YES! Weekly - April 21, 2021

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APRIL 21-27, 2021 VOLUME 17, NUMBER 16

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Growing together

Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com EDITORIAL Editor CHANEL DAVIS chanel@yesweekly.com YES! Writers IAN MCDOWELL

“No matter the challenges, we maintain a positive outlook knowing that nothing great comes without obstacles. We are happy where we landed and are thankful for the opportunity to spread the good news about a misunderstood flower.”

MARK BURGER KATEI CRANFORD

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DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT KYLE MUNRO SHANE MERRIMAN 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 2021 Womack Newspapers, Inc.

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“What crushed us was the Federal Government and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture’s FAILURE AND REFUSAL to regulate bad actors.”

5 Hats off to BOUTIQUE HYPNOTICA, as the beloved College Hill counterculture emporium takes its final bow before closing on April 30.

7 The writing is omniscient, explaining and exploring Godzilla’s impulses and motivations as he proceeds on his inexorable path to confront KING KONG. It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that this volume ends with the words “To Be Continued ...”

8 It was inevitable. It’s been coming to this all along. East vs. West. GODZILLA VS. KONG. This isn’t the first time these bigscreen behemoths have met, of course.

9 The legal precedent maybe four centuries old, but you only have to go back a few years to understand how bad it is. In 2010, a North Carolina wife was awarded $9 million dollars in a SUIT against her husband’s mistress.

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“If we wanted to do something in the area of easing up on MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT, can we do that without the state legislature’s endorsement? I’m not saying we do or don’t. I’m just asking.”

16 The CBD craze has been sweeping the nation for a few years now, and the rise in popularity of THC-FREE cannabis has brought more innovation in product development.

18 RANKIN, a North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alum who was recognized as a preeminent Aggie for his work in Greensboro, is a nationallyknown comedian and a radio personality at Entercom’s 102 JAMZ. He began his career by hosting campus events and community shows.

22 ‘THEFACESBLUR’ is the moniker of technical artist and producer/DJ Adam Graetz, who draws “from the darker corners of electronic music,” to produce and DJ house, techno, and electronic music across a wide variety of sub-genres.

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CBD manufacturer says lack of government regulation put him out of business

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he lawyer who helped make hemp legal in North Carolina recently told YES! Weekly that government refusal to regulate CBD has put him Ian McDowell out of the business of extracting and selling it.

YES! Writer “It’s not just that,” said Bob Crumley on a Wednesday phone call. “Without the pandemic, my retail business might have survived. But refusal to regulate the hemp industry’s bad actors killed it.”

Crumley, a Greensboro attorney, cowrote the state’s first hemp bill, which became law in 2015. In 2017, Crumley founded the Asheboro-based company Founder’s Hemp. In 2019, AgriProducts, the extraction division of Founder’s Hemp, became the first such company in the state to be Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified. GMP is a system for ensuring that products are consistently produced and controlled according to quality standards. It is designed to minimize the risks involved in any product manufacturing that cannot

be eliminated through testing.

In 2020, Founder’s Hemp shut down.

“The hemp industry right now is in a state of flux, to put it mildly,” said Crumley. “Farmers have over-produced. If every human being in the United States took a 25mg capsule of CBD every day, we would need about 88,000-100,000 acres planted in the United States to produce it. Last year, we planted about 550,000 acres. Extractable hemp has gone from about $40-$50 a pound to about $3-$5 a pound. It’s devastated the industry and the market.”

He said that is only one of the two major crises the nascent NC hemp industry is facing.

“What crushed us was the Federal Government and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture’s failure and refusal to regulate bad actors. I know personally of people who are extracting hemp for food-grade material in a currently operating car garage. I know of people doing the extraction in a converted chicken house. And the state of North Carolina’s position has been that they’re not going to inspect the facilities until the federal government gives them some kind of guidance on how to inspect them, whether the Federal government chooses to inspect them as food or as nutritional supplements.”

Crumley said this inaction has resulted

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in Tarheel CBD becoming the equivalent of bootleg hooch. “Folks are extracting stuff in their bathtubs, their garages, their basements, and their chicken houses, and they’re putting that unregulated product into commerce. The people who have invested millions of dollars, my company included, in food-grade extraction facilities, almost all of them have gone out of business. You can’t compete.” The “bootleg hooch” analogy was this writer’s, not Crumley’s, but he laughed and agreed. “Yep, it’s just like old-time moonshiners running it through a radiator. I spent 1.2 million dollars building a state-of-the-art food-grade GMP-certified facility. I can’t compete against a guy that’s doing it out of a converted chicken house.”

That wasn’t his only example.

“I also went to this garage recently where they were working on cars, and right beside doing that, they were extracting CBD and putting it in 50-gallon barrels and selling it. I’m like - you got to be kidding. That’s what you get when you don’t have regulation of an item that’s going to be ingested. One guy I know, he’s extracting in a hallway on carpet. If he were making cookies or anything else, the State of North Carolina would have him them down in a minute, but because it’s CBD oil, they don’t care.”

YES! Weekly asked Crumley what he thought the reason was for this apparent resistance to regulation.

“The State of North Carolina operates a major research facility for the FDA. One of the top people at the North Department of Agriculture used to be #2 or #3 at the FDA. And they told us in the meeting straight up, ‘we are not going to piss off the FDA.’ Okay, they didn’t use ‘piss off,’ that’s my word, but they said ‘we’re not going to get the FDA mad at us by pestering them for some guidelines on hemp, so, until the FDA gives us guidance, we’re not going to inspect.’”

But, said Crumley, the state’s Department of Agriculture already has authority to inspect something classified as food, and he has said that at meetings with them.

“I told them that Marshall Hurley and I drafted the statute so that’s in the law that hemp can be food. So, you’ve got the authority within the regulation to

inspect based on food. And if later, the FDA comes down and says hemp is a nutritional supplement rather than food, then fine, go back and reinspect based on it being classified as a nutritional supplement. They said ‘no, we’re not going to do it, we’re not going to inspect.’”

Crumley said that the Trump administration sent a proposed regulation on hemp processing companies to the Office of Management and Budget.

“That could have been the first step for regulation. It has to go to the OMB to see what the impact would be on the economy and on the government. Once they score it, so to speak, then it goes on along its steps to become a regulation.

But the OMB took no action on it before the election, and to the best of my knowledge, nothing has happened on it yet in the Biden administration. I have been predicting for five years that, ultimately, the FDA will regulate us based on nutritional supplement standards, and I still stand by that. If I’m adding to CBD to, say, Coca-Cola, that will be inspected as food, but if I’m extracting the CBD from the hemp, I predict we will be regulated as a nutritional supplement.”

But until then, Crumley thinks the North Carolina Department of Agriculture should do something they need no FDA guidelines for and regulate it as a food product.

“I and six other lawyers wrote a twelve-page legal brief to the Department of Agriculture showing them and telling them how they had the legal authority to go ahead and regulate this in the state of North Carolina. They said to us, ‘we’re not going to inspect until such time as the federal government issues guidance.’ The Federal Government has not yet given guidance, and so, as a result, the only people left in this industry extracting in North Carolina, just about, are doing it in their garages and chicken houses so cheap that they’re flooding the market with cheap oil. It’s created a very big problem.” !

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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Boutique Hypnotica takes a bow Hats off to Boutique Hypnotica, as the beloved College Hill counterculture emporium takes its final bow before closing on April 30.

Serving as both a shop and source for alternative commuKatei Cranford nities throughout its nearly 25-year run, it all started with Contributor Atomic Boutique, a similar operation owner Willie Penc started in Utica, New York. After a broken partnership, he heeded his brother’s advice about a college town in North Carolina, packed up the shop, and moved to Greensboro.

“I remember rolling up in the biggest U-Haul that I could find, with my showcases and merchandise,” Penc recalled about the trip. “There were people living upstairs from the shop who offered to help me move everything into my new space. Right from the beginning, I felt very welcomed.”

Boutique Hypnotica officially opened in October 1996, and by way of wares and tobacco accessories, Penc has worked to reciprocate that welcoming nature since.

Officially the second established smoke shop in Greensboro, Hypnotica, more importantly, served as an oasis for those of alternative lifestyles. “It was the only place you could find a fishnet shirt,” said Kelly Cranford (my sister and bassist from Instant Regrets), who shudders to think how dull our wardrobes would have been growing up without the shop.

For Lisa Ellisor, “Hypnotica was more than just a shop. It was the first free space I knew,” she said. “My young weirdo heart is in mourning! It was the first place where the clothes fit my aesthetic, and the shop treated me with kindness,” she added, extending gratitude for her experience on behalf of the “hundreds of other oddball kids who poured their hearts out while trying to buy manic panic and club clothes.”

But Penc didn’t create that experience alone, but with rounds of employees, including ravers and rockabillies, Drag Queens, and fashion students, who helped define aesthetics of the underground.

Familiar faces who’ve served behind the counter include Patika Starr, the fire-dancing, stilt-walker, and Creative Director behind events like Castle Carnevale. And Jason Joyner (aka Slim Perkins,) who’s spent the last 20 years at WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

Willie helping a costumer over the phone.

COURTESY OF JASON

the shop. “I gave a misfit kid the opportunity to work when probably most people wouldn’t,” Penc explained. “He’s been a permanent fixture since.”

Jason Lonon (from the Tremors) considers Joyner “an integral part of Hypnotica, a place that literally changed my life forever.” In 2002, Lonon, a drummer and a Los Angeles transplant, was having trouble finding a band. “I’d frequent the place because it reminded me of L.A.,” he explained. “I was at Hypnotica one day and heard a song that inspired me to strike up a conversation with the person behind the counter, who ended up being Slim.”

They talked tunes, leading to an audition in the Tremors (which Joyner had formed with Jimmy Tremor of Ubangi Stomp). “Nineteen years later, my life hasn’t been the same,” London said, recounting amazing experiences opening for legends like Jerry Lee Lewis and Wanda Jackson. “Thanks to Willie for making Greensboro a better place and providing countless weirdos common ground.”

Joyner joined just before Hypnotica hopped across Mendenhall at the dawn of the ‘00s. The original location was on the opposite corner, wrapping around the now-defunct mattress store (in the spots currently occupied by Two Geeks and the now-vacant former “People’s Perk”).

In its first years, Penc also served as resident body-piercer. “Willie pierced my tongue in 1997, and I’ve enjoyed going back there ever since to get whatever weird thing,” said musician Suzanne Stafford, “but the conversation and friendli-

Slim Perkins at Hypnotic ness was always the best part.”

The sentiment is echoed from Penc’s side of things, with memories highlighting the closeness that extends beyond the counter. “One time, a woman came in looking for a vessel to store her fiancé’s ashes,” Penc recalled. “We had a long conversation, which I later learned had been incredibly supportive during her time of loss. It got back to me that it meant more to her than I would know,” he added, noting the experience remains incredibly humbling.

“I just wanted to be very inclusive with the many subcultures that I personally enjoyed,” he explained. “I wanted a variety that appealed to anyone who was ‘different.’”

These days, the blurred lines between counterculture and mainstream have created a mass market; and thinned the crowd of the formerly tight-knit industry.

Fishnet shirts and hair dye aren’t hard to come by. Once one of two smoke shops

in Greensboro, Hypnotica is now one of dozens.

“I have a lot of ideas floating around in my head at the moment,” Penc said. “I’d like to be of service to the community,” he added, musing on what the future holds.

“I’m definitely getting back into my painting and sculpture and maybe a gardenthemed business, but enjoying life to the fullest is my biggest plan.”

Folks who turn to Hypnotica for holiday gifts [hi, mom] aren’t entirely out of luck.

Jewelry and select wares will be part of an online store in the works.

Penc did express a twinge of reluctance around leaving the generations of creatives and weirdos his shop has served over the years. “I’d like to thank everyone who supported Boutique Hypnotica,” he said. “I wouldn’t be where I am now without them. I’m forever grateful.”

“I don’t think that does much justice,” he added, “I just can’t squeeze 24 years of my life and business into a single text.”

Indeed, it’s hard to do Hypnotica justice on a single page. So, to keep it simple, this writer suggests a round of applause as Boutique Hypnotica takes its bow. !

KATEI CRANFORD Is a Triad music nerd who hosts the Thursday Tour Report, a radio show that runs like a mixtape of bands touring NC the following week, 5:307pm on WUAG 103.1fm.

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Boutique Hypnotica is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Monday-Saturday until April 30 at 908-B Spring Garden St. in Greensboro.

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Godzilla and King Kong: From screen to page With Godzilla vs.

Kong burning up the box office and being touted as “the first blockbuster of the post-COVID landscape,” it’s hardly surprising that there would be numerous promotional tieMark Burger ins. The film is the latest in Legendary Pictures’ ongoing Contributor – and very popular – “MonsterVerse” franchise, and in one scene, the Legendary logo is clearly visible behind star Millie Bobby Brown.

That’s hardly the film’s only in-joke, but it’s one of the more blatantly amusing ones.

In 2010, Legendary branched out into the comic-book (or graphic novel) industry with Legendary Comics, which has already enjoyed success with Skull Island: The Birth of Kong, which was released simultaneously with Kong: Skull Island in 2017, and Godzilla Aftershock, released simultaneously with Godzilla: King of the Monsters in 2019.

Both Godzilla Dominion (96 pages, $16.99 retail) and Kingdom Kong (86 pages, $16.99 retail), released earlier this month, follow the events of the earlier films while leading – and building – up to the current one. There’s more than enough space in each chronology to depict quite a number of new adventures and to introduce some new characters.

Godzilla Dominion, written by Greg Keyes with art by Drew Edward Johnson (whose previous credits include Godzilla Aftershock), is depicted entirely from the title character’s perspective. He’s present, if not dominant, in almost every frame, and there are very few human characters involved. There are, however, other Titans, but they don’t last long when pitted against the King of the Monsters.

The writing is omniscient, explaining and exploring Godzilla’s impulses and motivations as he proceeds on his inexorable path to confront King Kong.

It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that this volume ends with the words “To Be Continued ...”

Kingdom Kong, written by Marie Anello with art by ZID (who earlier drew Skull Island: The Bird of Kong), is different in that it includes several human characters who will figure prominently in Godzilla vs.

Kong, significantly Dr. Ilene Andrews, the scientist played in the film by Rebecca WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

Hall, who essentially becomes Kong’s “keeper.”

Rest assured, however, that Kong is very much a presence here, and there’s plenty of monster-on-monster action and hi-tech flash to be found in these pages, and this too ends with the words “To Be Continued ...”.

The authors and artists of both volumes evince respect and enthusiasm for the traditional mythos of each monster while incorporating a few twists along the way. The basic individual characterization of each monster remains intact: Godzilla is motivated by sheer instinct, but Kong is a more emotional beast. Ever since he first laid eyes on Fay Wray in the original 1933 classic, more often than not, a damsel has wound up in Kong’s paw.

There’s also the underlying attitude that the real monster is, in fact, man.

Kong was content to exist on Skull Island.

It was only when humans intruded upon his world that his – and their – troubles really began. Godzilla was awakened by radiation from A-bomb testing in the Pacific Ocean, so he too is a product of what might be called “man’s folly.”

Legendary Comics has also released its first children’s book in conjunction with Godzilla vs. Kong. Kong and Me (36 pages, $19.99 retail), written by Kiki Thorpe with illustrations by Nidhi Chanani, is a sweet, simple depiction of a day in the life – on Skull Island, of course – of Kong and his human friend Jia, the little girl so memorably played by newcomer Kaylee Hottle in the film. Jia is unable to speak or hear (nor is the actress who plays her) but has an almost preternatural connection with Kong, who is her protector and, in many ways, her confidante.

Theirs is a bond of unspoken trust and affection, conveyed very sweetly in this slim but enjoyable volume.

Taking a break from the “MonsterVerse” – at least for the time being – Legendary Comics has also released Championess (232 pages, $21.99 retail), written by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas with art by Amanda Perez Puentes, which is based on the actual historical character of Elizabeth Wilkinson, a female bare-knuckle boxer who found considerable fame in 18th-century London.

Shanker and Zekas have added some interesting alterations to Wilkinson’s story, the most noteworthy in that she is half-Indian. This is not historically accurate, but it adds both a feminist and racial angle that certainly resonates today in the 21st century.

Not only must Elizabeth compete in a traditionally male sport in a “man’s world,” but she must also contend with sexism and bigotry. Given her vocation, she does so the only way she knows how – with her fists and wits. She certainly strikes a blow for empowerment and equality. Actually, she strikes several!

The black-and-white color scheme of Championess is also a very stylish touch. It contributes greatly to the period

atmosphere and, indeed, to the social atmosphere depicted here. It’s got action, it’s got strong characters, and it’s got social commentary – a heady and effective combination.

– The official Legendary Comic website is https://www.legendary.com/comics/. !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies on Burgervideo.com. © 2021, Mark Burger.

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Godzilla vs. Kong: The ultimate monster mash

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t was inevitable. It’s been coming to this all along. East vs. West. Godzilla vs.

Kong.

This isn’t the first time these bigscreen behemoths Mark Burger have met, of course.

Fans undoubtedly Contributor remember King Kong vs. Godzilla (Kingu Kongu tai Gojira), which was released in Japan in 1962 and then, in an edited version, a year later in the United States.

(Yours truly saw it at a kiddie matinee in the 1970s, and it was, truly, a memorable experience.)

According to Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), the scientist studying Kong, it has

been foretold that these two “Alpha Titans” will inevitably clash, and she must know what she’s talking about since her picture adorns the cover of Scientific American magazine bearing the legend “Kong Whisperer.”

She also notes that such a battle has been foretold, although whether this prophecy was discerned by ancient mythology or as a result of the previous films’ box-office grosses is unknown.

Of course, despite her warnings, said

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prophecy will come true, and in eyepopping, effects-laden fashion certain to please the monster faithful. This is pure, unabashed escapist fare, designed simply to entertain.

There are, of course, human characters, and some good actors play them, including the aforementioned Hall, who manages to keep a straight face throughout. Millie Bobby Brown and Kyle Chandler encore from Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), although the latter spends much of his brief time onscreen talking on the phone. Alexander Skarsgard plays Nathan Lind, the resident egghead scientist and author of a book on the “Hollow Earth” theory. He also teaches at Denham University (a nice nod to the original 1933 King Kong) in Philadelphia (!).

Lind’s book has aroused the interest of Walter Simmons (Demian Bichir), the slick corporate tycoon who owns Apex Cybernetics, who tells Lind, “I love crazy ideas. They make me rich.” It’s not divulging much to reveal that Simmons has his own agenda, although what that specific agenda is, isn’t made clear. Essentially, it’s to bring Godzilla and Kong together for a battle royale – which is what this movie’s all about.

Brian Tyree Henry, Julian Dennison, Shun Oguri, Eiza Gonzalez, Lance Reddick, and adorable newcomer Kaylee Hottle round out the film’s human contingent, but let’s face it; the film’s raison d’etre is its title characters. It’s not called Godzilla vs. Kong for nothing. In fact, it’s called that for everything.

Remarkably, Japan is spared any damage in this installment, although Hong Kong, Pensacola, and a portion of the Southern Ocean sustain their share.

There are numerous in-jokes regarding the mythos of both Godzilla and King Kong, as well as plenty of other giant creatures on display, one of which will be

very familiar to Godzilla fans.

Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein’s screenplay, based on a story by Terry Rossio, Michael Doughtery, and Zach Shields, is a grab bag of gimmicks, gadgets, and goofy plot twists. Some are half-baked, others are char-broiled, but there’s nary a moment to give any thought to how absurd they may be, and director Adam Wingard’s “full-steam-ahead” approach is just right for these proceedings. It’s always amusing to note that cities aren’t evacuated before a monster shows up, but at precisely the moment one does, all the better to see the masses desperately scurrying for cover and that amidst all the destruction, the power never once goes out.

Godzilla vs. Kong doesn’t have the almost tragic grandeur of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, nor (fortunately) the Vietnam analogy of Kong: Skull Island (2017). This is a more jocular outing than either, and – no surprise here – it sets everything up neatly for the next installment. !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies on Burgervideo.com. © 2021, Mark Burger.

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voices

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Alienation of Affection Law Must Go

suppose it’s natural to blame someone else for our own mistakes and shortcomings, or when something happens that we don’t like. We blame the teacher when Jim Longworth we get a bad grade, and we blame the boss when we get Longworth fired. It’s always at Large someone else’s fault but ours. We’re all guilty of this behavior, even politicians. In 2016, Hillary blamed Bernie Sanders and James Comey for her loss to Donald Trump, and in 2020, Trump blamed fake ballots and fake news for his loss to Joe Biden. But the worst kind of “blame game” is when a spouse blames a third party for the dissolution of a marriage. Here’s how it goes: Jane and Joe have been married for ten years, then Joe has an affair with Betty and leaves Jane. Not only will Jane probably get a big

divorce settlement from Joe, but she sues Betty for breaking up the marriage in the first place. The legal term for this archaic madness is “alienation of affection,” and, believe it or not, it is still legal in six states, including our beloved North Carolina. State Representative Pricey Harrison of Guilford County wants to change that and hopes that House bill 489 (which she co-sponsored) will do the trick.

Harrison recently told the WinstonSalem Journal’s Richard Craver that more than 200 alienation of affection cases are filed each year in North Carolina, “some of which have resulted in multi-million dollar verdicts …and are often used to create problems for a defendant, such as attorney’s fees, or to intentionally inflict emotional distress, or as leverage in a divorce or custody proceeding.” Said Harrison, “I, like many, feel that these laws are outdated, based on 17th century English law that viewed a married woman as her husband’s chattel.”

The legal precedent maybe four centuries old, but you only have to go back a few years to understand how bad it is. In 2010, a North Carolina wife was awarded $9 mil-

lion dollars in a suit against her husband’s mistress. That same year, a wife prevailed in court against her best friend, who she said, seduced her husband. Not long after that, a Burke County wife was awarded $1 million dollars because she said her husband’s secretary dressed provocatively at work, resulting in an affair that destroyed her marriage. In 212, the wife of a WinstonSalem businessman sued his alleged mistress for $20 million dollars. In a 2017 case involving a married Forsyth County physician and his mistress, the North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled that Alienation of Affection was constitutional. Last year, former State Senator Rick Gunn was sued by a Wake County husband, who claimed that Gunn was having an affair with his wife, which broke up a 20-year marriage.

One reason that alienation of affection suits are unfair is that the accusing party has a pretty easy burden of proof to meet.

According to MyFamilyLaw.com, a spouse only has to prove three things: that love existed between the married spouses, that love between the married spouses was destroyed; and, that a third party’s malicious conduct contributed to the loss of

affection. The problem is that jury awards are often based on the aggrieved party’s feelings and testimony rather than on hard facts.

Alienation of affection laws essentially condones extortion and accepts the premise that a lover can steal someone’s spouse. In the 2017 case of the married physician, the Court justified its ruling, saying, “…a broken marriage can mean the loss of all the benefits that a healthy marriage brings to a society. The State has a legitimate interest in protecting the institution of marriage, ensuring that married couples honor their vows, and deterring conduct that would cause injury to one of the spouses.”

Newsflash: It’s not Big Brother’s job to maintain or sustain marital relationships.

And here’s another shocking truth: No one can break up a marriage except one or more of the spouses themselves. House bill 489 bears this out, and I wish Ms. Harrison success in getting it passed. !

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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[weekly sudoku]

[KING Crossword] WELL-PRESERVED

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leisure

[NEWS OF THE WEIRD] METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING

Camille Coelho, 54, of Brookline, Massachusetts, set out at low tide for a stroll with her son’s dog, Lucy, along Constitution Beach on April 8 to relax and look for Chuck Shepherd sea glass, but found herself stuck in mud that reached past her knees instead. “It’s a great metaphor for the year,” she told the Boston Herald. “I can’t believe it. ...

This past year has been awful.” Passersby rushed to help, but soon called firefighters, who arrived to pull her out.

WAIT, WHAT?

An anonymous New York resident seeking to marry their adult offspring filed suit in federal court in Manhattan on April 1 asking that laws barring incestuous marriage be overturned, Fox News reported.

In court papers, the petitioner claims such a marriage is a matter of “individual autonomy” and asks to remain unnamed because “a large segment of society views (the request) as morally, socially and biologically repugnant.” The petitioner is a parent of an adult offspring, but court documents do not reveal the couple’s genders, ages, hometown or relationship.

The filing does detail that the “proposed spouses are unable to procreate together.”

Manhattan family and matrimonial law attorney Eric Wrubel predicted, “It’s never gonna fly.”

AWESOME!

Gary and Beth Machens moved into a historic home in Alton, Illinois, in December and uncovered more history to go with it when they found a 19th-century brick tunnel underneath the house. Gary Machens discovered the entrance to the tunnel as he was doing some sidewalk repair. The barrel-shaped tunnel, about 9 feet high and 60 feet long, is believed by local historians to have been built around 1840 — 50 years before the house was constructed. “Whatever they built this for, it took a lot of men and a lot of hours. You know, one guy didn’t do this,” Machens told KTVI-TV. He believes the tunnel could have been used to store ice or carriages, or it could have been part of the Underground Railroad. “There was a ferry here in the Alton area to the Missouri side, and it’s possible it could have been used for that,” he said.

VINTAGE WEIRD

Brian Robson of Cardiff, Wales, was 19

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years old in 1964, when he accepted a job on the Victorian Railways in Australia. He almost immediately regretted his decision and started scheming about how to get back home, but he didn’t have enough money for the return trip. That’s when he had an idea: With the help of two Irish friends, Robson squeezed himself into a 30-by-26-by-38-inch wooden crate and shipped himself home in the cargo area of a Qantas flight. “The first 10 minutes was fine,” he told CNN. “But your knees start to cramp up when they’re stuck up to your chest.” When the crate arrived in Sydney, it landed on the tarmac upside down.

“So now I’m sitting on my neck and my head,” he explained, “and I was there for 22 hours upside down,” until arriving next in Los Angeles, where two airport workers discovered him. He spent six days recovering as word of his story got out, and Pan Am airlines sent Robson home to London in a first-class seat. Robson lost touch with the friends who helped him but now hopes to find them and reconnect. He’s never been back to Australia.

COMPELLING EXPLANATIONS

A Blount County (Tennessee) Sheriff ’s deputy was dispatched to a Dollar General store in Maryville on April 5 after a clerk was presented with a $1 million bill, The Smoking Gun reported. Amanda McCormick, 39, told officers she received the bill “in the mail from a church” and that she planned to use the funds to purchase the cart full of items she had, “including several gift cards ... for care packages for homeless individuals,” according to a police report. McCormick and her companion, Linda Johnson, 61, were not arrested but were banned from returning to the Dollar General store, and officers confiscated the bill.

SLAVE TO FASHION

Among the items unveiled in Louis Vuitton’s fall/winter 2021 men’s collection in January was a leather “Keepall” bag, shaped like a miniature airplane and covered with the ubiquitous LV logo, which went viral April 2 when a Twitter user pointed out that an actual airplane could be purchased on eBay for less than the Keepall’s $39,000 price tag. Oddity Central reported the bag, designed by Vuitton menswear artistic director Virgil Abloh, features wings, a tail and four engines; the used single-engine Cessna was listed at $32,300 on eBay. !

© 2021 Chuck Shepherd. Universal Press Syndicate.

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

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City attorney, GCJAC member, on “easing up” Greensboro marijuana enforcement

F

our months ago, City Attorney Chuck Watts stated he would research whether Greensboro could issue an ordinance “easing up on marijuana enforceIan McDowell ment.”

That quoted phrase was used Contributor

by Mayor Pro Tem Yvonne Johnson rather than Watts.

After the subject was raised by a public speaker at a council meeting last December, Johnson indicated she was not necessarily stating she would support such an ordinance but asked Watts if the city had the authority to issue one.

YES! Weekly recently asked Watts if he has done that research. Before this article quotes his response, here is further context on how and why the question arose.

At the Dec. 1 council meeting, community activist Latasha Mccorkle spoke about a Sept. 17 recommendation by the Greensboro Criminal Justice Advisory Commission (GCJAC). That commission, which reports directly to the City Council and the City Manager’s Office, is tasked with monitoring and providing recommendations on issues involving the public’s interaction with the Greensboro Police Department. The Police Community Review Board (PCRB) is a subcommittee of GCJAC. The September GCJAC recommendation to City Council cited a 2019 memo from the State Bureau of Investigation to N.C. General Assembly, which expressed this concern about potential complications of legalizing industrial hemp.

There is no easy way for law enforcement to distinguish between industrial hemp and marijuana. There is currently no field test which distinguishes the difference. Hemp and marijuana look the same and have the same odor, both unburned and burned. This makes it impossible for law enforcement to use the appearance of marijuana or the odor of marijuana to develop probable cause for arrest, seizure of the item, or probable cause for a search warrant. In order for a law enforcement officer to seize an item to have it analyzed, the officer must have YES! WEEKLY

APRIL 21-27, 2021

probable cause that the item being seized is evidence of a crime.

The GCJAC report concluded with the following recommendations: • As marijuana and hemp are indistinguishable from each other by field tests, the presence of the odor of hemp or marijuana should not be used as a reason for probable cause to search.

• Marijuana be deprioritized within the City of Greensboro and the Greensboro Police Department. Due to the indistinguishable nature of hemp and marijuana, the GCJAC is recommending that marijuana be deprioritized and to immediately cease possession charges for marijuana.

Unless possession can be determined by other means.

At the Dec. 1 meeting, Mccorkle asked the mayor and council to follow this recommendation and adopt a city ordinance to decriminalize marijuana, or failing that, to deemphasize prosecuting marijuana offenses. This led the mayor pro tem to ask the city attorney the following question.

“If we wanted to do something in the area of easing up on marijuana enforcement, can we do that without the state legislature’s endorsement? I’m not saying we do or don’t. I’m just asking.”

That was when Watts said he would research the issue and get back to council members on his findings.

To date, the issue has not come up again at council meetings. On April 8, this writer sent Watts an email asking what those findings were.

“That’s a fair question,” wrote the city attorney in his response that afternoon.

“The short answer is that there have been no further conversations, and the Mayor Pro Tem has not brought it back up to me.”

He then described the results of his research, explaining that, if the question were about “whether the Council could pass an ordinance reducing penalties for a crime defined by state statute, which is how I read the Mayor Pro Tem’s question, the answer would be no.” But he also wrote there was “an ongoing discussion” amongst the members of GCJAC “about Police enforcement of laws against possession of marijuana.”

“Were I to be asked about that aspect of the issue,” concluded Watts. “I’d suggest that we let that process work its way out.”

YES! Weekly asked Kay Brown, who

represents District 2 on the Police Community Review Board (a subcommittee of GCJAC), what, if anything, has resulted from that process. Brown replied with the following emailed statement: The real question for this is, given that the state has not closed the loophole when it comes to marijuana and hemp and other states are moving to legalization, is it right that close to 80% of the arrests are of Black people and that the smell of something potentially legal is being used as probable cause to disproportionately search our Greensboro residents?

“When we reviewed the SBI report, it was clear that there was no way for officers to tell the difference [between marijuana and CBD] in the field. If someone is inebriated (as some officer may bring up), then they can still stop someone based on regular traffic law.

Basically, marijuana has already been deprioritized for white residents based on the data, and it is still criminal and used for ‘fishing’ with black residents.

The council has sat on this, and to my understanding, the mayor has NOT even added this to the agenda, which makes this the second recommendation from GCJAC that council has NOT followed.

Which could allow us to ask a question: People protested around police oversight and we have a body for that here, and council has not been following any of that body’s recommendations, but did fast track raises and more jobs for GPD. Does council actually take these review bodies seriously, or are they just for show?

On Saturday, this writer asked Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan for a response to Brown’s statement. Vaughan replied that she was out of town until Tuesday, but upon her return, she would research the issue and give YES! Weekly a comment. This article will be updated when that comment is received.

On Monday, Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan responded to Brown’s statement with one of her own.

“GCJAC recommended that the City Council require written consent when a search is conducted. After much thought and deliberation, the City Council did adopt (5-4) a new Informed Documented Consent Search policy. It includes language that every person be informed of their rights (it is voluntary, they can refuse, they can withdraw consent at any time). It has always been

GPD’s policy that every search includes a post-search report. Body worn camera documentation of the search will be kept for a minimum of three years. Indefinitely if an individual is charged with a crime.

We have a better policy due to GCJAC’s advocacy.”

As Vaughan stated in her first sentence, the policy recommended by GCJAC, and brought to Council on Sept.

15 of last year by District 5’s Tammi Thurm, would have required signed consent for police searches. But the council, following the recommendation of the Greensboro Police Officer’s Association, voted Thurm’s motion down 5-4. Thurm, At-Large representative Michelle Kennedy, Mayor Pro Tem Yvonne Johnson, and District 3’s Justin Outling all voted for it. Mayor Vaughan, District 4’s Nancy Hoffman, District 2’s Goldie Wells, District 1’s Sharon Hightower, and At-Large Representative Marikay Abuzuaiter all voted it against it.

After council voted 5 to 4 against requiring written consent, Mayor Vaughan made her own motion for what she called Informed Documented Consent, requiring officers to request consent to searches verbally, rather than via a signed form, with body worn cameras providing the documentation. Hoffman seconded it, and Abuzuaiter, Wells, Hightower and Hoffman voted for Vaughan’s motion, with Thurm, Kennedy, Outling and Johnson voting against.

While Council did vote to require consent for searches, it did not require the consent be written, which was at the heart of GCJAC’s recommendation, and why that recommendation used the phrase “written consent” in its subject line. Kay Brown’s statement that the Greensboro City Council did not accept GCJAC’s recommendation on that matter is essentially correct.

In her Monday night email to YES! Weekly, Mayor Vaughan also stated that she didn’t agree with attempting to address the issue of marijuana at the city level. “In my opinion, decriminalization needs to be addressed statewide,” she wrote. “Therefore, it’s best addressed by the legislature.” !

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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PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAY GALLOWAY

Growing together: Husband and wife team run local CBD shop When The Hemp Source, located at 690 Jonestown Rd. Suite #190 in Winston-Salem, opened in September 2019, co-owners and husband-and-wife duo Kayla and Jay Galloway had high hopes for the future.

But as we all know, the year 2020 was everything but hopeful for many small business owners in the Katie Murawski Triad.

“Covid really tested how badly Contributor we wanted to succeed,” Jay Galloway wrote in an email. “We were fortunate enough to remain open due to our business being labeled an Agricultural entity since our company grows. It definitely shifted how things were, but it made us think outside the box with our marketing.”

Luckily, The Hemp Source was able to thrive during the pandemic, and the Galloways attribute that to the result of “providing natural products that are actually providing relief.”

“The entire world was understandably stressed,” they noted, “and we are happy to know we can help everyone chill and relax a little.”

Jay Galloway describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur” who got into the cannabis industry for numerous reasons: “First, I knew I wanted to be in the health and wellness business, and after learning the many benefits of hemp, which became federally legal in recent years, I realized it was an opportunity for me to offer those benefits to my community,” he wrote in an email. “Second, I found there to be a lack of education about cannabis and its benefits, and I knew hemp was a great place to start in dispelling many rumors and falsehoods surrounding it.”

The Hemp Source made history as the city’s first Blackowned CBD shop, a point of pride for the Galloways.

“It means a lot to me and my wife that we got our footprint in this industry,” Jay Galloway wrote. “Many times being African-American brings challenges with lack of representation. We hope to be an example to other WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

Jay and Kayla Galloway people who look like us to not be afraid to step out and take up space in this growing billion-dollar industry. There are many challenges that we have and continue to face.

For example, one being our inability to find a location early on because of the stereotype that came with being a Black face owning a cannabis store. No matter the challenges, we maintain a positive outlook knowing that nothing great comes without obstacles. We are happy where we landed and are thankful for the opportunity to spread the good news about a misunderstood flower. We strive to not only be the best Black-owned hemp store, but the best hemp store there is.”

The Hemp Source offers the full spread of CBD products: edibles, smokeables, topicals, oils, tinctures, and more.

“Customers love our tea and honey combinations because of their quick relief,” Galloway noted. “Our newest and highly popular products are our Delta8 chocolates.

Our customers can not get enough!”

In addition, The Hemp Source hosts a variety of themed events such as infused yoga classes, puff and paint, and The Cannadish, which is the Triad’s first five-course, cannabis-infused dinner with a professional chef.

“We not only want to provide products, but we also offer different and safe ways to experience using them,” Galloway wrote.

For those who have never tried CBD products, Galloway

advises that they stick with what they know.

“Many who are in pain may feel comfortable with starting with our salve that you simply rub on,” Galloway wrote. “Those who want to reduce stress or need more sleep may feel most comfortable with drinking some of our popular tea and honey.”

Galloway wrote that the goal is to find “what works best for you and makes you feel comfortable. We try to fit within your normal daily habits— instead of taking pharmaceutical drugs, some customers have replaced them with drinking our tea or using our oil because it is a natural source.”

With New York, New Mexico, and Virginia being the most recent states to have legalized and decriminalized marijuana, word on the street is that legislators in Raleigh are mulling over the best way to approach the topic in the state. When asked if The Hemp Source plans to tap into the legal THC market, Jay Galloway wrote that they are very interested, “as it would be very beneficial to many of our customers.”

“The goal is to cater to both markets as everyone has their own specific needs,” he wrote. “We are all about providing a natural resource especially being that there are many in both the marijuana and hemp plants.”

The thing that sets The Hemp Source apart from other stores is its focus and dedication to product education.

“That has been an area where many companies have fallen short in our industry,” Galloway noted. “We believe in trying before buying, so we always provide samples and focus on understanding your problems to provide you with a comfortable purchase.” !

KATIE MURAWSKI is the former 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 selfproclaimed King of Glamp.

WANNA

know?

For more information, visit The Hemp Source’s website thehempsourcews.com, call (336) 448-0115, or email info@thehempsourcews. com. Follow them on Instagram at @thehempsourcews and Facebook at The Hemp Source WS to stay in the loop.

APRIL 21-27, 2021

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CBD Product-palooza!

All the ones I’ve tried and would recommend to you The CBD craze has been sweeping the nation for a few years now, and the rise in popularity of THC-free cannabis has brought more innovation in product development. From edibles Katie Murawski and smokeables to topicals, the best part about CBD Contributor products, much like the versatile plant it comes from, is that there are seemingly limitless ways to ingest it!

This column will be divided into three sections— topicals, edibles, and smokeables— and will detail my experience with the types of products I have tried before and how they affected me. As someone with clinically diagnosed anxiety, depression, and an eating disorder, CBD/hemp products taken along with my prescription medicines has tremendously helped with my symptoms.

However, that does not mean CBD works for everyone in the same way.

(Writer and Editor’s Note: Be sure to talk with your doctor first to see if using CBD is right for you before trying.)

TOPICALS

gels, creams, salves, bath bombs/salts, lotions/body butter, soaps, lip balm When I was about 8 or 9 years old, I fell out of a bunk bed, broke my left wrist, and it never properly healed. So, when carpal tunnel pains hit, I like to use a topical CBD-infused gel to instantly soothe the sharp aching. Immediately after applying a couple of squirts to the affected area, you should feel an icy, tingly sensation that will linger until the product is fully absorbed into the skin.

After about four minutes, my achy left wrist wasn’t even noticeable! This sensation typically lasts about two to four hours, depending on your stress level or how much you are paying attention to your pain. Something that doesn’t bug me but may bug others about gels is the menthol/peppermint oil usually found in the ingredients. The price tag of these kinds of products might be hefty to some, as well, ranging anywhere from YES! WEEKLY

APRIL 21-27, 2021

$30 to $70 per tube. (Pro-tip: A little will go a long way!)

My go-to topical CBD product would definitely be CBD bath bombs or bath salts— they are perfect for either a nice, long, full-body soak or just a footbath.

The typical dosage for a CBD bath bomb is 50 mg, which is more than enough and usually costs about $20. (Treat yourself!)

Some bath bombs are too pungent smelling, which tends to make me nauseous, so one with five ingredients or less is ideal. Soaking with either a CBD bath bomb or bath salts for about 15 to 20 minutes should make your muscles feel relaxed and ease inflammation without taking over-the-counter pain relief pills.

Another topical product that has become a favorite of mine is a CBD salve stick, perfect and convenient for applying generously after an intense roller skating session. I love this option because it’s portable, long-lasting, and entirely mess-free. Within seconds of rubbing it on the affected area, I felt the relief, which lingered for a couple of hours. Unlike the gel, there is no cooling sensation.

If your complexion is like mine— pasty white— and you plan to start spending a lot more time in the sun this summer, go ahead and do yourself a favor: invest in some CBD-infused aftersun cream. Trust me, when you are as red as a lobster and radiating heat, aloe alone just doesn’t cut it. (Work smarter, not harder: Get some CBD sunscreen and avoid cosplaying as crustaceans’ altogether.)

For those who don’t like the icy sensation from gels or salves, CBD soaps and lotions scented with essential oils (my favorite is lavender) would be the next best things. The effect of these may not be instantly gratifying or noticeable at first, but over time and with consistent use, you will feel the difference— and your skin will thank you for it in the long run!

Speaking of sunburn, after a day out in the sun, my lips tend to get chapped and irritated. After applying CBD-infused chapstick once in the morning, I noticed the results by lunchtime. As someone who also gets stress-induced cold sores, I rubbed the balm on one that was about to pop up, and I am pretty sure that made it go away before it even started.

(Take that insanely overpriced Abreva!)

EDIBLES

Gummies, chocolates, lollipops, tea/kombucha, MCT oil, tinctures (for people and pets), tonics, capsules, water I am not too big on edible CBD products because the planty taste can be a bit off-putting, especially when eating candy-like edibles such as gummies, chocolates, and lollipops. However, the effects definitely outweigh the icky taste. When eating these kinds of edibles, it is always a smart idea to not eat them on an empty stomach— or else you will get a gnarly headache.

One edible product that I love and that doesn’t have a bitter, earthy taste is CBD-infused water. I like to think of it as the ultimate sports drink. When I tried it for the first time, it was energizing,

hydrating and helped me focus on the long workout ahead. If I could afford to, I’d drink a bottle a day; but the price tag on a 16-ounce bottle of CBD water can range anywhere from $5 to $7, depending on the retailer. And according to leafnation.com, once you buy a bottle of CBD water, drink it quickly because CBD is sensitive to light and will degrade if exposed for an extended period.

My favorite edible CBD product is hands-down, any CBD-infused tea or kombucha. For me, taste-wise, these are the easiest ways to enjoy CBD edibles.

Brewing some hot CBD tea is my ideal way to unwind after a long day at work.

If I have head or body aches, I will substitute any over-the-counter pain meds for a nice hot cup of CBD tea. (If you are going to try some for the first time, boil the water and let the tea steep

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for about five to 10 minutes so that it works more effectively.) CBD kombucha, which is another form of tea, is usually served cold. The effects are the same, but something about a cold drink makes me more energized and focused. CBD kombucha is the perfect drink to start the morning, especially if you have a lot of errands to run! Speaking of morning drinks, another edible CBD product that I stan is CBD-infused juice/tonic shots.

After a long night out drinking alcohol, waking up to a CBD-infused tonic shot is exactly what I need to get out of bed and recover. The typical dosage for these tonic shots is 20 mg, and they come in a variety of flavors (my favorite is ginger or turmeric).

As far as CBD MCT oil, tinctures, and capsules go, these are my least favorite ways to ingest CBD myself. For one, the taste is very intense (literally like a plant and coconut oil), and the consistency of oil/tinctures is not my favorite. And with capsules, I am indifferent because if I don’t notice the effects immediately, I lose interest. (Yes, I am a millennial who is obsessed with instant gratification.)

However, these methods do work, and I’ve had great results— especially from tinctures.

CBD tinctures also work amazingly WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

on anxious, rambunctious pets, but it’s extremely important to talk to your vet first to make sure CBD is right for your pet. You will also need to make sure that you give your pet CBD that is specifically made for animals and follow the appropriate dosing guide. I use 75 mg CBD krill oil for my cat and dog, and while I can’t personally attest to how this stuff tastes and feels, I have noticed its effectiveness almost instantly with both my animals.

SMOKEABLES

Flower, concentrates, and distillates

8-tetrahydrocannabinol, or delta-8 THC,” is “a cannabis compound that has become popular because of its similarity to THC, the main compound in cannabis that gets you high, causing euphoria, happiness, sedation, symptom relief, and much more. Large amounts of THC are found in a majority of cannabis strains.” D8’s chemical structure is similar to THC (its scientific name is “delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or delta-9 THC, or just delta-9”), which causes similar effects of Delta-9 THC, but it’s much less potent.

The best thing is, D8 is technically legal in North Carolina, thanks to the 2018 farm bill, so you can find it readily at almost any CBD store. Technically, D8 has more in common with THC than it does with CBD because “Delta-8 THC binds to the body’s endocannabinoid system more like delta-9 THC. CBD doesn’t bind as readily to the endocannabinoid system, making it non-intoxicating, although CBD can offer medicinal benefits for the consumer.” I prefer D8 distillate to CBD distillate because every time I have used CBD distillate, it has given me a headache, which I can’t say I have experienced with D8. D8 kind of makes me feel a bit light-headed, but in the best possible way.

Smoking CBD flower is also a lovely way to get the desired effects quickly and easily. I’ll grab a pre-roll from my favorite CBD shop, and that thing will last at least two smoking sessions, minimum.

The only downside to smoking CBD flower is the sticky residue it often leaves in my nose and the skunky smell afterward. I will say CBD flower-rolled cigarettes are perfect for a night out at my favorite bar. That way, I can chain smoke without getting dizzy.

Though I haven’t experi-

enced CBD concentrates as much as I’d like to. The one time I did try it, I noticed that it could be extremely messy without the proper tools. Also, for occasional smokers like myself, the hit from concentrates is extremely harsh, so be prepared to cough. While the effects were worth the hassle, I noticed that, for me, the benefits did not last as long, however, compared to distillates.

I hope this product guide was helpful!

Remember to shop locally for your CBD products, so you know what you are buying is not synthetic. (Beware of buying CBD from online stores out of North Carolina or out of the United States because you never know what you are going to get!) Good thing there are plenty of local CBD shops in the Triad with hemp heads eager to educate and help you find what best suits you and your needs. !

KATIE MURAWSKI is the former 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.

Ah, now we get to my favorite way of ingesting CBD: smoking! I have found that this is the quickest way to get the effect I like. My favorite smokeable CBD would have to be distillates— which is the purest and most potent form extracted from the hemp plant. While it all comes from the same plant, it isn’t technically CBD. My favorite form of distillate would have to be Delta 8 (also known as D8).

What is D8? According to Leafly.com, D8, or “deltaAPRIL 21-27, 2021

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Drankins: On Bud, Beats and Social Justice For years the Triad and beyond has woken up to the antics and musings of Gerard Demar “Osama Bin Drankin” Rankin.

He’s been as much a part of hundreds of thousands of North Carolinean’s mornChanel Davis ing’s as their first cup of coffee.

On the flip side Editor of that, for over ten years, he’s helped you end your week and entertained you on the weekends, gracing the stages of comedy clubs to make your sides hurt, your cheeks burn, and eyes water from laughter.

It’s a talent that the Charlotte native has mastered and a calling that he was walked confidently into — sack first, as he would say.

“I’ve been silly all of my life, but all this getting kicked out of class for clowning has finally paid off,” he said.

Rankin, a North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alum who was recognized as a preeminent Aggie for his work in Greensboro, is a nationallyknown comedian and a radio personality at Entercom’s 102 JAMZ. He began his career by hosting campus events and community shows.

While a series of unfortunate events led him to pursue comedy full-time, it was there he found success, life lessons, and a brotherhood with the Freestyle Funny Comedy Crew - B’Dhat, Darren “Big Baby” Brand, Burpie, and Chico Bean.

On Bud

Always one to be ahead of his time, Rankin has long been a connoisseur of cannabis. That knowledge is now paying off in a big way and at a time when the nation is turning over a new leaf when it comes to the legislation of cannabis, hemp, and CBD. Rankin, who admits to enjoying the benefits of the plant, said that he is glad to see the stigma behind the plant going up in smoke and is an advocate for the legalization of the plant.

“In College, the people who smoked weed, those are the people who were looked at as the people who weren’t going to make it because they were a drug head or a pothead,” he said. “But I can’t tell you how many people I know who smoke weed and are very successful. I’m glad that people are starting to educate YES! WEEKLY

April 21-27, 2021

themselves on cannabis and not just looking at someone who partakes in cannabis and saying ‘you ain’t gonna be nothing.’”

While Rankin applauds the many states that have legalized the plant, including neighboring Virginia, he hopes to see North Carolina do the same. More importantly, he hopes the decriminalization of the plant comes right behind it.

“It’s long overdue. As a matter of fact, if anybody is in jail for marijuana right now, they should be let out. You have states and people who are making billions off of marijuana, yet and still you have somebody incarcerated for it. That’s criminal.”

In his newest venture, you can find Rankin and his comedy buddy Darren “Big Baby” Brand on the Last Few Hits podcast hosted on the All Def Cannabis youtube page. The show, aired every weekend, is a podcast where Rankin and Brand discuss current events and issues, but the podcast is designed to be the length of a blunt. According to Rankin, the feedback has been positive, and guests enjoy the show.

“They can laugh at it, they comment, and I’ve heard people say they interact with the screen sometimes, which is cool,” he said. “We discuss topics that are out of the box, and sometimes we have guests.

We let the weed lead us.”

On Beats and Comedy

After participating in several comedy contests with the station, Rankin launched his radio career, becoming a regular on the Wild Out Wake Up Morning Show with Kyle Santillian, Toshamakia, and B’Dhat. His brother in comedy, B’Dhat, was on the show and invited him to come on the show on Fridays.

“That was all God. I knew nothing of radio, so it was a foreign language,” he explained. “I just knew how to act a fool and talk on a microphone, but I didn’t know the actual ethics.”

It didn’t take him long to catch on.

“I would do silly stuff and eat crazy stuff. I was like their jackass on the radio.

I would literally go up there every Friday and wild out.”

Rankin did this every Friday for three years, with no pay, before the show disbanded, and he went back to doing comedy.

It wouldn’t be long before he graced the airwaves again.

“I got a call from Dhat, and he was like ‘Yo, come up to the station. We’re going to try something new.”

The duo tested out the chemistry with a few women before recording with Roxie.

Rankin said that when she entered the

picture, the duo instantly became a trio, hence the birth of the 3 Live Crew.

“The first day, it was fucking gold. We did a show or two, and the radio went back to normal. The next week we are getting a phone call to be at the studio at 6 a.m.”

From there, Rankin said, the trio went from a pilot show to contracts, to the rest being history and one of the best morning shows in the Triad area.

Maurice “Big Mo” Mayer, who also works with Rankin, spoke highly of him and the talents he brings to the station.

“To me, Drankins makes the 3 Live Crew go! He is extremely funny and talented!

Also, he is smart, especially on race relations in this country.”

When it comes to his opportunity at Entercom, Rankin credits more than luck.

“It was just one of those situations where talent and hard work beat all the other stuff. I had talent and saw an opportunity. Not only did I take it, I owned it,” he said. “I knew this was my moment once God had me come up to that radio station and had me doing stuff on Friday’s.”

Rankin carries that same sentiment into his comedic success and the success of his Freestyle Comedy Brothers.

“For all of us to meet, it was all God. We were a five-man comedy group, and four out of the five of us made it to MTV’s Nick Cannon Presents: Wild’n Out,” he said.

“That just boosted everybody’s success.”

From the beginning, Rankin said the

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crew knew they had something on their hands.

“It was like no other. From show number one. Our first show was 11 or 12 people, but we knew we had something. We couldn’t have imagined this, but once we all saw it, we embraced it.”

Rankin also hinted at something many in the Triad would love to see — a Freestyle Funny Comedy Show Reunion.

“We’re actually working on a reunion show now. When it’s going to come all together, we don’t know because everybody has schedules… but that’s one thing we’re at least talking about.”

Regardless of where they are now, Rankin describes the men’s friendship as a brotherhood.

“We’ve been on the road together for 13 and 15-hour trips. One state to the next state just chasing the bag and chasing dreams,” he said. “Every time we’ve gone out on the road and done that together, WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM

it’s amazing the outcome of it.”

You can catch the 3Live Crew from 6 to 10 a.m. on 102 Jamz.

ON SOCIAL JUSTICE

Rankin went to a predominantly black high school on the west side of Charlotte and had his fair share of racist experiences but was never passionate about social justice until he was older.

“Growing up, I’ve always been conscious of being a black male in Charlotte. Certain parts of town weren’t for me, and I didn’t go. I’ve never been walking on the West side of Charlotte, and a lady is in the car by herself, and I hear her hit her lock button,” he explained. “Never on my side of town.

But I’ve been walking on the other side of

town, and more than once, when you walk across the crosswalk, you can hear the button and hear them lock their doors. Did it surprise me? Nah. But it did remind me that I’m comfortable on my side of town.

On my side of town, I’m just somebody walking down the street. On your side of town, I’m a threat. That’s why you locked your damn doors.”

He became even more passionate after being convicted of a felony while pursuing his Master’s degree and losing his University job.

“I was sitting there in grad school like Honeywell is not going to hire me. BP won’t even hire me with a felony, so I stopped. I had to do something else.

Something where I can make my own destiny,” Rankin said.

That felony became the fire and driving force that helped Rankin see that he didn’t have to live as a felon.

“I lived as a felon for so long until I realized that felon is not who I am. I have to live my life as if I don’t have that felony. I have to do the correct things in life now so that people won’t even believe that I have a felony. That’s the type of person I have to be,” he explained.

“Once I began to recognize my mistakes and rise above them, I began to prosper. When people found out I did have a felony, they were like, ‘wow, what.’

That’s because I didn’t give off that aura or that energy.

Everyone makes mistakes. How many people of color do you know in the system that have made a mistake, and they have been punished too harshly?”

It’s that fire that drives Rankin to dedicate his time, talents, and platforms to help others live out loud and give back to their communities. This was evident the last two years as social activists to the streets to decry the injustices throughout the nation and the Triad. While Rankin would say that he doesn’t lend himself to any particular organization, he will say he goes where he feels led.

This past summer, he was led to Downtown Greensboro to honor both the memory of George Floyd and bring awareness to the 2018 hogtying of Marcus Deon Smith that by the Greensboro Police Department that ultimately led to his death in police custody, the resignation of the police chief and a pending federal civil suits against the city of Greensboro, the police department and the EMTs that assisted.

“I just felt like that was really close to home. We dropped the ball on that, and

I felt compelled to be out there with the people. I just feel like it’s time for the people in Greensboro to wake up. There are so many inequities that you see every day,” he said. “I tell the people as soon as you cross through downtown you see the scenery change. Why? Because of the inequities and the systematic things that have been going on in Greensboro for years and years and generations and generations.”

Rankin believes that the Triad’s youth are the key to making the changes necessary to build an environment that will benefit all of its residents.

“We finally have a generation that is waking up. They just are not with the bullshit. That’s one thing I admire about Generation Z. They’re not with the bullshit.

There are so many young people who are not afraid. So many young people who were bold. So many young people who are revolutionaries. That was dope.”

He also said that he believes with more people being more aware when it comes to voting, there will be new faces running for office, more informed voters, and voters seeking genuine answers. He feels they will also be looking for real solutions to the issues that surround community policing, fair treatment, and police departments.

However, Rankin says the responsibility to rebuild trust in the community lies with the police departments themselves.

“There is no relationship right now. We know the community believes in no snitching, and we see how the police are viewed these days,” he said. “There is no communication or relationship.”

One way they can do this, according to Rankin, is to start holding each other accountable and being transparent within their own departments.

“You mean to tell me you have these racist police, and no one in these departments never had an idea that they were racists? That’s the only way that police are going to be able to build relationships with communities.”

He also suggests implementing an independent review board that can discipline officers and is elected by the community, just like the city council.

“What’s the point of having a board of police officers reviewing other officers?

If that review board doesn’t have any power and all they’re doing is giving that suggestion to somebody and saying, ‘well, we think this officer is guilty of this, and he needs to be charged,’ and you hand it to another police officer. They are just leaving it in their hands.” !

CHANEL DAVIS is the current editor of YES! Weekly and graduated from N.C. A&T S.U. in 2011 with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. She’s worked at daily and weekly newspapers in the Triad region.

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HEAR IT!

thefacesblur comes to SECCA

A

n immersive gallery experience, blending 3D art and motion graphics with music from the light technician and musician ‘thefacesblur’ will run for the final Katei Cranford week of the Liminal Projects exhibit at SECCA, from April 28 Contributor to May 2, with a special “house music and cocktail party” in celebration on April 29. ‘thefacesblur’ is the moniker of technical artist and producer/DJ Adam Graetz, who draws “from the darker corners of electronic music,” to produce and DJ house, techno, and electronic music across a wide variety of sub-genres.

As a self-taught 3D artist and motion

designer, his skills developed through producing live visual performances (or “VJing”) to accompany live music and events. “My VJing experiences in my college days helped prepare me for creating hypnotic and mesmerizing renders to be used on stage and in music videos,” Graetz explained.

Currently based out of the Triangle, Graetz grew up in Greensboro, where he inherited his dad’s audiophile nature.

“Music and visual art have always been an intertwined experience for me personally,” he continued, “from a young age, I had a strong visual connection to music- often associating specific colors and textures with certain songs I loved growing up. It almost felt like a synesthetic experience.”

Graetz blends the two for a fully immersive experience at SECCA, which will feature a curated soundtrack playing along to 3D rendered visuals. “As an artist whose work is usually relegated to warehouse raves and live music venues, it’s refresh-

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ing to be able to show my work in a more controlled, focused, and elevated environment.”

General themes flowing through the installation revolve around ethereal features and world-building ideals. “It’s all imagining new futures,” he said. “A lot of the 3D work and music for the show leans towards retro-futuristic nostalgia.”

Elements of animated visuals and tracks from the new “Elemental EP,” a new project from a pairing known as “thefacesblur & Séance,” will be featured in the show.

The EP serves as a debut from the two Triangle producers, providing a multimedia presentation of original tracks and accompanying visuals, each carrying an elemental presence. “Séance and I are both highly interested in sci-fi, alchemy, and occult aesthetics, so we decided to fuse it all together with this release.”

The results meld ethereal futurism, with ancient rites and alchemy, playing over four tracks—each highlighting a subgenre related to house and dance music—the lo-fi “aqva,” deep dives on “terra,” uk garage elements on “aer,” and straight techno on “ignis.”

“The tone and feeling of each track attempt to embody the energy and atmosphere of each corresponding element,” Graetz noted. Musically, inspiration came from “house music legends such as Frankie Knuckles and Mr. Fingers, as well as some contemporary deep and lo-fi house producers such as DJ Seinfeld and Hot Since ’82.”

Graetz’s preferences of combining media elements and renderings worked themselves into themes explored on the album, defining the EP’s visual language. It’s a language fans of the Fifth Element will find familiar, as expressed in the “elemental stones” featured throughout the EP and accompanying works.

Their multimedia approach extends to merchandise, which includes a limited edi-

tion bundle of the EP along with 3D Resin Printed elemental stones, hand-crafted

by Brian Livingstone. Each stone comes with a USB inside with all hi-res audio files; remix stems, and album art and animations. Holographic stickers and tickets to a planned Livestream A/V experience round out the package. The stream, filmed from Life Is Art studios, will air May 1 via DICE.fm.

With more releases planned, the pair isn’t stopping.

Graetz continues reveling in immersive experiences, pointing to his work in Body Games, the Triangle group known for pushing “club bangers for introverts,” who released the world’s first video g-album, “Super BodyGames RPG,” in the summer of 2020. Developed by head Body Gamer Dax Beaton, players accessed tracks along a quest for “tune runes” amongst a background of a lovingly reproduced videogame version of Carrboro, NC. As for live performances, Graetz looks forward to returning to the Triad for the eventual resurrection of “Dance From Above” events—where he’s been both a resident VJ and host DJ. “Dance from Above is like family to me,” Graetz noted. “I love those folks and fully credit them with getting me into dance and house music proper.”

While Graetz awaits the return of parties, he’ll keep working on his projects, including two solo dance albums, visual releases, and more work with Séance.

An immersive gallery experience at SECCA, presented by thefacesblur, runs April 28-May 2, with a house music and cocktail party on April 29. “Elemental” a new EP by thefacesblur & Séance, is available via the Maison Fauna webstore. !

KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who hosts “Katei’s Thursday Tour Report,” a radio show spotlighting area artists and events, Thurs. 5:30-7 p.m. on WUAG 103.1FM. #ksttr

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last call

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

FLUSH TO JUDGMENT

At my boyfriend’s recent high school alumni gathering, it came to light that he had bullied a student (holding his head in the toilet, etc.).

We’ve been together Amy Alkon for almost two years and have discussed Advice marriage. However, Goddess I’m truly unsettled that he was capable of committing such awful acts. It makes me feel that I no longer truly know who he is. He claims he’s an entirely different person and could never do such a thing today. How much weight should I give this? —Disturbed Comforting sayings like “The meek will inherit the earth” (as in, “Someday, you’ll be Elon Musk!”) are of little comfort while the meek are being given swirlies in the girls’ bathroom.

You’re wondering whom you’re with: the good man you were considering marrying or the aging version of a teenage tyrant who made the little guy his personal kickball. Figuring that out starts with diving into the psychology of a bully. Unfortunately, our current understanding of bullying is based on flawed and incomplete research, which is likely why many bullying interventions fail and sometimes even make things worse for the bullied.

Psychologist Dan Olweus’ widely used (but problematically incomplete) definition of bullying is: “aggressive ... intentional ‘harm-doing’” in an interpersonal situation

where there’s “an imbalance of power,” meaning a stronger person goes after a weaker one.

This definition leaves a vitally important question unasked: what benefit might bullying have for the bully? It seems kind of basic to ask that; unfortunately, most social science research neglects any consideration of our evolved psychology and thus merely describes psychological and behavioral effects.

Evolutionary psychology researchers, on the other hand, look to figure out a behavior’s function, current and ancestral: Why do people behave this way now? (What’s the benefit?) And why might this behavior have evolved? (How would it have helped ancestral humans survive, mate, and pass on their genes?)

Accordingly, evolutionary developmental psychologist Anthony Volk refined Olweus’ definition to reflect that bullying isn’t simply “harm-doing” to the weak. It’s goaldirected harm-doing: harm-doing in pursuit of social and material benefits Research finds bullies are rewarded for their verbal and physical beatdowns with increased “access to physical, social, and sexual resources”: more perks, greater popularity and social cred, and more chicks (for guys who bully). Bullying is a way to create powerful social alliances (like high school cliques), and there can be an “offense is the best defense” motivation in coming off as a scary bruiser: a keep-away sign to other bullies seeking targets.

Bullying is linked with personality traits reflecting a willingness to exploit others for personal gain. However, personality researcher Brent Roberts, in studying individual differences in personality change, observes that personality traits can be

considered “outcomes, not predictors (as they are typically viewed).” Roberts observes that, with age — predominantly from 20 to 40 — people show “increased self-confidence, warmth, self-control, and emotional stability”: changes that can be driven by an investment in “the social roles tied to one’s career, family, and community in young adulthood.”

Like Elon Musk, bullied into a hospital bed as a kid (after a gang of boys threw him down a flight of stairs), I was bullied — during the longest stretch of time in the universe: seventh grade. A gaggle of bigger, mostly older girls regularly taunted and physically attacked me. It was humiliating and horrible.

Years later, one of my tormentors saw my column and emailed me and apologized.

I was surprised by how much it meant to me. It felt like justice, finally delivered — 25 years after the fact. I told her I respected her for coming forward and that I forgave her. And I did — not just for her sake, but so I could finally put it behind me. The teen years are not our most Socratic time, and the fact that it was important to her to take responsibility and apologize gave me some measure of my dignity back.

To figure out who your boyfriend is now, look to his character: Is he kind, generous, and considerate? Or does he have a tendency to exploit people that you’ve maybe tried to ignore? Even a confirmed high school bully probably isn’t holding down co-workers’ heads in the toilet, but if he’s rotten to “the little people,” you should see that as a big “B is for ‘Still a bully!’”emblazoned red flag.

You might discuss this further with him: what he did and why he thinks he engaged in this behavior. Does he express remorse — reflecting a disconnect between who he was then and who he is now? Or does he respond with anger and resentment? You might also suggest he consider apologizing. It takes a special person to do that: one who cares enough about trying to make things right that he’ll lay his ego on the line and admit to doing something terribly wrong to another person. !

GOT A PROBLEM? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave., #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or email AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com). Follow her on Twitter @amyalkon. Order her latest “science-help” book, Unf*ckology: A Field Guide to Living with Guts and Confidence. ©2021 Amy Alkon. Distributed by Creators.Com.

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