🧵 In Today’s Edition

1. A New Fall Obsession at Vida pour Tea
2. The Weekender
3. What We’re Reading

A New Fall Obsession at Vida pour Tea

Last year around this time, when the leaves were changing and I’d stopped shaving for the season, the high temperature began to top out in the low 40s.

This can be exciting at first. Makes you want to break out an old peacoat and pretend you’re Robert Redford in Three Days of the Condor. But a few weeks of that and you’re cold down to your bones, it’s dark at 5 p.m., and you’re worried about the onset of seasonal depression.

Around that time, a source of mine suggested we meet to discuss a story at Vida pour Tea over on State Street. I appreciate the occasional tea in the lobby of the O. Henry Hotel, but I have never considered myself a Tea Person.

This is an important distinction.

Read the full story here.

— Joe Killian

Thanks for reading The Thread, a 3x week newsletter written by Greensboro editor Joe Killian and reporters Sayaka Matsuoka and Gale Melcher. Reach us with tips or ideas at greensboro@theassemblync.com.


This weekend, we’ve got a big mix of fun stuff. Kids can make crafts or cat cabins, while adults can participate in a senior prom or help out by donating to a local food drive. There’s also a famous investigative journalist visiting Greensboro this weekend, too. Check your calendars and make your plans!

FRIDAY, Nov. 14

Oh, SNAP! Shut Down Hunger Food Drive @ 2300 W. Meadowview Rd., Suite 110
5:30 p.m.

The federal government shutdown has impacted vital resources like SNAP benefits. To help families in need, the Guilford County Democratic Party is hosting a food drive. Check out the list of needed items here.

Creative Kids’ Night Out @ The Marshall Muse Gallery
6-9 p.m.

Need a few hours to yourself this Friday? Drop the kids off at a creative kids’ night out at the newest art gallery in town! Kids will enjoy an art party and create a hands-on project. The evening also includes a pizza dinner and a sweet treat. Tickets for sale here. Want to learn more about the gallery? Check out the venue’s grand opening on Saturday.

The NuBeing Evolution Documentary Premiere @ Van Dyke Performance Space
6:30-8:30 p.m.

Become a part of a documentary when you visit this premiere on Friday. Hosted by the NuBeing Collective, a hip-hop and soul group, this documentary charts the creation of their album, “X”. Those in attendance will not only get to see the film for the first time but also have a chance to be in the film’s ending, which will be recorded after the premiere. Learn more here.

SATURDAY, Nov. 15

Cozy Cat Cabins Workshop @ 980 Guilford College Rd.
9-11 a.m.

The temperatures have been dropping, which means more stray cats will be out in the cold this winter. Join other cat enthusiasts at this free workshop where vet techs will demonstrate how to make a cat cabin for local feline friends. Learn more here.

Southeast Health Fair @ Pleasant Garden Baptist Church
10 a.m.-2 p.m.

This free health fair will feature vendors covering topics related to health, fitness, wellness, seniors, and more. Learn more here.

Relentless Roller Derby Season Closer! @ The Greensboro Sportsplex
11 a.m.

Who doesn’t want to start their weekend by watching a group of badass women skate as fast as they can? This season closer for Relentless Roller Derby will be free, so the group is asking folks to invite everyone, even your archenemy! Learn more here.

Pig Pounder’s Holiday Market @ Pig Pounder Brewery
1-5 p.m.

Get an early start to your holiday shopping by stopping by Pig Pounder this weekend. The market will feature tons of local vendors as well as food trucks, live music, raffles, and of course, plenty of beer. Learn more here.

Senior Prom @ Craft Recreational Center
2-5 p.m.

Dress to impress at this community prom, specifically for seniors. The theme is Black and Gold, and attendees are encouraged to dress in their finest black and gold attire, join others on the dance floor, try their hand at the card tables, and take pictures in the photo booth. Learn more here.

Saturday Afternoon Nature Walk  @ 4910 Bennington Dr.
2:30-4:30 p.m.

Join other nature enthusiasts for this free walk in Guilford College’s woods, which served as a refuge for enslaved Africans before and during the Civil War. Enjoy the landscape while learning about local history from a retired professor! Learn more here.

SUNDAY, Nov. 16

Tau Omega Chapter Banquet feat. Nikole Hannah-Jones @ Bennett College
2-5 p.m.

This banquet celebrating Omega Psi Phi Fraternity’s Achievement Week features journalist and academic Nikole Hannah-Jones, who will be giving a keynote at the banquet. Hannah-Jones is known for her work on the 1619 Project and was a NC journalist for many years. Tickets on sale here.

ALL Y’ALL COUNTRY ALLSTARTS POTLUCK @ Flat Iron
6 p.m.

Boogie to your favorite outlaw and classic country tunes at this community concert. The event will feature a potluck as well, and community members are encouraged to arrive early at 6 to participate in a group dinner. The Sshow starts at 7. Tickets on sale here.



— Sayaka Matsuoka

What We’re Reading

Farewell to the Chief: Greensboro Police Chief John Thompson will retire in February, the department announced Wednesday. Thompson was with the department for nearly two decades before becoming chief in December of 2022. Thompson told City Manager Trey Davis about his retirement plan several weeks ago, The News & Record reports.

Be A Lot Cooler If You Didn’t: As part of a deal to reopen the federal government, popular THC products derived from hemp may be banned in North Carolina. The current proposal would reduce the legal THC limit to 0.4 milligrams per container, dramatically less than existing products. Fox8 talked to some Triad THC companies and companies that have expanded into THC products about the potential change.

Minimum Standards: Multiple past and present members of the Greensboro Minimum Housing Standards Commission (MHSC) say the city has ignored concerns about slumlords and inflated rents. Some allege being removed for expressing those concerns. Yes! Weekly has more.

Joe Killian is The Assembly's Greensboro editor. He joined us from NC Newsline, where he was senior investigative reporter. He spent a decade at The News & Record covering cops and courts, higher education, and government.

Sayaka Matsuoka is a Greensboro-based reporter for The Assembly. She was formerly the managing editor for Triad City Beat, an alt-weekly based in Greensboro. She has reported for INDY Week, The Bitter Southerner, and Nerdist, and is the editorial/diversity chair for AAN Publishers.