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We at YES! Weekly realize that the interest of our readers goes well beyond the boundaries of the Piedmont Triad. Therefore we are dedicated to informing and entertaining with thought-provoking, debate-spurring, in-depth investigative news stories and features of local, national and international scope, and opinion grounded in reason, as well as providing the most comprehensive entertainment and arts coverage in the Triad. YES! Weekly welcomes submissions of all kinds. Efforts will be made to return those with a self-addressed stamped envelope; however YES! Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. YES! Weekly is published every Wednesday by Womack Newspapers, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. First copy is free, all additional copies are $1.00. Copyright 2026 Womack Newspapers, Inc. JUNE 24-30, 2026 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 26

This year marks the 85th anniversary since “ CITIZEN KANE” exploded on screen, stoking critical praise and controversy in equal measure. Fathom Entertainment’s ongoing series of “Big Screen Classics” will present “Citizen Kane” in hundreds of theaters nationwide on Sunday, July 5 and Wednesday, July 8.

Billed as being “inspired by true events,” “ LUCKY STRIKE” is a good, solid war movie — told in no-nonsense, straightforward fashion and grounded in reality by Scott Eastwood’s charismatic lead turn.

7 Let’s face it, there’s nothing particularly patriotic or even appropriate about SHOOTING OFF FIREWORKS in celebration of Independence Day, Veterans Day, and Memorial Day. Surely, we don’t need to be bombarded with the sounds of war when pausing to recognize our freedoms or the sacrifices of our veterans.

10 A historic building in downtown High Point is getting new life. Showplace West at One Plaza Center, located at 101 S. Main St. across from the city’s Train Depot, is now ELWOOD ON MAIN. Downtown High Point, alongside LBD Investments, held a groundbreaking ceremony for the venture last week.

11 Move over Christmas in July — SUMMERWEEN is apparently upon us — tweaking the heat of summer festival season into something more spooky — like a creepy little tropical treat for the weird and wild among us to accent the season of “Jaws,” “Sleepaway Camp,” and other summertime horror selections.

12 Community activist Dan Rose has filed an ETHICS COMPLAINT against Winston-Salem City Council representative Regina Ford Hall. The complaint alleges that Ford Hall violated the City’s ethics policy...

A movie milestone: Raising ‘Kane’ on the big screen

To any fan of ﬁlm, “Citizen Kane” (1941) needs no introduction. The peerless feature debut of Orson Welles, the ﬁlm remains one of the greatest accomplishments the cinema has ever known, introducing techniques that had heretofore never been employed on the big screen. This year marks the 85th anniversary since “Citizen Kane” exploded on screen, stoking critical praise and controversy in equal measure. Fathom Entertainment’s ongoing series of “Big Screen Classics” will present “Citizen Kane” in hundreds of theaters nationwide on Sunday, July 5 and Wednesday, July 8, including three right here in the Piedmont Triad: The Golden Ticket Ale House + Elite (2101 New Garden Road, Greensboro), the Regal Greensboro Grande Stadium 16 (3205 Northline Ave., Greensboro), and the Regal Palladium Stadium 14 (5830 Samet Drive, High Point).

The 85th-anniversary screening of “Citizen Kane” will be presented at 4 p.m. July 5 and 6:30 p.m. July 8 at Regal Greensboro Grande. Tickets are $16.01 (general admission) and $13.34 (children under 12). It will be screened at 4 p.m. on July 5 and 7 p.m. on July 8 at Golden Ticket Ale House. Tickets are $13.34 (general admission). At Regal Palladium, it will be screened at 4 p.m. on July 5 and 6:30 p.m. on July 8. Tickets are $14.95 (general admission) and $12.81 (children under 12).

The film will be preceded by an introduction by noted film critic and best-selling author Leonard Maltin, as he discusses the film’s history and legacy. For tickets or more information, visit https://www.fathomentertainment.com/releases/citizen-kane-85thanniversary/.

Behind the foreboding walls of his palatial Florida estate known as Xanadu, Charles Foster Kane breathes his last at age 70, uttering one ﬁnal, inexplicable word: “Rosebud.” Kane was one of the

world’s most powerful, inﬂuential, and wealthy men, one whose reputation preceded him, but who can say they really knew him?

An interviewer (played by William Alland) is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and embarks on a journey to meet those who knew Kane, determined to discover the truth about the man.

Orson Welles was already a legend before he became a ﬁlmmaker. His radio and stage work with the Mercury Theatre was revolutionary, and his Oct. 30, 1938, broadcast of H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds” is one of the most infamous radio shows in history, because millions of listeners were convinced that an actual Martian invasion was taking place.

RKO Radio Pictures essentially gave Welles carte blanche to make whatever ﬁlm he wanted to, a freedom unheard of for an untested ﬁlmmaker. True to form, Welles brought along many of his Mercury Theatre collaborators, including Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Everett Sloane, Ray Collins, George Coulouris, and Paul Stewart — along with Ruth Warrick and Dorothy Comingore as the ladies Kane loved and lost.

Welles was a self-taught but uniquely gifted filmmaker, employing cinematic techniques considered revolutionary at the time. When the film was released, it was not even 15 years since sound had been introduced in film, and “Citizen Kane” was a quantum leap forward, boasting amazing cinematography by Gregg Toland and a brooding score that marked the first for esteemed composer Bernard Herrmann.

For the most part, “Citizen Kane” received rave reviews across the board, but had the misfortune to be targeted by media mogul William Randolph Hearst, widely perceived as the inspiration for Charles Foster Kane. Welles never publicly admitted that, but co-screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz was a known acquaintance of Hearst and his mistress, actress Marion Davies.

That was enough for Hearst, who issued an edict that none of his publications would cover or review the film, or run any advertising for it. He even labeled Welles a Communist to further sully the filmmaker’s reputation. Some theater chains refused to show the film out of fear of o ending Hearst. As a result, the film struggled to break even financially, doing well in metropolitan areas but not in smaller towns.

“Citizen Kane” earned nine Academy Award nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Art Direction/

Set Decoration (black and white), Best Cinematography (black and white), Best Editing, Best Score, Best Sound Recording, and Best Original Screenplay (Mankiewicz and Welles) — winning only the latter.

In the intervening years, “Citizen Kane” has been the subject of countless articles and books, and even a handful of motion pictures (“RKO 281,” “Mank,” etc.), and remains one of the most debated and celebrated ﬁlms of all time. Never again would Orson Welles enjoy the absolute freedom he was given here, and never again would he equal — or surpass — the brilliance that is “Kane.” A perfect ﬁlm? You betcha.

The o cial Fathom Entertainment website is https://www.fathomentertainment.com/. !

Mark Burger

Contributor

Eastwood goes to war in ‘Lucky Strike’

Billed as being “inspired by true events,” “Lucky Strike” is a good, solid war movie — told in nononsense, straightforward fashion and grounded in reality by Scott Eastwood’s charismatic lead turn.

The film is set during the Battle of the Bulge, one of the bloodiest conflicts of World War II, when the Nazis launched their final o ensive. Not only did they catch the Allies o guard, but the Allied forces had to contend with problematic supply routes and terrible weather, which the Nazis used to their advantage before the Allies were finally able to rebound. These histori-

cal tidbits are dutifully recounted in the script, co-written by Marc Frydman and producer/director Rod Lurie (billed here as “Rod Davis Lurie”).

Eastwood (doubling as an executive producer) plays John Castle, a strapping young o cer and quintessential everyman whose unit is slaughtered early on. Alone and wounded, he soon learns that he is now behind enemy lines, at the mercy of the terrain and the weather, and with little chance of rescue during the Nazi onslaught.

Eastwood establishes conviction and empathy from the outset. He’s resilient and resourceful, but not super-human. The bravery he evinces is more a desperate attempt to survive as an act of heroism. The ﬁlm pays sincere tribute to those who fought and died, but Lurie does not shy away from depicting the horrors of warfare on screen. There are brief but notable contributions from Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Taylor John Smith, and Colin Hanks (as Castle’s

commanding o cer), but this is Eastwood’s show all the way. Trivia fans will remember that Eastwood’s father, Clint, fought World War II on the big screen in “Where Eagles Dare” (1969) and “Kelly’s Heroes” (1970), but “Lucky Strike” is a far more somber and realistic war film. Filmed in Bulgaria, which convincingly doubles for the Ardennes Forest in Belgium, “Lucky Strike” also benefits from Lorenzo Senatore’s atmospheric, washed-out cinematography and Larry Groupé’s score, which is sparingly but e ectively used. Groupé and Lurie also collaborated on the film’s theme song “Show Mercy to the Hero,” which plays over the end credits.

Referring to the title, the Lucky Strike cigarette brand does play a key role in the narrative, but to explain why would dilute some of the ﬁlm’s tension, which Lurie maintains throughout the entire running time, with considerable assistance from his crew and leading man. — “Lucky Strike” opens Friday. !

Mark Burger

Contributor

“BADLAND” (Ruby Max Entertainment/MVD Entertainment Group): The two-disc Blu-ray/CD combo debut ($39.95 retail) of writer/director Francesco Lucenta’s award-winning 2007 saga starring Jamie Draven as a disillusioned, disgraced Iraqi War veteran who commits a heinous crime and goes on the lam with young daughter Grace Caroline Currey (in her feature debut) and attempts to start life anew in a small town where they befriend local lawman Joe Morton, but the past threatens to consume them when their true identities begin to come to light. Bonus features include audio commentary, behind-the-scenes interviews, music video, deleted scenes, and trailers.

“CONVERSATION PIECE” (RaroVideo/ Kino Lorber): The Blu-ray bow ($29.95 retail) of Luchino Visconti’s award-winning, semi-autobiographical 1974 drama (originally titled “Gruppo di famiglia in un interno”) starring Burt Lancaster as a retired American scholar who sublets his Roman palazzo to countess Silvana Mangano, whose entourage includes her much younger lover (Helmut Berger), her spoiled daughter (newcomer Claudia Marsani), and the daughter’s ambitious fiancé (newcomer Stefano Patrizi), which causes endless consternation. Elegant, thoughtful, and highly theatrical (the film never leaves the confines of the palazzo), but also talky and self-indulgent, although devotees of Visconti probably won’t mind. An edited version premiered at the New York Film Festival in 1975 and was poorly received, yet that was the version that New Line Cinema acquired for distribution on the art-house circuit in 1977. This is the full version that Visconti intended. Visconti had su ered a stroke shortly before filming, so much of the cast — whom he’d worked with before -- signed on to work with him again, with Lancaster assuring the producers that he would assume directorial duties should Visconti not be able to. Dominique Sanda and Claudia Cardinale appear briefly in cameo roles. Bonus features include both the English and Italian (with English subtitles) versions (which were filmed simultaneously), audio commentary, theatrical trailer, and more. Rated R.

“DEATH SHIP/TERROR TRAIN”

DOUBLE FEATURE (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): A self-explanatory DVD twin bill ($24.95 retail) of R-rated shockers, both produced under the auspices of Sandy

[VIDEO VAULT

BY MARK BURGER

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK: “THE MAN WHO RECLAIMED HIS HEAD”

(Kino Lorber Studio Classics)

Truly a “golden oldie,” this 1934 melodrama — based on a play by screenwriter Jean Bart — is considered by some to be a horror ﬁlm, but it’s more a meditation on corruption and morality combined with aspects of psychological thriller. But the cast and atmosphere lean heavily into the macabre.

Fresh from his debut screen triumph in “The Invisible Man” (1933), Claude Rains (reprising his stage role) portrays Paul Verin, a conscientious and idealistic writer whose paciﬁstic columns attract the attention of high-powered Parisian publisher Henri Dumont (Lionel Atwill).

Verin’s political articles are a sensation with readers,

but Dumont has an agenda all his own — to ingratiate himself with the military industrial complex, reaping power and riches by taking credit for Verin’s columns and twisting them to suit his own aspirations.

When war breaks out, Dumont has Verin sent to the front, ostensibly to cover the conﬂict, but he secretly covets Verin’s wife Adele (Joan Bennett) and takes steps to ensure Verin never returns … at least not alive. That’s when things really come to a head (no pun intended), as Verin slowly comes to realize the depths of his employer’s duplicity and his own penchant for revenge.

Given the theme of media manipulation, “The Man Who Reclaimed His Head” is not without its timely attributes, and director Edward Ludwig keeps the proceedings taut and trim. Rains and Atwill are well-matched adversaries, and each brings an intensity that their fans actors will well recognize. In other words, neither is particularly subtle here, although that’s hardly a condemnation.

The Blu-ray ($29.95 retail) includes audio commentaries.

Howard and Harold Greenberg and released in 1980: The guilty pleasure “Death Ship,” directed by Alvin Rako and starring George Kennedy and Richard Crenna; and “Terror Train,” the feature directorial debut of noted editor Roger Spottiswoode, starring Ben Johnson (the first Oscar winner to topline a slasher film), Jamie Lee Curtis, Hart Bochner, and illusionist David Copperfield (in his feature debut), which is legitimately a good film. Bonus features include trailers.

“EAGLES OF THE REPUBLIC” (Cohen Media Group/Kino Lorber): The final installment of writer/director Tarik Saleh’s “Cairo Trilogy” is this award-winning 2025 political thriller starring Fares Fares as a once-popular Egyptian star currently relegated to lesser films that comply with the government’s strict censorship rules who unexpectedly receives an opportunity to star in a propaganda film, only to find himself swept up in a diabolical conspiracy that threatens him and his family. In Arabic with English subtitles, available on DVD ($22.95 retail) and Blu-ray ($29.95 retail), both boasting trailers.

mantic melodrama “You Light Up My Life” (1977), which marked the feature debut of writer/producer/director/composer Joseph Brooks and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Retailing for $27.99 are the 1984 rock ‘n’ roll comedy “Lovelines” (rated R); Bruce Willis (as Tom Mix) and James Garner (as Wyatt Earp) in Blake Edwards’ 1988 comedy/Western whodunit “Sunset” (rated R), which earned an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design; the R-rated 1987 cop thriller “Cold Steel,” the only feature directed by Dorothy Ann Puzo (daughter of Mario), starring Brad Davis, Sharon Stone, Jonathan Banks, and Adam Ant; and “White Palace” (rated R), the award-winning comedy/drama based on Glenn Savan’s 1987 novel, depicting the star-crossed romance between blue-collar waitress Susan Sarandon and white-collar widower James Spader.

“A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS”: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment): Executive producers Geoge R.R. Martin and Ira Parker created this awardwinning HBO fantasy series spun o from Martin’s wildly popular literary and TV franchise “Game of Thrones,” based on Martin’s best-selling “Tales of Dunk and Edge” novellas and set roughly a century before “Games of Thrones,” starring Peter Cla ey and Dexter Sol Ansell, with Daniel Ings, Shaun Thomas, Tanzyn Crawford, Danny Webb, Henry Ashton, Daniel Monks, and Sam Spruell in recurring and/or guest roles. All six episodes from the inaugural 2026 season are available on DVD ($24.98 retail), Blu-ray ($29.98 retail), and 4K Ultra HD combo ($34.98 retail), each boasting behind-the-scenes featurettes and interviews, gag reel, and more.

“RETRO VHS” (Mill Creek Entertainment/Alliance Home Entertainment): A selection of Blu-rays, some making their bows: Retailing for $24.99 are the 1985 dance drama “Fast Forward” (rated PG), directed by Sidney Poitier; and the 1977 ro-

“SMOTHER” (IndiePix Films): Screenwriter Achmed Abdel-Salam’s awardwinning 2023 feature directorial debut (originally titled “Heimsuchung”) stars Cornelia Ivancan as a recovering alcoholic who retreats to her estranged father’s country cottage with young daughter Lola Herbst (in her feature debut) in tow, where old traumas surface and strange events lead her to believe she is being haunted by more than memories. Ivancan and Herbst are first-rate, as are Lukas Turtur (as Ivancan’s husband) and Heinz Trixner (as a neighbor), with terrific cinematography by first-timer Alexander Dirninger and a memorable score by second-timer Daniel Helmer. A surefire cult contender, and don’t be surprised if an American remake crops up at some point in the future. In German with English subtitles, available on DVD ($24.95 retail).

“SOLO” (Radiance Films/MVD Entertainment Group): The limited-edition Bluray bow ($39.95 retail) of producer/director/screenwriter Jean-Pierre Mocky’s 1970 political thriller in which he plays a playboy violinist and jewel thief whose carefree lifestyle is upended when he learns that estranged brother Denis Le Guillou (in his feature debut) is part of an underground revolutionary movement responsible for several high-proﬁle murders. In French with English subtitles, bonus features include collectible booklet and vintage interviews. !

[WEEKLY SUDOKU] [KING CROSSWORD]

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84 How- — (DIY manuals)

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90 Rebuke to “Brute”

91 Ballet attire

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Fireworks not an appropriate celebration

Next week, we celebrate our 250th anniversary of independence from Great Britain. A few weeks ago, we celebrated Memorial Day, where we honored men and women who had made the ultimate sacriﬁce. I’m as patriotic as the next guy, but over the years, I have come to dread these holidays, and I can explain my disdain in one word: Fireworks. Despite what we see in old movies, war is not glamorous. It is not glorious, and it is almost never necessary. And so, there’s a morbid kind of irony about the fact that we honor those who died in war by ﬁring o a barrage of mortars and rockets designed to recreate the violent sounds of war.

In my neck of the woods, fireworks are shot o by neighbors in their backyards, and by so-called professionals who are hired by local government to punctuate community gatherings. During a previous Independence Day fete, the combination of private and municipal rocket fire caused the windows of our house to vibrate, and the constant barrage of scudlike missile activity also caused our dogs to shake uncontrollably. Meanwhile, the noise disrupted bed rest at area nursing homes and retirement complexes. Wildlife fled from their limited wooded habitats and ran nervously into on-going tra c, where at least one deer met its doom. These are all too common scenarios across the country and are of particular interest to Chapel Hill-based Noise Free America.

NFA was founded by the late Ted Reuter, and under his guidance, the organization acted as a clearinghouse for noise complaints and as an advocate for a ban on ﬁreworks altogether. I recall an email exchange I had with Ted back in

2014, in which he reminded me that noise wasn’t the only problem resulting from our annual Independence Day fireworks displays. Serious injuries and deaths also occur. That year, those included three small children and an infant who died in a Philadelphia house fire, which had started when a firecracker was thrown onto a sofa on their front porch. And then there was the man from Michigan who lit some fireworks, which then flew back into his chest, killing him. Ted also mentioned another man who blew his arm o while using fireworks. It’s no wonder that Reuter referred to the Fourth of July as a “deadly and very disruptive holiday.”

Disruptive indeed. In 2023, the National Fire Protection Association reported that over 32,000 fires were caused by fireworks. Those included 3,700 structure fires, 849 vehicle fires, and 27,000 outside fires. That year, fireworks caused over $142 million dollars in property damage. Not surprisingly, more fires are reported on the Fourth of July than on any other day of the year, and fireworks account for half of those fires. By the way, at least 15 people died in the aforementioned fires. Speaking of human su ering and loss, according to a 2024 report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, hospital emergency departments treated nearly 15,000 people for fireworks-related injuries, including 26% who were children under the age of 15, and 40% who were under the age of 20.

And, as if we didn’t have enough to worry about, there’s also another kind of danger involving fireworks. Beginning in 2017, Forbes reported a rise in people flying their drones in the airspace just above fireworks displays. When rockets collide with drones, the latter can cause the former to detonate o target and can force hazardous debris down onto unsuspecting spectators.

In addition to producing noise and causing fires and injuries, fireworks are also increasingly causing environmental damage. Studies by the EPA show that chemical residue from fireworks is polluting lakes, ponds, and even contaminating groundwater. That, in turn, negatively

impacts the health of humans and wildlife alike.

Because of noise, air, and water pollution, commercial as well as consumer fireworks displays should be banned, with the caveat that localities can issue special permits for venues so long as they aren’t near a residential area, don’t border on a body of water, and where qualified technicians use non-hazardous materials. As a reminder, here in North Carolina, it is illegal for private individuals to use fireworks.

According to section 14-414 of the State General Statutes, only caps for toy pistols, smoke devices, party poppers, and wire sparklers are exempt from the ban. Let’s face it, there’s nothing particularly patriotic or even appropriate about shooting o ﬁreworks in celebration of

Independence Day, Veterans Day, and Memorial Day. Surely, we don’t need to be bombarded with the sounds of war when pausing to recognize our freedoms or the sacrifices of our veterans. A simple parade, display of American flags, a brass band, and some sparklers are more than adequate to present a safer, quieter commemoration. I just can’t imagine that anyone who died in battle would feel good about the injury, death, and damage caused by fireworks on his behalf. That kind of senseless loss only serves to dishonor those whom we seek to honor. !

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

Jim Longworth Longworth at Large

Downtown Rehab: Former showroom becomes high-end apartments

Ahistoric building in downtown

High Point is getting new life.

Showplace West at One Plaza Center, located at 101 S. Main St. across from the city’s Train Depot, is now Elwood On Main.

Downtown High Point, alongside LBD Investments, held a groundbreaking ceremony for the venture last week.

The historic 1970s building, recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will be transformed into 143 market-rate apartments and two commercial spaces and renamed Elwood on Main. The property will o er amenities such as a dog park, lounge, clubhouse, sports simulator, mini o ces, a movie and karaoke space, storage space, laundry, a pet spa, and ﬁtness center.

“This is a day that has long been awaited in the City of High Point. We are here because today is special, and groundbreakings are special because they allow us to pause and recognize possibility. Before the walls are built and before residents move in, we get to stand together and imagine what this place will become,” said Amber Williamson, board chair of Downtown High Point and executive director of High Point Discovered. “For generations, Showplace West has been a part of High Point’s history. A recognizable landmark, a gathering place, a reminder of the history that shaped our downtown. And today we honor that history while taking an important step towards its future. This project represents much more than a building renovation. Historic buildings are ﬁnding new purpose, new investments are taking shape, and continued conﬁdence in our city’s future is growing. And perhaps the most important thing is that it creates something that every downtown needs — neighbors. All right, yes. So the people who will one day call

this building home will support our local businesses, attend community events, walk our streets, build relationships, and contribute to the energy and vibrancy of this downtown life. Because a thriving downtown is not simply a place to visit, it’s a place where people live, connect, and belong.”

Downtown High Point, formerly Forward High Point, has owned the property since 2019 and selected LBD Investments in 2023 through an RFP process based on its experience redeveloping historic properties. Showplace West became the ﬁrst 1970s-era building in North Carolina listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation, along with the building’s connection to High Point’s furniture and textile manufacturing history, makes the project eligible for federal and state historic tax credits. The building is also recognized as an ancillary structure to historic manufacturing, with its history closely tied to High Point’s furniture and textile manufacturing legacy, including former occupants such as LADD Furniture Inc., First Factors Corporation, and Culp Inc.

“It takes folks being willing to be bold, being willing to lean in, being willing to say that we want to see our city grow because we know this is a very special place to be. I can only imagine that in High Point’s 167-year history, we’ve had plenty of moments for us to be very, very proud about and plenty of things within our legacy and history that we can look

back on that let us know that High Point has been making great moves to keep moving on up. And this is another one of those occasions,” said High Point Mayor Cyril Je erson. “We want to be great partners because we know that this is a growing city, and we are so incredibly excited for all that will continue to happen. I want to make sure you know that this city is so grateful for every person who’s been a collaborator in making this happen. Not only do we appreciate you, but from the bottom of our hearts, we love you for loving High Point.”

Former Mayor Bill Bencini said that this has been a long time in the making. “I want to thank everybody who made this happen. There’s no way in the world that I can recite everybody. I want to thank those people who have already been mentioned and those who have been working to this day for the last

three decades. It doesn’t happen as quickly as we want it to, but our speed is picking up, and I know it’s going to get faster.”

Members of LBD Investments were also on-site for the groundbreaking. Randy Cosby said that most of the projects they’ve done have been in Virginia. Elwood on Main will be their ﬁrst North Carolina project.

“High Point stood out to us. One of the things we look for is municipalities that are investing in themselves. So we’re excited to be a part of the positive momentum that’s already happening downtown,” he said.

Cosby said that Elwood on Main will house 143 market-rate apartments and that “complex projects do not happen without the municipality taking the role of partners.”

“It’s going to be highly amenitized with nice ﬁnishes, granite or quartz countertops, and stainless steel appliances. We’re going to have people living here, and we’re going to have the lights turned back on in this building. We hope that this can help support additional restaurants and businesses downtown, bring more energy back to this area.”

The majority of the building is expected to be open by August 2027. !

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

Chanel Davis

Editor

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CITY OF HIGH POINT

Weird, wild Summerween

Move

over Christmas in July — Summerween is apparently upon us — tweaking the heat of summer festival season into something more spooky — like a creepy little tropical treat for the weird and wild among us to accent the season of “Jaws,” “Sleepaway Camp,” and other summertime horror selections.

Here in the Triad, the glamrockers in Sorta Spooky are putting on a big ol’ Summerween Carnival at the Back Table on June 26. Meanwhile, in the Triangle, DexFest will celebrate the weird, wild, and rockin’ world of Dexter Romweber over four days of wild, wild love for the late musical wonder.

Dubbed a “living memorial” for Romweber, a true rocker whose inﬂuence extends through the stratosphere of cult status, DexFest will feature a Flat Do-over Jets ensemble from Lenny Kaye & Friends; on top of performances by Pylon Reenactment Society, David J (of Bauhaus and Love and Rockets), John Howie Jr. & the Rosewood Blu , Ramona & the Holy Smokes, Entrez Vous, The BQs, and many more; all scheduled at Lapin Blue, Cat’s Cradle, the Cave, and Local 506, June 25-28.

Having spent his teenage years in a shed dubbed “the Mausoleum” (where he claimed the Munsters as his parents on MTV), Romweber’s music “trolled the dark corners and back shelves of the haunted thrift store of Americana ephemera and honed an extraordinarily idiomatic sound, a particular and readily identiﬁable DEXness.”

It makes sense that summerween and DexFest coincide in some weird, wild way — for summerweenies looking for a soundtrack, Dex delivers Yep Roc Records’ Halloween compilation ”Rockin’ Bones,” with “Monster Blues” and (the now somewhat ironic) “Rockin’ Dead Man.”

Over in Greensboro, Sorta Spooky teams up with Triad Alternative Artists collective to put on a Summerween sideshow extravaganza in a “celebration of all things spooky and queer,” emblazoned with the motto: “No corps, no cops, no A.I.”

“Hello ghost, ghouls, and all you fabulous beasts in between!!! Come one, come all to the queerest and spookiest carnival you’ve ever seen!,” organizers said.

Pulling double-duty as a Summerween celebration and spooky-themed Pride festival, the event will cater to kid-friendly audiences until 6 p.m., with performances throughout the day (and long into the night), hand-built carnival games of skill and chance, and an “anything but a pumpkin” carving contest in the afternoon. Entries purchased in advance include two free game tickets. One game, known as “Doom Lagoon,” looks especially fun.

Double and triple duties abound at the festival’s DIY ethos. Performers will play host to the games and light up the stage. Organizers are thrilled to show the many sides of the scheduled artists like IneedaHug, who they say is “the perfect combination of sugar and spice,” or Drumstiqck, who they expect to “bring the perfect mix of comedy, character, and control,” to their drag clown king set.

Main show acts round out the night from 9 p.m. to midnight with a mix of drag, vaudeville, clowning — all with a touch of the macabre and sparkle (or both). M.J. Loverly is among the latenight artists with her burlesque routine — though she’ll be serving up glitter temp tattoos throughout the event. Interactive and multifaceted, artists like Hummingbird — a notably rare bird themselves — will blend energy and calculation to their set, while also hosting an open poetry stage with advance signups. Other drag and circus performers include: Lulú the jester, Sorta Spooky’s own Coop De Vil Heaux, the Chappell Roan-Barbie hybrid known as Laura Lesbo, Vermillion, a “superstar hailing from the intersection of Odd Street and Fashionista Drive,” spectral drag king, Ecto Gasm, and The

Indestructible Inky Gee.

Getting to the music: the Gramps are scheduled to bring a raucous rock ‘ n ‘ roll energy to raise the dead on a bill with ThA LOBO!, “your favorite cringey artist,” and possible Latin lycanthrope, bringing the goth vibes. And naturally, Sorta Spooky is stoked to share the very spooky spotlight with their newly solidiﬁed lineup with brand new bassist, Jax. A self-proclaimed “Jax-of-all-trades,” ranging from classically trained cellist and violin player to a tattoo artist. “Jax is liable to grab any instrument he can and pick it up just as quickly! We couldn’t be more hyped to bring such an impressive addition into the band,” said Alex, Sorta Spooky’s guitarist and lead demon.

Alex — aka Coop De Vil Heaux — is equally multifaceted: a music school graduate, teacher, and furniture-builder, who showers their bandmates in praise. Rounding out the trio, drummer Dice Jordan also holds a degree in music (as well as in theater, and peace and conﬂict studies). “They o cially beat me for biggest nerd in the band,” Alex said. Fresh o their appearance as the Angry Inch in Camel City Playhouse’s “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” Sorta Spooky is ready to celebrate all that is Summerween at the Back Table on June 26.

So, happy Summerween! Here’s to the weird and wild, the strange and unusual. To Dex Romweber, rock ‘ n ‘ roll, and the dark hearts out there. And for you seasonal sticklers amongst the Halloween ﬁends: save the date for the 2026 Ghoulmoon on Oct. 24 at the West Salem Art Hotel in WinstonSalem.

Unpleasant dreams, y’all! !

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

Katei Cranford

Contributor

PHOTO BY @THELAURALESBO

Sorta Spooky

Community activist

Dan Rose has ﬁled an ethics complaint against WinstonSalem City Council representative Regina Ford Hall. The complaint alleges that Ford Hall violated the City’s ethics policy by not recusing herself from the Sept. 2, 2025, vote on a resolution authorizing the lease of park land to the developer building a downtown amphitheater. It states:

“The amphitheater project is led by Flow Companies, Inc., whose Chairman & CEO, Don Flow, is a member of the Board of Directors of Boston-Thurmond

ethics complaint against council member

United (BTU). BTU employs and pays a substantial salary to Council Member Hall, its Executive Director.”

Elected in 2024, Hall represents the city’s Northwest Ward. Since 2019, she has served as executive director of Boston-Thurmond United (BTU), a nonproﬁt community revitalization organization supporting one of Winston-Salem’s oldest historically Black neighborhoods.

In September, Hall was one of six council members who voted to approve a ﬁve-year $1-a-month deal with Don Flow, CEO of Flow Automotive Companies, for use of the 1-acre park property across West Sixth Street from where Flow is building a 5,000-seat amphitheater. While the venue’s stage, seating, and concession areas will be on Flow’s property, Flow wants the cityowned tract as an “artist’s village” for performers and crew members.

The BTU website lists Flow as a mem-

ber of its 2025 board of directors.

Rose ﬁled the ethics complaint as a representative of the Coalition for Accountability & Transparency (C4AT), a grassroots advocacy group promoting oversight and accessibility within Winston-Salem/Forsyth County government. Since being founded in 2022, C4AT has called for improving safety and health conditions at Crystal Towers, the high-rise public housing complex for low-income seniors and people with disabilities at 625 W. Sixth St. Crystal Towers is directly opposite the planned amphitheater and adjacent to the tract Flow is leasing from the city.

The complaint called for an investigation into Hall’s alleged breach of ethics and “a transparent report of the ﬁndings to be shared with the full city council and the public.”

The agenda for the June 15, 2026, council meeting included a public hearing on extending the city’s ﬁve-year lease with Flow to 30 years, in order to provide what was described as “stability” for Flow’s $25 million investment in the building project.

Speaking in favor of the extension was Bucky Dame, former director of public assembly facilities for the City of Winston-Salem, who is slated to serve as president and general manager of the venue. “Without the Artist’s Village,” said Dame, “there is no amphitheater,” adding that Flow Companies were o ering to pay the city $1,000 a month for the ﬁrst ﬁve years of the lease.

Rose was the sole speaker against extending the lease. While at the podium, he verbally sparred with Mayor

Allen Joines, who has held that o ce for 25 years, and whose 2023 mayoral campaign received a $5,000 contribution from Flow. Joines objected when Rose said Flow’s ancestors got rich from slavery.

Rose accused Joines of being “upset that I talked about how the Flow family enslaved hundreds of people in Mecklenburg County.” Joines then snapped back with “Stick to the subject!”

“This is the subject,” replied Rose. “The Flow family has beneﬁted from centuries of shackling human beings into forced labor.”

“You’re out of order, Mr. Rose,” said Joines. “That is uncalled for.”

“This is Flow’s Amphitheater,” replied Rose. “My objection is that, for decades, this city has operated in a corrupt fashion. Mayor Joines, you’ve been working for this city since the 1970s. You’ve put your ﬁnger on the scale in favor of this lease. Don Flow is your business associate. Councilmember Hall has both ﬁngers on the scale, betraying residents of the Northwest Ward and Crystal Towers, who don’t want this amphitheater. I’m sick and tired of the business interests lining your pockets.”

“Those are objectionable comments against city council,” said Joines. “Please stick to the subject matter, or I’ll declare you out of order.”

Rose then asked, “This is Flow’s company’s amphitheater, is it not?”

“No,” said Joines.

“This is an amphitheater you’re voting

Ian McDowell

Dan Rose calls on Regina Ford Hall to recuse herself.

on,” said Rose. “This lease is for public land to build an amphitheater owned by Don Flow and his company. I don’t understand how you just said no to that fact.”

Joines did not reply. Rose referred to how residents of Crystal Towers have expressed concern about noise from the amphitheater.

“After the approval of the initial lease in September, when residents were told that concerts would be over by 11 p.m., you changed the noise ordinance. Since September, you’ve lied about how late and disturbing the concerts will be and how much construction is going to happen.”

Rose concluded by calling for Ford Hall to recuse herself from voting on the lease extension.

“But I know this council. You’re going to vote tonight, and Don Flow is going to get his way. And that’s how it is, but it won’t be that way forever, and we’re coming for you.”

After Rose ﬁnished speaking, Joines closed the hearing, and council voted 7-1 to extend the contract, with only Northeast Ward representative Barbara Hanes Burke opposing. Other than stating she was for the extension, Ford Hall said nothing. She has not responded to requests for comment on the ethics complaint. On Thursday, City Attorney Camille French said her o ce has no comment on the matter.

When similar complaints have been made about Greensboro council members, city attorneys stated o cials are not legally required to recuse themselves from voting on contracts with business owners who also serve on the boards of nonproﬁts where the o cials

are employed, as there is no direct ﬁnancial gain.

The C4AT Complaint also cites Winston-Salem’s Ethics Policy, which states city representatives should “avoid any improprieties in their roles as public servants, including the appearance of impropriety; and never use their position or power for improper personal gain.”

The problem with prohibiting “the appearance of impropriety,” said a local attorney who requested anonymity, “is that it’s inherently subjective and difﬁcult to deﬁne.” !

Mayor Allen Joines Regina Ford Hall

Don Flow

CARBORRO

Cat’S CradlE

300 E Main St | 919.967.9053

www.catscradle.com

Jun 25: Ol’ Joey Scrums, the rattletraps, Eric lee Hardt

Jun 26-27: dex Fest

Jul 4: MC Chris, Swell rell

Jul 7: Man Man, death Valley Girls

Jul 7: the Bug Club, Golomb

Jul 10: Johnny Sunrise and the Clouds

Jul 16: Hank Sinatra, ramona & the Holy Smokes, Charles latham & the Borrowed Band

Jul 17: First day Back, Ethel Meserve, gapyear

ChARlOtte

BOJanGlES COliSEuM

2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600

www.boplex.com

Jun 27: Pablo Cruise & atlanta rhythm Section & Orleans

tHE FillMOrE

1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970

www.livenation.com

Jun 24: Kenny Mason

Jun 26: Smokedope2016

Jun 27: Josiah and the Bonnevilles

Jun 28: idobi radio Summer School w/ Honey revenge & more

Jun 28: topoppgen

PnC MuSiC PaViliOn

707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292

www.livenation.com

Jul 8: Santana & the doobie Brothers

Jul 12: ne-Yo and akon

Jul 14: train, Barenaked ladies & Matt nathanson

Jul 16: Jimmy Buffett’s Coral reefer Band

Jul 18: Chicago

Jul 21: Motionless in White

Jul 24: lynyrd Skynyrd & Foreigner

SPECtruM CEntEr

333 E Trade St | 704.688.9000

www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com

Jun 26: alex Warren

Jun 28: Matt rife

Jun 29: JOJi

duRhAm

CarOlina tHEatrE

309 W Morgan St | 919.560.3030

www.carolinatheatre.org

Jun 26: Pete Holmes

Jul 30: Kali lowry

dPaC

123 Vivian St | 919.680.2787 www.dpacnc.com

Jul 5: Harry Connick Jr.

Jul 10: Blackberry Smoke

Jul 11: Wilco

Jul 14-19: the notebook

Jul 20: tori amos

gReensBORO

Barn dinnEr tHEatrE

120 Stage Coach Tr. | 336.292.2211

www.barndinner.com

Jun 20-Jul 25: Welcome to Motown

CarOlina tHEatrE

310 S. Greene Street | 336.333.2605

www.carolinatheatre.com

Jun 26: Silver Stallion: Country legend tribute to the Highwaymen

CHar Bar nO. 7

3724 Lawndale Dr. | 336.545.5555 www.charbar7.com

Jun 25: robert alexander Smith

COMEdY ZOnE

1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034 www.thecomedyzone.com

Jun 24: Ben Bankas

Jun 25: ahren Belisle

Jun 26-28: don “dC” Curry

Flat irOn

221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967

www.flatirongso.com

Jun 24: Mac Saturn w/ Chuck Mountain

Jun 25: Jazoozy + ranford almond

Jun 26: Jim lauderdale and the Game Changers

Jun 27: addison Johnson

Jun 28: Ben danaher + Mike Catalano

Jun 29: Silent Mic + Josh King

GaraGE taVErn

5211 A West Market St | 336.763.2020 www.facebook.com/GarageTavernGreensboro

Jun 19: Music Bingo with dJ tnt

Jun 20: Hwy 42 Band

Jun 27: Southern Hustle

HanGar 1819

1819 Spring Garden St | 336.579.6480 www.hangar1819.com

Jun 25: Yung Bleu

Jun 27: thougtless — the ultimate Korn tribute

littlE BrOtHEr

BrEWinG

348 South Elm St | 336.510.9678 www.facebook.com/littlebrotherbrew

Wednesdays: trivia

Fridays & Saturdays: Free live Music

rOdY’S taVErn

5105 Michaux Rd | 336.282.0950 www.facebook.com/rodystavern

Jun 24: the Good Watts

Jun 26: COia

tHE idiOt BOx

COMEdY CluB

503 N. Greene St | 336.274.2699 www.idiotboxers.com

Jul 3: nick Ciaccia

Jul 17-18: Ben Frank

Jul 30: ryan Cox

Jul 31: amanda averell

high pOint

GOOFY FOOt taPrOOM

2762 NC-68 #109 | 336.307.2567 www.goofyfoottaproom.com

Jul 11: Patrick rock

Jul 18: Benji and Pete From turpentine Shine

Jul 25: anna Mertson

jAmestOwn

tHE dECK

118 E Main St | 336.207.1999 www.facebook.com/TheDeckJamestown/

Jun 26: Blacklight idols

126 E. Cabarrus St | 919.831.6400

www.lincolntheatre.com

Jun 26-27: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong

Jun 28: Bring Out Yer dead

Jul 10: the White Buffalo

Jul 11: united We dance

Jul 17: Keller Williams

rEd Hat aMPHitHEatEr

www.redhatamphitheater.com Jun 26-27: Goose

Jun 26: Parkside

Jun 27: ashleigh Santiago

Jun 28: dustin York

Jun 27: Stereo doll RAleigh linCOln tHEatrE

Jun 26: Breaking Point Band

Jun 26: Evan Blackerby

Jun 24: isaac Hickerson

Jun 26: natalie Goodman Jun 27: Crane & Go

Jun 28: Sam Swanson

Jun 25: Badfish

Jun 26: 1love Festival 2026

Jun 26: dr. Bacon

Jun 27: Zack Brock & the Good intentions

Jun 28: Big daddy love

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of June 29, 2026

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Get your facts together and become familiar with them before you have to face up to a certain meeting. The better prepared you are, the easier it will be to make an important impression.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) New information might warrant changing your mind about a recently made decision. Never mind the temporary confusion it might cause. Acting on the truth is always preferable.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Creating a loving atmosphere for those you care for could pay o in many ways. Expect to hear some unexpected but very welcome news that can make a big di erence in your life.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

Stepping away from an old and seemingly insoluble problem might be helpful. Use the time to take a new look at the situation and perhaps work out a new method of dealing with it.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) You’re still in a favorable goal-setting mode. However, you might need to be a little more realistic about some of your aims. It’s best to reach for what’s currently doable. The rest will follow.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A setback is never easy to deal with, but it could be a boon in disguise. Recheck your proposal and strengthen the weak spots. Seek out advice from someone who has “been there and done that.”

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Coming up with a new way of handling a tedious job-regulated chore could lead to more

than just a congratulatory memo once the word reaches the “right people.” Good luck!

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) What you might call determination, someone else might regard as stubbornness. Look for ways to reach a compromise that won’t require a major shift of views on your part.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) You’re still in a vulnerable mode vis-a-vis “o ers” that sound too good to be true. So, continue to be skeptical about anything that can’t be backed up with provable facts.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Thrift is still dominant this week. What you don’t spend on what you don’t need will be available for you to draw on should a possible (albeit temporary) money crunch hit.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Staying close to home early in the week allows for some introspection about your social life. Sort out your feelings before rejoining your fun-time fellows on the weekend.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) It can be a bit daunting, as well as exciting, to ﬁnd yourself ﬁnally taking action on a longdelayed move for a change. It helps to stay with it when others rally to support you.

[BORN THIS WEEK: Your love of home and family provide you with the emotional support that you need to ﬁnd success in the outside world.

answers

[CROSSWORD]

crossword on page 6

[WEEKLY SUDOKU]

sudoku on page 6

[1. TELEVISION: Which TV sitcom features a pet pig named Arnold Zi el?

[2. GEOGRAPHY: Which three countries make up Scandinavia?

[3. MONEY: When was the euro currency introduced?

[4. MEDICAL TERMS: What is a more common name for myocardial infarction?

[5. MYTHOLOGY: Who is the Egyptian god of the underworld?

[6. MOVIES: What is the building whose steps Rocky Balboa climbs triumphantly in the movie “Rocky”?

[7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which three signs of the Zodiac are considered to be water signs?

[8. GAMES: How many wooden blocks are in a game of Jenga?

[9. U.S. STATES: Which state is home to the Petriﬁed Forest National Park?

[10. ANATOMY: Which system in the human body is responsible for hormone production and regulation?

Arizona.

54.

PISCES, CANCER and SCORPIO.

The Philadelphia Museum of

1. “Green Acres.”

2. Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

3. 1999.

4. Heart attack.

5. Osiris. 6.

Art.

I can’t wait.

This is exactly what I needed: not just a new career path but an inspiring community that believes in me. At GTCC, I can see my future because I step into it every day.