Worcester Magazine August 30 - September 5, 2018 by Worcester Magazine

AUG. 30 - SEPT. 5, 2018 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

NEWS • ARTS • DINING • NIGHTLIFE

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Now in third year,

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in this issue

A U G U S T 30 - S E P T E M B E R 5, 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ V O L U M E 44 I S S U E 1

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In its third year, Pow! Wow! Worcester makes a splash!

The Pow! Wow! committee with this years mascot car, Gunther, featuring an interactive chalk board surface. Story on page 12 Photo by Elizabeth Brooks, Design by Kimberly Vasseur

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news

A primary primer: A look at three contested races Primary season is upon us. While Worcester doesn’t have any of the high-profile contests like the 10-way Democratic bid for the 3rd Congressional District nomination in Lowell, there’s enough to get voters on both sides of the aisle out to the polls Tuesday. On the Democratic side, three locals are competing for

the 17th Worcester District state rep. Nomination, moving on to challenge Republican Paul Fullen in November. On the Republican side, there are two contests of note. Two local state reps are vying for the Register of Deeds domination, taking on Democrat Katie Toomey in November. On the federal level, two locals are vying to challenge

Congressman Jim McGovern for the Second Congressional District, which he has held for decades. Below is a quick overview of each candidate in a contested primary.

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Primary: 17th Worcester District Democratic State Rep PAM GEMME

DAVID LEBOEUF

am Gemme’s road to politics is not a well-trod path. As a teen, she was a single mother and suffered through poverty and intermittent homelessness, but she worked to put herself through school, first getting a GED, then a bachelor’s degree in urban studies and a master’s in public administration. For the past 30 years, she has worked for the state Department of Children and Families, helping people much like the younger version of herself. “My whole life has been about advocating and taking care of folks. I see when kids have the right education plan and the right support and they have a pillow to put their head on at night, how they flourish and how they’re healthy, and I’ve seen the opposite of that frankly,” she said. “That’s why I’m running.” As a state rep, Gemme said she would focus on affordable housing, the opioid crisis and access to education, from per-kindergarten to community college. “When you have kids who have gotten early solid education or daycare, early intervention, and you see them graduate and flourish in their adult lives, you know that’s the reason why, especially when you compare them to kids who didn’t have the same opportunities,” she said. Locally, public transportation and road infrastructure are in major need of repair, she said. With an economy “firing on all eight,” she said she wants to see more of that money come back to the district and the people in it. “With all I learned I want to take that to the next level, to help a place I love,” she said. “It just has a lot of meaning for me in my life and I think I’m the person who could really work hard to get something done.”

avid LeBoeuf is the youngest candidate in the race, but he’s logged serious hours on Beacon Hill. He worked directly on two bills that became law: The RISE act, which created a bill of rights for sexual assault victims, and the first Election Modernization bill, which established early voting and improved voter registration. He has run campaigns, and worked in both municipal and state government. LeBoeuf was the first Democrat to announce his intention to run for the seat last October. He got into the race before incumbent Kate Campanale, a Leicester Republican, announced she wasn’t seeking reelection. LeBoeuf chose to run because he wanted to apply his political experience to local advocacy. “This is my home and these are the people I care about,” he said. Perhaps his biggest sticking point is education, and most of all he wants to see universal state-funded kindergarten. “It makes economic sense, it makes educational sense in regards to enrichment for children, but also it’s an equity issue,” he said. He also wants to work on reforming the system of state education aid, which he called an outdated formula that leaves districts like Worcester and Leicester without adequate funding. Health care is another tenant of his platform. Insurers and providers are not held to high enough standards of responsibility and accountability, he said. As healthcare costs for regular people rise, so do profits for companies and CEOs, he said. LeBoeuf hopes to use the state rep platform to make life better for working people in the district. “I’m someone who has been very intentional in my advocacy over the years,” he said. “I’m someone who is going to be more than just an ally.”

news 17th Worcester STUART LOOSEMORE

Primary: Register of Deeds KATE CAMPANALE KEVIN KUROS

ith years of experience in both real estate and information technology, Uxbridge state Rep. Kevin Kuros thinks he’s the right man for the register of deeds job, which requires maintaining a massive online database of property records. “If it were an interview rather than an election, I have no doubt in my mind who would be the next register of deeds,” he said. A real estate broker for about nine years and an IT consultant and manager before that, Kuros has experience managing systems, employees and a budget, but perhaps more importantly, using the Registry of Deeds. As a broker, he’s at the registry frequently. Though he said the registry is well managed, he did say the last few days of every month can be hectic, with new homeowners and brokers scrambling to close on home purchases. He suggested a few quick fixes, such as installing a system of TV screens to guide people through the building. He also wants to increase the amount of processes that can be completed online and make the database of records more searchable and better integrated across the state. Kuros would also seek to implement a “Registry on the go” van, which would open in South Worcester County once a month or so, saving people the trip to Worcester. Kuros identified deed fraud as a long-term problem the registry should work to prevent. He suggested implementing a process of validating records to prevent the crime. “As an outsider looking in, there are a lot of things we can do,” said Kuros.

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epublican state Rep. Kate Campanale of Leicester sees a need for better customer service and education at the Registry of Deeds, and sees herself as a person who can bring that. “I have a passion for it. I see this as a challenge,” she said. “Anthony Vigliotti, the current register, was only 32 when he got elected, and like him, I enjoy public service. I like helping people and making government work better for the people.” The two-term state rep worked as a business development coordinator for a Framingham-based construction company, managing million dollar contracts and budgets. At the Registry of Deeds, she would work to improve the community outreach and education, making the database easier to use, with analytics like the number of transactions recorded and the average prices of homes in towns, made more readily available. The Registry, she said, could benefit from using GIS mapping technology to make records more easily searchable, and employing it would open the door to working with local cities and towns on sharing GIS libraries. But making the registry more useful doesn’t help if people don’t know about it. Campanale said she’d work to better educate the public on the registry’s role. “I think there’s so much potential at the Registry of Deeds,” she said. “There’s so much history there and information, and I’d love to just make sure everyone knows the registry is there to be a resource, and use it as tool to help them, from realtors to town officials to economic development officers and historians who use it for research,” she said.

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tu Loosemore is no stranger to local business leaders and politicians. He has spent the past six and a half years as the lead public policy advocate for the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, where he represented the interests of the local business community. Before that, he worked for 10 years as an assistant to state Sen. Anne Gobi. “Mixing that private and public sector experience really gives me a rounded base to start from,” he said. “It makes me very qualified for the position.” He sees the role of state government as an agent to help people, particularly via education and public safety funding, and help the local economy, via targeted infrastructure projects that incentive private development. “Government’s role to me is to be there to help and I enjoy helping people,” he said. A Leicester resident, Loosemore has identified abandoned or under-utilized properties in the district that could use help from the state. Specifically, he said, the Route 56 corridor in Leicester, the abandoned Mill Street shopping center and the problems with the Moose Hill Reservoir could use attention from the state. But economic development isn’t the only focus of his campaign. Loosemore has identified education funding as a major issue, saying the Chapter 70 state funding formula needs to be tweaked, and he supports the city of Worcester’s potential lawsuit against the state to correct the formula. He wants to see more investment in training programs for first responders, and he wants to see the state invest more in the research and development of renewable energy. Loosemore said his public policy experience would allow him to start advocating for the district on day one. “I don’t have a learning curve, I don’t have to figure out how it works,” he said.

news Primary: 2nd Congressional District TRACY LOVVORN

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racy Lovvorn, a Grafton Republican, got into politics sideways while fighting a skilled nursing company she used to work for in court. She said she found fraud, waste and abuse in the company, and ended up working with the inspector general, office of health and human services and Attorney General’s Office in New York. That was in 2009, and the lawsuit ended up returning millions of dollars to consumers, and led the company to divest from the United States. “I’ll stand up for everybody and stand up for what’s right and fight the good fight,” Lovvorn said. Now, she is challenging McGovern because, she said, he’s been in office too long and he’s not in the district enough. One of her top priorities if elected would be childhood health and safety. “We don’t talk about the issues going on with our kids,” she said. “Kids are shooting themselves up with guns and shooting themselves up with heroin.” The deadlock in Congress is hurting the problem, she said, and she wants to work toward a solution. Lovvorn also wants to see immigration reform. She wants to end the visa lottery system, replacing it with a merit-based system, and end the policy sometimes called “chain migration,” which allows family members an easier path to joining loved ones in the United States. “The majority of us want a fair and humane immigration policy based on an establishment of laws,” she said. “Unfortunately, at this time, it’s easier to come to America illegally.” Lovvorn thinks McGovern is much further to the left than the district as a whole, and said she’s running because she fears where the country could end up. “I really feel like we are at a crossroads in our country,” she said. “It does come down simply to: do we want to maintain a constitutional republic, or do we want to be a socialist nation?”

KEVIN POWERS

self-employed businessman for most of his adult life, Millville man Kevin Powers doesn’t have any political experience behind him as he seeks to ouster Congressman Jim McGovern, but he sees that as a good thing. “I can proudly say I have no political experience, but I’m bringing C O N T I N U E D O N N E XT PA G E

news POWERS

“If you’re looking for Jim, go to Worcester,” said Powers. “He’s C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 6 definitely not in the towns.” If elected, Powers, a Republican, many years of business experience to congress if elected,” said Powers. would work to rekindle a Nixonera program in which aid from the Powers owns a trucking busifederal government is distributed ness based out of Uxbridge, and evenly to towns and the state, has built his campaign around rather than through the state. The two central ideas: more support program, he said, would give cities for towns and a pledge to only and towns more control over how serve six years, or three terms, if money is spent. elected. He said he has been to He’s also for tighter border secumore than 100 town meetings rity, saying drugs like meth and coand special elections during his caine come primarily through the campaign, and said he hasn’t U.S. border with Mexico. Border seen McGovern at a single one. security, he said, is “about more

than just people,” referencing terrorism and “dirty bombs” as well. He wants to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign energy as well, instead investing in renewable energy produced locally. Powers believes in small government, and vows to work to cut waste, duplication and fraud from federal spending. “I don’t want to make a career out of this,” he said. “I want to come in, do my job the best I can and represent each town in the second district.”

1,001 words ELIZABETH BROOKS

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news

worcesteria

RUNNING OUT THE CLOCK: Officials held the first of two hearings on

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the proposal for a $86-$90-million minor league ballpark in the Canal District. The public input was a mix of a few things. Advocates for labor pushed for an agreement that ensured construction and other jobs stay local, economists criticized the deal, and others praised it as a boon for the city. There were also a few environmental activists and Green Island townies. There may have been a wider range of opinion if city and PawSox officials hadn’t spent the first hour running out the clock with speeches we’ve already heard two or three times now. I mean, it was a public hearing. The room was packed – at least 200 people. And they didn’t come to hear Councilor Kate Toomey talk about how the ballpark will create a “booming community,” or PawSox President Charles Steinberg’s backstory. They came to hear different perspectives – like Holy Cross economist Rob Baumann’s point that the revenue projections made public only focus on the first few years of the deal, when the trouble might come in decades two and three. By the time he got to mic, people were already leaving. I’m not saying city officials intentionally ran out the clock to tamp down the public input, but I do feel it had that effect. Hopefully at the second hearing, next Wednesday at City Hall, 5:30 p.m., we’ll put a little more public in public hearing.

JIM’S LUCKY O’DAY: Oh, Jim. You thought you’d get out of this snoozy election year unscathed, huh? Thought you wouldn’t have to really campaign, huh? Take the fall off, big guy? Well, guess what – you’ve got a challenger … sort of. Worcester resident Christi Berry emailed us a few days ago to say she’s launching a (remarkably late) write-in campaign for the Republican nomination in Jim O’Day’s district, the 14th Worcester. She is a student at Worcester State University, a veteran, and she is running on health and safety issues. She needs 150 write-in votes next Tuesday to get on the ballot for November. If she does, Jim’s got work to do – well, more work than he does now. I imagine learning you have a challenger two months before an election feels a lot like getting called in on your day off. TAX ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR BUSINESSES: The Municipal Operations

Subcommittee, headed up by freshman Councilor Sean Rose, is set to put a proposal on the City Council floor that’s sure to cause an uproar and plunge the council into a tax rate debate two months ahead of schedule. The idea is to tax large apartment buildings as businesses under the city’s split commercial tax rate; “large” meaning more than either five or nine units, depending on the version council adopts. If adopted – and it requires approval from the state Legislature, so it’s not the easiest road – it would shift the tax off existing businesses without impacting residential property owners. There are two early signs this could possibly be the next big shitshow after the Council approves the PawSox deal: One, it has to do with the tax rate, so it automatically opens up a new front in the Great Tax Rate War between councilors and the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Two, the proposal didn’t come out of committee clean. In a rare split vote for moving an order out of subcommittee, Councilor George Russell opposed, saying landlords would pass the tax increase off on their tenants. Personally, my feelings are mixed on this. As a political observer, I think this is an interesting, creative solution to the tax rate problem. As a renter in the city – and what you might in government speak call “low income” – I’m terrified of my rent going up, and I’m moving into a building that may be affected by this if the council goes with the five unit option and not the nine. Bill Shaner, reporter wshaner@worcestermag.com Twitter: @Bill_Shaner

news

the beat

You may have noticed protests outside the Central Building development at 332 Main St. The Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Local 3 are picketing the development due to the hiring of non-union labor which, they say, underpays their workers. The building is owned by the Krock Family, and received received a state investment of $19.8 million to create 55 apartments and first-floor retail space.

Delta Airlines announced this week they’ll add flights from Worcester Regional Airport to Detroit Metropolitan Airport in August 2019.

The flights will allow riders to connect to 134 different destinations from around the globe. The news follows American Airlines’ addition of direct flights to Philly and Jet Blue’s addition of direct flights to New York. Officials at a press conference this week hailed the announcement as a major boost for the airport, which only a few years ago was in danger of closing.

Apparently, the development interest is pouring in after the PawSox and city officials announced intentions to move the team to Worcester. The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce wrote to city councilors Monday saying eight developers have reached out inquiring about the area around the Madison Street development, and have scheduled a tour in the area.

to challenge the removal, but requested the town pay for his lawyer. He is accused of showing up alone and unannounced to a house to investigate a dock installation and got into a confrontation with the homeowners.

A small group of protesters took to the street in Worcester this weekend to speak out after flyers for a group called the Patriot Front

were found in Kelley Square. The Patriot Front is a white supremacist group and protesters on Saturday protested their effort to organize in Worcester. ELIZABETH BROOKS

The construction of the new South High is underway. Of-

Worcester Public Schools students went back to school for another year this week. Here’s to a happy, successful year for all the city’s public

school students. However, it didn’t necessarily get off to a good start. Extreme heat on Tuesday and Wednesday made for uncomfortable classroom environments, as many buildings do not have air conditioning. The heat was such that some schools around the state closed or held early dismissals.

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ficials last week broke ground on the project. The $210-million school is expected to come online in 2021. Of the $210 million, the state, through the Massachusetts School Building Authority, is contributing $112 million. The existing South High opened in 1978.

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Selectmen in Douglas voted, 4-0, to oust a Conservation Commission member who several residents had complained acted unprofessionally. The commissioner, Gary Vecchione, said he plans

opinion editorial

Don’t make excuses, vote

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t can be easy to shrug off the right to vote, perhaps now more than ever. Then again, there may not be a more important time to vote than now, either. On Tuesday, Sept. 4, voters can head to their local polls to cast ballots in the state primaries. In Worcester, among the races being watched are in the 17th Worcester District, where three Democrats are vying to appear on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. There, the winner will face Republican challenger Paul Fullen. The winner in that election replaces outgoing state Rep. Kate Campanale, who happens to be a candidate in another closely-watched race. Campanale, a Republican, squares off on Tuesday against fellow Republican Kevin Kuros for the right to face Democrat Katie Toomey in November for register of deeds. Incumbent Registrar Tony Vigliotti is not seeking reelection, fueling speculation as to his future ambitions (a run for City Council in Worcester, perhaps?). There is also a Republican Primary in the 2nd Congressional

District, where Tracy Lovvorn and Kevin Powers are vying to unseat longtime incumbent Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern. First elected in 1996, McGovern faces no challenger in this year’s primary. There are races elsewhere. The problem is, only about 7 percent of registered voters are expected to head to the polls and vote in the primary. That number will rise in the general election, but the primary is, arguably, the more important election. This is where the final races are set in stone. If, on election day in November, you stare at the ballot in your hand and wonder why the candidate you prefer isn’t on it, you may well look into a mirror for the answer. The election process is not perfect. That we essentially have a two-party system no doubt has disenchanted many. Indeed, the number of unenrolled, or independent, voters has increased in Massachusetts. Some may see it as a protest of the two-party system, but has it also driven more voters to stay at home on election day? Unenrolled voters, of course,

can vote in the primary. You may pick the ballot for the party of your choice. Registered Democrats must vote in the Democratic Primary, while Republicans must vote for their party’s candidates. Much has been made of whether term limits should be imposed on our elected officials. There is a quick counter to that: the term limit lies in your vote. If you think it’s time for Candidate A to move on, vote for Candidate B or C. Of course, if that were all the motivation it took, the numbers of

voters in elections would be much higher. There has been no quick fix found as to why so few folks head to the polls, other than during presidential election years or for high-profile races. Automatic voter registration is seen as one potential solution, but that is not yet in place in Massachusetts. It is expected to roll out in time for the 2020 presidential primaries. In the meantime, it us up to you, the voter, to take the initiative. Even when automatic voter

registration is in place, there is no guarantee a voter will act. This year, in both the primary and general elections, don’t make excuses, make the effort. Get out and vote. Voting on Tuesday runs from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Your local town or city clerk’s office or elections division has more information, including where to vote. Statewide candidate information can be found on the Secretary of State’s website at sec.state.ma.us.

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opinion Armed - and dangerous JANICE HARVEY

forgot about the GO Buckets. When the first day of school year 2018 arrived, in all its steamy splendor, I was taken aback by the white utility bucket on my desk. A bright green sticker with the words “GO Bucket” adorned the pail. I opened it expecting to find a teacher’s “survival supplies” – pencils, pens, dry erase markers, staples, file folders, notebooks. The basics. What I found was an actual survival kit, designed to be used if an active shooter should enter the school. Yikes. I’d forgotten the Go Buckets were part of the A.L.I.C.E. training Worcester teachers received last fall. A.L.I.C.E. stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate, the strategy that “goes beyond the conventional lockdown.” The training, though harrowing, was provided by the Worcester Police Department, and it was a real eye-opener. My heart pounded wildly from simulating an attack by an active shooter; I recall that it rattled me for days.

The GO Buckets were provided to every classroom in the city, and serve two purposes: first, as a container for items used in the event of a siege and second, as an actual potty. One of the items in the bucket is a roll of toilet paper. It never occured to me that if my students and I were barricaded in the classroom while a madman roamed the hallways, we might need to evacuate more than the building. I got a cramp in my colon just thinking about it. Other items in my bucket included rope, duct tape, zip ties, a flashlight, batteries and a small first aid kit. I have to be honest. When I first opened the bucket I thought it looked like the contents of a car trunk belonging to a serial killer. All that was missing was a bag of lime, a shovel and ID Discovery Detective Joe Kenda’s voice-over, explaining that cameras at Home Depot captured the moment when the perp purchased the Go Bucket contents.To quote Joe: “My, my, my.” Don’t get me wrong. I’m not making light of a very scary and very real possibility. I appreciate the supplies, I just haven’t quite

been able to wrap my brain around why we need ALICE and GO Buckets. I know we need both, but the fact that teaching nowadays requires survival training saddens and terrifies me. If that reminder of how vulnerable we are wasn’t enough, Secretary of Education Betsy “ Grizzlies Might Attack” DeVos is pushing for guns in the schools. Betsy has decided, along with her besties at the NRA, that we don’t need a living wage or money to replace crumbling schools - we need guns. Never forget that the woman who heads one of government’s most important departments is part of the family that made its fortune convincing suckers to invest their hard-earned cash in good ol’ Amway - the granddaddy of pyramid schemes. Amway is the Scientology of soap. For those readers unfamiliar with this “global leader” in health and beauty products, Amway has been suckering dopes cult-style since 1959, when Betsy’s father-in-law, the aptly-named “Dick” DeVos Sr., first dreamed up a way to talk poor saps into parting with their

money in the hopes of becoming successful entrepreneurs. Purveyors of the unreachable American Dream, the Devos shysters became multi-billionaires by convincing the gullible among us to fill their basements with unsellable junk while emptying their wallets into the DeVos coffers. Betsy D doesn’t back any idea that doesn’t directly dump dough into the pockets of her clan, so you can bet your last buck she’ll somehow profit from putting guns in schools. She’s one of the “best people,” don’t you know? I’ve yet to speak with any colleague who wants access to a gun in school. I know the last person you want handling a weapon is shaky old Miss Harvey. If Betsy D has her way, next year’s updated GO Bucket should include a Glock and ammo, and some crappy Amway products that won’t even properly clean a crime scene.

Janice Harvey contributing writer

After all this time, Worcester is still a National League City MATTHEW PERRY

new team coming to town, but there is nothing like the thrill of seeing MLB players live and in person, something the city should have been experiencing for the last 135 years. It’s a stretch to call the team’s removal in 1882 a crime, and I don’t expect a National League team to return to Worcester any time soon. But I do think it is time for MLB to make good on its agreement to play games in the city. Maybe the Phillies and the Red Sox can play a preseason game in the new state-of-the-art ballpark planned for the Canal District before every season. Both teams could wear throwback uniforms – the Red Sox in their inaugural 1901 garb, the Phillies wearing brown socks or ruby pants, depending on who you ask. Matthew Perry, a Northbridge native residing in Boston, is an amateur baseball historian and member of the Boston Braves Historical Association. He is the outreach coordinator for the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

field representative teams. So, you see, these two frayed-collar cities are still part of the Senior Circuit. It has been 135 years since this resolution was adopted, so by my calculations, Major League Baseball owes both Worcester and Troy 540 National League games. That’s three and a third MLB seasons. The city of Troy has already made the call “for Major League Baseball to right a terrible wrong.” In 2001, Kevin Moran of the Troy Record made the accusation that the removal of the two teams was a crime. “... the vote (to remove Worcester and Troy) was illegal. Nowhere in the National League charter did it state teams could be removed from the league, or from their franchise locality, for financial reasons.” Mr. Moran called for the MLB to repay the city their missing games, as Troy was getting its own minor league team and stadium. He wants the San Francisco Giants, the team that came out of the city’s removal from the league, to come back to Troy to play exhibition games. Now that the Paw Sox are moving up Route 146, should Worcester expect any less? I don’t want to sound ungrateful for the

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efore the “Woo Sox” and the Bravehearts and the Tornadoes, Worcester was home to one of the original teams in the National League - the same National League that still exists today as part of Major League Baseball. The only problem with the team was that it wasn’t very good, and not many people were interested in going to the Agricultural Fairgrounds near where Becker College is today to see them play. It is unclear exactly what the team’s name was. Some refer to them as the “Worcester Worcesters,” others the “Brown Stockings” and others still the “Ruby Legs.” The team is notable for having the lowest-attended MLB game of all time, with six paying customers. It wasn’t all bad times though. Their pitcher, Lee Richmond, was the first to ever pitch a perfect game on June 20, 1880. Needless to say, the team was dissolved at the conclusion of the 1882 season, and was replaced within the league by the Philadelphia Phillies. Worcester is full of great baseball history. The poem “Casey at the Bat” was

written here. Legendary Manager Casey Stengel played a season with the Worcester Panthers of the Eastern League. Babe Ruth is said to have drank at the Hotel Vernon. The Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox coming to Worcester starts a new chapter; however, there is still some unfinished baseball business to attend to dating back to 1882. Worcester wasn’t the only team removed from the league after the 1882 season. The other was the Trojans of Troy, New York. A 1990 Sports Illustrated article by Steve Wulf states that although the two teams were voted out of the league, their National League membership remained, and National League baseball games should have stayed in the cities as well. According to the 1883 edition of Spalding’s Official Base Ball Guide, the following resolution was unanimously adopted: “That the resignations of the WORCESTER B.B. CLUB, and the TROY CITY B.B. ASSOCIATION, are hereby accepted, and that the names of said clubs be placed on the roll of honorary League membership.” Troy and Worcester were also promised four exhibition games a year if they could

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your turn

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Now in third year,

feature The Pow!Wow! committee members Travis Duda and Mike Petrucci pour slime over committee directors Lisa Drexhage and Jessica Walsh. ELIZABETH BROOKS

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a s e mak

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! H S A L SP BY JOSHUA LYFORD

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omething happened downtown in 2016. Splashes of color erupted throughout the city and it was difficult to walk down Main Street without overhearing discussion on these massive new murals. Of course, it was the debut of POW! WOW! Worcester, the Central Massachusetts arm of the international mural festival. Sure, there were plenty of people excited about the week-long event, but it was, at the time, uncharted territory for the heart of the commonwealth. Downtown didn’t look the same as art exploded throughout its footprint, nor did it feel exactly the same once the event reached its conclusion. That first year was something of an experiment – a bold one, that paid off massively. The mural festival’s second year brought even more art to the city, this time bringing a focus to Worcester Public Schools.

Hank Von Hellion works on his 2017 Pow! Wow! mural on Worcester Art Magnet School. Below, Key Detail and Julia Yu Baba in progress on their Pow! Wow! 2017 mural. FILE PHOTOS/ELIZABETH BROOKS

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POW! WOW! wasn’t quite a secret anymore. It became a point of pride to area residents, a visual representation of the beauty of Worcester. Since its inception, the Worcester mural festival was more than a sum of its parts, and as organizers themselves will tell you, POW! WOW! Worcester was always more than walls. With artists from across the globe — alumni hail from as far away as Brazil, Spain and Chile — joined by those based right here in Worcester, the event has been an unlikely component in putting Worcester on the map and in the national consciousness.

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This year, POW! WOW! Worcester returns with even more of what residents, artists and fans have come to expect, and the city becomes a canvas awaiting a fresh splash of color.

A GLOBAL AFFAIR

OW! WOW! Worcester 2018 will once again bring artists from across the globe, including Japan’s Dragon 76, Greece’s Insane51, France’s Zest, South Korea’s Stickymonger, Canada’s Stikki Peaches, Ben Johnston and Smoluk, Netherland’s The London Police and more.

Farr, left, Alex Hayes, center and Key Detail and Julia Yu Baba, right, at Elm Park School.

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ELIZABETH BROOKS

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ELIZABETH BROOKS

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Above, Chris Konecki’s Pow! Wow! 2017 mural on the front of Elm Park Elementary School. Below, Lucas Aoki’s Pow! Wow! 2017 mural on Elm Park Elementary School. A U G U S T 30 - S E P T E M B E R 5, 2018

Spear Torres lives in Puerto Rico, but spent time living in Worcester, where he discovered graffitti and his love for art like many others, on the train cars. “I started when it was graffiti, it wasn’t street art,” said Spear. “People didn’t see it that way. I would run from the cops painting the train tracks, doing that stuff. It’s a different context now, I’m painting a federal building. That would have never happened before. The context for people, why is it happening? Is it going to benefit the people that originally came up with it? As an artist, you have to know where you’re working and also if you have a message, put it out there and do what’s right in your head. I try to not polarize how it should be, every case should be evaluated on its own.” Taking a break from helping out a friend during a mural festival at home, Spear said public art allows you to convey a message to viewers, but that he doesn’t always want it to be too obvious. “I definitely always want to give a message, but I don’t want to give it away,” he said. “What is the best thing I can say to those people? It doesn’t have to be controversial, it can be a happy message. I want to amplify something that is good in that community. Maybe that community relates to it and interacts with the symbols. For example, in the Dominican Republic, I had an image of a girl on her knees, playing with a cell phone. It’s kind of new for a lot of people over there, they’re excited about it. I wanted an icon that could relate. It was the last thing I would have expected, the green banana. They feel strongly that it represents their culture, their economy.” Sydney James lives in Detroit, Mich. She is running errands as a part of her usual routine before making the trip to Worcester to begin her POW! WOW! Mural. She has participated in POW! WOW! Before, having recently completed a piece in the Hawaii iteration, where she met committee members Che Anderson and Jessica Walsh. For her and others, public art is a chance to convey a message to many, not just the attendees that would frequent a gallery opening or exhibition showcase, though oftentimes the point remains the

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same. “I’m incredibly conscious of that,” explained James. “It’s part of the reason that I’ll try to do it. I’m a black woman doing it, which is not common, we’re out here doing it, but it’s not common to see. I think the fact that a young black girl or children in general see me high up on a lift is one of the most important pieces of what I do and why. The message that I create in my public work, is the same that I create in my gallery work, the experiences of black women in this country and the experiences worldwide. That’s my intention.” James is a classically-trained

illustrator who has transformed walls in her hometown of Detroit. “Taking over vacant lots in the neighborhood I grew up in,” she said. “My initial purpose was to beautify areas in Detroit. I’m not a believer that it belongs on every building. Many buildings themselves are indeed art, but in certain places I think it absolutely creates greater value.” The creation of that public value is much of what is appealing to the artists and organizers of the annual mural festival, and there is no question the satisfaction after the long volunteer hours, organization, planning and supply purchasing comes from the knowledge that Worcester is a more beautiful place than it was before.

Spear Torres and some of his previous work. Spear joins other muralists from around the world for POW! WOW! Worcester.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

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A mural by Big Teef at Worcester Art Magnet School. ELIZABETH BROOKS

amon Gillen is a tattooer at Worcester’s Crown of Thorns Tattoo shop. He is also an artist that has participated in POW! WOW! himself and has crafted murals around the city independently. He joined the committee last year. “I love meetings. I had a few kids, so I had a ton of extra time,” Gillen laughed from his seat at the tattoo shop. “No, that first year, seeing the Secret Walls event, I thought that was so cool. Seeing people doing all these big pieces and completing them in that small amount of time. I had been involved with painting, but not on that scale as far as massive pieces. I had just had my daughter that first year. Timing-wise, that was tough. I went to Secret Walls and it was, wow, it was cool. It was cool for the city, for anybody that was there. After that, I realized I wanted to get involved.” In addition to joining the POW! WOW! Worcester committee, Gillen

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painted a mural on the Canterbury Street School. It is a massive snake overlooking the kindergarten play area and, as Gillen describes, it has some interesting characteristics “I started doing the snake and, well, it was the area where the kindergarteners would play,” he laughed. “I thought, ‘Well I probably shouldn’t do a real aggressive snake,’ so it was actually more fun to do a smiling snake, a goofy snake. Doing like an aggressive dragon, it ends up looking kind of goofy. They’re already aggressive enough. People get skulls, a skull represents death already. People will ask for the skull to be angry. it’s already a dead human skull, is that not aggressive enough for you? It’s less aggressive for the kids.” While Gillen is quick to joke about snake aggression, he, like many other participating artists, got to see first-hand the impact his art had on area youth.

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The back wall of the Palladium is prepped for an incoming Pow! Wow! 2018 artist.

2018 POW! WOW! WORCESTER

LOCATION PREVIEW & FESTIVAL SCHEDULE 1

Clark Street Elementary School

280 Clark Street | Artists: CHRIS RWK @chrisrwk, JAKE MERTEN @lookatart, STICKIPICTURES @stickipictures, SCOTT WALKER @scottliamwalker

2 Worcester Arts Magnet School

315 St Nicholas Ave | Artist: HANK VON HELLION @xile._

3 Flagg Street School

115 Flagg Street | Artist: LEXI BELLA @lexibellaart

4 Chandler Magnet Elementary School

525 Chandler Street | Artists: DRAGON76 @Dragon76art, ERIK NASSINYK @Erasoul, JESSE SMITH @jessesmithtattoos, MARY MURPH @MaryMurklins, STICKYMONGER @Stickymonger, STIKKI PEACHES @Stikki_peaches, WOES MARTIN @Woes

Installation Artists

Will be working at many locations throughout the city. Get out and explore! Look for clues on social media. BALLOONSKI @Balloonski KID HAZO @kidhazo RAE BK @Rae_bk SMOLUK @Smoluk.box STRAYONES @strayones TOMBOB @Tombobnyc

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5 Elm Park Elementary School Basketball Court 23 North Ashland Street | Artist: ZEST @Zest1980

6 Palladium

261 Main Street | Artist: SLICK @OG_Slick

7 Paul T Leahy Center

363 Belmont Street | Artist: SPEAR TORRES @Speartorres

8 Worcester Common

455 Main Street | Artist: SARAH BRUECK WILLIAMS @Sarahbrueckwilliams

9 YWCA

1 Salem Street | Artist: SYDNEY JAMES @SydneyGJames

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10 Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center

112 Harding Street | Artist: ADAM FUJITA @adamfu

11 Worcester Public Library

3 Salem Street | Artist: WRDSMTH @wrdsmth

12 The Hanover Theatre

2 Southbridge Street | Artist: INSANE51 @Insane51

13 Creative Hub Worcester

2 Ionic Avenue | Artist: LAMOUR SUPREME @Lamoursupreme

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14 Chandler Elementary School

114 Chandler Street | Artist: DANIEL DANGER @Tinymediaempire, MAX SANSING @Maxsansing,

15 Jacob Hiatt Magnet School

772 Main Street | Artist: THE LONDON POLICE @TheLondonPolice

16 832 Main Street

Artist: BEN JOHNSTON @Benjohnstondesign

17 927 Main Street

Artist: MICHAEL MURPHY @Perceptual_art

GET YOUR PASSPORT STAMPED FOR SPECIAL DEALS DURING THE FESTIVAL: Worcester Wares

Door 22 at DCU Center

C.C. Lowell

455 Pleasant Street

Check out powwowworcester.com for up to date info on this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s locations, past murals, and current schedule.

AUGUST 31 - SEPTEMBER 9 MORE THAN WALLS

FRIDAY - AUGUST 31

Opening Party

Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St

9PM - 2AM

POW! WOW! Worcester kicks off our third visual arts festival with an aural party. Sounds provided by DJs: Woes, MannPaqq, and Big Bear b2b Slick Vick. Dance moves provided by your bad self.

TUESDAY - SEPTEMBER 4 Worcester Public Schools Art Bus Reveal Worcester Pop-Up, 20 Franklin St

3PM - 6PM

Worcester Public Schools students created their own POW! WOW! Worcester inspired designs. Two of these will be used to transform WRTA city buses. Check out all the designs in the pop-up art gallery and be the ﬁrst to see Worcester’s two new art buses!

WEDNESDAY - SEPTEMBER 5 Design + Maker Lab

Worcester Pop-Up, 20 Franklin St

Limited edition is cool but “individual edition” is cooler. Join ‘47 and Worcester maker space Technocopia in putting exclusive designs on your own custom threads.

THURSDAY - SEPTEMBER 6 Greetings from Worcester ARTraiser

Sprinkler Factory, 38 Harlow St

6PM - 9PM

FRIDAY - SEPTEMBER 7 New England Revolution Academy Youth Clinic Elm Park Community School, 23 N Ashland St

4:30PM

New England Revolution players lead a youth skills clinic at the site of dozens of murals painted during POW! WOW! Worcester 2017 and 2018. Sign up: https://www.surveymonkey.com/ r/2018-Worcester-Clinic

SATURDAY - SEPTEMBER 8

12 11 9 3 10

2nd Annual Artist Cup Soccer Match

Elm Park Community School, 23 N Ashland St

Noon

Legend

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2018 Location 2017 Location 2016 Location

Sounds of the Underground Closing Party Johnson Tunnel, Downtown Worcester

8PM Doors

The murals are dry, the installations are in, all that’s left for us to do is to party. Celebrate the end of another POW! WOW! Worcester in a place where the sun literally does not shine. Music by Wheresnasty, STL GLD, Riobamba, and Cipha Sounds. Dance moves still provided by your bad self, but fueled by Monster.

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The Beautiful Game gets a little uglier when POW! WOW! Worcester committee members, artists and New England Revolution players meet on the pitch for a friendly soccer game. If our committee members’ play is tough to watch you can rest your eyes on the murals behind them.

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A silent auction of 50 postcard signs created by 50 artists held in a factory-turned-art gallery. POW! WOW! Worcester keeps it classy with h’orderves and a cash bar. Proceeds to beneﬁt Worcester Public Schools and the Sprinkler Factory.

sponsored by

4PM - 9PM

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“I really liked that it was on a lot of schools last year,” he said. “Even some of the businesses that I’ve painted, kids are the ones that stop and watch and ask questions. They notice that stuff more than you think. It’s not like a physical thing, they saw this mural, so ‘X’ happened, but art in general, it’s hard to take a survey of all the stuff that it does, but I think it helps. Somewhere in there, as far as creativity goes, I think that it helps. You can’t just wake up and be creative out of nothing, you have to be surrounded by it and inspired. The earlier the better. I still think of stuff I saw as a kid that stuck with me.”

Mural by Ivan Roque on Elm Park Elementary School. ELIZABETH BROOKS

BEING NICE TO WORCESTER

ukas Therien grew up in Worcester and attended Burncoat High School. These days, he goes by the name Stickipictures when creating his 3D-stylized works. His path to POW! WOW! started in year one of the mural festival and just a few short years later, he will be painting his own public art in the city he was raised in. “I found out about POW! WOW! the first year, the day after it ended,” Therien said. “I was very sad about that. I was adamant about finding out about it the second year. I kind of just showed up and talked to people about it.” Until this point, Therien kept his work to a mural-relative small scale. That changed when he was asked to do the menu board at WooBerry on Highland Street. From there, committee member and POW! WOW! Worcester co-founder Jessica Walsh tasked Therien with creating designs for her business, Worcester Wares. As he puts it, it all snowballed from there. “Seeing all these crazy murals on Instagram and stuff, it seems untouchable,” he said. “When it comes to your city and seeing local kids last year, like Kai Griffiths, it’s really great. The cool thing about POW! WOW! coming here is that I never even considered doing murals, until it came here and I went around talking to people and watching them. They’re incredible artists, but they’re just people. It’s like meeting your favorite musician after the show having a drink at the bar. They’re just people

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and that kind of made it seem like I could do it. That’s something I could do eventually.” Therien now has the daunting task of translating his images to a wall, marking his first foray into crafting massive murals. “The way I approach it on paper is not very easy to translate to a wall,” Therien explained. “It’s small and detailed. I have to change my strategy, but that’s fun. It’s terrifying, it’s exciting. I love that. I’ll have to totally change my technique. In the end, I ended up going with something I’m really proud of. At the end of the day, if no one else likes it, at least I do. I hope people like it.” Getting to see his city come alive with public art and contributing to that movement himself is a special experience for Therien and one he doesn’t take lightly. “There is a general morale. The more murals go up, the cooler it seems to people, the more you enjoy being in the city,” said Therien. “It takes a boring walk through grey buildings into something more exciting. It doesn’t get old. I love Worcester, especially now. The nicer you are to Worcester, the nicer it is to you. I’m finally being nice to it and loving it. To do something in my hometown, in my neighborhood area, that’s cool.”

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Mural by Joe Iurato on the front of Elm Park Elementary School.

feature Mural by Brian Butler on Worcester Art Magnet School. ELIZABETH BROOKS

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FULL CIRCLE

or POW! WOW! artist, Spear, his art gets to come full circle in Worcester, where he started doing graffiti. Years later, he returns to the city as an artist that has created a life from work. “Nowadays, I feel more that I get to talk to people, I see the people that see my work,” Spear said. “They give me more credit than they should, but they’re really engaged so I have an opportunity to talk to them. You get to talk to people about your experience of life, but also, it gives you identity. When I was a kid, I wanted to do graffiti, it was a hobby. From that it became something relatively important for people and they will remember you by. It gives you a space out here and doing it in your own way. You don’t want to admit it, but I love that attention.” Artist James has a hand in two worlds, as a fine artist as well as a muralist crafting towering murals throughout the world. With that perspective comes an appreciation of the experience that only POW! WOW! can bring. “I think outside of artists, I think that’s the best part of the mural festival industry, it’s the interaction with the community,” she said. “So often that’s the difference. I am a fine artist as well and showcase in galleries. If you go into the gallery, it’s intentional. I get unintentional and intentional visitors. It’s not better, but it’s invigorating. It really adds to the mural festival experience, specifically POW! WOW!” POW! WOW! Worcester kicks off with an opening party at Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St. on Friday, Aug. 31 at 9 p.m. The festival runs through Sept. 1, with art going up throughout the city the entire week. For a calendar of events and map of murals, see pages 20-21. For more information, head to Powwowworcester.com. Follow POW! WOW! Worcester on all social media platforms @powwowworcester.

culture CWHL Boston Blades vs. Kunlun Red Star - Feb. 1, 2018 The Boston Blades celebrate teammate Dru Burnsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (7) goal in the second period. COURTESY OF THE BOSTON BLADES

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culture

Women’s pro hockey arrives in Worcester JOSHUA LYFORD

hile Worcester’s collective renaissance punditry fell over themselves to herald the Pawtucket Red Sox deal last week, another major sports announcement took place that further solidifies Worcester not just as a sports town, but more specifically, a bonafide New England Hockeytown. The Canadian Women’s Hockey League announced on Aug. 20 that the Boston Blades would move from their longtime home in and around Boston to the Heart of the Commonwealth.

The newly-designated Worcester Blades will begin the 2018-19 season with new uniforms and a new home at the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center. The team was founded back in 2010 and is the only American team in the CWHL, which includes teams across Canada as well as a team based in Shenzhen, China. The previously Boston-based Blades have twice won the league’s most prestigious honor, the Clarkson Cup: in 2013 and 2015. The team has hit some rough patches in the years since, however, many of which based in their revolving door of home ice

locales, having moved three times in as many years. In Worcester, the team is hopeful for a forever home. “I think it’s almost everything,” said Blades forward Megan Myers. “Going to a game, getting ready, being in a place that you fit, that has an effect. With away teams coming in, you want to impress them. Hey, this is where we play, aren’t you jealous? That is a factor. Having a home is going to make us feel 10 times better and just take care of all that worry. We can just play.” Myers has played for the Blades since she was drafted by the team

CWHL Boston Blades vs. Montreal Les Canadiennes - Feb. 4, 2018: Boston Blades forward Megan Myers (15) controls the puck while being defended by Montreal Les Canadiennes forward Noemie Marin (10).

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COURTESY OF THE BOSTON BLADES

in 2014. In any professional league, trades and movement are common, but this is particularly true in the CWHL as movement occurs between teams as well as leagues, with the CWHL competing for top talent with the National Women’s Hockey League.

“I love the blades. I love what the blades represent,” said Myers. “I decided to stay a long time ago.” Myers is joined by brand new Worcester Blades general manager Derek Alfama. The pair are seated on the Steam Energy Cafe patio, just outside their new home at the

culture

playing hockey after college and that’s a dream come true. Why do it if we’re not having fun? Obviously, I want to be competitive and I want to win games. I want to eventually win the Clarkson Cup. I think with how competitive the league is, we want to see things start out right. I’m looking forward to a fun season. All the girls are very, very excited.” “New players bring in new ideas and new life,” added Alfama. “I think if you have a few new players every year, I think that’s a healthy situation. At the end of the day, it’s all

ing played professional hockey with the Blades for years, coached ECAC college hockey and herself being a Worcester resident. “I’d tell them it’s the same game you’ve been playing your whole life, it’s just that you have to work 10 times harder to adapt to that style of play,” she said. “But you’ll also be in for having probably the most fun you’ll ever have in your life. You’re playing professional hockey, you’re living the dream. Take it in as you can get it and live it every moment. I would also tell a rookie,

city. I think that’s amazing. I’m coming from another small town in New York. They were a big hockey town, too, but moving here is like a breath of fresh air. Everyone is so passionate about the city and passionate about sports teams almost because they’re so passionate about the city. They want the Railers to succeed, they want us to succeed. It’s also very young. There are so many colleges around here. The young energy is amazing. This is the first place I’ve lived in for a long time where I feel like it’s home. I think a lot of people

Worcester Blades General Manager Derek Alfama ELIZABETH BROOKS

Megan Myers, Worcester Blades forward, at the Worcester Ice Center. ELIZABETH BROOKS

‘Don’t worry, I can drive you through Kelley Square first.’ I used to make people follow me and I’d take them through Kelley Square and they’d say, ‘What the hell did you just take me through?’” More importantly, however, Myers and Alfama believe Worcester gives the team a chance to succeed, both on and off the ice. “There’s a lot I like about Worcester,” said Myers. “I like that it’s very up-and-coming. I came here four years ago and I’ve seen so much growth and so much passion for the

will feel that.” The 2018-19 CWHL schedule has yet to be released, but in the meantime, area hockey fans will get their first chance to see the team in action at training camp at the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center from Sept. 25-27, followed by an exhibition game against Shenzhen, China’s KRS Vanke Rays Saturday, Sept. 29. For more information on the incoming Worcester Blades, head to Worcester.thecwhl.com, or follow them on Twitter and Instagram @Worcestercwhl.

about the culture. Culture will win you hockey games, belief will win you hockey games, your heart will win you hockey games. Yes, you’ve got to have talent and the best players available, but at the end of the day, your heart and your desire will win you hockey games. That’s our focus.” As for the players the team drafted this year, which include defenseman Lauren Williams, forward Morgan Turner, Meghan Turner, Jessica Convery and more, Myers is in a special place to give advice, hav-

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“I’m one of three girls to come out of there to play hockey, so looking now and seeing the women’s growth there too is just amazing. Having an opportunity to play after college at the highest level is a dream. When I was a kid, I wanted to play in the NHL. I wanted to play for the Mighty Ducks, but now I can say, girls can say, ‘I want to play for the Worcester Blades one day.’” While it is too early for specifics, the Blades hope to make key partnerships with hockey programs in the area, with both the established ECHL team, the Worcester Railers, and local girls’ youth hockey programs as well as more general community engagement. “We’ve been in touch with the Railers. They’ve been nothing but helpful in welcoming us,” said Alfama. “They’ve made the most of the media and helping us with the media availability. We’re looking forward to a great relationship. How that looks, I don’t know, but we’re working toward that as we speak.” While there is plenty of excitement for the new home and brandnew facilities at the Ice Center as well as the opportunity to play in Worcester’s established hockey community, it also serves as a hard reset for a team that will welcome a number of new players from the CWHL draft that took place on Aug. 26 alongside their veterans. “I’d like to see our team culture be at its very best,” said Myers. “We’re

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Worcester Ice Center. “With different teams, we’re going to have a lot of olympians from past olympic games coming through and playing our team. That’s going to be exciting, having these major players coming to play. We want to build a good reputation in the community,” said Alfama. “I admire these women so much. These guys are elite players, they’re trailblazers. They’re barreling through all the barriers of women’s hockey and everything that goes along with that, and being role models to these young players that can look up to them.” “I think I just go out there and play,” added Myers. “I’ve been on the Blades for about five years now and when I started I didn‘t really think about it that way. Now that I’m a little bit older, I’ve come to terms with it. Yeah, I’m trailblazing. I see little girls at our games, I sign autographs for girls who want to play for the Blades one day. That’s awesome.” Myers has called Worcester home for four years. In that time she has claimed a Clarkson Cup with the Blades and was named the first assistant coach of the Becker College women’s ice hockey program. Before that, she lived in another hockeytown, playing for Utica College, though she was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nev. She has seen ice hockey — specifically women’s hockey — grow in her hometown and nationally. “I’m from Las Vegas,” she said.

culture Lyford Files JOSHUA LYFORD

A NOTE TO THE THRILLER: I play pick-up street hockey

most Mondays after deadline. It’s a nice way to burn off what I can only describe as extreme writing-related aggression. Even though I am terrible and generally just get hit in the genitals with a hard orange ball (and now have a black and blue jammed big toe thanks to some expert-level board play), it is a whole lot of fun. Well, I was tasked with creating a shit talking column about a certain thrilling goaltender. I’m not going to do that, though, I’ll keep my b-level heckling on-ice (cement?). Instead, I wanted to highlight a few POW! WOW! Worcester events coming up as an addendum to this week’s cover story. And away we go.

OPENING PARTY: I’m

going to go out on a limb here and assume that if you’ve ever read this column, you’ve picked up on my proclivity toward the finer things in life: cheap beer and dancing like a total f-----g idiot. Well, lookie here, the POW! WOW! Worcester Opening Party is a great opportunity to do just that. The Chris Konecki works on his party is happening Friday, Aug. 31 Pow!Wow! 2017 mural. at Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St. at FILE PHOTO/ELIZABETH BROOKS 9 p.m. There will be DJs and dancing, and you can see committee members getting wild, which is a nice treat. Also, while Electric Haze has a great drink selection, if you’re like me and essentially just human garbage with a limited line of credit, last time I checked they had a great two-forone ’Gansett tall can deal.

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CHECK OUT THIS BUS: I’m not going to be a jerk here

because there are children involved. On Tuesday, Sept. 4, the Worcester Regional Transit Authority will unveil two brand new bus wraps. Now, new WRTA bus wraps wouldn’t be very exciting, HOWEVER! These two were designed by Worcester Public School students in partnership with POW! WOW! and the WRTA. So check out some cool bus wraps designed by students and then check out an exhibition of all the other submissions at the Worcester PopUp. No beer, sure, but still a lot of fun.

ARE WE PLAYING FOOTSIE?: I know, the fancy foot-

ballers call it Footy, but footsie is just so much more scandalous, I say. Anyway, here’s another event I’m excited for. On Saturday, Sept. 8, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., the POW! WOW! Worcester Artist Cup Soccer and Basketball Competition kicks off. I am terrible at basketball and have some pretty horrifying memories of youth soccer (my dad was our coach, I went to save the ball in a tied up game and ended up kicking it into my own net. My palms are sweating just thinking about it), but this event is really damn cool. Artists and committee members are joined by New England Revolution players in this crazy matchup. And just remember: I voted for a street hockey tournament.

CLOSE IT OUT WITH STYLE: and grace, yeah? Of course,

the Sept. 8 closing party was going to make my list. This one is wild, and honestly it should likely transcend the public art enthusiast crowd. Billed as the Sounds of the Underground Closing Party, the title gets right to the point. No joke, the party is in the Johnson Tunnel in downtown Worcester. My last memory of the tunnel was of a moped doing about 60 mph and blowing off its pedals on a massive pothole. Now, my wig will blow off because of how sick an event this is. I have to come clean, I am not familiar with the musical acts participating, but have been told they’re very cool. Do these names ring bells?: Robamba, Cipha Sounds, STL GLD and Where’s Nasty? Tickets are $20, college students Joshua Lyford get a discount and I tell ya what, I’m going to have a Culture editor whooooole fistful of beers on me.

@Joshachusetts

culture Lifestyle SARAH CONNELL

Know Your Farmer: Meet Joanie Walker

I intend to begin profiling local farmers as a regular feature in this column. Who better to begin with than Joanie Walker of Walker Farm at Whortleberry Hill? Walker provides beautifully-marbled beef to a handful of the Central Mass chefs who she has deemed trustworthy. Each one of them has visited her farm in New Braintree for a personal meet and greet Joanie Walker of with her beloved herd of 60 grass-fed Red Devon cattle; she knows each cow by Walker Farm at name. Her cows reach full weight at 3 years Whortleberry Hill. of age when they can be bred and sent to market. (Unless Walker falls in love with them. If she falls in love, they stay.) Walker hails from Webster Square in Worcester, where she spent most of her life. She began her herd in 2012 after relocating to her husband’s family farm in New Braintree. At the time, she weighed 250 pounds and had no experience raising cattle. Today, she is a vision of health and tenacity and her sense of pride is responsible for the most delicious beef I have ever eaten.

Fine Things and Wine Things

Tees On The Fly

We know you’ve been drinking POW! WOW! Worcester-inspired cocktails since Sunday to get amped up for the 2018 festival. Well, the most wonderful time of the year arrives tomorrow, Aug. 31, and the party kicks off at Electric Haze around 9 p.m. Expect DJ sets courtesy of 2018 artist Woes, DJ MannPaqq, DJ Big Bear, B2B and DJ SLICK VICK along with “free admission for anyone who’s ready to turn up.” How’s your hand-eye-coordination? Rumor has it, a few of the fresh POW! WOW! Worcester 2018 tees will be launched into the crowd.

Count on Veterans

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Easter Seals will host a Veterans Count Breakfast fundraiser at the College of the Holy Cross on Tuesday, Sept. 11. Mark your calendar for a free breakfast aimed at engaging individuals interested in learning and supporting our veterans. Local business leaders and politicians will round out the crowd to discuss the fact that many veterans in Central Mass. are still denied services and return home with little or no support. Easter Seals Communications and Marketing Director Alexander Dunn emphasized a recent focus on female veterans sharing, “There is a disproportionate level of need in our findings, so we’ve been specifically facilitating emergency financial assistance for female veterans via a grant and we have a monthly ‘meet up’ with guest speakers and free lunch in the hopes of creating a communal support network in allegiance with our more formalized services like job training and assistive technology.” Easter Seals is committed to finding real solutions for Veterans in Central Mass, but they need your help. Stop by Holy Cross on Sept. 11 from 7:30-9 Sarah Connell a.m. to learn more. contributing writer

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Worcester CAN have nice things. The Worcester Wine Festival is back for year two, proving our pretty little city can embody both grit and elegance. Organizers of the Worcester Wine Festival are aiming for sophistication. They have masterminded a two-day symposium intended for wineries, distributors, and vineyards to brush elbows with area restaurants, stores, and consumers. More than 1,500 participants turned out for last year’s event. This year, the Worcester Wine Festival will span over six days including intimate paired dinners, nuanced brunches, and a grand tasting at Union Station from September 4th-9th. The Festival’s wine dinners and brunches will be held at Willy’s Steakhouse, Bocado Wine Bar, Sonoma at the Beechwood, deadhorse hill, Altea’s and Lock 50. Each venue was selected based on the integrity of its wine program. Chefs will prepare exclusive pairing menus for the occasion. Tickets are available online.

culture Don’t Mess with Mama at Grille 57 57 Highland St, Worcester • 508-798-2000 • grille57.net SANDRA RAIN

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hen I arrived at Grille 57 for a late afternoon lunch last week, I was greeted by an elderly woman asleep in her chair by the front door. My entrance startled her awake and she blurted out, “What do you want?” “Lunch,” I told her. “We don’t serve lunch,” Spinach stuffed chicken breast she said sternly, and I took over rice from Grille 57. that as my cue to leave. A bartender hurried out of the kitchen to stop me from exiting the restaurant. “Take a seat,” she urged, “I’ll be right with you.” I climbed up into one of the battered maroon stools at the bar, where I was faced down by last night’s glassware and a Greek statue that stood a head taller than me. Large mirrors on either wall created an illusion that the space stretched on forever. Red drop ceiling tiles pressed down on me from above. In the center of the dining room, an island made of glass bricks lay shrouded by mounted televisions set to different stations with competing volume. The elderly woman shook her head at me when the bartender returned with a menu. “Be nice, Mama,” the bartender implored. Draped red curtains and heavy blinds kept the light out and I squinted to read the menu. At the top it said, “We are pleased to introduce our new AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CUISINE/‘A TASTE of MANHATTAN NY now in WORCESTER.’” There was no attribution below the quote, but I had a feeling that Mama might have something to do with it. Grille 57’s kitchen is wide open so you can watch the cooks at work. They ding a bell when dishes come up, jarring Mama in and out of her slumber. The fried calamari ($9), chicken tenders ($8) and potato skins ($7) are standard pub fare. The caprese shines for its fresh mozzarella ($9), but lacks juicy tomatoes at the height of the season and employs dried basil rather than precious herbs. Simplicity is your best bet here. The staff recommends a stuffed chicken ($16) dish you won’t find on the menu. The tough breasts are softened by a cream sauce and burst with pockets of steamed spinach just as soon as you cut into them with your butter knife. The plate is piled high with broken-spaghetti rice pilaf, reminiscent of rice-a-roni. It is the sort of meal my single dad used to assemble on “his nights” – a nostalgic form of home cooking derived from the freezer aisle of the supermarket. Regulars will begin to arrive before 5 p.m., each one inquiring about Mama’s mood and waving sheepishly in hopes of gaining her approval on their way to the bar. Grille 57 hosts Greek nights, complimentary buffets and karaoke. The space is large and gets crowded late. Nothing is squeaky clean, but it’s not offensive either. Orders are rung in manually and checks are hand written. The staff at Grille 57 is kind and efficient with their time. Mama rules. On my last visit for dinner, the bill came to $42.80. Explanation of Stars: Ratings are from zero to five. Zero is not recommended. One is poor. Two is fair. Three is satisfactory. Four is good. Five is excellent.

Food: HH Ambience: HH Service: HHH Value: HH

culture Bats, balls and box office JIM KEOGH

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he recent Pawtucket Red Sox announcement has sparked welcome interest in Worcester from media outlets that traditionally ignore us or only come calling when someone gets his hand mangled in a snowblower. Suddenly, we’re relevant now that Larry Lucchino and his investors are fans of the “canal zone.” The general lack of knowledge about Worcester surely extends to our connections to the film inArthur Kennedy dustry. As a primer, I thought it would be helpful to pull together a few stray tidbits for the uninformed: Arthur Kennedy doesn’t get mentioned much anymore, but the Worcester native was a cinematic force from the 1940s through the 1960s, earning five Academy Award nominations. Kennedy made his bones on stage, where he originated the role of Biff in the historic Broadway production of “Death of a Salesman.” On film, he appeared in a number of prestigious films like “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Elmer Gantry,” and even stole the show in soapy crowdpleasers like “Peyton Place.” Though rarely topping the marquee, Kennedy crafted an enviable career playing supporting characters who contributed grace, wit and sometimes menace. In recent years, Worcester has been a friendly landing spot for a bunch of films, most notably, “American Hustle,” with Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. Director David O. Russell proclaimed the city remarkably preserved — in the 1970s (the movie’s time period). As compliments go … okay, we’ll take it. The Worcester Art Museum was featured in a “Hustle” scene, but played an even more prominent role in 2009’s “The Maiden Heist.” The movie premiered at The Hanover Theatre, and there had been buzz that stars Christopher Walken and William H. Macy might make an appearance. Alas, the actors confined their Worcester love to taped remarks shown just prior to the screening. Matthew McConaughey came to town in 2014 to film “The Sea of Trees,” about a physics professor nearly driven to suicide. I was able to observe McConaughey up close during his day at Clark University, and the guy never broke character — he seemed truly depressed (and this was before the movie was booed at Cannes). When McConaughey arrived on campus, a co-worker handed him a Clark baseball cap. He looked at it and asked, “Who’s Clark?” Worcester has been named-checked in a bunch of movies. Off the top of my head, I can think of “The Departed,” “You Can Count on Me,” and “Misery,” in which Worcester is cited as the hometown of the kidnapped author played by James Caan. Nancy Pimental earned a chemical engineering degree at WPI, then extinguished the Bunsen burners for a Hollywood career that is unassailably cool, including stints as a staff writer for “South Park” and “Shameless” (on which she’s also executive producer). As a screenwriter, Pimental gets credit for helping launch the women-can-be-bad-too genre of movies with 2002’s “The Sweetest Thing,” starring Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate and Selma Blair as hard-partying pals. Since there’s a Worcester connection to everything else in the universe, it stands to reason Worcester must be linked to the Marvel Universe. You don’t have to look far: The city’s own Denis Leary played the father of Peter Parker’s girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, in the 2014 reboot “The Amazing Spider-Man.” When was the last time two Worcester natives appeared in the same film? Someone with gobs of free time probably keeps records of such things, but for now I’m pegging it at “Mr. Holland’s Opus” (1995), which featured Alicia Witt as a klutzy music student and Jean Louisa Kelly as a high school theater starlet. Kelly endured the tougher acting challenge: convincing us she had the hots for a Jim Keogh middle-aged Richard Dreyfuss. contributing writer

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culture

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.

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came from different shelters. They aren’t brothers, but they are a tightly -bonded pair. The family was heartbroken to surrender them because of their child’s allergies. Neither cat was fond of the family’s dog, but they loved the kids. The family said an ideal home for the boys would be one without dogs, but with children and lots of sunny windows. Their reduced adoption fee is $250 for both cats.

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Maple (4-year-old tiger) and Agent Chase (6-year-old gray)

calendar

Through Sunday, Sept. 2 Exploring the Myths of James Dye

Thursday, Aug. 30 Out to Lunch 2018 Series-K Fingers and the Exploration Project

Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St. James Dye’s exhibition opened back in April, but Sept. 2 is your last chance to see the incredible collection of this local artist’s work.

Worcester Common Oval, 455 Main St. The summer Thursdays concert series continues with food trucks, local vendors and music. This time around, the musical guest is K Fingers and the Exploration Project, a jazz/neo soul band from the New England area.

Friday, Aug. 31 POW! WOW! Worcester Opening Party

Start POW! WOW! Worcester off right with the opening party extravaganza. With DJ sets by Woes, DJ Mannpaqq, DJ Big Bear, DJ Slick Vick and more. The event is free to the public.

Saturday, Sept. 1 High Command and Crazy Bull

Ralph’s Diner, 148 Grove St. Back from tour, local crossover thrash act High Command return to Ralph’s Diner having just announced signing with Southern Lord. They are joined by Philadelphia’s Crazy Bull as well as Ritual Blade, Facepaint and Glacial Hell.

Friday, Aug. 31 Patio Party!

3cross Fermentation Coop, 4 Knowlton Ave. The 3cross crew is celebrating the opening of their brand new outdoor space.

Saturday, Sept. 1 Old Skool Jam Reunion 2018

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PNI Club, 290 Millbury St. With special guest Decades by Dezyne. This is the 10-year anniversary of the event and black and gold attire is suggested.

Saturday, Sept. 1 CKY

Worcester Palladium, 261 Main St. Pennsylvania rockers and octave-pedal progenitors, CKY (pictured below), return to the Worcester Palladium with special guests Slaves as well as Royal Thunder and Awaken I Am.

Wednesday, Sept. 5 Opening Reception for Summa: Visual Arts Faculty 2018

Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College St. A collection of recent works by the visual arts faculty of Holy Cross, including Michael Beatty, Rachelle Beaudoing, John Carney, Matthew Gamber, Victor Pacheco, Cristi Rinklin, Susan Schmidt and Leslie Schomp.

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games

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JONESIN’ Across 1 “The Simpsons” character with a crossword episode 5 Waldorf (but not Statler), for one 10 Flim-___ (swindle) 14 Some are fine 15 Actress Menzel of “Frozen” and “Wicked” 16 Jared of “Panic Room” 17 Webster of dictionaries 18 Hebrew letter on a dreidel 19 Atop 20 Bug with formic acid 21 Show with a protagonist known as Number Six 23 Early fruit sampler? 25 Olympics chant that must annoy every other country 26 Came up 27 Copper finish 30 Small flashes of light 31 Where to use a No. 2 pencil 35 Cartoonist Avery 36 Pained sound 37 Half of Bennifer, once 40 Movie with a robot called “Number 5” 44 Jill who played Captain Stubing’s daughter on “The Love Boat” 47 Bald baby? 48 In better health 49 Midsection muscles 52 IX’s opposite, on a clock face 53 YA fantasy hero who combats No.1 56 Frazier’s “Thrilla in Manila” opponent 59 Horse race pace, sometimes 60 ___ Lama 61 “___ Artist’s Studio” (Christina Rossetti poem) 62 “You and ___ going to get along” 63 Cheeses in red wax 64 Semiprecious stone used in cameos 65 Not barefoot 66 “Gymnopédies” composer Erik 67 “The Untouchables” agent Eliot

"Can I Get Your Digit?" by Matt Jones

Down 1 Actress Condor of Netflix’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” 2 Element that sounds like the middle two letters should be switched 3 Paycheck deduction, perhaps 4 Wildfire side effect 5 “OK, whatever” noise 6 “Later,” in Lourdes 7 Walks with a cane, perhaps 8 “It’s the end of ___” 9 “The Persistence of Memory” artist 10 Put the pedal to the metal 11 Ono’s love 12 Be a witness to 13 Mandy and Dudley, for two 21 Place that’s not fun to be stuck inside with mosquitos 22 Pizzeria in “Do the Right Thing” 24 Diesel who got to say “I am Groot” in multiple languages 27 Calif. winter setting 28 Blackjack card 29 Gas used in light tubes 30 “Aladdin” character 32 Former Boston Bruin Bobby 33 “___ if I can help it!” 34 Tic ___ (candy brand) 37 Moore who won an Oscar for “Still Alice”

38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 49 50 51 54 55 57 58 61

Perjure oneself Baseball Hall-of-Famer Mel Came down pretty hard “First, do no ___” Racetrack boundary Special effects that look real but aren’t, briefly Start of many a “Jeopardy!” response Palindromic Reno casino founder William Bull-themed tequila brand Carne ___ A sharp equivalent “Likewise” “Beware the ___ of March” Sagacious Ruffles rival “Listen Like Thieves” band Charged atom

Last week's solution

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!

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last call Baphomettes burlesque troupe T

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he Baphomettes are Worcester’s favorite burlesque troupe. This team of sultry dancers likes to shimmy, shake, electrify and horrify. You can catch them at the DCU during the Worcester Tattoo Convention Saturday, Sept. 15. What is your history with the city of Worcester? Lady LaRouge: I grew up here, I live and work here now, and I am thrilled to see how Worcester is growing, as it’s such an arts-centric city. I have thrived here, having always loved and studied the performing arts. I am excited that in this artistic renaissance we’re seeing, the “dirty Woo” is down to embrace a more risqué form of creative expression. The Baphomettes have performed at Ralph’s Rock Diner two summers in a row now and brought the 508 to their knees with their killer moves.

Can you describe the origins story of the Baphomettes? Ms. Snake Bite: I started The Baphomettes after working with Northshore-based troupe The Betsi Feathers for a few years. I wanted a horror vibe due to my love of slasher/psychological thriller films and comics. I asked three of the most sexually-empowered and outspoken women I knew to start this troupe with me. I knew a few connections at Opus Underground (our home turf voted Best Bar on the Northshore) through my past performances and they gave us a shot. I owe Moxie Tart, Lady LaRouge and Buster Pants everything. How did you get involved in the world of burlesque? Many of us went to college at Salem State University to study theatre. In 2012, Ms. Snakebite, Lady LaRouge and Moxie Tart all worked on an incredible production of “Cabaret,” a Kander and Ebb musical set in a seedy 1931

Berlin nightclub. That show required quite a bit of scantilyclad dancing, so we got a taste of burlesque in the context of a dark play. Ms. Snake Bite went on to perform with The Besti Feathers. She was so enamored with the artform and driven to find her own style that she created The Baphomettes, our neo-burlesque troupe. We rehearsed our first show in the living room in the winter of 2016 and dipped our toes into what would turn into a passion project gone amazingly right. Since then we have grown into a full, diverse, rotating cast of sexy misfits producing new content as our fast as our creative minds can carry us. What are your thoughts on “Moulin Rouge?” While we can appreciate the movie for its cinematic adventure, and thank the soundtrack for the banger that is “Lady Marmalade,” “Moulin Rouge” isn’t very relevant to what we do. Because it is a musical and there is dancing, people assume it’s burlesque. But at the core, the film follows the lives of courtesans who also perform in a cabaret. You cannot pay to take The Baphomettes home. That being said, the new Broadway-bound musical, based on the movie, that recently previewed in Boston at the Colonial Theater really diversified the casting. It featured people of all different body types, races and gender identities, as well as reflected LGBTQ experiences, all of which we emulate and respect as well. Are there any stereotypes about burlesque that you would like to dispel? Moxie Tart: “I could never do that!” I want everyone to know that they can perform a burlesque number. Right now. No need to stretch, no need to even stand up. Burlesque is the art of tease. Burlesque doesn’t have to be big

hair, boobs and sequins. Teasing is so simple. Ivana Bendova: That it’s more than just a fancy word for stripping and that there isn’t something inherently bad about taking your clothes off for a paying audience. Scarlett O’ Heartless: That it’s not all sparkles and fishnets. Don’t be fooled, we’re not just dancers, we’re our own production company. We are our own choreographers, customers, prop masters, stagehands, make-up artists, critics and audience. We do everything for our own shows, and it’s a lot harder than just learning a dance and doing it on stage. It’s also extremely rewarding. Ms. Snake Bite: The biggest thing to squash is that all burlesque dancers have “perfect bodies” by our society’s standards.

We each have gained worlds of confidence through this endeavor. Representation is important. We can only hope by being our fabulous, voluptuous selves unapologetically, it inspires and empowers someone to love his or her body. We’ve seen the Queen of Burlesque Dita Von Teese perform live; we could see the cellulite on her thighs and it made us love our own. At the end of the day, it’s not necessarily about the performers’ body type, but the performance itself. Some of the best burlesque performers in the industry, like Dirty Martini, are plus size. We firmly believe in body positivity. Being a weirdo, and being unique, is just sexy.

Where and when can we see you in Worcester? Our next appearance will be at the Worcester Tattoo ConvenWhat makes burlesque uniquely tion at the DCU Sept. 15. We have two sets that day and we’d love body positive? to see you there. For updates on It takes a lot of courage to get our upcoming performances, you on stage and show off your body.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

can follow us on Instagram (@ thebaphomettes ) and Facebook (@burlesquebabes666.) When you aren’t performing, what do you enjoy doing in the city of Worcester? Lady LaRouge: One of my favorite spots in Worcester feels like a time machine. When you walk into Nick’s, it’s almost like being in that seedy cabaret in Berlin where this whole project found its roots. Being so into the arts, I’m a regular at the Dirty Gerund Poetry Show, a weekly poetry open mic with shenanigans on Mondays at Ralph’s. I also frequent The Dive Bar, as I love enjoying craft brews, noshing on Mama Roux’s deliciousness and getting down to a Prince track. Plus, we have a world-class theater right downtown with the Hanover, a gorgeous venue, where I like to catch musicals and concerts while they’re in town. — Sarah Connell

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A U G U S T 30 - S E P T E M B E R 5, 2018