YES! Weekly - May 20, 2020

RIVERRUN STREAMING

P. 5

BRIAN JAMES

voting extended!

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2020

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SWEET DREAM

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t h e t r i a d s b e s t. c o m

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MAY 20-26, 2020 VOLUME 16, NUMBER 21

10 WE DELIVER, BUT WE NEED YOU! Like many businesses in the Triad, we have lost revenue.

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MAY 20-26, 2020

ART IS ALIVE

5500 Adams Farm Lane Suite 204 Greensboro, NC 27407 Office 336-316-1231 Fax 336-316-1930

ART IS ALIVE website is a collaborative effort by three prominent artists and a creative director looking to unite and help struggling artists during this unprecedented health crisis. Art Is Alive was spearheaded by Greensboro native and queen of Americana Rhiannon Giddens in collaboration with her friend and fellow singer-songwriter/musician Amanda Palmer, Palmer’s husband, critically-acclaimed author Neil Gaiman, and Giddens’s tour manager/creative director Noelle Panepento.

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Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com EDITORIAL Editor KATIE MURAWSKI katie@yesweekly.com Contributors IAN MCDOWELL JOHN BATCHELOR TERRY RADER MARK BURGER KATIE CRANFORD JIM LONGWORTH

PRODUCTION Graphic Designers ALEX FARMER designer@yesweekly.com AUSTIN KINDLEY artdirector@yesweekly.com

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Winston-Salem artist CHRISTIAN LANNIE is one of several artists who have donated art to raise money in an online art auction on June 20 benefitting Mixxer, a community makerspace.

5 The RIVERRUN International Film Festival is offering paid steaming of films that had been selected to be shown at this year’s festival. With both the safety and satisfaction of film fans in mind, they can enjoy a RiverRun “mini-festival” in the comfort of home, at their leisure.

6 ...we tend to forget that on Feb. 1, the citizens of Greensboro actually had some good news to celebrate. That’s the day BRIAN JAMES was sworn in as the City’s 23rd Chief of Police. James, who has served on the police force for over two decades, is a native of Greensboro, attended Page High School, and graduated from NC A&T. Chief James stopped by the Triad Today studio in March to talk about his promotion, and the challenges he faces in his new job.

7 This week, we’re having ASIAN, including a long time favorite that has recently reopened. I’ve been a longtime

regular at Imperial Koi, my place of choice for sushi, and I’ve enjoyed takeout selections here often. They are open MondaySaturday, 12-8:30 p.m., for pick up.

12 “I think there’s a majority on the council that supports making masks mandatory,” MAYOR NANCY VAUGHAN told YES! Weekly on Friday. When asked why the Greensboro City Council has not yet formally deliberated or voted on such a requirement, Vaughan said that the reason is not concern over resistance from the general public or violent protesters, but the difficulty in getting city employees to comply.

14 SWEET DREAM puts out its first full-length album, Caricature, on June 5.

Taking a cue from Tame Impala, multiinstrumentalist Julian Creech-Pritchett embodies Sweet Dream’s band-of-one while tackling roles as a producer, engineer and a senior at UNCG. “I love being a multi-instrumentalist, it makes it easy to record pretty much anytime I want,” he said. “It’s challenging, but rewarding when done well.”

ADVERTISING Marketing TRAVIS WAGEMAN travis@yesweekly.com Promotion NATALIE GARCIA

DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT KYLE MUNRO CARL PEGRAM SHANE MERRIMAN JESSE GUERRA 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 every Wednesday by Womack Newspapers, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. First copy is free, all additional copies are $1.00. Copyright 2020 Womack Newspapers, Inc.

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[SPOTLIGHT] HEALTH CARE WORKER DELIVERS BABY DURING PANDEMIC

BY KATIE MURAWSKI After working on the COVID-19 pandemic frontlines, Danielle Goins, a case manager at a local hospital, welcomed her new baby, Etta Catherine Goins, to the world on April 24.

Goins said as a case manager, she helps families make decisions for their loved ones by assisting with discharge planning and assisting with skilled nursing placement.

“I’ve not directly had to care for a COVID patient, as we made precautions to save PPE, those consults could be done by phone,” Goins wrote in a Facebook message. “I realized this virus was becoming serious when I saw how quickly it was spreading in the United States. At first, I thought in North Carolina, we wouldn’t get it as bad. But as it quickly spread state to state, I understood it to be much more dangerous. When I saw how the hospitals I work with appeared nervous about it, then I definitely took it very seriously.”

Goins said while she was working, the requirements and precautions were everchanging.

“At first, it was just to wear a surgical mask when around the patients. Then, an N95 if they were doing a breathing treatment. Then, it became an N95 at all times,” she stated. “I realized no one had a true understanding of the virus and how it was spreading. Things changed minute by minute, it seemed. We were given one surgical mask to wear all day. I was nervous because everyone wasn’t getting tested, and we were learning more and more about people having it but being asymptomatic.”

When she realized how fast COVID-19 was spreading, she said she started being concerned for her health as well as the health of her family.

“I was scared and nervous, as I was

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CALLING ALL ARTISTS

pregnant, and worried that if I contracted it, could I have a premature birth or pass it to my newborn or my 2-year-old? I was worried if I went to deliver and coughed, then I would be separated from my newborn.”

Goins was also worried that the hospital visitor restrictions would prevent anyone from being in the delivery room with her.

“I had back up plans to have my boss at the hospital be present in the delivery room so she could FaceTime my husband,” Goins noted. “Luckily, they never made it where he couldn’t come. But we were unable to have any family come see me. My coworkers who worked in the hospital weren’t allowed to come see me either. That was hard after having a C-section to not have any help after except my husband, who was exhausted as well!”

Even though her baby is out of the hospital, Goins said she still has to take Etta back intermittently for newborn checkups, and that presents its own challenges.

“Taking Etta to the doctor for her newborn checks is hard because they only allow one parent in,” Goins wrote. “Since I’m still recovering, a nurse has to carry her in from the car and back out for me.”

Even though this wasn’t an ideal time to have a baby, Goins and her family are making it work, and most importantly, Etta is healthy and safe.

“Etta is doing great! She’s gaining weight,” Goins wrote. “Toby loves his little sister, and we are adjusting to a family of four. It’s hard not having family and friends come over to see her or be able to take her anywhere. I don’t go to any stores, and we try to order online and have things delivered. I’m going a little stir crazy for not being able to get out and go places, but we are doing OK.” !

YES! Weekly is producing the TRIAD COLORING BOOK and as a way to support local artists and the arts community, we are giving back a portion of the proceeds to all artists featured.

We are looking for an 8.5 x 11, black and white, line art drawing of a Triad person, place or thing. Submit drawings to publisher@yesweekly.com in a high-resolution PDF. Call 336-316-1231 for more information.

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‘Supernatural meets natural’ art raises money for Winston-Salem makerspace

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instonSalem artist Christian Lannie is one of several artists who have donated art to raise money in an online art auction on June 20 benefitting Mixxer, a Terry Rader community makerspace. Lannie recently returned Contributor from a month-long trip in Thailand that had a huge impact on his art. He said when he had to selfquarantine back home, all he could do was paint large, vivid images from his trip. He said he was able to spend lots of time in Buddhist temples and galleries, gawking at the colorful art (with some works towering at 50-60 feet tall) and architecture.

He said he had been painting ever since the pandemic hit and social distancing put a stop to his massage business, along with an art show he was going to be in at the Winston-Salem Public Library. When a friend told him about the auction, Lannie donated two of his 12 new paintings to help out.

Lannie, a licensed massage therapist, had gone to Chiang Mai, Thailand, in January to attain advanced training in Thai Massage, along with some much-needed rest and relaxation at the country’s mountains and beaches.

Maneuvering in uncharted territory regarding work is something Lannie has been learning since 2008, when he came “within a stone’s throw of death” after he hurt his back. He said that experience made him think a lot about what was important in his life, and what wasn’t—so, he decided that he didn’t want to go back to working as a corporate banker with large companies. Through his healing process and a series of trying new experiences, Lannie said he began his exploration in art about seven years ago. While he had always appreciated art, he said that in the corporate environment, making art didn’t seem like a possibility.

Lannie paints with acrylics on large pieces of durable, double-primed plywood. He buys 4-foot by 8-foot pieces of plywood from a friend who builds custom frames with repurposed wood, and he YES! WEEKLY

MAY 20-26, 2020

cuts them down to halves and thirds. He said he paints what he sees in nature, and melds it with something beyond this planet. Lannie describes his art as being where the “supernatural meets natural.”

Lannie said he would force himself to paint if he got frustrated, sad or depressed because when he felt the worst, the best art would come out. Lannie said he paints for the “peace of it all.”

“When I look back to when I got hurt, I had been given so many warning signs,” Lannie said. “Follow your love, follow your passion, and do what turns you on.

You’re only here for a brief time, enjoy it.

That’s where I’m at, things make more sense when I’m creating, I’m in touch with something bigger than myself.”

Another venture put on hold are his Singing Bowl Meditations for stress, anxiety, and insomnia through his studies with a Thai Nepal sound healing lineage teacher. He said that this is not something you can do online, as you need to be present with the bowls or you lose the vibration. He has an event with his bowls in July (contingent upon things opening back up) while a yoga paddle-boarding teacher instructs his students on the water.

Estaman.vip/(which is Namaste spelled backward) is his website where he sells “giggles” via hats and T-shirts “to help adults recognize the BS in each other.”

Lannie said he is looking for barren places to paint murals. His art is for sale (see Instagram), and he accepts commissions.

He also sells Buddhist statues that he “fell in love with” in Thailand. When people ask him how he did all of this, he tells them “it is all due to a decade in the making,” and in his experience, creatives are the hardest working people he has ever known.

Elaine Lamson, community events manager of Mixxer, said that since the makerspace was unable to help its members during the stay-at-home mandate, it has been helping frontline workers in the community instead. She said Mixxer has just hit 6,500 pieces of personal protection equipment that will be donated as lasercut face shields, 3D buckles to hold masks off the ears, as well as medical devices.

After using the last of its nonprofit budget, Mixxer is now calling on the community for support and to purchase art at the online auction.

Lamson said that there would be lots of big and small handmade pieces to bid on

from sewing to beading to woodworking, and more. All are donated by the artists, entrepreneurs, hobbyists, builders, and enthusiasts that come from as far away as Raleigh to receive hands-on training to use tools in Mixxer’s various labs, along with a strong educational component in teacher-training.

“We have a beautiful community of art makers that are stepping up to help us recoup our losses,” Lamson said. “Anyone can purchase one-day, multiple-day, month or year-long passes plus gift certificates. We also welcome teachers to sign up with us and be paid to teach virtual classes. There are many ways to use our programming.” !

TERRY RADER is a freelance writer/editorial/content/ copy, creative consultant/branding strategist, communications outreach messenger, poet and emerging singer/ songwriter.

WANNA

see?

Christian Lannie’s art can be found on Instagram @horse_of_many_colors, www.etsaman.vip/, (336) 682-7492. The June 20 online auction is at www.wsmixxer.org/mixxerfightscovid/

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RiverRun’s ‘Virtual Theater’ now available The RiverRun International Film Festival is offering paid streaming of films that had been selected to be shown at this year’s festival. With both the safety and satisfaction of film Mark Burger fans in mind, they can enjoy a RiverRun “mini-festival” in the Contributor comfort of home, at their leisure.

These films can be accessed for purchased viewing at www. riverrunfilm.com/virtual-theater/. Each film and distributor have unique distribution plans, so ticket pricing on each film will vary. Some titles are now available to view, while others will be available beginning Friday, and additional titles added subsequently.

“Just like many other film festivals and events around the globe, we have worked hard to still provide great content for our supports, even though it is not in the traditional theater setting,” explained Mary Dossinger, RiverRun’s programming director. “The idea of a ‘Virtual Theater’ is something that we are happy to bring film fans, and we urge everyone to keep an eye on our social media accounts and email newsletters for any additional screenings that may become available.”

The films that are now streaming include American Trial: The Eric Garner Story, a speculative and unscripted courtroom drama featuring actual attorneys participating in a mock trial regarding the 2014 choking death of Eric Garner in New York City.

VHYes, which was filmed entirely on VHS and Beta, is a quirky, retro comedy about a 12-year-old boy who accidentally records home videos and late-night television shows over his parents’ wedding video, directed by Jack Henry Robbins (son of Oscar-winners Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon).

Beginning Friday, viewers can also enjoy Life in Synchro, an in-depth examination of synchronized ice skating that follows a group of women skaters as they practice and perfect their techniques in the hopes of qualifying for the Olympics. This film is being presented to commemorate Film Festival Day in conjunction with the Film Festival Alliance, of which RiverRun is a member. The Film Festival Alliance creates a collaborative global community for mission-driven film festivals, and advoWWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

American Trial: The Eric Garner Story cates a sustainable and inclusive environment within the film exhibition ecosystem and creates a collective expression for film festivals and those who run them.

Friday also marks “opening day” for Military Wives, a bittersweet comedy starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Sharon Horgan, about women forming a choir and becoming a media sensation while their partners are serving in Afghanistan. Directed by Peter Cattaneo, who earned an Oscar nomination for The Full Monty (1997), this was to have been the opening-night film at RiverRun on March 26, and had actually sold out before the festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For music mavens, My Darling Vivian (also available Friday) is director Matt Riddlehoover’s profile of Vivian Liberto, the first wife of superstar Johnny Cash and mother of his four daughters, as well as the author of the best-selling 2007 memoir, “I Walked the Line.”

Rob Davis, RiverRun’s executive director, said the festival “is coping well under the circumstances. I’ve always felt we were an ‘adaptable’ organization, and that’s a trait that’s serving us well at present.”

One of the festival’s most popular events, the “Pitch Fest,” was conducted this year in a unique but necessary fashion – by having the student filmmakers pitch their ideas for a documentary film by recording a five-minute video from their home. The videos were reviewed by a panel of film industry experts, and the winners received cash prizes to help fund their film projects. The first-place winner was Painting Your Room in My Heart (Yuqi Lu, Wake Forest University), and the

COURTESY OF RIVERRUN

second-place winner was Clickbait: Stop the Traffic (Madison Rae Reitz, UNCWilmington).

“Adjusting ‘Pitch Fest’ to an online format allowed RiverRun to still be able to offer this opportunity for new filmmakers to learn from industry professionals and grow as filmmakers,” explained Caroline McMahon, the festival’s programming and operations associate. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the cooperation of the students, their advisers, and the judges – and I commend everyone on being so resilient and adaptable!”

Adapting to an entirely new format has not been easy, but Davis is pleased by the festival’s ability to do so.

“We had almost 2,900 plays of our free online North Carolina Shorts programs, and we were thrilled with that level of response. We’ve had great feedback via email and social media. Some viewers made donations equivalent to the cost of a RiverRun ticket, and we were especially grateful for those contributions.”

The 23rd annual RiverRun International Festival is currently scheduled for April 8-18, 2021.

For more information about the festival, visit the official website, www. riverrunfilm.com/. !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies on Burgervideo.com. © 2020, Mark Burger.

Food Truck Schedule These Food Trucks will be serving in the YES! Weekly parking lot at 5500 Adams Farm Lane, Greensboro, NC

King Queen Haitian Cuisine

Wednesday, May 20 from 11am - 2pm www.facebook.com/kingqueen.haitian.cuisine

Big Will’s Famous Hot Dogs

Thursday, May 21 from 11am - 2pm www.backyardflamesnc.com

If you are a food truck and want to participate, call our office at (336) 316-1231 or email publisher@yesweekly.com

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EVENTS AND CATERING

MAY 20-26, 2020

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Brian James: Homegrown crimefighter

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hus far, 2020 has been anything but a banner year for Greensboro. Except for Charlotte, the Gate City area has had more deaths resulting from Jim Longworth COVID-19 than any other locality in the state. And so, we Longworth tend to forget that at Large on Feb. 1, the citizens of Greensboro actually had some good news to celebrate. That’s the day Brian James was sworn in as Greensboro’s 23rd Chief of Police. James, who has served on the police force for over two decades, is a native of Greensboro, attended Page High School, and graduated from NC A&T. Chief James stopped by the Triad Today studio in March to talk about his promotion, and

the challenges he faces in his new job.

Jim: Who or what led you to a career in law enforcement?

Brian: It was actually one of my neighbors who was a police officer. His name is Tony Phifer. He’s a retired Captain with the Greensboro Police Department, so he was the first police officer I really knew and gave me an interest in law enforcement.

Jim: How old were you when you met Tony?

Brian: Probably high school, around 16 or 17 years old, and he had just gotten on the police force back then.

Jim: You recently completed a series of community meetings. What have you learned from them?

Brian: We look at stats all the time.

We look at crime figures to determine where our people should be and where we should try and improve our services.

But you really can’t substitute talking with people. And what I’ve learned is there are a lot of problems that don’t

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MAY 20-26, 2020

show up in crime numbers, and there are things we should be concerned about.

In some areas of town, a particular problem may not pop up as a crime stat, but it is an issue that law enforcement should address.

Jim: A lot of people of color who I talk with either have a distrust of or a disdain for police. What are you going to do to try and change that dynamic?

Brian: Part of the strategy is getting out in front of people, so I’ve got to be that face, and I want all of my people to follow that lead. I want us to be able to get out in front of people, talk about issues, whether they’re good or bad. And if we’ve made a mistake, we want to admit to it and fix it as quick as possible.

But really find out on the front end what people are seeing that they don’t like, and maybe there are some things we can correct before they happen. So, I think to build that trust, they have to get to know me as a person, and once they get to know me, hopefully, they’ll get to trust me.

Jim: Get to know you as a person and not as a uniform.

Brian: Correct.

Jim: Let’s talk about gun violence, which isn’t just a problem in Greensboro.

It’s all over the state. Are you in favor of tighter restrictions on guns? And if so, where does that put you with the folks

who might think you’re trying to take their guns away?

Brian: I am for responsible gun ownership. For people who can legally possess guns, I certainly support that.

But, at the same time, if you’re a gun owner, you have to be responsible in how you care for that firearm. I’ll give you an example. We have a number of guns that are stolen out of vehicles, and those guns end up in the hands of criminals, and they do harm with those guns. So, we have to think about that aspect of it.

Jim: Given your background growing up here, what does it mean to you personally that you’re now the police chief of your city?

Brian: It’s incredible. I think about how I was primarily raised by my mom, a single mom. I went to school right here in Greensboro, went to Page High School, went to A&T, and quite frankly I just wanted to be a police officer, I wasn’t thinking about being the police chief. I had some great opportunities that put me in a position where I could legitimately compete for it, and fortunately, I got the job.

We’re all fortunate that Chief James got the job, and we wish him well. !

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).

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chow

EAT IT!

John Batchelor’s recommendations for takeout: Part VIII

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his week, we’re having Asian, including a long time favorite that has recently reopened.

I’ve been a longtime regular at Imperial Koi (imperialkoigso.com, 1941 New Garden Rd., 336-286-3000), my place of choice for sushi, and I’ve enjoyed takeout selections here often.

They are open Monday-Saturday, 12-8:30 p.m., for pick up.

My favorite item is Dragon’s Nest- a half avocado, filled with tuna enhanced with sesame oil. Spicy mayonnaise and ponzu sauce add the flavor profile.

Steamed Edamame- soy beans in pods, salted- is both flavorful and healthy.

Rocky Shrimp are tempura fried, presented over a bed of greens with yuzu mayonnaise. For a wide ranging taste adventure, get Dim Sum Platter- small servings of vegetable spring rolls, shrimp shumai (shrimp and water chestnuts in steamed dumplings), lobster dumplings, and pork wontons, with spicy mustard.

Asian Pear and Beet Salad with feta cheese and lemongrass vinaigrette is a delight.

The sushi and sashimi list is extensive.

In particular, I like Angry Dragon- shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, papaya, and spicy imitation crab with eel and rutta sauces.

Crazy Tuna combines spicy tuna, black pepper tuna, mango, avocado, asparagus, and radish sprouts with spicy mayonnaise and wasabi mayonnaise.

If you yearn for upscale Chinese, get Roasted Peking Duck with lotus leaf buns and sesame infused hoisin barbecue sauce. Day Boat Scallops are exceptional, served over mushroom and spinach risotto with vanilla buttermilk.

Sea Bass is glazed with miso, served with orzo, spinach, and oyster mushrooms.

Thai Spiced Lamb Chops are pan-seared, combined with lavender jus, and presented over mashed potatoes and sugar snow peas. Crispy Flounder is battered and deep fried, scattered with diced bell peppers, onions, and pineapple, dressed in a sweet and sour chili sauce.

Phoenix Asian (phoenixasiancuisine. com, 1641 New Garden Rd., 336-8555158) reopened May 5 for takeout, 4-8 p.m. This place has a separate entrance for pickup.

The Sushi and Sashimi list ranges from eel to shrimp to snapper to tuna and salmon, with octopus to boot.

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My personal inclinations lean more toward the regular appetizer and entrée section. I like Firecracker Shrimp, wokfried and served with a spicy-hot sauce.

BBQ Spare Ribs are hearty. Lettuce Wraps are chilled and filled with shiitake mushrooms, crunchy water chestnuts, plus chicken if you want. Pot Stickers are another favorite, minced pork in dumplings, steamed or fried. Ahi Tuna is seared, presented over seaweed salad.

Wok Stirred Flounder is blended with ginger, garlic, red onions, basil, and bell pepper slices. Cantonese Shrimp or Scallops are fairly mild, lightly fried with snow peas, scallions, and garlic. In Sweet and Spicy Walnut Shrimp, candied walnuts join sweet-spicy plum sauce. Kung Pao Shrimp or Scallops occupy the hotter end of the spectrum, stir-fried with dried hot chili peppers and peanuts.

Mu Shu Pork is classic, tenderloin wokseared with cabbage, bamboo shoots, scallions, eggs, and mushrooms, served with hoisin sauce and thin pancakes.

Beef with Basil is stir-fried with hot peppers and sweet onions.

Thai Square (thaisquaregso.com, 3361 Battleground Ave., 336-907-7845) opened in 2019.

In a full review, I complemented Fresh Rolls of soft rice paper rolled around crisp shredded lettuce, celery, fresh basil, carrot slivers, and large shrimp, decorated with Thai basil. Thai Dumplings are available steamed or fried, enclosing ground and blended chicken, pork, and shrimp, redolent of Thai spices.

Salad entrees here make an especially good, light dinner. Som Tom, for example, joins shrimp with shredded papaya, ground peanuts and diced tomatoes, along with carrots, with a spicy Thai chili dressing.

The longest section of the entrée menu offers a choice of proteins or vegetarian ingredients in various preparations, all accompanied by multiple fresh vegetables. My favorite is Red Thai Curry, bathed in coconut milk with bamboo shoots, green peppers, fresh green beans, carrots, and lots of Thai basil.

Cilantro Shrimp are sautéed in white wine and garlic butter, the deep green colors of cilantro leaves and broccoli contrasting with bright orange carrot slices. Ginger Salmon is plated with stir-fried onions, green peppers, carrots, mushrooms, and fresh ginger, ladled with house made soy sauce.

For other restaurants to consider, access my previous takeout series at issuu. com/yesweekly. !

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.

MAY 20-26, 2020

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If you think your pet is the CUTEST in the Triad

here’s your chance to give them Triad wide fame and notoriety they deserve by entering...

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leisure [NEWS OF THE WEIRD] SIGN OF THE TIMES

In South America, some families of people who have died of COVID-19 have had to wait days for a coffin, either because of the short supply or Chuck Shepherd they were unable to afford one, the Associated Press reported on May 8. In response, ABC Displays, a Colombian advertising company, has developed a cardboard hospital bed with metal railings that can be converted into a coffin. The beds can hold a weight of 330 pounds and will cost about $85 each, company manager Rodolfo Gomez said.

He plans to donate 10 beds and hopes to receive orders for more from emergency clinics that might run short on beds.

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People in Washington’s Puget Sound were startled on the evening of May 6 by a brilliant streak of light across the sky followed three minutes later by a loud explosion. “Huge boom that shook the house. It was the loudest boom I’ve ever heard,” one witness in Brier reported, according to KOMO. The American Meteor Society investigated the many reports it fielded and determined the noise came from an exploding meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere. The meteor may have been part of the annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower, which occurs when Earth moves through the remnants of Halley’s comet.

BRIGHT IDEAS

Restaurants have adapted to local lockdowns with curbside and drive-thru services, so it’s no surprise that other businesses are following suit. Minx Gentlemen’s Club in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is offering drive-thru pole dances and other entertainment in a makeshift outdoor space, according to The Sun. Dancers were showered with bills or grabbed their tips using a trash picker to reach into vehicles as patrons enjoyed the performances from the safety of their cars. Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, Little Darlings is offering completely nude drive-up strip teases. “Guests can drive up to the front door, and we’re going to have dancers separated by the 6-foot separation rule, and (customers) can enjoy a totally nude show right from the seat of their car,” a Little Darlings spokesperson told KSNV.

RECENT ALARMING HEADLINE

In Clocolan, Free State Province, South Africa, where the now-seven-week-long lockdown includes a ban on buying or selling alcoholic beverages, thieves broke into the Rest in Peace funeral parlor and made off with four gallons of exhumation liquid, the Daily Mail reported on May 12. The fluid, used to preserve body parts that have been exhumed, is 97% alcohol, police spokesperson Brigadier Motansi Makhele said, and the burglars had to break through roller blinds and into a locked steel cabinet to get to the liquid. A forensic officer predicted: “If the thieves drink that liquid without watering it right down, then they will drop dead themselves!”

INEXPLICABLE

In 2006, Armin Meiwes, now 58, was convicted of killing, dismembering and slowly eating Bernd Brandes, 43, over a number of months in Rotenburg, Germany, but today, the man who advertised himself as a “friendly and polite” cannibal, goes for “walks around town” with a police escort and wearing sunglasses and a cap to disguise himself. Meiwes had advertised in 2001 on a website called The Cannibal Cafe for “a well-built 18- to 30-year-old to be slaughtered and then consumed,” and Brandes answered the ad. At trial, Meiwes told the court he had always dreamed of having a younger brother “to be a part of me” and thought cannibalism would be a way to satisfy that obsession. Two officers accompany Meiwes on his outings, reports the Daily Mail, and he is described by his keepers as a “friendly, outgoing, polite” prisoner who is helpful to others, attends church services and works in the prison laundry.

FLORIDA

A Mother’s Day bouquet became a weapon during an altercation in Pinellas County, Florida, early on May 11. Sandra Kay Webb, 32, allegedly became angry with her husband because he bought flowers for her children to give her for Mother’s Day. The Smoking Gun reported that Webb threw the bouquet at her husband and hit him with it, then spit on him. Webb was charged with domestic battery; she admitted throwing the flowers, but denied the spitting. !

© 2020 Chuck Shepherd. Universal Press Syndicate.

Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.

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Art is Alive: Rhiannon Giddens, Amanda Palmer, Neil Gaiman team up to assist artists, creative communities affected by COVID-19

Katie Murawski

“We can’t eat art, but it feeds us.

Art is the glue that ties us together.

Art is what makes us feel real.

Art is not an excessive luxury.

ART IS A MUST. IN ART WE TRUST.”

YES! WEEKLY

PHOTO BY KYLE CASSIDY PROVIDED UNDER THE CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE

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his poem can be found on the Art Is Alive website, www.artliveson.com, which is a collaborative effort by three prominent artists and a creative director looking to unite and help struggling artists during this unprecedented health crisis. Art Is Alive was spearheaded by Greensboro native and queen of Americana Rhiannon Giddens in collaboration with her friend and fellow singer-songwriter/musician Amanda Palmer, Palmer’s husband, critically-acclaimed author Neil Gaiman, and Giddens’s tour manager/creative director Noelle Panepento.

Giddens was at her home in Limerick, Ireland, watching her children play with Legos on her living room floor while she spoke with YES! Weekly over the phone on April 16. Before the pandemic canceled everything, Giddens said she was at the tail-end of her international tour in Australia.

“I was in the middle of [a tour] in Australia when things started hitting the fan,” Giddens said. “I had to cancel the last five dates of my tour— it was one more Sydney date and then four concerts in Japan—and fly everyone home.”

Luckily, she said she was able to make it back home before the borders closed.

The pandemic didn’t just cut her tour short, it had canceled 10 of her upcoming gigs in Europe and postponed some of her upcoming projects such as Omar, an opera about an enslaved African-Muslim man, that she wrote and composed last year. Omar was supposed to debut on May 22 at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, South Carolina.

“I am like everyone else,” she said. “I am on the luckier side because I was on tour for my record, and there were no

Editor

PHOTO FROM BIGHASSEL.COM

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Rhiannon Giddens

Amanda Palmer

Neil Gaiman in 2013

others, so I was kind of on the windingdown side. It was not like I was just [starting the tour]. You know, all of the investment you put into releasing a record is really skewed heavy on the front part of it, so I was really lucky to be able to do that last year. I know a lot of others who were starting their tour this spring and just releasing a record, so you know that money doesn’t come back—the money you put into the promo and all of that. So yeah, it is tough times.”

Giddens conceived the idea behind Art Is Alive when she was still in Australia, witnessing how the virus was affecting everyone simultaneously.

“I am in a fairly good position; I have some money saved up, I’m on a grant (hopefully that continues to pay) but I know a lot of people aren’t and a lot of people who are just starting out or close to the margin, and I was just like, what’s going to happen to all those folks? Are

they going to get evicted? So, I started seeing that people were starting to put up lists of resources all over the place. It seemed like we should consolidate them, and try to create a space for fans and artists.”

“We are only as great as the sum of our parts,” Panepento said in a phone interview on April 15. “What if we all worked together, picked a couple of organizations or created an organization where we are all pooling our resources and efforts to have something bigger?”

Giddens said that she, Panepento, Palmer and Gaiman, started discussing the ways in which they could help and be “a good force during this time.” They compiled their resources and put together Art Is Alive. According to the website, Art Is Alive “connects fans to artists in a stay-at-home climate” by listing various organizations with funding designed to help artists in need. The site also serves

as a place for fans to contribute. Art Is Alive has partnered with Artists Relief Tree (ART), which, according to the press release, has already raised $240,000.

Giddens, Palmer, Gaiman, authors George R. R. Martin, Brené Brown, and musicians Brian Eno and Mike Posner are ambassadors of the fund. ART is “an online fundraiser created by artists, for artists, supporting those affected financially by COVID-19. Backed by a myriad of artist superstars, ART has received over 6,500 requests for assistance from artists all over the world, representing opera, theater, music, dance, the visual arts, and more since its initial launch.”

There are two support options on the website: Artist To Artist and Patron To Artist, and both lists various online communities for networking, financial relief as well as organizations accepting donations, or philanthropic organizations that are directly supporting artists during this

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time. The site also acts as a networking hub for freelancers and a site where fans can keep track of and access a variety of digital shows.

“People have been sending us stuff for weeks now, and we’ve been trying to keep it up to date,” Giddens said. “Now, I guess the question is, what’s next?”

Giddens said the site is still finding its identity.

“I am not sure where it is going to go, but it has been something that a lot of people have said that they are really glad it exists— and it is just trying to create some order amid the chaos of people wanting to help people, which is great!”

Panepento said that she designed the website and its branding, and she is the one maintaining it.

“Art Is Alive is a solidarity effort,” Panepento said. “It is an online directory of resources in an advocacy, solidarity effort aimed at artists and creatives across all disciplines.”

“We are hoping that this website can act as a kind of general Yellow Pages for the current money emergency in the art and music world,” the website states. “We like to call it our COVID-19 directory of give and take.”

Art Is Alive’s intent is to be approachable and user-friendly, Panepento said.

“It is not meant to be a political statement,” she continued. “It’s a sign of hope and unification. We are in a shared humanity and existence right now, and [Art Is Alive] is a resource you can use.

There is a community of people out there trying to support you—because that sign of hope is not something that we are seeing from the political side of things right now.”

Giddens said that there are actually a lot of financial aid and other resources for artists; however, it can be difficult to www.yesweekly.coM

find because it is not all in one central location.

“That is what I am kind of hoping for, just to make things easier,” Giddens said.

“It is nothing beyond trying to add to the conversation in a positive way to create something that can be used...I don’t have to worry about keeping the lights on, so I want to use this energy to try to reach out and help.”

Giddens expressed that working in the entertainment industry is difficult because of how the economy is set up.

“A lot of people are independent contractors, so it is hard to apply for unemployment,” she said. “There are a lot of resources on the website for that kind of thing as well, because it is just so confusing. Some things have different guidelines, and it feels like things are changing every day.”

Panepento said Art Is Alive is also another way to connect with other artists in isolation. In an effort to unite these creatives, Panepento said, Art Is Alive accepts writing submissions for its weekly newsletter from artists detailing what they are experiencing, how they are living and adjusting to this new socially distant world. Panepento thinks that sharing these experiences might help someone else cope as well as give them ideas on how they can adjust and survive this collective rough patch.

“I have had a lot of great resources submitted, but I have also gotten some letters from people going through challenging times right now,” Panepento said. “That wasn’t necessarily what the site was intended for, but I am not going to let them write their heart out and not respond to it.”

Panepento said she wants Art Is Alive to be a “beacon of unity within the artistic community.”

“It was important because I feel that there is an oversaturation of this stuff in the market right now, and we needed a way to clean it up,” she said about the website. “I saw touring artists struggling because they didn’t know what grants to apply for, and I was able to refer them to this site.”

Panepento said it’s important to support artists now more than ever because art is one thing that connects all humans.

“In a time where we are isolated and apart, and feeling hopeless and helpless, we can still create, collaborate, cultivate and connect with people from afar by continuing to do something that is built in all of us,” she said. “Even when we are feeling depressed and not actively involved in life, we can still have art as a sign of hope, connectedness and shared humanity. Art helps to break things down, and it helps to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Panepento said it’s important to keep hoping and to keep a sense of togetherness during this dark time in history.

“We are all going to get through it together,” she said. “It is important to keep that in mind and take a step back from all the things hanging over our heads and the uncertainty of these times.”

When asked what she thinks needs to be done to combat the pandemic, or what should be done to support one another after the pandemic, Giddens reacted cynically.

“There are lots of things we can do, will we do any of them? Probably not. To be honest, I think, as a species, we have all forgotten that there is still [climate change] to deal with and our environMay 20-26, 2020 YES! WEEKLY

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mental issues that we have inflicted upon the earth and ourselves. The way we have set up to live with unfettered capitalism—being the underlying tenet to all of the major economies of the world, there is just no way to sustain that— it is unsustainable. It’s illogical and unscientific to have capitalism with no end because it is based on neverending growth, and nothing is neverending. Everything has an end, and we are reaching it already, and then you add this pandemic, and it just shows, A) how interconnected we all are and B) how fragile and how messed up a lot of our systems are—especially in the United States.”

Just like other innovative musicians, Giddens has spent this unrequested downtime performing digitally. Recently, she performed via livestream on April 22 with the Americana folk group, Our Native Daughters, composed of Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Allison Russell and Leyla McCalla.

On May 6, Giddens and her partner, Francesco Turrisi, performed together from separate locations on Episode 3 of the Whiskey Sour Happy Hour, a weekly YouTube series hosted by The Bluegrass Situation and actor/ comedian/banjo fanatic Ed Helms. According to The Bluegrass Situation website, Whiskey Sour Happy Hour is an online variety show presented in collaboration with the Americana Music Association that benefits the MusiCares COVID-19 Music Relief Fund and Direct Relief.

(Even though the show concluded on May 13, each episode is still available for viewing until May 25 because the organization has raised over $47,000 and wants to give fans a chance to rewatch and contribute.)

“Let’s be honest, I am probably here until September, if not later, so I am not rushing into anything,” Giddens said when asked if she was going to take advantage of her newfound free time to write or produce any new music. “I am just focusing on the kids, in a big way, and what I can do any other time that I have.”

“She has planned and done activities with us this whole week!” her child said, cheerfully chiming in.

Giddens admitted that being on lockdown an ocean away from her family has been tough, as she had originally planned to visit her family in the United States for Easter. She said canceling her trip across the pond was a bummer, and she admitted that she doesn’t even know when the next time she’ll be able to go visit them will be.

“It’s tough, but not any different from anyone else,” Giddens said. “My sister YES! WEEKLY

MAY 20-26, 2020

works in education, and she is still working—which is amazing, so we have a lot to be grateful for, and we are trying to focus on that. I am looking forward to at least having a shape of what it is going to look like when we can travel again, even if it is not for a while. It will just be nice to know when we can see our family again.”

Giddens said she is taking each day at a time and aiming for a good end to the story, whether it happens or not.

“I don’t complain at all of the lockdown because I am very privileged. I have money—not a ton of money—but enough to not worry about me and my kids,” she explained. “There are a lot of people out there not in that situation because of how we set up our society and because of the way we have destroyed the social

nets we had in place. It is really tough because it is really showing those weaknesses— those cracks in the foundations.

We have an opportunity to address them now and go, ‘hey, this is showing us something needs to change.’ It is showing us that we actually don’t need all the crap that we have been buying—I mean, look at everyone cooking, and making do with what they have— we can do this. This is what environmentalists have been saying for years. Can we shut down the emissions? Can we stop traveling so much? Look, we did it, and all it took was a pandemic! When we were afraid for our lives, we did it. We just have to equate our environment with our lives, and if we can do that, then we can continue and use this as a springboard. Will we do it?

No, but we could. I am not going to stop

doing what I can to be a force of good for that cause because I believe in it.”

After the pandemic, Giddens hopes that Art Is Alive lives on, and continues to be a beacon for artists looking for support.

“I think that there is no going back to business as usual. I think this was a wake-up call for a lot of people. I think as artists, we have to look closely at how we make our art and how the system is set up and what the resources are out there,” she said. “I think keeping it up and up-to-date is definitely part of my M.O. for sure.”

“I work with artists that have really strong missions behind what they do— Rhiannon Giddens, Abigail Washburn, Leyla McCalla, they have a sense of self and a sense of purpose,” Panepento said.

“I think that every creative goes through a period of hopelessness when they are first starting their careers, too. [Art Is Alive] can be that support and hope during those times as well. I hope it keeps growing and that people keep sharing it.”

As far as parting words of wisdom go, Giddens said that everyone just needs to be kinder to each other.

“The main thing is we have to stay inside; it is the only thing that is proven to be helping with the numbers,” she added. “But everyone has to do it—if even 30% of people don’t do it, it is as if no one is doing it. And if the economy is going to take a hit, we might as well be ready to do it for as long as we can—it is a harder shock, but it’s over quicker. Also, take some time to think about what matters to you. How valuable art is, how valuable food is, and how valuable all these workers who are still working— still putting themselves in harm’s way are. Nurses, doctors, grocery store workers, sanitation workers, all these people that are keeping things going don’t have the choice to stay home and wait until it blows over.” !

KATIE MURAWSKI is the editor-in-chief of YES! Weekly. Her alter egos include The Grimberlyn Reaper, skater/public relations board chair for Greensboro Roller Derby, and Roy Fahrenheit, drag entertainer and self-proclaimed King of Glamp.

WANNA get involved?

Art Is Alive can be found at www.artliveson.com.

Giddens and Turrisi will be playing digitally for the Gather New Haven Digital Benefit Show on May 22 at 4 p.m. via StageIt.com. Giddens’s next in-person gig (for now) is with Our Native Daughters on Sept. 26 at the Monterey Folk Festival in Monterey, California. She also plans to be a part of the show “Porgy & Bess” with the Greensboro Opera at the Tanger Center on Nov. 13.

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Mayor Vaughan explains why Greensboro has not yet mandated masks “I think there’s a majority on the council that supports making masks mandatory,” Mayor Nancy Vaughan told YES! Weekly on Friday. When asked why The Greensboro City Council has not Ian McDowell yet formally deliberated or voted on such a requirement, Contributor Vaughan said that the reason is not concern over resistance from the general public or violent protesters, but the difficulty in getting city employees to comply.

“I don’t think that staff does [support the requirement], and that’s kind of the rub at this point because they’re having trouble getting employees to wear them on a regular basis. So that’s what we’ve been trying to work through.”

When this writer recently took a bus from Friendly Center to the Greensboro Transit Authority Terminal on Washington Street, the driver was not wearing a mask. Neither were other drivers standing outside their parked buses. Vaughan said she’d received similar reports about workers in a variety of city departments.

“As you can imagine, I get sent pictures of city employees not wearing masks all the time. People love to send me photos of people doing things they shouldn’t be doing. And I’m sure that people send pictures of me doing things they think I shouldn’t be doing to their friends and social media all the time, too.”

Vaughan said this is not the only reason that the Greensboro City Council hasn’t formally debated making masks mandatory, at least not yet.

“In order to do that, we’d need to do another mask giveaway. And we are looking at the logistics of another mask giveaway and how we would fund that.

If the city would, or if we could get the county to this time—since they’ve got $93 million, so they could certainly buy masks. In order to make it mandatory, we would have to be sure that people had easy access to them.”

In partnership with United Way, Cone Health and the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation, 30,000 masks were given away in late April and early May as part of the City of Greensboro Face Coverings Project.

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“Winston-Salem did another mask giveaway last week, but they’re selling theirs,” Vaughan said. “I don’t think we want to sell. For one thing, I don’t think we want to be in the cash exchange business, because money’s dirty, and that’s why we went fare-free on the buses. That’s why our mask thing was a giveaway. And two, we didn’t want to have people who couldn’t afford it. Winston’s masks were $2.50. For a family of four, that would have been 10 bucks. We didn’t want to have to do that.”

While Winston’s Mask the City program has earmarked 30,000 free masks to low-income individuals and other at-risk residents through a variety of community and faith-based organizations, most of the 300,000 provided by the Renfro corporation are being sold at the price Vaughan said.

On April 20, Durham County and the City of Durham enacted amendments to their stay-at-home order requiring all residents “to wear a clean face-covering any time they are or will be in contact with other people who are not household members in public or private spaces where it is not possible to maintain social distance such as grocery stores, pharmacies, business location and public transit.” Vaughan told YES! Weekly that she applauds that amendment, but described Durham as “a unique animal,” due to its size.

“Durham City is about 90% of Durham County. So, I think they have been working a little closer together, and have a different relationship that other cities and counties because Durham City is so big.”

The suggestion that Greensboro should require masks in public was first raised in the council a month ago. “One of the things I’d like us to consider is a mandate to wear masks,” said Mayor Pro Tem Yvonne Johnson at the April 22 meeting.

Johnson made this statement in her closing remarks before the meeting was adjourned. “I know that a lot of businesses are hurting, but my priority is to keep people alive, to keep people well. I would like us to think about the wearing of masks, and if we do that, we would certainly have to purchase masks for those who cannot get them or afford them. So, think about it, and maybe in a week, we can poll everybody and see where we are.”

“Mrs. Johnson, I agree with you,” the mayor replied. “The city manager and I had that discussion yesterday. Regretfully, I think by the county allowing the stay-at-home ordinance to expire, people are not taking it seriously anymore.”

At-large representative Michelle Kennedy agreed. “Masks really work best when everybody is wearing them.”

The suggestion was enthusiastically supported by District 1’st Sharon Hightower.

“I just want to let the Mayor Pro Tem know that I support her in making masks mandatory,” Hightower said. “Because from what I’ve seen since the county did not extend that order—which was a big letdown—is that people think this thing is over, and it’s not!”

Hightower also expressed frustration with what she described as a lack of safety precautions in her district.

“They’re not social distancing at all, and maybe the masks will prevent some of that. This is serious, and I don’t know how we can really send a message that it is serious, because when the order didn’t get extended, it was back to business as usual. If we can make these masks mandatory, I would absolutely support that 100%. And social distance, for right now, stay apart! I know we’re all used to expressing physical affection with one another, but for right now, I’m a little bit afraid of everybody.”

While the subject of mandatory masks was not directly addressed at the next meeting on May 5, Hightower included the following statement her closing remarks: “I want to say to my African-American community, I need you to put your masks on, and I need you to pay attention when you’re in stores because you’re not. I see too many of you walking around, dapping each other up, having a good time.

You know, I hate the term social distancing, because people think it’s time to be social. It’s not. It needs to be physically distancing to stay apart, and it’s for protection of life. It’s not the government trying to control people’s destiny. It’s to live a fulfilling life. So, I just ask them, and everybody in the community, to stay home, stay safe, and keep well.”

On May 13, Hightower told YES! Weekly that she would still support making masks mandatory. “I believe we need to do that, the same way Durham has

because here, people are acting just like it’s business as usual. We’ve been under the stay-at-home order for over two months, and still, people are not listening! They’re not adhering to the guidelines. It’s very disturbing what I’ve seen.”

She said she was particularly alarmed when she visited a Food Lion on May 11.

“There was absolutely no practicing of it and no enforcement, either. I think the only way we’re going to get that done is to have some compliance with the rules enforced. They’re absolutely ignoring them, even some of the clerks that are in the aisles putting up merchandise. You can’t get by them, and they don’t have masks on.”

She said she talked to an employee of the store, but was met with little sympathy.

“He seemed to have a very dismissive attitude about it. ‘Well, we’re following the governor’s orders.’ That’s how they look at it, but I’m like no, it’s got to be more than that. I think we’ve got to get restrictive measures.”

Hightower expressed grave concerns about the future.

“People talk about the next wave, but if you look at the numbers and the cases on the news, the next wave is already building. When we go to testing the way they need to test, that’s going to tell more of the story. I’m scared of Phase II; I can’t even imagine what that’s going to be like. I’m gonna stay home.”

On May 15, Mayor Vaughan texted YES! Weekly the following statement: “Guilford County is in the early stages of testing. We don’t know the exact spread. I think it’s important for us to maintain social distancing and to wear a mask in public, to protect others as well as ourselves. I think it’s important to model behavior we hope to see in others.

Remember to wash your hands often.

Support local businesses. #LeaveABigTip. I think some people feel that since we are on ‘the path to reopening,’ the urgency is over. It sends a mixed message to say it’s OK to go out and shop for everyday items, but we should still stay in groups smaller than 10. Telework when you can.” !

IAN MCDOWELL is the author of two published novels, numerous anthologized short stories, and a whole lot of nonfiction and journalism, some of which he’s proud of and none of which he’s ashamed of.

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HEAR IT!

Putting out in a pandemic: Sweet Dream’s ‘Caricature’

S

Katei Cranford

Contributor

weet Dream puts out its first full-length album, Caricature, on June 5.

Taking a cue from Tame Impala, multiinstrumentalist Julian CreechPritchett embodies Sweet Dream’s band-of-one while tackling roles as a producer, engineer

and senior at UNCG. “I love being a multi-instrumentalist, it makes it easy to record pretty much anytime I want,” he said. “It’s challenging but rewarding when done well.”

Welcoming those challenges, CreechPritchett taps into an array of arrangements and techniques, which he attributes to his studies.

“My musical experiences in college have only made positive impacts on the way I go about doing things,” said the arts administration major, whose first record and final year of college have been impacted by coronavirus.

“It sucks a lot,” he explained with a shade of optimism. “There are a lot of lost musical and social opportunities that are difficult to deal with, but it’s more or less the same for everyone everywhere, so I try not to get a chip on my shoulder. Just gotta be careful, stay safe, and get through.”

That means keeping Caricature on schedule (even if the nine-day, East coast tour he’d planned has been halted), and propping himself up with ideas of grandeur.

“You never know, one of the songs could be the anthem of the pandemic,” he jested. “It’s kinda morbid, but positivity is key!”

Exaggerations weave through the record. Caricature entwines fiction around Creech-Pritchett’s budding skills of artistry and production. “The definition of Caricature is basically to exaggerate to grotesque proportions,“ he explained.

“I tried to take a step back from being super vulnerable in my songwriting by singing from the perspective of made-up characters, or exaggerating situations to fit some kind of lyrical narrative.”

The latest single, “She,” (which saw a video release in May) showers doubleentendres of devotion to his guitar while YES! WEEKLY

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sounding like a love song to a person on the surface—akin to a cleaner-realm of Johnny Thunders’ “One Track Mind” and heroin. Creech-Pritchett leaves room for interpretation.

Both the video and the whole of Caricature are homespun recordings. “I recorded the whole of Caricature in my sophomore year UNCG, at home with no real studio work whatsoever,” CreechPritchett said. “The process of recording was basically just me figuring out how to realize the sounds in my head.”

His sounds, which bounce somewhere between Tame Impala and Fishbone, are the product of tutelage and effort.

“I went through multiple phases of thinking a recording was final but then

discovering some new techniques and figuring out ways to make it better, so I’d start from scratch all over again,” Creech-Pritchett explained. “The whole thing had a big learning curve to it, but I’m much better off for it,” he added, noting the follow-up to Caricature is already underway.

Eschewing the idea of genre, CreechPritchett credits the “limitless bounds of jazz” with shaping his idea of music.

“It’s inspired me to not feel confined to one particular sound,” he said—an ideal made visual in Caricature’s cover art.

“It looks like a promo picture for some band—four people sitting on a couch—but instead, it’s me four times in different outfits and with different in-

struments,” he explained. “It represents how I played all of those instruments on the album.”

The backdrop is a photo of Pine Lake, and while the forefront is a boat full of Creech-Pritchett, a few other voices appear off-shore on the album. “Their inclusion is a nice change from my own musical limits,” he said of featured artists Spenser Davis (WOWNOW), vocalist Jessica Schnieder, and saxophonist Chris Peebles. Creech-Pritchett brings Sweet Dream to the stage with help from Ramon Garcia, James McLaughlin, and Nick Moshinski. “All three of these fellas are jazz musicians who also like other music,” he said. “Having the opportunity to bring them together really breathes fresh life into every song we do.”

The group recorded a handful of videos in January, and Creech-Pritchett has goals for a livestream show once Caricature is officially released. “It’s just important that you keep your goals in mind and stay in the shed,” he said of musicianship in a pandemic. “But also forgive yourself for not practicing every day if you aren’t feeling it. It’s easy to get burnt out when there’s nothing else to do. Try to find some balance whenever you can.”

Creech-Pritchett’s kept balance in a few ways: like an AC/DC cover video, recorded Zoom-style with the Quarter Roys; and his monthly Soundcloud series, “RATZ NEZT,” of covers from “Infest the Rats Nest” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.

“Post-pandemic, I’m planning on getting back out onto the live performance scene as soon as possible,” CreechPritchett said.

He hopes to use his degree and experience to book worthwhile shows.

“I’d honestly be content to just play where we get paid adequately for the work we’re putting in, and where people are having a good time,” he added.

“Nothing feels better than to play to a room full of people who want to be there.” !

KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who hosts the Tuesday Tour Report, a radio show on hiatus due to COVID-19.

WANNA

listen?

Sweet Dream releases Caricature on June 5. @juliancpmusic, www.juliancreech-pritchett. bandcamp.com/

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last call

[THE ADVICE GODDESS] love • sex • dating • marriage • questions

WHEN HAREM MET SALLY

My ex just started dating a female friend of his. When we were together, I always worried about the chemistry I felt they had, and it hurts that they Amy Alkon got together right after our breakup.

Advice Does this mean he’s Goddess always had feelings for her? Does it cheapen our entire relationship? —Bummed “I only have eyes for you” is sometimes actually true, like when two people in a relationship are being held hostage together in the trunk of a car.

Beyond small-space kidnappings, the reality is typically more like: “I only have eyes for you. And you. And you. And, hey, is that your sister?” We’re each attracted to a whole crop of people. However, attraction doesn’t necessarily lead to action, at least for those of us who have a psychological moat holding us back.

It’s largely two things that keep us from sneaking out and having sex with the hot neighbor: love for the person we’re with and a personality trait called conscientiousness.

Conscientiousness, which has a bunch of letters in common with “conscience,” is defined by social and personality psychologist Brent Roberts and his colleagues as “the propensity to follow socially prescribed norms for impulse control, to

be goal directed, to plan, and to be able to delay gratification.”

A person with a solid helping of conscientiousness cares about the impact of their behavior on other people. However, being attracted to somebody happens automatically; it isn’t a feeling we can decline like a questionable package. So, conscientiousness does not prevent a wandering eye, just wandering sex parts that get busy in its wake.

Even people high in conscientiousness probably have a mental file drawer of potential partners — “backup mates” — even when they have a partner they love. Research on backup mates by evolutionary psychologists Joshua Duntley and David Buss suggests we evolved to have these in mind, at least subconsciously, to shorten the reproductively costly breaks between being dumped or having a partner die on us and landing their replacement.

Ultimately, you have no control over another person’s feelings. What you can control are your choices, using love (plus physical attraction) and conscientiousness as a guideline for whether to stay or move on. Regarding conscientiousness: A man whose actions day to day suggest he’s ethical is a man who’s less likely to end up in bed with somebody else while he’s still in a relationship with you. As for love and attraction, a man who seems to have serious hots for you, sexually and as a person, is more likely to stick around and keep loving you. You’ll still probably catch him glancing at sparkly ladies at parties, but try to keep in mind that windowshopping is not the same thing as robbing the store. (Breakfast at Tiffany’s; lunch at Rikers!)

COMPARISON CHOPPING

My boyfriend and I broke up two years ago, and I guess I’m not over him. I’m not still pining for my ex, but I find myself comparing every guy I date to him. How do I get him out of my head? —Haunted When you’re looking for love, it’s good to avoid wearing distracting jewelry, like an ex-boyfriend-shaped anvil on a chain around your neck.

But maybe you don’t have the problem you think you do: not being over your ex.

After all, you say you aren’t pining over the guy. Consider that we don’t make judgments by pulling them out of thin air. We need comparisons — to things, people, or prices — as a starting point. An example of this comes from economic psychology. Psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky observed that the price a person is initially exposed to serves as an “anchor,” influencing decisions they subsequently make. For example, Kahneman writes that upon mention of a charitable contribution of $5, research participants were willing to contribute $20, on average. “When the anchor was a rather extravagant $400,

the willingness to pay rose to an average of $143.”

However, when we have no reference point, no starting point for comparison, judgments we make tend to be all over the place, not refined or useful. For example, “Is ice cream good?” versus the comparison, “Is ice cream better than gluten-free kale cookies sweetened with artisanal tree rot?”

Chances are you’re using your ex as a reference point to recognize the qualities you do and don’t want in men you encounter. Consider divorcing these qualities from the man by listing them, perhaps in a note on your phone you can periodically reflect on. It might not entirely remove him from your mind, but it could make you feel less haunted by him, less like you aren’t over him. Remember, “Objects in the rearview mirror...” um, look much closer when you rope them to your mental hood like a deer. !

GOT A problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol. com (www.advicegoddess.com) © 2020 Amy Alkon Distributed by Creators.Com.

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