Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com
EDITORIAL
Editor CHANEL DAVIS chanel@yesweekly.com
YES! Writers IAN MCDOWELL
MARK BURGER
KATEI CRANFORD
JIM LONGWORTH
DALIA RAZO
LYNN FELDER
JOHN BATCHELOR
The National Highway Tra c Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that distracted driving accounts for 9% of all fatal collisions in the United States.
PRODUCTION
Senior Designer ALEX FARMER designer@yesweekly.com
ues.
1618 MIDTOWN is the mid-level, mid-priced property from the same folks who own 1618 West Seafood Grille (1618west.com), one of the Triad’s most highly regarded upscale, fine dining ven-
Menkin returns to Winston-Salem for the East Coast premiere of the feature documentary, COLLEYVILLE, which will be shown twice — 7 p.m. Saturday, July 20 and again at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, July 21 — at Marketplace Cinemas, 2095 Peters Creek Parkway.
Smokies Life is pleased to announce the publication of “ PHO: A SMOKIES FIREFLY ADVENTURE,” written by Greensboro resident Mary Arkiszewski.
...But never have I seen anything to compare with the performance of Joe
Biden in last week’s CNN DEBATE with Donald Trump...It was hands-down the worst debate performance I’ve ever witnessed...
9 BLUE LOCK: THE MOVIE — EPISODE NAGI, based on the best-selling manga penned by Muneyuki Kaneshiro (originally titled “Buru Rukko” and also known as “Bluelock”), is the first in what is clearly designed to be a big-screen franchise...
13 Affectionately dubbed “ DÖLTZ DAY,” 7/7 will offer an answer to the age-old question: “What’s in the box,” with DÖLTZ’s tape release freakfest pairing Triangle-rippers Geeked (a N.C. band to watch) and the Philly maniacs in My Wife’s An Angel.
Designer SHANE HART artdirector@yesweekly.com
ADVERTISING
Marketing ANGELA COX angela@yesweekly.com
TRAVIS WAGEMAN travis@yesweekly.com
Promotion NATALIE GARCIA
DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT ANDREW WOMACK
We 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! Weekly is published
1Chow Down with John Batchelor at 1618 Midtown
BY JOHN BATCHELOR
618 Midtown is the mid-level, mid-priced property from the same folks who own 1618 West Seafood Grille (1618west.com), one of the Triad’s most highly regarded upscale, fine dining venues.
Appearance and style are casual. Brick and cinderblock walls have been covered in most places by sound-absorbing panels, which do a good job of tamping down reflectivity and noise level. Although this is a relatively small place, and tables are fairly close together, you can still carry on a conversation here. Formerly walk-in only, reservations are now accepted, a welcome change.
Although the food is casual in style, it is nevertheless very good. Sometimes surprisingly so.
Spring mix forms the foundation for the Mixed Greens Salad, with chaispiced sliced grapes, candied walnuts, and chevre (goat cheese), dressed in a roasted apple vinaigrette. Two other more upscale salads are also o eredCobb (romaine lettuce, bacon, roasted tomatoes, blue cheese, and egg) and Vegetable (roasted beets, watermelon radish, carrots, and greens).
Fried Chicken is listed as a snack, but the portion size could easily serve as a main course. The breading of seasoned flour, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, chili powder, and white pepper (plus a secret ingredient that Chef will not reveal) is crisp and crusty, coating large strips of white meat, natural texture intact. This comes with buttermilk ranch dressing and Bu alo-style hot sauce. The hot sauce is pretty assertive. I liked it better when double-dipped with the ranch. It’s an impressive presentation, in a large paper cone.
Flatbread is a real winner. The kitchen bakes the bread to a firm crust, which extracts good flavor in its own right, augmented with gorgonzola cheese, fontina cream, pears marinated in white wine, and arugula lightly dusted with lemon zest, all dressed with balsamic port reduction. There is a multiplicity of flavors in this assembly, all of which work well with each other.
Fish Tacos on the night we had them used mahi mahi, lightly coated with blackening spices, rather mild in flavor, benefitting from shredded red cabbage, chunks of avocado, pico de gallo, and charred onions. The most recent menu
lists skirt steak instead of fish for the taco filling.
Tru e Fries are also listed on the “Snacks” section of the menu, but they also come as a side with some entrées. Do not miss these. They are among the most flavorful, most aromatic, bestcrisp-textured potatoes in the Triad.
Pimiento Cheese, made in-house, is prepared from aged cheddar cheese with jalapeno and chipotle peppers. Spicy pickled okra rests alongside. The star of the show, however, is grilled sliced brioche, slightly charred. This comes from pastry and dessert Chef Amanda Janczak, who also makes all the desserts and most bread and pastry-related items for both 1618 Midtown and 1618 West. From the “Supper” section, you might lead o with a Smash Burger. Unlike most versions of this increasingly popular variation on a staple, which hold a single, thin ground beef patty, this kitchen’s version hosts two, generating plenty of solid beef flavor, enhanced with lettuce, pickled green tomatoes, onion, spicy mayonnaise, and American cheese on a potato roll. Those tru e fries are the specific side.
Because everything else had been enjoyable, and because this is a 1618 property, I expected the NY Strip Steak to be good. But I was not prepared for how good. This place does not pretend to be a steakhouse and has no such aspirations. But you will not find a more deeply flavored, appropriately-textured, cooked-just-right rendition of this steak anywhere else. The kitchen rubs the meat with ancho chile and co ee, which is my personal favorite enhancement for this cut. Grilled asparagus and rich smoked gouda cheese pasta shells, a sophisticated version of mac-n-cheese, are the sides. Rigatoni is the resident pasta entrée. Rich roasted tomato cream sauce coats pasta cylinders, plus smoked pancetta.
It’s a classic family Italian-style dish. I have tried two seafoods here. Scallops are a menu entry, bright and colorful from a topping of red onion relish with preserved lemons, chives, a splash of lemon-thyme vinaigrette, salt and a pinch of sugar, their perfectly seared exterior giving way to a tender interior. These are presented over sweet green pea risotto, studded with roasted corn, decorated with micro greens. Lush. The Market Fish on the night we ordered it was Black Cod. This is an inherently flavorful white fish, in this case, panseared, graced with a dab of beurre blanc sauce, and placed amidst warm orzo, plus artichokes, bright pink watermelon radish slices, and roasted red peppers, along with lima beans.
Fortunately, I attended one night with friends Stephen and Cindy, who wanted dessert. We got the Peanut Butter Pie. Peanut butter mousse rests in an Oreo cookie crust. The interior bears the texture and sort of the flavor of cheesecake, covered with chocolate ganache. The kitchen decorates it with caramel popcorn, which strikes me as a little bizarre, but it looks nice and tastes good when consumed separately.
The sta at this location is stable. Manager Casey Clanton and Chef Chip Hallman have been with the 1618 group
for six years, advancing within the organization. “Tree” Johnson is Sous Chef, Michael Barbour is Service Manager, and Ashley Rowzee is Bar Manager. Interesting bios are available on the website. Mid-level, yes, but not mid-quality. 1618 Midtown is an easy recommendation. !
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.
Last August, when the RiverRun International Film Festival presented free screenings of Dani Menkin’s acclaimed drama Litle Town and his awardwinning documentary Aulcie at Marketplace Cinemas in Winston-Salem, the filmmaker also previewed his latest film Colleyville, then a work in progress. Now, Menkin returns to WinstonSalem for the East Coast premiere of the feature documentary, which will be shown twice — 7 p.m. Saturday, July 20 and again at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, July 21 — at Marketplace Cinemas, 2095 Peters Creek Parkway. Admission is free, but advance registration is strongly encouraged: https://riverrunfilm.com/colleyville/. Menkin himself will be on hand for both screenings to discuss the film and participate in a Q&A session after each screening, along with Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker of Temple Emanuel in Winston-Salem, who is the principal figure in the film.
On January 15, 2022, in the titular Texas suburb, a service at Congregation Beth Israel was interrupted when Malik Akram, a British citizen whose family was originally from Pakistan, drew a gun and took five men – including Rabbi CytronWalker — hostage, demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, an alleged alQaeda operative incarcerated in nearby Fort Worth.
The 11-hour stando , which police carefully monitored via the synagogue’s security cameras, became an immediate worldwide sensation, and finally ended with Cytron-Walker, who had managed to quell any violence by calmly reporting Akram’s demands to the police, threw a chair at him, which distracted him long enough for the hostages to escape the building before Akram was killed by federal agents.
Like many, Menkin watched the drama unfold from his home and was captivated not only by the event but by the heroic measures with which CytronWalker handled the situation. Fondly known to his congregation and the community as “Rabbi Charlie,” he became the
centerpiece of Menkin’s film, which uses previously unseen security footage and recordings by the FBI and local police, as well as exclusive interviews with the hostages and their families.
“The story of Rabbi Charlie and the hostages resonated deeply with me,” Menkin confirmed. “Their kindness and courage in the face of such a horrific anti-Semitic attack were truly inspiring. I feel incredibly privileged that they entrusted me to tell their story. Getting to know Rabbi Charlie was an honor. He’s a remarkable leader and an important voice against hate crime, who embodies the film’s core message: Even in the darkest times, compassion and love can prevail. I’m thrilled to be returning and partnering with RiverRun again.”
“We are delighted Dani is returning to North Carolina for the East Coast premiere of his new documentary Colleyville, which has a significant local tie to Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker at Temple Emanuel,” said Rob Davis, executive director of the RiverRun International Film Festival.
“Dani was with us last August for two film screenings and we are thrilled he is returning. With never-before-seen security footage, Dani’s film brings viewers inside the tense hostage crisis at the Texas synagogue where Charlie was rabbi prior to coming to Winston-Salem. Dani shared just a few minutes of footage when he was here in August, and I know everyone is looking forward to seeing the completed film, which is of great significance in documenting a tragic event in modern Jewish history, and RiverRun is honored to partner with Temple Emanuel for the East Coast premiere.”
Colleyville made its U.S. premiere at the Museum of Tolerance June 23 as part of the Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival. Davis considers it a coup for RiverRun to host its East Coast premiere and encourages people to register in advance.
“I have nice memories of WinstonSalem’s incredible support for our story last year,” Menkin said. “The community’s embrace was truly heartwarming, and I can’t wait to share Colleyville with everyone at the East Coast premiere on July 20th and 21st!”
“It is always gratifying when filmmakers have a positive experience at RiverRun and return to share their new works with audiences,” Davis said.
The 27th annual RiverRun International Film Festival is scheduled for April 10-19, 2025. !
For more information, call 336-724-1502 or visit the o cial RiverRun website: https://riverrunfilm.com/. The o cial website for Colleyville (which includes the film’s trailer) is https://www. heyjudeproductions.com/.
Mark Burger
Contributor
Dani Menkin
Colleyville Poster
PHOTOS BY HEY JUDE PRODUCTIONS
ARTS ROUNDUP
]
PARLOR SERIES: FOLLY FLOWER SHOW
BY SUZANNA RITZ MALLIETT
Frolic through fanciful florals filling every room of Körner’s Folly at this edition of our popular adult program, the Victorian Parlor Series, in collaboration with the Kernersville Garden Club and other local organizations. Featuring the spectacular creativity of volunteer artists and floral designers, this self-guided tour of the 22-room Victorian home is sure to delight the senses! Each room will feature an arrangement inspired by the whimsical spaces and designs of Körner’s Folly.
Attendees will also enjoy flora-focused tidbits of Victorian history, society, and culture along the way, and vote for their favorite designs. Our Local Celebrity Guest Judge will present awards at a reception in the John & Bobbie Wolfe Visitors Center at the conclusion of the program. Light refreshments will be served. All ages welcome!
Tickets are non-refundable but may be used for any self-guided tour within a year of purchase. Unfortunately, Körner’s Folly is not wheelchair accessible. Tickets available at https://kornersfolly. org/events/folly-flower-show ! [ WEEKLY
WANNA go?
Victorian Parlor Series: Folly Flower Show will be held Saturday, July 13 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Körner’s Folly, 413 S. Main St. in Kernersville. Adult admission is $25, child admission is $6 and children 5 and under are free. Questions? Email brittany@kornersfolly.org or call (336) 996-7922.
11AM-8PM
11AM-11PM
“Pho: A Smokies Firefly Adventure”
Smokies Life is pleased to announce the publication of “Pho: A Smokies Firefly Adventure,” written by Greensboro resident Mary Arkiszewski. This picture book for readers ages 5 to 10 explains how and why fireflies create their amazing annual displays. Written by Arkiszewski and illustrated by Smokies Life Graphic Designer Emma Oxford, “Pho: A Smokies Firefly Adventure” depicts the experiences of a synchronous firefly named Pho (short for Photinus carolinus) as he and his friends partake in a magical synchronous firefly event one moonless summer night in the Smokies. Illustrations complement the text and set the scene for a nighttime forest wonderland where Pho may find his perfect mate — if he can avoid the dangers that lurk ahead.
“The challenge with illustrating a firefly protagonist is creating a charismatic and loveable character,” said Oxford. “I hope that kids will root for him and carry that appreciation to the rest of the insect world!”
“Pho: A Smokies Firefly Adventure” is the debut work of Arkiszewski, a North Carolina elementary educator whose visits to Great Smoky Mountains National Park inspired her to write a story that is sure to delight young firefly fans and enlighten their grown-ups about what’s going on as our forests fill with marvelous twinkling.
“While searching on the park’s website for camping options, I came across the synchronous firefly lottery page, which led me to research more about these fascinating beetles,” said Arkiszewski. “Though we ended up at the camping spot two days after the lottery ended, I was fortunate enough to see some of the spectacular firefly display. From that point on, I knew there was a great story to be told.”
Developed in collaboration with National Park Service experts, the book’s educational back section answers many of the
questions children and adults may have about how and why fireflies create their amazing displays of light, and it also o ers information about observing and protecting them.
“Mary has created a beautiful story that touches on themes of courage, perseverance, friendship, and growth while presenting some fascinating firefly behavior and features,” said Smokies Life Publications Associate Valerie Polk, who edited the book. “Readers will be immersed in both the narrative and Emma’s engaging illustrations as they uncover some of the mystery behind one of the Smokies’ most amazing natural events.”
The 10-by-10-inch storybook is available for $9.99 in the park’s visitor center bookstores and from the Smokies Life online store, SmokiesLife.org. !
SMOKIES LIFE, formerly Great Smoky Mountains Association, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the scientific, historical and interpretive activities of Great Smoky Mountains National Park by providing educational products and services to park visitors. Smokies Life depends on the generous support of its members to fulfill its mission, preserving the Smokies for generations to come. Proceeds from members’ dues and retail stores also support dozens of seasonal rangers and interns who protect and interpret the 800 miles of trails, 100 historic structures, and 21,000 documented species of life preserved in the park. For more information about Smokies Life and to join, visit smokieslife.org.
I’m old enough to have watched the very first televised presidential debate back in 1960 between Vice President Richard Nixon and Senator John Kennedy. I was not, however, old enough then to understand how optics translates to votes. According to surveys, people who listened to the debate on radio thought Nixon won because of his ability to best articulate domestic and foreign policy issues. But those who watched the debate on television saw Kennedy as the hands-down winner. That’s because Nixon refused to wear make-up, had a 5 o’clock shadow, and wore a suit that clashed with the color of the studio background, while JFK
Joe Biden’s Debate Debacle
showed up tanned, rested, and dressed in telegenic attire. The di erence in the two men’s appearance and demeanor was enough to swing the election to Kennedy in what turned out to be the closest presidential contest in history. Since then, I have watched presidential debates every time they were televised. I saw Jimmy Carter look weak in 1980, and four years later I watched Reagan look old and confused in his first debate with Walter Mondale. I witnessed George H.W. Bush looking bored in his 1992 three-way debate with Bill Clinton and Ross Perot. I’ve seen candidates misspeak like when Gerald Ford said there was no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe. And I saw Obama take Mitt Romney to school over military equipment in one of their debates. But never have I seen anything to compare with the performance of Joe Biden in last week’s CNN debate with Donald Trump. Biden shu ed out onto the stage, looked old and pale, gave incoherent answers, and lost his train of thought on
several occasions. It was hands-down the worst debate performance I’ve ever witnessed, and it came against an opponent who is a lying, sexist, misogynist, white supremacist adulterer who incited an insurrection and also happens to be a convicted felon. Any incumbent president should have been able to win a debate against that kind of a man, but Joe Biden couldn’t.
Here’s a sampling of Biden’s incoherent answers.
When trying to explain the revenues we would accrue from his tax plan, Biden completely lost his train of thought and said, “We’ll be able to do the things we need to do, [pause] everything with Covid [pause], I mean [pause], look, we finally beat Medicare.”
like when Trump said, “Let’s not act like children,” Uncle Joe retorted, “You ARE a child.” And speaking of Trump’s sexual encounter with a porn star, Biden said, “You have the morals of an alley cat.”
Also to his credit, Joe did occasionally speak of his policy positions and accomplishments which have helped millions of Americans, but he never articulated them with any conviction, or without slurring his words.
In the post-debate panel discussions, CNN analysts were dismayed by the texts they were receiving from leaders in the Democratic Party, calling Biden’s performance “dismal” and his answers “incoherent.” Biden’s friend and former Obama advisor David Axelrod said the President “seemed disoriented.” And Van Jones said it was painful to watch, “I love Joe Biden, but he failed,” said Jones. Their consensus was that Biden should get out of the race so that a viable candidate could step in to take on Trump in November.
When responding to Trump’s claim that illegal immigrants were killing Americans, Biden said, “A young woman who was murdered, he went to the funeral, and she was murdered by an immigrant, but there are a lot of young women who are raped by their in-laws, spouses, and sisters, and they can do nothing about it when they cross the state line.” Call me naive, but I don’t know of any woman who has ever been raped by her sister.
And when trying to take credit for a reduction in border crossings, Biden said, “I’m going to continue to do more until we get a total ban on border patrol.”
During the 90-minute debate, Biden did manage to come out of his slumber a few times and deliver some zingers,
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As I mentioned before, plenty of candidates have had a weak debate performances and one could posit that Biden’s CNN disaster was similar to Reagan’s first debate with Mondale which made the Gipper look old and confused. But the comparison doesn’t hold up. Reagan came back strong in the second debate and even made light of the age issue. Not only that, but Reagan was 73 at the time and Joe Biden is 81. The other problem is that Reagan was a popular president, while Biden’s approval numbers were in the 30s before the debate. Also, Reagan always seemed youthful, engaged, and communicated a positive vision for the future, while Biden just looks and acts old and can’t articulate a vision for the country even if he had one.
I am no fan of Donald Trump and will never vote for him, but as an impartial journalist, I am compelled to say that Uncle Joe cooked his goose on that debate stage. If the Dems want to beat Trump, someone better convince Biden to drop out now and let California Governor Gavin Newsom step in as the party’s standard bearer. If not, we could have a reboot of 1960, where once again, the man with the tan will win the White House. !
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
& Lyrics by Sara Bareillis Book by Jessie Nelson
Follow the bouncing ball in Blue Lock: The Movie
Blue Lock:
The Movie — Episode Nagi, based on the best-selling manga penned by Muneyuki Kaneshiro (originally titled “Buru Rukko” and also known as “Bluelock”), is the first in what is clearly designed to be a big-screen franchise, having already spawned a popular television series and even a series of theatrical productions based on the property.
The film (originally titled Gekijo-ban Blue Lock — Episode Nagi), which marks the feature debut of director Shunsuke Ishikawa, adheres assiduously to the anime format, in that the elaborate visuals far outweigh a storyline best described as simplistic, often playing like a big-
screen comic book or video game.
As the title indicates, the principal character in this flimsy but flashy narrative is Seishiro Nagi, a pathologically lazy teenager who would rather play video games than exert any e ort into anything else. Yet he is cajoled/goaded/ persuaded to try out for Japan’s national soccer team by a uent, energetic classmate Reo Mikage. In quick succession, they and other hopefuls are whisked o to Blue Lock, a foreboding and sterile training facility lorded over by the aptly named coach Jinpachi Ego, who lays down the law in no uncertain terms. Those players who don’t make the cut and forever forbidden from ever trying out for the team again.
Taku Kishimoto’s screenplay evidently follows the original manga very closely but doesn’t do much more than that. It’s a foregone conclusion that Nagi will tap into his inner spirit of competitiveness and make the team, but it will (naturally) come at a cost. As it prattles along for 91 minutes, it soon becomes clear
that Blue Lock: The Movie is best suited to its pre-existing fan base, anime aficionados, or soccer fans. There aren’t many surprises here, and when the film lurches toward its inexorable conclusion — The Big Match — it abruptly ends, thus leaving that outcome to a future installment. In other words, it’s a big build-up that essentially ends with “To Be Continued.”
Still and all, Blue Lock: The Movie is a painless experience, and devotees of this sort of thing might well get a kick out of it (pun intended). There are worse movies currently in release, but there are also better ones, and this one is best described as being for a specialized audience. You know who you are.
The theaters showing Blue Lock: The Movie — Episode Nagi o er both Japanese (with English subtitles) and English-dubbed versions. Check theater listings for the specific time and audio format. !
Get your hands-on-history by interacting with an eighteenth-century candle maker, blacksmith, woodworker, chair caner, potter, and soldier; sampling food cooked over an open fire; playing Colonial games; touring the 1788 Gemeinhaus and 1834 Log House; going on a scavenger hunt; and exploring archaeological ruins.
Mark Burger
Contributor
[WEEKLY SUDOKU]
brand
Venue for a large conference?
Gofers’ tasks
Football passer who hasn’t eaten all day?
WHAT ARE TAILORED PLANS?
Part of ETA: Abbr.
“Leaving — Vegas”
Trillium Tailored Plan Starts July 1, 2024.
Trillium will still manage serious mental health, substance use, intellectual/developmental disability, and traumatic brain injury services, just as we do today for those receiving Medicaid or who are uninsured. We will be adding physical health and pharmacy services as well for those placed on the Tailored Plan. While many things will remain the same, there are some new programs and changes you will see. Please call us with any questions or visit our website for more information. 1-877-685-2415
#DISTRACTED DRIVING
The National Highway Tra c Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that distracted driving accounts for 9% of all fatal collisions in the United States. In 2020, distractions caused 2,880 crashes, resulting in 3,142 deaths. While distracted driving causes fewer deaths than impaired driving, which accounts for nearly a third of all fatal auto accidents, it remains a serious concern for law enforcement, which in the last decade has been increasingly focused on the issue of texting while driving.
The NHTSA figures indicate 2,880 separate incidents of drivers killing themselves or others due to texting, as most of these collisions involved at least two vehicles, with drivers fatally distracted for myriad reasons. According to national news reports, deadly collisions have resulted from looking at dashboard GPS screens, eating fast food, spilling co ee, panicking when a tiny spider crawled across the wheel or windshield, and a 2016 Detroit incident in which the driver had removed his seatbelt and pants to masturbate.
The NHTSA calls texting “the most alarming distraction,” noting that “sending or reading a text takes your eyes o
the road for 5 seconds,” which at 55 mph, is equivalent to driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.
In 2011, a 16-year-old Columbus County high school student lost control of her vehicle, resulting in a crash that killed her 17-year-old passenger. The highway patrol charged her with misdemeanor death by a motor vehicle, failing to yield, and texting while driving, which has been illegal in the state since 2009.
The law was amended in 2019, when N.C. House Bill 144, “An Act Making It Unlawful to Operate a Wireless Communication Device while Operating a Motor Vehicle on a Public Street, Highway or Public Vehicular Area,” was sponsored by Republicans Kevin Corbin, John Torbett, and Jon Hardister; and Democrat Garland Pierce. On December 1 of that year, North Carolina General Statute 20137.4A, Unlawful use of mobile telephone for text messaging or electronic mail, went into e ect. Significant revisions to the previous law are indicated with bold text.
(a) O ense. - It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a vehicle on a public street or highway or public vehicular area while using a mobile telephone to:
(1) Manually enter multiple letters or text in the device as a means of communicating with another person; or
(2) Read any electronic mail or text message transmitted to the device or stored within the device, provided that this prohibition shall not apply to any name or number stored in the device nor to any caller identification information.
TEXTING AND DRIVING IN THE TRIAD, BY NUMBERS
CITATIONS FOR UNLAWFUL USE OF MOBILE PHONE FOR TEXT MESSAGING IN GREENSBORO BY YEAR
(a1) Motor Carrier O ense. - It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a commercial motor vehicle subject to Part 390 or 392 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations on a public street or highway or public vehicular area while using a mobile telephone or other electronic device in violation of those Parts. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the use of hands-free technology
(b) Exceptions.- The provisions of this section shall not apply to:
(1) The operator of a vehicle that is lawfully parked or stopped
(2) Any of the following while in the performance of their o cial duties: a law enforcement o cer; a member of a fire
department; or the operator of a public or private ambulance.
(3) The use of factory-installed or aftermarket global positioning systems (GPS) or wireless communications devices used to transmit or receive data as part of a digital dispatch system.
(4) The use of voice operated technology.
(c) Penalty. - A violation of this section while operating a school bus, as defined in G.S. 20-137.4(a)(4), shall be a Class 2 misdemeanor and shall be punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00). Any other violation of this
Ian McDowell
section shall be an infraction and shall be punishable by a fine of one hundred dollars ($100.00) and the costs of court. No driver’s license points or insurance surcharge shall be assessed as a result of a violation of this section. Failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not constitute negligence per se or contributory negligence per se by the operator in any action for the recovery of damages arising out of the operation, ownership, or maintenance of a vehicle. (2009-135, s. 2; 2012-78, s. 9.)
According to Winston-Salem Police Public Information O cer Annie Sims, the city has issued 139 citations for violating § 20-137.4A since December 2019. Sims said the department’s reporting system does not break the number of citations down by year or by specific charge. While listing fewer citations, reports from Greensboro and High Point do.
According to High Point Police Communications Specialist Victoria Ruvio, HPD has issued 14 citations for Unlawful use of mobile phone (texting or electronic mail) since 2019, with one in that year, six in 2020, five in 2021, and two in 2022, but none since. The HPD report also shows nine citations for Text MSG/ Electronic Mail Violation in School Bus or Motor Vehicle, with zero in 2019, two in 2020, one in 2021, zero in 2022 and 2023, and one this year. That report lists zero citations for Use of mobile phone while driving under the age of 18. The report sent to YES! Weekly by Greensboro Police Department Public Information Manager Annette Ayres lists 29 citations for Unlawful Use of Mobile Phone for Text Messaging in 2019, eight in 2020, eight in 2021, nine in 2022, three in 2023, and two this year so far. It lists only one for Unlawful Use of Mobile
Phone by School Bus Driver, issued in 2022. It lists zero citations For Unlawful Use of Mobile Phone for Texting or E-Mail CMV (commercial motor vehicle) in 2019 and 2020, one in 2021, two in 2022, one in 2023, and none this year.
This means that, since December 2019, Greensboro has issued a total of 73 citations or o enses involving texting while driving, High Point has issued 46, and Winston-Salem has issued 139.
Noting that “unlike some other states, it is not illegal to hold a cell phone while driving in North Carolina,” Ayres provided the following statement from the GPD: “Distracted driving is a preventable crime that falls on every driver to ensure that it doesn’t occur,” according to Greensboro Police Sgt. A.D. Reed. “Our department works to fully enforce the laws against texting while driving in an e ort to reduce distracted driving and to prevent crashes caused by it.”
The Greensboro Police Department has partnered with the community through various safety campaigns, including an award-winning Message2Die4 program designed to combat this issue with high school students and to encourage drivers of all ages to be accountable.
“Texting apps have changed and we cannot easily see these violations as we are driving down the road,” said Reed. “Just having a phone in your hand is not enough for us to stop a car. “
The consequences of distracted driving can be devastating, not only for the driver but for others on the road.
“It’s not worth losing your life and/or taking the lives of others,” Reed said. !
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.
Calling all So-Called Free Thinkers, 7/7 is DÖLTZ Day
Maybe it’s
dumb, but I’m kicking this article o unconventionally — DÖLTZ is a band of dummies near and dear to my heart. Literally. “Bad Brad” Morton is my partner going on a solid decade, and I’ve been buds with “Mad Matt” Goshow for nearly 20 years now. It’s stupid how neither of those numbers add up, but the math is somehow there.
I’ve been covering Goshow’s bands since my college days writing for The Carolinian at UNC-Greensboro. He was a Philly rat on tour as a teenager in BIG Attack! back then. We’re both firmly in our 30s now. Wild. But while my relations make this extra fun for me — they hold no bearing over the newsworthiness of their release show. Or how hard they rule. And you can see for yourself, July 7 at the Flat Iron.
Affectionately dubbed “DÖLTZ Day,” 7/7 will offer an answer to the age-old question: “What’s in the box,” with DÖLTZ’s tape release freakfest pairing Triangle-rippers Geeked (a N.C. band
to watch) and the Philly maniacs in My Wife’s An Angel.
It’s gonna be loud, fast, and real dang dumb.
Getting to the particulars, DÖLTZ is a melding of guitarist Bad Brad, Mean Dean the drummer, bassist Mad Matt, and Big Bastard on the vocals. “Brad is bad. Dean is mean. Matt is mad. Bastard is big” they clarified. Together, it’s a sight: three short kings and their giant — all button-downed and bowtied or four DÖLTZ under one propeller hat, figuratively speaking.
“DÖLTZ is an entity,” they replied in unison, comparing their trademark headgear to MindMeld agents ala Star Trek ’s Borg race or the aliens from Invasion of the Body Snatchers
“The hats speak through the vehicles that are our human bodies,” DÖLTZ insisted. “We are our Thinking Caps.”
Musing the road of bands their bodies once traveled, “the Thinking Cap only recently brought us together,” they explained, “though we’ve all known each other and have been involved musically for some time now.” Breaking it down: Mad Matt and Bad Brad first played together in The Red Hand, followed by ZAAT with Houston Clark (who was in Life Alert with Big Bastard), they each occasionally sub as bassist in BloodRitual. Mad Matt and Mean Dean, mean-
while, are also brothers in black metal arms and bandmates in Paezor.
Not one to waver, “the hats speak through us,” DÖLTZ emphasized. “These human bodies are merely vehicles for the good word of the Thinking Cap. We did not choose to wear these. They chose us. They were gifted to us in a beautiful vision.”
I’m pretty sure the idea was gifted to them over rounds and laughs at Neighbors late last summer, but the mythos is admittedly more fun. In that vein, DÖLTZ squares that vision in song on the aptly titled “Propeller.” “We must listen to the hat,” they said. “We must obey the Thinking Cap. It is who we are. It has become one with us and will soon become one with all. The world shall see and be born anew. We believe in the blade atop our melon. We are one. We are all one DÖLTZ.”
One thing is for certain: DÖLTZ is one for pageantry — pageantry in a very loud package, with slight variation on a simple theme: “Hardcore for Dummies,” drawing inspiration from their own “dumbness, stupidity, idiocy, imbeciles, halfwits, dimwits, morons, dunces, and things of that nature.”
“Mostly influenced by 80s punk and hardcore — wild and fast,” the ploy itself is pretty elementary — they just don’t know any better — and besides, “it’s
what the hat wants.”
“We always thought that most music these days has too many words, or words that are just too big,” they said, attempting to explain. “We don’t understand it. We can’t go around with a dictionary and a portable cassette player — our pants don’t have enough pockets. We just wanted to make music that was more easily digestible for the common man. Your average everyday person.”
“‘Taking Care of Business,’ now there’s a simple song for a simple man,” they continued, dropping some random Bachman-Turner Overdrive. “We like that. More stuff like that. That’s why we make hardcore for dummies. Because deep down, we’re all really dumb. Whether you’re Big or Bad, or Mad or Mean. Or even if you’re a Bastard. Our music is for you.”
While there’s no BTO in their set — though they’ve been known to throw out the occasional Slayer or Zero Boys cover “ DÖLTZ” debut release tape, “SoCalled Free Thinkers,” is six tracks of alloriginals. “It’s what we are,” they said, referencing every song as its own single — and their debut release as “basically a greatest hits.”
Steadfast, they mean they are on
Katei Cranford
Contributor
songs like “I mean I Am,” and the lastminute addition “Class Clown.” Altogether, it’s a breakneck of a tape — with art that rips off Blitz and tracks that rip from start to finish.
Giving credit where it’s due, “shoutout to Jeff Poleon from Quarantine for doing the album art,” DÖLTZ said, “and to Young Lambo [Landon Tuttle] of Bottled Violence fame, for all the help with recording and letting us use his computer.”
Like any good idiot, DÖLTZ gets by on the skin of DIY and a little help from their friends — with Mad Matt in the engineer chair — recording at their practice space, at “Mike and Yanni’s” house, and capturing an over-the-phone feature by Brandish’s Ryan Casmirri from his home in Philadelphia.
“Big thanks to Ryan for calling and pretending to be his dad,” they said, listing Charles Casmirri as a “huge” influence. “We truly wouldn’t be who we are without ya, Chuck!”
“Mostly the songs are just about being dumb,” they continued, linking influential figures and tracks inspired by true stories like ”Friend or F**ko,” which follows the “harrowing tale of a mob-
ster driving across the country to kill his daughter’s ex-boyfriend — even though one might say the ex-boyfriend is the true good guy of the story and he didn’t do anything wrong, even a little.”
One might also suggest reading that description in a hard Philly accent — or have real Philadelphians read it to you during the “DÖLTZ Day” tape release.
“It’s gonna be bananas,” DÖLTZ said, indicating they’ll have “shirt, tape, and other shirt” available — but that their billmates are the freaks to see.
“My Wife’s An Angel are friends of ours and are actually kind of scary,” they said. “They’re like Viagra Boys on crack — noisy dance punk viewed through some crazy tongue-in-cheek psychosis
or something. It’s awesome.” Geeked, meanwhile, balances the freak-quency with chaotic Triangle resonance and their own manic blend of super highenergy psych-punk.
DÖLTZ intends to keep that energy flowing on a tour with BloodRitual to the beach — specifically the beach — followed by the pair playing Hank Williams” [no, not that Hank Williams — unless you mean the NC Thrashitorium king] Beach Party Terror birthday show with TOOTH, Mania for Conquest, and Resurrector at Reggie’s 42 in Wilmington on July 13.
Once back to “rocking in the free world” of the Triad, DÖLTZ’ plans are naturally simple: “We’re just gonna keep writing dumb music,” they said, turning cryptic. “The plan has almost come to fruition. The beginning is just around the corner. Give yourselves up to the Thinking Cap. You too can one day understand greatness and bask in all its glory.”
…or whatever that means.
Put on your thinking cap, y’all. DÖLTZ Day dawns, July 7 at the Flat Iron in Greensboro. !
KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who enjoys spotlighting artists and events.
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Ben from BloodRitual rides Big Bastard like a Dinosaur during Die by the Sword
[SALOME’S STARS]
Week of July 8, 2024
[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Your Arian leadership qualities can help bring order out of confusion, whether it’s on the job or at home. But be careful to guide, not goad, others into following you.
[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Applying a more personal view to a job-linked issue could help provide better insight into persistent problems. Use your keen Taurean logic to cut through the double talk.
[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Taking some time o could be the best way to get through a seemingly endless round of demands. You’ll return refreshed and ready to tackle things from a new perspective.
[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Restoring a sagging professional relationship takes a lot of e ort. By all means, state your position. But also make sure that you pay close attention to the other person’s point of view.
[LEO (July 23 to August 22) A hot prospect intrigues the Big Cat, who is always on the prowl for a promising investment. But be careful that this “promise” has a chance of being kept. Check it out more carefully.
[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A friend could use some of your compassion and concern. If they don’t ask for help, be sure that you step up and make the first move. Also, check out a new career possibility.
[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You might have di culty getting your opinions heard because of all the noise being made by the other side. But hang in
there. Others should line up with you once they learn the facts.
[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) O ering to help a colleague is commendable. But before you commit your time and e ort, check to see if this person’s situation is all that they have led you to believe it is.
[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) You should soon be seeing positive results from your recent e orts on behalf of a family member. On another matter, check that you have all the facts regarding a job assignment.
[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Your aspects favor closer family relationships this week. Take time for visits, whether in person, by phone, by mail or in cyberspace. Let them know how important they are to you.
[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A missed opportunity isn’t always a negative. Maybe your instincts are telling you not to rush into something you “thought” was worthwhile. Make time for family this weekend.
[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your sense of humor helps you get through a tricky situation. But some stick-in-the-muds might not be so willing to make the changes that you and others agree are necessary.
[BORN THIS WEEK: You have a gift for making everyone you know — or even just met — feel important and welcome in your life.
[TRIVIA TEST]
by Fifi Rodriguez
[1. MUSIC: What is a didgeridoo?
[2. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a baby swan called?
[3. HISTORY: What is the name of the treaty that ended the Revolutionary War?
[4. GEOGRAPHY: In which country is the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia located?
[5. SCIENCE: What does a hertz measure?
[6. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What color is most of the toilet paper in France?
[7. PSYCHOLOGY: What irrational fear is represented by coulrophobia?
[8. LANGUAGE: What is the first character to be added to Morse Code since WWII?
[9. LITERATURE: What is the term for a section at the end of a book that concludes what has happened?
[10. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president turned down o ers to play professional football after college graduation?
answer
10. Gerald Ford.
9. An epilogue.
8. The @ symbol (2004).
7. Fear of clowns.
6. Pink.
5. Frequency.
4. Barcelona, Spain.
3. The Treaty of Paris.
2. A cygnet.
1. A wind instrument used by Australia’s indigenous people.
