Apr 1-7, 2015

Apr 1-7, 2015 / Vol. 29 / No. 6

Cover Story

Furious 7: Need for speed

FURIOUS 7 **1/2 DIRECTED BY James Wan STARS Vin Diesel, Paul Walker Most film series have the good sense to end after two or three pictures, when the money’s been made and the franchise can’t really go any further. Those tentpoles that tempt fate, however, and expand beyond their expiration dates invariably result in debacles…

Matt Brunson

XOXO Gossip Boy

I don’t like bad-behavior confessionals. You know the kind: “Here is a great story about the time I stole $5K from a church” or “I pushed my sister down the stairs and her dreams of ballet were forever ruined — ain’t I a stinker?” Nobody needs to know those things. No great truth of the…

Ashley Spurgeon

Bizarre crime from Charlotte police files (April 2)

Why Take Them Off?: A 28-year-old South Carolina man phoned police after two of his rings were stolen. The man had placed a $7,000 white gold wedding band and $3,500 four-diamond white gold insert on the side of the restroom sink at Ikea. He knows water won’t rust gold, right? Maybe It Was The Easter…

Jeff Hahne

Weekly horoscope (April 2-8)

For All Signs: The 7th of seven exact Uranus-Pluto squares are over. These are slow moving planets, so they remain “within orb” until March of 2019, when Uranus moves permanently from Aries to Taurus. The faster moving planets, plus our Sun, will be caught in this web of aspects several times per year until that…

Vivian Carol

Religious freedom bills lock us in dark rooms

It was pitch black inside the tiny room. I shined my penlight in my boyfriend Kenny’s direction as he stared at items sitting atop a bookcase. Frustration was starting to tug at my insides. We only had 30 minutes to figure out how to escape before the serial killer returned and found us in his…

Kimberly Lawson

Examining the ‘to’ in farm-to-fork via the microgreen

Think of the last time a restaurant dish set before you caused exclamation over its beauty. What made it so amazing? Was it the arrangement, the colors or the ingredients themselves? Culinary experts know that we eat first with our eyes, and the best chefs take pains to create attractive and stunning arrangements that invite…

Alison Leininger

Three questions with Joey Linwell, co-organizer of NoDa Farmers Market

With all of the recent apartment development news in NoDa, the announcement of a upcoming farmers market was a breath of fresh air. The NoDa Farmers Market, located on 36th Street in the field owned by Johnston Memorial Presbyterian Church, will be a large (36-48 vendors), tailgate-style “producers only” farmers market. This means all produce…

Melissa Oyler

Going goo-goo for LaCa

Parents are familiar with the notion of “terrible-twos,” a time when their child will supposedly transition into a miniature monster, throwing tantrums and refusing authoritative demands. The beginning stage of that developmental process could set anyone into panic mode. Starting a new business has its own moments of anxiety as well. Fortunately for the folks…

Anita Overcash

CD review: Elle King’s Love Stuff

Thankfully, I heard most of Elle King’s album, Love Stuff, before reading who her parents are — a former SNL comedian and a model. And it shouldn’t make a difference — Google it if you’re that curious. King’s raspy, steel-cutting vocals command attention whether they are set against an acoustic backdrop or some soulful rock…

Jeff Hahne

CD Review: Delta Rae’s After It All

Durham sextet Delta Rae first caught my ear with their rootsy stomp-infused single, “Bottom of the River,” from the band’s debut album, Carry the Fire. The song was driven by strong harmonies, simple rhythms and an organic, earthy feel. The rest of that album aimed for something bigger, but remained grounded in its simple approach…

Jeff Hahne

Gerrymandering is why North Carolina is screwed

What if I told you that during the 2012 elections in North Carolina, the majority of votes (51 percent of two-party votes) went to Democratic candidates? You might wonder why Republicans took nine of the state’s 13 U.S. House seats or question how Republicans got a veto-proof majority in the state General Assembly. The answer…

Erin Tracy-Blackwood

Heavy rock quartet Crobot unashamed of their interest in weed

When it comes to European beer, it’s a safe bet that Germany and Belgium will be top-notch, but who knows what you’ll find in your travels elsewhere. The same can be said for marijuana. You know Amsterdam has it on lock, but outside of that, it’s hard to know what to expect. “Finland? Who would…

Jeff Hahne

Recent

See all

Gift this article