Queen City Nerve - April 8, 2020

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 10; APRIL 8 - APRIL 21, 2020; WWW.QCNERVE.COM

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By R ya n P i t k i n & N i ko l a i M at h e r

THE OUTBREAK OF CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) MAY BE STRESSFUL FOR PEOPLE. FEAR AND ANXIETY ABOUT A DISEASE CAN BE OVERWHELMING AND CAUSE STRONG EMOTIONS IN ADULTS AND CHILDREN. COPING WITH STRESS WILL MAKE YOU, THE PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT, AND YOUR COMMUNITY STRONGER. EVERYONE REACTS DIFFERENTLY TO STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. HOW YOU RESPOND TO THE OUTBREAK CAN DEPEND ON YOUR BACKGROUND, THE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU DIFFERENT FROM OTHER PEOPLE, AND THE COMMUNITY YOU LIVE IN.

 -Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones -Changes in sleep or eating patterns -Difficulty sleeping or concentrating -Worsening of chronic health problems -Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs

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Â? Â -Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media.

Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.

-Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs.

-Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.

-Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling. Â? Â?

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ONLINE THERAPY OPTIONS

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OPEN PATH COLLECTIVE

A nonprofit that connects people with private practice therapists that choose to participate.

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PSYCHOLOGY TODAY

An interactive website where users can enter their zip code to find a counseling professional near them online with phone and video options available. tinyurl.com/psychtodayonline €€

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWS& OPINION

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17 A DOSE OF VIRTUAL REALITY 18 PUZZLES 20 ARTIST’S CORNER: BREE STALLINGS 21 AERIN IT OUT BY AERIN SPRUILL 21 HOROSCOPE 22 SAVAGE LOVE

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14 OLD MOONS ON THE RISE BY PAT MORAN Up-and-comers debut album online while nothing grows outside

16 BUNKER FOOD DONE RIGHT BY ARI LEVAUX Canned beans for amateurs

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7 THE BIG COVER UP BY NIKOLAI MATHER Grassroots movement supplies health-care workers with needed equipment

12 SENDING OUT THE SIGNAL BY KIA O. MOORE

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Health-care workers look ahead at what’s to come

8 LEGALIZE IT BY D. MICHAEL BROOKS 9 THE SEEKER BY KATIE GRANT

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5 EDITOR’S NOTE BY RYAN PITKIN 6 PREPARING FOR THE PEAK BY RYAN PITKIN

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NIKOLAI MATHER, KIA O. MOORE, D. MICHAEL BROOKS, KATIE GRANT, PAT MORAN, ARI LEVAUX, BREE STALLINGS,

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THANKS TO THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS:

By R ya n P i t k i n & N i ko l a i M at h e r

AERIN SPRUILL, JESSICA DAILEY, WILL JENKINS & TERRY SUAVE

EDITOR’S NOTE ALONE FOR THEM

People are counting on us to stay at home

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BY RYAN PITKIN

I could really use some company.

As I sit here writing this column from my bed like I’m some sort of Carrie Bradshaw, it would be easy for me to let the stir-craziness get to me. I could start going back into the office to work, as I do work in one of the countless “essential industries” after all. Or maybe I could call my friends and go set up a volleyball net in Romare Bearden and throw caution and germs to the wind.

But feeling cooped up in a quarantine is just a matter of perspective. After all, I have a roof, a bed, a dog that’s lying here staring at me wondering if I lost my job. Things could be much worse.

For many people in Charlotte and around the country, they are. Look at New York City, the biggest hot spot city in the biggest hot spot country, where thousands of essential employees — not only health-care workers but the folks who clean up after them, restaurant workers, delivery people, etc. — have to ride public transportation every day just to survive, all the while putting their lives at risk.

Or the folks living in a tent city on North College Street, unsure of where they can go to remain safe or access the resources they need.

On the locked gates of the Urban Ministry Center, where many of our homeless neighbors are able to gather, get a meal and receive services daily, a staff member recently left a note: “Hey Neighbors! I miss you! Thinking of you all the time! Please know I love you!”The note was as colorful as the sea of tents nearby.

Or people like Cat Williams, whom I spoke with for our last issue. Williams is suffering from endstage cystic fibrosis and as long as the COVID-19 situation drags out, she won’t be able to attend pulmonary rehab to get where she needs to be for a double lung transplant. She’s at especially high risk if she leaves the house, but this waiting game is a matter of life and death for her.

Then there are people like Melissa, a nurse working at an Atrium Health hospital in Charlotte (whose name has been changed to protect her anonymity).

When I spoke with her at the end of March, though she carried some anxiety about going to work, she had the fullest confidence that her employer was

doing everything possible to protect her and her coworkers and that they would be more than ready to face the coming peak of COVID-19 patients.

It’s been less than a week since we had that discussion, and already Melissa’s whole perspective has changed. She texted me after finishing a recent shift and told me she feared that she was “too nice” with the insights she shared with me just six days prior. It was clear things had taken a turn for her.

“It’s like Black Friday at Walmart,” Melissa told me, referring to how nurses and other workers have become petty and protective over the small amount of available personal protective equipment that keeps them safe on the job. “It’s embarassing.”

So we talked again, because while I have heard plenty of talk about PPE shortages happening countrywide, it becomes real when you hear from someone who has to face that risk every day when they go to work.

Melissa’s concerns are part of this week’s cover story, which takes a look at what is being done locally to prepare for a surge in COVID-19 cases, expected to peak in Mecklenburg County sometime between mid-April and mid-May. On April 2, the county’s two biggest health-care providers, Atrium and Novant Health, asked the county to assist in implementing a field hospital on the UNC Charlotte campus, which will help them care for up to 3,000 more COVID-19 patients during the peak. Six dorm buildings will be used to treat those patients, though officials are still scrambling to supply the hospital with the needed equipment, including PPE. But what can we do in all this? Exactly what most of us have been doing: sitting in our respective homes and social distancing. According to new models released by UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University and RTI on the day that I’m writing this, if we were to stop social distancing at the end of this month, about 750,000 people could be infected by the end of June. The same models predict that if we keep social distancing through the end of May, that number could be as low as 250,000.

Locally, recent models state that just sticking to 30% social distancing (though I’m not sure how that’s measured) could drop the number of hospitalizations from 8,500 to 4,700, with those being over a longer period of time so as not to overwhelm the hospitals.

The way I see it, we can do a hell of a lot better than 30%. There are folks like Melissa and Cat who are counting on us. There are folks waiting on their restaurant jobs to come back who are counting on us. There are folks on College Street who are counting on us.

Let’s not let them down.

RPITKIN@QCNERVE.COM

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NEWS & OPINION FEATURE PREPARING FOR THE PEAK

As health-care workers prepare for a peak that shows that is effective?” she asked. “That’s what’s frustrating the most right now is that I don’t in COVID-19 cases that is expected to hit locally get the why. It’s changing so quickly, I don’t think between mid-April and mid-May, it appears anyone knows the why and no one really seems to questions around PPE will be the biggest concern.

Reports vary on just how many cases we’ll care, but is that putting us more at risk having to see in Mecklenburg County during the COVID-19 sanitize all of those masks?”

The resanitization of masks intended for single use peak, and new models are released every day with Health-care workers take a has become a reluctantly widespread practice across different numbers. As of April 7, however, most the country, and one mask-sanitizing system invented experts were in agreement that social distancing in look at what’s ahead in Ohio in March and fast-tracked through the FDA North Carolina was having a positive effect on the approval process is able to clean 80,000 masks in a day. numbers, and projections were showing decreased

BY RYAN PITKIN Policies around who gets masks and how have numbers of cases in the state if people continued to When I first spoke with Melissa, a nurse working also tightened up, Melissa said, and employees have follow the stay-at-home order.

On April 6, a collective of North Carolina at a Charlotte-area hospital run by Atrium Health, become protective of their department’s protective scientists unveiled a forecast based on three on March 31, she still held onto a bright optimism gear. about how her employer was working to protect her and her coworkers, keeping a healthy stockpile of N95 masks at a time when reports of theft from other area hospitals were circulating in the hallways where she worked.

Despite the fact that she was wearing the same mask for an entire 12-hour shift, Melissa, whose name has been changed in this story so she could speak freely about her hospital’s strengths and shortcomings, felt that she and her coworkers were in good hands.

“I do feel confident that we are becoming more prepared and we’re getting a ton of masks in,” she said.

“We’re being told to wear these for as long as we are just because we want to make sure that in two to three weeks when we think [the COVID-19 pandemic] is going to peak, we’re going to be able to accommodate that and not be scrambling then.”

When I spoke with Melissa again just a week later, however, her tone had changed. Gone was the brimming confidence that she had expressed going into April. She described how she still had to wear the same mask throughout an entire shift “or until I CAROLINAS MEDICAL CENTER - MAIN CAMPUS ON KINGS DRIVE sweat on it and it’s gross and soggy,” but now the hospital had begun sanitizing “It’s like Black Friday at Walmart.‘Where did you get different projection models, stating that if social masks and reusing them up to three times.

She said a third of the masks at CMC-Main had that? That looks like our mask. Who gave that to you?’” distancing policies are carried out through May, to be discarded rather than sanitized because nurses’ she said, recalling normal conversations on her floor. North Carolina could see 250,000 COVID-19 cases makeup had gotten on them, so nurses were being She explained that she isn’t allowed to give a mask to a total, as compared to 750,000 cases if those policies co-worker if they don’t work in her department. “It feels were stopped at the end of April. told not to wear makeup into work anymore.

According to Aaron McKethan, founder and “I get the whole rationale behind that, but awful as a human, having to feel like someone in need CEO of NoviSci and senior policy fellow and adjunct who is your co-worker, you cannot assist them when the fact that we have to reuse masks and they’re sterilizing them up to three times with UV sanitation you see the box right in front of you. The way we’ve been professor at Duke University, the social distancing policies are crucial to curbing what’s been the biggest doesn’t make me feel confident. Where is the data cracking down on that sucks.”

threat of the pandemic: hospital overcrowding.

“Maintaining some form of social distancing policies as those in place right now will give us the best chance to make sure our health system has enough capacity to manage COVID-related infections,” he said at a press conference. “We’ve shown that lifting all social distancing polices completely after April 29 leads to ... a 50% probability that hospital acute and [intensive care unit] bed capacity will be outstripped.”

Local models show how social distancing affects the potential for overcrowding here in Mecklenburg County.

According to a model unveiled by Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio on April 3, experts

estimate that, with social distancing, the virus would peak in Mecklenburg County on May 11 with 4,692 hospitalizations, including 1,842 patients on ventilators and 1,482 in the ICU. Without social distancing, experts say the peak would come quicker and be more widespread, with 8,500 hospitalizations, including 1,663 patients on ventilators and 3,288 in the ICU, and all happening under a shorter timeline than the projections with social distancing.

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NEWS & OPINION FEATURE

to predict community spread, we are anticipating potential additional volumes of approximately 3,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients beyond our Diorio said that, while the original Mecklenburg currently planned surge capacity. In addition, County stay-at-home order expires on April 16, our models suggest the surge will occur between officials will work with the governor to most likely mid-April and mid-May 2020. As seen in other extend it. cities across the nation, such a surge can quickly How that plays out will be crucial, as was overwhelm hospitals, and a field hospital can act as emphasized by an April 3 Castlight Health report an important relief valve. Therefore, the time to act that named Charlotte as one of seven metropolitan is now to implement solutions needed to adequately areas countrywide in which high-risk care for our patients and community.” patients may not be able to There’s not yet a clear access critical resources “THE timeline on when the field during the COVID-19 hospital will be ready to FACT THAT pandemic. treat patients, but the WE HAVE TO The study looked letter emphasized at the number that community REUSE MASKS AND of patients on members can THEY’RE STERILIZING ventilators before do their part to the pandemic slow the spread THEM UP TO THREE TIMES and the scarcity by continuing WITH UV SANITATION of ICU beds to follow social to determine DOESN’T MAKE ME FEEL distancing which areas policies in the CONFIDENT.” were at highest meantime.

-Nurse with Atrium risk of running out of At a press resources.

Health conference on April 2 In the lead-up to the announcing plans for the field peak, local health-care leaders hospital, Diorio said preparations have been working to make sure that for its implementation have been in the there will be enough beds to house patients if the works for weeks. oncoming COVID-19 peak were to overwhelm area “We have been working with Emergency hospitals.

Management at the state and local levels to On April 2, the CEOs of Atrium and Novant prepare for this potential since the incident began Health co-signed a letter asking the county to fund weeks ago,” she said. “And as we have done from the establishment of a field hospital on the UNC the beginning, we are planning for the worst and Charlotte campus that could be used to treat up to hoping for the best.”

3,000 COVID-19 patients. That morning, officials As is Melissa, who said she’s confident that with the county’s Emergency Management Office leadership at her hospital has properly prepared notified UNC Charlotte students to clear their her and her coworkers for an influx of patients. She belongings from six residence halls so the county and her coworkers have been meeting daily to go could begin work on the facility. over different approaches to a situation in which “As leaders of the largest health systems in nurses are faced with double their normal amount this region, given the reality of this pandemic, we of patients so they’re prepared. have proactively prepared for expected surges in “We’re doing good,” she said. “I’m glad that we COVID-19 hospital utilization. These efforts include have something in place. I’m not sure that other rescheduling non-essential appointments and hospital systems that have been overwhelmed had services, treating thousands more patients virtually, something like this in place, like, ‘Let’s step back, and playing a lead role in supporting the county and let’s organize the chaos, worst-case scenario, what state’s stay-at-home orders to mitigate the spread are we going to do?’ I think we’ve already put our of the virus. Through these initiatives and others, minds in the worst-case scenario.” we have created approximately 50% more internal And she’ll continue to show up every day to treat capacity as we prepare to care for significantly more whomever comes in the door, all the while hoping COVID-19 patients,” stated a letter signed by Atrium that scenario never plays out.

CEO Eugene Woods and Novant CEO Carl Armato.

“That said, while there are no perfect models, RPITKIN@QCNERVE.COM using the latest epidemiological statistical analysis

SECOND FEATURE

THE BIG COVER UP

Grassroots movement supplies health-care workers with needed equipment

BY NIKOLAI MATHER

According to a February report from the Mecklenburg County Health Department, 25 to 35% of local health-care providers could fall ill as a direct result of the coronavirus outbreak by the time it’s all said and done, and with projections predicting the virus will peak locally between mid-April and midMay, there’s still some time to prepare. Based on what’s happened in New York in recent weeks, some medical practitioners worry that a lack of personal protective equipment, or PPE, could contribute to the spread of the virus inside of health-care facilities.

One group in Charlotte is hoping to change that.

Late last month, Dr. Sheila Natarajan launched CLTgivePPE, a grassroots movement hoping to help health care workers combat coronavirus through PPE donation drives. Natarajan, an outpatient physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation, witnessed colleagues struggle with the outbreak and the dwindling supply of PPE. “We realized the magnitude of the shortage,” Natarajan told Queen City Nerve in a phone interview.

“We had all been watching the numbers, and we knew it was only gonna get worse from there.”

Natarajan found that the N95 masks that offered the best protection from COVID-19 were being used exclusively for high-risk procedures such as intubations, while other health-care workers were left with less effective surgical masks.

So she reached out to some colleagues and suggested they begin asking for donations: N95 masks, disinfectant, disposable gloves and other necessary medical supplies. Natarajan posted a video to Facebook, encouraging others to look through their garages, attics and homes for donations.

She then learned about a prefabricated, reusable, nonporous, filtered respirator mask that conforms to the face and that she believed to provide safer protection than the surgical masks. Natarajan set up a GoFundMe and put a drop box in front of her house. In the span of a week, contributions of both money and PPE piled up.

“One by one,” she said, “it started gaining momentum.”

Tracey Ratté, Natarajan’s longtime coworker and volunteer with the new venture, agreed. She leads a team of 150 volunteers who sew surgical gowns, masks and headbands for health-care workers, with new volunteers emailing daily.

“It’s been fast and furious,” Ratté said. “Every time I open my computer, there are more emails and more calls.”

Along with the surge in volunteers and donations came support from various Charlotte organizations and businesses. Atrium Health, Novant Health and the Mecklenburg County Health Department have all partnered with CLTgivePPE. Goodwill Industries of South Piedmont reopened two Charlotte-area locations and provided staff to collect donations on site.

Other community figures are promoting the donation drives: Elizabeth Star-Winer, trustee for the Winer Family Foundation, has thrown her support behind the movement, stating in a press release, “The importance of our community rallying together to support our frontline workers is at a pivotal point in our fight against COVID-19. The PPE donation drive can literally help to save lives with masks, gloves and gowns so our healthcare providers can focus on patient care.”

Amalia Juchnik, CLTgivePPE’s media coordinator, marketing volunteer and social media guru, heard about the organization through word-of-mouth. After being laid off from her job in real estate, she had been looking for a way to give back while job searching and social distancing with her two young children.

“It has been a very pleasant distraction,” she said in a phone interview. “I am putting in my full force behind it. I don’t go to sleep till 12, 1, 2 in the morning. I’m throwing whatever I can behind this.”

Juchnik hopes to see participation from the rest of the city grow in the coming weeks. “What I would love out of this movement, other than donations and support, is for people to take ownership of the city they live in … If you need to take a stand and support something, why not this? Your community is here.”

Overall, CLTgivePPE organizers urge Charlotte to take COVID-19 seriously and keep donating.

“If we lose our front line, we just won’t make it as a community,” Natarajan said.

She also encouraged people to show up for their medical practitioners in any way they can: “Their lives have been so massively disrupted.”

But there’s always room for hope, as Juchnik concluded, “To show what six women who have no formal education whatsoever in creating a movement can do for our city — I can only imagine if that multiplied.”

INFO@QCNERVE.COM

NEWS & OPINION COLUMN

LEGALIZE IT A PATH TO RECOVERY

Drastic measures could help Charlotte bounce back from COVID-19

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BY D. MICHAEL BROOKS

Happy 4/20 Charlotte! I realize we are still struggling with our “new normal” and the ways in which our world has been completely shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are going to struggle for years because of this. Our way of life has changed, dramatically and permanently.

But with that change comes opportunity. If we are progressive in our actions and dedicated to positive outcomes that are beneficial locally and globally, we will overcome this time of sickness, stress and uncertainty to become forever stronger and better.

I don’t have all the answers. No one does. But I do have a plan to help with economic recovery for the Queen City. The plan would add between $2-5 billion to our economy annually — maybe more depending on scalability — while easily creating more than 7,500 jobs. The plan is for Charlotte to become the primary hub for legal marijuana within the South.

Before we get into the details of this plan, we should look into the past to see into the future. I strongly believe that the federal government will legalize cannabis within the next 12-14 months.

Yes, marijuana will be completely legal by July 4th, 2021, nationwide. Let me tell you how I got there.

In 1933, the federal government repealed the 18th Amendment, making alcohol legal once again, for two simple reasons: More than 25% of the American population was unemployed and the government was broke. Sound familiar?

Of course, there were several other outside forces that applied pressure to end our alcohol prohibition.

There was the “Mafia” crime element that prohibition had created and that the newspapers couldn’t get enough of. Then there was the fact that prohibition only affected the poor, while never being enforced among the higher class.

By 1924, organized criminals had seized control of alcohol distribution in the U.S. Violence and crime rose substantially throughout America. While we typically don’t equate marijuana with organized crime in the U.S., there is incredible violence happening near our border with Mexico, and locally, CMPD cited marijuana as a factor in a huge number of murders that occurred in 2019 following a recordsetting spike in homicides. Marijuana itself is not a violent drug, but the illegal networks that run it are.

Let me be clear, the global COVID-19 pandemic has left every country in the world struggling. The continued U.S. prohibition of marijuana will only contribute to a rise in crime worldwide and here at home — crime that a wall will not protect against.

Our current marijuana prohibition is also class warfare. If you have read my previous articles involving marijuana enforcement, you know how the policy is racist by design. Only our brown and black neighbors worry about being arrested for marijuana. Whites get to flaunt their usage and even open CBD stores, pretending to be cannabis experts, just like the Roaring ’20s, when the white and wealthy had access to speakeasies with imported whiskeys and scotches. Meanwhile, the poor were poisoned with bathtub gin.

History repeats itself. And now 100 years later, we can be confident that the U.S. federal policy regarding marijuana legalization will change fairly rapidly. But what does that have to do with Charlotte and economic recovery?

First, we should admit that nothing is going to get done regarding marijuana on a state level before federal laws change. Not only do we have a majority of right-wingers who are morally against it, but even Gov. Roy Cooper hates the idea of marijuana legalization. He is from that old-school generation, like fellow Democrat and presidential candidate Joe Biden, that considers marijuana a gateway drug regardless of the facts proving otherwise.

Even if North Carolina were to elect a Democratmajority General Assembly in 2020, Cooper is too aligned with his buddies in law enforcement from his time as our state’s attorney general to move the issue forward as rapidly as will be needed to aid in our economic recovery. Charlotte’s economic recovery is going to fall upon our city leadership.

We need to look at the current marijuana

industry that is operating in the U.S. and its future growth projection to best understand what we can do to stimulate Charlotte’s economy. The regulated marijuana market in the U.S. will do $15-17 billion in sales in 2020. This market includes all the stateregulated medical programs and the recreational markets of the West Coast, Massachusetts and Maine. On top of these sales we need to add the totals of marijuana’s Legacy Market, aka The Black Market. The projected total of out-of-market, noncompliant sales adds another $30 billion in revenue for 2020. That $30 billion is what Charlotte needs to capture in preparation for national legalization.

Large portions of this $30 billion in soon-tobe legal marijuana sales will create economic opportunities in places that are willing to work with cannabis companies. This is the way capitalism works. Cities offer incentives to companies to lure them to open headquarters or large offices and create jobs all the time. Charlotte is famous for offering incentives to create opportunities, just ask Panthers owner David Tepper what our city leaders have given him to bring MLS here and help stimulate economic growth in east Charlotte.

So what exactly does Charlotte need to do to ensure the marijuana industry comes here? It’s easier and more cost effective than you may think.

The city should begin the zoning and permitting process for marijuana-related businesses as soon as the COVID crisis passes. Create a committee, one of those task forces the city is so fond of, to work this industry into the 2040 Comprehensive Plan — cultivation, retail storefronts, product facilities and laboratories. Get the public’s feedback and make the process transparent.

Next the city needs to make new requirements for permitting. Unlike the breweries that created zero equity for minorities in Charlotte, we need to include requirements that stimulate ownership opportunities and career paths for all Charlotteans, not just the white and wealthy.

Now here’s the fun part. Once we have the zoning, permitting and licensing requirements for Charlotte, the city should allow the issuance of these permits and licenses pre-legalization. Let the industry build out what is needed for successful cannabis operations in preparation for the future.

As long as marijuana production does not take place until federal legalization, the city would not be breaking any laws or rules within our state, effectively circumventing North Carolina’s Dillion Rule policy.

Finally, Charlotte should offer incentives for out-of-state marijuana operators willing to invest in the city. All that cash currently being stockpiled in

places like Colorado and California needs a reason to come here. Just like the campaign the city created in an attempt to lure Amazon here, we do the same for marijuana (only we do better than the ill-fated #CLTisPrime campaign). We show how committed we are to their business needs and provide them the tools they need to grow and flourish.

As a former marijuana business owner and operator, I can tell you firsthand that if Charlotte’s government were to say, “We are here for your cannabis business, we are going to work with you 100% and we are not going to overtax and overregulate your business,” the industry would flock here in droves. Charlotte has everything they need to be successful: banking, airport, land, infrastructure, population. We could be the Denver of the South by this time next year.

There are going to be lots of unemployed in Charlotte for years to come. Many buildings that once housed restaurants and small businesses will be empty. This is our new normal. But we have an opportunity to be progressive and outsmart the rest of the country and help Charlotte recover post COVID-19.

I don’t think marijuana is going to be the complete answer, but it does provide us hope and a real chance to build a better future for us, the citizens of Charlotte.

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NEWS & OPINION COLUMN

THE SEEKER A TIME FOR DISTANCE HEALING

Virtual Reiki passes the vibes through a screen

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BY KATIE GRANT

Considering we are in the midst of a deeply unsettling pandemic, it perhaps goes without saying that the standard healing methods I’ve come accustomed to are now verboten. What’s a girl to do when anxiety levels are high and the need for a one-on-one reiki session are higher? The answer may lie closer than you think: my Facebook Events feed.

Narrowing my search to the day of the week and category (a combination of fitness, health and wellness) I scrolled upon a Virtual Group Distance Reiki Healing session offered by In Tune Soul Sangha Healing & Meditation Community Center in Cornelius. I was sweetly surprised by this type of adaptive behavior. I find it to be incredibly businessforward and just want to give the business owner a high-vibe high-five.

For readers unfamiliar with Reiki as a healing modality, it’s a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing, according to The International Center for Reiki Training. It is traditionally administered by “laying on hands” and is based on the idea that an unseen “life force energy” flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one’s “life force energy” is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

I’ve attended a handful of Reiki sessions and walked away each time feeling expansive, so why not give “distance healing,” also referred to as Absentee Reiki, a chance? I conducted some research before committing to the Facebook Live event and learned distance Reiki is a technique within the Reiki system that enables the master

to reach beyond the limitations of time, space and physical touch. While distance healing isn’t something I would normally be interested in exploring, social distancing has redirected my thought process. I now interpret the “distance” piece as pairing nicely with a pandemic.

Facilitated by Jules Wyatt, whom I had met the previous spring at a retreat, I presupposed this journey lofting from the comfort of my own home would be as enjoyable as it would be effective. To no fault of Wyatt’s, distance healing proved to be quite challenging, with my dog barking in the background and my husband on a conference call.

My greatest regret is not heeding the organizers’ advice when they recommended headphones or earbuds.

There’s just no way to state this gingerly: My husband is loud, with a booming baritone voice that reverberates through the walls no matter what room I’m in. (This is where you pick up on the fact that with both of us working from home, I rarely have moments to myself.) Side note: He’s going out of town next week so I intend to eat mushrooms, watch Loving Vincent -- a 2017 oil-painted, animated drama portraying the life of Vincent van Gogh -- and sit alone with my thoughts. Date night, party of one.

Lying comfortably on the floor with my bedroom door closed, I followed Wyatt’s instructions to identify external distractions (dog, husband).

According to Mindful, “When we bring mindfulness to irritating sounds, we shift our relationship from aversion to curiosity, allowing the sounds to rise and fall, lessening their negative impact.” If this is what our cohabitation is going to look like for the next month, I’m certainly experiencing aversion.

With Wyatt’s guidance, I then turned my attention from the external world to the internal world. This is a practice known as pratyahara.

Pratyahara was one of the more complex limbs on the eight-fold path of yoga for me to understand. As the fifth of the eight limbs, pratyahara is twofold. It not only means withdrawal from negative external stimuli (the wrong food, relationships, media) it also means opening up to positive stimuli (the

correct food, relationships, media). Just as a healthy body resists illness, a healthy mind resists negative influences. And in a world of information overload, the yoga practice of pratyahara provides a respite.

With senses withdrawn, I then brought my awareness towards the “energetic body” -- a complex web of energy centers in the physical body corresponding to what are known as chakras.

Chakra translates to spinning wheels or disks.

The energetic body suffers when these areas become depleted or over-stimulated. Through the meditation, Wyatt suggested I mindfully select a color to focus on if a more prominent one pops up. According to Eastern traditions, seeing colors in meditation is a healing experience, where each color corresponds to a specific chakra. In this meditation however, no specific color stood out.

Instead what I visualized was a swirling mass of iridescence, like I was floating inside of a soap bubble.

At this point Wyatt started to transmit energy virtually toward each practitioner that had logged onto the Facebook Live event. Allowing us to release old patterns that may be holding us back from reaching our fullest potential, the Reiki energy flowed through each chakra to bring them back into alignment. The types of patterns in reference can be anything from physical, mental, emotional or behavioral that show up as obstacles in everyday life. For example, when I get angry or thoughtobsessive over a work email on a Friday afternoon and stew on it all weekend, I now know I’m out of alignment.

After engaging her Reiki techniques remotely for 20-30 minutes, Wyatt “detached” from each yogi allowing us to reacclimate to our own environments.

Feeling buoyant, I went back to my workstation which in hindsight was a miscalculation. Making a beeline towards life stressors annulled the restful state I had just cultivated, taking me right back to ground zero. I need another virtual fix!

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• On April 14, 1818, Noah Webster, a Yale-educated lawyer with an avid interest in language and education, publishes his American Dictionary of the English Language. Webster’s dictionary was one of the first to include distinctly American words, introducing more than 10,000 “Americanisms.”

• On April 13, 1870, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is officially incorporated in New York City. The city stipulated that the collection be kept open to the public year-round and free of charge. The first object the Met acquired was a Roman sarcophagus.

• On April 16, 1881, on the streets of Dodge City, famous Western lawman and gunfighter Bat Masterson fights his last gun battle. He would live another 40 years. Masterson had his first shootout in 1876 in Texas over the affections of a dance hall girl named Molly Brennan.

• On April 19, 1897, John J. McDermott of New York wins the first Boston Marathon, a measured distance of 24.5 miles from the Irvington Oval in Boston to Metcalf’s Mill in Ashland. The marathon’s distance was changed in 1908 to its current length of 26 miles 385 yards.

• On April 17, 1945, U.S. Lt. Col. Boris T. Pash commandeers over half a ton of uranium at Strassfut, Germany, in an effort to prevent the Soviets from developing an A-bomb. Pash headed a group searching for German scientists to prevent the Soviets from capturing them.

• On April 15, 1959, new Cuban leader Fidel Castro visits the United States. President Dwight Eisenhower, however, had no intention of meeting with the communist revolutionary and instead went to the golf course.

• On April 18, 1983, the U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, is almost completely destroyed by a suicide carbomb explosion that kills 63 people, including 17 Americans. The terrorist attack was carried out in protest of the U.S. military presence in Lebanon. © 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Important Facts About DOVATO

Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: (cont’d) This is only a brief summary of important information about DOVATO and • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take DOVATO. does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and ° You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. treatment. ° One of the medicines in DOVATO (lamivudine) passes into your breastmilk.

What is the Most Important Information I Should Know about DOVATO? ° Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby.

If you have both human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis B virus Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including (HBV) infection, DOVATO can cause serious side effects, including: prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

• Resistant HBV infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV infection before Some medicines interact with DOVATO. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your you start treatment with DOVATO. If you have HIV-1 and hepatitis B, the hepatitis B virus can change (mutate) during your treatment with DOVATO and become harder to treat (resistant). healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

It is not known if DOVATO is safe and effective in people who have HIV-1 and HBV infection. • You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that interact with DOVATO. • Worsening of HBV infection. If you have HIV-1 and HBV infection, your HBV may • Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking DOVATO. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take DOVATO with other medicines. suddenly returns in a worse way than before. Worsening liver disease can be serious and What are Possible Side Effects of DOVATO? may lead to death.

DOVATO can cause serious side effects, including: ° Do not run out of DOVATO. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider • Those in the “What is the Most Important Information I Should Know about before your DOVATO is all gone.

DOVATO?” section. ° Do not stop DOVATO without first talking to your healthcare provider. If you stop taking DOVATO, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do • Allergic reactions. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop a rash with DOVATO. Stop taking DOVATO and get medical help right away if blood tests regularly for several months to check your liver. you develop a rash with any of the following signs or symptoms: fever; generally What is DOVATO? ill feeling; tiredness; muscle or joint aches; blisters or sores in mouth; blisters or peeling DOVATO is a prescription medicine that is used without other antiretroviral medicines to treat of the skin; redness or swelling of the eyes; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; HIV-1 infection in adults who have not received antiretroviral medicines in the past, and problems breathing. without known resistance to the medicines dolutegravir or lamivudine. HIV-1 is the virus that • Liver problems. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus may have an increased causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is not known if DOVATO is safe and risk of developing new or worsening changes in certain liver tests during treatment with effective in children.

DOVATO. Liver problems, including liver failure, have also happened in people without a Who should not take DOVATO? history of liver disease or other risk factors. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests Do Not Take DOVATO if You: to check your liver.

• have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine that contains dolutegravir or lamivudine.

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following signs • take dofetilide. or symptoms of liver problems: your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow What should I tell my healthcare provider before using DOVATO? (jaundice); dark or “tea-colored” urine; light-colored stools (bowel movements); nausea Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including or vomiting; loss of appetite; and/or pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your if you: stomach area.

• have or have had liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection.

• Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis is a serious • have kidney problems. medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. One of the medicines in DOVATO (dolutegravir) if you get any of the following symptoms that could be signs of lactic acidosis: may harm your unborn baby. feel very weak or tired; unusual (not normal) muscle pain; trouble breathing; stomach pain with nausea and vomiting; feel cold, especially in your arms and legs; feel dizzy or ° Your healthcare provider may prescribe a different medicine than DOVATO if you are planning to become pregnant or if pregnancy is confirmed in the first 12 weeks of lightheaded; and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat.

• Lactic acidosis can also lead to severe liver problems, which can lead to pregnancy. death. Your liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and you may develop fat in your liver ° If you can become pregnant, your healthcare provider will perform a pregnancy test before you start treatment with DOVATO. (steatosis). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the signs or If you can become pregnant, you should consistently use effective birth control symptoms of liver problems which are listed above under “Liver problems.” ° (contraception) during treatment with DOVATO. You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female or very overweight (obese). ° Tell your healthcare provider right away if you are planning to become pregnant, you become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant during treatment with DOVATO.

©2020 ViiV Healthcare or licensor.

DLLADVT190033 January 2020 Produced in USA.

Learn more about Alphonso and DOVATO at DOVATO.com

SO MUCH GOES INTO WHO I AM HIV MEDICINE IS ONE PART OF IT. Reasons to ask your doctor about DOVATO: DOVATO can help you reach and then stay undetectable* with just 2 medicines in 1 pill. That means fewer medicines† in your body while taking DOVATO You can take it any time of day with or without food (around the same time each day)—giving you flexibility DOVATO is a once-a-day complete treatment for adults who are new to HIV-1 medicine.

Results may vary. *Undetectable means reducing the HIV in your blood to very low levels (less than 50 copies per mL). † As compared with 3-drug regimens.

ALPHONSO‡ Living with HIV

What are Possible Side Effects of DOVATO (cont’d)?

• Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having new symptoms after you start taking DOVATO. • The most common side effects of DOVATO include: headache; diarrhea; nausea; trouble sleeping; and tiredness.

These are not all the possible side effects of DOVATO. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Where Can I Find More Information?

• Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

• Go to DOVATO.com or call 1-877-844-8872, where you can also get FDA-approved labeling.

October 2019 DVT:2PI-2PIL Trademark is owned by or licensed to the ViiV Healthcare group of companies.

Compensated by ViiV Healthcare

‡

Could DOVATO be right for you? Ask your doctor today.

ARTS FEATURE SENDING OUT THE SIGNAL

Charlotte’s black creatives amplify the culture with new podcasts

“It may have been a 45-minute interview and we kept you laughing for 40 of those minutes, but you may learn something in five of those minutes,” said Lockhart.

The crew films each podcast episode, of which there are now 11 since its launch, and the audio or visuals can be found on YouTube, SoundCloud and Apple Podcast thanks to show director Swengbe, with a new episode every month.

Jack of All Spades

It took a kickball game for three high school friends — David Spellmon, Ken Wabibi and Lloyd Whitfield — to recognize just how vast of a network In the age of COVID-19, everyone is feeling of interesting folks they knew, and that served as the effects, even the podcasting community. With the inspiration for the Jack of All Spades podcast, stay-at-home mandates in place, people are not which launched in July 2019, with the three hosts commuting to work or school, which was prime time dropping two episodes a month. for podcast listening. With a dip in traveling comes a “The kickball game gave birth to the podcast dip in podcast listening. because from that event we realized we were all According to Podtrac, a data trends source for separately connected to so many people,” Whitfield podcast publishers and advertisers, downloads in said. “We just wanted to bring all our the space have dropped about 10% since networks and talent into one and make the start of March. However, not everyone something bigger out of it,” said Whitfield. is seeing that drop. Podcasting giant Acast That something bigger inolves a goal Network reported a 7% global increase to bring folks together by introducing the in listens from March 21-22, its biggest audience to the people, places and things weekend ever. they should know.

Locally, the rise in listens has been The guys enjoy highlighting hidden even more significant. Brian Baltosiewich, gems in the crown of the Queen City. founder of the Queen City Podcast “Some of the people we have had on Network, which puts out 26 Charlotteour podcast may be known in their circles, based podcasts, says traffic has increased but we are exposing them to a lot more by more than 30% since mid-March. people,” explained Wabibi.

In Charlotte, the podcasting With three co-hosts, one would think community is still thriving and creating. it would be hard for anyone else to get a There has been a lot of creativity coming word in edgewise, but they’re purposeful from black podcasters in the city over the about giving the guest the spotlight in last year, since long before COVID-19 had us each of their episodes. all holed up inside looking for new ways to “When a guest comes on the show, put out content. we let them know that this is about you,” Queen City Nerve caught up with three explained Spellmon. “We are just the podcasts that are doing it for the culture to see how they’re adapting — or in one FREE BREAKFAST CO-HOSTS DJ PAULY GUWOP (LEFT) AND JEFE LOCKHART PHOTO BY TERRY SUAVE mouthpiece to help build community.”

Jack of All Spades builds community by case starting anew — during these trying Co-host and producer Lockhart said he also show the power of building networks. steeping information in hip-hop culture and relating times. views the podcast as a platform to inspire listeners Duncan shared, “We are leveraging our much of the content to music in general. The result to push their life journey forward while giving relationships. It is important that we show that helps show black and brown youth that they can do Free Breakfast listeners “food for thought.” Not everyone’s creative to our consumers so they see the importance and something positive too.

“We are highlighting the positives, and A collective of three friends — Paul Duncan, Jefe path is the same, but he sees the podcast as a way power of networking.” to help inspire folks to take the first step down That focus on building a network is another hopefully a young person will listen and want to do Lockhart and Gardy Swengbe — launced the Free way they feel Free Breakfast is connected to the this too,” said Spellmon. “Or, they get information Breakfast podcast in February 2019, interviewing whatever path they choose.

This free sharing of knowledge, providing Black Panther Party’s principles. Duncan said the where they can advance themselves.”

Charlotte’s creative class to help inspire listeners to For new information about Charlotte’s people, take steps toward doing something great. Guests inspiration and promoting the importance of Black Panthers mastered networking along with the relationships drove the team to name the podcast aspect of giving “free game.” places and things dripping in hip hop culture, find have ranged from well-known Charlotte rappers Free Breakfast.

It pushes the principles of the Black The name and the mission of the podcast may be episodes streaming on Anchor.fm/jack-of-all-spades as like Elevator Jay and Deniro Farrar, to lesser known guests like West Charlotte High School basketball Panther Party’s Free Breakfast for School Children on the heavier side, but the podcast is filled with levity. well as on Spotify, YouTube and other podcast platforms.

BY KIA O. MOORE

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standout Patrick Williams and entrepreneurs like program, launched at St. Augustine’s Church in Rico of Sole Individual and Banks from Oakland, California, in 1969.

Fat Boy Tires & Auto.

“The Black Panthers used their “IF Duncan, better known voice and the food to help as DJ Pauly Guwop, the community. I think WE CAN JUST serves as engineer we are just using our TEACH SOMEONE and co-host. He voice to help the SOMETHING OR HELP describes the community in ways podcast as an to help teach them THEM ALONG THEIR PATH online space something toward JUST THROUGH THEM that provides their life’s journey,” LISTENING TO THIS STORY teachable Lockhardt moments and explained. “[The AND THAT STORY, THEN I champions podcast] is here FEEL ACCOMPLISHED.” relationship: “If for the people. That DJ PAULY GUWOP, we can just teach is how it correlates -Co-Host, Free Breakfast someone something to the Black Panthers or help them along their in my eyes because they path just through them were there for the people.” listening to this story and that Beyond teaching, the podcast is story, then I feel accomplished.” striving to share authentic relationships and

ARTS FEATURE The Quarantine Couch People are hungry for coronavirus content, and plenty of folks have stepped up to fill that demand.

Acast alone hosted 1,400 podcast episodes with “corona” or “COVID” in the title between Jan. 22 and March 25, with those episodes getting more than 27.5 million downloads.

Now Charlotte has its own coronavirus-inspired podcast: The Quarantine Couch. The idea was germinated in the mind of Perrine DeShield, who’s a co-host and co-producer of the podcast. She pulled in her partner Will Jenkins as co-host and coproducer to round out the show.

DeShield and Jenkins focus on day-to-day happenings related to the coronavirus, but in an entertaining fashion that’s a far cry from the constant anxiety-inducing headlines.

“We hope the podcast will bring some type of

“This is more specifically for what is happening right now,” Jenkins said. “It doesn’t mean we will not continue to podcast in some other way or form.

Right now The Quarantine Couch is for these times to help people get an extra perspective and get some extra brightness during these trying times of being in the house and social distancing.”

With everyone (or most everyone) doing their best to follow the statewide stay-at-home order, The Quarantine Couch is not only wanting to share their perspective, they want to hear from listeners.

The hosts invite listeners to email them show ideas and topics at quarantinecouch@gmail.com.

You can find episodes on Anchor.fm, Spotify, and Apple Podcast.

Charlotte has a lot of great podcasts to explore.

During these times while we’re all shut in, what better excuse to dive into the local flavor of of the medium?

Queen City Nerve just provided you with three to get your search started.

Join Queen City Nerve in discussions about local news topics over cocktails with featured guests on the Queen City Podcast Network.

Pg. 13 APR 8 - APR 21, 2020 - QCNERVE.COM

WILL JENKINS (LEFT) AND PERRINE DESHIELD PHOTO BY WILL JENKINS

joy and normalcy each week,” said Jenkins. “Right now we are all just looking for ways to keep our day as normal as possible while we are confined to our homes.”

The two share a new episode every Tuesday and Thursday on their podcast page, Anchor.fm/ QuarantineCouch. They interview guests, share about life in quarantine, laugh about the latest memes, and shoutout changemakers in the nonprofit sector during the show.

DeShield said the goal is to not interrupt the peace of listeners during this time of struggle.

“The show brings positivity, peace and a bright light,” she explained.

This peace and bright light through podcasting will exist as long as the stay-at-home order is intact, the couple agreed.

The above podcasts are the newest from black creatives in Charlotte, but they aren’t the only ones. Be sure to check out the Catch a Vibe podcast hosted by Glen Byrd Jr. and Melanie Roach. That can be found on Spreaker and Apple Podcasts. Also, Sharelle Burt and Sierra Tribble host Headwraps & Lipsticks, which can be found at headwrapsandlipsticks.com. And don’t forget Queen City Nerve hosts the Nooze Hounds podcast every two weeks, dropping on the Friday following our print issue publication. Find editor-in-chief Ryan Pitkin and publisher Justin LaFrancois discussing serious local news topics in a not-so-serious way on Spotify or qcnerve.com. You can check out the Queen City Podcast Network at queencitypodcastnetwork.com for more Charlotte-based podcasts.

INFO@QCNERVE.COM

www.queencitypodcastnetwork.com/noozehounds

MUSIC FEATURE OLD MOONS ON THE RISE

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has been taking every precaution. Grauer hasn’t left the house in two weeks, but he’s used his time wisely, cranking out the complex 19-minute video for his band’s first full-length album in one day. The project combines two lifelong passions for Grauer, video editing and heavy music.

Grauer was born in Chesapeake, Virginia, but Up-and-comers debut album spent his formative years playing in punk and hard online while nothing grows rock bands in nearby Norfolk. He attended Old Dominion University there and later transferred to outside Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, where he also contributed to the local music scene.

BY PAT MORAN In 2016, Grauer moved to Charlotte and started It’s the fever dream soundtrack for our times: playing with drummer Evan Boggs.

As a duo, they formed Old Moons, which won Children sleep fitfully and clocks spin rapidly in the Readers’ Choice Best New Band Award in Queen reverse as sinuous bass snakes

Harbor in November, supporting Asheville’s Bask and Winston-Salem’s Toke. They then took time off to write and record their current release, Quinn’s recorded debut with the band.

Grauer describes Old Moon’s compositional process as a series of improvisational long-format jams. Each player draws on different influences, so Grauer, Boggs and Quinn are frequently pulling in three different directions.

“I like hard rock and aggressive-sounding bands of all genres, and I’ve recently turned to the metallic side,” Grauer offers. “Evan likes more ’70s style rock [and] Trey is a more laid back in the pocket.”

The group compositions evolve, with the band members listening back to the jams, picking out

around corroding bursts of guitar. Drums rattle as we spiral into galaxies. Then the cosmos cascades into a political demonstration as riot police with teargas canisters arrive. Frenetic shredding segues to soaring spacy guitars, as stately as a funeral march.

These are sights and sounds from just three songs with their accompanying videos, tone poems despite the spare poetic vocals buried in the mix. With six more, they comprise Nothing Grows Here, the latest release

by Charlotte hard rock trio Old Moons. On March 25, in the midst of our unfolding unprecedented pandemic, the band released the collection. The next day, Old Moons guitarist, singer and cofounder Rob Grauer cut together a full-length video for the album, OLD MOONS (FROM LEFT): TREY QUINN, EVAN BOGGS AND ROB GRAUER AT SNUG HARBOR. now uploaded to YouTube.

“The video is all the songs,” Grauer says, “Maybe it will entice people to put some eyes and ears on it that might not otherwise.” City Nerve’s Best in the Nest last year. They released the pieces they like, and honing them down into He’s set himself a challenge. Grauer their debut, the three-song EP Lunar Blue in 2018. songs that Grauer calls “short and to the point — no acknowledges that people normally listen to music A single, “Love is the Law,” followed in 2019. Then choruses, no verses, a collection of riffs and ideas.”

In that respect Nothing Grows Here resembles while they’re driving to work in their car. As a rule, at a show, Grauer and Boggs met bassist Trey Quinn, who professed admiration for Old Moons.

A few a stripped-down approach to Black Sabbath’s 1970 few sit at home and listen to records on the stereo. days later, Grauer remembered that Quinn worked self-titled debut album crossed with Metallica’s But these are not normal times, and the rules are at music shop Sam Ash. He drove to the store and breakneck rhythmic switchbacks and Pink Floyd’s changing as the city slows to a COVID-19 standstill. offered Quinn the bassist gig on the spot. lyrical psychedelia.

The 29-year-old public high school teacher “We like to hang out, enjoy each other’s “David Gilmore is my favorite guitar player so I’m at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has been company and see what music we make without geared to where you create a space [that] lets the music quarantined at home when he speaks to Queen actually trying to make music,” Grauer explains. tell the story,” Grauer says. Though his evocative vocals City Nerve in late March. His girlfriend is a nurse in By his reckoning, the band has played out once a and plain-spoken yet poetic lyrics are embedded in the an intensive care unit at Levine Children’s Hospital, month since forming.

Their last live gig was at Snug mix, his guitar does most of the talking. where she works with at-risk patients, so the couple

In the process of making Nothing Grows Here, the band’s planned six-month hiatus from playing live turned into a year. They went to Greensboro to cut the record with Jacob Beeson, who Grauer praises as an unofficial fourth band member, particularly during the recording process. Old Moons wrapped their sessions on Valentine’s Day. Then after mixing and mastering, the record was ready to hit the streets – just as Charlotte started to shut down. Plans made in advance to play gigs and introduce listeners to the new tunes were effectively scuttled. In truth, Grauer says, he wasn’t entirely surprised. Working in education, Grauer and his colleagues had been discussing safety measures for their students for several months.

“I had a feeling when the shows booked back in the day that they weren’t going to go through,” Grauer offers.

With no shows in sight, several bands have turned to playing online gigs. Old Moons took the concept one step further with an online video-enhanced fulllength album.

Video and design come second nature to Grauer. He’s produced videos and flyers for his bands as well as flyers for other acts. Prior to teaching drafting classes in which 80% of the curriculum used AutoCAD design software, he was a trainer at Apple, where he learned — and PHOTO BY JESSICA DAILEY received free copies of — all their software.

For the Nothing Grows Here video, produced on Final Cut Ten, Grauer turned to the Prelinger Archives, a free collection of 60,000 advertising, educational, industrial and amateur films acquired by the Library of Congress in 2002, for his footage. After previewing the archives, Grauer downloaded anything he thought was eclectic, psychedelic or cool. He marked interesting clips, like a car crashing, a guy shooting a gun, or someone running into a wall. Then the clips were all time-synched to the music.

The album starts hard-hitting and heavy, so protest footage, eerily reminiscent of the aftermath of the 2016 Charlotte police shooting of Keith

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MUSIC FEATURE

He admits it’s easy to look on the negative Richard Carlson (Creature from the Black Lagoon).

Virginia, but he points to plenty of great musicians Toward the end of the Nothing Grows Here video, in Charlotte who are “pushing the envelope, fighting side. He feels as an educator he may be working in a dying industry. He also makes the aggressive jittery bass slaloms through footage of marching the good fight and doing the right things.” music that tends to get venues shut down. He’s a skateboarder as well, a historically unappreciated and disenfranchised group. “There’s not a lot of support. But I still participate anyway,” he maintains.

And he feels support for the music scene, the arts and more has been steadily growing in the three years he’s been in Charlotte. “I’d like people in town to think [the album] is a good representation of the music scene. I want people to say, ‘This is one of the bands in Charlotte.’”

Grauer’s hard-fought optimism extends to the COVID-19 crisis as well, though given his girlfriend’s occupation, he does not diminish the disease’s harrowing cost in human life.

“I would hope that when people come back out of this thing, they will be more grateful of their time out and about,” he says. The markets will be bad, he believes, and the pandemic might take six months or more to blow over, but people will prevail if they work towards positive goals. “Things can grow even in the worst situations.”

Lamont Scott, is front-loaded on the video.

“It’s all different protests from police training footage on how to handle crowds.”

Grauer offers. “I used the protest analogy a lot.”

He explains that his father attended Ohio’s Otterbein College, about an hour from Kent State, in 1970. On May 4 of that year, the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a crowd of students protesting the U.S. government’s bombing of Cambodia, killing four students and wounding nine others.

Republican president Richard Nixon had previously called students protesting his Vietnam policies “bums.” Grauer’s father knew one of the slain, Allison Krause, and conveyed the profound effect the shootings A LOOK INTO THE EDITING PROCESS FOR OLD MOONS’ 19-MINUTE VIDEO. had on him to his son.

Grauer feels he aligns with his father’s sense of cartoon eyeglasses melting into Dali-esque blobs. rebellion. As a high school teacher, he’s a straight Swinging blues rock riffs tumble as Baxter chortles shooter, but he plays in a hard rock band and he’s at a carnival comprised of clowns, knife throwers also a skateboarder, part of the Eastland DIY scene and fire eaters — all illustrating the senses of profiled in March by Queen City Nerve. “I like the sight, touch and taste. The video concludes with a symbology of protesting,” he says. synthesizer pulsing like a warning beacon through As the album progresses it grows more playful a thicket of dreamy psychedelic guitar textures as an and lyrical. For those animated half-moon lighter moments, drifts across a starry Grauer turned to sky.

Prelinger footage The album and its culled from the Bell accompanying video’s System Science film message is distilled series, a classroom in the opening lyrics staple throughout of the first song, “Feel the 1960s and ’70s.

Warm,” Grauer says, Produced initially by quoting the lyrics: Hollywood veteran Burning to feel warmth/ director Frank Capra You pray that nothing (It’s a Wonderful Life), grows here/ Still you the films feature feel it.

University of Southern “In a music scene California English [some] people are professor Fred C. always plotting for the Baxter as Doctor downfall of others, or Research, examining they think the scene is weather, cosmic rays, OUR READERS RECOGNIZED OLD MOONS LAST YEAR. lame. But if you were the circulatory system, involved you could feel it growing,” Grauer says. the sun and more, aided by animation and character He believes there are always jaded people in actors including Eddie Albert (Green Acres) and any scene, including the ones he experienced in

PMORAN@QCNERVE.COM

FOOD & DRINK FEATURE BUNKER FOOD DONE RIGHT

Canned beans for amateurs

BY ARI LEVAUX

Like most of you, I have been sheltering in place for what feels like forever. My house arrest began in mid-March, in Spain, when the prime minister declared a state of emergency. A week later I was home, and began a 14-day self-quarantine, from which I emerged into a world on lockdown.

I have been sheltering in place even longer, although not under such dire circumstances, in my imagination. Since about Y2K, when it seemed totally reasonable that computers would lose track

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ANDALUSIAN-STYLE POTATO AND BEAN SOUP

of which millennium we were in and trigger societal collapse. In those times, activities like growing or preserving food created a sense of empowerment.

The tasty rewards of preparing to hunker down are quickly evident to anyone who engages in stocking up. Crisis or not, you get to eat the canned peaches.

There’s no food shortage, yet, but many people are stockpiling, especially canned food. You don’t hear stories about people hoarding fresh produce, even though that is exactly what we should be eating, in these times more than ever, when we are all trying to stay healthy.

I did most of my stockpiling of fresh produce

last fall. Now I have frozen bags of tomato sauce and pesto to make noodle time extra special. Vacuumsealed packages of steak, burger and sausage, breaded cutlets of eggplant and zucchini, jars of salsa, pickled peppers and chutney, sacks of dried fruit, and many more ingredients, packaged when it was fresh for rainy days — or beautiful days when you’re under government order to stay at home.

You don’t have to aim big if you are just starting out stocking a pantry. Stick to an amount that’s doable and fun, then experiment. Find some good fresh produce. Then figure out how to cook it, and maybe preserve it, or at the very least cook a big batch of something and freeze the leftovers.

My local store is cleaned out of canned beans, and yours probably is too, but the dry beans are fully available, right where they always are, languishing in sacks and in bulk bins. The only advantage that canned beans would offer over dried beans is that canned beans are already soft and ready to go immediately. But dried beans are cheaper, per bean,

minutes, until the onions are nearly caramelized.

Stir in the garlic. When the delicious garlic aroma is almost developing a burnt edge, about two minutes, deglaze with the wine.

Remove the large pieces of celery, carrots and onion from the bean pot and use a slotted spoon to scoop the beany remains into the fried onion, parsley and garlic. Add the lemon juice and zest, kale and salt, and enough bean broth to cover everything by an inch. Turn the heat to medium. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for another 30 minutes, adjusting the broth level to your liking with stock Andalusian-Style Potato and Bean Soup from the bean pot.

About 10 minutes before turning off the heat, This recipe is written for dried beans. If using an Instant Pot, slow cooker or canned beans, adjust the add the chopped parsley leaves. Serve with a drizzle recipe accordingly. Whatever you do, don’t throw out of your finest olive oil, or a splash of hot sauce.. the bean water, including from a can — add that broth to the pot.

INFO@QCNERVE.COM Serves four, with four extra servings for the freezer spinach for my Nongshim ramen noodles, if you can get them, and maybe pea shoots or whatever else they’ve got.

Here is a bean soup recipe from the south of Spain, where my own personal quarantine began.

Cocido de Hinojos is traditionally made with fennel, which grows wild in the Andalusian hills, but any kind of greens will work. This recipe uses parsley and kale, as fennel can be scarce these days. But the more greens you can cook in those beans, the better.

PHOTO BY ARI LEVAUX

than canned beans, and occupy less space in the bunker. And when you are truly sheltering in place, as we now know, time is no longer in as short supply.

At this point in a normal spring, I would be loading up on storage crops and young greens at my local farmers market. That’s currently closed, but as soon as I’m done with my self-quarantine and get into the new normal lockdown life, I will be reaching out to the farmers I have been missing, and hopefully schedule some socially distant parking lot deals. I would buy carrots, onions, potatoes, cabbage and other winter staples, plus baby bok choy and

1 cup of dry big white beans (or 2 14-ounce cans of beans) 1 large onion, sliced end to end; one half minced 2 stalks of celery, cut in half crosswise to fit in the pot 2 large carrots, cut in half 1 large potato, in ½-inch cubes 2 quarts stock (vegetable, beef or chicken) 1 tablespoon thyme ½ cup olive oil 2 slices bacon, whole or chopped (optional) 1 modest bunch of parsley 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup dry sherry or rice wine ½ lemon, juiced and zested 1 modest-sized bunch of kale or collards, trimmed and minced 1 teaspoon salt More salt, and pepper, to taste

Rinse the beans and soak them overnight in four quarts of water in a large pot. The next day, cook the beans for an hour or so, until soft. Add the stock, thyme, celery, carrot, potato and half of the onion, peel and all. Cook for another hour.

Hold the parsley bunch by the leaf end and slice the stems as thinly as possible. Chop the leaves and set aside for later.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot on medium/high, with bacon if using, and add the minced parsley stems. Fry for about five minutes, add the onions, and cook for another five or so

By Lucie Winborne • Artist Salvador Dali had a unique way of occasionally avoiding the bill for drinks and meals — he would draw on the checks, making them priceless works of art and, therefore, uncashable.

• The governor of China’s Hunan Province banned Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” because he believed that animals should not be given the power to use the language of humans, and to put animals and humans on the same level would be “disastrous.”

• When the ancient Greeks staged plays, their costumes enabled audiences to identify characters. Tragic actors wore raised platform shoes called buskins to symbolize their superiority over comic actors, who would wear plain socks.

• A researcher in Madagascar was so interested in sand flea development that she let one of the bugs live inside her foot for two months.

• George Washington died after his doctors removed 40% of his blood (80 ounces) over a 12-hour period to cure a throat infection. While critics have claimed for decades that he was bled to death, the exact cause of his demise is still debated among scholars.

• The longest time between the births of twin siblings is 87 days. Amy Ann Elliot debuted prematurely on June 1, 2012, and Kate Marie Elliot followed on Aug. 27, at Waterford Regional Hospital in County Waterford, Ireland.

• When the mummy of Ramses II was sent to France in the mid-1970s, it was issued a passport. Ramses’ occupation? “King (deceased)”!

• In the early stage version of “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy’s faithful companion, Toto, was replaced by a cow named Imogene.

• Enjoy looking after kids? Consider attending Kentucky’s Sullivan University, where you can major in nannying. *** Thought for the Day: “Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense.” — Mark Overby © 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

A DOSE OF VIRTUAL REALITY

People have always relied on our Lifeline and Soundwave to give them ideas on what to do. We always like to say there’s no excuse to stay at home, but now that’s not the case. However, there’s still plenty of things to do from the comfort of your couch, and we’ve compiled a few ideas to help you pass the time.

CHARLOTTE FILM SOCIETY’S VIRTUAL LEVINE ONLINE LEARNING SCREENING ROOM WORKSHOPS

What: Burned out on Netflix and Tiger King sounds too much like the Trump administration at a zoo?

The Charlotte Film Society just added five new titles to their collection of sublimely strange art house movies, features that haven’t run in theaters or on Amazon or Netflix. Check out the horror flick Zombi Child, domestic thriller The Perfect Nanny, the Brazilian villages vs. UFO mercenaries powder keg Bacurau and more.

More: $10-12 for a three-day rental; charlottefilmsociety.com

What: “Language is a virus,” William Burroughs once said. So why not go full-on virus vs. virus and counteract COVID-19 with dialog and storytelling at home? Levine Museum of the New South is highlighting current and past exhibits like Cotton Fields to Skyscrapers and Nuevolution: Latinos and the New South, while making activities like videos, crossword puzzles, fill-in-the-blank, drawing, history lessons and more available to everyone. New lesson plans will be uploaded weekly.

More: Free.; museumofthenewsouth.org/education

MCCOLL CENTER VIRTUAL ART WORKSHOPS

PLUTO GANG: ‘PLASMODESMATA’ RELEASE

What: Alumni artist Chris Clamp introduces homebound artists to the fundamental building blocks of drawing from life and rendering three dimensional objects in two-dimensional space, while exploring concepts such as line, shape, form and value.

More: $20-25; Saturday, April 11, 10 a.m.; mccollcenter.org/art-workshops

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BUGALU VIRTUAL THIRD ANNIVERSARY

What: It will take more than a pandemic to shut down Petra’s eclectic dance party! DJ Zach Reader spins vinyl-only selections of the music that helped shape and define the great bugalú era and beyond -— but from a safe distance because he loves y’all and wants you to stay healthy.

More: Donations for Zach via Venmo at @Zachary-Reader. Donations for Petra’s staff at paypal.me/petrasbar; Friday, April 10, 9 p.m.; tinyurl.com/BugaluOnline

What: Rolling organ, plangent guitars and soaring soulful vocals banish the darkness with hope. Smooth and funky Charlotte six-piece Pluto Gang planned the release of their latest single “Plasmodesmata” on May 14, and to celebrate the occasion with a headlining show at the Evening Muse the next night. Instead they’ll be sharing the rhythm, lyricism and warmth on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, Amazon and YouTube on April 9.

More: Thursday, April 9; plutogangmusic.com

KEY SIGNATURE ENTERTAINMENT’S VIRTUAL CONCERT SERIES

What: Tune into Key Signature Entertainment’s live Facebook page (@livemusiccharlotte) weekdays in April at 4 p.m. to catch performances by members of KSE’s musical family, including Dante Lewis (April 8), Todd Johnson & the Revolvers (April 9), Pete Lents (April 10), JMichael Peoples (April 13), Fred Lee IV (April 14), KRVE Band (April 15), Next Level Band of Charlotte (April 16), Letron Brantley (April 17) and Jennifer Siebenaler (April 20).

More: Free; Weekdays, 4 p.m.; keysignatureent.wordpress.com

QUEEN CITY NERVE’S QUARANTINE LIVE SERIES

What: Looking to unwind after work hours — however and wherever you’re working? We recommend the healing balm of music, because one of the greatest pleasures about being Charlotte’s alternative news source is all the amazing musicians like ReeCee Raps and David Jamsky Pollack that we’ve been privileged to discover, promote and enjoy. Queen City Nerve shares the good stuff with our #QuarantineLive series. Follow our Facebook page to get a notification when performances start.

Hell, you should be doing that anyway.

More: Free; Weekdays; facebook.com/queencitynerve/

CHEF ALYSSA’S VIRTUAL COOKING CLASSES

What: Sharpen your skills, get fresh ideas and explore new cuisines. Chef Alyssa offers classes designed around fresh, seasonal ingredients for up to 24 participants. She releases new classes each month at five different ability levels, so now’s the time to up your culinary game.

More: $15; chefalyssaskitchen.com/classes/

QUARANTEAM TRIVIA

What: Need virtual social interaction as well as an outlet for all those nuggets of music and TV information rattling around in your head? Top trivia maven Kaila DeHart presents QuaranTEAM Trivia. A one-time $10 fee gets you on the Facebook group, CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA and each Saturday, participants vote for weekly trivia themes. Days alternate between music and AT HOME What: With #CSOatHome, the Charlotte Symphony general trivia, five nights every week at 7 p.m. offers listeners a place to meet until musicians More: $10, Venmo @Kaila-Dehart; Weeknights, and audiences can once again experience the joy 7 p.m.; tinyurl.com/QuaranTeam of live music together. They provide streaming audio of past CSO performances, listening guides, JAY BROWN TRIVIA educational materials and more. CSO Musicians at What: Can’t tell the difference between a pilsner Home shares what symphony musicians are up to, and a porter? Don’t worry, there are plenty other including short excerpts of what they’re playing in trivial (and not-so-trivial) subjects to pursue. Jay their spare time.

Brown with the Cheers Charlotte Radio - Craft Beer More: Free; charlottesymphony.org/csoathome & Homebrew Podcast goes beyond brew when he hosts Wednesday night trivia from his Facebook page.

ARTS+ MUSIC LESSONS ONLINE What: The venerable 50-year-old Charlotte arts More: Free; Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m.; nonprofit has already pulled off a COVID-19 related tinyurl.com/BrownCheers pivot, shifting more than 200 students to online instruction in less than two weeks. Now, they’re offering even more aspiring musicians of all ages online learning with virtual lessons for new students through May 15. Among the online instruction options are voice, piano, cello, violin, guitar, drum set and more.

More: $25 for first three lessons through May 15; artsplus.org/programs/private-lessons

TOMMY’S TRIVIA

What: Tommy Dee has been providing team trivia and music BINGO services to restaurants and other venues (public & private) in and around Charlotte for quite some time, so he’s not going to let a lockdown get in the way of some serious fun. Tommy takes to his Facebook page to do his thing online every Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

More: Free; Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.; facebook.com/ tommystrivia/

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LIFESTYLE PUZZLES

LIFESTYLE PUZZLES SUDOKU

BY LINDA THISTLE

PLACE A NUMBER IN THE EMPTY BOXES IN SUCH A WAY THAT EACH ROW ACROSS, EACH COLUMN DOWN AND EACH SMALL 9-BOX SQUARE CONTAINS ALL OF THE NUMBERS ONE TO NINE. ©2020 King Feautres Syndicate, Inc. All rights reserved.

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PG.20 PUZZLE ANSWERS

TRIVIA TEST

BY FIFI RODRIGUEZ

1. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president had an estate called The Hermitage?

2. ADVERTISING: Which soft drink used the ad slogan, “Just What the Doctor Ordered”?

3. MOVIES: Which James Bond movie introduced the villainous character Oddjob?

4. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: How long was the wall that separated East and West Berlin for 30 years?

5. U.S. STATES: Which state was the 49th added to the United States of America?

6. HISTORY: Which ancient empire had a capital called Tenochtitlan?

7. ASTRONOMY: Which planet in our solar system has the most gravity?

8. MYTHOLOGY: What was Cassandra’s unique power, which was given to her as a gift?

9. FAMOUS QUOTATIONS: Which 20th-century poet once said, “You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep spring from coming”?

10. LITERATURE: Which novel introduced the character of Holden Caulfield?

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Emmy, e.g.

6 Explorer - Polo 11 Milne’s bear 15 Hospital VIPs 19 Spanish man 20 It’s made of milk, flour and butter 22 Sharing the secret of 23 “The Matrix” star Reeves 24 Unit equal to 0.338 fluid ounce 25 Knock off 26 Stage muggers 28 Beating the former best 30 4x4, briefly 32 Lousy 34 Ian Fleming’s alma mater 35 Jaded 36 Online comparison shopping site 42 More nasty 43 Dance in Rio 44 Has a bawl 45 Prenatal chambers 47 Locker, e.g.

54 U.S. enlistees 57 Arrest, as a perp 58 Tiddlywink or Frisbee 59 How- - (DIYers’ books) 60 Jurist Scalia 63 Novelist Graham 66 Camphor or fructose 69 Need-for-speed adage adapted from the Bible 72 Road salt 73 “It’s about time!”

74 Separates after a multiplayer tackle

75 Edifice extension 76 Debate side 77 - Khan (Islamic imam) 78 Wide shoe spec 79 Building up to the loudest point 88 Parliament’s House of 89 “With a Little - Luck” 90 Piece-of-cake class 94 Fold, spindle or mutilate 97 Bottle near a salad bowl 99 Smell 100 Cannonballs and such 103 Pro-learning union: Abbr.

104 Healthful getaway 105 Backlash 111 Banks of modeling 113 Catch with one’s ears 114 “Viva Las Vegas” co-star 116 Ancient Greek colony 119 - Stanley Gardner 120 Not trued up 121 Kids’ caretaker 122 Changed the color of 123 Favorable votes 124 Actor Mike 125 Meal blessing that’s “mixed” and hidden in seven answers in this puzzle DOWN 1 Inquire 2 Itsy-bitsy 3 Disneyland’s city 4 Barrett of gossip 5 Snare sound 6 DC doubled 7 Warlike deity 8 Thinker Descartes

9 Carrie Chapman 10 Drop 11 Latex, e.g.

12 Money spent 13 Sailor’s site 14 German man 15 Deny 16 Borrowed 17 Not smooth 18 - of Berlin (snack brand) 21 More crafty 27 Get less taut 29 Late film critic Roger 30 Happy times 31 - -la-la 33 Sitcom psychiatrist Frasier, to his patients 37 “2 Broke Girls” airer 38 Steed breed 39 Sizable 40 Comb insect 41 Key near F1 42 Sea, to Gigi 45 Flustered 46 Tic-toe link 48 Chilling, as champagne 49 Playwright Clifford 50 City in North Dakota 51 Star, in Nice 52 Having no service charge 53 - fly (African pest) 54 Congregate 55 Gobble down 56 - Artois 61 “... - will!” (threat ender) 62 - Geo Wild 63 Must, slangily

MIXED BLESSING ©2020 King Feautres Syndicate, Inc. All rights reserved.

64 Holy artifact 65 JosŽ’s “that” 66 “- & Kel” (teen show) 67 Psychic skill 68 Prefix with light 70 Turf groups 71 Real aficionado 76 So-so link 77 Slip - (mess up) 80 Made a racket 81 Hulk of a wrestler?

82 Furiousness 83 Slugging stat 84 Essen “a” 85 Enhaloed Fr. lady 86 Deteriorating 87 Paddled tool 91 Girl told not to cry in song 92 “Uh-huh” 93 “I’m - loss for words” 94 Ran quickly 95 Carotid, e.g.

96 A pep talk may boost it 97 Outspoken 98 Receiving a pension: Abbr.

100 Golf’s Palmer, to pals 101 High-IQ crew 102 The - & the Papas 106 Like venison 107 Quick haircut 108 Punker Pop 109 Alençon’s department 110 At no time, in verse 112 Mimic a tiger 115 Saints’ stats 117 Yellow pages abbr.

118 Favorable vote

DATE: Pay To The Order Of:

DOLLARS

Memo:

“Finally! The world understands the value of exposure!”

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*cough cough*

Bree Stallings, Professional Artist, Muralist and Illustrator www.breestallings.com - @breequixote

LIFESTYLE COLUMN

AERIN IT OUT THE LAST PARTY

An attempt to scrounge up some spring fun before the end

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BY AERIN SPRUILL

When the infamous Charlamagne Tha God of Breakfast Club fame posted “What y’all cousins working at the Pentagon tell y’all today?” on Instagram a few weeks ago, I guffawed. Why? Because I’ll be damned if my stepdad didn’t forward a text from “our cousin at the Pentagon” to our family group message the week prior.

“Please be advised ... the president will order a two-week mandatory quarantine for the nation.”

Granted, things didn’t escalate as quickly as predicted by our “cousin” and obviously the current state of COVID-19 in Mecklenburg County is no laughing matter. I only reflect on the solid chuckle the post gave me because when a “situation” arises, my family is the first to stock up on toilet paper, milk, bread, and anything else that may be of interest to the general public.

It seems like just yesterday that my boyfriend was disappointed that the St. Patty’s Day bar crawl had been postponed — until June, which left us all scratching our heads — despite the event being one of his primary reasons for returning so soon from the West Coast. And while Gov. Roy Cooper would soon ban groups larger than 50 from gathering across the state, we managed to sneak in a small pub crawl of our own that Saturday. Little did we know, our fun would soon come to a disturbing and swift end.

Three days later, the group texts were circulating about how all restaurants and bars would transition to take-out only. I immediately became parched, thirsty for just one more ice-cold beer.

As a creature of the night constantly on a search for a new watering hole, I felt the walls begin to close around me. What would a vampiress like myself do without all my favorite nightlife hotspots?

Let’s be honest, though. I’m an undercover recluse with a profound gift for Netflix-and-chill and a borderline medical issue with napping. And so I thought maybe, just maybe, I would be okay. My activity checklist for the past two weeks has consisted of: -Consuming all the snacks and meals my heart could desire.

-Watching every episode of Tiger King and Love is Blind then conducting the subsequent research.

-Collecting bottles of $2.99 wine from Harris Teeter so as to give a new meaning to binge-watching with This is Us. -Spending countless hours surveying TikTok and attempting to edit videos.

-Stalking my new favorite local content producer (hoping for an interview and maybe a virtual dance-off to come).

-Coordinating FaceTime happy hour schedules with the homies.

-Researching fitness apps offering free courses (with no real plan of actually using them).

After all was said and done, however, the itch for the sounds, tastes and smells of nightlife was overwhelming.

That’s when I begged my friend for the ultimate test in friendship and social distancing: a backyard party.

Essentially, the goal was to gather a SMALL group of friends around a fire in her backyard. No hugs or handshakes. No sharing of glasses. Hand washing and sanitizing upon bathroom entry and exit.

Chalk me up as one of the ignorant millennials, but I’m not frivolously running amok in these Queen City streets. I’m not visiting my family or older relatives. I’m drinking lots of water and doing what I can to boost my immune system, and I’m using sanitizer more than I’ve ever wanted to in my whole African-American life and I have the ashy knuckles to prove it.

That being said, my “quaranqueen” of a friend created the perfect setup for a small gathering (before it became officially illegal to make unnecessary visits). We stocked up on the essentials: Pinot grigio, Rumple Minze and Tito’s vodka then made our way over. When we arrived, we entered the yard gate to the most beautiful ambiance of string lights and in the center of the yard were five lawn chairs strategically placed more than 6 feet apart. The icing on the cake? The family dog showed each of us the love we’d been missing out on. [Editor’s Note: DON’T YOU SEE THAT THE DOG IS THE PROBLEM HERE, AERIN? IF YOU’RE ALL TOUCHING THE DOG THE SOCIAL DISTANCING IS POINTLESS!] Even after more than our fair share of drinks, music and FaceTime with far-away friends, then collecting around a warm fire, we managed to respect the rules of social distancing for the majority of the night and fill our tanks with in-person interaction before dispersion to our quarantine dens where we shall remain until God knows when.

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Mecklenburg County, it will get harder and harder to enjoy a backyard “extra light Corona” shindig. In fact, it goes against the ban to go anywhere non-essential. But there’s good news. No one can regulate how much wine you consume or how many FaceTime calls you make.

“Drink irresponsibly” and enjoy this time the best you can.

INFO@QCNERVE.COM

HOROSCOPE

APR 8 - APR 14

APR 15 - APR 21

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You might be upset about having to deal with problems that are no fault of your own. But you can turn the annoyance into an asset by showing how quickly and how well you can resolve them.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A problem in getting a workplace project up and moving might upset the Lamb, who likes things done on time. But be patient. The delay could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) The Bovine’s fondness

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your instincts are usually

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Although you can tackle

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might have two minds about a proposed change (which often happens with the Twins), but once all the facts are in, you’ll be able to make a definitive decision. Good luck.

for tidiness pays off when you untangle a situation that seems hopelessly snarled. You might later be surprised to learn who will be expressing his or her gratitude.

your assignment the way you prefer, it might be a good idea to at least ask for suggestions. Who knows? One or two might even turn out to be helpful.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Make all the changes in

your plans or proposals that you feel are necessary before — repeat, before — you submit them to your colleagues.

You’ll come off looking more decisive that way.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) You might feel a mite

intimidated in a new environment, be it a job, a classroom or meeting the future in-laws. But enter with a big smile, and everyone will see you as a real take-charge Cat.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) This could be a romantic time for you if you can set aside your cynicism and let yourself believe that someone really cares. If you’re already in a relationship, expect your partner to be extra-loving.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) It’s a good time to shed any doubts about your abilities. You’ve proved yourself in the past, so why not accept that you’ll do just as well, or better, in dealing with the new challenge ahead?

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your

suspicions might be on the mark, but unless you can prove what you assume, you need to exercise that Scorpion discretion and let events unfold without your assistance.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Be careful not to go over the top this week. Avoid overeating (especially of the wrong foods), or drinking too much, or working too hard. You can do it all, but in moderation.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A family

matter is given to you to resolve because you have the gift for bringing quarrelsome kinfolk together. But while you’re playing Dr. Phil, don’t neglect your career obligations.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Someone

of importance shares your goals but disagrees with your plan to achieve them. Never mind. Defending your methods with logic and facts earns you admiration and respect.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Consider getting away, perhaps for the weekend, despite all the demands made on your time and energies. You’ll return refreshed and ready to tackle it all with your usual finesse.

on the mark, so if you feel uneasy about being asked for advice on a certain matter, it’s probably a good idea that you opt not to comply with the request.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) The Crab’s frugal aspect dominates, so while you might be reluctant to pay for technical repairs, the time you save in getting things back on track could be well worth the expense.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) While you Leos and

Leonas continue to concentrate on doing well in your work-related ventures this week, consider reserving the weekend for sharing good times with family and friends.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) This is a good week to take stock of the important personal, professional or familial relationships in your life and see where you might need to do some intense shoring up.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Your sense of justice makes you the likely person to help deal with a work- or family-related grievance. But you need to have any doubts about anyone’s true agenda resolved first.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) The Scorpio

passion for getting things done right and on time might rankle some folks. Never mind them. Others will be impressed, and they’re the ones you want in your corner.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Finances could be a mite tight this week. And, while things will ease up soon enough, you savvy Sagittarians will want to keep a prudent eye on your expenses at this time.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Although

a technical malfunction could cause a temporary delay in getting things up and running, you could use the time to recheck your operation and make changes where necessary.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) You might

find it difficult to resist making a snap judgment about a colleague’s behavior. But stick with your usual way of assessing situations and wait for the facts to come out.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Asking for help with a family situation might be the wisest course to take right now. Just be sure you turn to someone you can trust to do and say the right thing for the right reasons.

BORN THIS WEEK: People see in you a born leader whom they can follow and put their trust in.

BORN THIS WEEK: You have a sense of honesty that makes people believe and trust in you.

2020 KING FEATURES SYND., INC.

LIFESTYLE COLUMN

PG.21 PUZZLE ANSWERS

SAVAGE LOVE THE NO PANDEMIC CHALLENGE

Let’s talk about something else

BIG BELLY WOES

Six years ago I roped Dr. Jesse Bering, author of Perv: The Sexual Deviant in All of Us, into answering a Your last two columns and your last two question from a dad who was worried about his teenage podcasts were all about the pandemic. Everything son’s sexual interest in Pokémon. (Yes, Pokémon.) Dad everywhere is all about the pandemic right now. wanted to know if there was anything could done about Can you give it a rest? For maybe a week? Could his son’s “pathetic” sexual obsession. you answer some questions that aren’t about Bering explained that his kid’s kinks — that pandemic? Any fun kink questions come in this everyone’s kinks — are hardwired. “Nobody knows why week? I could use a break from the pandemic, some people are more prone to developing unusual Dan, and I’m not alone. patterns of attraction than others,” Bering said. “But COLUMNIST’S OEUVRE VIVIDLY INSTILLS DREAD whether it’s a penchant for Pokémon, feet, underwear, or spiders, the best available evidence suggests that Some kink questions did come in this week, some people — mostly males — have a genetic COVID, and I’m happy to answer them. But the pandemic predisposition for being ‘sexually imprinted’ during does come up in the second one, which you should feel development.” free to skip.

And once our erotic imaginations have seized on something, once we’ve imprinted on Pokémon I have a kink/fetish that’s been giving characters or big bellies or wrestling singlets, there’s not me a lot of anxiety over the last few years. I much we can do about it. Before we’re adults — before inadvertently discovered that I’m turned on by we hit puberty — our kinks, as Bering put it, are “pretty big bellies, weight gain, and stuffing. It’s actually much fixed, like it or not.” been there since I was a little kid, though I For all we know the teenage boy with the didn’t understand it until now. If it’s relevant, Pokémon fetish was completely comfortable with his I’m a female in my mid-20s, in a heterosexual own niche sexual interests. The dad wrote in, after monogamous relationship. My problem is that I all, not the kid. (But if you’re a 23-year-old Pokémon have a lot of trouble getting off without looking fetishist and your dad routinely invaded your privacy at pictures or at least thinking about my kink. when you were a teenager and heaped shame you about I believe the common guidance is, “If it’s not your kinks, please write in with an update!) But I have hurting anyone, it’s fine.” But I feel super gross heard from people who, like you, weren’t comfortable and ashamed. with their own kinks, BBW, and desperately wanted to Neither my partner nor myself is large know what could be done. and we both value our health and fitness. I Most sex scientists and researchers agree have absolutely no desire to participate in this with Bering: there’s really nothing you can do and activity with a real person. Every time I finish masturbating to the porn that turns you on doesn’t masturbating, I feel embarrassed and disgusted “reinforce” your kinks. You can’t starve out your kinks by with myself. Some part of my brain obviously refusing to think (or wank) about them, BBW, and you craves the kink, but the rest of my brain hates it. can’t pray your kinks away anymore than I could pray my I keep telling myself I will stop, but I have such a gay away. hard time getting off with other porn (or without Embracing your kinks and exploring them with porn) that I always return to it. other consenting adults — or if your kinks can’t be I genuinely enjoy having vanilla sex with my realized for ethical reasons, enjoy them through solo partner. I feel turned on and I have fun. But I’m or partnered fantasy play only — is the only realistic often not able to come. It sometimes makes him option.

BY DAN SAVAGE

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think he isn’t doing a good job, when in reality he’s doing great and I’m just frustrated with my body.

So I guess I’m wondering: Does continuing to watch belly porn reinforce the kink in my brain?

Should I stop watching it and force myself to find other ways to come? Should I somehow find a way to embrace the kink instead?

TRIVIA ANSWERS: 1. Andrew Jackson 2. Dr Pepper

3. “Goldfinger” (1964) 4. 27 miles 5. Alaska

That said, some doctors have prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), aka antidepressants, to people who were uncomfortable with their kinks. Those drugs don’t selectively eradicate kinks, BBW, they crater a person’s libido. Taking SSRIs would mean sacrificing the vanilla sex you enjoy with your partner on the same altar with the kink that stress you out.

I can’t imagine you want to go down this route, BBW, which brings us back to embracing your kink and coming clean with your partner.

The risk you run telling a partner about your kink is no doubt the forefront of your mind, BBW, because the consequences could be immediate, i.e. he might dump you. But not telling your partner about your kink — and leaving him to wonder why you can’t get off with him but have no trouble getting off alone — isn’t risk free either. If he feels inadequate, if he feels like you’re hiding something from him, if he feels like he can’t satisfy you … he might dump you.

So share your kink with your boyfriend, BBW, and kinks should always be presented as crazy and endearing — and potentially really fun — quirks, not as tragedies.

You have a thing for big bellies, BBW, you don’t have leukemia. And you can explore your kinks without gaining weight or stuffing your partner until he does.

A little big belly dirty talk could help you get off with your partner, BBW, and even the fittest person can push their tummy out and create the illusion of a rounded belly. Have fun!

My boyfriend and I live in San Francisco where we’ve been sheltering in place. We are unfortunately unable to shelter together, which means that we cannot have physical contact, especially since he lives with a parent who’s at heightened risk. (It’s not an option for him to stay with me for the duration.) We’re as frustrated about having to abruptly end the physical aspect of our relationship as you might expect. We go

6. Aztec 7. Jupiter 8. Prophecy

9. Pablo Neruda 10. “The Catcher in the Rye”

for (distanced) walks during the week, we talk everyday, and we jerk off in front of webcams together but that only goes so far.

I was thinking about giving him some of my worn panties for him to do whatever he wants with. My question is this: If I were to wash my hands and be cautious while putting together a pervy care package, is there much of a risk of spreading the virus around by doing this? I’m currently in good health but I know that people can be infected but asymptomatic and we’re being really careful to keep both of our households as safe as possible. Can the virus be spread via pussy juice?

VERY AROMATIC GIFT

COVID-19 hasn’t been detected in vaginal fluids, VAG, so your pussy juice by itself doesn’t constitute a threat. But the virus, which is usually transmitted through the air (by people with the virus coughing, sneezing, or even exhaling), can survive for hours or days on different kinds of surfaces, including clothes.

The virus can live for up to 24 hours on cardboard, VAG, which mean it’s the package, not the panties, that are potentially a danger here.

If the last person who handled your care package — think the UPS guy who dropped it on his porch — had COVID-19, your boyfriend could wind up exposing himself by touching the box and then his face before washing his hands. But I think you should send him that package — but wear gloves while you pack it, don’t send it overnight (your scent will keep for a couple of days), and make sure your boyfriend immediately washes his hands after opening and discarding the package.

On the Lovecast, comedian Pete Dominick: www. savagelovecast.com; mail@savagelove.net; Follow Dan on Twitter @FakeDanSavage; www.savagelovecast.com

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