YES! Weekly — March 11, 2026 by YES! Weekly

CRYSTAL TOWERS

vote now! Final voting runs rough

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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. MARCH 11-17, 2026 VOLUME 21, NUMBER 11

On Sunday, Tinseltown will glitter like no other night this year as the 98th annual ACADEMY AWARDS ceremony will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with Conan O’Brien encoring as host, acknowledging and celebrating the best ﬁlms of 2025.

4 The Greensboro ﬁtness community will come together on March 21, 2026, for the third annual Otis & Wawa KILOMETERS OVER CANCER Tournament Trot, a community-driven ﬁtness festival aimed at raising awareness and support for earlier detection of breast cancer.

5 Filmed on location in Morocco, “SIRAT” captures the beauty, desolation, and inherent danger of that region’s landscape — all of which come into play in this contemplative, somber drama produced and directed by Oliver Laxe, who co-wrote the screenplay with Santiago Fillol.

7 Lawmakers need to hear from us now, more than ever. Here are a few things you can do right now to GET INVOLVED: Find out who represents you and reach out to your representatives.

Elderly and disabled tenants of CRYSTAL TOWERS, a deteriorating public housing complex in downtown Winston-Salem, are concerned about their future. In protests and on social media, they have expressed distrust of ASPIRE, the city’s housing agency.

11 ERIC GALES was a teenager, age 17, when he was given the Hendrix mantle upon the release of his ﬁrst recorded work on Elektra Records in 1991. He quickly wound up on the cover of Guitar Player Magazine and was voted “Best New Artist” in that magazine later that year.

12 Sometimes events happen that we are not aware of, even those nearby. One such event was the BATTLE OF GUILFORD Courthouse near Greensboro that occurred March 15, 1781, during the Revolutionary War.

At a/perture cinema, everyone’s a winner at the Oscars

On Sunday, Tinseltown will glitter like no other night this year as the 98th annual Academy Awards ceremony will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with Conan O’Brien encoring as host, acknowledging and celebrating the best ﬁlms of 2025. Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” set an Oscar record by receiving an unprecedented 16 nominations, with Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” reaping a hefty 13 nominations. Closer to home, the Oscar ceremony also marks an annual tradition at Winston-Salem’s premier art-house venue, a/perture cinema (311 W. Fourth St.), which will again be hosting its oneof-a-kind celebration, the Red Carpet Gala. This year, the festivities will begin with a pre-show VIP conversation and reception from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Je rey Adams on Fourth (321 W. Fourth St.) featuring Michael R. Miller, chair of the department of Picture Editing and Sound Design at the UNCSA School of Filmmaking, moderated by Roxie Wadelington (“Roxie on the Radio”) from WJMH-102 radio, followed immediately by the Red Carpet Gala a few doors down at the Chatham Building, where a/ perture cinema is headquartered.

Miller, an Academy voter, worked as an assistant editor on Martin Scorsese’s 1980 classic “Raging Bull,” for which Thelma Schoonmaker won the Oscar for Best Editing and edited the Oscarnominated live-action short “Split Cherry Moon” (1982) directed by Andrei Konchalovsky. He’ll discuss his experiences in ﬁlmmaking and observations about the Academy Awards with Wadelington. There will be an open bar and light bites as well as a silent auction. The event is recommended for ages 21 and over, and suggested attire is semi-casual or moviethemed.

Tickets for the reception only are $75, and VIP tickets for both the reception and gala are $150 and can be purchased

at https://aperturecinema.com/special_events/red-carpet-gala-2026/.

As big a night as it is for Hollywood, it’s also a big night for a/perture, as the Red Carpet Gala marks its signature fundraising event. “We think it’s a perfect match to a/perture’s mission to celebrate a night deemed the highest honor for cinema from the previous year,” said Leigh Dyer, a/perture’s executive director.

Given the plethora of independent ﬁlms that received nominations, a/perture screened a large percentage of them during the last year, including blocks of live-action and animated shorts. “We knew that ‘Sinners’ was something special when it premiered and was our biggest hit to that point in 2025, continuing to ﬁll theaters as its wordof-mouth stayed strong,” Dyer said. “I’m not sure we foresaw that it would set a record-breaking number of nominations, but I think we agree it’s worthy of extraordinary recognition.”

On the other hand, “I really thought we’d see our hometown favorite Paul Tazewell repeat in costume design for ‘Wicked: For Good.’ I thought his work in that was equally as deserving as the ﬁrst!”

“I’m very happy to see ‘The Secret Agent’ get so much recognition,” said Jake Laystrom, a/perture cinema curator. “After seeing it at a ﬁlm festival last fall, I knew we had to show it. It makes an excellent companion piece to last year’s Best International Film winner ‘I’m Still Here,’ and is an unabashed love letter to cinema and how it intertwines with national and personal history.”

“I’m also a huge fan of ‘One Battle After Another’ like so many others — the rare ﬁlm I’d recommend to almost any-

one,” Laystrom added. “It’s also unusual for a ﬁlm that I consider a top-10 best of the year to receive Oscar attention, so I’m very happy to support a handful, including ‘Battle,’ ‘Secret Agent,’ and ‘Marty Supreme.’ For me, Rose Byrne [in ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’] is not only the deserving Best Actress winner by a country mile, but hands-down the best performance of the year.”

Undoubtedly, there will be jokes made during the ceremony about the length of the Oscar broadcast, but make no mistake, a/perture will show it until the last statue has been handed out and the last bows taken. “We do keep it on the screen to the very end,” Dyer conﬁrmed, “but no judgment if anyone feels they need to head home to ﬁnish it in their pj’s!” joked Dyer.

When Miller, whose credits also include “Raising Arizona” (1987), “Miller’s Crossing” (1990), and “Ghost World” (2001), was approached to participate in the reception and conversation, “I immediately warmed to the idea of putting on the tux on the 15th and chatting about (my) experiences and about how Oscar voting works and what I particularly loved this year. All of the nominees for best performance this year are worthy, but the one that really knocked me out — partly because I feel it didn’t receive enough attention as it deserved — was Ethan Hawke in ‘Blue Moon.’ I found ‘Hamnet’ delightful, and all the editing nominees are Oscar-worthy. ‘Sinners’ won the ACE Eddie award at a ceremony I attended in L.A. last weekend for Best Edited Feature, and that’s often a predictor.”

As the Academy Awards approaches its centennial, “I’m glad the Oscars still have a huge audience and still have a certain mystique,” Miller said. “Why is that so? Because movies are still magic. Glitter and dazzle, to be sure, but also pathways to the soul and the heart … what a great Oscar season it is!”

For more information, call 336-7220148 or visit the o cial a/perture website: https://aperturecinema.com/. !

Easter Weekend • Friday, April 3 & Saturday, April 4 Rodeo Nightly @ 7:30pm hoRse show Saturday @ 9am dRaft hoRse Pull Saturday @ 1pm fRiday, aPRil 3 Family Fun Night 7-11 p.m. | $10 satuRday, aPRil 4 Horse Show & Rodeo All DAy 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. | $15

Mark Burger

Contributor

The Greensboro ﬁtness community will come together on March 21, 2026, for the third annual Otis & Wawa Kilometers Over Cancer Tournament

Trot, a community-driven ﬁtness festival aimed at raising awareness and support for earlier detection of breast cancer.

Held at 2409 W. Gate City Blvd. in Greensboro, the event invites participants of all ﬁtness levels to get involved through a variety of activities, including

a one-mile run or walk, high-energy HIIT workout, and a yoga session. The event blends movement, community, and purpose while celebrating Greensboro’s vibrant ﬁtness culture during the height of ACC Tournament season.

The mission of Kilometers Over Cancer is two-fold: to support earlier detection for breast cancer and to empower women through movement and community engagement. A portion of the event’s proceeds will beneﬁt Earlier. org — Friends for an Earlier Breast Cancer Test®, the nation’s only nonproﬁt organization solely dedicated to identifying a biological test for earlier detection of breast cancer.

“Greensboro hosts major sporting events every spring with the ACC Tournament, and we wanted to create something that combines the excitement of sports with a meaningful cause,” said the event organizer of Otis & Wawa. “This event brings together local gyms, run clubs, and wellness partners to support women’s health and highlight the power of community.”

Participants can choose from several ways to get involved:

• 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk — Open to runners, walkers, and families (dogs welcome)

• HIIT Workout Session — Led by ISI Elite Training Greensboro and MXT

• Yoga Session — Hosted by Greensboro Power Studios

• Support a Survivor Option — For those who want to contribute but cannot attend

The event also features support from

several local organizations and businesses, including IMPAQT GSO, HealthTeam Advantage, Whole Foods, and multiple ﬁtness partners and contributors across the Triad.

Local run groups such as Vamos Run Club and Central Connect will also participate, further strengthening the event’s goal of bringing the Greensboro ﬁtness community together.

In addition to promoting physical wellness, Kilometers Over Cancer aims to educate participants about the importance of earlier breast cancer detection and provide opportunities for the community to take action in supporting lifesaving research.

“Events like this remind us that ﬁtness can be about more than personal goals,” Wawa added. “It can be about showing up for each other and making an impact.”

Registration is now open, and community members are encouraged to sign up, gather their workout partners, and take part in this meaningful event. !

OTIS & WAWA is a Greensboro-based event organization known for producing community-driven experiences that bring people together through entertainment, ﬁtness, and local partnerships. Their events focus on creating memorable experiences while supporting meaningful causes and strengthening the local community.

PRESS RELEASE

Oscar-nominated ‘Sirat’ is a haunting journey

Filmed on location in Morocco, “Sirat” captures the beauty, desolation, and inherent danger of that region’s landscape — all of which come into play in this contemplative, somber drama produced and directed by Oliver Laxe, who co-wrote the screenplay with Santiago Fillol.

Contributor

The film, which has earned Oscar nominations for Best International Film and Best Sound, stars Sergi Lopez as Luis, a middle-aged man traveling with his young son Esteban (newcomer Bruno Nunez Arjona), in search of his daughter Mar, who has gone missing. All Luis knows is that she was going from rave to rave in the vicinity, although no one he talks to recognizes Mar from her photograph.

We never quite ascertain what Mar’s relationship was with her father and brother, but what is conveyed most successfully is the depiction of the “rave culture,” as groups of music mavens gather in the desert to get stoned and dance the night away, before traveling en masse to the next rave location. They enjoy a relaxed, indulgent lifestyle off the grid and away from modern civilization, interested only in the next rave — and the rave after that. Life is one big party.

The ravers with whom Luis and Esteban cast their lot include Stefania Gada, Joshua Liam Henderson, Richard “Bigui” Bellamy, Tonin Janvier, and Jade Oukid, none of whom has ever acted before and are essentially playing themselves (or close variations thereof) here, thus establishing a credibility to their characters. The actors, both professional and non-professional, display an appealing, sometimes quirky chemistry that works in scenes both comedic and dramatic.

There has been a distinct increase in military presence in the region, with news reports indicating some sort of international skirmish, prompting the ravers to travel along treacherous mountain roads rather than more likely patrolled routes. This decision, based on the external intrusion into their world, has unforeseen consequences. There’s only so long they can keep the outside world (and its problems) at bay, and when they can’t, their hopes are crushed.

“Sirat” is fraught with irony, and some story elements remain unresolved, but Mauro Herce’s expansive and deservedly award-winning cinematography (best enjoyed on the big screen), the ensemble acting, and its emotional pain linger in the memory long after the end credits have rolled. (In Arabic, French, and Spanish with English subtitles) !

[WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP] ‘SOUNDS OF SIMON & GARFUNKEL’ LIVE

BY ARTS COUNCIL OF WINSTON-SALEM & FORSYTH

We are pleased to welcome “Sounds of Simon and Garfunkel” to Reynolds Place Theatre on Saturday, March 21.

“Sounds of Simon and Garfunkel” is a truly authentic tribute to the best selling duo of all time.

With accurate musical renditions and precise vocal harmonies, Je Jablonski and Je Radi take the audience on a musical journey performing Simon and Garfunkel’s celebrated hits, including Paul Simon’s solo career. Je Jablonski and Je Radi met through their involvement with a nationally touring CSN tribute show. They discovered that they had more in common than their ﬁrst name; both harbored a mutual passion for the music of the early years of rock and roll, speciﬁcally the folk music era. They grew up in the age when rock was new, the generation that spawned geniuses such as Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Little did they know, that honing their musical craft at an early age, would plant seeds of who they would become. Jablonski and Radi experienced an intrinsic bond when they met. Their amazing ability to harmonize and recreate the sounds of music from a bygone era, is profoundly synchronistic. Their harmonious personalities lend a magical touch to the emotional lyrics and timeless rhythm of their passionate tribute show, “Sounds of Simon and Garfunkel.”

real thing. This band has true stage presence and is not to be missed if you have the chance!” said D. Hammond

Je Radi, growing up in the Milwaukee area, has performed in large concert venues, sharing the stage with artists such as Bad Company, Dream Theatre, Indigo Girls, Edie Brickel, and Eddy Money.

Je Jablonski grew up in the Chicago area, performing at an early age in a duo with his brother, Lonesome Dave at numerous co eehouses and college campuses across the Midwest. He more recently was part of both an Eagles and CSN Tribute Show.

“We saw ‘Sounds of Simon and Garfunkel’ in St. Augustine and were totally blown away by the show! The two Je s took us down memory lane with gorgeous renditions of our favorite songs. Their drummer and bass player were born too late to grow up with Simon and Garfunkel but provided fantastic and creative backup. Some of the songs were even better than the

Don’t miss this unforgettable stage performance that is sure to transport you to a simpler place in time, where heartfelt lyrics harmonize with the emotional music of this beloved duo. !

WANNA go?

“Sounds of Simon and Garfunkel” performance will be held at Reynolds Place Theatre (251 North Spruce St., Winston-Salem, NC), on the ﬁrst ﬂoor of the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts. Tickets are $30-35 plus taxes and fees.

Mark Burger

[WEEKLY SUDOKU] [KING CROSSWORD]

ACROSS

1 Part of DJ

5 Let leave

12 E-device download

15 Lobs’ paths

19 Western U.S. gas chain

20 Radar on an old sitcom

21 Bargain o ered by a prosecutor

23 Male horse that’s the subject of a novel?

25 Deli meat often on rye

26 Visiting a website, e.g.

27 Sunshine St.

28 Contributed one’s share

29 Pulitzer-winning biographer Leon

30 Setting a weekly limit on Mastercard purchases?

33 401, to Nero

34 Water, in Paris

35 Nickel, e.g.

36 Hands, in Havana

37 James Bond’s creator, if he had lived on the island of Ithaca?

42 German car company

44 Pulls on

45 Theta lead-in

46 Egyptian — (cat breed)

47 Current unit

50 “This requires a lot of e ort”

70 “Fighting” Big Ten team

71 Cyber-trash

72 Pro trained in trauma

73 Statement after a female jungle cat gains a lot of weight?

77 Include as a bonus 83 Bug planter

Internet investing site

Squid ink, for example?

One- — (short play)

Foot bottom

“Well, I’ll be!”

Lace up, e.g.

The stress of being a trailblazer? 105 Opposed to, in Westerns

They stagnate during recessions

Old Glory’s nation

“Scandal” creator Rhimes

Be physically intimate

Extra things seen eight times in this puzzle?

Fawned over

Blue-eyed cat

Fawn over, with

52 “You’re the Top” composer dishing out servings of food?

58 “You betcha”

60 Persia, now

61 As a whole

62 At the post one formerly held?

Public School Forum of N.C. Associate Director of Policy & Research

As my colleague and I made

our way north on I-95 to Washington, D.C., a couple of weeks ago, we attempted to outline our participant messaging and goals for the retreat we were leading: an annual trip for our N.C. Education Policy Fellows focused on federal policy and advocacy. We aimed to deepen policy knowledge, build conﬁdence in advocacy skills, inspire action, and be… realistic.

How? How could we possibly ask 80+ educators, principals, district administrators, researchers, and education leaders from across North Carolina to enter the current environment in D.C.? In an environment described to us by folks on the Hill as simultaneously “chaotic” and “grim?” Could we really ask our fellows to take on this additional responsibility, as they had already been grappling with chaos from Washington, on top of the day-to-day work that extends far beyond a 9-5 job, all while earning 5% less on average than they did 10 years ago?

Our retreat kicked o with an inside look into advocacy on Capitol Hill, followed by a whirlwind federal education policy updates and a formidable Congressional Simulation. Between sessions, we challenged them to meet with other

fellows from their N.C. Congressional Districts to prepare talking points and policy asks for meetings with their representatives. It was exhilarating, insightful, and exhausting. We broke for the day with a game plan, and our groups were as prepared as possible, but still uncertain of the environment we’d be entering on the Hill the following day.

We arrived at Capitol Hill to ﬁnd, remarkably, business as usual. Reassuringly, o ces were buzzing with activity as they always are. We watched from the galleries in both the House and the Senate chambers as lawmakers debated legislation, asked important questions, and held each other accountable. We witnessed votes that crossed party lines and respectful interactions during contentious conversations. And as it turns out, our fellows were more than ready to meet the challenge we set before them. They were equipped not only with weeks of preparation and advocacy tools, but with the certainty that our students deserve better and that they could be a part of making that change happen.

The Public School Forum is, and always has been, nonpartisan. Our Education Policy Fellowship (EPFP) draws education leaders from across school and work settings, races and genders, political identities, and backgrounds. But we all share one bias: we believe in the fundamental value of public education and the central role it plays in our society.

This is a powerful and unifying thread. And countless conversations in D.C. proved that it is a thread that can still unite across political divides. Our fellows heard, time and again, that our public

schools are essential for communities across North Carolina. They received gratitude for the work that they are doing. They heard things like:

“Wow. I had no idea that this [law] would cause students to lose resources. That’s not what I meant to happen.”

“I would love to come see what that [program] looks like in an actual school. Can I come visit your classroom?”

“We share the belief that all students deserve a safe place to learn.”

“How can I help you and your school?”

Our democratic process requires real insights and expertise from real constituents. Our policymakers do not — and cannot — know everything about the issues that matter to us. That’s where we come in: we help them cut through the noise and make decisions that we know are best for our communities.

Lawmakers need to hear from us now, more than ever. Here are a few things you can do right now to get involved:

Find out who represents you — both on the state and federal levels. Congress is in session now, debating critical legislation and funding that will a ect our schools. And our N.C. General Assembly will be back in session in April, with critical budget decisions hanging in the balance.

Reach out to your representatives by phone or email, or even in person. You don’t need an agenda — consider starting with an introduction. Great advocacy starts with relationships.

You have a voice, and someone wants to hear you use it. More importantly, our children need you to use it in service of thriving students, thriving communities, and a thriving North Carolina. !

Sara Howell

spread

Crystal Towers residents distrust city housing authority

Ian McDowell

Contributor

Elderly and disabled tenants of Crystal Towers, a deteriorating public housing complex in downtown Winston-Salem, are concerned about their future. In protests and on social media, they have expressed distrust of ASPIRE, the city’s housing agency, which owns and manages their 11-story building at 625 W. 6th St. Built in 1972, the 201-unit complex was developed by the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem (HAWS) as Section 9 housing for seniors and disabled individuals. For decades, residents complained of broken elevators, leaky laundry facili-

ties, rats, roaches, and bedbugs. In May 2020, HAWS sought approval to sell the property, but after pushback from tenants and housing advocates, chose to renovate instead.

Last May, HAWS rebranded as ASPIRE, for Accountability, Service, Perseverance, Integrity, Respect, and Enthusiasm. That same month, Director and General Counsel Kevin Cheshire retired after 12 years with the agency. In September, Ted Ortiviz, who served for a year as ASPIRE’s vice-president, became the new CEO.

In a phone interview, Ortiviz explained the name change. “Housing authorities are moving away from saying we’re the authority. We want to be partners with nonproﬁts, our residents, local educational institutions, and workforce agencies.”

In 2018, concerns about the nature of that “partnership” caused residents to

form the tenants’ union Crystal Towers United. Last month, the union sent ASPIRE a letter demanding binding and legally enforceable protections in the event of any sale or redevelopment of the property. More than half the residents signed the letter.

Their demands included a guaranteed right to return after redevelopment; moving assistance; additional support for disabled residents; and safe living conditions until, during, and after relocation.

They also accused ASPIRE of “months of intimidation and disruption of tenant organizing.” Ortiviz called these allegations “completely inaccurate.”

“As a matter of fact, a judge is going to laugh us out of the courtroom if we take a case to eviction court saying, ‘Hey, they’re speaking out against us.’ The only way we’re going to eviction court is if somebody violates their lease. There’s a whole court process that happens.”

Crystal Towers United co-founder Samuel Grier has lived in the building for more than 20 years. One of his motivations for unionizing, he told the North Carolina Housing Coalition in 2024, was being forced to take the stairs because the elevators were constantly broken. Now 78, Grier walks with a cane, and his unit is on the 11th ﬂoor.

Since he began organizing, alleges Grier, ASPIRE sta “have targeted me with false allegations, including trying to evict me for an assault in which I was the victim.”

Grier said charges against him were dropped because video showed “this woman jumped on me and tried to stab me with a key.” He also alleged that an ASPIRE property manager accused him of “soliciting” for knocking on doors in his

e orts to unionize tenants. “Soliciting, which is selling something, is against the rules; canvassing, which is what I was doing, is not. If I’d done the things they said, I’d have been evicted, but I’m still here.”

Grier isn’t the only resident to express skepticism at Ortiviz’s description of ASPIRE’s relationship with tenants as a partnership.

“I just feel like they haven’t been forthcoming with us as to whether or not it’s being sold or what’s going to happen,” said Carol Sabbagh, who’s lived in Crystal Towers for eight years. According to her, many of the problems that were supposedly addressed in 2020 persist. “We only have one elevator that’s working right now. They came in and sprayed the other day, but we still have a problem with bugs. I feel like ASPIRE is only interested in doing the minimal repairs.”

Jennifer Kent, who moved into Crystal Towers just before Christmas, agrees. Describing herself as “completely blind and with balance and walking issues,” she said the building is not up to the Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

“Unlike most HUD complexes, the units here don’t have pull cords for anyone who is on the ﬂoor and needs help. They have buttons on the wall, but there’s no way of reaching if you’re like me and lying on the ﬂoor.”

She also said she doesn’t understand why she was housed on the seventh ﬂoor. “There’s no way I can walk down even one ﬂight of stairs.”

She described deterioration as a common problem in HUD complexes. “I’ve lived in several, and when these buildings age, housing authorities don’t have the capital for upkeep. The city just got hundreds of millions in stimulus and did nothing with this building.”

Doug Summers, who took part in a Feb. 20 protest at Crystal Towers, said he and other residents fear ASPIRE will sell the complex to a developer “who will tear it down and put up luxury condos.”

“I’ve been in the building trades for a real long time, and with a structure like this, had the problems been caught, ﬁve or even 10 years ago, it wouldn’t have been in such bad shape, and the price of renovations wouldn’t be climbing up

Samuel Grier Ted Ortiviz

PRESENTS

hot pour

[BARTENDER OF THE WEEK COMPILED BY NATALIE GARCIA]

Name: Sarah Kornegay

Bar: Betty on Burke in Winston-Salem

Age: 29

Where are you from?

I’m originally from Roanoke, Va., and moved to Winston in early 2023.

How long have you been bartending?

Check out videos on our Facebook!

I was ﬁrst introduced to bartending in my early 20s and began seriously bartending in 2023.

How did you become a bartender?

I became a bartender out of necessity, honestly. I was working as a cocktail server at a bar when a bartending position opened on the team. I was hesitant to take the spot, but my manager refused to let me limit myself. I’m grateful he pushed me to learn the skills that helped me become the bartender I am now.

What do you enjoy about bartending?

I receive a lot of gratiﬁcation from the connections I get to build with guests. The bar I’m at now is very small with only eight seats, which means I can build relationships with every person who joins me for dinner and drinks. Winston is a relatively small town, and rarely does an evening pass without someone I consider a friend coming to sit at my bar.

What is the most challenging part of bartending?

The most challenging part of bartending is balancing the speed needed to crank out drinks for the restaurant’s guests while also entertaining and serving the bar guests. It would be easy to put my head down and make drink after drink during the dinner rush while ignoring the folks sitting at the bar, but that would be doing only half my job. It takes constant practice to create well-executed craft cocktails while still engaging with guests at the bar.

What’s your favorite drink to make?

I don’t know that I have a “favorite” drink to make because the answer changes depending on the situation. When the restaurant and bar top are full during peak dinner rush, my favorite drink to make is a highball (e.g., vodka soda or gin and tonic). When I have the luxury of taking my time, I enjoy making a whiskey sour. I make mine with an egg white alternative and garnish it with

a simple design made from Angostura bitters drops, which always creates a beautiful cocktail that wows the guest.

What’s your favorite drink to drink?

At home, I tend to make myself a bourbon on the rocks with a splash of water — or more often, I pop the top on a Modelo Especial. When I’m out for drinks, I love a gimlet with Roku gin.

What would you recommend as an after-dinner drink?

I love recommending a carajillo as an after-dinner cocktail. With equal parts fresh espresso and vanillaforward Licor 43, it’s a balanced and smooth way to cap o a meal. For myself, I also enjoy a chilled pour of limoncello after-dinner whenever it’s available.

What’s the strangest drink request you’ve had?

It isn’t exactly a drink request, but I always thought it was odd how often guests at my last bar would earnestly ask for plastic cups so they could take their cocktails with them when they left.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen while bartending?

Both happened at my last bar. A guest once threw a barstool at one of my coworkers after being told we couldn’t serve them any more alcohol. Another time, I told a party they couldn’t eat outside food in the bar, and they dropped their pizza upside down on the ﬂoor in protest.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve found in a bar bathroom?

Probably when I was at my last restaurant and found a man in a stall consuming illegal drugs with a hatchet strapped to his back.

What’s the best/biggest tip you’ve ever gotten?

I’ve been very lucky to have amazing and generous regulars at my bar. Some of the best “tips” have actually been thoughtful gifts they’ve given me over the years. I received a sapphire brooch as a parting gift when I left a restaurant, tickets to jazz performances and the local opera, and most recently a book a guest thought I would enjoy. They were right.

Summerﬁeld Farms

Photos by Natalie Garcia

Gales strikes his own chord

ASUBMITTED BY JON EPSTEIN

s a music journalist, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve received a record label media kit about a guitarist, especially African American guitarists, that claim [insert artist name here] is the “next Hendrix.” It sounds like a compliment, and I guess it is, but I also think that’s seriously lazy PR work, always have. The list of artists that have had the “next Hendrix” applied is a long one: Robin Trower, Eric Johnson, Jon Butcher, Lenny Kravitz, Gary Clark Jr., and Christone Ingram are just several that come to mind. In 1992, I received a “next Hendrix” one-sheet and a copy of “The Eric Gales Band” from Elektra Records. Eric Gales ticked a couple of “Hendrix boxes.” He is an electric blues/rock guitarist, he is a Black man, and the clincher (for Elektra anyway) is that he is left-handed. To me, that was where the comparisons ended. Yes, he played loud blues rock with a funky swagger, but to my ear, that was where the comparisons stopped. Gales deﬁnitely had his own quirky thing going, which I thought was very cool and put him on the cover of the magazine I was working for at the time, and accepted tickets to his upcoming show at the Odeon in Cleveland. Man, was that worth it!

Gales was a teenager, age 17, when he was given the Hendrix mantle upon the release of his ﬁrst recorded work on Elektra Records in 1991. He quickly wound up on the cover of Guitar Player Magazine and was voted “Best New Artist” in that magazine later that year. At ﬁrst, he was honored. That’s heady and heavy stu for a young man. Very heavy. Gales released one more album on Elektra, at which time the “next Hendrix” label was securely attached, and became a millstone around Gales’ neck.

What followed was a decade-long period of searching and struggling, which eventually led to a substance abuse problem that quickly became addiction. While he continued to release albums for a number of independent record labels such as Cleopatra and Shrapnel, which were favorably received, it was clear that Gales was trying to establish himself as an artist and creative force in his own right, not just another guy trying to be

Jimi, but that is easier said than done. It was at this point that his addiction took over completely, eventually landing him in the Shelby County Correctional Center near Memphis, Tenn.

Jail provides all the time in the world for a person to engage in a whole lot of self-reﬂection and can be a powerful motivator. While doing his time, the sta at Shelby made it clear to Gales that he did not belong in the system; his musical gift was an extraordinary thing, and his responsibility was to share that gift. Gales heard them.

Upon his release, and with a steadfast commitment to leave his addiction in the past, Gales released an intense and coherent album titled “Transformation,” which, in retrospect, was a powerful statement of his intent to forgive his past missteps and to forge his own identity standing in no one’s shadow. The next few years saw a number of solo albums released as well as collaborations with other artists. The two albums he released with Pinnick Gales Pridgen and band mates Doug Pinnick (King’s X) and Thomas Pridgen (The Mars Volta), in particular, were very well received, being called “The most expressive and balanced unit known to the rock world.” Eric was almost there, then fate stepped in.

Gales had begun an intense online, long-distance friendship with a Greensboro woman when one evening in 2012, he thought he saw her in his audience. He then stopped the performance to ask her name. “LaDonna,” she replied. They were married 9 weeks later. What resulted was one of the most beautiful musical partnerships I have ever seen. LaDonna quickly took on the role of Eric’s manager and percussionist, and her no-nonsense approach to handling her husband’s career has catapulted him into the top echelon of American musicians. Since their partnership began Gales has been nominated for Grammy awards several times, most recently for the “Crown” album produced by Joe Bonamassa (with an assist from Greensboro native Benjy Johnson) and “A Tribute to LJK” his most recent, which is a loving tip of the hat to the memory of legendary bluesman Little Jimmy King, whose actual name was Manuel Gales, Eric’s older brother and mentor. In addition to the nominations, Gales also won two Gram-

mys this year for his stellar contribution to the movie “Sinners,” which holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for any ﬁlm in history, one of which is for its soundtrack.

I think it can be said that the man has found himself. Love can do that.

I have seen Gales perform numerous times. The most recent was last Friday at The Ramkat in Winston-Salem. About 45 minutes into his set, some guy upfront and stage right yelled: “Play some Hendrix!”

Wow, that was rude, I thought. Then I heard the most gracious smack down ever:

“I hear you man,” said Gales, “but I’ll tell you what. I have 22 albums of my own, so I’m going to play that. I am not being disrespectful, it’s just that I’m not trying to be the next Hendrix, I am trying to be the ﬁrst Eric Gales.”

Damn, dude, well said!

Never one to disappoint, however, some Hendrix did make an appearance by the show’s end.

That’s class, man. !

History occured in our own backyard

BY CAROL BROOKS | cab1hp@gmail.com

Sometimes events happen that we are not aware of, even those nearby.

One such event was the Battle of Guilford Courthouse near Greensboro that occurred March 15, 1781, during the Revolutionary War. The battle only lasted 90 minutes, and American troops lost, but it was a major turning point in the action.

Even though he lost the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, thanks to the actions of American Continental Army Gen. Nathanael Greene in severely reducing Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis’ larger group of British troops, the Revolutionary War was nearing its end. No one knew how soon.

Greene’s forces outnumbered the British 4,400 to 1,900. Cornwallis lost about a fourth of that number in the battle but still came out a victor.

“I never saw such fighting since God made me. The Americans fought like demons,” Cornwallis said.

Even with the win and joining with another British troop at Yorktown, Va., when Cornwallis went to battle there he lost and surrendered to Gen. George Washington Oct. 19 of the same year. This ended the war.

Cornwallis and Greene had been engaged in battles for several months in North and South Carolina, so they were aware of each other’s strategies, strengths and weaknesses.

Greene’s troops were made up of members of the Continental Army as

well as a militia who wanted freedom from Great Britain. When the war ended, many just left fighting for their regular jobs as farmers.

Cornwallis’ win at Guilford Courthouse was called a Pyrrhic victory because even though he won, it led to his downfall. A Pyrrhic victory is a win that comes at such a significant cost to the victor that it is almost equivalent to defeat. The term originates from King Pyrrhus of Epirus, who suffered heavy losses in battles against the Romans despite winning.

It was a victory within a defeat.

In an address before the Tennessee Division of the Sons of the American Revolution on March 15, 1901, J.B. Killebrew wrote: “Cornwallis supposedly said that he should ever consider it as

the greatest honor of his life to have been placed at the head of so gallant an army. … Though nominally, the battle of Guilford Court House was a victory for Cornwallis, it proved by after events to be the most terrible calamity that had happened to him during the war. He never recovered from it. His army was demoralized. … The so-called defeat of Greene was the main factor in terminating the war and establishing the liberties of the American people.” Prior to the battle, encamped for a time near Deep River Friends Meeting, Cornwallis’ men were hungry and many had been lost through disease, desertion or death. It is no wonder some of the soldiers raided the home and springhouse from the home of George and Judith Mendenhall about two miles

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Gen. Nathanael Greene’s monument in Guilford Courthouse National Military Park. The City of Greensboro was named in Greene’s honor 27 years after the battle

PHOTO BY CAROL BROOKS

A marker on West Main Street in Jamestown near the river bridge commemorates Cornwallis’ stay in the area.

away along Penny Road. One soldier tried to take the family’s last milk cow but Judith went after the soldier and retrieved it.

A marker on West Main Street in Jamestown near the river bridge commemorates Cornwallis’ stay in the area.

Apparently, Gen. Greene had planned to attack Cornwallis at this camp on Deep River. Greene’s own writings confirm this, according to remarks made several years ago by Tom Baker, then staff historian at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park. However, Cornwallis moved on the Courthouse before Greene had a chance to attack.

Cornwallis did not know how many men Greene had nor did he know the terrain or other intelligence about Greene. Cornwallis had marched hundreds of miles from his latest victory at Camden, S.C., but had driven his army to rags and hunger, according to John Buchanan in his book “The Road to Guilford Courthouse: The American Revolution in the Carolinas.” Greene appeared itching to battle with Cornwallis.

“I am not without hopes of ruining Lord Cornwallis, if he persists in his mad scheme of pushing through the Country,” Greene wrote.

The National Park Service website offered this insight into the future of the conflicts: “Many years after the war Sir Henry Clinton, the British Commander in Chief during the Southern Campaign, referred to the battle of Kings Mountain as ‘an Event which was immediately productive of the worst Consequences to the King’s affairs in South Carolina, and unhappily proved the first Link of a Chain of Evils that followed each other in regular Succession until they at last ended in the total loss of America’.”

“King’s Mountain, Cowpens, and Guilford Courthouse were the ‘chain of evils’ that shifted the tide of war in the south and made the shocking victory at Yorktown possible. In October 1780, a loyalist force under Major Patrick Ferguson was annihilated at the Battle of Kings Mountain. This was a major blow to British recruiting efforts, and left Cornwallis’ army vulnerable to threats from the western backcountry.”

It took two more years after Cornwallis’ surrender for the war to officially come to a close.

TODAY

The battleground at Guilford Courthouse was preserved by individuals and groups like the Guilford Battleground

Company before the National Park Service established Guilford Courthouse National Military Park on March 2, 1917. The landscape encompasses the core of the battlefield where the two armies met in one of the major Southern Campaign battles of the Revolutionary War. The Park is located at 2332 New Garden Road in Greensboro. The phone number is 336-288-1776. The website is https://www.nps.gov/guco/index. htm. Audio tours are available and history films may be found on YouTube at Guilford NPA. Nearby Country Park (3905 Nathanael Green Dr.) was also part of the original battlefield. Other parts of the battle took place on portions of land scattered along a path from Lawndale Drive east along what is now New Garden Road.

EVENTS

2026 Battle of Guilford Courthouse Reenactment March 14-15

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse Reenactment will take place on March 14 and 15 at 2 p.m. each day at the park. Many events will take place for children and cultural events for adults. 18th century Colonial dancing will be at the Visitors Center Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. Artillery demonstration will take place at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Living history reenactors and vendors will be set up in the Sutlers’ Camp on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for visitors to experience a bit of history, and purchase food and goods from that time period. Battle reenactment will take place at Country Park at 2 p.m. along with the Guilford Militia, who will be encamped at Country Park.

The first annual Descendants of Battle of Guilford Courthouse Veterans Symposium will be March 14 at 10 a.m. in the Visitors Center. The event is free.

While 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the nation’s independence, the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse will be celebrated on March 15, 2031.

Every Saturday in March guest speakers will bring more light to the Battleground’s history.

There are no big reenactments or activities scheduled for July 4 this year.

The Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department along with the Guilford Battleground Company sponsors the annual Reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse at Greensboro Country Park every March. !

The Sportscenter Athletic Club is a private membership club dedicated to providing the ultimate athletic and recreational facilities for our members of all ages. Conveniently located in High Point, we provide a wide variety of activities for our members. We’re designed to incorporate the total ﬁtness concept for maximum beneﬁts and total enjoyment. We cordially invite all of you to be a part of our athletic facility, while enjoying the membership savings we offer our established corporate accounts.

CHARLOTTE

THE FILLMORE

1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970

www.livenation.com

Mar 11: Jordan Ward

Mar 12: Jordan Jensen

Mar 12: Santiago Cruz

Mar 13: Gary Numan

Mar 14: Pandora’s Box

Mar 14: Sticky Fingers

Mar 15: Xaviersobased

SPECTRUM CENTER

333 E Trade St | 704.688.9000 www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com

Mar 22: We Them One’s Comedy Tour

Mar 31: TWICE

HOME GROWN MUSIC SCENE | Compiled by Shane Hart

GREENSBORO

CAROLINA THEATRE

310 S. Greene Street | 336.333.2605

www.carolinatheatre.com

Mar 11: Cochren & Co

Mar 11: Marty O’Reilly

COMEDY ZONE

1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034

www.thecomedyzone.com

Mar 12: Lachlan Patterson

Mar 13-14: Ms. Pat

Mar 20-21: Jess Hillarious

FLAT IRON

221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967

www.ﬂatirongso.com

Mar 11: Laurelyn Dossett

Mar 12: Jamie Mclean

Mar 13: Florencia & The Feeling + Lua Flora

Mar 14: Seth Walker w/ Goodnight Moonshine

Mar 15: Flat Iron Opry w/ Carri Smithey Band & Special Guests

Mar 15: Bedrumor, briZB and Grace Lucia

GARAGE TAVERN

5211 A West Market St | 336.763.2020

www.facebook.com/GarageTavernGreensboro

Mar 13: DJ TNT

Mar 14: Pushing Georgia Band

Mar 17: Irish Bumms, Love Machine Band

GREENSBORO COLISEUM

1921 W Gate City Blvd | 336.373.7400

www.greensborocoliseum.com

Mar 12: MercyMe

HANGAR 1819

1819 Spring Garden St | 336.579.6480 www.hangar1819.com

Mar 11: Filth, Blackwater Drowning, Internal Shadow, Until They Bleed, Screwed Ends, Linechaulk

Mar 13: Paddy’s Rave

Mar 14: Strung Out & Riverboat Gamblers

STEVEN TANGER CENTER

300 N Elm Street | 336.333.6500

www.tangercenter.com

Mar 10-15: The Sound of Music

Mar 18: Dancing with the Stars, Live!

IDIOT

503 N. Greene St | 336.274.2699

www.idiotboxers.com

Mar 13: MT Bottles

Mar 14: Chris Plumer

HIGH

220 E Commerce Ave | 336.883.3401

www.highpointtheatre.com

Mar 13-15: Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

JAMESTOWN

www.facebook.com/TheDeckJamestown/ Mar 13: Black Light Idols

Mar 14: Chandler Carpenter & The Rockless Souls

Mar 17: Luck of the Irish Night

Mar 20: The Fly Band

Tuesdays: Trivia

Mar 13: Evan Blackerby

170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714

www.theramkat.com

Mar 12: Kyle Caudle & Timberlane, Kai Crowe-Getty

Mar 13: Je rey Dean Foster

216 E 9th St | 336-999-8090

www.radarbrewingcompany.com

Mar 12: Red Umber Band

Mar 14: William Kiley Smith

Mar 15: Michael Chaney

Mar 21: Mike Coia

Mar 22: James Vincent Carroll

826 Angelo Bros Ave | 336.725.0008

www.wisemanbrewing.com

Thursdays: Music Bingo

Mar 13: Gipsy Danger

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of March 16, 2026

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Change is still dominant for Rams and Ewes, both in the workplace and in their private lives. This is also a good time to look at a possible relocation if this has been one of your goals.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Doing things for others is what you do well. But don’t forget that Bovines thrive on the arts, so make some time for yourself to indulge in your passion for music and artistic expressions.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) While the Romantic Twin considers where to go for an upcoming vacation, the Practical Twin will start making travel plans now to take advantage of some great bargains.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Your sensitive nature helps you deal with a di cult emotional situation. Be patient and continue to show your sincere support wherever (and for whomever) it is needed.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) You’re making progress as you move through some unfamiliar territory. And while there might be a misstep or two along the way, you’re overall heading in the right direction. Good luck!

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Some good news arrives — and just in time to remind you that you’re making progress. Perhaps things aren’t moving as quickly as you’d prefer, but they’re moving nevertheless.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) This is a good week to step back and assess the facts that have recently emerged to see where they can be used to your advantage.

Also, don’t hesitate to make changes where necessary.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) You should begin to experience some support from those who now agree with your point of view. This should help counter the remaining objections from die-hard skeptics.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Don’t let your aim be deﬂected by trivial matters as you try to resolve a confusing situation. Take time to ﬁnd and thoroughly assess the facts before making any decision.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) The possibility of moving to another location has come up. But before you dismiss it as unworkable, you should check it out just in case it does have some merit after all.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) New relationships, personal or workrelated, show mixed signals. It’s best to assume nothing. Let things play themselves out until you have something substantive to work with.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your ability to make needed changes without causing too much, if any, negative ripple e ect comes in handy when dealing with a sensitive matter either on the job or within your family.