YES! Weekly - February 26, 2025 by YES! Weekly

ALTON BROWN

Food scientist and best-selling writer Alton Brown became a beloved TV personality by creating and starring in The Food Network’s Good , which ran for 16 seasons, and for which he developed a persona he’s described as a combination of Julia Child, Monty Python and the vintage educational kid’s show host Mr. Wizard.

Closer to home, Sunday marks the return of the “RED CARPET GALA” at a/perture cinema, 311 W. Fourth St., Winston-Salem, which celebrates the Oscar ceremony in grand, big-screen style. VIP tickets (5:30 p.m. entrance) are $150 and general admission tickets (6:30 p.m. entrance) are $100.

CHARLES A. WOMACK III

Although OLD GUY is essentially a time-killer, it affords Christoph Waltz a bona fide starring role, and the two-time Oscar winner relishes the opportunity to take center stage.

When it comes to public and private FUNDING FOR CHILDCARE, there is understandable resistance from some of the 80% of North Carolinians who do not have a child under the age of 6 living at home. But these folks have no idea what childcare costs these days.

It’s Too Phat season in the Triad, as

Senior Designer ALEX FARMER designer@yesweekly.com

Greensboro’s TOO PHAT BRASS BAND brings its second line to the Flat Iron for the second annual “Phat Toosday” celebration on March 4.

12 The workers at RECONSIDERED GOODS,a non-proﬁt organization that takes donated materials and helps divert them from landﬁlls, came together, formed their union, and signed Union Authorization Cards — a document signed by an employee that authorizes a union to negotiate employment terms and conditions on behalf of the employee.

13 In partnership with Nederlander and Professional Facilities Management (PFM), the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts proudly announces the FIRST BANK BROADWAY, 2025-26 SEASON.

Designer SHANE HART artdirector@yesweekly.com

Marketing ANGELA COX angela@yesweekly.com TRAVIS WAGEMAN travis@yesweekly.com

The 97th annual Academy Awards ceremony takes place Sunday at the Dolby Theatre, with Conan O’Brien making his debut as the host. The ceremony will be broadcast on ABC and streamed on Hulu (an Oscar ﬁrst), and it’s become clear that this is one of the most hotly anticipated and contested Oscar races in recent memory, for some reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of the ﬁlms nominated. As Tinseltown’s big night approaches, many of the categories are up for grabs, including Best Picture. Emilia Pérez leads the pack with a total of 13 nominations, with The Brutalist and Wicked nominated for 10, but it’s a wide-open race.

Closer to home, Sunday marks the return of the “Red Carpet Gala” at a/perture cinema, 311 W. Fourth St., Winston-Salem, which celebrates the Oscar ceremony in grand, big-screen style. VIP tickets (5:30 p.m. entrance) are $150 and general admission tickets (6:30 p.m. entrance) are $100 — and can be purchased at https:// aperturecinema.com/red-carpet-gala/ A/perture members also receive a 20 percent discount on their tickets, whether VIP or general admission.

In addition to watching the Oscars on the big screen, a/perture will be serving up cinema-inspired cuisine, curated

beverages, a silent auction, an Oscars ballot, and prizes. Attire is semi-formal, although attendees are encouraged to dress up as their favorite movie character. A bevy of delicious dishes will be provided by 1618 On Location, and silent auction items include swag from popular movies and signature a/perture merchandise, free theater rental for a private screening, complimentary champagne for two while watching a ﬁlm on a/perture’s balcony, art escapes to local museums and musical performances, gift cards for local merchants, and much more. “Return to the Red Carpet” is one of a/perture cinema’s major annual fund-raising events, with proceeds going toward a/ pertrure’s ongoing mission and community programming.

“I personally always loved hosting Oscar parties before joining a/perture,” said Leigh Dyer, a/perture executive director, “so when I learned that this tradition had begun nearly a decade ago with a/perture before moving on to di erent concepts post-pandemic, I felt I wanted to return to our roots. For a gala where we’re opening our doors to the community, I wanted to host an event dedicated speciﬁcally to celebrating the best that movies have to o er, on our own home turf. It helps remind the community why we’re here and how we can help enrich their lives.”

“I’m really looking forward to the event and celebrating some of the best ﬁlms of the year with our a/perture audience and team, and having seen how much thought and care has been put into it by Leigh and the [a/perture] board, I know it’s going to be a great time,” said Jake Laystrom, a/perture curator.

Both Dyer and Laystrom are excited by the nominated films and have a few they’ll personally be rooting for. “The variety of genres is impressive,” Dyer said. “We’ve got horror, sci-fi, and musicals vying along with more conventional dramas and biopics — so I would say this year has an unusually impressive range of variety of choices among the nominations. I just saw Nickel Boys and it’s still haunting me. What a heartbreaking story, filmed in such an innovative way with such lasting images. Another movie I’m head over heels for is Flow. I’m a big cat person, but besides that, I found the message of the film — about transcending di erences to find community together — extremely touching.”

“It’s fairly rare for my favorite ﬁlms of the year to be nominated for any of the ‘big’ awards, but I’m thrilled to be able to cheer for Nickel Boys for Best Picture,” Laystrom said. “The ﬁlm obliterates any preconceived idea about what a novel adaptation should be by placing you directly in the perspective of the characters, and its use of archival material is brilliant. All in all, the best new release I’ve seen in years.

“I’m deﬁnitely rooting for Sean Baker and the Anora team as well,” he added. “It’s a wonderful movie and Baker has shown so much love to art-house theaters over the years it’s always a treat to present any of his ﬁlms, and a unique chance to celebrate his work on the biggest stage

Mark Burger

Contributor

in Hollywood … [I] also have to give some love to The Substance. I never would have guessed we’d be talking about this ﬁlm at this time of year based on previous genre exclusions, but it’s great to see the ﬁlm get its due.”

The month-long series of romantic ﬁlms screened at a/perture to commemorate Valentine’s Day, which concludes Friday with Love & Basketball, has been “amazing,” said Laystrom. “There was only one unsold seat for the ﬁrst two screenings [What’s Up, Doc? and When Harry Met Sally …].”

Following “Return to the Red Carpet” this Sunday, a/perture cinema will present a special one-night-only screening of the award-winning feature documentary Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse, codirected by Molly Bernstein and Philip Dolin, at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 13. The ﬁlm explores the fascinating, sometimesturbulent life and career of the esteemed cartoonist whose semi-autobiographical graphic novel “Maus” became the ﬁrst — and thus far only — graphic novel to win

the Pulitzer Prize (in 1992).

The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Dyer and co-director/editor/producer Bernstein, who is currently a member of the faculty at the UNCSA School of Filmmaking. As a director, Bernstein’s credits include Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay (2012), An Art That Nature Makes: The Work of Rosamund Purcell (2015), and The Show’s The Thing: The Legendary Promoters of Rock (2018), which she also co-directed with Dolin. Tickets for this event are $15 and available at https:// aperturecinema.com/movies/art-spiegelman-disaster-is-my-muse/. !

[ WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP]

THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF STORYTELLING: BRIDGING CULTURES AND HONORING HERITAGE

SUBMITTED BY SHANNON

Storytelling has been the vibrant heartbeat of human connection, a tapestry woven with threads of personal experience and collective memory, serving as both a mirror reﬂecting our past and a compass guiding our future. It possesses an unparalleled power to transcend barriers, to bridge the gap between diverse cultures, and to unite us in shared understanding. According to a study by the Stanford Graduate School of Business, stories are 22 times more memorable than facts alone, a testament to their profound impact on our minds and hearts. This intrinsic power is especially signiﬁcant for vulnerable populations, whose histories and cultural identities risk being overshadowed or forgotten in the relentless march of time. Through storytelling, these communities safeguard their rich heritages, passing down traditions and wisdom from one generation to the next, ensuring their voices echo through the ages.

As Vice President of Strategy and Community Impact at Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, I have been blessed to work with many artists and creative entrepreneurs, weaving their stories into narratives that inspire the world. Through their imagination and creativity, I have witnessed ﬁrsthand the transformative power of art and innovation that uplifts community through dialogue that fosters understanding across cultures. Together, we are not merely telling stories; we are creating a shared vision for a hopeful future, one that acknowledges our past while embracing what is possible.

For more information, call 336-722-0148 or visit the o cial a/perture cinema website: https:// aperturecinema.com/.

In the realm of black arts and culture, storytelling stands as a spirited force, a beacon illuminating the struggles and triumphs of a resilient people. From the rhythmic cadences of spoken word poetry to the evocative narratives of novels and plays, black storytellers have wielded their words like brushstrokes on a canvas, painting vivid portraits of the human experience. Through stories, the legacy of the ancestors is preserved, their dreams

and struggles immortalized, serving as a source of inspiration and empowerment for future generations. The Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement that saw an explosion of black artistic expression in the 1920s, was fueled by storytellers who dared to challenge the status quo and reimagine the world. Figures like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston used their voices to capture the complexities of black life, their works resonating with authenticity and courage.

As we look to the future, the power of storytelling remains undiminished, poised to play an even greater role in shaping a more inclusive and compassionate world. In an era characterized by rapid technological advancements and shifting social landscapes, storytelling o ers a timeless refuge, a space where empathy and understanding can ﬂourish. By continuing to uplift diverse voices and champion narratives that celebrate our shared humanity, we can forge a path toward a future where every story is heard, every culture is honored, and every individual ﬁnds belonging in the grand narrative of life. Let us embrace the transformative power of storytelling, nurturing it as the sacred art it is, and carry forward the torch of those who have illuminated the way before us. !

STOKES

Shannon Stokes

Christoph Waltz aims to please in Old Guy

Although Old Guy is essentially a time-killer, it affords Christoph Waltz a bona fide starring role, and the two-time Oscar winner relishes the opportunity to take center stage. As veteran hitman Danny Dolinski, the “old guy” of the title, Waltz cruises through — and above — the formulaic proceedings with a jaunty aplomb that’s hard to resist.

Having recently recovered from hand surgery — his shooting hand, no less — he’s eager to get back to work and stretch that trigger finger once more. His employers, however, believe him to be past his prime. Danny’s essentially being put out to pasture, but he’s also supposed to mentor his potential replacement, Wihlborg (Cooper Hoffman), who is younger, wears nail polish, and has “trained himself” to avoid alcohol and drugs. (He also has no idea who Nancy Reagan is.) It’s the quintessential model of the mismatched buddy duo, although for a time it’s not certain if the mismatched buddies will end up trying to kill each other.

Our bickering duo exchanges barbs during their first assignment, which (naturally) doesn’t quite go as planned. Wihlborg has a tendency of killing innocent bystanders, which Danny disdains, but there’s no doubt the younger man is well-versed in the art of contract killing. Danny’s old flame, Anata (Lucy Liu), comes along for the ride, although she’s essentially excess baggage.

When an all-out underworld war erupts, Danny and Wihlborg — and, to a lesser extent, Anata — find themselves on the hit list, but they prove hard to kill, and although Danny may be considered an old dog, he knows more than a few tricks (old and new) to turn the tables against their pursuers. The Belfast locations are quite picturesque, even when being riddled with bullets, and the film has its colorful, splashy side, along with

a few tense moments it could use more of.

Hoffman (son of the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Liu (in a perfunctory, thankless role) have their appealing moments, but too often executive producer Greg Johnson’s problematic script gets in the way. The combination of action and comedy, accomplished countless times in countless movies, doesn’t quite come off here. The elements don’t quite gel together. Old Guy feels like it’s a rewrite away from being a good movie, or at least a better one.

Director Simon West made his feature debut with the 1996 hit Con Air and followed with a series of slick, generic films including The General’s Daughter (1999), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), the 2011 remake of The Mechanic (which shares some thematic similarities with Old Guy ), The Expendables 2 (2012), and Stolen (2012), which reunited him with Con Air star Nicolas Cage. You can now add Old Guy to the list. It’s passable, intermittently entertaining, disposable genre fare — no more and no less. But Waltz is truly a treat.

— Old Guy is playing in selected theaters and is available on Digital. !

Mark Burger Contributor

I’ve been involved in promoting and reporting on state and local referenda for a good many years, and anytime those bills involved asking residents to pay higher taxes in order to support public education, I always heard the same argument from the 60% to 70% of people who either had no children or whose kids were grown. “Hey, I don’t have any kids in school, so why should I pay more taxes to support education?” The answer to that question is that today’s students are the folks who might one day be the paramedic who saves your life, or the lineman who, during a severe storm, helps restore power so that you’ll have heat in your house. Funding for education is important because education beneﬁts everyone in the long run. The same can be said of childcare except that childcare accrues immediate beneﬁts to our economy.

When it comes to public and private funding for childcare, there is understandable resistance from some of the 80% of North Carolinians who do not have a child under the age of 6 living at home. But these folks have no idea what childcare costs these days. According to N.C. Child, the average annual cost of daycare for an infant is $13,000, while the annual cost of daycare for a toddler is $11,500. In addition to being cost-prohibitive for young parents, quality daycare is not always readily available. In fact, 44% of North Carolinians live in childcare deserts.

Late last year the North Carolina Commerce Department and N.C. Child released a report titled, “Empowering Work.”

Their ﬁndings (as reported by the Winston-Salem Journal’s Richard Craver) are alarming: fewer parents of younger children are in the workforce because of the lack of public and private support for childcare assistance.

That follows a report from earlier last year by the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which estimated that our state’s economy is losing between 5 billion and 13 billion dollars per year because people who can’t a ord childcare aren’t working. Proof positive is the fact

Our Child Care Crisis

that in 2023 there were 100,000 fewer working-age parents with young children in the state’s workforce than there were in 2019. More speciﬁcally the Foundation’s report concluded that if we got our act together and supported various working parent initiatives, then the state would gain as many as 68,000 jobs by putting those parents back into the workforce.

To their credit, some of our Democratic state legislators have tried to introduce bills that would help parents, daycare operators and businesses by making child care more accessible and a ordable. Unfortunately, those attempts have largely fallen on deaf ears thanks to the Republican majority in Raleigh. Those bills such as SB 822 would have increased the child tax deduction amount and provided ﬁnancial assistance to child care providers. HB 322 also never received a committee hearing. It would have created a public/private partnership to share the cost of childcare equally between employers, employees, and the state.

Perhaps I am naïve, but I can’t help but think that there are a number of employers who would have gone along with the aforementioned proposed legislation. For one thing, a 2024 “Employer Need Survey” found that employers’ biggest problem is lack of job applicants. Moreover, 20% of North Carolina employers attribute their hiring challenges directly to lack of access to childcare.

Making childcare more accessible should not be a political issue, especially when those who block progressive legislation are guilty of hypocrisy, which is wrought with irony. They say they want to create jobs, but then refuse to support programs that would put over 60,000 parents back to work.

Last year, Vice President J.D. Vance indicated that parents don’t need to pay for child daycare because grandparents can do the job. That math-challenged logic comes from the same man who told us that Haitians in Ohio were eating people’s

pets. The fact is that not every toddler has a grandparent who lives close by or who is physically able to provide childcare.

Last year N.C. Commerce Secretary Michelle Sanders told the Journal, “Expanding access to child care is essential to developing the robust workforce that our state needs.” Here’s hoping that GOP

lawmakers will wake up to that reality soon. Either that, or we’re going to have to start manufacturing more grandparents. !

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

Jim Longworth

Longworth at Large

[WEEKLY SUDOKU] [KING CROSSWORD]

Contributor

Phat Toosday with Too Phat Brass Band

It’s Too Phat season in the Triad, as Greensboro’s Too Phat Brass Band brings its second line to the Flat Iron for the second annual “Phat Toosday” celebration on March 4. Building on their successful Fat Tuesday at the Flat in 2024, “this year, in keeping with our name, we’ve called it ‘Phat Toosday,’” explained vocalist, manager, and general “dad viber” Jeremy Goad.

With plans to debut some new tunes (and old favorites), the Too Phat crew is looking forward to hosting real hullabaloo; thanks to a handful of special guests like Latin Grammy ambassador, Cubanborn Franco Romero; plus “two of our area’s musical standouts,” Maia Kamil and Drew Foust. They’ve even added a sponsor for the event: New Orleans’ Louie Louie Good Time Seltzers. It’s ﬁtting that both the band and the cannibis-infused soda each taking their inspiration from the “vibrant spirit” of New Orleans. “Too Phat Brass Band is a love letter to second-line brass bands,” Goad said. “We’re dedicated to honoring and celebrating the rich cultural tradition of second-line parades in New Orleans, Louisiana.” And within that celebration, the group seeks to explore ways “the genre incorporates traditional jazz, hymns and spirituals, funk, pop, and hip-hop. The music itself is a blend of West African call-and-response, Caribbean and Latin syncopated rhythms and backbeats, and the European brass instrumental music that found its way to New Orleans primarily from France, Italy, and Spain but also from Eastern Europe.” Digging into the history — in trademark fatherly fashion, “the tradition of secondline parades in New Orleans is deeply rooted in the city’s African American heritage,” Goad explained. “Originating from neighborhood celebrations organized by Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs [SAPCs], these parades served as a means of community engagement and support. SAPCs provided essential services like loans and insurance to freed slaves and used second-line parades as a form of advertisement and communal expression.”

“Over time, these parades evolved to

honor deceased members, giving rise to the concept of jazz funerals, where mourners would celebrate the life of the departed with music and dance,” Goad continued. “The term ‘second line’ comes from New Orleans jazz funerals and parades, where the ﬁrst line is the o cial procession — such as the brass band and Social Aid and Pleasure Club members — while the second line is the lively crowd that follows, dancing, waving handkerchiefs, and celebrating. Over time, it became synonymous with New Orleans street culture, where community participation and spontaneous movement turn a parade into a shared musical experience. Now Second Line Sundays are a regular part of the culture where communities come out to grill, dance, and celebrate life with their neighbors.”

Looking to highlight and share those experiences, in 2024, the group arranged an impromptu Fat Tuesday party at the Flat Iron. “The Flat Iron is home base for most of the members in the band, and we just wanted to celebrate at what we consider to be home with our friends,” Goad noted. “It was an absolute blast and we had a great turnout. Before we left that night, the Flat Iron’s owner Josh said, ‘Let’s make this an annual thing!’ and we were happy to oblige.”

Musing the history of the genre along with the communal history of the band, Too Phat traces back to 2020 — and Josh Lambert’s love for second-line music; along with trombonist Leroy Pridgen IV, and saxophonist Shane Wheeler, and trumpeter Benjamin Strickland. “Ben lived and played in New Orleans for sever-

al years and was an amazing resource to the rest of the band for all things NOLA,” Goad explained, bridging the connections that brought him into the fold. “He and I worked together in The Magniﬁcents,” Goad continued. “And I worked with Shane and Leroy with Unheard Project GSO. I was asked to join the band on vocals for a couple of songs in 2021 and I’ve loved working together since.”

Taking the reins after Lambert moved away, Goad, a lifelong musician (and Las Vegas transplant), felt a responsibility to keep the band alive. “Josh had created something beautiful about which the players cared deeply,” he said, beaming at Lambert’s return (“expect to see a traditional marching snare and bass drum arrangement at many of our upcoming shows”), and turning to the rotation of past and current players that have hopped into the line.

“One of the most important recent additions to the group, and one of the most important roles in any second line brass band, is a sousaphone player,” Goad insisted, giving props to A&T Blue and Gold Marching Machine Alumni (and son of longtime band director at Ben L. Smith High School), Chase Butler. Other recent additions include Daron Loftin and Jobias “JB” Jackson from Unheard Project GSO; trombonist DeAndre Brannon (who also plays with beach music legends, The Tams); and UNCG Miles Davis Jazz Studies graduate and trumpet player, Ian Rood. Along with frequent collaborators like sax players Eli Fribush and Evan Seltzer.

While the Too Phat Brass Band is

looking forward to their climatic “Phat Toosday” party at the Flat Iron on March 4; Goad and the Too Phat crew will be rolling their second line, and celebrating Mardi Gras, all around the state. On Feb. 28, they’ll parade throughout The Quarter in downtown Greensboro from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (“and probably busking downtown afterwards”); before heading south to Cabarrus Brewing Co. in Concord on March 1; and making their return to the Flat Iron for Fat Tuesday (as well as a show with New York’s all-female brass band, Brass Queens, on March 20). Laissez les bons temps rouler, y’all! !

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

Katei Cranford

Too Phat Brass Band

Alton Brown on N.C. barbecue, food as applied science, and his ﬁnal tour

Ian McDowell

Contributor

Food scientist and best-selling writer

Alton Brown became a beloved TV personality by creating and starring in The Food Network’s Good Eats, which ran for 16 seasons, and for which he developed a persona he’s described as a combination of Julia Child, Monty Python and the vintage educational kid’s show host Mr. Wizard.

His ﬁrst book, “I’m Just Here for the Food,” won the 2003 James Beard Award. His latest and 15th book, “Food for Thought,” was published this month. On Friday, Feb. 28, he will be appearing at Greensboro’s Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts in “Alton Brown Live: Last Bite,” billed as his ﬁnal tour.

In a phone interview, he elaborated.

“This is my last really big show. It’s the largest we’ve taken on tour, with props

and buses and all that kind of stu . After this, I’ll downscale to select small theaters, small cities, and much smaller shows.”

On social media, Brown is regularly described as the opposite of the egotistical diva some celebrity chefs are accused of being. Those who’ve served him in restaurants describe him as humble, kind, and an absolute delight. He attributes this to his training in broadcasting, where he was often on the receiving end of attitude.

“My career, before I went to culinary school to try to make food shows, was directing TV commercials, which I did for 10 years. I saw so much bad behavior, and never wanted to be like that. I’m grateful anytime anyone serves me food. Hospitality is really important and so is being grateful for what we’re given. I try to think in terms of what it’s like to make food. No matter if you’re in the back of a restaurant or kitchen and you’re being paid or not, it’s an act of giving that should be respected. I’m just happy to be fed.”

He has no tolerance for pretension.

“I tend to avoid restaurants where the chef’s ego is the main thing being served,

which is why I try to avoid ones with Michelin stars. I’m just happy to be fed. If that has shown itself as decent behavior, I’m glad, because I’d hate to give the other impression.”

He often gets asked what kind of food he eats while touring. His answer is surprising but logical.

“I eat almost no restaurant food while on tour. As much as I love sampling local fare, I can’t risk getting sick. On my last tour, I ate something that was recommended, and ended up having to cancel a performance. I get to eat after the show, but we’re extremely careful of what we bring in. If I go down, the whole show goes down, and I can’t risk that.”

In past interviews, Brown has described his discomfort with the title chef, whether applied to himself or others, and his distaste for the oxymoron of “elevated” comfort food. Does he have any new pet peeves?

“My biggest one is that everything going on in food is so driven by social media. It a ects restaurants, grocery stores, cooks, eaters, everything the food touches. I’m more concerned about this than anything else, including political or

economic structures, like tari s.”

And what does Brown think of North Carolina’s rhetorical barbecue wars, between aﬁcionados of Lexington-style (just the pork shoulder and a tomato, vinegar and pepper-based sauce) and Eastern-style (the whole hog and no tomato, just vinegar and pepper), an argument conducted with an almost religious fervor.

“I don’t understand why there’s a ﬁght between them, except that people are always looking for a ﬁght. Completely di erent schools, each with complete validity. If you told me I could only eat barbecue in one state for the rest of my life, I’d choose here, but your state has at least 13 di erent styles of barbecue, not just two, and they are all my preference. It’s kind of like saying ‘Do you want mashed potatoes or french fries?’ and I’m like ‘Yes, I want both, and I may even dip one into the other.’”

However, he fears Eastern style may be in more need of preservation.

“Whole-hog cooking needs to be protected and passed down more fervently. The shoulder school is going great guns, but I fear whole-hog is starting to decline and there are a lot of reasons for that, like time and skill. I hope it can be preserved for future generations.”

I told him that I occasionally like pineapple on pizza, and have outraged fellow Tarheels by preferring Kentuckystyle barbecue, which is mutton rather than pork, and I’m suspicious of culinary thou-shalt-nots. Is there any food that gets a bad rap?

“I’m with you on the mutton. It’s getting harder to ﬁnd it in Kentucky, but I adore it.”

He doesn’t care for pineapple on pizza, but he’s not disdainful of it.

“I like anchovies on my pizza. You may not, but so what? This tribalism around

people’s ingredients, who cares? It’s your food, you bought it, you eat it. And if I come to your house and you make a pizza with pineapple on it, I’m going to eat and appreciate it. Am I going to go home and make it? No, but I’ll enjoy it at your table and be grateful to have it. When people won’t try things, that close-mindedness takes the fun out of food. It’s just a piece of pizza, shut up and eat it. It’s not worth ﬁghting about.”

Are there any grocery stores or restaurants that Brown fondly remembers from his younger days in Georgia, and misses now?

“I very much miss Harry’s Farmers Markets in Atlanta, which were absolute gustatory playgrounds. Then they ended up getting purchased by Whole Foods, and Whole Foods sold itself to Amazon, which was a real betrayal. I very much miss the wonderful curated global grocery stores we used to have. It’s a lot harder to get good groceries than it was even ten years ago. Luckily, so many farmers markets have risen up in neighborhoods and di erent cities trying to ﬁll that gap, which I’m glad for, but I do miss that. In North Carolina, you’ve got Harris Teeter, so you’ve got it better than most states.”

One of Brown’s passions, which led him to create Good Eats, is the concept of food as applied science.

“People ask me why I got into food science. I think it’s because I’m not a naturally good cook. I can’t walk into a kitchen and just make things happen. I need to know what’s going on. I have to know what the egg needs, what the chicken needs, even what the lettuce needs. And the answer is always in the sciences, so the more I learn about the science of food, the better cook I am. I was raised by a mechanic grandfather, so I need to understand what’s going on in

there. My shows are about telling stories, and explaining the science of food is just good storytelling.”

What can the Tanger audience expect on Friday?

“I do what I call culinary variety shows. There’s always comedy, music, a lot of audience interaction, and very large and very unusual culinary demonstrations. We have constructed our largest device to date. It’s so huge, it completely ﬁlls the

stage. And this tour, more than my other shows, is going to be more like Good Eats Fans of that show may recognize and appreciate this tour more than my previous ones.” !

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.

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour

THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2025

DOORS @ 6PM // SHOW @ 7PM

Get off the beaten path and explore the edge of believable with captivating stories and breathtaking cinematography from the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour. Films selected for the 2024/2025 World Tour feature adrenaline-fueled action sports in remote landscapes that are sure to captivate and amaze you.

Reconsidered Goods Unionizes

Reconsidered Goods is nestled on the corner of the Food Lion on Spring Garden Street, across the street from Pho Hien Vuong. Unlike its surrounding businesses, Reconsidered Goods is a 501c nonproﬁt organization that takes donated materials and helps divert them from landﬁlls, putting them into the hands of artists, makers, teachers, children, and other reuse advocates to create something new. Their mission is to promote sustainability, environmental awareness, community engagement, and creative expression through reuse, education, and the arts. Unfortunately, despite the organization’s noble morals, the sta of Reconsidered Goods have had enough. Due to safety regulations, lack of training, and more the workers have banded together to try and unionize to get these policies changed.

Maggie Marshall

It all began in 2015 when Paige Cox, a Greensboro artist and environmental

advocate, decided to open a creative reuse center in Greensboro. Later, Martha Hughes-James joined Cox, and Reconsidered Goods began to take shape. They formed a Board of Directors, added Joseph Edwards as a third co-founder, and began a search for a permanent location.

The ﬁrst location was on Patterson Street in September 2016. Unfortunately, due to COVID, the space was forced to close. Thanks to donations from the community, Reconsidered Goods relocated in 2020 to where it stands now.

Chelsea Connor, the National Communication Director for Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union is the handler for the unionization of Reconsidered Goods.

“To win a Union, particularly in a Right To Work state, you have to go about it one of two ways,” said Connor. Either through voluntary recognition from management or an election through the National Labor Relations Board.

The workers at Reconsidered Goods came together, formed their union, and signed Union Authorization Cards — a document signed by an employee that authorizes a union to negotiate employment terms and conditions on behalf of the employee. They delivered them to the board of directors of the store and asked for Voluntary Recognition of the workers as a union. The board denied the request.

The same day workers were denied, they ﬁled for an election with the National Labor Relations Board.

At that point, the company and the workers had to read a Stipulated Agreement on the terms of how the future election was set to proceed. The agreement determines lots of things like, where and when the election is to take place and most importantly, in this case, who gets to vote.

After failed negotiations on both ends,

workers walked out on January 28.

According to one worker, “It was really an incredible day, the way everybody came out to support us. It seemed bogus to us to not include our Education and Outreach people. We didn’t want to exclude any of our co-workers. We walked to prove to them that we weren’t going to leave anybody behind and we do have a Community of Interest.”

On Jan. 30 the board agreed that the two Education Department workers be included.

On Monday, an election was held to determine if Reconsidered Goods would unionize. After winning, they will then begin bargaining for their First Contract, ratify it, and agree on it. After it was ratiﬁed, workers voted individually to see if they wanted to be members of the union. That vote passed unanimously, according to the @reconsidered.union Instagram page.

Tate Halvorsen is the Ecommerce Associate for Reconsidered Goods. When speaking about why sta decided to petition to unionize she said, “For a lot

of people this all seems pretty sudden, but it’s been a really long process. We’ve been asking for many years now for changes to [for example] safety policies, and none of these changes were getting made.” Halvorsen also voiced her opinion that workers, who are a part of a community organization, need more training for things like first aid response, or better access to first aid supplies for those who have to do community outreach events. “Things won’t change overnight but we are hoping that this is going to be a thing that gets these changes made finally.”

According to Halvorsen, there had been previous attempts by Reconsidered Goods workers to unionize before that had been unsuccessful. The current workers have been advocating for a union for close to a year.

“The easiest part was getting everybody on board. Most of our challenges have been related to just getting organized and getting our legal details ﬁgured out. Now that we are with [Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union] we are lucky to have that all ﬁgured out,” Halvorsen said.

She explained that in the past they’ve had great administrators, and even though things have improved recently, there’s a fear that in the future new directors might make changes that aren’t good for the organization.

As a registered nonproﬁt organization, all of Reconsidered Goods documents are public record and all of their National Labor Relations Board ﬁlings are public records on nlrb.gov, case number 10-RC358595. !

Contributor

Tanger Center Announces New Broadway Season

In partnership with Nederlander and Professional Facilities Management (PFM), the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts proudly announces the First Bank Broadway, 2025-26 Season. With a nod to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Tanger Center welcomes the Triad to “Be Our Guest” for the new season that includes eight direct-from-New York productions, including the 2024 Tony Award-winning Best Musical “The Outsiders!”

The First Bank Broadway, 2025-26 Season at Tanger Center includes:

• Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”: Sept. 23-28, 2025

• “The Wiz”: Oct. 28-Nov. 2, 2025

• “The Outsiders”: Dec. 9-14, 2025

• “Shucked”: Jan. 27-Feb. 1, 2026

• “Hell’s Kitchen”: Feb. 24-March 1, 2026

• “The Sound of Music”: March 10-15, 2026

• “Kimberly Akimbo”: April 21-26, 2026

• “The Notebook: The Musical”: June 2-7, 2026

In addition to the eight Broadway season shows, three special Broadway ‘add-ons’* have been announced as well:

• “Beetlejuice”: Sept. 2-7, 2025

• “Les Misérables”: Jan. 7-11, 2026

• “Six”: May 5-10, 2026

“After seeing the recent record-breaking season, we’re delighted to now bring eight shows to the Triad,” said Nick Scandalios, chief operating o cer of the Nederlander Organization. “It’s hard to believe we’re announcing our ﬁfth season of bringing great live theatre to downtown Greensboro. We hope Triad patrons are as enchanted by this season as we have been by their support these last few years!”

Lynn Singleton, president of PFM, noted, “This ﬁfth season lineup brings timeless

stories and brilliant productions. The Triad community is truly in for a season of nostalgia and charm.”

“We are thrilled to bring our ﬁfth Broadway season to Tanger Center and continue to build on four years of tremendous success,” said Scott Johnson, general manager of Greensboro Complex and Tanger Center.

“We are proud to have established Greensboro as one of the top touring Broadway markets in the country and look forward to reaching new heights with the eight spectacular productions that make up the First Bank Broadway, 2025-26 Season!”

“It is an honor for First Bank to be a part of such a dynamic series of Broadway shows this coming season,” said Adam Currie, president of First Bank. “When we decided to partner with the Tanger Center with the bold idea to help present Broadway to Greensboro, I don’t think any of us could have imagined what it would become. We are very proud to bring Broadway to Greensboro and the entire Triad region for our fourth straight season of art and unforgettable experiences.”

The following information outlines the purchasing process for the First Bank Broadway, 2025-26 Season at Tanger Center:

• Current Broadway Season Seat Members have ﬁrst access to seats by renewing their current subscriptions by April 16 at FirstBankBroadway.com and clicking on “Renew Here.

• The public on-sale for Broadway season memberships will be Wednesday, May 21 at 10 a.m. at FirstBankBroadway.com

• Patrons can register to become a Tanger Center Insider for updated news and information or sign-up for early access to Season Seats here.

Visit TangerCenter.com for more information. !

The

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of March 3, 2025

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You ﬁnd yourself making sheep eyes at someone who seems receptive. While the situation looks promising, you might not be ready for a long-term commitment.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) The delay in getting your task done leaves you pawing the ground in frustration. Be patient. The reason for the holdup will soon become apparent. Meanwhile, an opportunity to travel comes from an unexpected source.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Your usually sharp instincts about people should be right on the cutting edge in regard to a major decision. You might want to hold o on a commitment until (or unless) you feel like both the person and project are trustworthy.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Resist the impulse to tell tales about a co-worker. Even if your motives are sincere, they’ll be seen as self-serving. A personal situation remains unstable. Wait for things to settle down.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) You love to lap up compliments. But be wary of someone at work who is drowning you in an outpouring of praise. In your personal life, pay more attention to your spouse or partner.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A perplexing romantic situation turns out to be less complex than you thought. A simple explanation soon clears up all misunderstandings.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Try to remain balanced as you cope with two emotional people. They want your advice — but at a price to your equilibrium.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Avoid being goaded into making stinging remarks you could later regret. Best advice: Walk. Don’t talk. There’ll be time later to deal with the situation in a way that makes you look good.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) A family matter becomes too demanding as it overﬂows into several areas. Try to narrow your focus to where it will do the most good with the least drain on your time and energy.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) It’s ﬁx-up time. Make plans to get things repaired and repainted around your home. A relationship could also stand some patching up before the damage is beyond repair. Schedule a physical checkup.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A job that seems to o er everything you’ve always wanted might require moving to a new city. Your family o ers support no matter what you decide to do. Other options will also require some hard decision-making.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Get back into the social swim. Enjoy some fun time with old friends and be open to making new ones. A previous health problem recurs, but prompt attention makes everything all right.

[BORN THIS WEEK: You have a deep reservoir of strength that you can draw from to help you get through di cult times. Your compassionate nature allows you to o er support and comfort to others. You are artistically gifted in many areas.

[TRIVIA TEST]

by Fifi Rodriguez

[1. TELEVISION: The show Happy Days is a spino of which older sitcom?

[2. LITERATURE: Which author created the character Hercule Poirot?

[3. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Where is Barack Obama’s presidential library located?

[4. GEOGRAPHY: What river forms part of the border between the United States and Mexico?

[5. ASTRONOMY: Which planet in our solar system has the strongest gravitational ﬁeld?

[6. U.S. STATES: Which four states intersect at the Four Corners monument?

[7. SCIENCE: What is anemophily?

[8. MOVIES: How much does an Oscar award trophy weigh?

[9. WEATHER: What is a haboob?

[10. MEASUREMENTS: How many millimeters are in a meter?

answer

9. An intense dust storm. 10. 1,000.

8. 8.5 pounds.

7. Pollination by the wind.

6. Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado.

CROSSWORD

crossword on page 8

sudoku on page 8

1. Love, American Style

2. Agatha Christie.

3. Chicago, Illinois.

4. The Rio Grande.

5. Jupiter.

Side by Side with Nido Qubein is a 30-minute, behind-the-curtain conversation with people whose influence and impact are felt throughout the state of North Carolina and beyond. High Point University President Nido Qubein, an internationally known author and business consultant, digs beneath the surface conversation to reveal insights and inspiration from each special guest. Featuring both timeless and topical themes, the weekly series runs yearlong on PBS North Carolina.

HOW MANY OF THESE INTRIGUING INTERVIEWS HAVE YOU SEEN?