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Articles by Sam Overton
Echoes of Belongings: A Journey Inside Lockers
By Sam C. Overton In the sprawling landscape of modern-day existence, we regularly discover ourselves surrounded via infinite possessions, each imbued with recollections and meanings unique to our reviews. Among those items are the standard lockers—often disregarded but deeply great bins of our private histories. Lockers, whether or not in colleges, gyms, workplaces, or public spaces, serve as portals to our pasts, conserving echoes of our property that inform tales waiting to be exposed.
Tapped Out: A String of Raleigh Breweries Close Their Doors
In a span of about two months in early 2024, three Raleigh breweries within a half-mile radius closed their doors for good. Little City Brewing and Provisions was the first to go in mid-February; New Anthem Beer Project announced sudden statewide closures throughout March; and on April 6, Clouds Brewing left its West Street storefront. “Certain businesses were positioned in the right place at the right time,” Little City owner Jon Seelbinder says.
Interview with NC author Serena Kaylor
What’s the new book about? This neurodiverse high schooler—her name is Marlon Meadows. She’s going into her senior year of high school. Right before summer break, her boyfriend of two years broke up with her and she feels even more lost. She built her high school identity around the guy, and his main complaint was that he didn’t think she was romantic enough. She’s autistic, so that resonated with her in a terrible way. Marlon decides that she’s going to teach herself through romance novels.
At a New North Durham Farmer’s Market, a Diverse, Close-Knit Community Is Key
The commute from downtown Durham to the site of Bull City’s newest farmers’ market is about a 10-minute drive. A few minutes after crossing over I-85, you’ll find yourself navigating windy, two-lane roads dotted with the occasional small business or church before turning into Helena Bragg and Sylvia Williams’ property. “This is Soul Sanctuary,” says Williams. “It’s land that we bought so we could share it with the community.
Women's sports summit spotlights Durham as sports destination
When Kara Hess asked for a show of hands from returning attendees at the Emerging Women in Sports Leadership Summit (EWSLS) in late March, only a few signaled their return. The Durham Convention Center was packed to the brim with young women sporting business casual attire and Nike dunks, but most were newcomers to the newish summit. Co-hosted by the Durham Sports Commission (DSC) and Women Leaders in Sports, the EWSLS gave attendees the opportunity to network within a quickly-growing industry.
Hemp Generation provides a safe space for the cannabis-curious
With a baby strapped to her chest, a supermom ready to change a diaper at a moment’s notice, Chloe Blesh doesn’t mince words about the industry she landed in six years ago. “I tell everyone, ‘I lose more sleep from stress about the business than I do from her,’” Blesh says, gesturing to her young daughter. “Especially with the industry now—it changes quickly. It’s like, are you doing enough? Are you growing quickly enough?
Raleigh nonprofit raises awareness to end female gendercide
In the late 2000s, Raleigh resident Jill McElya was living in southern India where she witnessed firsthand what she describes as a bias against female births. When she returned to the U.S., she couldn’t shake what she had experienced. So in 2011, McElya, along with her husband, Brad, started a nonprofit, the Invisible Girl Project, to raise awareness of female gendercide and the work of others attempting to curb the unusually high ratios of male births to female births.
Dreamville Announces Stacked 2024 Festival Lineup
The fourth edition of J. Cole’s flagship music festival, Dreamville, returns to Raleigh April 6-7, 2022 with a star-studded lineup announced earlier today. Tickets are on sale on the festival website. Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj will debut at Dreamville in headlining acts on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Four-time Grammy winner SZA returns to Dorothea Dix Park for the first time since Dreamville’s inaugural festival in 2019, and J. Cole will close out the two-day event on Sunday night.
Heavy Hitters Sylvan Esso Bring New Two-Day Music Festival to Durham
Sylvan Esso is back with another two-day extravaganza in downtown Durham and this time it’s here to stay: Good Moon, the music festival debuting on May 31, will feature six musical acts across two days of programming. “We’ve been dreaming of our own two-day curated music event in Durham for several years now, we’re thrilled that it’s finally happening,” the pair told the INDY over email.
Hayti Heritage Film Festival Returns With Full Slate of In-Person Programming
The Hayti Heritage Film Festival was born out of a desire to keep the Hayti community’s rich culture alive. Once a self-sustaining Black community in the heart of Durham, Hayti quickly fell by the wayside after city officials failed to make good on their promise to rebuild a portion of the neighborhood decimated by Highway 147’s construction. In 1994, the event debuted inside what is now the Hayti Heritage Center.
Sam Overton, Author at INDY Week
This year’s program, themed around “Homecoming,” will feature 32 films over three days.
Blueliners bounce back in Hurricanes’ 5-1 victory over Devils to jumpstart round two
Caniacs may have thanked the New Jersey Devils for ridding the Carolina Hurricanes of the New York Rangers in round one, but the Canes showed no mercy toward the Devils this time around. Carolina defeated New Jersey 5-1 on Wednesday, May 3 in game one of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena. The Hurricanes hit a three-goal hot streak across the first 22 minutes and never looked back.
Letter from the Managing Editor: thanks, Mom and Dad
If you’ve heard me say it once, you’ve heard me say it a hundred times: my parents met at Technician. My mom was a photographer with a penchant for partying on the weekends, my dad was a straight-laced sports writer — a ladies’ man, even if he won’t admit it now — and the rest is history. They filled our house with light and literature, giving me that slightly crunchy, granola-esque upbringing marked by trips to the mountains, issues of “Highlights” and homemade dinners almost every night.
Father Finn leads Hurricanes to hard-fought 2-1 victory over Islanders in game one
In a predictably tight game, the Carolina Hurricanes pulled off a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders in game one of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The game was characterized by exceptional play in goal for both teams. Antti Raanta was the star of the night for the Canes (52-21-9), but Ilya Sorokin held his own for the Islanders (42-31-9) as well. “[Raanta] played great,” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour. “So did [Sorokin] — it’s crazy.
Canes top Islanders 2-1, pull ahead in Metro Division
Playing against a team fighting for its postseason life, the Carolina Hurricanes looked like the team that had more to play for in their 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Sunday, April 2 in PNC Arena. The Canes (49-18-9) outshot the Islanders (39-30-9) by a margin of 35-22, and despite trailing after the first period, Carolina came back with a goal in the second and third periods for the win.
Hurricanes suffer 3-2 buzzer-beater loss to Red Wings
With four seconds left in regulation, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman denied the Carolina Hurricanes their much-needed opportunity to put distance between themselves and other top teams within the Metropolitan Division. Walman’s buzzer-beater handed the Canes a 3-2 loss, their fifth in the last eight games. “It’s brutal — a kick in the you-know-where,” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour.
NC State softball easily captures 8-2 win over Aggies in midweek matchup
NC State softball defeated North Carolina A&T 8-2 at Dail Softball Stadium on Wednesday, March 29. Thanks to an electric start in the batter's box and dominant arms in the circle, the Wolfpack was able to crack out a win. The Pack (12-20) came into the early-evening game after suffering a series sweep at the hands of the Louisville Cardinals last weekend. While the Aggies (6-22) scored two runs, they couldn’t keep up with a quick-swinging Wolfpack lineup.
COLUMN: ‘Complain-iacs’ beware, Hurricanes trending positively ahead of playoffs
The stage is set: thanks to the Florida Panthers’ loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs last Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes have officially clinched a spot in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They’ll likely play either the Pittsburgh Penguins or New York Islanders, unless the Panthers really step up their game to slide into the first Wild Card spot. Both the Penguins and the Islanders should be relatively benign competition for Carolina, although I could certainly jinx myself on that one.
Bruins beat Canes 4-3 in shootout on Whalers night
One day after defeating another top Eastern Conference rival, the Carolina Hurricanes suffered a 4-3 shootout loss at the hands of the league-leading Boston Bruins on Sunday, March 26. Much like the previous day’s play, the Hurricanes (47-16-9) struggled to produce offensively until the third frame.
Gallant, Hayes capture national titles, lead Pack to fifth-place finish at NCAAs
The NC State men’s swim & dive team had itself a monster of a championship meet to close out the postseason. Despite finishing fifth — one place lower than last year — the Wolfpack tallied 373.5 points after putting up 291 points last year. Highlighted by three individual national titles, NC State performed phenomenally to keep pace with swimming powerhouses like Arizona State, Texas and Cal.
Kochetkov’s 41 saves rescue Canes in 5-3 victory over Toronto
In a thrilling battle between two of the best hockey teams in the NHL, the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 on Saturday, March 25 at PNC Arena in Raleigh. The Canes (47-16-8) entered the weekend match fresh off a hard-fought loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday night, hoping to put up a fair fight against the dominant Maple Leafs (43-20-9).
Canes lose hard-fought battle en route to playoffs, fall 2-1 to Rangers
The New York Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 Thursday, March 23, in a playoff-like game at PNC Arena. Encouraged in part by a rambunctious crowd, both sides looked extremely physical throughout. The Canes (46-16-8) were coming off a 3-2 win in New York on Tuesday night and were looking to take two in a row off the Rangers (42-20-10) but failed to do so.
Embrace the chaos and support our softball team, through the good and the bad
In the 10 years since NC State captured its second ACC softball title in Tallahassee, Florida, the Wolfpack has never quite managed to once again climb atop the conference standings. This season, a championship looks farther away than ever — in a whirlwind of embarrassing losses and coaching shakeups, the softball team is possibly NC State’s most disoriented program. And really, can you blame them?
NC State women’s swim & dive repeats with fifth-place performance at NCAAs
The NC State women’s swim & dive team capped off another solid season with a fifth-place finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee March 15-18. Highlighted by senior Katharine Berkoff’s second-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke and a host of top-eight performances from fresh faces, the No. 4 Wolfpack fought hard among a talented field of Olympians, American record-holders and young stars.
Canes too slow for Quick, fall 4-0 to Vegas at home
The Carolina Hurricanes suffered a 4-0 loss at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, March 11. Days after an underwhelming victory against the Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina couldn’t catch a break against Vegas goaltender Jonathan Quick. “[Quick] has been a champ his whole career,” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour.
NC State softball logs much-needed 11-3 takedown of Notre Dame
In a spectacular effort led by freshman right-handed pitcher Madison Inscoe, NC State softball captured its first conference win of the season with an 11-3 victory over Notre Dame. Exactly one week after they notched a win over then-No. 12/14 Duke, the Fighting Irish (11-7, 1-3) returned to North Carolina for the first of three games against the Wolfpack (7-14, 1-3). NC State handled Notre Dame in style, recording its fourth mercy-rule win of the season to end the game in six innings.
NC State women’s swim & dive gears up for tough competition at NCAAs
Over 250 of the nation’s top collegiate swimmers will meet in Knoxville, Tennessee next week on one of the biggest stages there is, aside from the Olympics or World Championships. The 2023 NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships kicks off on Wednesday, March 15 at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center. Thirteen swimmers representing No. 4 NC State will hope to capture another top-five trophy after finishing a mere nine points behind fourth-place Alabama in 2022.
You can do better than the Belltower: tips and tricks for getting the best graduation photos
As we hit the second half of the semester, graduates are inching closer and closer to that long-awaited, $100,000 diploma. Most students gravitate toward a graduation photography session to celebrate the occasion — something to throw up on LinkedIn or share with family and loved ones on social media. Unfortunately, professional photography isn’t cheap.
Hurricanes dominate Coyotes in the desert 6-1; Gostisbehere scores goal in debut
After two straight losses prevented the Carolina Hurricanes from capturing their 40th win of the season, they pulled off a sweeping 6-1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Friday, March 3. The Canes (40-12-8) wrapped up their short stint on the West Coast in style, thrashing the Coyotes (21-32-9) with two three-goal runs.
Eichel takes advantage of gaps in Carolina’s play, Canes fall 3-2 to Golden Knights
The Carolina Hurricanes lost a crucial game on the West Coast, falling to the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Wednesday, March 1. Although center Jordan Staal’s tying goal late in the third boded well for a potential comeback, Carolina failed to get off the ground in a high-stakes match. “We had a great third period,” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour. “We did everything we had to do to get back in it there, and I think we gave up two or three shots the whole period.
NC State Police Chief talks active threat response, Stadium Series turnout
Editor’s Note: This article contains reference to gun violence. NC State Police Chief Dan House shared several updates to campus safety and community involvement during the latest installment of Chats with the Chief, held on Feb. 23. House detailed protocol for responding to an active shooter on campus, discussed community outreach programs and spoke about the challenges of coordinating police presence for the Stadium Series and Frozen Finley games.
NC State men’s basketball capping off regular season with trip to Cameron Indoor
Riding on the heels of an embarrassing performance against Clemson, NC State men’s basketball faces Duke in its last game of the regular season on Tuesday, Feb. 28. NC State (22-8, 12-7 ACC) meets the Blue Devils (21- 8, 12-6 ACC) in Durham, which initially doesn’t bode well for the Wolfpack — Duke hasn’t lost at home this season, the only team in the ACC to do so. That being said, head coach Jon Scheyer’s squad is a far cry from what the preseason polls predicted.
Top lines fail to perform as Hurricanes fall to Ducks 3-2
The Carolina Hurricanes have a tendency to underplay some of their weaker opponents, and tonight was no exception. Following a five-game winning streak, the Canes fell to the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Saturday, Feb. 25. The Hurricanes (39-11-8), who have all but clinched a spot in the playoffs, settled for an embarrassing loss against the Ducks (19-34-7) despite outshooting them 53-15.
NC State track & field regular season by the numbers
Coming off of a record-breaking few months of competition, NC State’s track & field teams are gearing up for a fiery slate of post-season meets.
Berkoff four-peats ACC title, women place second at swim & dive conference championships
Although beating No. 1 Virginia would prove to be an insurmountable task, the No. 4 Wolfpack women finished second in the ACC swimming and diving championships in Greensboro from Feb. 14-18. Notably, NC State swept the backstroke events — senior Katharine Berkoff, who currently holds the American record in the 100-yard backstroke, claimed her fourth-consecutive title in the same event on Friday, Feb. 17.
NC State men’s swim & dive picks up 32nd ACC title; finishes with over 1,600 points
Putting up a record-breaking 1,615 points, the NC State men’s swim & dive team took first place at the 2023 ACC Championships, their second consecutive title and eighth in the last nine years. The Wolfpack dominated the pool from start to finish, tallying 1,173 individual swimming points, 320 relay points and 122 diving points. Senior Kacper Stokowski was NC State’s most valuable swimmer, picking up first place in the 100-yard backstroke and two additional top-five finishes.
Canes crush Capitals 4-1 at 2023 Stadium Series in Carter-Finley
In their most highly-anticipated game of the season, the Carolina Hurricanes cruised to a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals in front of nearly 60,000 fans at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 18. Amidst the fanfare and pre-game press, the Hurricanes (37-10-8) buckled down to play extraordinarily well against the Capitals (28-24-6). Despite the hype and high expectations that come alongside a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the Canes didn’t let the pressure get to them.
NC State baseball wallops Wagner 14-1 in season-opener
Not even inclement weather and ominous storm clouds could save Wagner from being thrashed by NC State baseball in its season-opener. The red-and-white ruthlessly took care of business despite the rain, running up the score and nearly shutting out the Seahawks on the way to its 14-1 victory. “We’re just glad to play,” said head coach Elliott Avent. “We’re glad to get on our field — it’s a beautiful field.
Jarvis’ first NHL hat trick leads Canes to 6-2 win ahead of Stadium Series showdown
Two days before the Carolina Hurricanes were set to face the Washington Capitals at Carter-Finley Stadium for the 2023 Stadium Series, 21-year-old center Seth Jarvis led his team to a 6-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Led by Jarvis’ first NHL hat trick, the Hurricanes (36-10-8) pulled out early in the third frame after a tight game, notching three goals in five minutes to hand the Canadiens (23-28-4) a loss at PNC Arena.
Libby Whittaker leads new crop of softball players for 2022-23 season
Redshirt junior Libby Whittaker is a bona fide leader of NC State’s fresh-faced softball team. The infielder is the only fourth-year who has stuck with the Wolfpack since her freshman year, and she’s as excited as anyone to see how this season shakes out with an almost entirely new crew. “We have a super young team, but that’s exciting because it’s pretty new,” Whittaker said. “We have 11 new people and [about] 10 returners.
‘Sloppy and ugly’: Canes’ win streak ends with 6-2 loss to Rangers
The Carolina Hurricanes suffered a 6-2 defeat at the hands of the New York Rangers in PNC Arena on Saturday, Feb. 11. The Rangers knocked the Hurricanes out of the postseason a year ago, and they certainly had Carolina’s number again tonight in Raleigh. The Canes received a boost from center Jesperi Kotkaniemi and left wing Teuvo Teravainen, who scored Carolina’s only two goals.
This year’s Black History Month events focus on ‘Black Euphoria,’ open conversations
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was almost engaged to a woman of a different race Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on the third Monday in January and Black History Month follows in February. During this time school children often write reports on Dr. King and the same facts are mentioned year after year and decade after decade. We hear about the I Have a Dream speech and how he was assassinated and not much more.
This year’s Black History Month events focus on ‘Black Euphoria,’ open conversations
In NC State’s 46th year of celebrating Black History Month, the African American Cultural Center (AACC) is preserving the theme of Black Euphoria with a full slate of events throughout the month of February. After its formal recognition in 1976 by then-President Gerald Ford, Black History Month presents an opportunity for the Black community to celebrate and reflect on their experiences. For those outside the community, it’s equally as important to understand the Black experience.
NC State swim and dive wraps up successful 2023 season, hungry for postseason hardware
The swim & dive regular season has officially come to an end, and now NC State’s nationally ranked teams look toward ACCs and NCAAs for a chance to pick up some hardware. Here’s a breakdown after four months of dual meets and competitive swims. Women wrap up difficult slate of regular-season meets Sure, the No. 4 women lost twice this year — an irregular occurrence as of late, thanks to Braden Holloway’s ferocious tenure as head coach — but after looking at the schedule, can you blame them?
DUELING COLUMN: Who the Canes should maintain at goalie after this season
With both Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta’s two-year contracts expiring next summer, it’s more than likely that the Carolina Hurricanes will use the opportunity to free up space on their roster and give some playing time to hotshot rookie Pyotr Kochetkov. Halfway through the season, Managing Editor Sam Overton and Assistant Photo Editor Ethan Rimolt give their opinions as to which goalie the Canes should drop.
Swim & dive wraps up regular season with wins over UNCW, losses to top-five Texas
NC State’s swim and dive teams picked up a pair of wins and losses between Jan. 27-28. In a top-five showdown over two days at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center in Austin, Texas, the No. 4 men lost to No. 5 Texas by a combined score of 178-156, while the No. 4 women fell to the No. 2 Longhorns by a combined 217-115. Back in Raleigh, however, the men easily handled UNCW in a 160-126 victory, and the women followed suit to finish the last home meet with a 186-105 win over the Seahawks.
Necas’ OT goal hands Carolina 3-2 win over Stars
For the second time this season, center Martin Necas scored the game-winning goal in overtime to cement the Carolina Hurricanes’ 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday, Jan. 25. A little over a month after hosting the Stars (28-13-9) in Raleigh, the Canes (30-9-8) closed Wednesday night’s game in Dallas with an electric overtime performance after three tense periods.
Men sweep, women split in ACC swim & dive showdown against UVA, UNC
In its first meet at home since Oct. 21, NC State’s swim and dive team picked up three team wins over UNC and Virginia on Jan. 20-21. Split between UNC’s Koury Natatorium and the Casey R. Willis Aquatic Center, the men’s team came out on top over both the Cavaliers and Tar Heels. The women weren’t able to best UVA’s nation-leading squad of Olympians and other national-caliber swimmers but picked up an easy win over No. 17 UNC.
Canes score five straight goals in 5-2 win over Wild
Coming off of a tough loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday, Jan. 15, the Carolina Hurricanes put on a dominating show with a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, Jan. 19. The game, which was highlighted by multiple penalties from both benches, was a tad soporific to start, but after three quick goals in the second period, Carolina showed no signs of slowing down.
Four losses in eight days: What happened to Carolina’s 11-game win streak?
In the blink of an eye, the Carolina Hurricanes went from an 11-game win streak — their longest in franchise history — to four straight losses riddled with errors, not to mention last Sunday’s soporific loss to the Vancouver Canucks. What went wrong, and how can head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s squad of talented hockey players fix it? From reshuffling a shallow defense to fixing the power play once and for all, there’s plenty Carolina can look toward in the latter half of the regular season.
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