Worcester Magazine Jan. 31 - Feb. 6, 2019 by Worcester Magazine

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City councilors consider options for Greendale Mall FILE PHOTO

BILL SHANER

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he near-empty Greendale Mall proved the topic of the night at City Council Tuesday as rumors of the building going up for sale continue to swirl. Spurred by two orders – one from District 1 Councilor Sean Rose asking the city to consider purchasing the building for a new DPW headquarters, the other from District 2 Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson asking for a general update on the situation at the mall – councilors and city officials alike discussed what the city could possibly do to keep the struggling mall from turning into a large, blighted property should it finally fail. Rose’s proposal to reuse the building at 7 Neponset St. garnered the most attention over the weekend after it appeared on the City Council agenda, even a nod from the city manager as a reuse idea. Rose made the argument Tuesday night that consolidating the Department of Public Works & Parks buildings to one large location like the Greendale Mall would free up parcels off Shrewsbury Street, adjacent the new Worcester Red Sox project and off Green Hill Park for development. He said he had a conversation with a developer who was interested in one of the parcels, and said it would make sense to free up prime land for more attractive development. Assessments, he said, are at an all-time high. “I thought this was a good thing to look at given the value of the properties,” Rose said. But his idea wasn’t well re-

ceived by all. At-Large Councilor Gary Rosen said he agrees with consolidating the DPW buildings, but not at the mall. “I don’t think this is the appropriate location,” he said, adding it was premature to make suggestions as to where the DPW should relocate. “The manager and economic development, these suggestions should be coming from them,” he said. After Rosen spoke, Rose amended his motion to strike

Greendale Mall, instead asking the manager to explore all options including the mall. When asked, City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. lent credence to the rumors the mall is soon to go up for sale. The current owner, he said, is just a holding company, not designed to keep the building for any length of time. The building was sold in a foreclosure auction last year for $11.8 million to an asset management company in Texas. “I think as it has been talked

about, malls and their futures are probably not bright,” said Augustus, adding other communities have done well converting malls into schools, or demolishing parts of them to reorient the property around anchor stores that are still doing well. Best Buy and T.J. Maxx, he said, are said to be fairly successful at Greendale Mall, despite the emptiness of the rest of the building. When asked for a timeframe, Augustus said he wasn’t aware of any, but felt sure the mall was go-

ing up for sale and not auction. Councilor At-Large Moe Bergman suggested the city manager negotiate a right of first refusal deal with the current owner, which would give the city more power over the process, even if it went to a private third party. “I think we as a city would want to protect our interests and consider that,” he said. Right of first refusal could be negotiated for a small fee, Bergman said, and would effectively

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 6

news

Trash, recycling plan yields online pushback A BILL SHANER

Trash and recycling left on the curb of Townsend Street. FILE PHOTO/ELIZABETH BROOKS

expanded services. City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. and other officials have previously defended the cost increase as the first in 10 years, and one that will supplement many more

services to keep the city clean. The manager’s plan, called the Comprehensive Clean City Program, includes a team of workers to clean up problem areas, C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 7

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eight-point plan, which includes expanded hours at the Millbury Street transfer station, maintenance of public waste bins in business districts, grants for community clean-up efforts and other

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proposal to overhaul trash and recycling in the city has in the weeks since its debut sparked fierce backlash online from residents. The proposal, which includes increasing the cost of yellow trash bags and replacing recycling bins with clear plastic bags, has been the subject of countless posts in Facebook groups and pages, angry letters to the editor, and even an online petition which has amassed more than 2,500 signatures. Feeling it the most, perhaps, is District 3 City Councilor George Russell, chairman of the Standing Committee on Public Works, which is tasked with holding hearings and evaluating the proposal before it goes back to the full council for a vote. “I’ve had more calls and emails and communications about this than anything since I’ve been elected,” Russell said in a phone interview earlier this week. Russell will hold a public subcommittee meeting on the proposal in late February. Scheduled for Feb. 28, the meeting will include an updated presentation from the Department of Public Works and will allow for public comment. While many in the community have voiced their displeasure

with the new plan, views on City Council appeared relatively mixed at the first meeting on the subject last week. Mayor Joe Petty and other councilors threw their support behind the plan, while others, including Russell and AtLarge Councilor Khrystian King, cautioned against it. Constituents are most upset about paying more for trash and for using clear bags instead of bins, he said. This matches the general consensus of a widelyshared petition on Change. org, which has, as of press time, amassed 2,777 signatures calling for bins instead of bags. In the petition, the creator, Michael Curci, calls the bags “just another thing we have to buy,” and said bins with lids would be much more effective. The clear plastic recycling bags will come three to a roll of city trash bags, and the price of a roll of bags will increase, from $7.50 to $10 for large bags and to $12.50 for small bags. Russell said he is skeptical charging more will lead to more people disposing of trash and recycling properly. “What it is, it’s charging for recycling,” he said. “Whether it’s built into the fee of the yellow bags or being charged for by bag.” But, Russell said, many people are not aware the cost increase and bags are part of a wider,

news GREENDALE MALL

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have a lot more breath of knowledge regarding trees and how they C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4 should be planted.” Bergman suggested finding allow city officials to turn down some way to incentivize developdevelopment offers it didn’t feel ers in the approval process to suit the property. “I feel like having some control keep trees, as it is easier in new over this parcel is better than hav- construction projects to get rid of them. ing no control,” he said. As she has often done over the Also on Tuesday, the Council years, At-Large Councilor Konnie also revived the idea of creating Lukes pressed the city manager a newer, more holistic policy in to take the problem of gas leaks regard to trees. At-Large Counseriously. Leaks in old natural cilor Matt Wally filed an order to gas pipes choke street trees out, ask the DPW to put together a slowly killing them, she said. She comprehensive policy on cutpressed the city to buy gas testing ting down and replacing trees in equipment and monitor leaks. development projects. The city’s “Can we finally get to the point current tree policy was created where we check on trees dying bein the midst of the the Asian Longhorned Beetle crisis of 2009, cause of old antiquated and leaky and Wally said the policy could be shade trees?” she said. “It would salvage an asset that we all agree improved. needs to be protected.” “As a whole,” Wally said, “the community and the department Bill Shaner can be reached at 508-767-9535 or at wshaner@ gatehousemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bill_Shaner.

1,001 words ELIZABETH BROOKS

bromance

news TRASH

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an education campaign, public waste bins in business districts, a grant program for neighborhood clean-ups, expanded hours at the Millbury Street transfer station and a textile collection program. “You’re paying more, but you’re getting more,” Augustus said last week. While most residents appear to be unhappy with bags for costs and ease of use reasons, some have suggested switching from bins to bags will take the city back environmentally. In a post that was widely shared and commented on, Worcester resident Jordan Berg

more time to pick up recycling more carefully. Russell echoed Berg Powers’ sentiment that the current system is not broken. He said the city could do a better job advertising that extra recycle bins are available at the DPW offices, and that residents can purchase stickers to place on any plastic tote up to 30 gallons – included lidded totes – making them recycling bins. He said people may just be trying to put too many items into the individual bins. In a long and detailed post on her blog Nicole Worcester, resident Nicole Apostola argued the city would be foolish to try to cut recycling contamination – a main driver for the move to bags

FILE PHOTO/ELIZABETH BROOKS

– as Worcester’s 15-percent rate is already better than state average. She also argued a municipal compost program would go a long way toward cutting down the city’s solid waste, a primary goal of recycling programs. “It has frustrated me that Worcester has gone from a city that innovated with recycling programs to one that is desperately trying to keep up with waste trends,” she wrote. “One area we are woefully behind in is compost. The largest source of unnecessary waste in our stream is food scraps that could otherwise be composted.”

Bill Shaner can be reached at 508-767-9535 or at wshaner@ gatehousemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bill_Shaner.

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Powers called the plan environmentally regressive. “Apparently, Worcester City Council is proposing plastic bags for recycling,” he wrote. “Think about how backward that is. At a time when cities and the state are looking to ban plastic, our city is investing in them for the environment?” Worcester itself is examining a ban on single-use plastic bags at retail stores. However, the plastic on the bags is thicker than the single-use bags used by retailers, and it is sourced from recycled plastic, according to the report. Powers wrote that Worcester has long been a leader with its recycling program, and suggested the answer to problems with trash blown around the street is to hire more collectors who take

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Plastic bags filled with recycling left on the curbside of Westminster Street.

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worcesteria

OFF TO AUCTION: Need to give a little signal boost to this solid piece of journalism from WGBH and the New England Center for Investigative Journalism on the city’s practice of auctioning off tax liens to the highest bidder. What that means is someone can come in and scoop up ownership of the property of a delinquent taxpayer via a protracted process ending in foreclosure. It’s a brutal system, and one the city voluntarily participates in. As NECIR reporter Chris Burrell wrote in the story, titled “Tax Lien Law Haunts Massachusetts Property Owners,” this policy tends to affect people who are either poor or going through something awful. City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. is quoted in the story defending the practice as a revenue source. Check the story out, it’s something else. Also, kudos to At-Large Councilor Konnie Lukes for bringing it up on the City Council floor this week. She asked Augustus to provide the Council with a copy of a lawsuit filed against the city concerning the practice.

A CHALLENGER HAS APPEARED: School Committee is getting a race.

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Worcester resident Cara Berg Powers has officially thrown her hat into the ring. A parent, a former WPS student, a doctorate degree holder in education, and a nonprofit leader, Berg Powers was most recently seen in City Hall railing against Superintendent Maureen Binienda’s compromise sex ed proposal. The whole sex ed mess is part of the reason Berg Powers decided to run, she told me, but not the whole story. As a foster parent for a relative’s child, Berg Powers said she had to fight tooth and nail at one school, Elm Park Elementary, to get the student support service, but when she transferred the student to Chandler Magnet, he immediately got services and support and thus improved academically. “So there’s two totally different experiences happening in our public schools,” she said. “I know we’re not the only parents going through that.”

CITY DEM SHAKEUP: You may have remembered a few months ago I wrote that this was going to happen, well it happened. Less than a year out from city elections and two from what should be a wild national election, the Worcester Democratic City Committee has a new cast of officers. On Sunday, Michael Lanava became chairman, taking over for Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson. Martha Assefa and Jose Perez were appointed vice chairwoman and vice chairman, respectively. Sue Mailman will serve as treasurer and Seth Nadeau will serve as secretary. P&B PAYOUT: You may have read online at worcestermag.com earlier

this week that a subcontractor at the 145 Front Street development was ordered to cough up a significant chunk of cash to workers they tried to stiff by saying they’d pay cash overtime and never paying – a galaxy brain genius strategy. That’s called wage theft, just FYI. And they’d have gotten away with it too if it wasn’t for that rotten union. Well, those workers are now getting paid because of the work of the Worcester Carpenters Union, and here’s what they had to say about the whole thing: “All of the wage theft victims were people of color, majority Latino. It was readily clear that these workers were being exploited here in downtown Worcester.” In the statement I got from them, they go on to call for stronger protections against wage theft, which I think our state Rep. Dan Donahue, has actually filed. Yep, here it is, HD.3789, “An act to prevent wage theft, promote employer accountability and enhance public enforcement.” It’ll be interesting to see how that bill shakes out in the oddly-conservative House of Representatives.

T&G’S BIG DAY REDUX: Last week I wrote about the Telegram & Gazette’s prominent placement in a New Yorker story about the (bleak) future of journalism, local and national. Well, I really appreciated a thoughtful response to the story by Telegram arts editor Victor Infante in the online lit magazine Radius. It’s called “Not Dead Yet.” That’s all I have Bill Shaner, reporter space to say. Google it, Twitter: @Bill_Shaner print readers.

news

the beat FILE PHOTO

A New Jersey subcontractor on the 145 Front Street housing development has been ordered by the U.S. Department of Labor to pay out $158,139 in back wages to 50 employees who worked on the project. The company also paid $33,880 in civil penalties. The penalty levied on P&B Partitions comes after the Worcester Carpenters Local 336 filed a complaint in 2017.

A magnitude 1.0 earthquake was recorded to the northwest of Worcester, in Templeton, on Monday night. The earthquake follows

several others in the same location late last year, but no property damage was reported.

Construction on the Worcester Courthouse housing development is expected to start in March after several delays due to financing is-

sues. Trinity Financial, the developer, expects the apartment project to include both market-rate and affordable units.

Worcester County home prices jumped 6.2 percent from 2017 to 2018, hitting a median price of

$275,000 for single-family homes, per the Telegram. The percentage jump was higher than the state median of 5.5 percent increase, but the average price of a home is still far less. The state median home price is $385,000.

increase contributing towns had requested. The district is defending the increase as necessary and thoughtful despite the cap placed by towns.

Fees across the entire MBTA system, including the Commuter Rail, are slated to increase by 6.3 percent as Gov. Charlie Baker proposed a fair hike for July 1.

artists culture

ight

Artist spotl

The Greater Worcester Community Foundation is accepting applications for its Creative Engagement Grant Program. The grant

program will “direct financial and knowledge resources to empower grantees to develop innovative ways to increase engagement with diverse communities that represent Worcester’s changing demographics, while at the same time building their capacity to more meaningfully serve the community.” The GWCF is accepting applications until March 15. Applicants must be established nonprofits focused on art and culture.

Clark University professor Abbie Goldberg released a book this week hailed as groundbreaking on the issue of divorce in LGBTQ communities. The book, titled “LGBTQ Divoce & Relationship Dis-

diate and Span to bring the Photoshop from the imme camera and to provide “an escape a spin on the laws of biliHarnois seeksin,” and his work “places endless possi ces them with appears upbeat world we live ery world and repla the physical ” While some of his imag viewer to continue s. ntly has ties of dream hopes they will force the curre ois Harn he ows and happy, t them as time goes on. Worcester Wind ter orces thinking abou ay in the downtown al ArtsW displ shown in sever e at a photo on rth,” and has ’s work onlin exhibit, “Rebi find more of the artist can shows. You . Samharnois.com

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Let us feature your artwork in Worcester Magazine’s Artist spotligh! Contact Joshua Lyford at jlyford@gatehousemedia.com for more information!

For most commuter rail riders, it means an increase of about 75 cents per ride. Meanwhile, new data shows the Worcester Framingham line has had one of the most significant ridership increases across the network. From 2012-2018, ridership has spike almost 46 percent.

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The Wachusett Regional School District presented a budget including a 4-percent overall increase, more than the 3.5-percent

opinion editorial

Social media buzz on local issues a good thing

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J A N U A RY 31 - F E B R U A RY 6, 2019

ocial media is a twoheaded monster. On one hand, folks can create fake accounts, say pretty much what they want with impunity and skate away unscathed. On the other hand, it can allow for open and honest discourse in a way other forms of communication may not. For better or worse, many users on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter appear more relaxed in typing away on a keyboard or on a cell phone than putting pen to paper, or making a phone call or, heaven forbid, speaking in person. There is a sense of comfort in knowing one can just type out what they’re feeling at a given moment and hit “send.” The ability to remain anonymous is another lure, although in many instances, people put their real name to what they are saying. One thing is indisputable: social media can spark conversation and engage communities. We’ve seen evidence of that in recent days on a couple local issues in Worcester. Dozens of Facebook users have sounded off on a comprehensive clean city program proposal by the city manager, one that happens to include an increase in the cost of city trash bags as well as a switch from recycling bins to clear plastic bags. And when

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District 1 Councilor Sean Rose suggested looking into the feasibility of the city buying the Greendale Mall and using it for its new Department of Public Works & Parks headquarters, the response was massive. A story published about Rose’s proposal generated dozens of comments on Worcester Magazine’s Facebook in a matter of days. An initial story last week about City Manager Ed Augustus’s eight-point trash and recycling proposal yielded more than 100 remarks on Facebook. On the trash and recycling plan, a number of the comments were in opposition, while many users responding to Rose’s DPW plan offered up alternative plans for the struggling Greendale Mall. City officials may not agree with how some of the folks expressed themselves, and may shake their head at those who appear not to have read in depth, if at all, about the city manager’s clean city plan, but the fact people are engaged is a good thing. Social media gives folks the opportunity to access information and react in ways that simply did not exist even a few years ago. Without question, that carries with it pros and cons, but in the case of news such as a new trash and recycling plan in Worcester, or the potential future of the Greendale Mall, it also

offers city leaders and others the opportunity to learn what people are thinking. A two-headed monster, yes. And that monster can hurt. It can, however, also generate discussion and debate as well as foster the exchange of information and ideas. And that’s a good thing.

Editor Walter Bird Jr. Culture Editor Joshua Lyford Reporter Bill Shaner Photographer Elizabeth Brooks Contributing Writers Stephanie Campbell, Sarah Connell, Janice Harvey, Jim Keogh, Jim Perry, Kristina Reardon

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Worcester trash proposal deserves scrutiny To the Editor: Worcester’s city manager, Ed Augustus Jr., is recommending some new trash initiatives, which are very interesting, but the idea of a 50-cent increase to the trash bag fee appears, in part, inappropriate

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and excessive. Wasn’t the bag fee implemented specifically for costs associated with residential curbside trash pickup/disposal and recycling? The fee was not for city-wide programs such as nuisance inspectors, drop-off sites, business district trash pickups, etc. These non-related services should be the obligation of all taxpayers, not just the residents who pay for trash bags. Are the people of Worcester happy about this proposal? Two components of the manager’s proposal, which are obviously bag fee related, are the clear bag costs ($600,000) and mailing costs ($100,000). Based on bag sales of approximately three million bags sold annually, this $700,000 can be generated by an

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Another perspective on current events

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dunk Nancy Pelosi, put her on the “no-fly” list and leave her stranded on a bus. The One World Trade Center was lit up pink to celebrate legalizing the murder of full-term babies. Gov. (Andrew) Cuomo demanded this repulsive bill be passed before he’d agree to sign the state’s budget in April. Oh, the irony. In this age of emasculation, Gillette decided to air an ad painting all men as predators in society, because we all need moral advice from a razor blade company. Note to CEO: know your customer. We watched the media salivate for a full day over Buzzfeed’s fake (Michael) Cohen story only to fall into their own fabricated garbage. If a guillotine was available, Trump would have been in it. Then we watched the media attempt to destroy the lives of pro-life boys at the March for Life rally because they were guilty of, well, wearing a hat. State Rep. Jim O’Day is at it again by refiling a version of the Fair Share Amendment. These tax revenues are “subject to appropriation” by the state Legislature, so we can expect Democrats to ram through huge increases for themselves like they did in 2017. When will these pinheads learn? Punishing the top earners only disincentivizes entrepreneurship, punishes business owners, forces them to flee and ultimately kills jobs. Shout out to Bill Shaner: If Dan Curtis you disagree, you probably shouldn’t Millbury read this letter. The waning Women’s March was finally outed for being run by anti-Semites. The Democratic Party disavowed its partnership with the march, but that didn’t stop U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern from marching with his little beanie on. McGovern also decided, as incoming House Rules Committee chairman, to not advance “supermajority” rules requiring three-fifths To the Editor: Every week, I wonder when Worces- majorities to approve tax hikes for most taxpayers. He wants to make ter Magazine will hire a columnist with a different perspective than the it as easy as possible to raise taxes predictable, liberal group think this on everyone with a simple majority vote to fund socialist programs like publication has to offer. Here’s anthe ones on (Alexandria) Ocasioother viewpoint on current events: Cortez’s platform. Yeah, that’s the The Democrats have revealed to same Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the the whole country that they don’t give a damn about the Dreamers or brainchild of the Democratic party, that just claimed, “The world is gothe government workers. It’s much more important to stick it to Trump ing to end in 12 years.” Oh, my God, than feed Americans. This feud had like, no way! an enjoyable moment when we Colleen West watched President Trump slamWorcester affordable 25-cent-per-bag increase. This increase would be fair and appropriate for those participating in the bag program. The remaining program costs for unrelated services should be generated by other sources and not be placed on the backs of the participants of the bag program. No part of this fee should be a back-door tax. All trash bag purchasers in Worcester should hope the Public Works Committee members ask detailed and extensive questions, which there are many. I would think people would want to know why this approach of funding is just targeting this bag fee. The other new services, in most instances, are needed, but the question is whether or not this is the fair way to fund them. The councilors must ensure the manager isn’t trying to be fast and loose with the people’s money. In my opinion, the city manager should look for other funding for the unrelated services, sharpen his pencil, and rethink the idea of a Clean Team, which is old school. Practicing good management, utilizing the DPW’s work order system and maintaining proper supervision can go a long way without having to dig deeper into the residents’ pockets. Worcester residents should watch the progress of this proposal very closely.

feature Sexual Assaults on College Campuses: Is Title IX Working? SARAH CONNELL

J A N U A RY 31 - F E B R U A RY 6, 2019

rett Maguire couldn’t help but laugh when he saw a poster for the current exhibition at the Holy Cross Cantor Art Gallery, “Rodin: Truth, Form, Life.” “I’m sorry, but that’s just so ironic,” he said. Maguire was referring to an infamous affair the sculptor Auguste

other signatories, all of whom were recipients of Holy Cross’ prestigious Organ Scholarship. Maguire sat in the Hogan Campus Center last week with fellow alleged victims Jake Street and Sean Redrow. They had spent the afternoon meeting independently with a Title IX investigator. They couldn’t speak directly to the process, as the case is ongoing, but it was clear they were exhausted.

From left, Brett Maguire, Sean Redrow and Jake Street, former students who came forward regarding alleged abuse by organ professor James David Christie at Holy Cross.

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ELIZABETH BROOKS

Rodin had with his student, Camille Claudel, who was driven to a life of recluse and eventually committed to a French mental asylum in 1913. Maguire is grappling with his own story of abuse allegedly suffered at the hands of former Holy Cross professor James David Christie – and he is not alone. Maguire has had to tell the story a lot over the last six months, beginning with a letter to Holy Cross President Rev. Philip L. Boroughs penned in August along with four

Redrow explained the decision to go to Boroughs was made when the group learned a new Organ Scholar would be arriving to start the semester with Christie in the fall. “We took all of the steps in good faith to show that we were really serious about making sure what had happened to us wouldn’t happen to anybody else,” Redrow said. As a presidential appointment, Christie had no oversight from the music department or anyone but

Boroughs himself. “Fr. Borough’s initial response pointed us to the Title IX Office,” Redrow recalled. “We wanted to solve this problem as quickly as possible for the safety of everybody on the Hill.” It is Street’s understanding Christie had already resigned amid separate allegations at Oberlin College by the time Boroughs received their letter. Multiple sources from within Holy Cross say news of Christie’s misconduct had been reduced to whispers until The Boston Globe broke the story in August. The group had been frustrated by a lack of response from Boroughs. Street remembers thinking, “The Catholic Church is a 2,000-year-old institution and on some level, they know that someday I will die and Holy Cross will still be there.” The circumstances, he said, made him feel helpless. Maguire, who has played extensively with the Boston Pops and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, said he no longer takes any pleasure in the organ music he was once so passionate about. He recently turned to woodworking as a creative outlet. “The first thing I made was a wooden spoon,” Maguire shared, “and I felt so much prouder of that spoon than any of my accomplishments as an organist.” The psychological and emotional manipulation he said he experienced as an Organ Scholar has colored much of his musical career. Redrow has faced similar emotions. “I have gone through several periods where the music just sort of left me, when I had no interest in playing,” he said, adding his livelihood depends on his ability to play. “In some ways, through all of this turmoil, the music is helping me to live my life better. It’s complicated,” said Redrow. “I hope

at some point, for Brett, that the music comes back for him too.”

account titled Sexual Assault on the Hill emerged with the aim to collectively dismantle rape culture at the College. That meant taking Holy Cross’ Title IX Office head on. Moderators neither wished to exploit the stories of survivors, nor single out Holy Cross. The case of the Organ Scholars had simply he Title IX process offers a host of challenges for colleg- provided a sense of allyship for survivors who found strength in es aiming to keep students safe on their campuses. Fur- numbers, as exhibited by Sexual Assault on the Hill’s rapid growth, ther dilemmas are inherent in the amsassing nearly 4,000 followers in need to maintain public relations amid staggering national statistics its three-month existence. “At the beginning of this year, indicating the prevalence of sexual The Globe article citing sexual violence among college students. misconduct at the hands of James Title IX of the Education David Christie made the reality of Amendment of 1972 is intended sexual assault on campus an issue to ban sexual discrimination in that deserved attention. The organeducation programs that receive ists’ heartbreaking stories opened Federal funding. Although Title our eyes to the degree of ineptitude IX is often associated with female student athletes, it legally protects in our institution,” moderators of the account said, “As students, we individuals of all genders from were horrifically disturbed to see sexual misconduct or genderthe lack of checks and balances based discrimination that denies at a place that enabled Christie’s any person access to education. abuse to occur for so long. It also Title IX offers colleges a civil led us to consider the lack of conrights option for the resolution nectivity among survivors.” of sexual misconduct cases and The moderators of Sexual requires lesser burden of proof Assault on the Hill expressed conthan a criminal investigation. In cerns about the Title IX process, Title IX cases, investigation and punishment are left at the school’s asking, “Where should students who are being harassed or asdiscretion; critics view it as a flawed system for institutions also saulted by professors, as well as students who are being harassed or tasked with public relations. assaulted by other students, turn Maguire (Class of ’02), Redrow to for support on a campus where (Class of ’98), and Street (Class of a culture of silence is upsettingly ’10) knew undergoing the Title IX prominent?” process would mean retraumatizThe Organ Scholars had commiting themselves, but that felt like a ted to the Title IX process out of a small price to pay for preventing further structures of abuse at their sense of advocacy. Their decision to report meant Holy Cross would alma mater. have to undergo three completely One consequence of sharing separate investigations, which their stories, which the three men would result in a finding that held never foresaw, was the outpourlittle impact on Christie, as he was ing of solidarity on Instagram, no longer employed there. a medium that didn’t even exist “I feel a lot of our momentum is when the three men, respectively, lost,” Street lamented in an intergraduated from Holy Cross. On Nov. 5 last year, an Instagram view with Worcester Magazine. “In

‘CULTURE OF SILENCE’

feature a way, they’ve already won because so much time has passed. Every day that goes by and they don’t make a change, we lose momentum. I guess that’s what advocacy is – trying to keep people angry until something has to move.” The moderators of Sexual Assault on the Hill remain persistent. In a recent statement to Worcester Magazine they said, “We thank the organ scholars for coming forward. They were the spark that started a blaze on this campus. As a direct result, the student body and faculty have started to reckon with the realities of life on the Hill in regards to sexual assault.”

CHANGE ON TWO FRONTS

oly Cross’ Title IX Coordinator Tracy Kennedy is pleased to announce her office is growing. The school hired a deputy Title IX director in September and is currently in the process of hiring a full-time Title IX investigator. Kennedy sees no conflict in working with general counsel and outside

counsel to understand the nuances of the law regarding Title IX. Kennedy is an attorney herself, with a background in dating and domestic violence as well as sexual assault. Before she was hired as an investigator at Holy Cross in September 2016, she worked for the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office in the Child Abuse Sexual Assault Unit. When the former Title IX coordinator left Holy Cross in June 2017, Kennedy filled the role as the interim, precluding her from her work as an investigator. She was subsequently hired as the Title

IX coordinator, but her original position as investigator is only now being permanently filled. “We are people for and with others and we think about the care of the whole person. In fact, you can see it,” Kennedy said, gesturing to a piece of paper tacked to a cork board in her office. “You can see that I do keep parts of our mission right by my desk.” Kennedy’s office is sparse, offering two low chairs angled to face each other and the lone cork board that hangs on a white wall by her desk. She speaks very quickly and in long sentences.

“What are our obligations to one another?” she asked aloud, adding, “I really think about that in the work that I do.” Kennedy said she is focused on providing a fair and equitable process for all participants within the confines of the law. “At the end of the day, that is my work,” she said. “It is important that I do so in a neutral manner, and to ensure that folks can feel that they’ve been treated fairly, that they’ve all had an opportunity to be heard, and that we’ve honored their experiences, whatever they may be.”

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 23.1 percent of female undergraduate students and 5.4 percent of male undergraduate students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or incapacitation. Below are numbers reported by area colleges and universities through their annual security reports as required under the Clery Act. Fondling On Campus

Current Undergraduate Enrollment According to U.S. News & World Report

College of the Holy Cross

2017 - 2 2016 - 6 2015 - 3

2017 - 5 2016 - 3 2015 - 1

3,000

Clark University

2017 - 1 2016 - 3 2015 - 3

2017 - 4 2016 - 2 2015 - 1

2,240

Quinsigamond Community College

2017 - 0 2016 - 0 2015 - 9

2017 - 1 2016 - 2 2015 - 0

8,500 (Open Enrollment)

Assumption College

2017 - 1 2016 - 7 2015 - 8

2017 - 4 2016 - 4 2015 - 5

1,940

WPI

2017 - 5 2016 - 1 2015 - 0

2017 - 0 2016 - 0 2015 - 1

4,435

Worcester State College

2017 - 8 2016 - 6 2015 - 3

2017 - 2 2016 - 1 2015 - 1

5,495

Becker College

2017 - 1 2016 - 0 2015 - 1

2017 - 0 2016 - 0 2015 - 1

Approximately 1,700 (According to Becker College Admissions Office)

Rape On Campus

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College

J A N U A RY 31 - F E B R U A RY 6, 2019

n Nov. 16 last year, two important events unknowingly coincided. First, U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos unveiled her proposed revisions for the rules governing campus sexual assault. Hours later, Holy Cross shut down classes and activities for the afternoon to facilitate a campus-wide summit on inclusion and respect. The timing was not deliberate, but it underscored a national issue garnering local attention. DeVos’ proposed reform targeted the Title IX process. If adopted, her recommendations would not only limit a school’s responsibility, but also allow for cross-examination of complainants in sexual assault investigations on America’s college campuses. The changes would effectively work to expand the rights of the accused. It is important to note that although 5 percent of rape allegations are found to be false, 95 percent of college students do not report their rape victimization to the police, according to a commonly-cited 2010 study published by Joanne Belknap of University of Colorado Boulder. As responses to DeVos’ proposal poured out across social media, students at Holy Cross gathered on campus for sessions like: “Engaging the Community on the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct,” “Saying NO,” and “How an Instagram Account Started a Dialogue: Sexual Assault on the Hill.”

TITLE IX AT WORCESTER COLLEGES

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J A N U A RY 31 - F E B R U A RY 6, 2019

feature erately made her office a warm and inviting place punctuated by loving photos of she and her family. Woods has concerns about how DeVos’ proposed changes will impact her responsibilities as Title IX Coordinator. “In the last go-round of proposed changes, the Department of Education suggested that each party involved, reporting and responding, gets an opportunity to have a lawyer cross-examine the other party,” she said. “So, here I am in my office. I don’t have a courtroom. I don’t have a lawyer on staff. Our students don’t have the resources, particularly here at Quinsig, to retain an attorney to defend them in a complaint at the college.” Woods fears the process could tarnish the relationship QCC has built with its students and create an imbalance of power based on socioeconomics. “We are an educational institution,” she said. “We want to educate our students about how their behavior could or should or would have been different, not try their case and face issues with the strength of the attorney or the representative that they retain.” She also worries about the prospect of live cross-examinations in which one party has a lawyer and the other does not. “We don’t currently retain an attorney for students,” Woods said. “We retain a general counsel, but they’re not here to advocate for our students.” A 2014 Department of Justice

study found only 20 percent of female students between the ages of 18-24 who experienced sexual violence reported to law enforcement. Schools are not typically aware of whether or not students choose to speak with law enforcement. At Clark University, “Students are always able to speak directly with the WPD and/or to go through our campus Title IX process if they wish, although some victims choose to do neither,” said Title IX Coordinator Lynn Levey, “We do not always know who speaks with law enforcement in Worcester or elsewhere, but that’s not a dispositive factor in whether the University will follow our own Title IX process.” The two routes are not mutually exclusive. “The Title IX process is quicker than the criminal one, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right process for everyone,” Levey said. “A significant percentage of the cases reviewed in the Title IX office are not criminal. Students may opt to participate in a criminal process and a Title IX process at the same time.”

als as very dangerous, but she has hope in the current generation of students. In response to Sexual Assault on the Hill’s assertion that a college’s Title IX office might be compromised by public relations, Peterson said, “The Title IX coordinator is almost always subordinate to the general counsel. I don’t see that much of a tension between the roles, which reflects the likelihood that schools respond and act when they’re threatened with liability and with protesting students.” She views DeVos’s changes as an effort to ease schools’ liability. “The Department is really relaxing standards, making it easy for complainants to be abused, and ramping up protections for respondents in a very one-sided way,” Peterson said. “Now we’re going to have this incentive to find people not responsible for sexual violence. That’s the cultural default that Title IX was trying to intervene and alter in the first place.” Peterson believes many individuals choose not to pursue a criminal case based on their impressions of how the legal system treats survivors. “Oftentimes,” Peterson said, “when people have a choice to take a civil rights option, as opposed to a very punitive criminal process that is sometimes abusive to them, they will opt for the Title IX process. Corollary to that, a lot ational organizations of people will want the school to such as Know Your IX have their rapists removed from and survivors like the Organ Scholars are push- campus, but they don’t want that person incarcerated.” ing higher education institutions Peterson sees Title IX as much to make a concerted effort to erase more sensitive to the gradation of a the stigma that prevents students from reporting sexual misconduct victim’s needs. “The other aspect,” she added, by clearly defining inappropriate “is that sometimes Title IX cases behavior and acknowledging a have higher rates of incapacitated culture of silence they believe has assault because perpetrators will gone on far too long. weaponize alcohol or drugs, and Know Your IX was founded in those survivors are the least likely 2013 by a group of sexual violence to have their cases prosecuted or survivors who had been assaulted taken seriously by law enforceon college campuses. ment.” “The goal was to look at how Peterson sees social media the Department of Education had accounts such as Sexual Assault really failed to robustly enforce Title IX,” said spokeswoman Alyssa on the Hill as effective organizing tools used to raise public conPeterson. “Schools were behaving with impunity toward students and sciousness. “At the same time,” she said, there was a thorough lack of un“it’s very disturbing to see a high derstanding about what students’ rate of sexual violence and how it rights were.” compromises students’ opportuniKnow Your IX has been invited Elizabeth Woods, dean for Compliance Education and ties alongside the DeVos adminisfive times to testify before the U.S. Title IX coordinator at Quinsigamond Community College. tration, who is saying, ‘Actually, we Senate. ELIZABETH BROOKS want fewer of you to come forward Peterson sees DeVos’ proposMultiple sources from within Holy Cross have expressed concerns to Worcester Magazine about Kennedy’s ability to exercise empathy during the Title IX process. When asked how she remains neutral in emotionallycharged situations without coming off as robotic, Kennedy said, “I can draw quite a bit on my past experiences because I have worked with individuals over the course of my career who’ve experienced many different things. I realize that my role is to ensure that I am respecting the individual who’s in front of me, that I am respecting what their experiences are, what their emotions might be, and to listen in a way that is compassionate.” Kennedy has also faced her fair share of criticism on social media from the Sexual Assault on the Hill Instagram account. In their own letter to Boroughs they wrote, “The current management plans and use of Title IX has not been sufficient.” The letter made demands for transparency of Title IX’s funding allocation at Holy Cross as well as how Title IX funding compares to other aspects of the College and other colleges. On the opposite side of the city, Liz Woods serves as dean for Compliance and Education as well as Title IX coordinator for Quinsigamond Community College. She is a student affairs professional, not an attorney. Woods operates the Title IX process alone, conducting all of her own investigations. She has delib-

KNOW YOUR IX

Tracy Kennedy, director of Title IX Initiatives and Title IX Coordinator at Holy Cross. ELIZABETH BROOKS

in a process where very few people seek justice anyway.’” According to Assumption College Title IX Coordinator Dan DiTullio, there were more than 85,000 comments and questions submitted to the Department of Education during the 60-day public comment period that wrapped up Jan. 28. If accepted, DeVos’ proposed changes to the Title IX process would result in an estimated total monetary cost savings of $286.4 million to $367.7 million over 10 years, according to the Regulatory Impact Analysis, but it comes with another cost. The new guidance gives a person accused of sexual assault the right to cross-examine the accuser, limits investigations to cases that occurred on campus or within an educational activity, and narrows the definition of sexual harassment. The Title IX process is challenging and offers clear limitations for colleges dealing with sexual misconduct on campus. For the Organ Scholars, a finding of responsibility that serves to protect students from future abuse would be a shred of justice, a sign of progress at Holy Cross, and an inarguable comment in favor of survivors’ rights everywhere.

culture

J A N U A RY 31 - F E B R U A RY 6, 2019

The annual Worcester’s Best Chef competition, held Sunday night at Mechanics Hall, served up tasty delights and winners in various categories, including chef Bill Bourbeau from The Boynton Restaurant & Spirits, who took home the coveted Iron Chef award. Clockwise from top left: Rick Araujo from the Civic Kitchen & Drink in Westborough, prepares his Iron Chef meal; chef Bill Bourbeau of The Boynton, right, goes to work; left to right, Araujo, chef and co-host Jay Powell, and Bourbeau; Mixed drinks are handed out at the Pisco Alegre table; People’s Choice first-place award winner Brian Treitman of BT’s Smokehouse in Sturbridge; a jubilant Bourbeau hoists his award. Photos by Elizabeth Brooks

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Worcester’s Best Chef dishes out food, awards

culture

Photographer Eric Nichols’ exhibit examines masculinity JOSHUA LYFORD

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

J A N U A RY 31 - F E B R U A RY 6, 2019

hotographer Eric Nichols walks into the Worcester Center for Crafts in a hat and winter jacket. It’s a frigid afternoon and the craft center is closing for the day. Stepping into the Krikorian Gallery, he flips on the switch, exposing massive portraits of a variety of men. From the center of the room, the male gaze is intimidating. Stepping a bit closer, however, reveals a more nuanced look at masculinity and assumptions about inner strength and confidence. “Scale is really important. It’s all about the scale of the print,” said Nichols, removing his jacket. “As you are far away, they are really powerful. There is a dominating presence. There is also a vulnerability because people are right in front of the camera. The camera, the back of the camera is honestly about 15-inchesby-15-inches. That power is sort of one part of it. The other part is the resolution. As you get closer, you start to see flaky skin, pores, scars. As you walk up you see where people have scars or dry skin. All the things that as a guy you aren’t supposed to care about, but we totally care about. “The idea behind the masculinity is that from far away, it’s strong. As you get closer and closer to the concept of it, it becomes more fragile and vulnerable. The idea is we project this strength, but don’t get too close. I’m strong, just don’t ask too many questions. From far away, look how confident I am.” Nichols began shooting for this project back in 2015, but was unaware at the time what it would become. He was shooting one-to-one photographs of a variety of subjects. As the project moved forward, it became clear to the photographer that focusing on male subjects was his path. “As much as it’s supposed to portray a feeling of security, there is a vulnerability hidden underneath that,” Nichols said. “I think that’s what I was trying to get at. A lot of what causes the pushback, is there is an undercurrent of, ‘I am not

Eric Nichols discusses his “Portraits in Masculinity” on view at the Worcester Center for Crafts’ Krikorian Gallery. ELIZABETH BROOKS

as secure as everybody thinks I’m supposed to be.’ It’s not necessarily that people are trying to be jerks, let’s face it, that happens. People can be jerks. But I think also people feel like they’re supposed to be one thing and if they feel even remotely show vulnerability, the whole facade falls apart. That causes some of the tension I think. That makes them unhinge. That building block fell apart. It’s that vulnerability that I’m showing.” Nichols’ pursuit showed some prescience, as the concept of toxic masculinity and what it means to be masculine have became a much

broader conversation. The photographer can’t help but reference the recent Gillette commercial. “A lot of people I never would have thought were insecure were like, ‘No, this is terrible that they’re attacking us,’” Nichols said. “They felt, ‘Pretty soon we won’t be able to be men anymore.’ I thought, ‘Really?’ It was sort of packaged in, ‘Don’t be an asshole.’ On the other hand, that’s a trait some people attach to masculinity. It was really interesting to see people get it and not get it at the same time. It’s such a building block.” “If you tell somebody, this is toxic

masculinity, well, the word ‘masculinity’ is in there,” he continued. “That’s part of who they are, masculinity is sacred. That’s part of my identity. If you say there’s something wrong with that, if you even suggest that, they don’t know what to do with that. They freak out about that and they reject that. You reject what you can’t fathom.” If Nichols’ Portraits in Masculinity causes conversation, then the artist has achieved his goal. Whether they appreciate the up-close look at masculinity is irrelevant; it is debate and conversation he is after. “I’m hoping they do sort of ask

why,” said Nichols. “What was it? What is it about masculinity? I never wanted this thing to be about the answer. That’s not a conversation. It’s like when you’re teaching if you stand there and tell everybody what’s happening, they won’t talk about that. If you leave it open ended, they start to think about masculinity and what does that mean. Is this bullshit? Is he making bullshit? I’m OK with that.” Eric Nichols’ Portraits in Masculinity will be on display through March 2 at the Krikorian Gallery in the Worcester Center for Crafts, 25 Sagamore Road.

culture With help from Oprah, Audio Journal aims for broader audience JOSHUA LYFORD

where one of her research editors got wind of it and called out of the blue. It was providencial, if you will.” While Lombardi was expecting a sentence or two in the magazine, a larger piece was a welcome surprise. With national publication comes attention, an attention that Lombardi and his team hope can be beneficial in the forward momentum and growth of Audio Journal. “I think it will help in all regards, it’s a national publication,” said Lombardi. “I’m trying to think of the best ways to the most mileage out of this. It validates what we’re doing, it hopefully gives us some attention. Maybe some fundraising and awareness. It’s important for our listeners to know that this service exists and that they can take it or leave it, but it’s a very valuable service we think. It’s good to let the listeners know that there are people who are willing to spend their time and efforts in producing and broadcasting just for them. On the bigger scale, we hope it says something about our community. We are a community that cares about folks who are disadvantaged.” In addition to Audio Journal’s broadcasting efforts, which are received through a special box that receives the organizations signal, the team finds other ways to assist the blind in enhancing their experiences.

Nicholas Gage, center, author of “Eleni,” takes part in the Audio Journal’s “Speaking Volumes” program, which was featured in O, The Oprah Magazine. PHOTO SUBMIT TED

Particularly, the team offers audio descriptions for theatrical events, such as the Broadway experiences at the Hanover Theatre. “We do it for a variety of people in the city, but most consistently with the Hanover Theatre,” Lombardi said. “We describe, we tell them what is happening on the stage as it’s hap-

pening. This is our fifth season partnering with the Hanover Theatre. We study the shows, we write our own scripts to describe what’s happening on the stage and work on the timing to get the information across to the patron without the play itself.” You can find Audio Journal online at Audiojournal.net.

J A N U A RY 31 - F E B R U A RY 6, 2019

udio Journal has been broadcasting for the blind and visually-impaired since 1987. Based out of Worcester on West Boylston Street and utilizing special equipment, the team reads local newspapers, books and magazines to those with vision impairments with the idea of keeping them connected to the community and local goings-on. With a recent feature in Oprah Winfrey’s “O, The Oprah Magazine,” the organization had the opportunity to reach a much broader audience. Vince Lombardi, director of Audio Journal, started with the organization back in 1995 as a “volunteer who wouldn’t say no.” Lombardi’s background made him a perfect fit for the team. “I think I’m an empathetic person from my upbringing,” he said. “My parents were empathetic. I had an aunt who was profoundly deaf and I saw how she overcame her challenges. She obtained a degree in library science by lip reading. An amazing woman. That helped I think, then realizing and getting to know the people we were serving and how we could help them.” According to Lombardi, only around 10 percent of blind individu-

als can read Braille, making audio options like the ones Lombardi and his team offer integral. “Most of our listeners had vision at one point,” said Lombardi. “Not exclusively, but many, most, had vision and often times at a later stage in their life, their vision, through disease or whatever, deteriorates. At that point it is very hard to learn how to read braille. Diabetes is a factor, that can affect your outer sensitivity, making braille difficult to read. Also not a lot is published in Braille.” When O, The Oprah Magazine reached out to Audio Journal, they were putting together a larger feature on unique book clubs. Audio Journal’s “Speaking Volumes” was a perfect fit. “It’s basically an on-air book club,” Lombardi explained. “It was started by our retired volunteer coordinator. It’s been a very popular program, it’s broadcast statewide. We have the opportunity for individuals to call in and join the club on air. Months ahead of time, we announce what book we will be reading. We always choose a book available in audio format. We have a great resource here in Worcester, the talking book library at Worcester Public Library. We have half a dozen volunteers in the studio and they go around and dissect the book. Oprah is all about book clubs, so I guess some-

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culture Lyford Files

Lifestyle

JOSHUA LYFORD

SARAH CONNELL

MUSINGS FROM A JOURNALIST’S SNOT RAG: Alright, I’m sick as

Redemption Rock

hell. I’m miserable. I will likely get an email angry about the fact that I didn’t capitalize hell (yes, this has happened before). My tonsils are the size of golf balls, my eyes are red and it hurts to keep them open, the snot in my nose can’t seem to decide whether it wants to completely block my nostrils, rendering it impossible to breathe or to drain from them incessantly and I’m so weak, I can barely hold my hound dog back from bathing in skunk scent. So, that’s where I’m at. If you don’t have the stomach for the level of nonsense that’s about to come out of me, turn back now. I won’t be offended. For the rest of you, well hell, let’s try and blast this out.

WHERE THE HELL IS FREE SOLO?: Seriously, why can’t I find a way to

see “Free Solo,” the Oscar-nominated documentary about Alex Honnold’s absolutely insane free climb of El Capitan? I know there was a limited run, but there is something of a tradition of rescreening Oscar nominees in theatres and I’m not seeing it. Central Mass is a world-class spot and the closest spot I could find to watch it was on a Tuesday was at 3:35 at West Newton Cinema. Bud, that ain’t gonna work for me. Blackstone, you’ve got those big-ass screens. Toss it up there and watch the cash flow. I’m not a climber, but I spend a lot of time hiking and backpacking, so I can respect it. Unfortunately, a lifetime of shoulder injuries has left my upper body capabilities a bit, shall we say, lacking?

TIME FOR THE RAILERS TO PUSH: Seriously. Let me start by saying

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J A N U A RY 31 - F E B R U A RY 6, 2019

I’m not that concerned. We were in a similar boat last year during the inaugural season, but it’s most definitely time for the Worcester Railers to crush it or miss the playoffs. They are in last place in the ECHL’s North Division and they are past the halfway point (as well as the All-Star break, a traditional health check on a team’s progress). They are tied with the Maine Mariners and only one point behind the Reading Royals, so there is certainly hope. They just have to storm up past the Brampton Beast (and if this happened today, it would actually put them up beyond the Manchester Monarchs into third) and they’ll be good to go. I don’t want folks to take this as a knock, the team has had some good wins lately and a recent fourgame win streak. No reason to be terrified, but it is certainly time to make it happen.

FREE THE NIPS: Can we seriously stop with this conversation? The “nip ban” pops up every now and again and it’s honestly mind-numbing. Look, I get it on some level. I spend more time walking around Worcester than most between my job and my high-energy hound and there are nip bottles everywhere. It’s gross, it’s nasty, etc. I’m not a fool, but you know what problem bothers me more? That when my dog takes a dump I have to walk at least five blocks to get to a trash barrel. The Canal District has been barking about it forever and they have a great point, there’s nowhere to put the trash. Of course, there will still be filthy literrers, but I have to assume it would be assuaged by some barrels. Otherwise, I lose my faith in humanity. This should tie-in with the much-argued trash plan City Councilors are discussing as we speak. The argument against? Too many local residents use the barrels to empty their household trash rather than buy the bags. Boo, bummer, but isn’t the “supposed” point here to reduce trash and recycling on the streets? Isn’t a barrel better than a sidewalk? Finally, which one of you monsters keeps throwing rotisserie chickens around Mann Street? Seriously, I’ve never once seen someone walking around with Joshua Lyford a rotisserie chicken, yet I often have to pull the Culture editor bones out of my hound dog’s mouth. *Sneeze* @Joshachusetts

Redemption Rock Brewing Co.’s line stretched out the door for Saturday’s Grand Opening celebration. CEO Dani Babineau was on hand rocking a dope fanny pack, slinging Hefeweizens, and taking names. I love a woman who REDEMPTIONROCK.BEER can fearlessly disrupt a male-dominated field, particularly when it comes to the beer industry. Babineau’s architecture background is equally enthralling, lending an aesthetic that falls halfway between chillwave and The Wing.

Going Goth

I have been waiting years for an innovative entrepreneurial type to take the reigns at Grille on the Hill. Cue Gino Raimondi, who is set to reopen GotH on March 22. (Also, can we all please agree to start calling it “Goth”? Sorry, Gino.) To start, GotH will operate with seasonal hours designed to cater to the golf schedule. Raimondi has leased the property from the city of Worcester and has high hopes to develop it as a sports and entertainment destination with bar-and-grillestyle cuisine. “We want quick service for golfers, but it’s also a space with opportunity for lunch,” said Raimondi, “We want people to feel like they can sit out on the deck in their hour lunch break.” GotH already has 50 events booked for this year. “We’ve booked 40 events in the last 20 days,” Raimondi shared. “The only shame is that the Lincoln Street entrance is blocked off.” Patrons will access GotH from Green Hill Park.

Superbowling at simjang

Guests of simjang’s Superbowl party will enjoy specialty beverages and simjang snacks while watching the game on all TVs. A $35 ticket includes a welcome beverage, all-you-can-eat ramen and fried chicken. If football is an intimate undertaking for you, then bring the fun home. Korean Super Bowl to-go packages start at $125 and serve up to four fans, including pork shoulder bossam with steamed buns, whole-roasted pork shoulder with kimchis, sauces, buns, 20-piece wing with spicy gochujang and miso soy garlic sauce, and nori butter rice. Wings are also available by their lonesome.

Get in the Carnival Spirit

On Tuesday, Feb.5, Jon Demoga of MamaRoux is teaming up with deadhorse hill for a collaboration dinner celebrating the Carnival Spirit of New Orleans. Attendees will enjoy Demoga’s four-course menu for just $65 per person, including a selection of classic Cajun and Creole New Orleans dishes done up “MamaRoux style” with the help of Chef Jared Forman. On the bar, Sean Woods and Derek Grimm will offer a New Orleans cocktail menu of their own, featuring an Absinthe Frappe and a Ramos Gin Fizz. Dinner starts at 5 p.m. Reservations are highly suggested. Sarah Connell contributing writer

culture

Samuel Slater’s Cocktails Shine 200 Gore Road, Webster • 508-943-1639 • indianranch.com/restaurant SANDRA RAIN

o sooner had I traversed the covered bridge, than I recognized the telltale signs of theme-park dining. It was something akin to Frontierland, complete with Disney-style faux storefronts and a lifesize statue of a bearded fiddle player wearing a 10-gallon hat and an American flag belt buckle. An educational display case showed off the inner workings of Industrial Revolution-era cotton spinning and an autographed photo of Kenny Chesney ready to take on Main Street USA. Chesney practically winked from behind the glass. Sadly, this wasn’t the Country Bear Jamboree Café. We had arrived at Indian Ranch’s flagship restaurant, Samuel Slater’s, stationed on the shores of Webster’s own Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. Let me start by saying the drinks are good. Really good. The mezcal paloma ($12), for instance, does

frothy egg white cocktails proud with the soft touch of chareau, an aloe liqueur. The quince sazerac ($10) is equally pleasing in its pretty little coupe, rinsed to perfection with St. George absinthe. The bar keeps a Maine Beer Co. selection on draft as well as standards from Wormtown ($6). Samuel Slater’s works hard to make a good impression from the moment you take a seat. Clean linens. Full place settings. Heavy menus. Branded water jugs. The fresh bread arrives with a full head of baked garlic. Tableside service is folksy and charming. Servers may have to dart back to the kitchen to get some answers, but they also won’t make things up. I relish honesty. Samuel Slater’s has a thing for microgreens. They come with everything, including the Island Creek oysters (three for $6) that pop in your mouth with butter and brine. Savor all accoutrements, because this is where Samuel Slater’s shines brightest. The Scotch eggs

($9), for instance, are overshadowed entirely by an addictive green apple compote. Their cheese slates (three for $12) are the deal of the century. The meat candy ($10), which is what they call bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with chevre, has become a house favorite in the three months since Samuel Slater’s opened. Like most everything else, the dish has been cooked for three minutes too long. This establishment isn’t going to nail medium rare if you order a filet, but that probably says more about what the cooks expect from their concert-going clientele than it does about their culinary abilities. The menu is rich with risotto. The seafood risotto ($28) itself is void of acidity and wants badly for a spritz of lemon juice, but makes up what it lacks in balance with hearty hunks of lobster. The molasses short rib ($24) is served over sugar pumpkin risotto with stone-ground mustard and candied pepitas. It’s the sort of clinging cuisine that will stick to your bones. Dessert is where it’s at. The lemon

thyme cake ($7) is a delicate treat with a decadent dollop of vanilla ice cream. And if I had a miniature pair of ice skates, I could sail across the surface of the creme brulee ($7). I have no doubt Samuel Slater’s will clean up in the summertime. The iridescent bald eagle, Samuel Slater’s seafood risotto. superimposed over an aerial photo Explanation of Stars: Ratings are from of the restaurant zero to five. Zero is not recommended. in the front foyer, practically One is poor. Two is fair. Three is guarantees it. That said, wintertime satisfactory. Four is good. Five is can feel sort of bleak for a Central excellent. Mass campground restaurant, so what they’ve done with the place is nothing short of remarkable. Food: HHH Appetizers, dinner, drinks and Ambience: HHH dessert for our party of six came to Service: HHH $254.66.

Value: HHH

JIM KEOGH

gation revealed this not to be true — the film was screened all the way through — though it did uncover a flawed voting system that made it easy to sink quality movies in favor of lesser works. Despite adjustments to the voting procedures, the Academy still manages to shun the very documentaries seen by the most people. One of them was another highly-regarded Steve James film, 2014’s “Life Itself,” which chronicled the life of Roger Ebert from boyhood to his struggle with terminal cancer. Sorry, Roger. “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” is another. Sorry, Mr. Jim Keogh Rogers. contributing writer

Alabama county), “Free Solo” (the vertigo-inducing account of rock climber Alex Honnold’s ascent of El Capitan), “Minding the Gap” (Midwestern skateboarders struggle to find meaning in dysfunction), “Of Fathers and Sons” (an intimate look inside the life of a radical Islamist

of all time, was kept out of competition on a technicality — the film aired on Canadian television before it was released theatrically. But the most notorious snub occurred in 1994, when “Hoop Dreams” was left off the shortlist. Steve James’ epic of two inner-city Chicago teens chasing basketball careers was acclaimed as a masterpiece by critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel, who warred against the Academy’s injustice on their syndicated television show. It’s impossible to overestimate the power this duo wielded back before anyone with a modem could pump out do-it-yourself movie commentary — their thumbs-up/thumbsdown reviews were the Word — so when they shouted from the pulpit, people listened. Ebert was particularly incensed. He claimed members of the nominating committee attending a private “Hoop Dreams” showing shined flashlights at the screen 15 minutes into the film, signaling they’d seen enough. A later investi-

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ne of my favorite rituals is the annual teeth-gnashing over who got snubbed for an Academy Award nomination. This year’s coverage centers around Bradley Cooper, who was passed over for directing “A Star is Born,” and a host of actors overlooked for high-profile roles (Emily Blunt in “Mary Poppins” and “A Quiet Place,” Ethan Hawke in “First Reformed,” Michael B. Jordan in “Black Panther,” and Toni Collette in “Hereditary”). Earning less attention is the snub of “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” in the Best Documentary Feature category. Until the nominations were announced on Jan. 22, the film about the gently-subversive wisdom of legendary children’s-show host Fred Rogers was considered a strong frontrunner to take home a statuette. Instead, the honor will go to one of these five: “Hale County This Morning, This Evening” (a chronicle of the residents in a small

family) and “RBG” (a biopic of Ruth Bader Ginsberg). “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” enjoyed both critical and popular success, finding its way onto many best-of-2018 lists and earning $22 million at the box office, making it one of the top-grossing documentaries of all time. So why no love from the Academy? As Geoffrey Rush’s theatre owner in “Shakespeare in Love” continually marveled, “It’s a mystery.” Most obviously, the group’s documentary branch (once composed of a wide range of volunteers from throughout the Academy, now staffed solely by documentary filmmakers) typically favors obscure, less commercially-successful films, which has led to some remarkable exclusions over the years. Crowd-pleasers like “Paris is Burning,” “Crumb” and “The Thin Blue Line,” which freed an innocent man from death row, failed to earn a nomination. Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11,” the highest-grossing documentary

J A N U A RY 31 - F E B R U A RY 6, 2019

A terrible day in the neighborhood

calendar Friday, Feb. 1 Midget Wrestling Entertainment

The Palladium, 261 Main St. Baby Chucky, Mad Mexx, Steve-O, Tommy Gun and Pinky Shortcake head to The Palladium with MWE.

Thursday, Jan. 31 Worcester Railers versus Brampton Beast DCU Center, 50 Foster St. The Worcester Railers Hockey Club takes on the Brampton Beast.

Thursday through Sunday, Jan. 31-Feb. 3 The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge St. The theatrical production of the best-selling novel heads to the Hanover Theatre as the son of Poseidon learns to harness his powers.

Friday, Feb. 1 Midnight Madness 2019

Wachusett Mountain, 499 Mountain Road, Princeton With two extra hours of mountain time, Wachusetts brings a fire pit, s’mores truck, DJ, cafe specials, snow tubing and live music from Ric Porter and the Sons of the Soil.

Saturday & Sunday, Feb. 2-3 Apothecary Marketplace

Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive, Boylston Tower Hill Botanic Gardens invites visitors to learn about the “mystical and practical” powers of plants.

Tuesday, Feb. 5 Mama Roux Pop-Up Dinner

The Score Worcester Railers Friday, Jan. 25 The Railers (18-17-3-2) kicked off the second half of their season with a 4-2 win on the road over the Adirondack Thunder, the first of a homeand-home series. Saturday, Jan. 26 At home, the Railers (19-17-3-2) knocked off the Thunder again, 5-1. Sunday, Jan. 27 On the road, the Railers (19-18-3-2) fell, 5-2, to the Manchester Monarchs. (Upcoming: The Railers were on the road Wednesday against the Brampton Beast. The team stays on the road Saturday, Feb. 1 and Sunday, Feb. 2 against the Newfoundland Growlers.) Worcester 78’s Saturday, Jan. 26 The 78’s topped the Elite Kings at home, 132.126. Sunday, Jan. 27 The 78’s won their fifth straight, 136-112, over the New England Outtatowners on the road. (Upcoming: The 78’s are off until Feb. 9, when they host the Jersey Express.) Worcester Blades (Upcoming: The Blades host the Markham Thunder at the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Centre Saturday, Feb. 2 and Sunday, Feb. 3.

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deadhorse hill, 281 Main St. Mama Roux and deadhorse hill team up for a four course prix fixe dinner inspired by Cajun and Creole dishes.

Adoption option

Welcome to Adoption Option, a partnership with the Worcester Animal Rescue League, highlighting their adoptable pets. Check this space often to meet all of the great pets at WARL in need of homes.WARL is open seven days a week, noon-4 p.m., 139 Holden St. Check them out online at Worcesterarl.org, or call at 508-853-0030.

EAST DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY

It’s sad when a senior animal loses their owner and home and is brought to a shelter. That happened to Cosette when her owner went into a nursing home. A neighbor brought her to WARL. She said Cosette is not a lap cat; she needs time to warm up to people. Cosette watched the neighbor visit with her owner for a couple weeks before she rubbed against her legs to say hello. The same thing happened in our shelter. Cosette hated being in a cage. We moved her to an office where she ignored people for a couple weeks. Now, she likes us to pet her. Cosette had an ear infection when she arrived. That has cleared up, but it caused Horner’s Syndrome, which is a condition where the third lid sometimes covers the eye. It doesn’t require treatment. It’s already retreating. Cosette is a 13-year-old cat looking for a quiet home with one or two people who will keep her company. She’ll do the same in return. Cosette qualifies for our Senior for Senior Program.

games J O N E S I N’

“Most Generous” – great things that share initials. by Matt Jones

Across

1 4 8 14 15 16 17 18

20 22 23 24 26 29 32 33

48 49 54

Fun By The Numbers Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

Last week's solution

Down 1 “Seize the day” acronym 2 Clapton or Idle 3 Cereal mascot since 1963

lucky guessing 43 Opens, as a lock 44 Senior suit 45 King Minos’ daughter who aided Theseus 46 Gear parts 49 Full of fruit, like some doughnuts 50 Swirly marble 51 Towelettes 52 Moray, e.g. 53 Q-Tip ends 57 Pound of poetry books 59 Actress Meyer 60 “Toy Story” boy 62 Laredo-to-Galveston dir. 63 Pedal next to the brake 64 Take in

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55 56 58 61 65 66 67 68 69 70 71

4 Get to work? 5 “Starpeace” musician Yoko 6 Nabisco brand 7 Air beyond the clouds 8 Condensed, as a pocket dict. 9 NYC’s ___ Hammarskjöld Plaza 10 Bit of rain 11 Brick-and-mortar operation 12 Stuns, in a way 13 Follows directions 19 Ultra-wide shoe width 21 Kind of 25 Gina of “Cocktail” and “Showgirls” 27 Make happy 28 Pugilist’s stats 29 “You may say ___ dreamer” 30 Place with memberships 31 “Electra Woman and ___ Girl” ('70s series) 34 Stop-and-___ (some landings) 35 Push for 36 Escapes 40 NBA legend ___ Ming 41 Ability that may be just

J A N U A RY 31 - F E B R U A RY 6, 2019

37 38 39 42 47

Nevertheless Bosc center Augments Gold, to Cortés “Let me sleep ___” Round figure? “Elementary” star Lucy Fictitious nursery rhyme writer ___’s razor (logical principle) Tappan ___ Bridge (span demolished in January 2019) Mice, to owls Snug as ___ ... Haphazard Lit Handled farm tool They’re unnamed until the end, on some game shows Reddit Q&A feature Bored response “Fight Club” chemical Thanks, to Tom·s Prefix for liberal or conservative Aptly titled 1999 debut album (and genre) for Eiffel 65 Mandibles Wolf’s intended victims, in a story Currency exchange fee Female sheep Carne ___ Like some doughnuts Earn the crown Active volcano in Sicily Regular breakfast choice? “Your point being...?” Assents Fully satisfy “Woohoo!”

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Invitation For Bids The Worcester Housing Authority invites sealed bids for Roof Replacement MA 12-15 1050 Webster Square WHA Job No. 2017-29 in accordance with the documents prepared by GAROFALO DESIGN ASSOCIATES, INC. The work is estimated to cost $1,048,295.41 Project consists of but is not limited to: Roof replacement, masonry repairs, electrical work including lightning system and related work. General Bids will be received until 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday February 20, 2019 at the Worcester Housing Authority, Department of Modernization, 81 Tacoma Street, Worcester, MA 01605 at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Filed Sub-Bids will be received until 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday February 13, 2019, and publicly opened and read aloud at the same address. Filed sub-bids will be taken for the following portions of the work: SECTION 042000 UNIT MASONRY SECTION 260000 ELECTRICAL WORK A pre-bid conference will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday February 5, 2019 at 1050 Main Street (Webster Square) Worcester, MA 01603 at which time bidders will be invited to visit the project site with the Worcester Housing Authority representative. Failure to attend or visit the premises shall be no defense in failure to perform contract terms. Bids are subject to M.G.L c149 §44A-J and Davis Bacon wage rates as well as other applicable laws. General Bidders must be certified by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) in the following category of work: ROOFING. Filed Sub-Bidders must be certified by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) in the following categories of work: MASONRY and ELECTRICAL. Each bid shall be accompanied by a bid deposit in the amount of 5% of the bid price in the form of a Bid Bond, issued by a responsible surety company licensed to do business in Massachusetts, or a certified check, or a treasurer’s or cashier’s check issued by a responsible bank or trust company, made payable to the Worcester Housing Authority by bidders for the greatest possible bid amount. Bid forms and Contract Documents will be made available on the Worcester Housing Authority website (http://www.worcesterha.org/currentbids.html) at no cost. Hard copies will be made available on January 23, 2019 at the Worcester Housing Authority, Department of Modernization, 81 Tacoma Street, Worcester, MA 01605 and thereafter, Monday thru Friday 8:00 A.M. through 4:30 P. M. Copies of the contract documents may be obtained by depositing $50.00 in the form of a company check, made payable to the Worcester Housing Authority, for each set of documents so obtained. The amount of the deposit will be refunded to each person who returns the plans, specifications and other documents in good condition within ten (10) days after bid opening. Bidders requesting contract documents to be mailed to them should include a separate check in the amount of $40.00 for each set payable to the Worcester Housing Authority to cover mailing and handling costs. The contract documents may be seen, but not removed at: 1. Worcester Housing Authority, Department of Modernization, 81 Tacoma Street, Worcester, MA 01605 2. F.W. Dodge, 24 Hartwell Ave., Lexington, MA 02173 3. Reed Construction Data, 30 Technology Parkway South, Norcross, GA 30092 4. Project Dog, 18 Graf Road Unit #8 Plan Room, Newburyport, MA 01950 Attention is called to the following: 1. Provisions of Equal Employment Opportunity; 2. Provisions for payment of not less than the minimum wages as set forth in the Specifications; 3. Provisions of Chapter 14, Acts of 1966, Imposing a Temporary Sales Tax, Section 1, Subsection 6 (d) and (k) exempting the Authority from the operation of such a chapter; 4. Requirement to furnish and pay for a Performance Bond and a Labor and Materials Bond as set forth in the specifications, 5. Insurance certificate indicating coverage for public liability, property damage and workers compensation, in accordance with the contract requirements, must be filed by the successful bidder upon signing of the contract. The contract will be awarded to the responsible and eligible bidder with the lowest proposed contract price including the dollar amount of all accepted alternates. Questions regarding this project shall be submitted in writing 72 hours prior to opening and emailed to Mod-Bids@worcesterha.org. Reference the WHA Job Number: 2017-29 only in the subject line. Worcester Housing Authority Joseph P.Carlson, Chairperson

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last call Eddie Ifft Comedian E

ddie Ifft is a successful podcast host and comedian with his own 30-minute special on Comedy Central. He will appear at WooHaHa! Thursday, Jan. 31 through Saturday, Feb. 2. Have you ever been to Worcester before? Yes, I’ve performed at WPI. You’ve been on TV shows, podcasts and everything in between. How did you get to this point in your career? Well, first my dad and mom had sex.

So, did you choose New York or LA? I moved to New York and started waiting tables and temping and doing comedy at night. I was very lucky from the beginning. I did a bunch of commercials and was able to get some money so I could focus on comedy. I got into colleges and got into the Montreal Comedy Festival. I got agents and managers and started doing TV shows. I would go back and forth from London to New York. I would go do three months at a time in London because that’s all my visa would allow. And then I would also go to LA for pilot season to audition for all the new pilots. I kept getting TV shows in America that would get canceled or wouldn’t get picked up. I finally said, “If I got all that work, I would eventually just take the money and spend it traveling through Europe anyways. So, I might as well let them send me.” That’s what I did. I toured around for about five years, from 2001-2006. I toured Europe, India, China, Scandinavia, you name it.

Do you feel a lot of pressure to produce content? There’s going to be a point where there’s nobody listening to podcasts. Everybody will be busy making them. There’s this pressure to put out constant content and I have fans that are like, “Hey, I need more. I need more.” They’re insatiable. I’m already doing two podcasts a week. And they’re like, “What else do you have?” And I’m like, “You know what? I don’t feel good about what I’ve given you. So, why don’t I do only 10 per year and I promise I’ll make them really good and they’ll resonate with you.” I remember when I used to watch a movie and then I would go watch it again and maybe again until I would know every line from the movie. I would remember everything that happened. I would savor the movie. Now I can watch the same movie two years later and I’m like, “I don’t know, I think I might’ve seen this.” I won’t remember because I don’t use my brain anymore.

basement of a bar, but it didn’t work. I bought a short school bus for $10,000 and invested about $80,000 into equipment and fitting out the whole inside. We refurbished the whole bus and now the bus is worth about $80. We drove it across the country for “The Bingle Show.” Just one way. It got towed back, $3,500 later. If you were going to recommend one piece of content for people to consume before they go to your show in Worcester, what would it be? Probably one of my appearances on the “Joe Rogan Experience.” – Sarah Connell

What are the logistical difficulties of mobile podcasting? It’s

a nightmare. Jim Jefferies and I did the podcast “Talkin’ Shit.” Jim left when he got the sitcom [Legit on FX]. We had a divorce and I got to keep the podcast. I had done about 150 episodes with him, but we did 499 episodes total. I did a Kickstarter because my wife kicked the podcast out of our house. When Jim moved out, my wife moved in. It’s not like I broke up with Jim for her. Jim and I are just friends. But she kind of kicked Jim out. She was like, “You’re a grown man, you can’t have a roommate.” When she moved in she was like, “Oh yeah, I’m fine with your podcast.” After about six months, she said, “Enough.” She’s like, “There’s porn stars in the bathroom. The police have been here three times.” I tried to move the podcast to the

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Do you still think there are too many podcasts out there? Absolutely. We live in a virtual world now. We don’t live in the real world. Kids don’t play, they’re on their phones all day. Nobody is socializing. Your whole world exists online. Everything you do, everything you watch is on the internet. People used to litter in the real world, but now that they’re not in the real world, they litter on the internet. I feel like it’s rude when people send me their How old were you at that point? blog or an email going, “Hey, here’s Right out of college. my podcast.” It’s like they just drove by my front yard and threw

a Wendy’s bag full of their garbage on my lawn. Then I have to pick it up and put it in the trash. I have to delete that email and it takes time out of my day and they’ve just littered in my virtual world. There’s these guys out there like Gary Vaynerchuk, who I want to strangle because he keeps going, “You just got to put out your content! Put out everything because you never know who it’s going to reach and when it’s going to be the one that takes off. It doesn’t matter what quality it is, you just put it out there and put it on the Internet!” It’s like, “No, you don’t. You hold onto things. You make it quality and then you put it out there.” J A N U A RY 31 - F E B R U A RY 6, 2019

Very funny… Geez. I was living in Pittsburgh, working for my dad, miserable, selling insurance. I was going out partying every single night and I ran into one of the local deejays in a bar. I was making him laugh and he said, “You should go do an open mic down at the comedy club.” I called and got on the open mic list and very quickly, after not even nine months in Pittsburgh, I ran into Lewis Black. He was headlining and I was hosting and he said, “What are you doing here?” I said, “What do you mean?” He goes, “Why are you in Pittsburgh?” And I said, “This is where I’m going to live for the rest of my life.” And he goes, “You need to go to New York or LA.” I said, “Why?” He said, “You’re young, this is your chance. Go.” I sat my dad down and told him that I had been secretly doing comedy and he wasn’t very happy. He thought I was coming out of the closet. When I told him I was a comedian, I think he was really wishing I had come out of the closet.

Where did you go to school? I went to the University of Pittsburgh.

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s t r A Spring

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Preview

Your comprehensive guide to SPRING ARTS in Worcester County. Coming March 21. Advertising Reservations close March 14. Contact your media consultant to reserve your space today! 508-767-9574 or WMSales@gatehousemedia.com