Worcester Magazine August 27 - September 2, 2020

AUG. 27 - SEPT. 2, 2020 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

CULTURE • ARTS • DINING • VOICES

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LOOKING FOR SIGNS Art project seeks to bring hope to Worcester streets

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the cover Looking for Signs: Art project seeks to bring hope to Worcester streets Story on page 11 Sign by Pamela Stolz Submitted photo ; Design by Kimberly Vasseur

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FEATURED

Closer to iHeart Veteran WAAF DJ Mike Hsu brings the spirit of radio to The Pike CRAIG S. SEMON

“Bob Goodell really worked hard to get me on the air and I am very thankful for that. Even if it’s just a nvisible airwaves are crackling couple of hours a week, I’m still back with life at 250 Commercial St., on the air,” Hsu said. “Bob’s an oldas bright antennae bristle with school radio guy. He likes it being live the energy of The Pike’s newest and local. And, I like that, too. It was disc-jockey. great working in Boston but I live After a six month’s hiatus from here in Worcester. Anything I can do the commercial airwaves, veteran WAAF radio personality Mike Hsu is to be part of the community and to promote what is going on in this city, on The Pike 100 FM from 6 to 8 p.m.

I’m just thrilled to do that.”

Monday through Friday and 4 to 7 As with many of us, 2020 will p.m. Saturdays. certainly go down as a year Hsu will Hsu — who comes to The Pike always remember no matter how with more than 20 years on WAAF hard he tries to forget. And that was and additional 10 years of on-air even before the pandemic. experience prior to WAAF — said In January, Hsu, a diehard Rush he is really psyched to be working in fan, had one of the emotionally hardWorcester, not just because of the est on-air shifts when the news broke time chiseled off his daily commute that Rush drummer and lyricist Neal but he loves this city.

Peart died.

And it all started with a friendly While Peart’s death was tough call from Bob Rivers and Peter Zipel, to handle, it was nothing compared better known by the radio moniker “Bob and Zip,” the cohosts of the very to the heartbreaking news they got popular WAAF morning show in the on Feb. 18, that WAAF would be no more after midnight Feb. 21. ’80s.

Hsu had been on-air fixtures at A month or so ago when they were WAAF for more than 20 years and, filling in for some slots on The Pike, alongside kindred spirit Mistress Bob and Zip asked Hsu, who hadn’t Carrie of Leominster (who just anbeen in the DJ booth since Feb. 21, if nounced her engagement last week; he wanted to sit in with them. Hsu congrats!), the two were there to the jumped for the chance. bittersweet, hell-raising, head-bang“Bob and Zip, I listened to them ing end. But it wasn’t easy for either when I was in high school. They’re of them, nor their diehard fans. one of the reasons I wanted to get “I was pretty down about it for a into this business,” Hsu said. “It was long time. I still get down about it,” a real thrill to work with them. I felt I was 15 years old again, I was a little Hsu said. “Luckily, I have my lovely wife and my daughter and they have intimidated but they were really been nothing but awesome during great and I had a great time. And, I this whole thing and super supportguess, somebody heard something ive and helpful. They’ve just been they liked.” great.”

That “somebody” was consumThen, less than a month later, Hsu mate radio guy and corporate radio and the nation got hit with the harsh class act Bob Goodell. reality of the coronavirus. While Hsu The regional vice president of Cumulus Media (which includes WXLO has experienced the anxiety and stress that we all have, it wasn’t an 104.5 FM, The Pike 100 FM and easy time for the out-of-work radio NASH Icon 98.9 FM), Goodell, who once was WAAF’s regional marketing personality.

During the downtime, Hsu sounddirector, knows radio talent when he proofed his closet in his home office hears it. to record “audio stuff ” and dabbled “As sad as I was to see my alma in a series of podcasts, including a mater and legendary rock station regular guest-spot on “Breaking the WAAF go Christian music, it gave us the opportunity to add Mike Hsu, Ice,” hosted by former WAAF alum Josh Dolan and Isaiah. one of WAAF’s best DJ’s, to our staff “The podcasts are a lot like a at 100 FM The Pike,” Goodell said.

“Chuck Perks, The Pike’s program di- continuation of what we were doing on AAF,” Hsu said. “It’s really brash rector, and I both know and respect and juvenile and possibly offensive to Mike’s knowledge of rock music, his many people, but that AAF attitude roots from living in Worcester and is in there.” his talent. As the Who said, ‘Long Hsu has also been doing a Neil live rock!’”

Young podcast called “Long May You

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Veteran WAAF DJ Michael Hsu can now be found on The Pike.

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Young” (a cheeky homage to “Long May You Run,” the 1976 collaboration between Stephen Stills and Young).

On it, Hsu and brothers Luke and Russ Condon (of the Americana band Town Meeting of Ayer) amusingly, knowledgeably and affectionately examine a different Neil Young album each episode. The show, which was one of those happy accidents, was an instant hit and was quickly picked up by Pantheon Podcasts (aka “The Podcast Network for Music Lovers”).

One thing Hsu loves more than playing music is talking about music.

“There are not a lot of other people that I can talk music with because I’m such a nerd about it and I get into all the minutia and they start going, ‘OK, he’s out of control. I have to find out how to end this conversation,’” Hsu said. “There are only a few people that I can talk music with that geek out about it as much as I do.”

So the transition from “The Only Station in Boston That Really Rocks” to “Worcester’s #1 for classic hits” is not a hard one for Hsu. “It’s classic hits. I know all the hits.

There’s a lot of stuff AAF used to play back in the day,” Hsu said. “The songs they play on The Pike, I love that stuff, and it’s fun talking about.”

Perks, The Pike’s program director (and, formerly, the WAAF radio personality and heavy metal hairband connoisseur “Mike Wild”), knew Hsu is a big Rush fan, so he allowed him to play Rush’s “Working Man” as his first song on-air at The Pike.

“I was really psyched about that.

So I have to thank Chuck Perks for that,” Hsu said. “Chuck’s a great guy.

I’m glad to work Chuck again.”

When offered the job, Hsu said the first thing Goodell and Perks said to him were “We want you to be yourself.”

Reflecting on the good times at

WAAF, Hsu hopes to play a bigger role at The Pike as time progresses, which includes, possibly, doing a podcast, blog, public appearances and live remotes.

“Stuff like the Indoor Beach Party and Locobazooka, all those big shows WAAF used to put on,” Hsu fondly recalled, “and just hanging with the listeners and getting out of hand and doing endless shots of Jägermeister, I had so many good times, not just the staff but the listeners at WAAF.” Hsu said he’ll attend the next “Awesome ’80s Prom” put on WXLO, one of the sisters stations of The Pike and broadcast out of the same building on Commercial Street.

“I’d like to think I had a pretty amazing mullet back in the ’80s. So if there is any way to recreate that, I will for the Awesome ’80s Prom,” Hsu said. “My mullet put Bono to shame.

I would like to do that.”

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Standing against the odds

What drives members of 350 Central Mass in the fight against fossil fuels VEER MUDAMBI

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predicament many activists face is the issue of “whatabout-ism.” The question of “what about this or that” threatens to become paralyzing and can come from both the public and other activists. Fighting for one cause always seems to be at the expense of another. Invariably, it becomes a value judgment — if you devote your energies to climate change then you’re not prioritizing world hunger, and if you focus on that then you’re ignoring the domestic income gap. All of these problems must be addressed, but which one first?

“Climate change is a crisis that affects everything and will be affected by everything,” said Errica Saunders, a member of 350 Central Mass, a local affiliate of 350.org. While the organizations are for climate activism, their members steadfastly believe that in fact, one can tackle all these issues together. “If climate change affects your food security, then you aren’t going to be able to afford the food to put on your table if we don’t raise the minimum wage.”

The organization 350.org was originally founded in 2008 and the name refers to the parts per million of carbon dioxide that the atmosphere can sustain without serious climate consequences. When the Industrial Revolution began in 1750, the concentration was less than 280 ppm; as of 2019, it’s 409.8 ppm, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.

350 Central, headquartered in Worcester and serving the Central Massachusetts area, had its first meeting in 2014. In Worcester, the group organized elaborate demonstrations including a funeral for the planet last year, complete with speakers, mourning clothes and a coffin.

Addressing climate change as a social justice issue is the key to building “an equitable and sustainable world for everybody,” said Saunders.

While this sounds hopeful, it is more a statement of grim reality that drew Saunders to the movement.

When she heard 350.org founder Bill McKibben speak, it was not encouraging. He described the threat of climate change, spurred by burning fossil fuels which emit unsustainable levels of greenhouse gases, as a struggle “we’re probably not going to win but we have to try,” she recalled.

That realistic approach, said Saunders, is what spoke to her.

As a rallying cry, it may leave something to be desired but an uphill battle generates a special brand of enthusiasm. Every victory is that much sweeter, so when Saunders feels burned out, she finds solace in the movement’s progress. When she originally joined, activists had to fight for politicians to even discuss the climate crisis. One of her earliest activities with the organization was joining a group that set up camp outside of Boston City Hall, as part of a vigil to incorporate climate change into the Senate debate at the time.

Seven years later, “every speech at the Democratic National Convention has mentioned climate change,” Saunders noted proudly.

Through advocacy, 350 Central has brought about tangible benefits on the local level as well, ensuring that water is tested more often and

Clockwise from top left: A climate strike in downtown Worcester in September 2019 (submitted); environmental activist Errica Saunders (Ashley Green); Rep. Jim McGovern pledges to accept no contributions from fossil fuel companies in July 2019 (submitted); A 2019 die-in gas leaks are fixed. “It matters to someone somewhere,” said Saunders. in Worcester to advocate for addressign climate change “That just lights my fire. I want to (submitted). make sure kids can breathe easily and drink healthy water without having to worry about toxins.”

What drove Janet Cason to join 350 Central is the fact that, for her, these are not issues. “Guilt is a big part,” she explained, “as a privileged white person who’s well off enough to live in an area with clean air and clean water, to see other people suffering and sit by and watch is just not acceptable.” Cason is an example of the intersectionality of activism, having become involved after attending a meeting to remove corporate money from politics. Though she claims to have “no idea of real activism,” Cason has taken part in some of the nation’s most historic protests as a young woman, including the anti-war and ecological movements of the 1970s.

Charlene DiCalogero credits Cason for recruiting her. Having been active in many social justice issues, DiCalogero agreed with Saunders that climate change is an umbrella issue. “It’s happening to everything and everyone,” she said. “I’m not sure if that’s inspiring or horrifying.”

DiCalogero appreciates the group’s simultaneous focus on advocating for new legislation while recognizing the need for public demonstrations.

A strong believer in protesting, she participated in the 1980s anti-apartheid protests but knows working within the system can be just as potent. Believing the climate movement always needs more advocates in the Legislature, she is currently a candidate for state representative of the 12th Worcester District, running

as a member of the Green Rainbow Party.

Each in their own way, these activists are fighting social inequities on a systemic level through the lens of climate change. “A big part of the 350 Central conversation,” said Saunders, is about going beyond the basics, more than “reusable bags, we’re talking about better building codes, divesting from fossil fuels, how climate change exists in structural racism. We all have to be given the same future.”

350 Central Mass meets the first and third Wednesday of every month at Worcester State University; currently, the group is holding Zoom meetings, in accordance with social distancing.

FEATURED

Dammed if they do, dammed if they don’t Beavers have claimed a popular kayaking and fishing spot, and residents are not happy VEER MUDAMBI

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Fisherman John Bottcher makes note of the low water level at Thayer Pond. The water typically comes up to where Bottcher is standing.

ASHLEY GREEN

said Doiron, citing the drop in water level. However, not everyone believes the beavers to be the culprit.

“We are in a protracted drought and water levels are dropping where they haven’t in decades,” said Jennifer Warren-Dyment, of the Oxford Town Manager’s office, describing a level two drought, with below average rainfall and above average temperatures. State reports indicate the drought began in late June, coinciding with the water level changes in the pond.

She said neither the Town Manager nor the Department of Public Works has received any complaints about beavers.

Regardless of the cause, residents are still concerned about the pond’s current stagnancy and the effect on their property values. Oxford resident Sandra Murphy said the waterview is the reason the “condos sell like hotcakes — you put them on the market and they’re sold within hours and it’s because you’ve got this gorgeous view that overlooks Texas Pond and French River.”

Besides the issues with recreational use of the area, residents have

voiced health concerns due to the stagnant water, namely mosquitoborne viruses such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis. However, Novick clarified that it takes a special habitat for the mosquito that carries Triple E — “a cedar swamp, which is not going to magically appear just because beavers move in.”

The situation at Thayer Pond reflects a larger debate about when and how wildlife should be reintroduced to an area. In the case of beavers, they are an integral part of an ecosystem that may become dysfunctional without their contribution. However, in bringing back a species, we also have to live with them, striking the balance between serving as stewards of the natural world and co-existing with it.

Novick understands why residents may not be happy about the beavers.

“Any time there’s a part of the landscape people have imprinted on,” they will resist change. He equates it to being the “same as when a historic building is knocked down or a field developed,” but in this case, the change is not so much a loss but enrichment of the habitat.

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like to impound water,” said Colin Novick, executive director of Greater Worcester Land Trust, leading to what he referred to as a “user conflict.” Novick makes no pretense of neutrality, saying that the landscape was initially “managed by beavers,” who are taking up their original role in the ecosystem.

From an ecological perspective, that role is vital — beavers are considered a keystone species, having an outsized benefit to the environment relative to their population. Through impoundment, they create ponds and wetlands that foster biodiversity by providing habitats for various plants and wildlife. The fallen trees make a submerged canopy that gives fish a place to hide from predators as well as potential spawning areas.

A multitude of species, including humans, benefit from the presence of wetlands, as they control flooding damage by slowing water release.

Wetlands also improve water quality by removing toxic chemicals and filtering out sediment.

For the residents of Oxford, this is all well and good except “they’re creating dry lands, not wetlands,”

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fishing.” When beavers impound an area, changes to water depth and temperature can impact the type of fish there.

The beavers have always been there, Bottcher explained, but “it seems like lately they’ve been putting in extra work.” While true that beavers are a natural part of New England waterways, over the last couple of centuries, they have had an intermittent presence in Massachusetts.

When European colonists first arrived in North America, the beaver was a common sight on lakes and rivers.

The demand for beaver pelts ensured that the animals were almost wiped out. By the late 1700s, they were essentially extinct in Massachusetts.

It wasn’t until the 1930s that efforts were made to reintroduce them to New England. Protections and hunting regulations were implemented, most recently the Wildlife Protection Act of 1996. Now the population has been able to rebound, but the landscape has changed since they’ve been gone.

“When beavers came back, they got right back to work and found we had built in places where they

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exas Pond in Oxford is officially under new management. While the new owners are longtime residents, they are pursuing a development initiative.

Locals have raised concerns that such aggressive building will have a negative effect on the pond’s recreational and scenic qualities. However, construction continues unabated, as the developers are protected under Massachusetts law.

Specifically, Massachusetts General Law — Part I, Title XIX, Chapter 131, Section 80A, which prohibits the removal of beavers from an area.

Texas Pond — better known as Thayer Pond — has long been a local favorite for fishing and kayaking.

Located on Route 20, the pond is fed by a perennial stream of the French River and supports a vibrant ecosystem with abundant flora and fauna.

The dam building activity of beavers — or “impoundments” — create ponds and wetlands out of watercourses, making beavers the only mammals, aside from humans, that create their own habitat. The problem is when the two species have different plans for the same area. At Thayer Pond, the beavers find this area just as appealing and have made themselves at home.

“It’s like a fortress,” said longtime resident Kathy Doiron, describing the dam, “it’s ruining the pond.” The water level of the pond has fallen dramatically and residents have noticed the absence of the once-flowing current. Residents believe the enormous beaver dam to be the cause.

Doiron has lived beside Thayer Pond for over two decades and can see a difference from even five years ago, as the area becomes more swamplike. An avid kayaker, she said getting to the river requires dragging a kayak over the dam, which may soon be impossible.

Kayaking isn’t the only curtailed activity. As herbivores, beavers don’t compete with anglers for fish, but the two are traditionally at odds.

Beavers are famous for slapping the water with their tails to alert the colony of possible threats and any fish are scared away — along with any hope for a decent catch.

“The beavers are horrible,” said John Bottcher, who fishes regularly at Thayer Pond. “The damming there is really bad. It can definitely affect

CITY VOICES

FIRST PERSON

Searching for justice for Travis Monroe

WILLIAM S. COLEMAN III AND JENNA FITZGERALD

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FILE PHOTO/BET TY JENEWIN

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here could never be something more painful than the loss of a loved one.

Every day someone will get a call that a relative has passed or has gone missing.

Christie Berry, the mother of Travis Monroe, a 17-year-old young Black teenager, who in 2006 never returned home from a night out with friends, has experienced this nightmare.

Christie Berry has been fighting to seek the truth and justice for her son Travis since that October night in 2006. In a heartfelt article she wrote for the Incity Times, she discussed the injustice she has experienced, discrepancies within his investigation conveniently labeled as “Administrative issues,” issues with chain of command, following appropriate protocols, prejudice, victim-blaming — which is apparent in the language used in police reports to pull accountability away from whomever did this to Travis and place it on Travis himself — and the way those within this system are protected more than those this system were sworn to protect.

Travis was a good student who attended Burncoat High School. He had dreams of becoming a lawyer and was well respected by his peers and friends. Travis was often looked at as the mediator between his peers if there was a problem.

Christie Berry, the mother of Travis Monroe, a Worcester teen who was found dead in the roadway on Fales Street on October 1, 2006, with a large collage of photos and mementos of her son, which was put together by neighbors and friends for her.

Travis was never a problem child. He did not drink or do drugs, made good decisions, and was a great son whose life was cut short at 17.

Someone knows something about what happened to Travis Monroe. We are asking you to please come forward and clear your conscience to allow his mother, his family, friends and community justice and closure. If you know anything at all of what happened to Travis that night in 2006, say something.

We reached out to both the Worcester Police Department and The office of District Attorney Joe Early Jr for an official statement on

WORCESTER MAGAZINE’S LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY Letters to the editor are a great way to share your thoughts and opinions with thousands of readers and online viewers each week.

There is no word limit, but we reserve the right to edit for length, so brevity is your friend. If handwritten, write legibly - if we cannot read it, we are not running it. A full name and town or city of residence are required. Please include an email address or phone number for verification purposes only. That information will not be published. Make sure your letter makes it into Worcester Magazine in a timely fashion — send it in by the Monday of the next issue. Please note that letters will run as space allows. Send them to Worcester Magazine, 100 Front St., 5th Floor, Worcester, MA 01608 or by email to WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com.

the Travis Monroe case.

The District Attorney’s office and the Worcester Police Department, through Walter Bird of the City Manager’s office, have both stated that this is still an open investigation and they invite anyone

who has any knowledge of what may have happened to Travis to come forward and contact them.

There are many unsolved homicide cases in Worcester County.

Help from the public is needed to bring justice and closure to the

families of lost ones.

If you have any information or know someone that does, please contact the Worcester Police Department or the District Attorney’s Office.

WPD: http:worcesterma.gov/ police/investigations/unresolvedcases. You can send an anonymous text to 274637 TIPWPD + your message or send an anonymous web-based message. Calls can also be made to the Worcester Police Detective Bureau at (508) 799-8651.

Worcester County District Attorney’s office: Phone: (508) 755-8601 or https://worcesterda. com.

CITY VOICES

WORCESTERIA

Temper COVID antibody expectations VEER MUDAMBI AND VICTOR D. INFANTE

IT’S ALL IN THE TIMING: Sure, everyone says no one cared about the

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new WooSox hats and jerseys last week, but we’ve seen the web demographics on that story, and know it drew a lot of eyeballs. Blogger and Al Southwick Super Fan Nicole Apostola also noticed that, taking to Twitter to note: “Ask yourself: why would the WooSox have a press conference (the second in less than a week) mere minutes before a very important Public Safety hearing about police C O N T I N U E D O N N E X T P A G E

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THE “I’s” HAVE IT: In last week’s Worcesteria, I made an error, inferring that Worcester City Councilor Kate Toomey was endorsing Paul M. DePalo in the Democratic primary for Governor’s Council. She wrote a polite email to inform me that she is not, that it is Katie Toomey, Register of Deeds, who is endorsing DePalo, and that the councilor is endorsing his opponent, Padraic Rafferty. Obviously, the difference between the two names is a single “i,” but it underscores a couple of important revelations: 1.) As the councilor pointed out in her email, this is important because early voting has already started; 2.) Literally no one else but me is writing about the primary challenge for the Governor’s Council, which makes even the tiniest error significant; and 3.) Before this, I was not entirely aware that Kate Toomey and Katie Toomey were different people. I mean, if you had asked me, I would have thought that it was odd that a city councilor was also the Register of Deeds, but not so odd that I would have pondered it much, all of which goes to prove that more general awareness of the less “glamorous” elected positions is needed, even among those of us who should know better. (VI)

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RAY OF LIGHT: As of Aug. 19, Worcester had 5,716 confirmed COVID-19 cases, having gone up by 69 from the previous week. For once though, this was tempered by the first bit of hopeful coronavirus news to come out of Worcester in a while. Researchers at Worcester’s UMass Medical School announced last week they had discovered antibodies that could protect the respiratory system from COVID-19. Since severe lung damage and reduced capacity are one of the hallmarks of the virus, this is understandably welcome news. We’ve all seen the infamous crushed glass lung X-rays. The antibodies are the result of research from 16 years ago meant to combat the 2004 SARS outbreak. However, SARS faded before clinical trials could begin, but the antibodies were frozen. As SARS and COVID are both coronaviruses, the project was reopened earlier this year. MassBiologics of UMass was able to build on the previous research for this latest breakthrough, antibodies that coat mucosal surfaces (like the respiratory tract) to prevent pathogens from binding to host cells. In short, it could be a key step toward an effective vaccine.

Don’t get me wrong, this is great. But let’s not get too excited thinking a vaccine is right around the corner and we’ll all be heading out to the bar in a couple of months. This is promising news but we have heard a lot of that during this pandemic and none of it has yet to pan out. The novel coronavirus still has plenty of novelty, unfortunately. The medical community is learning about this virus as we fight it. While we’ve learned a lot, it’s by no means everything, especially considering how much we thought we knew that turned out to be wrong. In the beginning, we thought it was most harmful to the elderly and young people would only get flu-like symptoms. That was wrong. We thought that young children couldn’t get it or spread it. That was wrong. We thought having it once granted permanent immunity — also wrong (though you might have a three-month grace period so there’s that). Again, this news is reason for hope — but possibly seeing the light at the end doesn’t mean we’re out of the tunnel. (VM)

CITY VOICES

Worcester Historical Museum program revisits Cristino Hernandez slaying VEER MUDAMBI

was captured on video, sparking comparisons to the infamous Rodney King tape. n the wake of the deaths of The judge at the inquest deemed George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the recent shooting just that there was use of excessive this past Sunday of Jacob Blake force but cleared both police officers of criminal wrongdoing in the in Wisconsin and other incidents, case. An internal police investigathe nation has faced a reckoning on race relations and police brutal- tion had claimed that Hernandez ity, one that’s renewed scrutiny on died of other factors, similar to the argument put forward in the imolder cases. mediate aftermath of the murder On Aug. 27, the Worcester Historical Museum, together with the of George Floyd. Both officers who had been placed on paid leave were Latino History Project of Worcester, will host a virtual presentation reinstated.

The event is not about making discussing one such case — the 1993 killing of Cristino Hernandez accusations but more about an acby Worcester police. The presenta- count of what happened from the tion is free but prior registration is Latino perspective. Other perspectives have been presented but the required for the ZOOM link.

LHPW felt it was vitally important Cristino Hernandez, a Salvafor the Latino perspective to be doran immigrant, was arrested by two police officers in July 1993 and put forward, as well as remind the public that police brutality has severely beaten, according to acbeen going on for years and can counts in the Worcester Telegram happen anywhere. It is meant as a & Gazette and the Los Angeles reminder of the fact that systemic Times. He died of his injuries 10 days later. A portion of the incident racism exists and it doesn’t just

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affect black people, but affects Latinos and other people of color as well.

The event will be moderated by Professor Aldo Garcia Guevara, professor of history at Worcester State University. Speakers will be Santos Escobar and Ricky Escobar, eyewitness and family member, respectively, attorney Hector E. Pineiro, police officer turned civil rights lawyer Joseph Hennessy and Judge Margaret R. Guzman.

The Escobars are father and son and Thursday’s event will mark the first time that either of them has spoken in public about the incident. Judge Guzman and Pineiro knew Hernandez as well, Guzman having once been his public defender while Pinero represented Hernandez’s family following his death.

What happened to Mr. Floyd, “is exactly the way Mr. Hernandez was murdered,� said Maritza Cruz, director of racial and gender equity at the YWCA of Central Mass.,

Protesters march in 1993 to protest the death of Cristino Hernandez after an arrest by Worcester police.

FILE PHOTO/JIM COLLINS

as well as founding member of the LHPW. History has a way of repeating itself, especially when forgotten, she continued. Minority groups, often overlooked in public discourse, are especially vulnerable to this. The goal of the presentation

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body cameras? And what have you seen more #Worcester press outlets/reporters tweeting about today?� She makes a good point.

The city and its partners need to make sure these things are spaced, because, honestly, we’re still mostly in lockdown and have very few TV viewing options. If we’ve already seen last week’s “Chopped,� we might as well Zoom in for munici-

is to give the Latino community a voice for the first time on a deeply scarring event. “This is part of our history,� said Cruz. “These are the facts, these are our stories. Who we are without anyone defining us.� pal business. That said, there was no shortage of attention on both the meeting and the subject. In addition to the Telegram’s coverage, DefundWPD live tweeted the hearing in exhaustive detail, and former synth player for the darkwave band The Oracle turned political blogger Bill Shaner has put forth a pretty compelling “Case Against Body Cameras.� With an $11 million price tag, there’s sure to be plenty of scrutiny. (VI)

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COVER STORY

Signs of the times

19 local artists offer hope in Worcester’s ‘Give Me A Sign’ project

RICHARD DUCKET T

T

Ryan Flynn, 12, by his sign at Quinsigamond State Park.

Ryan’s drawing was chosen for the Give Me A Sign project, which is putting up signs with hopeful messages around the city during the pandemic.

ASHLEY GREEN

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he signs are everywhere.

Well, if not quite everywhere, there are now numerous new street signs across Worcester with such encouraging messages as “Thank You For Being Yourself, “Call Your Loved Ones, “The Woo Loves You,” “Better Days Are Ahead” and “Your Work Is Not Your Worth.”

140 street signs have been or are being put up as part of Worcester’s “Give Me A Sign” project featuring public works of art by 19 local artists.

The project is a partnership with the City of Worcester Cultural Development Division, the Worcester Cultural Coalition and the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, and seeks to provide visual encouragement throughout Worcester on 12-inch-by-18-inch metal signs, with select works also on digital billboards around Worcester.

“One thing I really like about public art — you might hit someone who really needs that message but wasn’t going to see it,” said Worcester artist Pam Stolz.

One of her signs with the message “Your Work Is Not Your Worth” is downtown outside The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts.

“So many people have lost work. You have value regardless of your work. Everything has value. I do hope it makes people think about where their true value comes from,” Stolz said of the sign.

The project came in response to the coronavirus, and the initial call for artists went out in May. The idea was to give people a lift with some encouraging messages.

“It was a diverse group of artists that submitted their work, which we were excited by. Even a 12-year-old, which was really great,” said Erin Williams, Worcester’s Cultural Development Officer.

The sign designs were diverse as well, she said. Some were funny, as in “No Bad Day No Way,” while some were very artistic. “There were some strong statements. Some are in multiple languages,” Williams said.

Che Anderson, the city’s deputy director of cultural development, said 19 artists were chosen out of nearly 50 who submitted proposals. Artists sometimes had more than one design. The same sign may appear in different parts of the city. Artists represented in “Give Me A Sign” are: Stolz, Susan Champeny, Therrious Davis, Shaka Dendy, Alex Ferror, Ryan Flynn, Hal Goucher, Free Humanity, Eric Karbelling, Kevin La, Justin LeClair, Marybeth Lensel, Christopher Michelotti, Jason Naylor, Dave “Croc” O’Connor, Nina Palomba, Ego Proof, Khizra Syeda and

COVER STORY

“Thank You For Being Yourself ” at the top of Belmont Street and “Let In Love! Let’s Live!” on Green Street.

La, a freelance graphic designer in Worcester, said “Thank You For Being Yourself ” is intended to encourage people in the pandemic.

Also, “How being a unique person in Worcester lets Worcester collectively be itself. That’s the unique thing about Worcester, when everyone works together it becomes a beautiful thing,” he said.

“Let In Love! Let’s Live!” is a positive multi-cultural message with the words also written in Spanish and Vietnamese.

“I thought it was a really great concept,” La said about the project.

“A bit of a street style and something for people to walk around and look upon, and I was highly honored to do a couple of signs.”

La was born in Worcester, while his parents are originally from Vietnam. “They’re doing all right.

They’re adapting. We have a great multi-racial community,” La said.

He graduated from Assumption College in 2019 with a major in marketing and a minor in graphic design. In 2017 he was the young-

Above, Khizra Sayeda sits next to her sign outside the Worcester Youth Center.

ASHLEY GREEN

Opposite page, Kevin La created a sign on Green Street for the Give Me A Sign project.

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Mathew Zaremba.

“I love it. I feel like these are trying times for everyone. It’s a way to invite artists in the community,” Stolz said of the project. She has shown work in several exhibitions in New York, Massachusetts and South Dakota, and was a member of the Pittsburgh Art House during the summer of 2011.

She noted that she applied to the project before George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis by a police officer kneeling on his neck May 25. As protests immediately followed, Stolz said she wanted to make a second design for the “Give Me A Sign” project in support and was told she could. Her sign “Stand Up For Racial Justice” has an outline of protesters in the background Williams and Anderson said they noticed several artists who wanted to address racial injustice as well as COVID-19. That was fine.

“I saw all the images. This is a moment in time when we have multiple pandemics if you think about it. Right in Worcester we are addressing racial justice,” Williams said.

Two of Kevin La’s signs are

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COVER STORY

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includes a sign supporting Black Lives Matter. Sunflowers symbolize “getting through tough times together,” Syeda said.

She’s working on getting established as an artist after graduating from UMass Boston in 2018 with a degree in environmental science.

“With the quarantines I’ve had the chance and inspiration to take it seriously,” she said of her art work.

She was offered a commission as an artist by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions where she had been working as an intern.

“I thought it was a really good opportunity,” she said of the “Give Me A Sign” project. “I didn’t think I would get the chance, but I feel really happy. When I was making this I wanted to make a design that would help someone feeling down.

We will make it through. That’s what’s happening.”

Ryan Flynn of Shrewsbury said, “I thought I’d take a chance” and apply for the project after he heard about it, “even though there are artists that have more experience.”

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est member of the POW! WOW! Worcester committee that brought street art in the form of murals (and more) to the city.

“To see the beauty of how people in Worcester come together and change the city itself, it’s a great experience. It’s a great way branch out,” he said of his experiences with POW! WOW! Worcester and now “Give Me A Sign.”

Seeing his signs in person and also on social media has been “a great feeling,” he said. “It’s a very good reaction. People love it. It’s the first time I’ve had my parents proud of my work incorporating Vietnamese in my work. One of my greatest moments is having my parents approval.”

Like Stolz, he wants the signs to to engage passers-by. “Hopefully someone sees it and gets uplifted and it has some impact on someone. That’s the best thing, to change someone’s life,” La said.

Artist Khizra Syeda of Milford decorates her signs with messages that include “Call Your Loved Ones” with paintings of sunflowers. That

COVER STORY

August.

“People walk by and take a photo and say ‘I need an uplift,’ so that’s been sort of cool,” Anderson said.

“The response has been very good,” said Williams. “I’ve seen people stopped in their tracks. It really resonated that this is a com-

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Ryan, 12, is a student at Oak Middle School in Shrewsbury. “I like drawing a lot,” he said.

His sign has cheery drawn and colored images that include a Smiley Face holding a baseball bat, a Polar Beverages bottle, and a train and Union Station with the message “The Woo Loves (depicted by the drawing of a heart ) You.” “I decided to draw positive objects that represent Worcester. Even though times are tough, people need to remember the good times in the pandemic, so that’s what I try to do,” Ryan said.

When Ryan found out his sign had been accepted in the “Give me A Sign” project, “I was so excited. I was surprised because I was younger,” he said.

“Ryan said, ‘You

Signs by Khirza Sayeda, top, and Kevin La. PHOTOS SUBMIT TED

know what, I’ll try it,’ “ said his mother, Patricia Flynn. “It was a learning experience to take a chance. It’s opened some doors that he’s excited about.”

All in all, the signs have been good.

“It’s been really well-received,” said Anderson. All 140 signs were expected to be up by the end of

munity event.”

She said that the project “is not just a one off.” There will be related activities, perhaps including a scavenger hunt.

“When I see ‘Better Days Are Ahead’ that gives me a smile,” Williams said. “And reassures me me that, yes, we’ll come through this stronger.”

CITY LIFE If you are an artist, or know of a local artist, email WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com. Fair warning, in order to publish your work, you’ll need to provide a small bio and high resolution digital copies of some of your art. We reserve the right to choose what will run, based on resolution and what will reproduce best on newsprint.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

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Benson Bercovitz is an 83-year-old retiree living in West Boylston.

Born in the Bronx, New York, he studied engineering at NYU College of Engineering, getting a degree in 1958. Over the years he’s had a number of enjoyable creative hobbies, including model making, black and white photography, stained glass and making pictures out of cork and wood. About 18 years ago he faced a situation of possibly having a physical disability which could prevent him from enjoying a part of his life which always brought him much creative pleasure. He looked for a hobby in which he could express his creativity, working in a small, confined space, and would not be very messy and have people say, “Hey that’s real cool.” He ended up with making pictures out of colored Duck Tape. He found that the longer that he worked with Duck Tape, the more he enjoyed it. Luckily, the physical disability never got very serious, but the enjoyment of working with Duck Tape continues to grow.

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CITY LIFE

LIFESTYLE

Meet the Indian Lake hype man, Carl Gomes SARAH CONNELL SANDERS

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arl Gomes has invited me to his gazebo to talk about “igniting” the Indian Lake community and I have no idea what I am in for.

Gomes is the president of the Indian Lake Community Association Inc. — a retired probation officer who has lived on West Boylston Drive for 26 years. Halfway through our conversation, I find myself lost in an urban planning whirlwind.

Gomes has aspirations for a community teaching garden, a bike path, a living sign, multiple public art installations, and that’s only the beginning. He must see the disoriented look on my face while I try to make sense of the maps and diagrams provided to me because he stops mid-conversation to ask, “Do you have time for a ride?”

“Sure,” I tell him.

Gomes fires up his convertible in the driveway, then tells me to put my mask on and hop in.

He starts by pointing out the future site of a cross-generational garden where he envisions 20 raised beds, a composter, and a storage shed. “Right there would be a community message board and a

Little Free Library,” Gomes tells me.

“There’s already a gardening club at Forest Grove Middle School with a curriculum focused on food and water insecurity, land use and climate change.” I’m impressed.

Next, we head to the Greendale Mall, or what’s left of it. “This is going to be a mixed-use development,” he explains, “with restaurants and entertainment.” Gomes points to where a community path would ideally connect the property to Indian Lake.

“You could rent a paddleboard or a canoe on one side of the lake and dock over here to have dinner,” says Gomes. “People will make a day of it.”

Gomes has already done his homework for the beautification of Norton Drive. He hopes the manufacturer St. Gobain will agree to cover their eye-sore of a chain-link fence in fast-growing ivy. He also has his heart set on a living sign that spells out “Home of the WooSox” in coniferous shrubs.

As we cross the 190 bridge, he pulls the convertible across the rumble strip and points to a triangular plot of land. “That could be the crown jewel — Worcester’s newest recreational park,” he says.

Gomes imagines families on picnic blankets watching a fleet of sailboats

Left, Carl Gomes sits beside the future plot of the community teaching garden on West Boylston Drive. Right, Jayson (age 11) and Jackson (age 7) Labouef ski doubles on Indian Lake as part of Indian Lake Community Church’s ski club.

SARAH CONNELL SANDERS

emblazoned with the Worcester Red Sox logo gliding across the glittering waterfront.

Our last stop is Indian Lake Community Church where Gomes introduces me to Pastors Lee and Teresa Dematos. “You want to take a boat ride with the kids?” they ask me. I look at Gomes and he nods in approval.

“Absolutely,” I say, and climb in.

Lee is teaching a dozen local youth how to waterski. The view

from Indian Lake is exquisite. I’m beginning to see what all the fuss is about.

Two brothers, Jayson, 11, and Jackson, 7, Labouef, prepare to ski doubles. From the water, they yell in unison, “Help me, Jesus!” and the boat takes off.

“I’m not here to teach them how to ski,” Lee yells over the sound of the waves and the motor, “that’s just the bait in the hook.” His ultimate goal is to teach the youth to trust in their

faith and build community. I can see why he and Gomes get along so well.

Sometimes I get frustrated with ideators who don’t realize that coming up with ideas is the fun part; it’s implementation that gets tricky.

Leaders like Gomes and the Dematos are willing to put in the hard work for their community. They aren’t just ideators, they’re achievers. Get ready to watch Indian Lake blossom into Worcester’s next “it” neighborhood.

LISTEN UP

Memory Lame’s ‘Monachopsis’ finds the bright side of nihilism VICTOR D. INFANTE

Barefoot.” Vocalist-guitarist Ron Beaudet sings, “Everybody is a disease/I just wanna lie here and sleep” to a onachopsis,” the debut slack rhythm driven by bassist Phil album from WorcesMitchell and drummer Joey Sullivan. ter punk trio Memory Periodically, the persona’s disdain for Lame, is a generally pretty much everybody is punctusloppy and frequently discordant ated by a cacophony of percussive. piece of work, and at points it’s churlThat all of this is actually pretty ish to the point of misanthropy. All charming is sort of remarkable, but of which is to say that it is a highly there you are. enjoyable piece of work and, as the A lot of the theme of being out SAT vocabulary of the title implies, of place bleeds into the next song, it’s a smarter album than it pretends.

“Impatient Patients,” before moving Incidentally, “Monachopsis,” into more personal territory with according to the band’s Bandcamp “Bezerker,” which focuses in on the page, is “the subtle but persistent Memory Lame’s debut misery of working retail: “I know feeling of being out of place, as album is “Monachopsis.” what you don’t know,” sings Beaudet, maladapted to your surroundings “You cannot tell me no/I see you’re as a seal on a beach — lumbering, SUBMITTED not too bright/The customer is clumsy, easily distracted, huddled in That’s a good synopsis of what the never right.” It’s here where the sheer the company of other misfits, unable band — which will be performing relatability of the album is made to recognize the ambient roar of your intended habitat, in which you’d Aug. 28 outside Ralph’s Rock Diner — manifest. Its point of view is very accomplishes here, beginning with much that of an everyman, and that be fluidly, brilliantly, effortlessly at the loosely meandering “Walking sense of alienation the band reflects home.”

M

“

is eminently familiar. “I don’t wanna be/A part of you evil corporate scheme,” sings Beaudet, “I just wanna go home, relax,/And smoke the night way.” Yep. Most of us have been there.

The album steps up the tempo with a blistering and nihilistic “One Foot in the Grave,” an endearing blast of full-throttled rock ‘n’ roll, before moving into the weird fever dream of “Spider Legs” and then “Nicholas Cage, the Elephant,” which is easily the best song title I’ve seen all month. Despite its whimsical title, there’s a sense of bite to this latter song, one that seems to indict the artist himself as much as he has society: “Keep it vague/So that more people relate/Annotate, figure out what they all hate/Society has given up that’s all we need/Anarchy, only then we’ll be set free.” It’s really not surprising that the next song, rife with depression and exhaustion, is titled simply, “(Expletive) It.”

If there’s a complaint to be had about this album, it’s that it really only has two speeds, which gives a lot of the songs a similar feel. Still, you can feel a touch of funk in the bassline of “Solar Powered Animal,” which centers on the effects of psychotropic drugs. It’s a fitting place to switch up the album’s tempo, the shift reflected in lyrics such as, “I’m starting to feel something change/ Everything is coming into frame.”

Is that a good or bad thing?

Consider it an exercise for the listener, but the deepening mud of the penultimate song, “Convolution,” seems to point to an answer, as does the album’s closing number, “Wilbur Cobb.” The title is a reference to a character on the cartoon, “The Ren & Stimpy Show.” The song is a portrait of an aging misanthrope who’s decaying mentally and physically. Or C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 19

CITY LIFE

TABLE HOPPIN’

Bean Counter heir to Crown Bakery recipes BARBARA M. HOULE

on Grove Street now is the primary bakery where customers pick up custom-made and specialty cakes ordered at other Bean Counter locations. There’s parking, in addition to indoor and outdoor seating. For more information, visit www.beancounterbakery.com.

Are you ready to get your fika (Swedish for coffee break) on?

N

Chuck’s offering outdoor dining through Labor Day

Bean Counter Bakery Cafe owner Alice Lombardi holds Swedish coffee bread with former Crown Bakery owner Jon Lundstrom.

RICK CINCLAIR

BBQ & Brews night at Davis Farmland

It’s All-You-Can-Eat BBQ from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 29 at Davis Farmland in Sterling. This is a 21+plus BBQ & Brews night.

Tickets, $39.95 each, are on sale now. Cost includes BBQ prepared by pitmaster Josh Freda, live entertainment, games and more. Tickets are limited and will not be available at the gate the night of the barbecue.

Also, season passes and regular park admission tickets are not valid. Beverages will be available for purchase.

For more information, visit https:// davisfarmland.com.

All guests and employees will have temperatures checked before entering the farm; masks and social distancing required.

Adult piñatas from Julio’s If you’re tired of “wine in the backyard,” this promotion from Julio’s Liquors (www.juliosliquors.com) in Westboro might interest you.

On a recent email newsletter the store included photos and information about adult piñatas filled with nips.

It’s National Red Wine Day on Aug. 28.

The PR folks representing Snoop Dog recommend toasting the event with “Snoop Cali Red,” the rapper’s namesake and first California bottling from Australian wine brand 19 Crimes.

The wine, launched nationwide in July, is a red blend of Lodi-sourced Petite Sirah (65 percent), Zinfandel (30 percent) and Merlot (5 percent).

All American oak reportedly offers a distinct smoky component that also yields vanilla and chocolate.

Suggested retail for 19 Crimes Snoop Cali Red is $12.

The new wine “comes alive” by downloading the Living Wine Labels App, “an innovative augmented reality experience that will bring the rapper-entrepreneur to life from the bottle.” Visit https://www.19crimes. com for more information.

In conjunction with the launch of Snoop Cali Red, the 19 Crimes brand will donate $100,000 to the NAACP Legal Fund. “19 Crimes was born from individuals that overcome adversity, and we are proud to support the NAACP in their fight to seek justice for people who are unfairly facing incarceration, for simply expressing the same outrage that we all now feel,” said John Wardley, vice president of marketing Treasury Wine Estates. In addition to their initial donation, the 19 Crimes team also is working with the NAACP on a longer-term plan to provide continued support, he said.

File under: Toasting with red wine is good any time.

If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.

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a time when the president of Astra Pharmaceutical in Worcester advertised for bakers in Sweden, said Lundstrom.

When the bakery closed, lifelong customers phoned and asked him to bring back baked goods, or if there was a place where they could buy them, he said. The bakery also provided pastries for Swedish celebrations and festivals, and Lundstrom sold to a retailer on the Cape.

Jen LaPointe, who had been a cake decorator at Crown since 2000, bought the bakery with her husband, Edward LaPointe, in 2017. The couple operated the bakery up until June, when they permanently closed the business.

Lundstrom owns the building on Gold Star and said he recently signed a lease with someone plans to open a Brazilian meat market in the former bakery space sometime in October.

In May, Lombardi opened her Grove Street location, not far away from Crown.

She said she contacted Lundstrom when he retired about taking over the bakery space, but that he already had committed to the LaPointes.

“Things happen for a reason,” she said.

The Bean Counter Bakery & Café

Wine from Snoop Dog

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

he smiled and said, ‘Oh, Revent is a Swedish company.’

“Pastry chefs at Crown made product with love, and we’re doing the same at the Bean Counter,” said Lombardi. “I’m so happy Jon chose us.

“People crave comfort food right now,” said Lombardi. “And, local businesses are providing it.”

Lundstrom said he wasn’t worried about giving the recipes to Lombardi because she’s devoted to her craft and pays attention to detail. “She really loves what she does,” he said.

What’s the secret behind Crown’s specialties that makes them irresistible?

It’s all about almond paste, which adds flavor and moisture, according to Lundstrom. “Cardamom, of course,” he said. “It has to be the right amount.”

“You don’t want to mess with tradition,” said Lombardi. “Crown pastries are legendary.”

Lundstrom leased the bakery space on Gold Star Boulevard in Worcester after his retirement three years ago. He had worked in the business for 23 years, taking over from his father who owned and operated the bakery for more than 20 years.

This Swedish bakery has 60 years of history in the city, dating back to

Dining under the tent at Chuck’s Steakhouse in Auburn continues through Labor Day weekend.

Outdoor dining has been a big hit, in addition to “Cocktails to Go,” according to Chuck’s owners. The restaurant also offers customers the option to buy a Butcher Box, $70, complete with two New York strips, two top sirloins, four Angus burgers and a bottle of Teriyaki Sauce.

Call the restaurant, (508) 832-2553, for more information, reservations and online catering orders. Visit www.chucks.com.

File under, restaurants adapt and innovate during coronavirus!

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ews this summer that Alice Lombardi of the Bean Counter Bakery was ready to produce Crown Bakery’s famous Swedish coffee ring after Crown permanently closed stormed social media.

“The response has been unbelievable,” said Lombardi, longtime friend of Crown’s retired owner Jon Lundstrom, who gifted Lombardi with his bakery’s original recipes. “We’re very honored to be part of this,” said Lombardi, “and customers are really happy and excited that some of Crown’s traditional and most popular baked goods are back. Customers come from as far as the Cape and Rhode Island for the pastries.”

Keeping the products on the local scene is important to both these successful entrepreneurs who have always have taken great pride in their unsurpassed quality products.

The Bean Counter currently is rolling out not only the Swedish coffee ring, but also Crown’s recipe for braids and cinnamon buns.

Lombardi said she expects items like the Princess Torte (a traditional celebration cake in Sweden), Crown’s beloved jelly rolls, nut triangles, Mazarin (almond-filled pastries) and more will be available for the holidays.

Products are sold at the Bean Counter’s Shrewsbury and Highland Street stores and the newly opened Grove Street flagship location. “They go fast, and once they sell out, customers aren’t able to get them until the next day,” said Lombardi. Items also can be pre-ordered.

Lundstrom and Crown’s retired production manager and pastry chef Lennart (Lenny) Soderman spent time at the Bean Counter working with bakery product manager Doug Alves before the baked goods hit the shelf. “It was like a test run,” said Lundstrom. Alves, a former business owner, has been at the Bean Counter for 10 years.

Lombardi recalled a funny story about being ready to take on Crown’s recipes. “Lenny (Soderman) kidded with me saying I was ready for the job when he saw me get out of my Volvo,” laughed Lombardi. (Volvo is headquartered in Sweden.) “And when I told Jon that I had bought a Revent rack oven for the kitchen,

The store’s shark piñata filled with 20 (50ml) nip bottles cost $49.99 and includes four each of Fireball Whiskey, Dr. McGillicuddy’s Cherry, Blackheart Spiced Rum, Platinum 7x Vodka and Pama Pomegranate Liqueur.

The Coronavirus Pinata (smash the virus and get the prizes) contains 12 nips, $54.99 — two each of Jim Beam Fire, Bacardi Spiced Rum, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, Allen’s Cold Brew, Tuaca Italian BrandyI and Platinum 7x Vodka.

CITY LIFE

FILM

Contrition a must for convicted actors’ rehabilitation JIM KEOGH

S

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o Lori Loughlin was sentenced to two months in prison and a $150,000 fine for gaming the college admissions system. I’d love to see her in an orange prison jumpsuit, but something tells me she’ll wind up at a locale that’s a little more fashion-flexible.

Her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, got it marginally worse: five months behind bars and a $250,000 fine. I’m hoping the stiffer sentence is directly attributable to his bullying of a high school guidance counselor, who called BS on the couple’s falsifying of their daughter’s “participation” on the crew team.

The punishments deserve to be stiffer simply for the stupidity of the crime. A gift by the ambitious couple of a few hundred thousand dollars to the institution of their daughter’s choice would have gained her entree while at the same time preventing their own admission to prison cells.

The natural question: In the wake of this public shaming, which has cost her lucrative gigs on “Fuller

House” and the Hallmark network, can Loughlin still look forward to an acting career?

I say yes. But she’s got to own her dishonesty.

Felicity Huffman did just that when she got caught re-engineering her daughter’s SAT scores. No court fight, no protestations of innocence. She accepted responsibility, expressed remorse (with tears), and was handed a mere 14 days in jail. It was a shrewd strategy that managed to evoke some public sympathy.

Loughlin fought the charges. She failed to show humility, especially in her early court appearances when she smiled widely and waved to fans.

For those sins, her road back will require an atonement tour of talk shows whose hosts will be only too eager to question the pretty ex-con. If she shows the appropriate amount of contrition, and if the stories emerging from her time in prison paint a picture of a celebrity who expected no special treatment, and received none, then she has a fighting chance of reclaiming a measure of her career.

A prison term is not necessarily a

death sentence for an actor. Robert Downey Jr.’s struggles with drug addiction landed him in prison for a year, and he seems to have managed to eke out a living. Wesley Snipes served time in a federal prison for refusing to pay his taxes. I’m not seeing many career gaps on his IMDB profile since his release, though he did lose prime years.

In 2005, Lilo Brancato, the young star of “A Bronx Tale,” was arrested for his part in a botched burglary that ended in the murder of an off-duty police officer following a gunfight. Brancato was found not responsible for the officer’s death (his partner is serving a life sentence for first-degree murder) but still did five years of hard time on Riker’s Island and another facility. He’s now working on the fringes, appearing in no-budget movies like “King of Newark 2” (There was a “Newark 1”?) and “Zombie: The Motion Picture.”

Some celebrity actors managed to transcend rough starts marked by serious prison time. Tim Allen did twoplus years for cocaine-trafficking in the late ’80s; Danny Trejo was in and

Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, depart federal court in Boston in 2019. Both have been sentenced in connection with a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

out of prison for much of his young life before transforming himself into a reliable movie tough guy. Charles Dutton would never have been able to mentor the underdog Notre Dame football player in “Rudy” if he hadn’t grown beyond a troubled past, which included a decade behind bars on

manslaughter and weapons charges.

Lori Loughlin is moving through the justice system, but that’s nothing compared to what she’ll be facing in the court of public opinion. I think she’s got a fighting chance — if she pleads for mercy.

NEW ON DVD

In ‘Yes, God, Yes,’ teen desire is a tough cross to bear KATIE FORAN - MCHALE TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

A

coming-of-age ode to millennials tops new DVD releases for the week of Aug. 25.

“Yes, God, Yes”: Sheltered Midwestern high school junior Alice (Natalia Dyer) goes to the kind of Catholic high school where girls are reprimanded if their uniform skirts don’t measure exactly the right length above the knee and the shame surrounding anything remotely sexual is sacred. This makes Alice’s quintessential, accidental early 2000s teenage sex education — i.e. via AOL chat room — even more salacious.

Hounded by a false, graphic rumor concerning her and a boy at a party and wanting to rid herself of that good old-fashioned Catholic guilt for her chat room sins, Alice doubles down on her religion and heads to a four-day retreat meant to renew her

Natalia Dyer stars in “ Yes, God, Yes.” MAIDEN VOYAGE FILMS

relationship with Jesus. Her plan is foiled almost immediately as Alice spots her dreamy football star small group leader (close-ups of his arm hair are accompanied by Christina Aguilera’s “Genie in a Bottle”) and enters a cycle of hormones, temptation,

embarrassment and the misogynist hypocrisy that fans the flames of this territory all too well, coming even from her best friend, Laura (Francesca Reale), and trusted adults Mrs. Veda (Donna Lynne Champlin) and Father Murphy (Timothy Simons).

Although the tale is timeless, writer and director Karen Maine perfectly captures the specific era of added layers of secrets and shaming due to the dawn of adolescents accessing the internet (and before the chaos of social media). Dyer gives a great performance as Alice desperately (and badly) tries to lie her way out of awkward situations while privately owning her desires; Reale is a master at exuding all-too-relatable high school vapidity. When she can’t take it anymore, the distraught Alice stumbles into a lesbian bar and the owner (the great Susan Blackwell) eases her spiritual crisis with a revelation that hits her harder than said book in the Bible: No one really knows what they’re doing. Amen.

ALSO NEW ON DVD AUG. 25 “The King of Staten Island”: Pete Davidson stars in Judd Apatow’s latest as a young stand-up comic dealing with his father’s tragic death

in the Sept. 11 attacks.

“The Trip to Greece”: Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon conclude their “Trip” series with a voyage following the steps of Odysseus.

“The Burnt Orange Heresy”: An art collector (Mick Jagger) sends a critic (Claes Bang) on a mission to steal from the collector’s favorite artist (Donald Sutherland).

“Chicago Fire: Season Eight”: The eighth season of the Dick Wolf series opens with Otis (Yuri Sardarov) in a dangerous mattress factory fire.

“Chicago Med: Season Five”: The fifth season of the Dick Wolf series follows the complications of Dr. Manning’s (Torrey DeVitto) car accident and Dr. Rhodes (Colin Donnell) grieving his father’s death.

“Dead Still”: Mystery miniseries follows Victorian Irish postmortem photographers Blennerhasset

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

CITY LIFE

THE NEXT DRAFT

Cracking open the can shortage MATTHEW TOTA

gets any worse, we could see more empty soda and seltzer aisles, and more bottled beers. ately, I have spent more time Last month, the U.S. Brewers Asthan I would like to admit worrying about the aluminum sociation issued an advisory on the can shortage, attributing it to a larger can shortage in the U.S. overall demand for cans across all It started about a month ago at beverage industries, including soda, the Wegmans in Northboro. Seltzer coffee, kombucha and even wine, as water usually ends up being the last thing I cross off on my list — a couple well as the spike in liquor store and 12-packs of Polar. Only, there were no bottle shop sales brought on by the Polar cans in the aisle. A robust sup- pandemic.

“The can shortage may threaten ply of Polar cans at a Massachusetts the ability to survive the pandemic grocery store is probably one of the for some craft brewers,” the BA said. few constants in this life. Not quite “The smallest brewers are most likely ready to declare the anomaly a sign of the end times, I left dumbfounded to have orders delayed or canceled, as can manufacturers are more effiand with off-brand seltzer. cient when they don’t have to change Then two weeks ago, Tree House out the printing plates as often. A Brewing Co. ratcheted up my mild company ordering a half or full truckunease to outright concern. The load may be less of a priority.” brewery put Green, one of its oldest But it’s not just the small brewerand most beloved American IPAs, into bottles. If you know Tree House, ies now that are struggling with the can shortage. you know it rarely bottles anything For the first time in a decade, these days beyond stouts. No, Wormtown Brewery saw one of its Tree House’s vessel of choice is the 16-ounce can. The brewery even built can orders canceled. Wormtown a massive warehouse to store moun- managing partner David Fields said at least one of his friends, who runs a tains of them. While most reacted brewery that produces around 7,000 to Tree House’s new bottles with barrels per year, recently had three excitement, relishing the novelty, I can shipments canceled because of wondered if the national can shortlow inventory. age had possibly gotten worse.

Wachusett Brewing Co., the third Sure, Polar could have simply largest brewery in the state, has also missed a delivery. Tree House’s Nate Lanier may have decided to bottle on been dealing with canceled can loads.

“We are working closely with our a whim. Polar and Tree House have supplier to prioritize and ship what not divulged publicly how the can matters most, but can supply is so shortage has affected them. strained right now with the seismic And yet, the nation’s dwindling shift to off-premise sales that it is inventory of cans has been mostly a impossible for the supply chain to behind-the-scenes problem for craft keep pace,” said Wachusett president brewers and other beverages — one Christian McMahan. caused by the rapid and extraorYou may not have noticed fewer dinary shift in beer sales from onsix-packs of Wachusett because the premise draft pours to off-premise brewery has worked closely with its sales caused by the pandemic. If it

L

continued shift to more off-premise sales, we suspect it will be some time before we are all out of the wood,” he said.

“Washington”: Miniseries follows the life of the country’s first president. Jeff Daniels stars.

OUT ON DIGITAL HD AUG. 25 “Einstein’s Universe”: The 1979 documentary about the world’s most famous theoretical physicist has been remastered and digitally restored.

“One Man and His Shoes”: Documentary explores the history and legacy of the American sensation that is Air Jordan sneakers.

OUT ON DIGITAL HD AUG. 28 “Centigrade”: After an intense snowstorm, a man (Vincent Piazza)

and his pregnant wife (Genesis Rodriguez) remain trapped in their car.

“Driven to Abstraction”: Documentary examines an infamous $80 million art scheme.

“Entwined”: A doctor (Prometheus Aleifer) becomes enchanted by a reclusive woman (Maria Eglezaki) suffering from a mysterious skin condition. In Greek and English. Will be out on DVD and Blu-ray Sept. 8.

“Rogue”: A hired gun (Megan Fox) sets off with a team to Africa on a rescue mission. Look for it on DVD and Blu-ray Sept. 1

Tap Notes

Let’s get this out of the way now: Yes, fall beers have already arrived in stores. Yes, Shipyard Brewing Co. has released its famous Pumpkinhead more than a month before pumpkin

picking season in New England.

You shouldn’t be surprised.

And at this point, we all should get past griping about it. Instead, this year more than any other, let’s embrace the early fall beers as a sign of possibly better days ahead, the majesty of the changing leaves, crock pots of chili and piping hot Swedish meatballs, brisk mornings and, of course, football.

LISTEN UP

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 16

is it? “And I’ve got nothing but time,” sings Beaudet, “Senescent like aged wine/Don’t be so loud when you speak/The walls have teeth.”

It’s an interesting note on which to end such a surly album. It’s not what anyone would call an uplifting conclusion. Or is it? The album’s persona seems kind of happy with where he’s ended up. If there’s a joy to be found in nihilism, then it’s certainly to be found here.

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distributor to keep its markets satiated — for now. McMahan does not expect Wachusett’s can supplier to shore up its inventory any time soon, even with the anticipated slowdown in beer sales that typically arrives after Labor Day. “There is generally a natural slowdown in can sales after Labor Day, but with hard seltzer trends remaining, along with an expected

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

(Michael Smiley) and Molloy (Kerr Logan).

“Deep Blue Sea 3”: Dr. Emma Collins (Tania Raymonde) and her associates return to Little Happy island to study sharks as a suspicious team puts all their lives in jeopardy.

“Gunsmoke: The Complete Movie Collection”: Collection includes “Return to Dodge,” “The Last Apache” and “To the Last Man.” “Infamous”: A couple on the

lam (Bella Thorne and Jake Manley) livestream their robberies via social media.

“One Night in Bangkok”: A hit man (Mark Davascos) holds a cabbie hostage (Vanida Golten) as he makes his kills.

“SEAL Team: Season Three”: The CBS series picks back up with Jason (David Boreanaz) and the team in Serbia.

“The Flash: The Complete Sixth Season”: The CW series starring Grant Gustin as the beloved DC superhero marches on.

FILE PHOTO/ASHLEY GREEN

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NEW ON DVD

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 18

Cans are filled with Wachusett Blueberry along the line at Wachusett Brewery in April 2019. In response to the pandemic, breweries quickly shifted sales from on-premise draft pours to off-premise sales, and that has created a new problem: a shortage of cans.

CITY LIFE

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.

SARA MCCLURE

Meet Vinny! Vinny was brought to the shelter after his owners

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had another child. Given how big, bouncy and at times rough, Vinny can be, it was not an ideal situation for Vinny or their new baby.

Vinny needs an adult only home. He can be timid when meeting new people and likes the opportunity to come up to you first. He is also the type of dog that will need multiple meetings with someone before feeling comfortable with them. He is very smart and knows how to sit, sit/stay, lay down and he comes when called. Vinny lived with a dog in his previous home, but since being here, he has been very anxious and upset when meeting new dogs and some people.

As of now we would recommend a home with no other animals for this handsome guy. Vinny loves to play with toys and will bring them back for a fun game of fetch. Vinny loves to walk outside and is very strong on leash. He also has a high prey drive and will chase after squirrels, bunnies or birds if given the opportunity. Given this combination, he is looking for a strong owner who will be able to handle him. Vinny can’t wait to be a companion again to some lucky person. If you would like to make an appointment to meet him, please contact the shelter.

WARL COVID-19 Procedures As of March 25, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we want to share with you some changes we have implemented so that we can continue to serve the pets and people of our community while keeping our team protected.

• ADOPTIONS: At this time, adoptions are being held BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. If you are interested in adoption, please visit our website worcesterarl.org/adopt/ to learn more about our available animals then call us at (508) 853-0030 ext.0 or email us at info@worcesterarl.org to schedule an appointment.

• Casual visits to the shelter are prohibited.

We will strictly enforce this in order to keep our animal care team protected while still maintaining the most essential function of our operation... finding homes for animals in need.

• ANIMAL SURRENDERS: Our business practice for surrendering a pet remains the same. All pet owners must contact WARL in advance of surrendering a pet. Please call (508) 853-0030.

• SPAY/NEUTER CLINICS: All scheduled appointments will be honored. If you have a scheduled appointment, we will be contacting you to discuss changes to our drop off/pick up procedures.

• DONATIONS: We will not be accepting linens of any kind or used, stuffed dog toys. While we are grateful for your thoughtfulness, we will not accept these donations if brought to the shelter.

• Pet food, cat litter, and other shelter supplies will be essential in continuing to provide for our animals and to assist community members in need. To avoid unnecessary travel and exposure, items can be purchased online from our Amazon Wishlist - https://www.amazon.com/gp/ registry/wishlist/3AX342JIL73M0

• Weekly training classes are suspended until further notice.

• The WARL Volunteer Program is temporarily suspended. All regular volunteer shifts are on hold. We look forward to welcoming you back as soon as we can.

We have many animals in our care who depend on us to stay healthy and well. The above measures help to protect our staff and community from the spread of COVID - 19 by minimizing face-to-face interactions while continuing to operate only core essential services. Please continue to follow our Facebook page for additional updates. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the shelter at (508) 853-0030 or info@worcesterarl.org.

Thank you for your continued FURiendship and support.

GAMES

J O N E S I N’

40 Web page for newbies 43 The ___ Dolls (cabaret/punk band) 45 Former MTV personality Daisy 48 Guarantee 50 “Who’s ready?” response 53 Cedars-___ (L.A. hospital) 55 ___ Nabisco (bygone corporation) 56 Part of AMA 57 Room in a Spanish house 58 4, on some clocks 59 Form a scab 60 Belly laugh sound 61 Pie ___ mode 62 Monogram of Peter Parker’s publisher boss, in “Spider-Man”

Last week's solution

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©2004, 2020 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #1003

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Down 1 Dominic Monaghan TV show 2 Buffalo’s lake 3 Whipping reminder 4 They may show actors’ or doctors’ names 5 Et cetera 6 Betty of cartoons 7 King of Katzenstein, in a Dr. Seuss story 8 Fit together 9 Fix a botched job at Baskin-Robbins, e.g.

10 Wu-Tang member aka Bobby Digital 11 ___fest (Osbourne-hosted tour) 12 Egg carton amt.

15 1040 org.

20 Under the weather 21 Abbr. on a cornerstone 24 Pep rally intangible 25 “She ___ Wrong” 26 Closet organizer, maybe 27 Daughter of Muhammad 28 Pertaining to a radioactive element 29 ___ the altar 30 Roofing goo 32 Lawyer/novelist who wrote “Presumed Innocent” 35 Keanu, in “The Matrix” 38 Screw-up

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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!

Across 1 Like blue material 5 More up to the task 10 Curtain holder 13 Cookie with a Thin Crisps variety 14 Really bad invitation turnout 15 “H to the ___ ...”

(Jay-Z lyric) 16 Farm structure 17 Destines to destruction 18 Deride loudly 19 Set of which all seven elements are fittingly hidden in the grid 22 Org. taken over by Mahmoud Abbas in November 2004 23 Those, in Toledo 24 Campus activist gp. of the 1960s 27 Problem for a valet 31 Popular place to hang out 33 Base x height / 2, for a triangle 34 Bread served with vindaloo 36 He said “Say hello to my little friend!”

37 Heavy president and family 39 Court figure 41 Drill bit, usually 42 Mean 44 Big galoot 46 Namer of Einstein as Person of the Century 47 She played Ferris Bueller’s girlfriend 49 One who gives up too easily 51 It may be hard to follow 52 Own (up) 54 Get to the poi?

55 What you should hear in the background as you’re solving/playing 60 Pilgrimage to Mecca 63 Kirsten of “Wimbledon” 64 Word after guard or third 65 Gore, as distinguished from his father 66 Clear a videotape 67 Mixture 68 Rule opposed by Gandhi 69 German dissents 70 Word repeated in an NPR game show title

“Mental Blocks” -- The answers will fall in line. [#177, Nov. 2004]

By Matt Jones

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CentralMass Classifieds The place to go to buy and sell!

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My secret is CLASSIFIEDS!

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LAST CALL

The Eggroll Ladies P huong Lam is better known as the Eggroll Lady. I sat down with Lam and her daughters, Gwendolyn Bui and Christina Bui, to discuss how COVID-19 has impacted the business their family has tirelessly built in Worcester over the last 15 years.

How did your eggrolls get famous?

PL: First, I want to say thank you to every single American person in the world who accepted me to this land. I’m from Vietnam. My eggrolls are more than a business; I use my eggrolls to show thanks.

Our shop is very small, but it allows me to chat with customers. That’s all I want. If I can tell someone thank you, I’m happy.

America is a sweet land. I don’t worry about money because love is all I need here.

From left, Christina Bui, Phuong Lam and Gwendolyn Bui. DYLAN AZARI

a pharmacist, and Gwendolyn is becoming a nurse.

How long have you been open in Worcester?

PL: Since 2006.

Have you given them your secret recipes?

PL: They don’t know how to make the eggrolls yet. Even when I’m retired, I will come in here to see my customers and roll eggrolls.

CB: We really do have amazing customers. Snowplow drivers who go out of their way to make sure we’re taken care of in a storm.

School bus drivers who come in on their lunch breaks every week.

We have so many considerate customers who make sure we stay in business.

PL: Worcester is as sweet as a piece of sugar. As sweet as a little lamb. I love you all so much. Even the health inspectors are kind.

The first time they came, I was scared because of my experience with communism in Vietnam. The inspector here introduced himself

and said, “Are you ready to begin?”

I was so surprised by his patience.

In Vietnam, I was pushed and treated like an animal. I was selling books and the communists took them from me and knocked me into the street. That’s why I was nervous about government officials when I first came here.

Do you ever get any time for yourself?

PL: I love to cruise. Every year, we go on a cruise as a family.

Can I ask a personal question?

PL: Yes. Are you ever frightened to be back on a boat after your experience fleeing Vietnam?

PL: No. If you live in the past, you will always be stuck there. It’s important to move forward in your life, appreciate what you have in the present, and show love to everyone around you.

– Sarah Connell Sanders

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Do you each have a specific role in the business?

GB: When we open, it’s actually just me and my mom here. My mom’s the cook and I take phone orders. It has been a huge challenge because a lot of our staff didn’t come back either because they were afraid to get sick or they were taking care of someone at home. The implementation of delivering orders to cars by myself took a lot of planning. We had to figure all this out as COVID was unfolding. Now, each person puts a number on their windshield

wiper so they end up with the right order.

PL: Christina is my boss! She’s the manager. I am 58 years old, so I am preparing for my retirement.

My kids are about 80% ready.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Has COVID-19 had a big impact on the restaurant?

GB: This small shack used to have four tables for dine-in. Customers would come in here to eat and wait. We’d always be packed.

Gwen and Christina, did you Figuring out how to help everyone start helping out as little kids?

GB: Yes, we went to all of the fairs. outside and bring orders to their cars was a challenge. We created a Marshfield Fair and the whole lot of new systems.

New England circuit. I’m the PL: I am a cancer survivor, youngest, the middle is Jennifer, that’s why COVID made me very and the oldest is Christina. nervous. But, I’m still cookCB: Back then, we were pulling ing. My love for our customers a 10-foot trailer. We actually still got me through cancer with no have it. That’s like another baby. complaints and the same is true In the summers, my sisters and I would always scramble to do sum- now. We had to shut down for six mer reading because we were busy weeks. Today, things are better, but it’s hard not to worry every working a real job, selling soda minute. We want our customers cans for a dollar.

PL: I’m so proud of my kids. Chris- to feel relaxed. As a family business, I know that if one of us gets tina studied business, Jennifer is sick, we’ll all get sick and have to

shut down again. My girls work in Boston and they have to come out here every weekend to help. I am here every day until three or four o’clock in the morning.

It’s important for me to bring freshness to our customers. A few weeks ago, we had to raise some of the prices on our menu for the first time. Parking on the weekends is also proving very difficult. We are hoping the city can add some temporary spots to help us survive.

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How did you end up in Worcester?

PL: I came without family. I escaped from Vietnam to Malaysia to the Philippines. I was on a riverboat in the ocean for four days that was weaker than a canoe. When I came to this country, so many people gave me love. The first day I arrived in the USA, the piece of bread volunteers gave me tasted so good and the clothes from the refugee camp felt so warm. Eventually, I ended up in Portland, Oregon. From there, I made a friend who gave me the address of someone with a job for me in Worcester. I slept on the floor in a house with 11 other people.

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