Sarah Edwards

Character Studies: Carlos Lemus Sr., Raleigh’s Cake Jefe Carlos Lemus Sr. got his start as a cake decorator at the Cheesecake Factory in the 1980s. Now, he's Raleigh's #CakeJefe.

Got to hang out with the wonderful Carlos Lemus Sr. of LaGana for the latest installment of @indyweek.bsky.social's Character Studies series. We talked about his fanbase, the Cheesecake Factory, and chasing perfection. 10/10 recommend his cacao cake!

I click on one weightlifting ad on IG and my algorithm is flooded with disordered fitness influencers. teenage boys are targeted by beta male content trying to alienate them from meaningful relationships with women. it's going to take more than saying "suck it up!" to reprogram that

Sign up for INDY's Field Guide Newsletter Sent Fridays, the Field Guide is your weekend passport to Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill's vibrant arts and culture scene.

Every Friday, I write an @indyweek.bsky.social newsletter about the Triangle's arts and culture scene — a breakdown of what we covered, what we're paying attention to, and ideas for what to see around town. I'd love to grow its audience - subscribe here! 🌱 🌾

"getting laid" is the wrong way into the discussion, but it's not strategic to dismiss the fact that the right has built a highly successful political framework out of stoking young men's fear of sexual rejection. the left doesn't have to indulge that fear, but being dismissive won't make it go away

yay, thanks sonya!

Sign up for INDY's Field Guide Newsletter Sent Fridays, the Field Guide is your weekend passport to Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill's vibrant arts and culture scene.

Every Friday, I write an @indyweek.bsky.social newsletter about the Triangle's arts and culture scene — a breakdown of what we covered, what we're paying attention to, and ideas for what to see around town. I'd love to grow its audience - subscribe here! 🌱 🌾

Just Outside Chapel Hill, a Capacious Space for Creatives Phyllis B. Dooney had long dreamed of a space where artists could find studio space, a darkroom, and community. Meet PHOTO FARM.

From 2024: “I don’t think I’m the only one who recognizes that there are a bunch of creative folks in the Triangle, and photo people, and a lot of us have managed to not know each other,” says Jessen. “Hopefully, PHOTO FARM will be a great place to connect.”

“Stories of Everyday Life in Prison”: Talking With Ear Hustle Co-Hosts Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor Ear Hustle Live!, the popular podcast's touring iteration, comes to The Carolina Theatre in Durham on August 6.

extremely cool to talk to Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor for @indyweek.bsky.social about Ear Hustle's origin story and how they've maintained a creative vision across fifteen seasons. @earhustlesq.com is in Durham next week!

I woke up a year ago 100% certain that I had to make a documentary about the Winston Salem chapter of the Black Panther Party. So I did.

We aim to release it early next year. This weekend I’m at Blackstar, looking for inspiration. If you’re in town, DM to meetup.

Ron Liberti and the art of the show poster WUNC music reporter Brian Burns get to know Triangle-based visual artist and musician Ron Liberti.

WUNC music reporter Brian Burns gets to know Triangle-based visual artist and musician Ron Liberti.

www.wunc.org/wunc-music/2...

Gonna see them next week!

“Stories of Everyday Life in Prison”: Talking With Ear Hustle Co-Hosts Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor Ear Hustle Live!, the popular podcast's touring iteration, comes to The Carolina Theatre in Durham on August 6.

extremely cool to talk to Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor for @indyweek.bsky.social about Ear Hustle's origin story and how they've maintained a creative vision across fifteen seasons. @earhustlesq.com is in Durham next week!

Chapel Thrill, like a lot of uniquely Southern places, has a lot of landmarks and ghosts. This is an excellent story about both, with some details I was not aware of. A good read.

Amy Sherald Cancels Her Smithsonian Show, Citing Censorship

This is such a tough moment for the arts. Is this censorship? Absolutely. Is it also the Smithsonian trying to avoid not only attention but lawsuits, fines, and other punitive financial assaults from this administration? Also yes. We want these orgs to survive..idk.

www.nytimes.com/2025/07/24/a...

False alarm, everybody! Turns out the kids they’re starving to death weren’t perfectly healthy to begin with so no biggie

A New Podcast Revisits an Old Local Mystery: Who Killed Rachel Crook? Elizabeth Woodman's gripping podcast looks back at the 1951 murder of Rachel Crook, a mystery that's haunted Chapel Hill for decades.

These days, if you drive past Crook’s Corner, you’d be forgiven for thinking the restaurant is still open. Its automatic lights still switch on at night. The famed fiberglass pig still stands guard, casting a small, loin-shaped shadow over Franklin Street.

“No Tax on Tips” Is an Industry Plant Trump’s “populist” policy is backed by the National Restaurant Association—probably because it won’t stop establishments from paying servers below the minimum wage.

"The formula being proposed would allow employers to pay tipped workers just $10.76 an hour—a pay cut that would reduce a full-time server’s annual salary by twelve hundred dollars."

Restaurant Owner Cheetie Kumar Wants Congress to Amend "No Tax on Tips" Proposal The vice president of the Independent Restaurant Coalition breaks down the policies she believes will most benefit restaurant workers.

the New Yorker just published a comprehensive piece on Trump's "No Tax, No Tips" wolfe-in-sheeps-clothing proposal. From June, here's @writingthings.bsky.social's interview with Triangle chef Cheetie Kumar about her work trying to amend the legislation and push for fairer policies.

60,000 Gazans have been killed. 18,500 were children. These are their names. Palestinian children have been killed at a rate of more than one per hour since the war began.

it is impossible to feel an adequate amount of shame

Lights, Camera, Union: Chelsea Theater, UE150 Host Labor Rights-Focused Film Series A new program at the Chapel Hill theater, "May Days: Labor on the Move!", includes screenings of films like "Norma Rae" and "A Bug's Life."

The series overlaps with the theater’s annual Chelsea Classics programming, says Matt Brown, film program and media manager at the Chelsea, but will continue after the summer.

Op-Ed: The Left Can Defeat the Rising Tide of Fascism History shows that oppressive systems can be overthrown, even when they seem insurmountable. What can we do locally?

For as long as I've known him, @natebakerdurham.bsky.social has preached the same policy agenda Zohran Mamdani has put a spotlight on in NYC.

Here for @indyweek.bsky.social, he makes the case for this Democratic Socialist agenda as the last best hope against fascism.

indyweek.com/news/opinion...

Young refugees start hot meals operation to help feed public housing residents displaced by Chantal A group of mostly young Asian refugees are cooking meals for families whose homes at a public housing community on South Estes Drive in Chapel Hill were flooded earlier this month due to Tropical Stor...

A group of mostly young Asian refugees are cooking meals for families whose homes at a public housing community on South Estes Drive in Chapel Hill were flooded earlier this month due to Tropical Storm Chantal.

www.wunc.org/race-class-c...

This story is nuts

Libby Buck's Debut Is a Gentle Summer Read About Finding Your Way Back Home Talking with Hillsborough writer Libby Buck about "Port Anna," her debut novel released by Simon & Schuster earlier this month.

"You know, when you write a book to make yourself happy, you don’t always know if it’s going to make someone else happy, too. So I’m just delighted."

Rising Tides and Raising Houses As sea level rises, 79 percent of properties in Beaufort are at risk of flooding. Residents of coastal communities must adapt or relocate.

Under current predictions, the sea level in Beaufort is expected to be 4.3 feet higher by 2100 than it was in 1992. At least 262 homes in Beaufort sit at or below 4 feet above sea level, putting vulnerable residents at risk.

www.theassemblync.com/environment/...

A New Podcast Revisits an Old Local Mystery: Who Killed Rachel Crook? Elizabeth Woodman's gripping podcast looks back at the 1951 murder of Rachel Crook, a mystery that's haunted Chapel Hill for decades.

This article by Sarah Edwards about Chapel Hill history (Crook's Corner) was fascinating. I had no idea about a murder decades before the famous restaurant. - A New Podcast Revisits an Old Local Mystery: Who Killed Rachel Crook? indyweek.com/culture/who-...

🧈 butter dog

We do not want ICE in our community. We do not welcome ICE in our community. ICE makes Durham more dangerous. ICE is a waste of taxpayer money when we have many other urgent needs. ICE is Trump and Stephen Miller’s personal police force. ICE has fascist tendencies.

Abolish ICE.

Volunteers, Cleaning Supplies and $20,000 in Cash: How Triangle Mutual Aid is Helping Flood Victims - Chapelboro.com Triangle Mutual Aid leaped into action as Tropical Depression Chantal’s floodwaters receded and is helping victims in a variety of ways.

Triangle Mutual Aid leaped into action even before Tropical Depression Chantal’s floodwaters receded – and has been helping the most impacted victims in a variety of ways since.