“I know some of you don’t like some business owners that have come here to talk about the IRC,” said District 1’s Sharon Hightower at the July 9 meeting of Greensboro City Council, “but they have legitimate concerns.”
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EDITORIAL
Editor CHANEL R. DAVIS chanel@yesweekly.com
YES! Writers IAN MCDOWELL
MARK BURGER
KATEI CRANFORD
JIM LONGWORTH
DALIA RAZO
LYNN FELDER
JOHN BATCHELOR
SIXTH AND VINE won Best Wine Bar and Best Wine List in this year’s YES! Weekly Triad’s Best Awards. An illustrious status indeed, one that made this restaurant particularly attractive to me. The list is not long, and the prices are not high With its 90TH SEASON looming, the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem has everything lined up for a spectacular season like no other, one that embraces the past, present, and future while providing quality entertainment for audiences of all ages.
Trade Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.
Artfolios will host a TRUNK SHOW with artists Joan Rutledge and Naomi Greenberg on Friday, July 19th from 7 to10 p.m. at The Gallery at Stimmel, 601 N. Trade Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. Throughout the night enjoy the music of Samuel Allen Taylor, Classical Guitarist What is genuinely surprising about ULTRAMAN: RISING (originally titled
PRODUCTION
4 14 16
Urutoraman Raijingu) is that it’s faithful enough to please the older fans while also providing enough visual razzle-dazzle to attract younger ones.
10 In the National Basketball Association, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indiana, and Milwaukee are in the “Eastern” division, even though the Motor City is over 800 MILES FROM THE EAST COAST
14 Set against the gently rolling Piedmont hills between Greensboro and Burlington, PEACEHAVEN COMMUNITY FARM is an active experiment in supporting the choices of people with disabilities to live an active and meaningful life where they choose.
16 The roots-rocking multimedia outfit JACK THE RADIO has a new album, comic book, and signature brew as they celebrate the “Fast Fun” of their latest single; and a Triad show as part of CoalPit Live with Crenshaw Pentecostal, on August 24.
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We at YES! Weekly realize that the interest of our readers goes well beyond the boundaries of the Piedmont Triad. Therefore we are dedicated to informing and entertaining with thought-provoking, debate-spurring, in-depth investigative news stories and features of local, national and international scope, and opinion grounded in reason, as well as providing the most comprehensive entertainment and arts coverage in the Triad. YES! Weekly welcomes submissions of all kinds. Efforts will be made to return those with a self-addressed stamped envelope; however YES! Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. YES!
Chow Down with John Batchelor at 6th and Vine
BY JOHN BATCHELOR
Sixth and Vine won Best Wine Bar and Best Wine List in this year’s YES! Weekly Triad’s Best Awards. An illustrious status indeed, one that made this restaurant particularly attractive to me. The list is not long, and the prices are not high. Some welcome, well-recognized selections appear (a factor in readers’ support, I bet), but a lot of the offerings are likely to be unfamiliar. No problem. When we asked for a recommendation, our server volunteered to bring samples. I think that sort of accommodation is essential unless a list is constructed around selections that are widely known. Wine discounts on Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights are especially attractive. Of course, requisite beers and cocktails are available as well, should you be more inclined in that direction.
Parking is very convenient, on street, as well as in a city garage directly across the street. The interior of the restaurant looks very casual, with green walls decorated with wine box ends, framing what appear to be hand-constructed benches along with wooden chairs. A long bar occupies center stage as you enter. The bar itself was designed and built in 2005 by David Matthews.
The food offerings on the menu fall into six categories: soup, five salads, seven “Sharables,” seven “Large Plates,” four Burger and Sandwiches, plus desserts, in addition to a list of off-menu specials, which itself is subdivided into similar categories.
From the specials list one evening, my wife and I started with Seared Scallops.
Three large (one very large) scallops, seared to a light brown, but still tender, were presented over polenta, a good flavor match, decorated with microgreens. A salad cup (we asked for it alongside) contained tomato, basil, mint, and cucumber — very tasty in its own right, but I had trouble reconciling it as a complement for the scallop flavor. Very good, just a different context.
From the Sharables section, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter real jumbo lump crabmeat in the Spicy Crab and Artichoke Dip (surprised because although a lot of restaurants say “jumbo lump” few actually provide it). I did not find the preparation particularly spicy. There is some cayenne in the mix, but it’s just enough to pique the palate. I found the effect rather mellow, albeit sharpened when you bite into one of the artichokes. A blend of mozzarella and cream cheeses, plus bits of red pepper provides a rich host. This comes with celery and carrot, plus pita wedges, grilled dark brown. We asked for some ranch dressing to go with the celery and carrots. A lot of area restaurants serve crab and artichoke dip; this rendition ranks in the top echelon.
Large Plate selections may or may not include a vegetable. Read the menu carefully. Of the six sides, priced separately, five are starches, the other a daily special, also a starch on the evening we first visited. So, in order to get your greens, you will probably have to add a salad. Our server allowed us to pick the Garden Salad as a side. It is quite attractive, a construction of mixed leaf lettuces, shaved carrot, cucumber slices, pickled shallot, and sliced grape tomatoes, scattered with sunflower
seeds, dressed in a light vinaigrette. The Little Gem Wedge salad uses a variety of lettuce similar to Romaine, but darker green and a bit more flavorful. Pickled shallot and sliced grape tomatoes make an appearance as well, plus dark brown croutons and bacon crumbles, all ladled with mellow blue cheese dressing.
Shrimp and Grits is another widely offered entrée among area restaurants. This kitchen’s version, once again, ranks in the top echelon. Large shrimp, deveined and tender, rest in a Creole sauce of simmered white wine, lemon juice, and butter, studded with bite-size pieces of andouille sausage, combined with celery, green peppers, and tomatoes, seasoned with shallots and garlic. Grits are stone ground.
Grilled Salmon is served skin-on, placed on its side, for an attractive presentation, liberally ladled with cilantro-lime dressing — almost a tartar sauce in flavor. This is placed over grilled eggplant piccata, delicious in its own right, plus a roasted tomato. (This kitchen could offer the eggplant as an entrée, and I bet a lot of people would be delighted!)
The Pork Chop earns particular praise. About the size of a T-bone steak, and similarly constructed, the exterior exhibits a delightful brown crust, augmented by a green chimichurri sauce that marries well with the flavor of the meat. The interior is tender and juicy, producing as good a flavor as I can recall, anywhere.
Kathleen Barnes is the owner. She will celebrate 20 years in this location in February. Executive Chef Michael Spencer came over from Rooster’s (Noble’s Grille) in November 2023. I have admired his work for a long time. He grew up in
Southport and spent time in professional kitchens in New Orleans before returning to North Carolina. He shops regularly at the Cobblestone Farmer’s Market for ingredients raised or grown nearby.
Wine dinners have become a regular feature here. The next one will be August 20, focusing on Portugal.
This restaurant’s very casual appearance belies the level of skill and polish in the kitchen. These dishes would be right at home in the most upscale settings in the Triad. !
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.
Sandwiches and Burgers: $14-$16, including one side
“Large Plates”: $18-$35
Vegetable Sides: $7-$10, chips $4
Desserts: $12-$14
Most recent visit: July 7
Crab Artichoke Dip
Shrimp and Grits
Little Gem Wedge Salad
Scallops
Salad
visions A lot going on at the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem
With its 90th season looming, the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem has everything lined up for a spectacular season like no other, one that embraces the past, present, and future while providing quality entertainment for audiences of all ages.
The season kicks off with Agatha Christie’s classic whodunit “And Then There Were None” (September 6-8 and 12-15 at Hanesbrands Theatre), followed by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s monstrous musical “Little Shop of Horrors” (October 18-20 and 24-27, Hanesbrands Theatre), the Charlie Lovett adaptation of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” (December 12-15 and 19-22, Reynolds Place Theatre), August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (Feb. 14-16 and 20-23, 2025, Hanesbrands Theatre), Paul Slade Smith’s cops-and-robbers comedy “Unnecessary Farce” (March 28-30 and April 3-6, 2025, Hanesbrands Theatre), and finally the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical extravaganza “Oklahoma!” (June 6-8, 12-15 and 19-22, 2025, Hanesbrands Theatre).
The Little Theatre’s Spotlight Series shines its beam upon the notion of the American dream in Kate Robin’s “What They Have” (Jan. 17- 19, 2025, Mountcastle Forum) and Kirsten Greenidge’s psychological chiller “Feeding Beatrice” (April 25-27, 2025, Mountcastle Forum).
For its 2024-2025 season, the Little Theatre is offering an “Anytime Pass” that includes five flexible tickets good for any mainstage production. In addition, it offers a “Premier Anytime Pass” including five flexible tickets plus first access to premier aisle seats in Rows A-G for $150 (plus taxes and fees). Season pass holders also receive a $25 discount on tickets to A Christmas Carol and the Spotlight Series presentations for $135 (plus taxes and fees). Discounts are also available for senior citizens (65 and over) and full-time students (with valid ID). Single tickets, which range in price from $12-$28, will be available for sale throughout the year. For more information, call 336-725-4001 or visit https://www.ltofws.org/
“The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem was established to provide quality live theater for people of the city,” said Joelle Irons, now in her second year as the Little Theatre’s executive director. “To this day, we strive to do the best work while maintaining a ticket price accessible to most. As a community theater, we provide opportunities for anyone who wants to perform, from those who haven’t been on stage in decades or never before, to those audiences will recognize. Anyone who comes to our auditions has a chance to be cast. The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem is where everyday people can be stars. The best part about community theater is how it brings people together. Volunteers on and off stage create long-lasting
friendships with people they would never have met in their off-stage lives.”
Of the 90th season’s lineup, “the season is full of great shows that will highlight why the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem has been doing this for 90 years,” she said. “We have the glamour of Agatha Christie, the quirkiness of ‘ Little Shop of Horrors ,’ and the classic charm of ‘ Oklahoma!’ — along with a thought-provoking drama and a laugh-out-loud comedy. It is a season that has a little something for every taste and the opportunity to try out a genre you haven’t experienced before.”
In terms of finding the proper balance to attract the widest possible audience, “whoever finds the perfect formula for this balance will be a theater’s hero,” she said. “Generally speaking, Little Theatre audiences like a little bit of both. Some like more contemporary, while others like the classics the best. The balance is giving each a little of what they like, while providing them the opportunity to try something new. They may even find they like it more!”
Last month, the theater announced its board of directors for the 90th season. Joseph Bell, John Craven, Ed Hanes Jr., Andrew McVey, and Andy Rinehart were the newest board members elected, joining continuing members Andrea Anderson, Christine Gorelick, Sarah Jenkins, Brian Joyce, Tamison Jewett, Sally Meehan, Eppie Jo Miller, Lou Ann Pacula, Melissa Peller, and David Swift. The Little Theatre’s lineup of officers includes Kathy Anne Cissna (president), Jordan Xu (vice president), Elizabeth J. Rief (secretary), and Mark Edwards (treasurer).
On June 12, the Little Theatre held its annual Volunteer Party and Awards Ceremony at the Masonic Center
in Winston-Salem, with the recipients announced by volunteer coordinator Kristina Ebbink: Jeff Driver (Doris Pardington Award), Lou Davis and Patsy Koon (Paul Newman Award), Lyle & Donna Jaffe and Kevin Ebbink (Charles Babcock Jr. Awards), Jessie Storrey (Jackie Oerter Award), and David Swift (Philip Powell Executive Director’s Award). This year also saw the introduction of the Georgia West Award.
“The board and volunteers are the lifeblood of this organization,” Irons said. “Volunteers are involved in everything you see on stage, from sets and costumes to the performers themselves. Without the skills and passion of volunteers, there wouldn’t be a show. The board of directors for the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem provides needed support to the small staff while advocating and educating people on the importance of theater for the city and for themselves.”
Regarding the Little Theatre’s longevity, “90 years is a long time for anyone – human or business,” Irons observed. “Right now, with so many theaters still struggling post-COVID, we know that reaching this milestone is something to celebrate. We invite the entire city of Winston-Salem to celebrate along with us. It only makes sense for the oldest community theater in the Triad and one of the oldest in the state to have Winston-Salem, the city of arts and innovation, as their home.”
The official Little Theatre of Winston-Salem website is https://www.ltofws.org/. !
Layered, Woven, and Entangled: Artfolios to host a Trunk Show July 19
PRESS RELEASE
Artfolios will host a Trunk Show with artists Joan Rutledge and Naomi Greenberg on Friday, July 19th from 7 to10 p.m. at The Gallery at Stimmel, 601 N. Trade Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. Throughout the night enjoy the music of Samuel Allen Taylor, Classical Guitarist. Hors d’oeuvres will be served. All are welcome. The event will coincide with the July Art Crush. The Trunk Show is rain or shine.
“Creating is like breathing for me,” shares Joan Rutledge. “It is how I experience the world. I have made art as long as I can remember and have enjoyed working with a variety of materials and techniques.” She thoughtfully adds, “I take a lot of inspiration from the nature: it is there that I find the myriad of textures, shapes, and deep rich saturated colors.”
“Art is the way my soul sings,” Naomi Greenberg began. “It’s the way I express my inner world and communicate with my higher self. It’s my calling and my passion.” She continues: “My mission as an artist is to become the very best I can possibly be, to always keep learning, growing, expanding, and deepening my skills and my sensibilities, the content, and the perspective of my art. I make art first and foremost for myself, because I have to — because I don’t know how to live without it.”
“My work is a compilation of the various roles I have had in my life: painter, art teacher, quilter and commercial designer,” Joan states considering how her work is Layered, Woven, and Entangled. “My fabric pieces often begin as paintings, sketches, or collages which I develop digi-
tally before having printed on fabric. Once printed the pieces are layered and quilted, then embellished with applique or threadwork which provides added dimension.”
“I love living in the realm of the imagination, it fascinates and delights me,” Naomi shares speaking about her own Layered, Woven, and Entangled artwork.
“I experience life and consciousness as a multitude of layers and dimensions that continuously weave in and around one another, reflecting one another, seen through one another, and influencing one another. At some moments certain ones take the foreground, while others are swimming in my subconscious, and in other moments they switch places. Sometimes, they do feel a bit entangled — definitely interconnected.”
Joan Rutledge and Naomi Greenberg’s artwork will inspire. Come be entangled in the beauty. !
ARTFOLIOS connects the Triad of North Carolina to a curated collection of Winston-Salem area artists through an online fine art gallery, consultations with patrons, corporate art installations, and in person events featuring Artfolios’ artists. Artfolios’ mission: We seek to showcase a curated collection of artists and art styles as diverse as our community. Artfolios’ manifesto: We believe art has the power to connect people. We believe patrons need art in their lives. We believe in the beauty of diversity. We are Artfolios. To connect with Artfolios: www.Artfolios.shop, Instagram @shopartfolios, and Facebook @Artfolios.
“Catching a Buzz” by artist Naomi Greenberg
“Shifting Gears” by artist Joan Rutledge
Given contemporary filmmaking’s unending penchant for resurrecting properties, it’s hardly surprising that Ultraman would join the current slew of reboots, remakes, and rehashes. But what is genuinely surprising about
Ultraman: Rising (originally titled Urutoraman Raijingu ) is that it’s faithful enough to please the older fans while also providing enough visual razzledazzle to attract younger ones. Thanks to the screenplay co-written by director Shannon Tindle and Marc Haines, it manages to capture — or recapture — the old magic while adding some fresh new touches … and a few indulgences here and there.
Ultraman began as a ‘60s TV series produced by Tsuburaya Studios, named after founder Eiji Tsuburaya, who earlier had a (major) hand in creating such popular Japanese monsters including Godzilla, Mothra, and Rodan. Those who remember the original series will undoubtedly recall, with some amusement, how familiar some of Ultraman’s foes were. One looks no further than “ Mighty Morphin Power Rangers ” to recognize the impact it had on subsequent generations.
Ultraman: Rising (now available on Netflix) brings the franchise up to date in a full-length animated format. Ken Sato (voiced by Christopher Sean) is an arrogant, swaggering baseball superstar who returns home to Japan, ostensibly to attend to a family matter. This proves accurate, as he is the estranged son of the famous Professor Sato (voiced by Gedde Watanabe), the “original” Ultraman. With some reluctance, Ken has taken up the mantle — and taken on the identity — of Ultraman.
As it turns out, not a moment too soon — as giant monsters (known, of course, as “ kaiju ”) have started popping up all over Japan. Such events
aren’t uncommon. Ken’s game might be canceled due to rain, but not necessarily by kaiju . The Kaiju Defense Force (KDF), under the command of steely Professor Ondo (voiced by Keone Young), is monitoring the situation carefully, but Ondo harbors a long-standing grudge against Professor Sato and Ultraman, the reasons for which are disclosed in due time. As it turns out, the kaiju may be the least of Ultraman’s worries. In addition to the film’s impressive visual effects, courtesy of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Ultraman: Rising boasts a healthy sense of self-mockery. There are some detours into corny, cutesy, and even scatological territory, but its heart is in the right place. That the narrative is overstuffed is hardly uncommon among summer blockbusters or special effects extravaganzas, both of which categories the film falls into. Yes, it could have been shorter, tighter, and a little less juvenile, but these are minor criticisms of an unpretentious, entertaining, sweetnatured jaunt into sweet nostalgia and monster mania. !
CRY-BABY (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): Following the surprise success of Hairspray (1988), cult filmmaker John Waters continued his entrance into mainstream filmmaking with this expectedly quirky 1990 musical/comedy starring Johnny Depp as the titular character, a 1950s high-school delinquent whose budding romance with straightlaced classmate Amy Locane sends shockwaves through — where else? — suburban Baltimore. A colorful and splashy send-up with memorable moments but not many surprises, although Waters aficionados won’t mind. A typically eclectic cast includes Traci Lords, Polly Bergen, Susan Tyrrell, Iggy Pop, Ricki Lake, Kim McGuire (in a memorable feature debut), and cameo appearances by Mink Stole, Troy Donahue, Joe Dallesandro, Joey Heatherton, David Nelson (in his final feature), Patricia Hearst (in her feature debut), and Willem Dafoe. Both the Blu-ray ($29.95 retail) and 4K Ultra HD combo ($39.95 retail) include both the PG-13-rated theatrical version and unrated director’s cut, audio commentaries, retrospective featurettes and interviews, deleted scenes, theatrical trailer, and more.
“DEXTER’S LABORATORY”: THE COMPLETE SERIES (Cartoon Network/ Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment): The title tells all in this 12-disc DVD collection ($69.99 retail) of all 78 episodes — plus the hour-long 1999 special “Dexter’s Laboratory: Ego Trip” — from the entire 1996-2003 run of the award-winning Cartoon Network comedy series, created by writer/producer/director Genndy Tartakovsky, detailing the misadventures of the titular, pint-sized boy genius (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh in seasons 1-3 and Candi Milo in seasons 3-4) contending with both his eccentric sister (voiced by Alison Moore in seasons 1-3 and Kat Cressida in seasons 3-4) and an unscrupulous class rival (voiced by Eddie Deezen). From 1995-’98, the series earned consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less).
“MONK”: SEASON EIGHT (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): In his signature role, Tony Shalhoub bids farewell to his signature character of Adrian Monk, the former San Francisco police inspector a icted with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) tapped to lend his unorthodox expertise to the toughest cases, in all 16 episodes from the 2009 (and final) season of the critically acclaimed, light-hearted USA Network mystery series created
[VIDEO VAULT]
BY MARK BURGER
DVD PICK OF THE WEEK: “COLUMBO”: THE RETURN (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
Having hung it up a dozen years before, Peter Falk resumed wearing the rumpled raincoat and seamlessly reprised the immortal Los Angeles homicide detective Lt. Columbo, first as part of ABC’s “Mystery Movie Lineup” (1989-’90), then in a subsequent series of television movies. Doubling as an executive producer, Falk defied the adage: Sometimes, you can go home again.
The formula, as conceived by original creators Richard Levinson and William Link, remained unchanged: The guest star would commit a murder (usually another guest star) and methodically establish an airtight, foolproof alibi that would seemingly place them above suspicion.
That’s when Columbo would enter the scene, and thus would begin a tantalizing game of cat-and-mouse in which the shambling, shu ing detective would persist in questioning the culprit, often driving them to exasperated fits of consternation before the inevitable climactic confrontation, in which Columbo would dismantle their alibi and place them under arrest. Some went quieter than others, but all knew they had been outdueled by the dogged detective.
The star-studded lineup of guest stars included Patrick McGoohan, Faye Dunaway, Fisher Stevens, William Shatner, Lindsay Crouse, Robert Foxworth, George Hamilton, Helen Shaver, Rip Torn, Dabney Coleman, Billy Connolly, Ed Begley Jr., and others — and just as often the episode was as much a showcase for them as for Falk, who always gave them plenty of room to maneuver … and enough rope to eventually hang themselves.
In terms of awards and accolades, “Columbo” picked up right where it left o , with Falk earning an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1990 and subsequent nominations in 1991 and 1994, McGoohan winning Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 1990, Coleman earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 1991, and Dunaway winning Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 1994.
Simply put, when Columbo’s on the case, the world’s a better place. The 12-disc DVD collection ($99.95 retail) includes all 24 episodes that aired on ABC 19892003. Bonus features include collectible booklet and optional music and e ects tracks.
by writer/producer Andy Breckman, with regular cast members Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford, and Ted Levine joined by guest stars Hector Elizondo, Virginia Madsen, Craig T. Nelson, Daniel Stern, Elizabeth Perkins, Carol Kane, Melora Hardin, Meat Loaf, That season, Monk earned a final Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Shalhoub) and an Emmy win Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, available on Blu-ray ($49.95 retail), replete with video commentary, behind-the-scenes featurettes and interviews, and more.
NARROW MARGIN (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): Peter Hyams scripted, directed, and shot this entertaining 1990 remake of Richard Fleischer’s classic 1952 film noir in which assistant D.A. Gene Hackman and murder witness Anne Archer are trapped aboard a train hurtling through the Canadian wilderness pursued by
accident, then takes her to a remote castle populated by Satan worshippers, where she (in particular) is subjected to compromising, compromised, and kinky situations, with crudely existential overtones. Calderoni (in a dual role of sorts) gives an uninhibited performance and the film features the phoniest-looking giant spider this side of The Giant Spider Invasion (1975). The DVD ($19.95 retail) includes trailer, stills gallery, and more.
SECRET BEYOND THE DOOR (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): A special-edition Blu-ray ($24.95 retail) of Fritz Lang’s 1947 thriller starring Joan Bennett as an heiress who impetuously marries mysterious architect, then begins to suspect him of murderous ulterior motives when they return to his foreboding New England mansion, with Anne Revere, Barbara O’Neil, Natalie Schafer, and Paul Cavanagh in support. Bonus features include audio commentary.
steely killers-for-hire James B. Sikking and Nigel Bennett, with M. Emmet Walsh, J.T. Walsh, J.A. Preston, Susan Hogan, and an unbilled Harris Yulin lending sturdy support. Bruce Broughton’s excellent score further augments this enjoyable, well-paced thriller that deserved a better reception. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that this critic’s favorite actor (Hackman) enjoys one of his last true star turns. The 4K Ultra HD combo ($39.95 retail) includes audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurette, and theatrical trailer. Rated R.
NUDE FOR SATAN (Redemption Films/Kino Lorber): In a dubious attempt to replicate the works of Jess Franco, writer/director/editor Luigi Batzella’s surreal 1974 psycho-sexual shocker (originally titled Nuda per Satana) stars James Harris as a doctor who encounters mysterious beauty Rita Calderoni after an automobile
“TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY” (Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment): The fourth season of the popular, award-winning HBO crime anthology series (and the first to carry a subtitle), created by writer/director/executive producer, follows the six-episode investigation by detectives Jodie Foster (also an executive producer) and Kali Reis into the disappearance of eight scientists engaged in a research project in Alaska, with John Hawkes, Christopher Eccleston, Fiona Shaw, Finn Bennett, Anna Lambe, Akia Niviana, and Joel D. Montgrand rounding out the regular cast. Both the DVD ($24.98 retail) and Blu-ray ($29.98 retail) boast bonus features including behind-the-scenes interviews, cast Q&A, and more.
“VITAGRAPH COMEDIES” (Kino Classics): A self-explanatory three-disc Blu-ray selection ($39.95 retail), presented by the Library of Congress, of vintage comedy shorts from the silent era, featuring such performers as Maurice Costello, Edith Storey, Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew, John Bunny, Franklin Drew, Larry Semon (who also directed), Constance Talmadge, Earle Williams, and the tragic Florence Lawrence — many of whom are not well known because much of their film work was lost. Bonus features include audio commentaries and interviews with curators of the collection. !
On an episode of The Andy Gri th Show, rockthrowing hillbilly Ernest T. Bass descends on Mayberry in order to obtain a diploma. Using a map, Sheri Andy helps Ernest study for his geography test.
Andy: The United States is bordered on the north by Canada, on the south by Mexico, and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. What borders us on the west?
Ernest: Old man Kelsey’s woods.
Andy: No, it’s a big body of water.
Ernest: Old man Kelsey’s crick.
Andy: It’s an ocean.
Ernest: Old man Kelsey’s ocean.
Andy: No, the Pacific Ocean.
Ernest: I sure do know my boundaries good, don’t I?
Andy: You sure do.
Ernest: Just so they don’t change them before I take my test.
Fortunately for Ernest T. Bass geographical boundaries and names did not change that week, but they sure have changed since then, especially across Old Man Kelsey’s Ocean. There’s no more Burma, Ceylon, or Czechoslovakia. Nor can you find Liberia, or Zaire on the map. And if Ernest T. was taking his test today, he’d be thoroughly confused about Russia, which became the Soviet Union, and then Russia again. But nowhere is basic geography more confusing than in the world of American sports.
In the National Basketball Association, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indiana, and Milwaukee are in the “Eastern” division, even though the Motor City is over 800 miles from the east coast. Memphis, meanwhile, is considered to be in the west, even though it is 1,500 miles from Los Angeles. Same problem with the
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National Football League which considers Dallas to be located in the east, where its division rivals are located a thousand miles away.
If you really want to get confused, try and follow the logic of how college basketball teams are apportioned to the NCAA tournament. In this year’s bracket San Diego State University, Auburn University, Washington State University, and Iowa State University were placed in the East region. Wisconsin, Vermont, and Colorado competed in the South Regionals. UNC, Charleston, and Clemson University went to the West, and South Carolina was assigned to the Midwest region.
And while I’m on the topic of college sports, nothing beats geographical manipulation quite like that of the Atlantic Coast Conference, which today operates strictly from a position of greed. It wasn’t always that way.
The ACC was formed in 1953 with eight charter member schools: UNC, North Carolina State University, Duke, Wake Forest, Mayland, South Carolina, The University of Virginia, and Clemson. This alignment made sense. After all, the member colleges were in states that bordered the Atlantic Ocean, all were within driving distance of each other, and League headquarters were centrally located in Greensboro.
In 1971, South Carolina got mad, took their ball, and went home, but they were eventually replaced by Georgia Tech, which was a perfect geographical fit for the league. Later on, Florida State University joined the ACC, and while Tallahassee was a long haul to the northernmost arenas, it was a logical addition. Unfortu-
nately, all logic was abandoned beginning in 2004. That’s when the ACC opened its membership to Virginia Tech and Miami, and, a year later, to Boston College. Things then got really out of hand a decade later when Louisville, Notre Dame, Pitt, and Syracuse were added. (Last time I checked, Kentucky and Indiana are nowhere near the Atlantic Ocean). And just when you thought the league couldn’t get any more convoluted, things changed for the worse.
The ACC’s new commissioner, Jim Phillips arrived in 2021 and was not content to leave bad enough alone. After moving the league headquarters to Charlotte and devaluing the Greensboro Coliseum as a regular venue for the men’s tournament, his next move was to add Southern Methodist University, Stanford, and UC Berkeley to the fold starting with the upcoming school year. None of the three new members have any geographical relation to the Atlantic Coast of course, but hey, who cares so long as they help boost the league’s fortunes.
The reason for all of this expansion is money, specifically TV revenues, but you’ll never convince me that bigger is better, or that diluting traditional State rivalries in favor of cross-country travel is good for fans or the student-athletes. You’ll also have a hell of a time convincing Ernest T. Bass that Texas and California are bordered by the Atlantic Ocean or Old Man Kelsey’s woods. !
Jim Longworth
The Andy Gri th Show with Ernest T. Bass
“Ant-Man”
71 Prior to
72 She played Lulu Hogg on “The Dukes of Hazzard”
73 Six-stanza poem
74 Siberian husky, e.g. 76 Skyrockets
77 Tolkien fiend
78 Moisturizer brand
79
Business owners, activists, and city council debate IRC issues
“I know some of you don’t like some business owners that have come here to talk about the IRC,” said District 1’s Sharon Hightower at the July 9 meeting of Greensboro City Council, “but they have legitimate concerns.”
Hightower was referring to four property owners whose businesses are near the Interactive Resource Center, at 407 East Washington St., and the developer who is chairman of Downtown Greensboro Inc.
The IRC was founded in 2009 as a day center for the city’s houseless community. Last year, council funded expanded hours at the facility, which is now open 24/7. But
with that transition, said Mayor Nancy Vaughan, sta have di culty meeting the needs of the “over 950 unique individuals” who use the IRC every month.
“They are overwhelmed, and business owners and neighborhoods need to be safe,” said Vaughan, responding to complaints about the alleged behavior of the IRC’s unhoused clients. These came not only from speakers, but also District 3 representative and Downtown Greensboro Incorporated Director Zack Matheny, who said the IRC “has admitted their bathrooms and washing machines aren’t working,” and described, “folks sleeping in their own trash” on its grounds and surrounding properties.
“But the IRC are the only people stepping up on a regular basis,” replied Vaughan, “and they are overwhelmed to the point where they can’t do some of the services they used to do because they’re just trying to hold it together.”
Vaughan’s remarks came after Hightower said “If we’re gonna have compassion,
we’ve got to have compassion for all, and these business owners are our taxpayers who pay into our co ers that we spend the money to help those individuals that need help.”
The first downtown business owner to speak at the meeting was real estate developer Andy Zimmerman, who recommended the IRC be moved to a larger location closer to Gate City Boulevard and Greensboro Urban Ministries. Zimmerman is chair of the board of directors of Downtown Greensboro Inc.
Next was Phillip Marsh, owner of Rockers Print Shop at 324 E. Washington, who in a July 3 video interview with the News & Record, said “The IRC has to go!”, and has accused Vaughan of “losing control of the city.”
Unlike Marsh and Zimmerman, Kim Grimsley Ritchy, president of Ritchy Designs LLC, said she doesn’t want the IRC moved from its current address. “We need it badly, but we just need some change. I’ve witnessed drugs, violent stabbings, and daily fights.” Ritchy described herself as a textile designer who has owned her Greensboro business for 33 years, and whose husband, Alex, has owned the property at 500 East Washington Street since 2003.
Then Lynch Hunt, owner and founder of AWOL Fitness at 320 E. Washington Street and resident health and wellness expert on WFMY-TV, said that he recently “had to move my weekly News 2 segments from downtown to my Pyramid Village location so my camera crews don’t have to encounter the things that go on” at or near the IRC. “We have people who sleep under our obstacle course structures on the property, and park their cars and sleep in the parking lot.” He also alleged that IRC clients have been stealing his trash cans.
Dr. Sharon Long Stokes, who has owned a dental practice on Murrow Boulevard directly behind the IRC for 19 years (and whose father built that o ce in 1970), complained that people sheltering in the bushes surrounding the bank next to her o ce “have made my employees feel unsafe.” She also said that a female patient who brought her 11-year-old daughter to Stokes’ o ce was harassed and then followed by an IRC client, and that other IRC clients have relieved themselves on her property, and regularly leave large quantities of trash on her grass and steps.
A prominent Greensboro developer who did not speak at the meeting, but has been involved with Grimsley-Ritchy’s organizing around the issue, is Marty Kotis, CEO and owner of Kickass Concepts and Kotis Development. On June 25, Kotis sent an email to Interim City Manager Chris Wilson, in which Kotis o ered recommendations for installing mobile streaming video units outside the IRC, calling these devices “a good deterrent” that can also “play classical music that discourages people from camping out,” and which Kotis also recommended for Greensboro’s bridges and parks.
In that chain of correspondence, which is public record, Matheny thanked Kotis and wrote “I think the best interest is to reach out to the family that donated the [IRC] building and let them know that their initial intent is not working in the way they intended.”
“The IRC is overwhelmed because your system impoverishes people and then criminalizes them,” said Billy Belcher of the Working Class & Homeless Organizing Alliance. “The obvious answer is to give victims more resources. Put two more shelters out there instead of parking decks, and get some homes opened up.”
Megan Eller, also of WHOA, stressed that houseless people “are our neighbors, and entitled to respect, compassion and community.” Eller asked whether Matheny “understands the devastations that will
Ian McDowell
Contributor
Sharon Hightower Andy Zimmerman
Zack Matheny
follow this community if they are moved from its present location,” adding “as councilman and president of Downtown Greensboro Incorporated, he is more than capable of leading legislation and resources that could help the IRC thrive and provide critical life-saving services, but will he and others bend to the will of moneyed interests, gentrify downtown and push the homeless out of it?”
WHOA member Del Stone called the IRC “increasingly the only place that welcomes people into its doors, and is not an extraction machine for profit; there is no other center like it downtown because every other space there exists for profit.”
“I am a renter and this year my rent went up,” said WHOA’s Luis Medina, “just like the year before. What that means is that, at some point, you’re not going to be able to pay that rent. That means you have more in common with any houseless person than these parasites that are supposedly enriching and developing our community.”
In her closing remarks, Hightower said the IRC needs better security.
“I think they are being victimized, and that those who really need the help are not able to get it, because of all the activity over there that is not being monitored, that’s not being controlled. I remember when it was a day shelter, and people were able to get showers, and there were events going on inside. They don’t do that now. I’ve ridden through that parking lot multiple times, and it’s just a hangout spot.”
Hightower also had criticisms of the speakers from WHOA.
“The people that come here and throw stones and say people are dying, I’d like to see where they are funding for, how they are helping, you know, what are they do-
ing? They always point the finger up here, but you know, when you point one finger at me, you point four back at yourself.”
On July 11, WHOA emailed YES! Weekly a response to Hightower.
“WHOA is entirely independently funded. We receive donations from community members, supporters, and our own members. All of the funding we receive goes directly to food, water, and supplies that we give directly to people who need them. Everyone involved with WHOA works on a volunteer basis. We distribute snacks, bagged lunches, water, hygiene supplies, and clothing to between 100 and 200 people every week, and have done so since August 2018. We serve community meals to about 100 people every other month. We also raise funds online for specific needs as those occur in the community, also on the principle of mutual aid (rather than donations with any expectation of a return or a tax break).”
On July 11, IRC Executive Director Kristina Singleton sent the following statement in response to the meeting.
We could not have known the dramatic increase we would see even before opening our doors 24/7 last fall, and current projections point to a continued increase over the next year as well. With a 67% increase in people served over the last year the IRC expanded hours and increased sta ng and security to 24/7 drop-in center. This year IRC has also requested funding to implement a travelers aid program.
As an organization that views ourselves as “filling in gaps” of needs not met currently by other resources, we are laserfocused on addressing emergent needs. The past 6 months of the pilot program have o ered a valuable opportunity to re-evaluate operations and adapt to shifts
in programming. Some of the ways we’ve adapted include:
Added additional day security
Added additional sta ng for second and third-shift
Worked with GPD and have completed walk-through for use of Canine unit presence on-site
Working with Cone Health to get additional nursing sta , in addition to the mobile unit that comes monthly.
Working with GPD for attachment of Real-Time Intelligence to current camera monitoring
Worked with Field Ops on trash solutions and added 8 additional trash totes as well as used private grant funding to purchase new and additional trash receptacles throughout the exterior of IRC. Procured a private grant for new bathroom plumbing and toilets to be installed beginning the end of July. !
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.
Sowing a community for people with disabilities
BY VIBHAV NANDAGIRI North Carolina Health News
Set against the gently rolling Piedmont hills between Greensboro and Burlington, Peacehaven Community Farm is an active experiment in supporting the choices of people with disabilities to live an active and meaningful life where they choose.
Beds of lettuce, collards, green beans and other seasonal staples grow alongside dahlias and sunflowers on the 89-acre property. On “garden work days,” people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their loved ones and volunteers from nearby converge to work the farm — tilling the soil, rooting out weeds, picking flowers and produce.
Some of the vegetables they harvest are used on the property, while others are sold at an onsite pop-up market. One of their largest buyers is the BackPack Beginnings family market, a community market serving families with children experiencing food insecurity in Guilford County. Peacehaven is part of the Care Farming Network, a group that sees agriculture as part cultivating land, part therapy for vulnerable groups. In 2023, 286 volunteers participated in garden work days for a total of 612 hours, according to Peacehaven’s team.
But Peacehaven is more than just a farm. It’s a community that’s rethinking how people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live and work.
Susan Elliott, a Summerfield resident who had a son with cerebral palsy, bought the land where Peacehaven farm now blossoms with her husband, Tim, in 2007, two years before she died. They envisioned an inclusive space where people of all abilities could work in nature. After their community garden became a huge hit, they decided to expand into supportive housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
In 2014, with help from Habitat for
Humanity of Greater Greensboro, Peacehaven broke ground on a 5,000-squarefoot home for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live more independently. The house, named Susan’s View in Elliott’s honor, was designed to house four to five people, known as “core members,” who would live in the house with two permanent sta members.
Ten years later, Peacehaven is looking to expand in a big way.
“What we’re trying to do … is truly build a model community that shows what it can be like to have people of all abilities living together and learning and growing from each other,” said Phelps Sprinkle, Peacehaven’s chief executive o cer.
The nonprofit is trying to raise more than $12 million dollars for a 24,000-square-foot community center and event space, with the goal of construction completed by the end of 2025.
The next phase of growth is more housing. The team’s goal is to construct 50 to 60 units for about 200 people. The team hopes to include a mix of multi- and single-family homes, according to Cory Phillips, Peacehaven director of advancement, and break ground on that project in 2026. These homes will be open to people with a wide range of abilities — from those who can manage their daily living on their own to others who need ’round-the-clock care.
POLICY BARRIERS
Peacehaven is embarking on expansion plans at a time when people with disabilities are becoming more vocal about the dearth of housing options and community support systems across the state.
In late June, national disability rights advocates protested at the General Assembly for more housing and support services.
NC Health News recently reported on a 29-year-old man with cerebral palsy who has waited for more than three months to be discharged from WakeMed hospital
PHOTOS BY VIBHAV NANDAGIRI
because of a lack of a ordable, supportive housing.
The justice system has found North Carolina in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act and of the landmark Olmstead ruling that prohibits the unjustified segregation of people with disabilities.
These violations were brought to light in 2012 after a Justice Department investigation into adult care homes and again with the Samantha R case, which was recently settled by the State Department of Health and Human Services after a judge ruled against the state in 2022.
Despite legal pressure to provide disability services at home and in communities, barriers persist. As of March 2024, there were 17,870 people on the waitlist for the NC Innovations Waiver, a key Medicaid program that funds services like home renovations and structural modifications, employment assistance and direct support professionals to help with daily living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Meanwhile, those direct support professionals are underpaid, according to disability rights advocates, resulting in what the State Department of Health and Human Services has called a “critical shortage” of workers.
Another hindrance for community living has been the lack of a ordable housing across the state, with housing subsidies available primarily for properties with multiple units.
On July 3, Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed House Bill 556, which lays out more specific rules for co-tenants in rental housing, among other things, with a nod toward the problems that many people with disabilities encounter when looking for housing.
“This bill would make it harder for lowincome families, the elderly and people with disabilities to find a ordable rental housing by preventing local governments from protecting against rent discrimina-
tion based on lawful income,” Cooper said in a statement accompanying the news of his veto. “It also creates legal ambiguity regarding when eviction orders become e ective and the potential for increased legal expenses for renters in disputes with landlords.” The bill was not revived during the 2024 short session.
House Bill 1003, a bipartisan omnibus spending bill, was filed in May to help support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live in communities of their choosing by addressing the waiver waitlist, worker shortages and the a ordable housing crisis. But lawmakers wrapped up most of their business during this recent legislative short session before the new fiscal year began on July 1, and HB1003 did not move out of the House appropriations committee.
While statewide policy e orts have been slow, the Peacehaven team has been working to do what it can to provide more a ordable opportunities for inclusive housing and living support.
LIFE AT PEACEHAVEN
Je Piegari, 34, has lived at Peacehaven longer than any other resident. He’s been at Susan’s View since 2014.
Piegari, who has ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, grew up in New Jersey before moving to North Carolina. He enrolled in Beyond Academics, a certificate program at UNC Greensboro for people with intellectual disabilities who are looking to expand their job opportunities after high school graduation. But after four years at UNC, Piegari tired of living in a college dorm and wanted more independence, he told NC Health News. As a student, Piegari had volunteered at Peacehaven’s community garden, so when the opportunity arose for people to apply to live at the farm, he raised his hand immediately and became one of the first core members at Susan’s View. “I
Susan’s View, where residents at Peacehaven live, looks onto beds of vegetables and flowers.
Rep. Zach Hawkins, D-Durham, prepares for a news conference announcing House Bill 1003 alongside disability rights advocates.
cannot believe it’s 10 years,” Piegari told NC Health News.
Residents of Susan’s View have busy schedules. Days start at 7 a.m., and assigned chores start soon after. During the mornings, the core members tend to the farm or take part in planned activities. Lunches are a group a air, often using the fresh produce they’ve grown. Some of the core members have part-time jobs o the farm, including at local restaurants; Peacehaven sta give them rides to and from their workplaces.
Throughout the day, members are able to explore their interests, from piano lessons to exercise classes and even group trips to museums.
“One of the blessings of Peacehaven is that people can have individual schedules,” said Pat Piegari, Je ’s father.
After dinner, residents of Susan’s View are given time to decompress before bedtime. For Piegari, that means listening to music. Classical music helps Piegari relax, but he’s also a big fan of The Beatles and Frank Sinatra.
An avid drummer, Piegari plays in a community band in Greensboro. More recently, he’s picked up the ukulele and takes online lessons once a week. “I sometimes mess around trying to learn new stu ,” Piegari said.
He has a podcast, too, where he interviews musicians, conductors and screenwriters about their creative process. For Piegari, it’s about learning how music can make people feel and how it can help people with disabilities, including his fellow residents.
Residential life at Peacehaven has changed considerably over the past decade. The sta has grown, and volunteers have come and gone. “It’s really challenging to say goodbye,” Piegari said.
For Peacehaven residents and their loved ones, the next few years will be the biggest transition yet.
“It’s going to change dramatically,” said the older Piegari.
PARTNERING WITH MEDICAID
While change is in the air, Peacehaven’s team recognizes the culture they have built over the past few years.
Cory Phillips, Peacehaven’s director of advancement, described the balance between maintaining community and managing the organization’s growth as an “interesting dance.”
“We don’t want to leave our identity behind,” he added.
Key to this identity is a spirit of inclusion. In addition to promoting diversity of abilities, Sprinkle, executive director at Peacehaven, and his team want to foster socioeconomic diversity. He stressed the importance of subsidizing housing for
those who want to live at Peacehaven but can’t a ord to pay full rent.
In addition to private philanthropy, Peacehaven’s team hopes that Medicaid can open a pathway to more subsidies. Health care dollars from Medicaid programs, such as the Innovations Waiver and the 1915i waiver, can be used to fund housing, sta ng and daily programming for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to Adam Barnes, director of housing at Peacehaven. One of Peacehaven’s next targets is to become a licensed Medicaid provider.
“Medicaid … just allows us to o er better care,” Barnes told NC Health News.
To receive Medicaid money, Barnes said, Peacehaven must contract with Trillium Health Resources, Guilford County’s managed care organization for people with mental health disorders, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and traumatic brain injury. Trillium — initially based in eastern North Carolina — consolidated with two other managed care organizations in February and now manages patients in 48 counties, including Guilford.
“Tapping into Medicaid funding is something that, in theory, can be replicable for other folks,” Barnes said.
‘Things are going well’
Janet Troy learned of Peacehaven through a Google search. She was living in Houston at the time, and she and her husband wanted to move to North Carolina.
Troy’s 37-year old daughter, Autumn, has Patau syndrome and had been in an assisted living facility in the Houston area for more than a decade. Things had been good for a while; then came COVID-19, and Autumn returned home to stay with her parents. When she moved back to the facility, many of her friends didn’t return.
“The pandemic messed her up,” Troy said.
After Troy found Peacehaven online, the family visited in April 2023 and decided it was the right place for Autumn. It brought a sense of relief to Troy and her husband. “We don’t know how much longer we have to live,” she said.
Autumn moved into Peacehaven in September. According to her mom, she’s enjoying her new home. “We don’t hear from her much anymore,” Troy said. “That tells us things are going very well.”
At Peacehaven, Autumn has helped set up an onsite library. She had always wanted to be a public librarian, her mom said, and the Peacehaven team arranged an opportunity for her to shadow a librarian at the Elon University library. Autumn is part of a cohort of adults with disabilities who attend job preparedness programming at Peacehaven, an initiative the team hopes to grow in the coming years.
Troy is invested in Peacehaven for the long run. She hopes that, with the building of new housing on the property, Peacehaven may play a more direct role in her and her husband’s future. “Maybe we could live close to Autumn when we can no longer drive,” she said. “I hope that works out.” !
NORTH CAROLINA HEALTH NEWS is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit, statewide news organization dedicated to covering all things health care in North Carolina. Visit NCHN at northcarolinahealthnews.org.
SOME OF PEACEHAVEN’S ADDITIONAL OFFERINGS
• Core members take frequent trips to the Alamance County YMCA for exercise.
• Volunteers and core members participate in a fiber arts program to create wool wrapping for holiday decorations and soaps.
• Volunteers regularly prepare food and share group meals with Peacehaven’s core members.
Jack the Radio’s Under Lonely Light
The rootsrocking multimedia
outfit Jack the Radio has a new album, comic book, and signature brew as they celebrate the “Fast Fun” of their latest single; and a Triad show as part of CoalPit Live with Crenshaw Pentecostal, on August 24. While fans looking for “Jack the Radio Fast Fun” Helles lager by Trophy Brewing will likely have to head to JTR’s home base in Raleigh, the band is looking forward to showcasing the new record and sharing what lies ahead for old Jack in the JTR comic book’s recently released third issue.
Shining new lights on the dynamics of their sound, “Under Lonely Light” is the group’s sixth album — their first in four years — and forges fresh territory for the “ever resilient character, Jack the Radio,” that George Hage (guitars, vocals) and Danny Johnson (guitar, keyboard, lap steel, vocals) have been building since first forming in 2010. The current lineup, a quartet rounded by bassist Dan Grinder and drummer Kevin Rader, carries over the same technical formation as 2020’s “Creatures” LPthough with notably cleaner tones and sharper synth action. Musing the evolution of their sound, “We’ve always been heavily rooted in the groove and melody of a song,” Hage explained. “With this album, we maintained that focus but I also tried to dig even deeper into the lyrics and sometimes darker themes or emotions.”
“Writing ‘Under Lonely Light’ was a journey that led to a lot of introspection, and darker elements that I hadn’t been faced with in the past,” Hage continued. “I attribute a lot of that to being stuck at home during the pandemic along with the overabundance of news, drama, and pain we all had at our fingertips on social media.”
The pandemic’s influence carried from lyrics to production — with JTR forgoing their standard studio practices, recording remotely; with Johnson leaning heavily into the engineer chair. “I’ve always been a studio junkie and am generally as excited to do the clinical work of building a song as I am to track my own parts,” he
said, “Having the luxury of mixing ‘Under Lonely Light’ at my own studio meant (for better or worse!) that we were able to allow tracking to continue into mixing.”
“Some of my favorite parts on the record were added in during late-night sessions a what’s the worst that could happen?’ spirit,” Johnson continued.
“Instrumentally, ‘Under Lonely Light’ is a natural progression from our previous two LPs. It combines the instrumental experimentation we started to embrace with Badlands with the more meticulous songcraft George brought out on ‘Creatures.’ But ultimately, we continue to be a guitar-driven, Americana-adjacent rock band.”
In the grand scheme, JTR’s influences range from ZZ Top to Radiohead, Bill Withers to Je Buckley, Sturgill Simpson, and Jason Isbell. And then there’s the top dawg: Mr. Tom Petty. “We all have a wide range of influences but there are several places where our tastes converge,” said drummer Kevin Rader. “Tom Petty being chief among them.”
For Johnson, “I spent a good amount of time during lockdown listening to Mike Viola’s album American Egypt — often on headphones,” he explained. “I’ve always loved records that find an extra dimension on close listening, so I attribute a lot of the unique instrumentation and ‘headphone candy’ to my time spent with that record as we were tracking.”
Crediting the extra time and space afforded by a more DIY approach, Johnson considered the production an opportunity to “stretch outside our comfort zone compared to our previous records,” he said. “We had to dial in tones and write parts we were excited to add to the tunes. There’s an unspoken pressure to working in a rented studio when a part doesn’t work, so artistically it was a nice change of pace to have the leeway to work out arrangements over days or even weeks — and not feel like you were throwing a wrench in the machine if you had to pull the ripcord and try again later.”
With the cogs in place, Johnson and the group found confidence in the new approach. Pointing to the single, “Tell Everyone Around.”
“That song demonstrates the benefit of working out of your own space until late in the night, having the extra time a orded to get a bit experimental with tones, and still leaving space for everything to breathe,” he said. “I’m really proud of how it came together — it was a
challenging song to build out, but really pushed us to get unconventional with some instrument choices and production techniques. One mixed blessing to mixing a record in your home studio is having two painfully honest critics — my wife and daughter — just a few rooms away, but when I finished the mix and they were singing it in the house later that day, I knew we had a single!”
From family to friends, an ensemble cast accents a less-than-lonely arrangement on the record. “We were excited to have our pal Charles Cleaver in to add some killer B3 organ, electric piano, and synth on “Fast Fun,” “Earth’s Last Goodnight,” “Take Your Ball and Go Home,” and “Walk All Over Me,”” Johnson explained.
Hage agreed. “It’s always a treat to bring friends and other artists in during the recording process. I love seeing how they approach the song with fresh ears and learning from their process. Specifically with Charles, he’s able to bring something new and di erent.”
JTR’s appreciation for “something new and di erent” doesn’t stop in the studio–a practice bassist Dan Grinder appreciates. “I really enjoy exploring outside the typical music formats,” he said, turning to the band’s signature comic book series. “We’ve done a number of Jack the Radio comic books that George conceptualized, pulling together an amazing crew of super-talented artists. We’ve done a series of singles thematically linked to comic books,” he added, pointing to an issue of Skottie Young’s “I Hate Fairyland,” which comes with a QR code that plays the songs as a soundtrack. “It’s been great expanding into other realms.”
It’s a notion Hage relishes, professing a love for the medium and the nostalgia it
carries. Growing up a comic book devotee, Hage’s attention made a hard-shift to music as a teenager; and circled back into comics as an adult. That path led to comic book conventions–namely Heroes Con in Charlotte. “We found home there playing music at their Drink N Draw events, which raised money for Parkinson’s Research and tabling at the convention over the past several years,” he explained–dropping his eventual appearance into Marvel Comics Universe (“Earth-616: Gambit #2”).
Turning to the JTR books, “I released the first as an anthology comic companion to our ‘Creatures album’; with short stories and pinups by 30 artists from eight countries — all based on songs from the album. In 2022, I started releasing music comics with more of a magazine feel with interviews, features, lyrics, pinups, shorts, and stories.”
Issue #3 hit shelves earlier in the summer, featuring interviews with artist Tradd Moore, and hip-hop star Esoteric from Czarface. “One of my favorite things is getting to ask music and comic-inspired questions, which folks don’t always get asked,” Hage explained. “I also love being able to collaborate and work with some very talented people that I wouldn’t get to work with otherwise. Now that we have a few issues out, people seem excited to work on the book. It’s a dream come true for this comic fan.”
They’ll have books on hand when they hit the Triad on August 24, playing CoalPit Live with All Y’all Records’ cohorts, Crenshaw Pentecostal.
“Under Lonely Light,” the new record from Jack the Radio is out now. !
and events.
KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who enjoys spotlighting artists
Katei Cranford
Contributor
ART BY GEORGE HAGE
PHOTO BY JILLIAN CLARK
ASHEBORO
FOUR SAINTS BREWING
218 South Fayetteville St. | 336.610.3722
www.foursaintsbrewing.com
Thursdays: Taproom Trivia
Fridays: Music Bingo
Jul 27: Taylor Swift Tribute by Emily Burdette
Aug 3: River & Rail
Aug 24: Kelsey Hurley ft. Lonnie Britton
Aug 31: Emily Burdette
CARBORRO
CAT’S CRADLE
300 E Main St | 919.967.9053
www.catscradle.com
Jul 17: Winnetka Bowling League
Jul 19: The Connells
Jul 20: mc chris
Jul 21: Tinariwen
Jul 22: Mei Semones and Mia Joy
Jul 23: Hot Freaks
Jul 24: Mates of State
Jul 27: Liily
CHARLOTTE
BOJANGLES COLISEUM
2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600 www.boplex.com
Jul 26: Brit Floyd
Aug 3: Ramon Ayala
THE FILLMORE
1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970 www.livenation.com
120 Stage Coach Tr. | 336.292.2211 www.barndinner.com
Jun 8- Jul 27: Love Machine The Musical
ChaR BaR nO. 7 3724 Lawndale Dr. | 336.545.5555 www.charbar7.com
Jul 18: William nesmith
Jul 25: COia
COMEDY ZOnE
1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034 www.thecomedyzone.com
Jul 19-20: Jon Reep
Jul 20: Mike Goodwin
Jul 23: Steve hofstetter
Jul 26-27: Sheryl Underwood & Friends
aug 2-3: Christian Johnson
aug 9-11: DeRay Davis
FLaT iROn
221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967
www.flatirongso.com
Jul 18: alex Krug Combo
Jul 19: Crawford & Power
Jul 23: iCaRUS
Jul 24: The Weasels & Sweet Dream
Jul 25: Brad Walker Quartet w/ Mixed Bag
Jul 26: Sam Burchfield and The Scoundrels
Jul 27: Being Followed, Them Pants, The Eyebrows and heath haynes
Jul 30: Daniel anderson and heroic Dose
Jul 31: Starsapien, Unheard Project GSO and Grayscale Whale
GaRaGE TavERn
5211 A West Market St | 336.763.2020 www.facebook.com/GarageTavernGreensboro
Jul 19: Daniel Love, Love Rustlers
Jul 20: alek Ottaway Band
Jul 25: Jon Montgomery, Megan Doss
Jul 26: Wristband Band
Jul 27: Cory Luetjen, Traveling Blues Band
Jul 28: Kelsey hurley
GREEnSBORO COLiSEUM
1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400
www.greensborocoliseum.com
Jul 27: Boys Like Girls
Jul 30: Jamey Johnson
hanGaR 1819
1819 Spring Garden St | 336.579.6480
www.hangar1819.com
Jul 19: Left To Suffer w/ Within Destruction, Ten56, Tallah
Jul 20: Emo Royale ii
Jul 27: SeeYouSpaceCowboy w/ The Callous Daoboys, Omerta
PiEDMOnT haLL
2411 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400
www.greensborocoliseum.com
Jul 27: Boys Like Girls
RODY’S TavERn
5105 Michaux Rd | 336.282.0950
www.facebook.com/rodystavern
Jul 17: William nesmith
Jul 19: Jim Mayberry
Jul 24: Luc + Chloe Gravely
Jul 26: Dos Enes
Jul 31: Daniel Love
ThE iDiOT BOx
COMEDY CLUB
503 N. Greene St | 336.274.2699
www.idiotboxers.com
Thursdays: Open Mic
Jul 19: nik Macik
aug 8: Charlie vergos
aug 9-10: Kevin McCaffrey
WhiTE OaK
aMPiThEaTRE
1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400
www.greensborocoliseum.com
Jul 30: Jamey Johnson w/ Southall and Emily ann Roberts
hIgh poINt
1614 DMB
1614 N Main St | 336.883.4113
https://www.1614drinksmusicbilliards.com/
Jul 20: Soundkraft amped
Jul 26: Ledneck
Jul 27: novas Fade
SWEET OLD BiLL’S
1232 N Main St | 336.807.1476
www.sweetoldbills.com
Jul 18: Rusty Zen
Jul 25: Johnny O’ and The Jump Out Boys
Jul 31: Benji Morris
aug 1: Banjo Earth
aug 8: Metro Jethro’s
aug 28: Benji Solo
jamEstowN
ThE DECK
118 E Main St | 336.207.1999
www.facebook.com/TheDeckJamestown/
Jul 19: Stereo Doll
Jul 20: Rewind
Jul 26: Radio Revolver
Jul 27: Bandemic
LIbErty
ThE LiBERTY
ShOWCaSE ThEaTER
101 S. Fayetteville St | 336.622.3844 www.TheLibertyShowcase.com
aug 3: Deana Carter
aug 9-10: Gene Watson
aug 10: Jeff Parker & Company
raLEIgh
CCU MUSiC PaRK
aT WaLnUT CREEK
3801 Rock Quarry Rd | 919.821.4111 www.livenation.com
Jul 20: The Queens of R&B: xscape & SWv
Jul 21: Third Eye Blind w/ Yellowcard
Jul 26: Dirty heads & Slightly Stoopid w/ Common Kings, The Elovaters
Jul 27: Sam hunt
LinCOLn ThEaTRE
126 E. Cabarrus St | 919.831.6400 www.lincolntheatre.com
Jul 18: Jackyl w/ Stone Whiskey
Jul 19: On The Border
Jul 25: George huntley Duo of the Connells
Jul 26: Yarn
Jul 27: Charles Wesley Godwin w/ Drayton Farley
RED haT aMPhiThEaTER
500 S McDowell St | 919.996.8800
www.redhatamphitheater.com
Jul 20: Two Door Cinema Club w/ flipturn
Jul 25: Switchfoot, Blue October, Matt nathanson
Jul 27: Lamb of God & Mastodon
wINstoN-saLEm
FiDDLin’ FiSh
BREWinG COMPanY
772 Trade St | 336.999.8945
www.fiddlinfish.com
Tuesdays: Trivia
Jul 19: none of the above Bluegrass
Jul 26: Tyler Dodson
FOOThiLLS BREWinG
638 W 4th St | 336.777.3348 www.foothillsbrewing.com
Sundays: Sunday Jazz
Thursdays: Trivia
Jul 19: nick Branscome
Jul 20: Dalton allen
Jul 21: James vincent Carroll
Jul 26: inCogniTo
Jul 27: Safety Coffin
Jul 28: Jerry Chapman
ThE RaMKaT
170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714
www.theramkat.com
Jul 18: Matted Grass, Pink Beds, The Pinkerton Raid
Jul 20: Somewhat Petty
Jul 26: Licks for Rick
Jul 27: Kyshona
Jul 27: Little King
Jul 31: isabelle Parker
Natalie Garcia
PRESENTS
hot pour
[BARTENDER OF THE WEEK COMPILED BY NATALIE GARCIA]
NAME: Kae La Vergne (They/He)
BAR: Cozy Brew Cafe in Greensboro
AGE: 24
WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Binghamton, N.Y.
Check out videos on our Facebook!
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BARTENDING?
4 years
HOW DID YOU BECOME A BARTENDER?
I started out at a small Italian restaurant in my hometown as a host and worked my way up through other front of house positions to be a bartender there.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT BARTENDING?
I enjoy chatting with the clients and learning about them. I think the best way to learn about yourself is to learn about others and put yourself in their shoes.
WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF BARTENDING?
I still struggle a bit when there is live music, trivia, or other events. Timing is everything and I can helicopter a bit because I want everyone to be happy.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO MAKE?
I love trying co ee drinks and seeing what di erent combinations I can make. I found a distillery in Tennessee that has AMAZING cream liquors that go great in co ee: tiramisu, pumpkin spice, among others!
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO DRINK?
When a man from Italy teaches you how to make a real Aperol Spritz, you just can’t go back to how American restaurants/bars do it.
WHAT’S THE STRANGEST DRINK REQUEST YOU’VE HAD?
I’ve only been a bartender at places with beer, wine, and relatively basic liquors. Sorry to skip a question!
WHAT’S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU’VE SEEN WHILE BARTENDING?
When I was working at a hotel, some of the events could get quite strange. The one that first came to mind was a summit that talked about cosmic power, the moon, and di erent geological time periods. I couldn’t figure out the goal of the summit, but wow did my head hurt afterwards.
WHAT’S THE WEIRDEST THING YOU’VE FOUND IN A BAR BATHROOM?
Gotta be a stu ed animal. How did it get there? How long had it been there? So many unanswered questions.
WHAT’S THE BEST/BIGGEST TIP YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN?
WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AS AN AFTER-DINNER DRINK?
You can never go wrong with a nice chilled shot of limoncello.
After bartending a relatively small party with one other person, not only did they tip on their $800+ check, but some of the guests even put cash in our tip jar. For that being pretty much the only thing happening that day, we both left with over $100.
WANNA BE FEATURED IN HOT POUR?
Email Natalie Garcia at natalie@yesweekly.com and ask about being our Bartender of the Week!
[SALOME’S STARS]
Week of July 22, 2024
[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A bit of Arian contrariness could be keeping you from getting all of the facts. Turn it o and tune in to what you need to hear. It could make all the di erence this week.
[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Getting an answer to a vital question involving financial matters might take longer than you’d expected. A new factor might have to be dealt with before anything can move forward. Be patient.
[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Use your good sense to see what really might be driving a colleague’s workplace agenda. What you learn could lead to a new way of handling some old problems.
[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A change of mind might once again turn out to be a good thing. True, most of your co-workers might not like the delay, but as before, they might appreciate what follows from it.
[LEO (July 23 to August 22) You revel in golden opportunities this week. One cautionary note, though: Be careful to separate the gold from the glitter before you make a choice. Someone you trust can help.
[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Marriage is important this week, as are other partnerships. Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by sentiment. Instead, try to steer a path between emotion and common sense.
[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Dealing with someone who has let you down is never easy. But the sooner
you’re able to clear up this problem, the sooner other problems can be successfully handled.
[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A “friend” who is willing to bend the rules to gain an advantage for both of you is no friend. Reject the o er, and stay on your usual straight and narrow path.
[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) After all the e ort you’ve been putting in on the job and for friends and family, it’s a good time to indulge your own needs. Meanwhile, the weekend could bring a pleasant surprise.
[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) You might want to do something new this weekend. Close your eyes and imagine what it could be, then do it! Or come up with the closest practical alternative.
[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Your good deeds bring you the appreciation you so well deserve. But once again, be careful of those who might want to exploit your generous nature for their own purposes.
[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Trolling for compliments isn’t necessary. You earned them, and you’ll get them. This week, concentrate on moving ahead into the next phase of your program.
[BORN THIS WEEK: Meeting new people usually means you’re making new friends. People want to be reflected in your shining light.
[TRIVIA TEST]
by Fifi Rodriguez
[1. TELEVISION: What is the name of the town in the sitcom Parks and Recreation?
[2. GEOGRAPHY: The Earth’s equator runs through how many countries?
[3. MOVIES: Who plays the character Morpheus in The Matrix?
[4. MYTHOLOGY: Which Greek hero was dipped in the River Styx as a baby and made almost invulnerable?
[5. EXPLORERS: Which English explorer claimed Australia for Great Britain?
[6. HISTORY: Which two Native American leaders fought Gen. George Custer’s
troops at the Battle of Little
[7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What are the two traditional flowers associated with the July birth month?
[8. LITERATURE: Which poem begins with the line, “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary”?
[9. ANATOMY: Where is the smallest skeletal muscle in the human body located?
[10. INVENTIONS: What medication, originally used to treat eye muscle spasms, later became a success in reducing facial wrinkles?
