YES! Weekly — March 18, 2026 by YES! Weekly

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“OUT at the Movies,” Winston-Salem’s popular LGBTQ+ screening series and annual film festival, has conceived a new film series called “GAY FILM SCHOOL,” presenting feature films that have inspired, influenced, and instigated LGBTQ+ culture.

4 Remembering that we serve as shelter for one another is central to why we gather as an 18-county collaborative of AFTERSCHOOL PROFESSIONALS in Western N.C. My team at the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs created the Collaborative... We needed each other.

5 The poster for the new backwoods shocker ﬁlm “DOLLY” is, unfortunately, the scariest thing about the ﬁlm, a feature-length expansion of writer/ producer/director Rod Blackhurst’s 2022 short called “Babygirl.”

7 98 ASIAN BISTRO has been in operation since 2015. You get an immediate sense of welcome here. A giant Buddha blesses your entry. In another statue of similar proportion, a dragon boat ushers you along your way.

8 If you are looking for a funky, handcrafted designed piece of furniture, look no farther than THE RUSTIC FACTORY and its owner Chris Lutzweiler.

11 LA LIGA HISPANA invites entrepreneurs, startups, and small business owners to participate in its 3rd Annual Cumbre de Negocios (Business Summit) on Saturday, March 28, 2026.

11 North Carolina singer-songwriter CLAY HOWARD has released a new single titled “Magic,” the latest preview from his upcoming album “A Little More Nothin’,” — produced by Joey Barnes.

12 On Feb. 18, the City of Greensboro issued eight orders to “Repair, Alter, Improve or Demolish” THE DISTRICT, the 10-story 239-unit apartment complex and dormitory at 830 W. Market St., which was condemned in mid-December.

School’s in at ‘OUT at the Movies

“ OUT at the Movies,”

WinstonSalem’s popular LGBTQ+ screening series and annual film festival, has conceived a new film series called “Gay Film School,” presenting feature films that have inspired, influenced, and instigated LGBTQ+ culture. It is designed to enlighten and illuminate, but more importantly, to simply entertain.

The series commenced last month with a screening of Bob Fosse’s classic, Oscar-winning 1972 ﬁlm “Cabaret” at Camel City Playhouse, and the next presentation will be the 1980 comedy smash “Nine to Five,” which will be shown 7 p.m. Thursday at a/perture cinema, 311 W. Fourth St., Winston-Salem. Tickets are $12 (general admission) and $8 (students with valid ID), and can be purchased at https://outatthemovies. org/nine-to-ﬁve/

According to Max Cullen, director of operations and marketing for “OUT at the Movies,” “the kick-o to our new screening series was a success! Beyond being a Bob Fosse classic and very ‘culturally gay,’ we felt like ‘Cabaret’ had themes that made it a timely kick-o to the 2026 screening season.”

Thursday’s o ering, “Nine to Five,” stars Jane Fonda (whose company produced the ﬁlm), Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton (in her feature debut) as secretaries who turn the tables on their leering, sexist boss Dabney Coleman, thus striking a blow — in comedic and irreverent terms — for female empowerment. The ﬁlm exceeded all expectations by grossing over $100 million, spawning an ABC sitcom and, in 2009, a Broadway musical. The theme song, performed by Parton, was also a smash and earned two Grammy awards and an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

“The name ‘Gay Film School’ came about as a campy and fun way to frame what we’re doing — serving up iconic

ﬁlms that have inﬂuenced and inspired LGBTQ+ culture,” Cullen explained.

“For younger audiences, they’ve heard RuPaul reference ‘Mommie Dearest’ and ‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?’ but they might not have ever watched these camp masterpieces in their entirety — [and] certainly not on a big screen! That’s the opportunity we’re o ering with ‘Gay Film School.’ We think of it as both a primer for cultural reference points, and as a chance to watch iconic ﬁlms from years past on the big screen for the ﬁrst time.”

In addition to the “Nine to Five” screening this week, a/perture cinema and “OUT at the Movies” have also teamed up for “Little Pep and a/movie” on May 7 with a special screening of the award-winning 1995 comedy “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar” starring Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo as a trio of drag performers who take a small town by storm. For more details and advance tickets, visit https://aperturecinema. com/movies/little-pep-a-movie-towong-foo-thanks-for-everything-julienewmar-1995/.

Leigh Dyer, a/perture’s executive director, is pleased by the continuing collaboration between “OUT at the Movies” and the cinema. “They approached us to partner on ‘Dinner and a/movie’ because, like us, they found their audiences often want to turn cinema into a full ‘experience’ that encourages food, drink, and conversation. The proceeds

will be split equally between a/perture and ‘OUT’ once we cover the expenses for Little Pep, which is a queer-owned business. A/perture loves partnering with ‘OUT at the Movies,’ and we believe it’s important to show cinema that reﬂects LGBTQ+ perspectives just as we try to reﬂect all other parts of our community.

“As a side note, ‘Nine to Five’ is a personal favorite of mine — a powerhouse combination of comediennes and issues that still hit the workplace today!”

The initial idea for “Gay Film School” came about in January, Cullen said. “The question I had for our programming committee chair, Zach Birtsch, at the beginning of 2026 was ‘How can we evolve our programming to showcase films that may not have an obvious “gay storyline,” but have inspired LGBTQ+ culture over the years?’ He was instrumental in putting together a slate of films that includes musicals like ‘Cabaret’ and ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ comedies like ‘Nine to Five,’ and camp masterpieces like ‘Mommie Dearest’ and ‘Pink Flamingos.’ Beyond being culturally significant, we are seeing these

screenings pull in more diverse crowds, including younger folks who probably have never seen these movies on a big screen.”

In fact, “Little Shop of Horrors,” the 1986 screen adaptation of the awardwinning o -Broadway play based on Roger Corman’s bargain-basement 1960 cult classic “The Little Shop of Horrors,” is on tap for April 9 at the UNCSA ACE Theatre Complex, 1533 S. Main St., Winston-Salem. Directed by Frank Oz, the ﬁlm stars Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene (reprising her stage role), Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin, and Levi Stubbs of The Four Tops as the voice of Audrey II, the carnivorous plant who wreaks havoc on Skid Row. The immortal ditty “Mean Green Mother from Outer Space” earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song and the ﬁlm an additional nomination for Best Visual E ects. For tickets or more information, visit https://outatthemovies.org/little-shop-of-horrors/.

“It’s really exciting to help ‘OUT at the Movies’ serve up new kinds of ﬁlm o erings, while staying true to our LGBTQ+ community roots,” Cullen said. !

WANNA know?

For more information, call 336-918-0902 or visit the o cial “OUT at the Movies” website: https:// outatthemovies.org/.

Mark Burger

Contributor

A collective way forward: Taking action for afterschool in Western N.C.

BY ANNIE JONAS, ED.D. N.C. Center for Afterschool Programs (N.C. CAP) Program Manager for Resilient Afterschool Programs

“It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.” — Irish proverb I see nods of understanding as I read this proverb at the kicko of the most recent WNC After 3PM Collaborative gathering in Brevard, N.C. Remembering that we serve as shelter for one another is central to why we gather as an 18-county collaborative of afterschool professionals in Western N.C. My team at the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs created the Collaborative, in partnership with Dogwood Health Trust, a year before Hurricane Helene ripped through our region, but the true value of the collective became crystal clear as the waters receded. We needed each other.

The days following the storm revealed why collective action matters now and why it has always mattered throughout human history. Collective action, deﬁned as “any activity in which coordination by and across individuals has the potential to lead to achievement of a common objective,” may seem like an obvious response when individuals

realize they hold similar goals. However, complex community systems, a challenging economic environment, and sheer geographic distance in Western N.C. encourage a default to isolation and competition. Afterschool programs in Western N.C. experience this isolation and competition even more acutely as many operate outside of larger organizations and some as the sole afterschool provider within a county or community.

In the most recent N.C. After 3PM report from the Afterschool Alliance (2025), parents in North Carolina indicate a strong desire for afterschool programs as well as high levels of satisfaction if their families do participate in afterschool. Additionally, 84% of parents report that afterschool helps them keep their jobs. Eight in 10 North Carolina parents highlight that afterschool keeps their children safe, and a vast majority of North Carolina parents see that afterschool helps their students gain essential skills. The N.C. After 3PM report also reveals signiﬁcant bipartisan support for increased public funding for afterschool programs. The research is clear that afterschool plays a crucial role in the health and vitality of a community. However, North Carolina is one of only 23 states without dedicated state

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funding for afterschool, even though 4 in 5 North Carolina families report they want afterschool but do not have access to it.

After the hurricane, the needs were so great, individual afterschool programs needed each other to continue providing life-sustaining services to families and communities. Rutherford County was one of the hardest hit counties during the storm. That’s one of the reasons John Miller, Director of Hopeworks, an afterschool program serving Rutherford County, participated in the WNC After 3PM Collaborative’s Building Resiliency Community of Practice. This community of practice was a supportive learning community focused on how to help young people develop resiliency skills. John says the Collaborative has also allowed Hopeworks to reconnect with other organizations in the community. John shares, “For me, the coolest thing that’s come out of the Collaborative is having the time and space to sit at a table with people from this area and plan for how we want to work together.”

The Collaborative serves as a critical piece of a larger puzzle to unlock access to high-quality afterschool programs for North Carolina families who need them. However, if we want a future where all children can experience the beneﬁt of afterschool, it requires investment from all sectors, including business, state and federal government, religious, and philanthropic. With our state board of education’s stated goal of our public schools being the best in the nation by 2030, afterschool programs will be a necessary and critical player to meet that goal. Getting there will require diverse, multi-sector investment to make afterschool a ordable and accessible for the families who need it most.

The WNC After 3PM Collaborative will continue to advocate for this muchneeded investment in families in our region and across the state. But we are not waiting for that future; instead, building important relationships and infrastructure as we forge ahead.

Our collaborative approach is guided by the principles of Collective Action: Common Purpose/Shared Agenda:

The Collaborative has coalesced around six key themes members determined are central to meet the needs and goals for afterschool programs in our region.

Trust and Relationship Building:

The Collaborative holds quarterly inperson meetings that are intentionally engaging and provide opportunities for building relationships and sharing stories.

Shared Measurement and Accountability: This is the next step for the Collaborative. We are developing centralized data tracking that will help us gain a regional understanding of the impact of afterschool programming.

Inclusive Engagement: Our six established Working Groups provide opportunities for members to be on the front line of priority setting.

Backbone Infrastructure: Thanks to a founding grant and ongoing support from Dogwood Health Trust, there is dedicated support for the coordination of the WNC After 3PM Collaborative. Immediately after Hurricane Helene, I joined neighbors in my mountain cove, outside of Asheville, as we became a shelter for one another — through sharing meals and resources, organizing around basic needs, and collectively supporting each other’s survival. We knew that public funding and support would be crucial in the months and years of rebuilding ahead, but we were not waiting for it to arrive. We are stronger now for the connections and relationships we built in those weeks after the storm.

The strength of the WNC After 3PM Collaborative rests in its members, who are willing to invest in something that deﬁes a traditional model deﬁned by competition and isolation. We are not waiting to be a shelter for one another. We know that, together, we are better able to serve the needs of children and families in our region.

Walter Bradley, Program Director of Youth Transformed for Life, described the impact of this kind of approach:

“This Collaborative shows us how to use the true deﬁnition of community. What we learn and do in this small room, we can bring out into the world to make real change. It starts here.” !

Hello, ‘Dolly’!

The poster for the new backwoods shocker film “Dolly” is, unfortunately, the scariest thing about the film, a feature-length expansion of writer/ producer/director Rod Blackhurst’s 2022 short called “Babygirl.” The feature sustains a grim, oppressive atmosphere but not much else. Otherwise, it just goes through the motions during its (thankfully brief) 83-minute running time.

Macy (Fabienne Therese) and her boyfriend Chase (Seann William Scott) embark on a hike through the woods, where Chase is going to propose marriage. Instead, they stumble across a bunch of old dolls, and then they stumble across the titular character (played by pro wrestler Max the Impaler), who’s so handy with a shovel she can decapitate a person with two blows. Chase ends up (very much) the worse for wear — although not quite dead — while Macy is whisked away to Dolly’s crumbling old house.

Dolly, whose face is covered by a porcelain doll mask, exists in a squalid state of twisted domesticity and wants Macy to be her new “child” (or something like that), but Macy is understandably reluctant. There are some in-jokes, including nods to Stephen King and Tobe Hooper, and a few moments of awkwardly handled black comedy — particularly in the brief segment following the end credits — but otherwise “Dolly” is predictable scare fare.

Therese makes for a plucky “final girl” as Macy, but Blackhurst and Brandon Weavil’s screenplay doesn’t do her many favors, as the character repeatedly does stupid things — like freeing a fellow captive (a grizzled and shaggy Ethan Suplee) who, not surprisingly, turns out to be just as deranged as Dolly. Near the end, the most Macy can muster when Dolly attacks her for

the umpteenth time is to scream “I hate you,” with a few expletives added. Not terribly imaginative or original, and the same could be said of “Dolly” as a whole.

Therese, Scott, and Suplee all earn token executive-producer credits here, and the film boasts more producers than cast members. Like a novel, the film is divided into chapters, and it’s a relief that Chapter VII is “Goodbye,” because it means the movie’s almost over. On the plus side, “Dolly” has a few visual flourishes and plenty of gore, but it’s not enough to save the film from stagnating early on. It’s for undiscriminating audiences and offers nothing new in a well-trod genre. !

[WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP]

MODERN AUTOMOTIVE “SPRING ARTS EXTRAVAGANZA” TO SHOWCASE WINSTON-SALEM/FORSYTH COUNTY SCHOOL ART

ARTS COUNCIL OF WINSTON-SALEM & FORSYTH COUNTY

Enjoy the 14th Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County Schools Spring Arts Extravaganza! Sponsored by Modern Automotive in partnership with Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County and Sawtooth School for Visual Art.

Students from across WinstonSalem/Forsyth County Schools will showcase student art at the Modern Automotive Spring Arts Extravaganza March 24-27 at the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts and Sawtooth School for Visual Art. The exhibition will feature artwork from across the school system, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography and mixed media.

“The arts council has long believed that access to the arts is essential to a student’s education. As the largest funder of arts programming in WinstonSalem/Forsyth County Schools, we are proud to partner with Modern Automotive and Sawtooth School for Visual Art to expand opportunity, nuture creativity, and celebrate the incredible talent within our schools,” said Shannon B. Henry, president and CEO of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County.

The show will feature three divisions — elementary school, middle school, and high school — and will award prizes for each division sponsored by Modern Automotive. A reception, which is free and open to the public, will be held on Friday, March 27 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts (251 N. Spruce Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101). Modern Automotive’s “Artists of the Future” contest winners will be announced on Friday during the public reception at 5:30 p.m. Guests of all ages can participate in hands-on art activities hosted by Sawtooth School for Visual Art.

Modern Automotive will sponsor student prizes. There will be a ﬁrst and second place winner in each division —

elementary, middle, and high school. The first-place winners will receive a $150 Sawtooth gift certificate. The secondplace winners will receive a $75 gift certificate to Sawtooth. All six student winners will be awarded a one-year student membership to Sawtooth School for Visual Art. Art teachers of the firstplace winners will be awarded a $100 gift card and second-place winners will be awarded a $50 gift card to purchase supplies for their classrooms, sponsored by The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.

Modern Automotive has 17 dealerships across the state and has been family owned and based in Winston-Salem since 1933. !

WANNA go?

WS/FC School Spring Arts Extravaganza! exhibition is free and open to the public March 24-27, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Modern Automotive’s “Artist of the Future” reception will be held on Friday, March 27 from 4 to 6 p.m., with awards presention at 5:30 p.m. Free parking is available at 251 N. Marshall Street thanks to Modern Automotive.

Mark Burger

Contributor

Chow Down with John Batchelor at 98 Asian Bistro

BY JOHN BATCHELOR

The exterior of 98 Asian Bistro looks kind of industrial, a function of the building’s original life as a car dealership. The restaurant is named in honor of Lysak Vanhpraseuth. He worked for the CIA in Laos during the Vietnam conﬂict. He brought the family to the U.S. as refugees in 1986, landing in New York at Kennedy airport with $2 in his pocket. Eventually, the family made their way to the Triad in the 1990’s. Lysak passed away in 1998, hence the name of the restaurant.

He was father of Tu Sen, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Todd. Tu arrived in the U.S. when she was 8 years old, after several years in a refugee camp in Thailand, following her birth in Laos. Todd is from Cambodia and also came to the U.S. from a refugee camp.

98 Asian Bistro has been in operation since 2015. You get an immediate sense of welcome here. A giant Buddha blesses your entry. In another statue of similar proportion, a dragon boat ushers you along your way. The sound of a fountain soothes you. The owners of The Philips Collection, regular customers and friends, donated the fountain to the restaurant. These symbols reﬂect the peaceful, genuinely friendly ambience here, as well as the extensive relationships the owners have developed with customers and local businesses, especially those related to furniture manufacturing and the High Point Furniture Market.

The cuisine is Asian fusion, blending inﬂuences from Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. I have long been a big fan of Asian fusion cuisine, and my meals here reinforced those perceptions. Aromas provide prelude to the rich ﬂavors that are about to arrive. Todd does most of the cooking. He grew up in the South, on Southern cooking. He learned to cook Asian dishes from the family.

We started one evening with Fried Shrimp Rolls, which frequently appear on menus in this genre. Five shrimp are wrapped in rice paper, fried crispy-brown, and served with fiery red spicy-sweet sauce on the side. Soft Rolls are wrapped in translucent rice paper filled with lettuce, carrots, and rice noodles. These are served with a peanut sauce that bursts with robust flavor. Crispy Spring Rolls are made with cabbage, carrots and bean thread noodles, wrapped in rice paper, fried crisp, and served with a sweet carrot sauce. In Fried String Beans, fresh whole green beans are coated in a light batter and fried crisp, served with a bright red sweet chili sauce on the side. These are novel, but definitely worth ordering. My party enjoyed all of the first courses, but my favorite was Vegetable and Chicken Dumplings. Soft rice paper encloses ground chicken and shredded vegetables. Gentle flavors meld in your mouth.

Asian fusion restaurants tend to be especially proﬁcient with soups, and 98 Asian Bistro is no exception. The entrée soups I tasted here are wonderful. Tom

Kha is a lush coconut broth with mushrooms, cilantro, and green onions. In Pho, rice noodles swim in chicken broth, also hosting fresh bean sprouts, basil, and cilantro, accented with lime and jalapeño peppers. Both of these tilt a bit toward the spicy/hot, but nowhere near too far for me. One other soup turned out to be a favorite. More on that below.

Entrees are served with a choice of a Vegetable Crispy Spring Roll or Soft Roll. These are singles, whereas the appetizer portions are multiple.

Cashew Chicken is stir-fried with sliced white onion plus clipped green onion, along with cashew nuts, served in a brown sauce — hoisin mixed with water, salt, pepper, and a secret blend of family-developed seasonings. The nut ﬂavor marries well with the fowl. Chicken Fried Rice is fairly simple — white rice stir-fried with white meat, topped with shredded cilantro. The chicken is tender and fresh-tasting, pleasantly accented by the herb.

As good as these items were, once again I found myself especially drawn to two particular entrees. Yellow Curry is a soup, based on coconut milk blended with curry paste, also hosting chunks of pineapple, green onion, and potato. This is usually ordered with a choice of protein — chicken, beef, pork, tofu, shrimp or scallops, or both shrimp and scallops. I got the latter and found the seafoods tender, not at all overcooked, even though the scallops are sliced in half. The curry aroma wafts gently across the table, its ﬂavor downright wonderful when you begin to consume.

Whole Flounder bears a crisp exterior, plated over bell peppers and basil with steamed carrots, broccoli, and mushrooms, presented in a basil chili sauce. This is

spectacular, both in appearance and taste. That sauce enhances the ﬁsh, but it is robust enough to ﬂavor the accompanying rice. Eating your way through this dish requires a bit of work to remove the bones, but the experience is worth the e ort.

98 Asian Bistro provides warmth and friendship as well as delicious, somewhat exotic food. The restaurant’s owners have been strong supporters of the High Point community. Tu Sen was named High Point Businesswoman of the Year in 2016.

This restaurant belongs on everybody’s “go to” list! !

JOHN BATCHELOR has been writing about eating and drinking since 1981. Over a thousand of his articles have been published. He is also author of two travel/cookbooks: “Chefs of the Coast: Restaurants and Recipes from the North Carolina Coast,” and “Chefs of the Mountains: Restaurants and Recipes from Western North Carolina.” Contact him at john.e.batchelor@ gmail.com or see his blog, johnbatchelordiningandtravel.blogspot.com.

WANNA go?

98 Asian Bistro

1800 N. Main St. #106, High Point, NC 27262 (336) 887-3388

98asianbistro.net

Hours: Dinner 5-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, plus Lunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Friday

Appetizers: $5-$13

Salads: $22

Soups: $9-$22

Entrees: $22-$35

Desserts: $6

Most recent visit: Feb. 11

Whole Flounder

Fried Shrimp Rolls

Pho

Yellow Curry

From rusty antique machinery to beautiful home décor

BY CAROL BROOKS | cab1hp@gmail.com

If you are looking for a funky, hand-crafted designed piece of furniture, look no farther than The Rustic Factory and its owner Chris Lutzweiler. You must like heavy furniture, however.

“I would describe them as authentic industrial furniture classics,” Lutzweiler said. “While anyone can walk into a higher-end furniture store and purchase a replica crank table or desk, my creations are for the person who wants authenticity. They want to know it’s an American made unit that was likely originally cast over 100 years ago — several were done so nearby in Greensboro. They want to know the story behind it, where it was found, where it came from, what it took to bring it back to life. They want to see the scars and weathering of decades and imagine the generations of factory workers working beside it day in and day out. As one customer in Texas referenced a table with several deep cuts and pitting in the iron: ‘the more character, the better.’” Lutzweiler has made his creations since 2018 but did not advertise until 2021.

“I spent most of the time building more wood-related rustic or trendy or farmhouse or barn related tables or desks for friends or referrals to fund my new industrial furniture habit,” he said. “I got into this because I absolutely love the industrial style of furniture and furnishings. Many of the industrial style pieces sold in higher-end furniture stores are

Drafting table

Chris Lutzweiler

reproductions of actual industrial pieces or equipment from the early 1900s, but they are now just massproduced.

“While that is ﬁne, I really wanted the authentic pieces that inspired those reproductions. What I found was that while it was indeed possible to ﬁnd restored and functional versions of the authentic industrial pieces that inspired a lot of the mainstream industrial style, the cost behind them was almost always staggering.

“One morning I was sitting in my o ce drooling over an authentic crank table online that I wanted so badly for my own desk, but the cost was just inconceivable. And then it just hit me, ‘Why can’t I just do this myself? I have mechanical knowledge, I have the tools, I don’t mind doing the work, so why am I looking at a restoration someone else did?’

“From that moment on, I said I would ﬁnd a way to ﬁnd and restore the authentic industrial relics myself.”

He said looking for the most authentic industrial relics is the most exciting part of the entire process, like a treasure hunt.

“Finding original and authentic components is di cult. Most of them I find through industrial auctions where an older manufacturing company has gone out of business and is liquidating all their assets. Word of mouth is also a beneficial way of finding various pieces, but sometimes individuals have unrealistic expectations about what kind of price their piece should bring. Unfortunately, most of the manufacturers of my components went out of business years ago. Finding pieces that are complete without missing any parts can be challenging.”

The largest and most impressive project came thru a customer who found a WWII aircraft engine hoist half-buried in California mud. Lutzweiler thought it was a joke — “until he asked me to load it on my trailer and take it home.” He used one of GTCC’s Aviation Department buildings to assemble the 30-foot-plus tall hoist. It took 10 months, mostly around-the-clock to restore it.

“My customer used it inside his home to make a one-of-a-kind chandelier holding up airplane wings,” Lutzweiler said.

The process to restore a piece is hard. The item must be completely – and painstakingly – disassembled. If some-

thing breaks, he must make a new one. He cannot go to Home Depot for a new part. After this, he has all the pieces glass-blasted o -site.

“This dangerous process uses glass beads propelled through an air fed nozzle that are ‘shot’ against the surface at close to 1,000 mph,” Lutzweiler said. “This process removes any of the rust, paint, scale, sludge or most anything else that could be on the metal. The result is completely bare iron that has likely not seen the light of day since it was cast and then painted well over 100 years ago. However, immediate care must be taken after this blasting process as raw iron will begin to ‘ﬂash rust’ within minutes.”

Once he has made certain the iron will not rust again, he clear-coats each piece and reassembles them.

Then he turns the ﬁnished piece into a piece of furniture.

Lutzweiler does not know how many pieces he has made, probably less than 100, but he said it was a “very exclusive and low volume.”

“I’m fine with that and now only refinish or sell a handful of pieces per year. Each piece takes several weeks to repair and refinish, with one piece in particular taking nearly 10 months.”

The artist works alone in his Jamestown studio but Scott Cain, owner of GFC Machine in High Point, helps with di cult tasks from time to time. Cain has signiﬁcantly more experience with some machining and his welding is superior.

Lutzweiler restores, crafts or creates all his pieces using real American-made

industrial pieces. The average piece weighs about 300 pounds but can be used in the most home.

“Many of my tables are completely acceptable for a normal residential space,” he said. “The majority are the authentic crank table bases. They have

multiple uses that have included dining room tables, o ce desks, boardroom tables, a poker table, co ee tables, concierge desks, even a pool table, or any other use where someone wants an attention-grabbing conversation piece. I’ve also made use of many cranes for egg chairs or chandeliers.

“Really the uses can go about as far as the customer’s imagination, and I am always up for creativity.”

All the mechanical parts work. Sometimes, however, a piece is damaged or needs repair and he must fabricate a new part himself using “smelting, meticulous and delicate welding and crucial machining.”

Pricing ranges from $9,000-over $25,000 for completely restored pieces, depending on rarity and complexity. Unﬁnished and unrestored sell for $3,000-$7,000.

The Rustic Factory is located in a small shop in Jamestown, Lutzweiler’s hometown.

The best way to contact him is by phone at 336-362-2626 or to visit his website, TheRusticFactory.com. !

New Menu • New Look Elevated Hospitality

Egg chair

Machine table

La Liga Hispana announces 3rd Annual Cumbre de Negocios 2026

La Liga Hispana invites entrepreneurs, startups, and small business owners to participate in its 3rd Annual Cumbre de Negocios (Business Summit) on Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This dynamic summit is designed to equip Hispanic/Latino entrepreneurs with practical tools, knowledge, and connections to strengthen and grow their businesses completely in Spanish. The Cumbre de Negocios 2026 will feature expert-led workshops focused on access to capital, government procurement, emerging technology, and an entrepreneurial mindset that are critical to the sustainable growth and success of local businesses.

Workshop Includes:

• Access to Capital Alternatives Carlos Liriano of the Carolina Small Business Development Fund will explore funding options beyond traditional ﬁnancing and how businesses can position themselves to access capital.

• Procurement Basics for Government Contracts

Carlos Zepeda from Prospera USA will provide an overview of government contracting, including how small businesses can prepare to compete for procurement opportunities.

• AI Tools for Small Businesses: Copilot vs. Gemini Miguel Avila and Robert Valladares will present a comparative session on artiﬁcial intelligence platforms, helping business owners understand how tools like Copilot and Gemini can improve e ciency, decision-making, and growth.

• The Mindset of Committed Entrepreneurs Dr. Oscar Barzuna Hidalgo of Queens University will lead a session focused on the mindset,

discipline, and resilience required to build and sustain successful ventures.

Now in its third year, the Cumbre de Negocios continues to serve as a cornerstone event for the region’s Hispanic/Latino business community, fostering education, innovation, and collaboration. This event is supported by sponsors Twin City Development Foundation and NC IDEA ENGAGE, and participating organizations include Prospera USA, ForsythTech Small Business Center, and HUSTLE Winston-Salem.

If you are interested in participating as an exhibitor, please contact our o ce or email carlos@hispanicleague.org. For additional information and registration details, visit www.hispanicleague.org/pymes or contact the Hispanic League o ce. Registration for this event is completely free, and lunch will be provided to all participants who register before the event. !

HISPANIC LEAGUE is a 501(c)(3) non-proﬁt that strives to improve the quality of life for Hispanics/Latinos by promoting community inclusion, education, health, economic mobility, and multicultural understanding.

Clay Howard releases new single ‘Magic,’ now receiving international airplay

North Carolina singer-songwriter Clay Howard has released a new single titled “Magic,” the latest preview from his upcoming album “A Little More Nothin’,” — produced by Joey Barnes.

The single has begun receiving airplay on independent and specialty radio stations in several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and parts of Europe, according to information released with the song.

“Magic” blends classic rock influences with a modern indie sensibility, a style that has become characteristic of Howard’s songwriting. The track features melodic guitar-driven arrangements and reflective lyrics, continuing a sound rooted in traditional rock songwriting while drawing from contemporary indie production approaches.

The song is currently available on major digital streaming platforms, allowing listeners worldwide to access the track as it continues to circulate among independent radio programmers and music curators.

Howard has been active in the North Carolina music

scene for years and has collaborated on a number of projects and bands. His past work includes involvement with Camel City Yacht Club and Blacklight Idols, among other collaborations.

The new single serves as an early preview of Howard’s forthcoming album “A Little More Nothin’.” The record was produced by Barnes, a musician and producer known for his work in independent music circles. Additional details about the full album, including its complete track list and official release date, have not yet been publicly announced.

For fans and collectors, a vinyl edition of the upcoming album is already available to preorder. Copies can be ordered through Howard’s online store at clayhoward.bigcartel.com , offering listeners the opportunity to experience the album in a traditional physical format.

Vinyl releases have seen a resurgence in recent years among collectors and music fans, particularly within the independent music community, where limited pressings and direct-to-fan sales have become increasingly common.

Howard’s new single arrives as interest continues to

build around the forthcoming album. With early radio support and streaming availability, “Magic” provides listeners with a first look at the sound and direction of A Little More Nothin’, which is expected to be released later this year.

The single “Magic” is now available on streaming platforms worldwide. !

Orders to Repair or Demolish reveal more hazards at condemned complex

On Feb. 18, the City of

Greensboro issued eight orders to “Repair, Alter, Improve or Demolish”

The District, the 10-story 239-unit apartment complex and dormitory at 830 W. Market St., which was condemned in midDecember. These orders list far more safety hazards than the electrical ones that resulted in the building’s condemnation. Other public records show the city had also threatened the property with condemnation in June of last year.

On Dec. 15, inspectors responding to reports of power outages at The District discovered sparking, smoking, and melting wiring, fuse boxes, and outlets.

According to Greensboro Strategic and Crisis Communications Manager Eric Chilton, the building had been previously inspected on Nov. 19. “At that time, inspectors identified a small number of violations that were still within a standard 30-day window for corrections,” which Chilton called “nothing out of the ordinary for a building of that size.”

Less than three weeks later, it had somehow become what Chilton called “a dangerous and possibly life-threatening situation.” The chief electrical inspector condemned the building, and the ﬁre department evacuated the premises, leaving approximately 180 residents homeless 10 days before Christmas. Although The District was zoned as a dormitory and advertised as o -campus student housing, many tenants were not students. For this, the owner was cited with a zoning violation. Multiple code violations and Orders to Repair or Demolish have been issued since, but it wasn’t until last month that the full list of the building’s safety hazards, which include serious structural deterioration, was made public.

The District opened as a Hilton hotel in 1967. By 2011, it had become the Cascades Grandview, one of the complex’s many names over the decades it served as privately-owned student housing. In August 2012, it was condemned and evacuated after Duke Energy shut off power for unpaid bills. In 2013, Triad Business Journal reported 144 code violations there, including pest infestations, faulty wiring, and malfunctioning smoke detectors.

It was purchased in 2017 by Todd Pfalzgraf, CEO of the Charlotte-based LLC Pfalzgraf Communities, self-described “property management specialists” with offices at 5417 Albemarle Rd. in Charlotte. After purchasing The District for $4.55 million, Pfalzgraf told Triad Business Journal that he intended extensive renovations. Tenants say those renovations never happened. The orders issued last month cited Pfalzgraf with 61 separate code violations. These include:

Non-functioning heat; electrical hazards; fire safety hazards; peeling, chipping, flaking, or abraded paint; cracked plaster; decayed wood; structurally unsound stairs, decks, porches, balconies and railings; units without lavatories, tubs or showers; obstructed plumbing;

insufficient electrical outlets; missing or inoperative smoke detectors; unpainted wood; missing doors, locks and deadbolts; rubbish and garbage; and insect and rodent infestation.

Each of the orders declared the property “Substandard and Unfit for Human Habitation due to dilapidation; defects increasing the hazards of fire, accidents, or other calamities; lack of ventilation, light, or sanitary facilities; and other conditions rendering the structure(s) unsafe, unsanitary, dangerous, or detrimental to the health, safety, morals, or welfare of city residents.” Each concluded by stating: “Therefore it is ordered that the structure(s) identified above be Repaired, Altered, or Improved so as to RENDER THE STRUCTURE(S)

FIT

FOR HUMAN HABITATION or Demolished by March 19, 2026.”

Despite this order, it is unlikely the building will be demolished by that date if the repairs have not been made.

These orders were issued immediately after the city conducted what Assistant City Manager Tiffany Oliva called an administrative code enforcement hearing on Feb. 17. In a Feb. 12 email, Oliva described this hearing as “the point in time in which Order(s)

to Repair / Demolish may be issued.” She also wrote that Pfalzgraf “is not required to attend the hearing(s), but is welcome.”

That hearing was not open to the press or public, nor has any video of it been posted to a city webpage.

Oliva explained this was because the hearing “reflects a lead inspector performing an administrative (staff) function and does not represent a publiclynoticed meeting of a public body.” She then stated, “after the staff hearing, the case will be brought forward to the Minimum Housing Standards Commission (MHSC) to consider the facts and decision of the administrative (staff) officer,” and that, as a duly-noticed meeting of a public body, the MHSC hearing “would be open for attendance by the public and media.”

That hypothetical public hearing has not happened yet and is not on the agenda of the March 18 MHSC Meeting. Asked when it might happen, Oliva sent the following response:

“At this time, The District has received the notes of required repairs and should be working through those. If progress comes to a halt with either Code Enforcement or Engineering & Inspections, the next step would be to present the matter at the MHSC. The goal would be to request that the Commission issue either an Ordinance to Repair or an Ordinance to Demolish. If one of these Ordinances are approved, a 90-day waiting period would follow. After that time, provided the violations remain unresolved, the City could determine whether to proceed with demolition or repairs.”

Oliva did not explain how any hypothetical “Ordinance to Repair or an Ordinance to Demolish” from the MHSC might differ from the eight Orders to Repair, Alter or Demolish issued after the closed administrative hearing and included a deadline of March 19.

Beyond those orders, the city has released no information about what transpired at the closed administrative hearing. YES! Weekly has filed a public information request for records of that procedure, including minutes,

Ian McDowell

Contributor

Condemned notice

but as of press time, has received no response. Pfalzgraf has not responded to requests for comments.

The orders issued on Feb. 18 were released in response to a public information request by city critic and former city council candidate George Hartzman. This release also included a NOTICE TO MAKE REPAIRS WITHIN 48 HOURS (caps in original) sent to Pfalzgraf on June 20 last year.

That June 20 notice includes the following warning:

“Failure to comply in a timely manner and with a sense of urgency will result in Condemnation and could result in a Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) civil penalty for the first violation day and Ten Dollars ($10) for each day thereafter until the property complies with the Minimum Housing Code.”

The notice lists two violations requiring immediate corrective action: “Repair or replace major leak from mechanical room immediately” and

“repair sink hole in parking lot.” These violations are not among those found when The District was reinspected in January or among the ones ordered to be repaired on Feb. 18. This suggests, whether or not they were resolved in “a timely manner,” the June violations were corrected.

There is no record suggesting those violations found in the mechanical room and parking lot led to any inspection of the residential areas of The District. The next inspection of the complex was the annually-scheduled one conducted on Nov. 19, which the city’s strategic and crisis communications manager said did not reveal a crisis situation. !

IAN MCDOWELL is an award-winning author and journalist whose book “I Ain’t Resisting: the City of Greensboro and the Killing of Marcus Smith” was published in September of 2023 by Scuppernong Editions.

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District

The District front entrance

CARBORRO

CAT’S

CRADLE

300 E Main St | 919.967.9053

www.catscradle.com

Mar 18: Carrboro Bluegrass Festival

Mar 19: Pressing Strings and Driftwood

Mar 20-21: Voyage Hot Club ft. Sam Farthing & Paulus Schaefer

CHARLOTTE

BOJANGLES COLISEUM

2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600

www.boplex.com

Mar 20: The R&B Lovers Tour

Mar 21: Kumar Sanu & Sadhana Sargam

Mar 27: The STARS Tour ft. Anne Wilson

THE FILLMORE

1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970

www.livenation.com

Mar 19-20: Josiah Queen

Mar 20: Gogol Bordello

Mar 21: The Brook & The Blu

Mar 24: Mindchatter

SPECTRUM CENTER

333 E Trade St | 704.688.9000

www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com

Mar 22: We Them One’s Comedy Tour

CLEMMONS

VILLAGE SQUARE TAP HOUSE

6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct | 336.448.5330

www.facebook.com/vstaphouse

Mar 19: Jon Montgomery

Mar 20: Booyah!

Mar 21: Matt Dylan & Honky Tonk Outlaws

GREENSBORO

COMEDY ZONE

1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034 www.thecomedyzone.com

Mar 20-21: Jess Hillarious

Mar 24-25: Steve-O: Crash & Burn

FLAT IRON

221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967 www.ﬂatirongso.com

Mar 18: Laurelyn Dossett

Mar 20: The Keith Allen Circus, Solar Circuit, The Wright Ave

GARAGE TAVERN

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

Mar 20: DJ TNT

Mar 21: Dear Sister Band

HANGAR 1819

1819 Spring Garden St | 336.579.6480

www.hangar1819.com

Mar 20: The Browning

Mar 21: Pageant w/ Stone Whiskey, DAZR

Mar 22: Raq Baby

300 N Elm Street | 336.333.6500

www.tangercenter.com

Mar 18: Dancing with the Stars, Live!

Mar 21: Stars and Stripes Forever Mar 22: Be Like Blippi

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of March 23, 2026

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) This week o ers new opportunities for adventurous Sheep, both personally and professionally. Single Sheep could ﬁnd romance with a TAURUS or SCORPIO.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your big break is about to happen in the workplace. Expect to hear more about it within a few days. Meanwhile, enjoy some much-needed fun time.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Your past tendency for breaking promises could be catching up with you. You need to reassure a certain someone in your life that, this time, you’ll keep your word. Good luck!

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Watch your tendency to be overcautious in your personal relationships. Give people a chance to show who they are — not who you assume them to be.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) Aspects favor closer attention to family matters, especially where it concerns older relatives who might need special care. A coworker has information that can help.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A workplace change causes a temporary delay in your plans. Continue working on your project so that you’ll be ready when it’s time to start up again.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Stick with your plans despite some recent disappointments. Persistence will pay o . Meanwhile, a family member’s

health takes a happy turn for the better.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your gift for seeing through to the heart of a matter (or the heart of a person) impresses someone who is in a position to make you a very interesting o er.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Your colleagues believe in your leadership abilities because you believe in yourself. Your strength inspires others to follow your example.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A sensitive situation needs careful handling. Show more patience than you usually do. This will allow everyone time for some really hard thinking.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) You are determined to take charge of a di cult situation and turn it around. Good for you! Accept muchneeded help and advice from a LIBRA.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You are able to help people by sensing their deepest pain, but be careful not to let your own emotions get injured. Try to maintain a safe balance.

[BORN THIS WEEK: Not many people know this, but yours is the most emotional sign of the zodiac. You are empathetic and have a deep spiritual core that gives you great strength.