “lift.” He’s contributed generously to many fundraisers and food galas that support our communities. Sutler’s Gin is by far our favorite and the gin we ask for at our local restaurants. Scot is lifting Eda Rhyne Distilling Company which is located in the Biltmore Village area of Asheville and like many businesses there, su ered significant flooding. The damage forced the distillery to temporarily close its doors for extensive cleanup and repairs. Scot’s contribution along with his superb gin is Eda Rhyne’s Amaro Osura, made from rhubarb root smoked over an open fire and autumnal plants found in the Appalachian Mountains, Amaro Oscura is rich, smoky, and spicy. If you’re a sucker for a beautiful bottle, well, Sutler’s gorgeous clay bottle and Eda Rhyne’s stocky bottle with its beautiful artwork will

Smoke City Meats rub and Spicewalla seasoning

Carolina Cooker hot sauce and Cobrett’s Produce gift card

be a stunning display. You can ﬁnd Sutler’s and Eda Rhyne at ABC stores. There is also a GoFundMe in place for the sta of Eda Rhyne if you feel compelled to give.

CAROLINA COOKER HOT SAUCE AND CORBETT’S PRODUCE

If you’ve been to an event with Carolina Cooker products on display, you might feel a strong urge to get your shop on. From burners, cookers, appliances to cooking utensils and accessories, Carolina Cooker has it all. They also have all the sauces and our gift guide wouldn’t be complete without a hot sauce. Donating Carolina Cooker Hot Sauce along with a $25 gift card is Corbett’s Produce located in Deep Gap. Owners Daniel and Alex Brown have been major contributors to the local community for years. Their family farm, BFR Meats, hosts the annual Dinner in the Gap event every summer, which raises thousands of dollars for F.A.R.M Cafe and the food insecure in the area. The Browns invite you to visit Western North Carolina and make a stop just past the bridge to the Blue Ridge Parkway at their sweet store just o Highway 421. If you’re visiting the mountains for a vacation, Corbett’s has produce, meats for grilling, condiments, pickles, rice, mixes, snacks, and ready-to-heat meals that will make stocking the kitchen for your vacation an absolute breeze. We highly recommend the ground beef for burgers and their wonderful selection of steaks, all from beef raised right on their farm up the road. Truly Appalachian-raised beef. You can literally do all your shopping at Corbett’s.

Now is the point at which we get really excited. Giving away this gift guide of glorious deliciousness is literally our favorite thing. Sometimes it’s just a random fun drawing with social media engagement. Other years the gift basket is given to someone deserving and this year, our winner will be nominated by readers like you via social media on Facebook and

Instagram. We’ll be giving this basket away to a deserving first responder, relief worker, or line person. Do you know someone who traveled miles to Western North Carolina to help rebuild the power infrastructure, relay pipes to water treatment plants, emergency workers who traveled to assist with rescue, relief workers who drove with trucks and trailers full of supplies, food, diapers, and generators? We want to hear from you. We want you to tell us who they are and why they are deserving. We wish we could give a basket to everyone, but just lifting these people up on the page in black and white can show so much appreciation. I can tell you from first-hand experience, that the people in surrounding communities as well as people from miles away made an enormous impact in the days and weeks following Hurricane Helene. The damage to the entire region cannot be put into pictures much less words. I personally have met hundreds of people who sacrificed their time and efforts to help those in need. There will never be a way to repay the debt.

One way to get a bit closer to paying it all back in full is giving our support to the area. Western North Carolina needs us. During the holidays, towns like Boone, Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, Asheville, and Waynesville need us to dip our toes in the water so to speak, and start visiting again. Yes, there are impacted zones that do not need visitors and onlookers, but these areas in general rely on tourism in the fall and they didn’t get it. Now with the ski season upon us and the holidays, there’s no better time to show our support to the businesses that have struggled for the past two months. And as always, we want you to support these local folks who supported this gift guide this year. Shop local and have a very happy holiday season! !

KRISTI MAIER is a food writer, blogger and cheerleader for all things local who even enjoys cooking in her kitchen, though her kidlets seldom appreciate her e orts.

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

Sutler’s Spirits and Eda Rhyne Gorilla Grains and Legally Addictive

City: Do not be alarmed about contaminated water

The week before Thanksgiving, 71,000 Greensboro and Winston-Salem residents received letters about possible lead contamination in their drinking water. So did millions across the country. Shortly after those letters were mailed, Greensboro Water Resources Director Mike Borchers and Mayor Nancy Vaughan said recipients shouldn’t be alarmed.

“YOUR SERVICE LINE IS OF UNKNOWN SERVICE LINE MATERIAL”

stated the headline of what Borchers and Vaughan called the “confusingly worded” announcement mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency.

After asking recipients to “share this information with anyone who drinks and/ or cooks using water at this property,” the letter stated the city was “working to identify service line materials throughout the water system and has determined the water pipe (called a service line) that connects your building to the water main is made from unknown material.”

Because of this, the letter continued, “there is the potential that some or all of the service line could be made of lead or galvanized pipe previously connected to lead,” creating an increased risk of lead contamination in drinking water.

“Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health e ects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or worsen existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these negative health e ects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, and kidney, or nervous system problems.”

At the Greensboro City Council November 19 meeting, Vaughan asked Borchers “to explain the letter that was mailed last week.”

“Absolutely,” said Borchers, who apologized “for the undo concern that those letters imparted.”

“It certainly was not our intention to add any more confusion and unfortunately that’s what the letter did. I’d like to just mention that our water is completely safe for all of its intended purposes. We

perform hundreds of thousands of tests on it each and every year to ensure the highest quality of water that we provide. Our intention was to meet this new requirement, a federal rule called The Lead and Copper Rule, that was recently revised.”

Created by the EPA in 1991, the Lead and Copper Rule now requires municipalities to monitor drinking water at customer taps. If lead concentrations exceed 15 parts per billion, or copper exceeds 1.3 parts per million, in more than 10% of taps sampled, the city must undertake additional actions to control corrosion, as well as inform the public of steps they should take to protect their health. The city may also be required to replace lead service lines under their control.

unknown lines are, and to make sure we comply with the rules.”

After noting that this is happening in multiple cities across the nation, Borchers assured the community “that all of our water is at the highest quality,” adding that anyone with concerns should call 336-373-7527 to have their drinking water tested.

Vaughan thanked Borchers for having “fallen on your sword a couple of times over this letter,” which, she noted, used wording required by the EPA, and she described as “hard to understand” and “obviously written by an engineer or a bureaucrat — maybe there should have been a cover sheet that went out with it to explain it better.”

Vaughan. “They switched their water supply and did not add that. That’s not us. For the few people who might have lead lines in their homes, we have added this additive to neutralize it.”

In an email response to YES! Weekly, Borchers identiﬁed the chemical used to neutralize corrosion as an EPA and NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) approved “70/30% polyphosphate/orthophosphate blend corrosion inhibitor.”

“Orthophosphate ions combine with metal ions released from the distribution piping and form insoluble compounds that provide a protective coating on the inner pipe wall, thus preventing further dissolution of metals into the bulk water ﬂow. Polyphosphates are primarily sequestering agents that keep metal ions in solution, which minimizes ‘red water’ and similar complaints.”

YES! Weekly asked him about the April 13, 2018, EHS Daily Advisor article “Drinking Water: Phosphate Corrosion Inhibitors,” which stated, “the EPA says blended phosphates should be used with caution because they may not function as corrosion inhibitors strictly based on concentration and relative amount of orthophosphate.” (EHS stands for Environment, Health and Safety.)

“What we were doing,” said Borchers, “was meeting the intent of the rule to send out notiﬁcations. In many communities, [the material in service lines] is unknown because, for the most part, they’re private. However, as I mentioned, we added undo concern.”

According to Borchers, “the good news is that we are in the process of ﬁnalizing all of our e orts to go ahead and identify these unknown service lines.” He also stated that this requirement primarily a ects homes built before 1986.

“The other good news is that in all of our investigations — this is, ﬁeld investigations, records that we have, GIS [Geographic Information System] data — we have not found any lead service lines within our community.”

Borchers said his department expects to conﬁrm all the material in unidentiﬁed lines by early 2025, “whether they are galvanized, copper, plastic or what have you. So that’s really what the intent of that letter was, just to assure customers that we’re trying to identify what those

Vaughan emphasized, “There are no lead lines in our distribution system — say that again, no lead lines!”

She also said she and Borchers “talked “about the Flint issue that happened and how people were getting worried that we had the same issues.”

She was referring to the majority-Black city in Michigan that made international headlines after it switched its drinking water supply from Detroit’s system to the Flint River. After that intended costsaving measure, inadequate water treatment and testing resulted in major health issues for Flint’s population, with o cials initially ignoring complaints that the foulsmelling, discolored water caused skin rashes and hair loss.

To prevent this, said Vaughan, “we put an additive in our water.”

“A corrosion inhibitor, basically,” replied Borchers. “It’s a chemical that’s FDA and EPA approved, that allows us to basically ensure that our lines don’t corrode internally.”

“That’s something Flint didn’t do,” said

Borchers replied, “Our previous corrosion control studies have shown good success with the blended chemical ratio we currently feed.” He also cc’d Water Supply Division Manager Scott Jewell, who stated: “Our current program based on EPA guidelines and supported by our 2018 study is working and providing the proper protection to the public. Our department has received a rough draft of our most recent corrosion control study of July 2024. I am currently reviewing the study and will provide feedback to our engineering group to ﬁnalize the study.”

While 67,000 Greensboro residents and business owners received the EPA-mandated letter asking for help in identifying pipes on private property that could pose potential health risks, only 4,000 were sent out in Winston-Salem.

According to Borchers, this is because his department has not yet ﬁnalized a statistical modeling system to identify potentially hazardous pipes by the EPA’s November deadline for mailing the letters. “We fully anticipate the number of unknown service lines will drop dramatically once we complete and run the model in January.” !

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

Mike Borchers

[TRIVIA TEST]

by Fifi Rodriguez

[1. ANATOMY: Where is the glabella located in the human body?

[2. LITERATURE: In children’s books, what is the name of the Big Red Dog?

[3. GEOGRAPHY: In which country would you ﬁnd the 98-foot-tall Christ the Redeemer ﬁgure?

[4. GAMES: What number is represented by the phrase “two little ducks” in bingo?

[5. SCIENCE: What percentage of air is nitrogen gas?

[6. MUSIC: When did Rock the Vote, an organization that encourages young people to vote, come into being?

[7. TELEVISION: Which 1970s comedy show features the theme song “Come On Get Happy?”

[8. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which month of the year has the least number of letters?

[9. U.S. STATES: Which state is ﬁrst alphabetically?

[10. MOVIES: Which 1983 movie features a character named Tony Montana?

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of December 9, 2024

[ ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A change in holiday travel plans might be more vexing than you’d expected. But try to take it in stride. Also, it couldn’t hurt to use your Aries charm to coax out some helpful cooperation.

[ TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your Bovine determination helps you deal with an unforeseen complication. And, as usual, you prove that when it comes to a challenge, you have what it takes to be a contender.

[ GEMINI (May 21 to June 20)

Although a romantic theme dominates much of the week, all those warm and fuzzy feelings shouldn’t interfere with the more pragmatic matters that you need to take care of.

[ CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Best not to ignore doubts about an upcoming decision. Instead, recheck the facts you were given to make sure nothing important was left out. Meanwhile, a weekend surprise awaits you.

[ LEO (July 23 to August 22) No time

for a catnap — yet. You still might have to straighten out one or two factors so that you can ﬁnally assure yourself of the truth about a troubling workplace situation. Stay with it.

[ VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) News from an old friend could lead to an unexpected (but nonetheless welcome) reunion with someone who had once been very special in your life. Be open to the possibilities.

[ LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) It might be time for a family council. The sooner those problems are resolved, the sooner you can move ahead with your holiday preparations. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by.

[ SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Take some time out to give more attention to a personal relationship that seems to be su ering from a sense of emotional neglect. Provide some muchneeded reassurance.

[ SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Cheer up! An unusual cir-

cumstance that might faze most people can be handled pretty well by the savvy Sagittarian. Look at it as an opportunity rather than an obstacle.

[ cAPrIcorN (December 22 to January 19) Someone you believe has hurt you in the past might now need your help. Reaching out could be difficult, but the generous Goat will be able to do the right thing, as always.

[ AQuArIus (January 20 to February 18) Prioritizing is an important part of your preholiday scheduling. Try to give time to both your workday responsibilities and any personal matters you might have neglected.

[ PIsces (February 19 to March 20) With the vestiges of your anger about a painful incident fading, you can now focus all your energy on the more positive aspects of your life, including a certain personal situation.

[BorN THIs week: You have a way of bringing your own strong sense of reassurance to others and encouraging them to be hopeful!