Creative Loafing Charlotte

The Voluntourists: J.D. Lewis and sons

Family travels world for more than just sightseeing

• by Joanne Spataro
• Tags: News Feature, Twelve in Twelve, J.D. Lewis, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, travel, volunteer work, philanthropy in Charlotte, volunteering in Charlotte

Aroma therapy: The Birth of Coffee

Exhibit sheds light on popular beverage

• by Joanne Spataro
• Tags: Features, Discovery Place, The Birth of Coffee, coffeehouses, gahveh khaneh, coffee, coffee bean, Daniel Lorenzetti, Paula Gross, drink, hot coffee, java, Jackson's Java, Joanne Spataro

Artists, musicians show support for Jennifer Roberts

• by Joanne Spataro
“Because we don’t have the kind of money Robert Pittenger has, we have to find other ways of supporting Jennifer to equal measure."
• Tags: News, Jennifer Roberts, 9th District, Robert Pittenger, Washington, D.C., Democrat, Republican, congress, Charlotte, NC Music Factory, Joanne Spataro, Amy Blumenthal, artist, musician, fundraiser, Tom Chapin, Si Kahn, John Boyer, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Uncle Sam

Home, sweet Homeland

Danes-spotting in the Queen City

• by Joanne Spataro
• Tags: Television, Claire Danes, Homeland, television, Showtime, Charlotte, filming, Big Ben British & Restaurant, Morrocroft Harris Teeter, Sam Shapiro, library, Emmy

Impressions of the Democratic National Convention

The people speak

• by Joanne Spataro, Mike Cooper, and Ryan Pitkin
• Tags: News feature, Deana Pendragon, Joey Pepe, Side by Side, Vibhav Kollu, Teresa Hernandez, Vinod Thomas, Margaret Commins, Queens University, Big Mamma's House of Burlesque, Pura Vida Worldly Art, Mecklenburg Democratic Party, North Carolina delegate page, DNC, DNC 2012, Democratic National Convention, Charlotte

Charlotte's awesome (there's even a bureau that says so)

• by Joanne Spataro
Jason King and Jarrett Tolman created the Charlotte Bureau of Awesome as a way for DNCers to learn more about Charlotte, but their pet project will live well beyond the convention
• Tags: News, Democratic National Convention 2012, Charlotte Bureau of Awesome, Charlotte, North Carolina, Joanne Spataro, Jason King, Jarrett Tolman, DNC, convention, Stock Car Johnson, QC Banks

Getting hot wings with Ross Matthews

• by Joanne Spataro
TV personality talks about Charlotte and his role in the LGBT community.
• Tags: Democratic National Convention 2012, LGBT, Ross Matthews, E!, Chelsea Handler, DNC, DNC 2012, Democratic National Convention, Jay Leno

Michelle Obama made us say the four-letter word

• by Joanne Spataro
She did what Ann Romney couldn't
• Tags: Democratic National Convention 2012, Michelle Obama, Democratic National Convention, Robbie Akhere, Mary Graham, Quiana McKenzie, Mitt Romney, Ann Romney, Black Women's Caucus of Charlotte Mecklenburg, Joanne Spataro, DNC, DNC 2012, Democratic National Convention, Charlotte, North Carolina, Barack Obama

Obama's relocated speech throws some for a loop

• by Joanne Spataro
Some waited hours to nab a ticket. Now they'll be left in the cold (er, rain).
• Tags: Democratic National Convention 2012, President Barack Obama, Time Warner Cable Arena, Bank of America Stadium, Liz Kearley, Tom Finnerty, Henry Bright, Democratic National Convention, Joanne Spataro

Gabrielle Douglas kicks me into high gear

• by Joanne Spataro
The Olympian offers some advice to survive the mid-DNC slump
• Tags: News, Democratic National Convention 2012, Gabrielle Douglas, Olympics, Joanne Spataro, Blackfinn, Kids' Health Goes Gold, Foundation for the Carolinas on South Tryon Street, Charlotte, North Carolina, DNC, Democratic National Convention, chocolate chip cookies, DNC 2012, U.S. Women's Gymnastics team, Time Warner Cable Arena, popcorn, competition, convention

Planned Parenthood rally encourages support for Obama

• by Joanne Spataro
About 100 people attended the rally to hear speakers Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker, comedian Aisha Tyler, more.
• Tags: Democratic National Convention 2012, Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards, President Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, Ann Richards, Democratic National Convention, DNC, DNC 2012, Aisha Tyler, Cory Booker, Sandra Fluke, politics, rally, women's rights, women, Gwen Moore, Charlotte

Putting on the party platforms

• by Joanne Spataro
Divas do it right during DNC Week.
• Tags: Democratic National Convention 2012, Roxy C. Moorecox, BethAnn Phetamine, Jamie Monroe, Big Shirli Stevenz, Wet Willie's, NC Music Factory, Democratic National Convention, DNC, DNC 2012, drag, party, nightlife

Jesse Jackson appears only "distracted" by police incident

• by Joanne Spataro
Former presidential candidate stumbles upon CMPD arrest during DNC activities.
• Tags: News, Democratic National Convention 2012, Jesse Jackson, Michael Eric Dyson, Martin Luther King, Jr., DNC, Democratic National Convention, DNC 2012, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Charlotte, Joanne Spataro, civil rights, arrest

N.C. delegates had a glitter-tastic party

• by Joanne Spataro
From a marching band to Janice Covington, the first openly transgender delegate at the DNC, Sunday night's party was as fabulous as it gets.
• Tags: News, Democratic National Convention Photos, Janice Covington, Democratic National Convention, Brenda Pollard, CODEPINK, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Livingstone College Marching Blue Bear Band, DNC, DNC 2012, Joanne Spataro, Charlotte, protest

Unions aren't big in Charlotte ...

but statewide leaders are hoping the DNC will change that

• by Joanne Spataro and Dave Jamieson
• Tags: DNC CL + HuffPost, labor, union, unionization, Southern Workers Assembly, DNC 2012, Democratic National Convention, hospitality, Holiday Inn Express, Jenni Hembree, Charlotte

Cover Story

The People of the People's Convention

This is your moment, Charlotte

• by Joanne Spataro, Mike Cooper, Ryan Pitkin, and Photos by Joe Martin
• Tags: DNC News, Joey Pepe, Side By Side, Billboard Magazine, Teresa Hernandez, Pura Vida Worldly Art, Vibhav Kollu, Deana Pendragon, Big Mamma's House of Burlesque, Ray Spain, MC Bearcat, Aisha Dew, Laura De Castro, DNC 2012, The People's Convention, Democratic National Convention, Margaret Commins, Cover Story

Slideshow

Charlotte Pride brings out activists and flashy entertainers

And about 45,000 visitors

• by Joanne Spataro
• Tags: News feature, Stuart Milk, BethAnn Phetamine, Shiprocked, LGBT, CanyonWalker, Pride, Charlotte, gay, Human Rights Campaign, Charlotte Pride Festival, Harvey Milk, Marshall Park, Gateway Village, N.C. Music Factory, Snug Harbor, Slideshow

Party people at the Transfaith in Color Conference 2012

Charlotte celebrates its transgender community in style

• by Joanne Spataro
• Tags: News feature, Transfaith in Color Conference 2012, transgender, Trans People of Color Coalition, Kylar Broadus, National Transgender Discrimination Survey, minority, diversity, Charlene Archilla, Sweet-T: The Mini Ball, Anthony Foxx, LGBT, Hilton University Place, Tonyia Rawls, The Freedom Center for Social Justice, event, Charlotte

Cover Story

Exploiting the DNC

Charlotte struts her stuff for a piece of the political pie

• by Ana McKenzie, Joanne Spataro, and John Grooms
• Tags: DNC News, DNC, Democratic National Convention, DNC 2012, diversity, Event Fantasies, Wadsworth Estate, Aisha Thomas, Amber Serenico, GOP, Republican, Barack Obama, Democrats, delegate, party, Charlotte 714, David Benham, Jason Benham, Malcolm Bailey, convention, Barack2012.org, Krystal Harrell, Darlene Murphy, Create Exposure, DNC Host Committee, Laurel Green, Councilman John Autry, Occupy, Occupy Charlotte, Eastland Mall, Charlotte City Council, agenda, Cover Story

When CATS is out of whack during the DNC, who'll get left in the dust?

Another one bites the bus

• by Joanne Spataro
• Tags: DNC News, DNC, Democratic National Convention, DNC 2012, Uptown, transportation, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Transportation System, CATS, light rail, bus, LYNX Blue Line, Michael Schiavo, Chris Bode, Charlotte, convention, inconvenience, Charlotte Transit Center, Secret Service