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The second annual HOLIDAY MARKET AND TREE LIGHTING event, presented by 500 W. Fifth, will take place Saturday, Nov. 21, from noon to 7 p.m. in downtown Winston-Salem, featuring various activities and attractions for visitors of all ages, including the lighting of a 30-foot Christmas tree at 6 pm. 4 Given the international success of Toho’s “GODZILLA MINUS ONE” in 2023, including an Oscar for Best Visual Effects (a first in franchise history), it came as no surprise that the studio would be gearing up for another goround with the immortal screen monster. 5 Halloween 2026 is behind us now, and so are the memories we didn’t make. That’s because there was nothing special about THIS YEAR’S HALLOWEEN. 8 Until 1968, many local deeds contained clauses stating property could never be sold or leased to anyone “NOT OF THE CAUCASIAN RACE.” Now, Triad historians, community members, and a local nonprofit are documenting how these restrictions are preserved in Guilford County records. 11 Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and musician BILLY STRINGS will extend his headline tour through the spring with newly confirmed dates at Greensboro’s First Horizon Coliseum. 12 Two years ago, on a January night, I met Marty Goldstein over dinner. The evening was part of a standing tradition among friends. That night, Marty joined us. I hadn’t met him before, but I knew his name. He was one of the four visionaries who started the SUNSET CAFÉ.
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Kicking off the Christmas season in high style
T
he second annual Holiday Market and Tree Lighting event, presented by 500 W. Fifth, will take place Saturday, Nov. 21, from noon to 7 p.m. in downtown Mark Burger Winston-Salem, featuring various activities and attracContributor tions for visitors of all ages, including the lighting of a 30-foot Christmas tree at 6 pm. Admission is free, and for all the details, visit https:// www.500w5th.com/holidaymarket. “The inspiration for the 500 W. Fifth Holiday Market came from a desire to create a space that is welcoming and accessible to our neighbors while providing a way to highlight local small businesses and elevate the arts,” explained Peyton Justice, 500 W. Fifth’s marketing and events manager. “We hope that our event is something that people look forward to for years to come. “2025 was our first market, and everything was experimental,” she said. “We were not sure how it would appeal to the public or who would be interested. We were blown away by the overwhelming response, welcoming over 2,000 attendees in our first year. Everything went off without a hitch, and we hope to double our attendance at our 2026 market and continue to grow our partners each year.” In addition to the tree lighting, which is the culmination of the day’s festivities, there will be more than 40 local artisan vendors, live music hosted by Martha Bassett of The Martha Bassett Show at 3 p.m., a children’s holiday choir, a kids’ station hosted by Kaleideum, a beer tent provided by Foothills Brewing, free s’mores, food trucks, and more. “We are excited to create an event that people look forward to every year,” Justice said. “We hope to bring a spirit of togetherness to our building for the market, creating a space that is accessible to all and sparks the joy of the season. All feedback received last year was overwhelmingly positive. It seemed that everyone in attendance had a smile on their faces throughout the entire event.” In addition to celebrating the spirit of the holiday WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
CALL FOR FREE ESTIMATES! 336-944-4132 season, the holiday market has been specifically designed to also celebrate the spirit of the community. “We want people to experience not only the joys of the holiday season, but the joys of being connected with people they may not have otherwise interacted with,” Justice said. “The great thing about this event is that despite its size, there are smaller pockets of engagement throughout — from the s’mores area and kids’ area to individual vendor interactions and music listeners. There is truly something for everyone!” Surrounding streets will be closed beginning at 11 a.m., and the event will be canceled in the event of torrential weather. For updates on the event, you can visit the official 500 W. Fifth website (https:// www.500w5th.com/) or check their regularly updated social posts on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/500west5th/) or Facebook (https:// www.facebook.com/500W5TH/). ! See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies.
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‘Godzilla Minus Zero’: Another top-notch monster bash BY MARK BURGER
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iven the international success of Toho’s “Godzilla Minus One” in 2023, including an Oscar for Best Visual Effects (a first in franchise history), it came as no
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surprise that the studio would be gearing up for another go-round with the immortal screen monster. With Takashi Yamazaki back on board as writer, director, and VFX supervisor, “Godzilla Minus Zero” is nearly the equal of its predecessor, which was considered by many to be the greatest Godzilla movie
ever. For devotees of the franchise, it’s an absolute blast, and like the first film, may well attract new fans into the fold. The action gets off to a rip-roaring start immediately, as the city of Matsumoto is laid waste by a flying dragon-like creature that emits deadly lightning bolts. This creature, believed to be extraterrestrial in nature, is bound to be very familiar to Godzilla fans: Ghidorah. Initially oneheaded, it eventually transforms into the trademark three-headed monster we all know and love. The Large-Scale Disaster Response Bureau, which was initially founded following Godzilla’s earlier attack, is headed by Dr. Noda (Hidetaka Yoshioko, returning from the first film). He is aided in his efforts by meteorologist Makoto (Masami Nagasawa) and biologist Dr. Murakami (Min Tanaka), the latter having filmed Ghidorah’s rampage in Matsumoto. Also encoring from the first film are Ryunosuke Kamiki as Shikishima, the fighter pilot who successfully vanquished Godzilla earlier (or so everyone thought), and his wife Noriko (Minami Hamabe), who miraculously survived Godzilla’s onslaught. They now live quietly with adopted daughter Akiko (Sae Nagatani) but will eventually be drawn into this new conflict. The initial attempts to vanquish Ghidorah inevitably fail, and soon enough there’s another (very) big problem on the horizon: the inevitable return of Godzilla. With two monsters threatening Japan, the only conceivable solution is to somehow pit the two against each other and hope the one that survives will be so injured that it will succumb to conventional weaponry. Dr. Murakami is enthusiastic about this possible solution, but having lost his family at Hiroshima, his motives may not be altogether altruistic. As in the first film, “Godzilla Minus Zero” uses the themes of despair and grief, based on Japan’s actual post-war trauma, to add emotional heft to the human characters. This time, however, Yamazaki devotes a bit too much time to those themes, which occasionally become repetitive. Not unlike Steven Spielberg’s recent “Disclosure Day,” the first act feels a little padded and heavy on exposition. It’s almost an hour before Godzilla really makes his re-entrance, albeit in a customarily dazzling sequence. Once the two titans square off, however,
“Godzilla Minus Zero” soars beautifully and never looks back. In addition to his obvious filmmaking talents, Yamazaki has a keen understanding of the Godzilla mythos. He hasn’t reinvented it so much as carefully retooled it to place it into a historical context, and in ways that are respectful to the series and enormously entertaining to the audience. Once again, the visual effects are outstanding, and another Academy Award (or at least a nomination) may well be in the offing. This is the first R-rated Godzilla movie, and some of the violence — inflicted on both humans and monsters — is rough stuff, but it’s undeniably effective. Yamazaki has also added a few new wrinkles to the mythos this time around, which are best not divulged here. Additionally, composer Naoki Sato contributes a pounding score full of dread and foreboding, and when he strikes up Akira Ifukube’s iconic Godzilla film, it certainly takes this film critic back to his childhood, spending countless hours watching the old films on television. But “Godzilla Minus Zero” is not just a throwback to youthful nostalgia. Despite the period setting (1949), it feels fresh and new, a true and genuine Godzilla movie for the 21st century. It doesn’t quite reach the heights of “Godzilla Minus One,” but easily comes close enough to rank it among the best films of the year. (In Japanese with English subtitles) ! See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies.
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H
alloween 2026 is behind us now, and so are the memories we didn’t make. That’s because there was nothing special about this Jim Longworth year’s Halloween. It wasn’t spooky. It was just sad. Not Longworth too many years at Large ago, it was common for more than 130 costumed kids to come through our neighborhood. This year we had eight. More on the reason for that decline in a moment. Back when Pam and I first moved to Kernersville, we gave out plenty of candy to kids who lived on our street; meanwhile, parents from other areas of town would drive into our subdivision with vans full of excited youth in tow. I guess our block had a reputation for giving the best treats. Anyway, for several years in a row, I rigged up a scary, voice-activated genie by the front door. Pam would greet the kids as I hid inside, with a remote microphone, and conversed with each child. The genie frightened some of the kids, but they still asked for and received treats. We got to meet lots of families, and we had fun with the interactions. It was reminiscent of Halloweens past when my buddies and I traversed the streets of Winston-Salem’s Knollwood Manor in the late 1950 s and early 1960s. One lady gave out homemade candy apples. Other women in the neighborhood made popcorn and baked cookies just for the occasion. Houses were elaborately decorated, and one even featured a haunted basement. By 1961, we were taught that Russia posed a nuclear threat to our neighborhood, so it was comforting when we came upon one house on Knollwood Street that had an honestto-God bomb shelter. In those days, I didn’t have money to purchase store-bought costumes, so Mom and Dad would dress me up using materials that we had in the house. My favorite was when they sent me out WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
Trunks are no treat
looking like a hobo (perhaps hoping I would hop a train and leave town). Upon returning to our house with a bag full of treats, I would take off my homemade costume, sort through the candy that I had collected, and settle in to watch horror movies on WSJS-TV (now WXII-TV). I remember those nights like it was yesterday, and I remember them fondly. So, what happened to the Halloween traditions that I grew up with? What happened to the 138 kids that Pam and I used to buy candy for? I’ll tell you what happened — trunk or effing treat happened, that’s what happened. Trunk-or-treat sprung up in the mid 1990s. The concept was simple. A church, school, or other organization would invite parents to decorate their cars, fill their trunks with candy, then drive their kids to a lighted parking lot where children could stroll from car to car and collect treats. Trunk-or-treat gatherings were thought to be a safe and convenient alternative to letting young children wander dark neighborhoods and do so without fear of tainted candy, sexual assault, or getting hit by a car while crossing the street. This sort of Halloween tailgating really took off during the COVID pandemic when personal interactions were deemed to be unhealthy. After that, Trunk-or-treat continued to grow in popularity, and as it did, it diminished the number of kids who still went trick-or-treating in the traditional way.
We live in an era of helicopter parents who hover over their kids and teach them to be triggered by anything and everything. Yes, crossing the street at night to get from one house to another can be dangerous, but so can gathering in a parking lot where last year a motorist in Brooklyn accidentally drove into a trunk-ortreat crowd and injured six people. Moreover, the parents of very young children who used to come to our house on Halloween always walked their kids to our door, then stood back to let them enjoy the moment. When I was a kid, Halloween taught us that it was fun to dress up and visit houses where all sorts of people lived. In fact, our neighborhood was diverse before we knew what the word meant. On just our block alone, we had a Jewish family, a Greek family, and an Iranian family, and I collected treats from all of them. Back then,
Halloween taught us how to be on our own, respect curfews, and appreciate folks of all genders, races, and religions. Compare that to the lessons that trunk-or-treat teaches kids. Joked comedian Jonnie W., “What we teach our kids now is that car trunks may be filled with delicious candy.” Call me crazy, but I thought car trunks were made to hold spare tires and tools. Spookily decorated houses, on the other hand, are made for creating lasting memories. I implore you to please resist trunk-or-treat events next year. Be afraid of them, be very afraid, because they are slowly killing Halloween, and that is truly scary. ! JIM LONGWORTH is the host of Triad Today, airing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. on ABC45 (cable channel 7) and Sundays at 11 a.m. on WMYV (cable channel 15) and streaming on WFMY+.
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— rush Rush Corp. money overseers Whacks Skin soother Longtime Yankees manager Joe Plentiful Painter Rousseau Mil. officer in “Beetle Bailey” Tennis’ Lendl Potato sieve of a sort Attach with glue Captive’s cry Cry of disgust Indian money Old theatrical illusion making objects seem to materialize Script studier What “top” is to “bottom” “I’m not lying!” “Hah, I win!” Legal wrong Old sporty Pontiac Former rival of Atari 1962 Western with Kirk Douglas, Gena Rowlands and Walter Matthau Govt. lawyers Scraped (out) Female bleaters Bovine call Kingdom Scarlet, e.g. Viral gene material Ho Chi Minh City,
formerly 64 Iowa senator Joni 65 Certain inner lettuce leaves 69 Hazard 72 Explodes 73 Pea protector 74 Trinity part 77 Newborn’s bodysuit 79 Texter’s “I think ...” 80 Rounded hammer end 82 Bruins’ sch. 83 Lupino of film 84 Instructors at golf resorts, often 89 Mardi Gras city, in brief 91 Suffix with Peking 92 Clears, as profit 93 Vigorless condition 94 Chicago newspaper 96 Evening wingdings 99 Force out 100 Leader of a marching musical group 102 The second “S” of SST 104 Boston fish 105 Title for Walter Scott 107 Be an arbiter 111 Rain forest, desert or wetland 113 2004 Chevy debut 114 Group associated with six key starting words in this puzzle 116 Fudd who bugs Bugs 117 Caulk, e.g. 118 Lop- — rabbit 119 Coup d’— 120 Valleys 121 J.D. Salinger title girl 122 Logbook, e.g. 123 Cartoon “Explorer”
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Haunted house sound Gymnast Korbut A ton Totally ruined Crouch down Pupil coverer Mork’s planet Pitcher Hershiser Relocate instantly, in sci-fi Having small ridges, as a piecrust “1700 hours” Old enough to vote, say Madrid miss Says “So what?” with the shoulders Bodybuilders lift them Firmly supported by Uno + due Title for Walter Scott Of the brain and spinal cord “0.1” portion — nous Kitchen range Sweeteners Cup-and-saucer group More skillful “You Send Me” singer Sam Quieted (down) “Piggies” “Laughing” mammal “I do” sayer In the know Islamic chiefs Acronym for a twofer sale Edit
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Lead-in to nuptial Saintly article Abnormally deep sleep Rear, at sea Neck backs That boy’s Clan Drainage pit Ancient Greek region Destination of a trip, generically 70 “Bewitched” witch 71 Wages measured in terms f actual purchasing power 74 Scallywag 75 North fired by Reagan 76 Schnozz-related 78 Kate Nelligan title role 80 Tennis’ Sampras 81 Twisty letters 82 Lacking enthusiasm 85 Software clientele 86 Shallot cousin 87 Hunted for and found, with “out” 88 Central New York lake 90 Body’s midsection 95 Cow’s milk sources 96 Haunted house sound 97 “The Lion in Winter” co-star 98 Very serious 101 Roof edges 103 Indigent 106 Bangkok native 108 Choir voice 109 Put a rip in 110 This, in Baja 111 Beseech 112 Feeling sick 115 Epoch
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‘Mapping Prejudice’ documents racism in Triad housing
ntil 1968, many local deeds contained clauses stating property could never be sold or leased to anyone “not of the Caucasian race.” Ian McDowell Now, Triad historians, community members, and a Contributor local nonprofit are documenting how these restrictions are preserved in Guilford County records. Racial covenants, as such clauses are known, can be found in historic registries of every American community. They served as legally enforceable contracts that “ran with the land,” a phrase from real estate law meaning the restriction applied to the property itself regardless of who owned it and existed in perpetuity. Anyone who disregarded a racial covenant risked forfeiting their property. A High Point deed filed Dec. 19, 1933, recorded the sale of a 50x150 foot lot on
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Jefferson Avenue to A. O. and Lura Ethel Davis. It required the couple to pay Frank and Virgie Nance “Ten Dollars and other valuable considerations” for the property, and stated that, if the lot was sold or assigned “to any person of African decent [sic]” by the buyers or their heirs, the lease immediately reverted to the sellers or their heirs. Racial covenants were popularized by the 20th-century real estate industry, which worked with city planners to prevent anyone not considered white, Christian, and American-born from owning or leasing the most desirable properties. The earliest-recorded ones were in California and Massachusetts, where they often barred property transfers to people of Chinese or Japanese descent. After the 1917 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Buchanan v. Warley banned local governments from passing explicit racial zoning laws, private developers and real estate associations increasingly turned to deed covenants as a “discreet” and “private” method of enforcing white supremacy. In 1924, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) declared its mem-
bers “should never be instrumental in introducing into a neighborhood any race or nationality, or any individuals whose presence will clearly be detrimental to property values.” After Corrigan v. Buckley, the 1926 Supreme Court ruling upholding racial covenants, the NAR distributed model covenant templates to realtors across the country. Such covenants didn’t just control where people could live or do business, but where they were buried. On Oct 23, 1953, Bart and Ethel Abels purchased three plots in Greensboro Memorial Park, now Westminster Gardens Cemetery at 3601 Whitehurst Road. The deed included the following restriction: “And the second parties, as evidenced by the acceptance of this indenture, expressly agree, They, as a part of the consideration for this conveyance, that said property shall be used solely as a place for the burial of the dead of the white race, and that right of interment in said lot 227, or any part thereof, shall not be sold or conveyed to any person or persons of African descent, nor shall any portion of said lot 227 be used for the burial of any person of African descent.”
This was written five years after Shelley v. Kraemer, the 1948 Supreme Court ruling that courts cannot legally enforce racially restrictive covenants. But while technically unenforceable, it was not illegal until 1968, when the federal Fair Housing Act banned racial covenants nationwide. Such racist clauses remain unedited in historical property deeds because North Carolina lacks a streamlined statewide legal mechanism to erase the historic wording. Guilford County Register of Deeds Jeff Thigpen, who has encountered such restrictions in historic records, noted that “this language cannot lawfully cause someone to lose ownership today because the buyer is Black, but it’s definitely an eye-opener when homeowners go back through their previous land transactions.” Racial covenants were also occasionally used to keep whites from buying or leasing property in Black neighborhoods. The intent was not to prevent gentrification, but to preserve segregation, in the same way whites were forbidden to use the “colored only” entrance and balcony at Greensboro’s Carolina Theater, alWWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
Dr. Paul Ringel
Dr. Selima Sultana
Dr. Virginia Summey
though they were much less likely to be fined, jailed, or beaten for doing so. The quoted deeds are among the many documents discovered and scanned by Mapping Prejudice, Guilford County, a community-driven initiative launched last month to document the Triad’s history of housing segregation. Financed by Greensboro-based nonprofit The Partnership Project, it originated with High Point University history professor Paul Ringel and his consulting partner Virginia Summey, a Salem College history professor and faculty fellow in the Lloyd International Honors College at UNCG. The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) team is led by Dr. Selima Sultana, head of the UNCG Department of Geography, Environment, and Sustainability. “We met Kirsten Delegard, director of the national Mapping Prejudice project, at a conference in 2024,” said Ringel. “She’s at the University of Minnesota, but used to teach at UNCG, so she was very excited and encouraged us to pursue this.” Mapping Prejudice is working with communities across the country to document racial covenants. “We began mapping restrictive property records in Minneapolis and St. Paul,” said Delegard. “Our scope expanded through collaborations with teams in the Bay Area, Milwaukee, D.C., Boston, and Forsyth County. I’m thrilled to be invited into this process in Guilford County and keen to use this map to show how racial barriers were constructed in Greensboro, which became a key site in the civil rights movement. The map will help us see how people in Guilford County continue to live with the legacies of racial covenants more than 50 years after the Fair Housing Act made them illegal.” According to Ringel, the project will teach citizens about how racial cove-
nants segregated cities and how to read property deeds to determine whether they include such covenants. “Our primary historical question is how this process of segregation has shaped the current structural inequities. We have been sending Guilford County property deeds to the national Mapping Prejudice office at the University of Minnesota.” Mapping Prejudice, Guilford County has received $21,000 from the Healthy High Point Foundation and private
donors to process the deeds through Optical Character Recognition software that identifies those likely to include racially restrictive covenants. “We have approximately 15,000 deeds that fit that category,” said Ringel. “We launched a pilot program in High Point, and in January will expand countywide. Our documentary team will record community events and oral histories to produce a film that examines how Guilford County grapples with learning this little-known part of our history.
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We have held our first learning sessions at High Point University in September, with October and November sessions at historically Black churches, at a historically white church, and at the High Point Museum.” Additional High Point sessions are planned with the Junior League, city council, other city officials, and the YMCA and YWCA. According to Ringel, the International Civil Rights Museum, Guilford College, North Carolina A&T, Temple Emanuel, and College Park Baptist Church have all expressed interest in hosting sessions. “By starting with documents rather than arguments, we hope to bring our project into places that traditionally avoid such sensitive subjects. The purpose of our project is to learn together, not to assign blame, but ask what obligations do we have once we know this history that largely remains untaught across our educational systems.” ! 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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Ardmore Art Walk 2026
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Mug on a Mission @ Center for Visual Artists 11.6.26 | Downtown Greensboro | Photos by Natalie Garcia
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Billy Strings 2027 spring tour coming to First Horizon Coliseum for two shows PRESS RELEASE
rammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and musician Billy Strings will extend his headline tour through the spring with newly confirmed dates at Tampa’s Benchmark International Arena, St. Augustine’s St. Augustine Amphitheatre (five nights), North Charleston’s North Charleston Coliseum (two nights), Greensboro’s First Horizon Coliseum (two nights) and Birmingham’s Legacy Arena at the BJCC (two nights), among others. See below for complete tour itinerary. Spring 2027 general admission pit/floor tickets will only be available through Ticketmaster Request, with the exception of St. Augustine Amphitheatre, where tickets for the entire venue will be offered through Fair AXS. Sign-ups for both ticketing initiatives are open now and must be completed by Nov. 11 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Tickets for all other sections will be available for presale beginning Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. local time (does not apply to St. Augustine Amphitheatre) with general onsale following on Friday, Nov. 20 at 10 a.m. local time. For more information, visit www.billystrings.com/tour. The 2027 dates follow the release of Strings’ acclaimed new album, “So Much for Goodbyes,” earlier this summer via Reprise Record. Produced by Strings and T Bone Burnett, the 16-track project finds Strings channeling a deeply personal period into his most musically mature and reflective body of work to date. The record is accompanied by original artwork created by Strings’ late mother, Debra Apostol. Ahead of the release, Strings spoke with The New York Times for its “The Interview” series, discussing the making of his “beautiful new album,” as well as his evolution into an “arena-filling, chart-topping phenomenon, straddling the worlds of roots music and jam bands.” Read the profile and watch the full conversation.
CRITICAL PRAISE FOR “SO MUCH FOR GOODBYES”:
“Staggering, stirring songs of grief,” — The Guardian “An instant addition to the canon of great Americana albums born from personal upheaval.” —Billboard “A folk-gothic tour de force” — VICE “A bluegrass superstar…there is grief here, but also warmth and grace” — NPR Music “Arena-packing bluegrass virtuoso” — Stereogum “An idiosyncratic bluegrass record that elegantly makes space for all that the term can hold: grief and gospel, instrumental beauties and breakneck instrumentals, nostalgia and whimsy, train songs and tragedy.” — Pitchfork WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
“So Much for Goodbyes” Album Artwork “A superb, touching, emotionally compelling, and varied collection continuing Billy Strings’ remarkable run as the young bluegrass master whose talents, vision, and audience continue to grow with every release” — American Songwriter “There is no doubt that “So Much For Goodbyes”… is set to take its place in the pantheon of must-have bluegrass albums” — Glide “One of roots music’s best guitarists and a curious stylistic investigator” — Spectrum Culture “Showcases Strings’ lyrical depth and inventive instrumental vision” — Folk Alley “The perfect recipe for a compelling album…He has outdone himself” — RIFF Magazine “There was never any question about his chops in the field, but his newest outing contributes to his street cred for both bluegrass purists and fans of stellar songwriting.” — Country Central “A transformative force in bluegrass...the genre’s modern-day ambassador as well as one of its most reliable innovators.” — AllMusic “I made this record to honor my mother,” Strings shares. “To notice and embrace this very significant period of grief in my life and make art from it. To turn my heartbreak into songs while using my guitar as a coping mechanism as I always have. It’s always been there for me to lean on through the hard times, and I figure it always will…until it’s my time to say goodbye.” Adding to another landmark year, Strings won Entertainer of the Year for the fifth time at the 37th Annual IBMA Awards and recently returned to PBS’ legendary Austin City Limits, where his performance aired as part of Season 52. The new record arrives amid a career-defining run
for Strings, whom GQ hails as “the hottest roots-music phenomenon in decades,” while Pitchfork calls him a “bluegrass wunderkind.” Strings earned his third Grammy Award and second consecutive win for Best Bluegrass Album at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards with Highway Prayers, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s all-genre Top Album Sales chart, becoming the first bluegrass album in 22 years to achieve the feat. In addition to his solo work, Strings has collaborated across genres with artists including Kacey Musgraves, Primus, Luke Combs, Cryptopsy, Willie Nelson and Tony Trischka, among others, and recently contributed a cover of “If You’re Gonna Be Dumb, You Gotta Be Tough” for the film “Jackass: Best and Last.” ! Since his 2017 debut, BILLY STRINGS has earned widespread recognition, including three Grammy Awards, two back-to-back Artist of the Year at the Americana Music Awards, five-time Entertainer of the Year at the International Bluegrass Music Awards, Best New Headliner at the 2022 Pollstar Awards and Breakthrough Artist of the Pandemic at the 2021 Pollstar Awards. He has also appeared and performed at NPR Music’s Tiny Desk, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NPR’s Fresh Air, The Howard Stern Show, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Bluegrass Underground as well as countless sold-out shows worldwide. NOVEMBER 11-17, 2026
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The Sunset Café GUEST SUBMISSION BY TIM SWINK
T
wo years ago, on a January night, I met Marty Goldstein over dinner. The evening was part of a standing tradition among friends. That night, Marty joined us. I hadn’t met him before, but I knew his name. He was one of the four visionaries who started the Sunset Café. As we talked that evening, I told Marty Sunset’s story deserved to be told again. In its day, it helped shape Greensboro’s culinary identity, and its legacy still lingers. It was both influential and ahead of its time, introducing an international, eclectic approach to dining long before it became the norm. And then there’s the lore — the stories, the journey, and the unlikely path that turned it into something unforgettable. So we agreed that Marty, his wife Kim, and I would pursue the conversation. Their journey was long. Goldstein was from the Bronx. He and his wife, Kim, who was from Napa Valley and San Francisco, came to Greensboro in 1971. Two of Marty’s childhood friends, Larry Jacobs and his partner, Aliza Gotlib, also from the Bronx, followed two years later. Goldstein and Kim initially came to Greensboro to help his sister, who was struggling to raise her child on her own. At the time, they were beginning to think about starting a family, and like many who pass through Greensboro, they considered it a good place to put down roots. He found employment at the Greensboro Country Club’s Carlson Farm as an assistant fry cook, and later as head chef at the Peppermill Restaurant in Greensboro. Jacobs and Gotlib followed two years later. Gotlib landed a job at the Hong Kong House, a well-respected Chinese restaurant on Tate Street owned by Amelia Leung and her husband, Robert. Below the restaurant was a small basement space, reached by passing through a wooden gate just off Tate Street and down a short flight of steps. A very Greenwich Village-like vibe. Leung had long wanted to do something with it, but she wasn’t quite sure what. Jacobs and Gotlib saw the possibilities. They pitched Leung on the idea of a bar and music venue, something they believed they could bring to life. Their pitch was on target. In 1973, the Goldsteins joined Jacobs and
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Gotlib in the little basement space on Tate Street, all becoming part of the street’s bohemian lifestyle which, at the time, was likened to San Francisco’s HaightAsbury, known for its sense of community and culture. The basement space would become Aliza’s Café. Local musicians like Scott Manring, Sam Frazier, The BR Boys, Tornado, Lawrence Chadbourne, Bruce Piephoff, and others — some of the best in North Carolina- played in the close-quartered, sweaty, subterranean room. It was during their time at Aliza’s Café that they began to formulate an idea for a new direction. All were socially conscious individuals, open to the idea of a platform on which to base their ideals and create something that mattered. For the Goldsteins, “community” had always been a guiding focus in their lives. The four were in agreement that food was a common ground that comforts and invites conversation. It brings people together in ways few things can. From that understanding, the platform began to emerge: to build a sense of community within a restaurant in Greensboro. The four eventually left Aliza’s Café to pursue the venture. It would be called The Sunset Café. By the summer of 1976, the idea was taking shape and felt within reach. The next step was finding and outfitting a space. A small stucco building on Spring Garden Street, formerly Ernie’s BBQ, became available. Cozy and full of potential, it seemed like the right fit. The rent was manageable for a group working with limited cash. The summer was spent preparing for a fall opening, piecing together everything they needed. Thrift stores, estate sales, and secondhand shops became regular stops as they gathered plates, glasses, silverware, and furniture. Tables and dinnerware did not match, but it was all in the free-wheeling direction that corresponded with the café’s philosophy. A two-seat couch sent from California found its place among mismatched tables and dishes. A quilt made by Kim’s mother hung on the wall, a quiet nod to the arts. The look might be called “shabby chic,” but in the end, it all came together and reflected who they were. But running a restaurant was new territory. Marty had been cooking since he was ten, learning from his mother, but ownership brought new questions. How much
food should be prepared? What should be done with leftovers? They learned as they went, writing menus on a blackboard that changed daily and figuring things out in real time. Before long, the operation found its rhythm. The staff learned the dance and performed their jobs on cue. The Sunset Café became known for generous portions of fresh, thoughtfully prepared food at a fair price, while building an increasingly committed community of employees and customers. This was the 1970s, a time when altruism in a collective consciousness was prevalent. And so, it was at Sunset Café. The staff was young, idealistic, and adopted the “all for one, one for all” concept. A sense of equality ran within the ranks. There was no dress code — only aprons to mark the waitstaff. Sam Frazier, noted Greensboro singersongwriter, worked at the original Sunset Café on Spring Garden in his early twenties. “At first, I was a dishwasher, then I worked my way up to prepping, which required working a split shift. I’d come in and prep the mornings, go home after lunch, and then come back for the evening shift. Eventually I rose to the coveted position of waiter. We, the work staff, were close. We were all friends. And we were friends with the owners as well. It was like a big family there. The music friends I was hanging out with at the time frequented the Sunset. It drew that type of people. It was where people came… or were drawn to. It was a type of community. It was a very cool scene there.” “There was no pretense,” Kim added. “The atmosphere was laid back… we were who we were. But the food was taken seriously.” The café quickly became a successful, iconic restaurant, drawing a mix of customers. Jeans and Birkenstocks shared tables and broke bread with pressed suits, wingtips, and Pappagallos. People came together over food that was new to the area — international, eclectic, and memorable. “The Sunset Café was one of my personal favorites, and I was a regular there,” Greensboro food critic and journalist John Batchelor told me. “It was one of only two places in town at the time that served good food and was also open on Sunday night, so I went often. It was very popular
Matches from the Sunset Cafe found for sale on eBay. with the UNC-G crowd — students could afford it, and professors liked it.” If you ordered tea, you most likely were served Red Zinger. Lassi infused with rose water was a yogurt drink that was offered. Logan bread, dense and nourishing, said to sustain a mountain climber for a full day, was served with butter as an appetizer. Kim believes they may have been the first to introduce Ceviche to Greensboro. The atmosphere matched the philosophy. Music from artists like Nina Simone, The Tchoupitoulas, and another New Orleans band, The Neville Brothers, got frequent play from a record player’s turntable. But more than anything, it was about what happened around the tables. Louise Grape arrived in Greensboro from New Jersey in 1984 to attend UNCG and never left. The Sunset Café was part to blame. “I was in need of a job. A friend of mine worked at the Sunset and told me she may be able to get me a job there because she was already connected with the WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
owners. She offered to mention me to them. So, it wasn’t long before I became a Sunset person … my introduction to a world of people who I have remained close to for the rest of my life. Being that the owners and staff were creative individuals, the Sunset was just the right fit for me. We worked together, partied together, played together. It was like family. Speaking of, it was where I met my husband, Scott Manring,” (another well-known Greensboro musician), Louise said. “The Sunset was run like a well-oiled machine. We may not have looked professional, but it was professionally run. The food was healthy and well prepared. We cooked all day long … all week long. It was quality food. It was fresh and handmade every day. It really mattered to us. When the doors were unlocked, whether lunch or dinner, there was always a line out the door,” Louise said Louise’s creative side continues and is nourished as the design and creative director for a custom-crafted furniture company that makes beautiful, high-end upholstery. But what she says she is most proud of is starting the non-profit Hirsch Wellness Network, the Piedmont’s Cancer Support Community. “I don’t know if I would have ever had the courage to start something like that (the Hirsch Wellness Network) if I had not been involved with an operation like the Sunset, where people collaborated and created such an iconic, successful venture. None of them had a chef’s degree or culinary education, but they took it on and knew what they were doing. And that was very inspiring. I’ve learned, from that experience, not to be afraid to try something new. To go for it. That was the Sunset attitude.” “We were about community,” Marty said. “With our staff and the customers. The customers were part of it… they were known to us. We didn’t put on airs. We were ourselves. And it became a gathering place. A community of people.” The Sunset Café opened in November 1976 on an investment of just $8,000. “Who does that?” Marty said, laughing. “We did.” After 12 years on Spring Garden Street, the restaurant moved to West Market Street in 1988 and remained a fixture in Greensboro until the café changed ownership, after which it eventually closed. The Café is now a fond memory. But in its day, the Sunset Café had its run in the sun. And what a run it was! The Sunset created a community of people. Something we are in dire need of today… If only we could find our way… Back to The Sunset… Cafe. ! WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
NOVEMBER 11-17, 2026
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last call
[SALOME’S STARS]
[TRIVIA TEST]
Week of November 16, 2026
by Fifi Rodriguez
[1. U.S. STATES: What is the capital of
[6. LITERATURE: Who is the author of
[2. GEOGRAPHY: Which country is
[7. MATH: How many sides does a
[3. COMICS: Who is Wonder Woman’s
[8. TELEVISION: What is the name of
South Carolina?
home to Mount Kilimanjaro? mother?
[4. FOOD & DRINK: What is kombucha?
[5. MOVIES: What is the main family’s name in “The Godfather” movies?
the novel “The Martian?” heptadecagon have?
the women’s prison in “Orange is the New Black?”
[9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What are espadrilles?
[10. HISTORY: What was the main
marketplace in ancient Greece called?
answer 1. Columbia. 2. Tanzania, Africa. 3. Queen Hippolyta. 4. Fermented tea. 5. Corleone.
6. Andy Weir. 7. 17. 8. Litchfield Penitentiary. 9. Summer footwear, usually made of canvas. 10. The Agora.
© 2026 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) There’s no need for that suspicious ARIES mind of yours to work overtime, either at home or on the job. Remember that appearances are often deceiving. [TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) A new opportunity might seem riskier than you would like. Examine all sides, then rely on your good sense to make the right decision. [GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might be enjoying your new relationship, but if you’re still unsure of a commitment, continue to hold off. Your instincts are usually right. [CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You feel under pressure these days, but be careful not to blow off steam in a way that you’ll later regret. Opt for a calm discussion to air out grievances. [LEO (July 23 to August 22) A difficult situation will need more than your personal charm to resolve it. Put your
LEOnine intelligence to work, and you’ll soon come up with a prudent solution.
[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A friend might resent your wellintended attempt to offer advice. Back off and let things settle down before you try again. Also, be cautious about investments. [LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Be careful about assuming added obligations at work and/or in your personal life without first checking to see whether you can handle the extra load. [SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A rejection is no reason for you to give up. Check to see what went wrong and make adjustments. Then try again! Success is in your aspect. [SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Things should be looking up at work, as your ideas begin to find favor with both bosses and co-workers. Romantic aspects also improve.
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[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Be more loving with your spouse or partner to prove that you’re not taking them for granted. Meanwhile, a business deal needs careful scrutiny. [AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) As the holidays approach, be wary of those who might take unfair advantage of your generous nature. Additionally, an old injury flares up and needs attention. [PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Expect to see some old friends at upcoming holiday gatherings, including some who were — and could once again be — very special in your life. [BORN THIS WEEK: You have a strong sense of responsibility, and whatever you decide to do, you do it to the best of your ability. © 2026 by King Features Syndicate
answers [CROSSWORD] crossword on page 6
[WEEKLY SUDOKU] sudoku on page 6
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Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
toy factory project
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