Worcester Magazine Dec. 27, 2018 - Jan. 2, 2019

DEC. 27, 2018 - JAN. 2, 2019 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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the cover

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Person of the Year: The Dealmakers PawSox Chair Larry Lucchino and Worcester City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. Story on page 11 Photo by Elizabeth Brooks, Design by Kimberly Vasseur

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news

Plans move forward on new skatepark at Crompton Park BILL SHANER

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proposal to build a community skatepark at Crompton Park to fill the hole left by Worcide’s surprise demolition earlier this year has received the approval of the Parks Commission.

The board last week voted unanimously to update the master plan for the park to include space for a 32,000-square-foot skatepark at the north western end, at the intersection of of Quinsigamond Ave. and Endicott Street.

The park will be built in two stages, at first a 14,000-square-foot design and then, once plans to move a softball field and rectangular field are carried out, to expand the footprint to 32,000 square feet.

The city plans to design the park in a way that can be built in stages.

Per Parks Commissioner Rob Antonelli, the city will work with Worcide organizers on features the park should include, then contract out design work and construction.

While funding hasn’t been figured out, Antonelli raised the specter of funding it in the capital budget of the next fiscal year.

Michael Quinlivan, a Worcide organizer, spoke in favor of the park at the Parks Commission meeting tonight, but stressed the design needs to thoughtfully use the space. He also said the city should shoot for 80,000 square feet of skatepark space for a city the size of Worcester.

“This as a starting point to hopefully really show that we can do something a little bit more accessible and usable than the park we have here at the top of the hill,” he said, referencing the skatepark in Green Hill Park, seen by many as outmod-

The Worcide demolition in July.

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ed, inaccessible and poorly used.

While the Parks Commission approval opens the door for the city and Worcide organizers to secure funding and design plans, the proposal needs to clear a few more regulatory hurdles, including review from the Conservation Commission, as the park is being built in an area with flooding problems.

Two lingering issues stressed at the meeting are flood mitigation and incoming foul balls from the nearby softball field.

None of the commissioners expressed any outright opposition to building a skatepark at the location, and Antonelli said he would approach stakeholders in the Green Island neighborhood to explain the idea.

Antonelli said the process of building the park in two phases is a way to do the project more quickly.

“This is sort of the way to be able to do something sooner rather than later at this location,” he said.

The approval comes after the Youth Parks and Recreation Standing Committee of the City Council voted in support of the idea earlier this month.

The Worcide community skatepark was an independently-funded community project built over the past decade on a plot of land under rail lines north of the Wyman Gordon lot. In July, the park was demolished by the city without prior warning. The city cited safety concerns, including a trash fire in a dead space between the park and a wall.

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The outline for the new skatepark in the Crompton Park master plan.

Since the, Worcide organizers have pushed on several fronts for a replacement, calling for a series of smaller community parks throughout the city, like the current proposal at Crompton, while pursuing a larger park on state land that make take years to acquire and build.

The space at Crompton Park

was previously set aside in a master plan for a 6,000-square-foot skatepark in a previous master plan but the project was never carried out.

gumption

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

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LORD HELP ME: Remember that Iraqi reporter who threw a shoe at then President George W. Bush at a press conference? When I had to listen to former School Committee member Mary Mullaney try to convince the school administration to drop a proposal for comprehensive sex ed, I felt where that guy was coming from. Among the various academically-dishonest arguments against the proposal was a true gem.

The proposed program, which aims to teach kids a healthy attitude toward sex and contraceptive measures like condoms, will, she said, encourage kids to commit statutory rape. Here’s the quote: “Furthermore, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the age of consent for sexual intercourse is 16. This curriculum invites minors to violate the law, under the possibility one or more of the children could be prosecuted for statutory rape. Are you serious?” No, are you serious, Mary? I don’t think you are. Kids have sex regardless of what they’re taught in school.

Sorry about it. It would be a shame if they went into it knowing how to safely navigate the situation physically and emotionally. The horror. The only argument against this program she presented that had merit was the notion it would offend and violate the traditions of conservative, religious families of many different faiths. That would be a real problem except for one key aspect of this proposal: you can opt your kids out.

You’ve always been able to opt your kids out of health, this is no different. The program literally allows students uncomfortable with it to not take it. That argument should be taken immediately off the table, but that would require the opposition to this proposal to argue in good faith … so … The School Committee is expected to receive a compromise sex education proposal from Superintendent Maureen Binienda at the Jan. 17 meeting, and I would hope it looks very much like the first one, which was, of course, quietly killed after School Committee members John Monfredo and Brian O’Connell took issue with it. We’ll see.

CITY DEM SHAKEUP: Word on the street is Candy Mero-Carlson, chairwoman of the Worcester City Democrats, is going to step down.

Now, I can’t say where I heard this or whether it has any merit, and Mero-Carlson hasn’t yet returned a call I put in about it (I will update this online if and when I get a response). But with a reorganization meeting coming in January, this little tidbit could suggest some changing of the guard for the City Dems, and right before city election season. Very interesting thing to keep an eye on for #WorcPoli observers.

CATCHING UP WITH MCGOVERN: It was a very good week last week for

representative in the U.S. Congress, one Jim McGovern. He officially assumed the chairmanship of the House Rules Committee, a committee that effectively sets the schedule for which bills make it to the floor for debate. It is a very powerful position, and one he proudly promised in a statement to use to foster debate. McGovern is also a member of the House Progressive Caucus, so his leadership of this committee comes at a very good time for the ascendent left of the party. It comes as progressives have put forward and coalesced behind one of the most inspiring legislative proposals I can remember, the Green New Deal. Now, there’s a lot of oil lobby money between where it is now and a debate on the floor, but McGovern, a public supporter of the idea, at the helm of the Rules Committee can’t hurt.

HOMELESSNESS ON THE RISE: The homeless population across the

state increased by 2,500, a 14-percent jump, from 2017 to 2018. This compared to a 0.3-percent increase nationally. That’s staggering, and even more so if you keep in mind these numbers are often just estimates that fall far short of the real number. This issue and the issue of housing affordability/ gentrification are absolutely hand in hand. I don’t have any space left, but let me just say it’s a mistake to address the former and not the latter.

Bill Shaner, reporter wshaner@gatehousemedia.com Twitter: @Bill_Shaner

news

the beat

Worcester’s second medical cannabis dispensary opened last week. The

Botanist, at 65 Pullman St., is now open for business. Like Good Chemistry before it, The Botanist is applying to sell recreational cannabis from the same location, but does not yet have approval from the state Cannabis Control Commission.

Worcester Superintendent Maureen Binienda received high praise from the School Committee at her annual review last week, scoring

the top marks from three of the seven members and the second best in the other four. Mayor Joe Petty and members Dianna Biancheria and John Monfredo gave her the highest score.

Worcester Public Schools officials are expanding art programming

after new data from the state showed that only a third of Worcester high school students took any art classes. While art is considered a core class in elementary and middle school, it is not in high school. But the school plans to roll out more traditional classes as well as extracurricular and after-school offerings. Teachers will also have the ability to take training on how to weave art into lessons plans in other disciplines.

The Big Lots at the Greendale Mall is set to close. The store is

one of the few tenants left at the mostly-vacant mall. The target date for closure is early next year.

A Barre family fleed their home in pajamas as an early morning fire

last week left the structure uninhabitable. The fire started in the basement, according to the Barre fire department.

an initial emergency meeting to address traffic and congestion concerns around Cultivate, the new pot shop in town and one of only two open in the state, drew far less of a crowd than the first, according to the Telegram, from dozens at the first meeting to just a handful earlier this week. Residents in attendance praised the company for adequately handling the neighbors’ concerns.

Webster and Southbridge police departments have hired a case worker to assist with domestic violence cases. The Attleboro-based

New Hope agency has staffed a case worker with the departments to assist victims. The agency has dealt with hundreds of cases in both Southbridge and Webster.

like chlorine. The complaints come after a new $11-million plant was constructed to treat water. Town officials say the water supply will take some time to adjust to the new treatment.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft gave Girls, Inc., a youth advocacy nonprofit in Worcester, a $100,000 check by surprise this

week. The organization will use the funds to invest in work around technology.

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In Shrewsbury, residents continue to complain about the taste and color of tap water, saying the water is discolored, smelly and tastes

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A follow-up meeting held by Leicester officials about a month after

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opinion editorial

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

A thank you to our readers

trusted, local source for news.

A good local newspaper should We’ve come through a year that both celebrate the community’s accomplishments and challenge has been filled with successes its assumptions. You don’t always and challenges across our communities. From the amazing high like or agree with what we write, and some of you tell us so. We of learning the Boston Red Sox’ respect and appreciate that.

Triple-A Minor League baseball Knowing some of the chalteam will in a few years be playlenges of our industry, readers ing in Worcester, to the recent ask with increasing frequency and tragic line-of-duty death of how they can help make sure the Firefighter Christopher Roy. But one constant that we want to take free press remains vibrant. Our response is to recommend they a moment to celebrate is you. continue to read Worcester MagaWe’re thankful for Worcester zine, to engage with the commuMagazine readers like you because you care enough about your nity through letters to the editor or comments on our website and community, and your place in it, to keep up with what’s happening social media platforms, that they around you. You are engaged and support our advertisers (who, in turn, support our journalism), and concerned. You have thoughts to share, and what we deliver to you that they encourage their friends in words, photos, graphics, audio and neighbors to do the same.

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education

The Innovation Roundup SARAH CONNELL

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orcester is home to nine colleges and universities, categorically rendering the city a center of innovation. We checked in with members of the Higher Education Consortium of Central Mass to learn about some of the groundbreaking initiatives and projects taking place in the heart of the Commonwealth right now.

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Professor Tobin, the keynote talk will be given by William Koelsch, ‘The Revenant Returns,’ who will talk about being a gay student in the ’50s, a gay professor at Clark in the ’70s, and update us on his life now. Koelsch was a professor and he was also our first archivist.

In 1975 he taught one of the first courses on gay liberation. In the ’70s and ’80s, he was also publishing a column called ‘View from the Closet,’ under the pseudonym, “A. Nolder Gay.” The columns were collected and published as books.

“There will also be a symposium on LGBTQ Literature from Worcester with Michael Snediker [University of Houston] on Elizabeth Bishop [the lesbian poet who was born and is buried here], Henry

Abelove [Wesleyan University] on Frank O’Hara [the gay poet who was born in Grafton and went to Catholic schools here in Worcester] and Lisa Diedrich [Stonebrook University] on Paul Monette [who wrote two prize-winning memoirs, one on being gay and one on having AIDS, and who taught here for a year before moving out to Hollywood].”

“This symposium and keynote speech,” Bazydlo continued, “will be the opening for an exhibit at Clark on Clark’s LGBTQ History.

This exhibit on Clark LGBTQ History is a satellite exhibit to the exhibit on local LGBTQ history which Professor Tobin and Stefanie Yuhl of Holy Cross are curating and which will go up at the Worcester

Historical Museum, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Stonewall.”

Worcester State taps into virtual reality Antonio Guijarro-Donadiós, assistant professor, World Languages Department, coordinator of the Graduate Program in Spanish “This coming spring, I’m teaching an innovative course with virtual reality,” Guijarro-Donadiós said. “... Besides regular instruction, students will be able to explore Spain through virtual glasses, thanks to the support from the Office of the Dean of School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the world.”

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Clark University teams up with Worcester Historical Museum for LGBTQ exhibit Angela M. Bazydlo, director, communications and media relations “Clark University Professor Bob Tobin is working with students on an LGBTQ history exhibit, both at Clark and at the Worcester Historical Museum,” Bazydlo said.

“I believe there will be a grand opening in April 2019. According to

Professor Raymond Albert, Ph.D., director of Assumption’s new cybersecurity program, demonstrates a hands-on lesson with students Samuel Malone and Olivia Hulsebosch, both members of the Class of 2020.

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Becker College launches nation’s first esports management degree Jennifer Oles, director of media relations and publications “Becker College, an international leader in video game design, is looking to esports, or competitive video gaming, as its next exciting offering,” Oles said. “The College launched a first-in-the-nation esports management bachelor’s degree and the state’s first varsity esports program, which prepares students to take leadership roles in the projected billion-dollar indus-

Quinsigamond Community College prepares students to pass Drone Pilot Exam Josh Martin, director of institutional communications “Gateway to College Program Manager Marci Skillings and QCC Fab Lab Manager Alex Gray developed a class designed to introduce Gateway students to the technologies available to them in the college’s Fab Lab,” Martin said. “The class was credited as a high school science course for the students.

Funding for the program was through a grant from the STEM Starter Academy (SSA), which paid for the instructor, materials and lunch each day. Students created projects using the lab’s 3D printers, laser cutter and industrial embroidery machine. QCC also became the first community college in Massachusetts to offer a Drone Certificate program. QCC’s drone certificate program features a series of online and in-person courses designed to teach students everything they need to know about drones, and help prepare them to take and pass the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Drone Pilot Exam.”

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Assumption College zeroes in on cybersecurity Kimberly Ruscitti, director of public affairs “A proliferation of Internetconnected devices has put millions of Americans at risk for cyberattacks,” Ruscitti said. “Assumption College’s new bachelor of science degree in cybersecurity prepares graduates for this dynamic, evolving field by offering a high-tech curriculum with a foundation in the liberal arts. It also adheres to the highest standards of the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, an official designation Assumption is currently applying for that will make the College one of only three colleges or universities in Massachusetts to offer baccalaureate degrees in cybersecurity that meet or exceed these demanding standards.”

try. Becker is also the first in the U.S. to offer academic scholarships for an esports management degree and the first in Massachusetts to offer player scholarships. This year, Becker won a MassDevelopment grant to create the first-ever esports lab of its kind in central Massachusetts.”

education

Cross-race relationships seen as critical for young students KRISTINA REARDON

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hen Deborah L. Plummer starting researching her new book, “Some of My Friends Are…,” she found 70 percent of people who responded to her study strongly agreed friendships across racial lines are essential toward making progress toward improving race relations. Another 20 percent agreed.

“So it’s close to 90 percent of people agreed that friendships are necessary, and yet most of us don’t have friends across racial lines,” said Plummer, who serves as vice chancellor of diversity and inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and professor of psychiatry and quantitative health sciences in the Graduate School of Nursing.

Her study found 93 percent of whites do not have friends that cross racial lines. Other racial groups did not fare much better: 83 percent of African-Americans, 64 percent of Latinos and 54 percent of Asians and Native Americans did not, either.

“There’s some variance,” said Plummer, “but those are typically around the numbers. And what we can glean from that is that the majority of us do not have friends who cross racial lines.”

Plummer argues real friendships — not just institutional mixings or even romantic relationships — can break down barriers and plant the seeds for a more equitable, racially-just world. Researchers also maintain students benefit from cross-race relationships.

In her interviews, Plummer found subjects who maintained cross-race friendships gained deeper understandings of what those unlike them experienced, and even changed their views on race and politics after sustained, empathetic conversation. The challenge, though, is forming such

talk in early December at the TEDx Easthampton Women conference in Western Massachusetts called “Interracial Friendships in Schools: Why Diversity Day Isn’t Enough,” where she shared her research on children’s cross-race friendship development.

“Children who share cross-race friendships have an opportunity to learn about each other beyond ubiquitous racial and cultural stereotypes and they themselves say Deborah L. Plummer that this learning is important to SUBMITTED them,” she said. “They recognize it.” friendships — and maintaining Pica-Smith is an associate them when times get tough. professor of Human Services Plummer’s book, forthcoming on at Assumption College and the Jan. 22 through Beacon Press, deRehabilitation Studies coordinator veloped a subtitle as she continued of the Working with Children and research and drew observations Adolescents in Community Setfrom focus group interviews across tings concentration. the country: “Some of My Friends “One child told me she was a Are … The Daunting Challenges ‘peacemaker’ and she intervened and Untapped Benefits of Crosswhen other children experienced Racial Friendships.” discrimination,” Pica-Smith said.

She believes the roots of such “Another child told me that having friendships are forged in childhood friends of different backgrounds — and that schools and parents ‘teaches you to think different.’” play a special role in helping young These children had learned to people develop bonds with other make friends across different racial children outside their own racial groups — which they noted was groups. difficult to do. Even in the fourth “Our socialization process grade, they recognized and cited around race relations and friendprejudice and stereotypes as barriships does happen very early ers to forming friendships. on, and parents are kind of the “Teachers neither noticed nor gatekeeper for that,” Plummer said, intervened on a child’s behalf if noting the friends parents keep, they were experiencing discriminawhether people of different races tion,” Pica-Smith said one 10-yearare invited into the home, and old girl reported. Even so, the whether parents shop and socialyoung Haitian-American persisted ize in integrated neighborhoods, all and maintained two close friendplay a role in children’s perception ships: one with a white friend, the of what is normal — and what they other with a Vietnamese-American aspire to. friend — perhaps one of the rea“We know that children don’t sons she became the peacemaker have all the social loadings that among her classmates. adults do around race, and they’re In her TEDx talk, Pica-Smith pretty neutral to it,” she said, “but shared the benefits she said other they quickly get these social loadresearchers have found for crossings, messages. There’s enough race friendships: “prejudice reducresearch to say that children do tion, positive racial attitudes, understand.” increased cultural competence, Fellow cross-race friendship reincreased empathy, increased sosearcher Cinzia Pica-Smith gave a cial skills, and decreased outgroup

Avoiding talk about race at home is what Plummer identifies as a maladaptive practice of dealing with race and difference.

And it can lead to the perpetuation of stereotypes — or to avoidance, which keeps children in racially isolated friend groups.

Keeping children racially segregated is something white parents and parents of color do both intentionally and unintentionally, Plummer said. White parents are often motivated by standards and think about their children’s chances for educational or professional advancement in terms of who they socialize with. People of color note these biases and grow protective of their children, encouraging them to form friendships with children they think will support them and be loyal.

“Particularly in this political climate, where we have such a deep divide, it’s even more driven by fear,” Plummer said. “And when we treat racial differences as a threat to be feared rather than a challenge to be mastered, then we go into Cinzia Pica-Smith fight or flight response … Our brain SUBMIT TED is wired not to manage differences so well.” friendships.

Neuropsychologists note the “He suspected that these chilbrain has developed tools such as dren would be ‘stuck’ repeating pattern recognition and emotional the same activities over and over tagging, which help it quickly asagain, playing the same games, sess situations and problem solve talking about the same things, for to protect itself. But it can often the rest of their lives,” she said. load up stereotypes and implicit “Devon recognized, too, that what biases — leading people to pull makes interracial friendships chal- away from those they perceive as lenging is that one has to be willing different. to experience what may be initially While overcoming these unfamiliar and uncomfortable.” responses to difference can be Pica-Smith said when they talk challenging, Plummer argues all to young children, many white par- hope is not lost. Far from it, she beents shy away from conversations lieves with more support for racial about race, thinking they haven’t identity development and skills for yet noticed race. Yet research with navigating an increasingly racially preschoolers shows white children complex and multicultural world and children of color “not only in our schools, young students can understand the concept of race, learn to more effectively manage they also understand the status the complexity of race. assigned to different racial groups,” she said. anxiety.”

The benefits of cross-race friendships are obvious to both researchers and the students who engage in them. Why, then, are they so difficult to form and support in school?

In her TEDx talk, Pica-Smith shared the story of 10-year-old Devon, who worried about children who did not have cross-race

feature ELIZABETH BROOKS

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WALTER BIRD JR

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feature It was, perhaps, more about what happened this year than who made it happen. Many call it the biggest news ever to have been made in Worcester. Some are skeptical about its long-term viability, but the fact remains: The Pawtucket Red Sox, who for decades have swatted baseballs and fielded pop flies at an ever-aging McCoy Stadium in Rhode Island, are now signed on the dotted line to start playing ball in Worcester in 2021. They will do so in a brandspankin’ new, $86-$90-million ballpark (the team reached a deal with Polar Beverages on the naming rights to Polar Park) smack in the city’s Canal District, part of a $100-plus-million deal.

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What once was seen as the longest of long shots is on the path to reality, this fair city so often referred to as “a gritty mill town” pulling the proverbial rug out from out under its sister state to the south. It was more like

City Manager Ed Augustus Jr., left, and Pawtucket Red Sox Chair Larry Lucchino enjoy a laugh in Augustus’s City Hall office.

ELIZABETH BROOKS

a swift tug that sent local and state leaders in Rhode Island tumbling to the ground. Actually, what Worcester did was take advantage of a state that couldn’t seem to get out of its own way, that appeared to think there was no way the PawSox would ever leave. Heck, even many in the team’s front office felt that way. They saw themselves as Rhode Islanders. They thought they’d stay there. They wanted to stay there.

Worcester Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2018 are The Dealmakers, with City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. and PawSox Chair Larry Lucchino the chief architects. Here, through their words and recollections, and those of others who held helped put it all together, is a look at the two principals behind the negotiations to convince the PawSox to pick up anchor in the Ocean State and relocate to Worcester.

feature awSox President Dr. Charles Steinberg remembers the first time he visited Worcester as the deal was still being hammered out. He wasn’t at the table for early negotiations, but around May this year, Lucchino had called for Steinberg, who had been spending several days a week in Milwaukee working on the memoirs of former Major League Baseball Commissioner “Bud” Selig, to get involved. Things were heating up between the team and Worcester.

So Steinberg paid a visit.

“But,” he said, “I believed we were staying in Pawtucket, and I believed we should stay in Pawtucket. I was not treating Worcester seriously.”

y that point, Lucchino was taking the city quite seriously. A master negotiator known for combing

through even the tiniest of details, he was seeing the writing on the wall in Rhode Island, even if part of him still held out hope for a last-minute miracle. After all, his group had put forth a pretty sweet deal to build a new stadium in Pawtucket. While there was a brief courting of Providence, they were ready to build anew in Pawtucket.

Lucchino had a great relationship with Mayor Don Grebien — “He liked and even loved the mayor of Pawtucket” is how Steinberg described Lucchino’s relationship with Grebien — and while the same could not be said for his, or the team’s, feelings toward some in the Rhode Island Legislature, there was something to be said for loyalty to a place the PawSox had called home since 1970.

“Oh yeah, certainly before Charles,” Lucchino said of when he realized Worcester was more than just a possibility.

The team had stayed true to a period of exclusivity with Pawtucket until mid-2017, when it expired.

Other cities and towns were ready to make a pitch; Worcester

certainly wasn’t on its own, but as casual overtures turned more serious, and days turned into weeks, weeks into months — and as politics in Rhode Island continued to stumble along in negotiations with the PawSox — this city some 42 miles to Pawtucket’s north became a frontrunner.

“It’s very hard to focus on a date or a month” when he realized Worcester was a realistic alternative to Rhode Island, Lucchino said, “but along the way I learned about Worcester, what was happening in Worcester. It was more about my education on Worcester than it was about my education on ballparks. As I heard or saw more about the development, revitalization, downtown activity, downtown focus, saw the track record.

“I said, ‘Well, this is something special and we don’t have to be the solitary party igniting this downtown revitalization. It’s already happening. We can fit nicely into that puzzle.’”

Almost from the very beginning, according to both Augustus and Lucchino, and to those who were

Pawtucket Red Sox Chair Larry Lucchino speaks to hundreds who turned out at City Common Monday, Sept. 17 for a celebration of the PawSox coming to Worcester.

FILE PHOTO/ELIZABETH BROOKS

in the same rooms and at the same tables with them, the two men shared a vision for what a ballpark would look like in Worcester.

Actually, “the beginning” isn’t quite accurate, because while the city reached out in late 2016 to express interest (an expression made over dinner between Augus-

tus, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tim Murray, Lucchino, his wife and two others, former state Sen. Robert Travaglini and his former chief of staff Arthur Bernard, at Toscano in Boston.), the team at that point was still dancing only with Pawtucket. Other suitors had

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feature before. When it comes to negotiations, “No detail is too small or too minute” for Lucchino, PawSox General Manager Dan Rea said.

“He can and will delegate, but he also likes to be in thorough control of the negotiations, so there’s nothing he’s going to say, ‘I don’t “‘ ough,’ ‘tenacious,’ ‘fierce’ have time for that.’ He’s a tough would definitely qualify,” negotiator, but very fair. He doesn’t Augustus said. pull punches.”

He was describing as It is fair to say Augustus, who a negotiator the man with whom, councilors named city manager for the better part of the past year in January 2014 at the urging of and a half, he had spent putting Mayor Joe Petty, had never previtogether the deal to bring minor ously negotiated a deal as complex league baseball to Worcester. as this one. He has dealt with local “He’s negotiated with how many unions and worked with developplayers? How many mayors and ers wanting to build in the city. But governors and others about difthis was, to borrow a pun, a whole ferent deals he’s been involved in? new ballgame.

He certainly understands the art A St. John’s High School grad of negotiating,” Augustus said of who attended Suffolk University, Lucchino.

Augustus leaned toward politics.

To call Lucchino a seasoned He was never much into sports negotiator would be among the and wouldn’t count himself a huge grossest of understatements. There baseball fan. is, those who know and work with “Maybe that’s the most unlikely him say, a burning passion that part of this whole thing,” he said. drives him.

“Somebody who’s probably the “He loves sports, loves competileast athletic person ever to be city tion,” Steinberg said of the man he manager to be the one who was first met in 1979. actually part of [bringing a baseball Steinberg, who joined the team to Worcester].”

Baltimore Orioles as an intern in In 1989, at 24 years old, Augus1976, had become a statistician tus became the youngest person for then-manager Earl Weaver. In ever elected to citywide office in August 1979, attorney Edward BenWorcester when he won a seat on nett Williams, founder of the law Negotiations finished and a deal having been reached, Pawtucket Red Sox Chair the School Committee. He worked firm Williams and Connolly and Larry Lucchino, left, and City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. joust playfully on the site of a on the campaign of U.S. Congresspresident of the National Football planned new ballpark. man Jim McGovern, serving as his League’s Washington Redskins, chief of staff after McGovern was ELIZABETH BROOKS bought the Orioles. Williams elected. Augustus went on to serve brought with him one of his firm’s that right from the get-go.” able to host up to eight revenuea shared vision between Larry as a state senator for four years, partners, his protege, Larry LucSaid Augustus: “We didn’t want generating events and 10 commu- and Ed and your mayor to bring followed by a stint as executive chino. to build a functional ballpark with nity-oriented days at the ballpark. baseball not just to Worcester, but director of the Children’s Defense A basketball player in his days no extras. We wanted to figure out Conference and meeting space will to this particular site, and really Fund of California. In 2010, he ran at Princeton University, where how to do something that was go- also be available for civic functions, grow the Canal District, which is McGovern’s re-election campaign, he played with former New York ing to be special, be unique, some- and the ballpark will serve as a a little bit of a seed that grew out then joined the College of the Holy Knick and U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley thing that was going to be a ‘wow’ polling location. Additionally, each of nothing. They took those things Cross as director of government and went to the NCAA Final Four and that would energize the whole Worcester student will receive a that had authenticity and they and community relations. in 1965, Lucchino would become area around it. It wouldn’t just free ticket to a game each season. built on it.”

When former City Manager president of the Orioles in 1988 be 68 home games, but concerts They will also have the opportunity It was that shared vision that Mike O’Brien, after almost 10 years and is regarded as the visionary and other times people would be to play games at the ballpark. The stood out almost immediately to running the city, resigned in late behind Camden Yards and Petco drawn to the city.” city will also receive two $25,000 Kim Miner, executive vice presi2013, Worcester went looking for Park in San Diego. He served as When all was said and done, donations from the team, in 2019 dent and general counsel for the his successor. Backed by Petty, Aupresident and CEO of the Red Sox, the city and team had agreed on a and 2020, to help fund its RecPawSox. As an attorney for the gustus was initially hired in Januhelping lead the team in 2004 to its project that would, in addition to reation Worcester program. The team, she was crucial to hammerary 2014 on a nine-month contract, first World Series championship a ballpark, feature $90 million in state is involved as well, putting ing out the details. the expectation being he would since 1918. private development, with Denis up $35 million in new funding. The “The first time Ed and Larry You could call him competitive, return to Holy Cross when the Dowdle of Madison Downtown state Department of Transportaspoke,” Miner said, “I saw they were contract expired. Except it didn’t. “pathologically so,” according to Holdings LLC bringing that piece tion will be reconfiguring Kelley speaking the same language about In September 2014, Augustus acSteinberg. Lucchino, he said, “is together. The two-phase project Square, something the state says the project.” cepted a three-year extension. intrinsically aggressive.” includes 225 market-rate apartwould have been done eventually, While he had his critics — In short, the man with whom ments, a 150-room hotel, a second at a quicker pace to facilitate the some, noting his lack of municipal Augustus was negotiating had boutique hotel and 65,000 square project. experience, saw his appointment been to this rodeo many times feet of retail and restaurant space All parties, it seems, agreed from as politically-motivated — the city

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to stand to the side, hoping for a chance to cut in. Lucchino made it clear then the team was not going to entertain other offers. When the time came, and when the PawSox and Worcester started negotiating in earnest, the vision came into sharper focus.

“Once we started meeting,” Lucchino said, “it was clear there were opportunities here to build more than a ballpark, and we agreed on

as part of first phase. Phase 2 is expected to include 200,000 square feet of residential, office and/ or mixed-use development. The ballpark, which the city will own, will host a minimum of 135 events per year, including local sporting events and other activities.

More than 500 full-time and 2,000 part-time jobs are expected to be generated, including construction. The city, meanwhile, will be

the beginning there would be more to a partnership in Worcester than just bats and balls and players on the field. Renowned architect Janet Marie Smith, who has worked with Lucchino on Camden Yards in Baltimore and the Fenway Park expansion in Boston, said that was precisely the idea.

“I think we all felt our interests were aligned,” Smith said, “that we all had the same goal. It was

feature didn’t know.”

Lucchino doesn’t buy into any portrayal of Augustus as a neophyte at the negotiating table.

Effusive in his praise of the city manager—“thorough,” “conscientious,” “largely unflappable” are some of the terms he used—he laughed off the idea that Augustus may have been at a disadvantage sitting across the table from a team of veteran businessmen who have brokered so many complex deals.

“Oh no, I take that with a grain of salt,” Lucchino said when it was mentioned this was the first large-scale negotiation Augustus had taken part in as city manager.

“It was his way of saying, ‘Hey, you guys have been here before. What Boston Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez interrupts Pawtucket Red Sox Chair Larry Lucdo I know?’ No, I didn’t sense an amateurism at all. On the contrary, chino, all in good fun, of course, during the city’s September celebration of the deal to bring the PawSox to Worcester. a deep professionalism.”

ELIZABETH BROOKS

walked away several times and he didn’t. He knew this was important for Worcester and wanted to get it done It was, perhaps, the vision Augustus and Lucchino shared that kept them at the table.

“The thing I would say is negotiations, especially this long and complex, you get fatigued, you’re talking about the same point for the 20th time and, you know, sometimes frustrations would creep in, or whatever,” Augustus said. “One thing I always appreciated, Larry and I never had a harsh word between us. We could make a strong point, but we always kept our relationship in a good place. I think when we’d have a bad session, or either side came away feeling like they didn’t like the way the last session went, Larry and I could have kind of a behind-the-scenes conversation, kind of reset things, so the next

one would be a little more productive, kind of shave over some of those rough edges.”

From his perspective, Zimbalist saw in Augustus someone who was not bowled over by Lucchino’s prowess around the negotiating table. The city manager’s political experience, he said, came in handy.

Like Petty, Zimbalist said patience also played a crucial role.

“Larry is really skilled and effective at what he does,” Zimbalist said. “He also drives a really hard bargain and he pushes really hard.

He’s not the easiest person to negotiate with. I think Ed was able to break through a lot of the stuff that makes Larry difficult to get us at reasonable points of compromise.”

Asked what made Lucchino “difficult,” Zimbalist said, “He’s a really tough negotiator and he’s a successful and seasoned negotiator. It’s not easy to strike a good bargain with him for that reason.

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Council bosses to do everything reasonable to pry the team from Rhode Island’s grasp — and he ucchino and Augustus sat had delivered. in the Levi Lincoln room A month later, he and the on the third floor of City team would be feted again in a Hall on a Friday afternoon celebration that started on City in mid-August — the 17th, to be Common, where the likes of Red exact — before a bevy of media, Sox legend Pedro Martinez and business leaders, elected officials others turned out, and stretched and others to announce they into the Canal District, where had signed a letter of intent to thousands poured into the streets move the PawSox to Worcester. to celebrate the deal.

They showered praise on many, It didn’t happen overnight, and including Canal District Alliance there were moments of pause President Gene Zabinski, who along the way, but Augustus and along with his wife spearheaded Lucchino had found among their a campaign that saw some 10,000 differences enough similarities postcards sent to the PawSox urg- to keep them from walking away ing them to move to Worcester. when the going got rough. The The team admits the effort carried city manager, Petty said, showed some influence. restraint in not abandoning negoWhen it was his time to speak, tiations during trying times. the city manager was visibly “The patience he had negotiatmoved by an unexpected standing ing,” Petty said of one of Augusovation. He had been directed tus’s strengths. “He could have many months earlier by his City

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manager has received glowing reviews during his annual evaluation by councilors and is credited with not only maintaining the momentum on the city’s downtown development, but building upon it. He is described as a listener and collaborator, someone who loves the city where he grew up and whose prior political experience has helped Worcester grab the attention of state and federal officials. He came in with no City Hall experience, but if there’s such a thing as learning on the job, Augustus appears to have excelled at it.

Still, until the PawSox, he had not sealed a deal like the one the city was negotiating with the PawSox. “We have a great city team as part of this, but we also understood right from the get-go we had gaps in our expertise that needed to be filled,” Augustus said, with a nod to the two consultants the city brought on board for negotiations: Jeff Mullen with the law firm Foley Hoag and a former Massachusetts secretary of transportation, and Andy Zimbalist, the Robert A. Woods professor economics at Smith College and author who had been critical of publicly-funded ballparks. “[Mullen] filled in the gaps, all the nuances, all the right languages,” Augustus said. “He and [Miner] did that. They made sure both of them were looking out for each other’s interest. Andy was important because … we wanted it to be as bulletproof as possible. We didn’t want to be Pollyanna and be kind of extravagant in our enthusiasm for the project, that maybe we overreach in our assumptions in the pro forma. We wanted Andy, who would maybe be a little more dispassionate. He knew the world of baseball, which of course we

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If you’re not on top of your game Larry will take advantage of you.

Ed was on top of his game.”

As he worked to convince team officials Worcester would make a suitable home for the next 30 or so years, Augustus and his city team—core members included Mullen, Zimbalist, Chief Development Officer Mike Traynor, Chief Financial Officer Tom Zidelis, Department of Public Works & Parks Commissioner Paul Moosey, City Solicitor David Moore, Jake Sanders, the city’s coordinator of intergovernmental affairs and municipal initiatives, and Heather Gould, a former employee under

Traynor—used the entire city to make his case.

n short, Augustus went mobile.

From a meeting last summer at Lock 50 that resulted in two groups separating for tours of the Canal District and proposed ballpark site, to gatherings at places one would not typically associate with deal making, to an overnighter on the Cape, this brand of negotiating took on a

much different feel than what was going on in Rhode Island. To some extent, Augustus can credit the local media for that.

“The moving around was a result of the press seeing us [at City Hall], or hearing we were here and staking us out,” Augustus acknowledged. “I was like, ‘Let’s not do this again.’ What I really didn’t want, and this is, I think, part of what helped, I wanted space to do this negotiation. I saw what happened in Rhode Island when there was no space, and [everyone] was reading into it or a leak would come out, it leaves you less room to figure things out.

“I didn’t want that. And I really wanted to build that trust. It also ended up allowing us to show the city.”

Members of the negotiating teams on both sides held meetings — some formal, others less so — at places such as the American Antiquarian Society on Park Ave., where, according to Augustus, the archivist showed off “cool baseball stuff,” Hanover Theatre, Mechanics Hall, the Beechwood Hotel, even the westside home of UMass Medical School Chancellor Michael Collins.

“We moved around to undisclosed locations to give us this space, but also to show off the depth and contours of the city, the cultural assets, the cool, different neighborhoods in the city,” Augustus said. “We had a couple [sessions] down there in Pawtucket, then we did the one on the Cape, which was overnight.”

The mobile nature of familiarizing PawSox officials with their future home saw the younger members of the negotiating teams get together at night, too. Sanders remembers a group of them getting together early on the in process.

“We brought them to Volturno.

I think we opened their eyes to some of the opportunities here and built relationships,” Sanders recalled of a sort of bonding activity led by himself, and two other City Hall staffers: Che Anderson, project manager, and Eric Batista, chief of operations and project management. They went out with Rea; Miner; Bart Harvey, special assistant to the chairman; and Jack Verducci, director of corporate partnerships.

“There were a lot of 30-somethings that were quite involved and got to know each other, and saw the potential for Worcester,” Sanders said. “My perspective was to show the team what Worcester had to offer, like what’s Ralph’s, that sort of thing.”

Alas, he said, the crew didn’t make it to Ralph’s, one of Worcester’s most iconic watering holes and music spots.

“We did go the Dive Bar,” he said. “We did the whole Green Street thing, Water Street. That was just trying to build rapport.

There were obviously some tough negotiations. We needed to put our best foot forward.”

The Cape meeting, held dur-

ing the summer at the home of PawSox General Manager Dan Rea’s parents, blended formal negotiations and some down time to help the two sides get to know each other. Augustus stayed at his house on the Cape, convening with his team before meeting with the PawSox. From a casual dinner in Boston some two years earlier, the two sides had already come a long way.

It was nearing time to close the deal, which Augustus said did not happen until he called Lucchino Thursday morning Aug. 16, one day before the official announcement.

Lucchino was at a funeral when he took the call.

“I think [the Cape Cod meeting] was a constructive fleshing out of many of the remaining issues,” Steinberg said. “I thought it went a long way to airing out and resolving many of the issues.”

Traynor said the meeting was “good in a number of different ways.” It was, he said, a different, more relaxed setting to continue negotiations.

“Everyone had to learn each other and learn to trust each other,” Traynor said. “You had to develop a friendly business relationship. I think that setting helped to further getting to know who you’re dealing with on somewhat of a personal level.”

egotiations being what they are, the dealings between Worcester and the PawSox weren’t without tense moments, times when cooler heads needed to prevail. That, say those who observed them, is where Augustus and Lucchino excelled, although to say each didn’t have any bones of contention with the other wouldn’t be entirely accurate.

Unsurprisingly, the biggest hangups, according to the city manager, were about cost. While some observers believe the city gave up too much to land the PawSox — the team had been prepared to pay about 54 percent of the cost of a new stadium in Pawtucket, and will pay about 36 percent of the cost here — the two sides were debating to the end over the finances.

“I think Larry was very sensi-

feature tive that he wanted a budget big enough and real enough to build a great ballpark,” Augustus said.

“This is his legacy, too. He wanted to build a great ballpark. We share that vision, but I was always balancing that against what can we afford? I think, at the end, it was a lot that revolved around that macro-issue.”

Lucchino certainly wouldn’t say he got everything he wanted out of the deal, one that includes a reported pledge of roughly $3 million in corporate sponsorships. As both men tell it, Lucchino was concerned about the level of corporate support the city could drum up.

“It was very, very important,” Lucchino said. “We called it the Achilles’ heel of the deal. Ed, using his bully pulpit, gathered leaders of the business community together and they showed us this should not be be a concern, that there is a significantly-motivated and wellendowed business community here that cares about this city and would step up and make sure they did their part.”

“No, no, no, you never do,” he

said when asked whether he got all he wanted from the agreement.

“Both sides have to give and get.”

He didn’t want to get into exactly what he would have liked to see that didn’t make it into the final deal.

“I don’t know. I certainly don’t want to reopen that,” Lucchino said. “Both sides, I think, had to make some compromises.”

There were, he acknowledged, tension and disagreements, particularly over when to call it a day and agree to a deal. The city, it is safe to say, reached that point before the team.

“I think right at the end there are always final issues that have to be resolved,” Lucchino said. “I think Ed successfully communicated to me he was a point where we had to make a decision. There’s a tendency to sort of want to cover every detail. At some point, you need to know when the deadline is upon us. I think agreeing over what that deadline should be, you saw one of the friction points.”

For his part, Augustus pointed out the many puzzle pieces that

needed to fit into the deal. There was a private developer, the state, the team’s interests and the city’s desires all requiring attention.

“As your discussion evolved,” Augustus aid, “sometimes that piece had to be removed from that spot and see how it could fit over here.

There were other constituencies saying, ‘Hurry up, time is moving on.’ We had all the other kinds of pressure that were on top of negotiations that had to be factored in and managed.”

And that could lead to some tense situations, such as the Wednesday night before they officially sealed the deal, when Augustus journeyed to Lucchino’s house in Chestnut Hill for dinner.

“That was, what do they say in diplomatic terms, a candid exchange of views,” Lucchino said, without going into great detail. “I suppose there were a few [temper flare-ups], but we worked through it and we accepted the deadline the city was imposing.”

For someone who was new to negotiations on this scale, Augustus, say those who watched

Pedro Martinez throws the first pitch to Gedman on Worcester Common during the celebration of the PawSox coming to Worcester.

FILE PHOTO/ELIZABETH BROOKS

him at work, more than held his own. In fact, according to one of his longtime friends, Jay Ash, the state secretary of transportation and economic development who was among those representing the state during negotiations, Augustus is “the single biggest

reason why this thing happened for Worcester.”

“I was impressed for Ed that he was able to negotiate with somebody who has negotiated billions of dollars of contracts before,” said Ash, who earlier this month announced he was leaving his role

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feature with the state. He has since been named CEO of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership. “While Ed’s negotiated union contracts and things like that, certainly not on the level Larry has. What impressed me most about Ed on this process, he was able to keep Larry’s interest in Worcester while not giving away the store. There were times I thought Ed might say, ‘OK, I’ll give in,’ and that would have been to the detriment to Worcester just to win the opportunity, and he smartly negotiated his way through things so he not only didn’t have to give in, but this is a really good deal for Worcester.”

For those who work with Augustus at City Hall on a daily basis, it wasn’t surprising to see how deftly he navigated his way through negotiations. That, they say, is the man they’ve always known.

“I saw what I always see on a day-to-day basis,” said Traynor.

“A person who just loves this city, has a great passion to take this city to the next level. This process really showcased him. You would have never known he hadn’t sat down with negotiations like this.

He had such vision in his ideas. It always amazes me how he always had that thought process, like a master chess player. He knows exactly what’s going to take place.

He’s making a move now, because he knows there’s another move down the line.”

n a bitterly cold midFriday afternoon recently, Augustus and Lucchino, both sporting baseball jerseys with “Worcester” emblazoned across the front (a team name has not yet been finalized), stood in one of the parking lots off Madison Street that, if all goes according to schedule, will have given way to a baseball stadium

by April 2021. They huddled in the general area of where home plate will be. There was a playful air about them. At one point, Lucchino took the bat he was holding for a photo shoot and started waving it like a sword in Augustus’s direction. The city manager held up his bat in similar fashion. There were jokes

about whether those bats had been used during negotiations.

It was hard not to notice the look of anticipation on their faces. There is still much work to be done, including building the actual ballpark. While the long hours at the negotiating table may be over, time is still of the essence, and the eyes of a city, a state and from well beyond are on them like hawks. The PawSox, of course, still have a couple seasons left to play in Pawtucket, and are dealing with the fallout of their decision to leave. Worcester, meanwhile, has held its head high, like a proud lion having successfully hunted and bagged its prey.

Augustus and Lucchino both reflected on what they had accomplished, and what can still be accomplished, with the latter once again referencing the shared vision that shaped up near the beginning.

“We are building something that is different, distinctive, customized to Worcester,” Lucchino said. “We think that’s going to work for us. We think the site and design are going to work very well for the city.”

It all started sinking in for Augustus as he stood near where players will someday take swings for real inside Polar Park, where families will someday roam the concourse and fans will cheer on the top farm team of their favorite Major League club.

“It’s kind of ‘wow,’ when you take a step back,” he said, noting he, Lucchino and others had met for hours that day before they went to the site to meet a reporter. They had been talking about the ballpark design and other ideas.

“Some of that,” Augustus said, “was fresh in my mind as we were standing there. But if you get a chance to kind of step back, it’s like what a big damn deal this is for the city. Long after I’m not in this role, long after I’m not on this earth, probably, there’s people that are going to go to that spot and have amazing memories with their families, amazing experiences, fall in love with the city, be proud of their city, and I had an opportunity to play a role in that.

That’s pretty satisfying.”

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culture

Hollywood keeps its eye on Worcester as filming hot spot JOSHUA LYFORD

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the “Honest Thief ” film crew at the beginning of November, but the film isn’t the first to make it to the Heart of the Commonwealth, and the hope of the Worcester Cultural Development Division is that filming in Worcester can not only bring economic opportunity, but raise the city’s status.

“Originally, films were coming in, such as “Surrogates,” they were looking for gritty urban landscapes that were somewhat derelict,” said

such a collaborative city,” said Williams. “That seems to be our mantra anyways. You have it through POW! WOW!, the Worcester Red Sox, around education, it’s a very unique environment. The film industry is a

hurry-up-and-wait industry, there is a very quick turn around for meeting the demands of the film community.

We might be changing locations within a day, finding new space, our responsibility is to make it as accesELIZABETH BROOKS

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W

orcester residents took notice when Liam Neeson entered the city alongside the rest of

Erin Williams, the cultural development officer. “Now Worcester is being touted and included in a 21stcentury looking city that has great old New England architecture, a very different look than over a decade

ago. We’re seeing Worcester being elevated within our own community and outside of the community.”

Worcester has earned a reputation as being eager to cooperate and collaborate. This has been seen with events like the public art mural festival, POW! WOW! Worcester, stART on the Street and more.

“If you talk to filmmakers that have been here, another example is Castle Rock, production folks love working in Worcester because we’re

sible and easy as possible to film in Worcester and not displace or make it difficult for our residents.”

Any production filmed in the city can bring economic opportunities, but when major films like “Honest Thief ” arrive with large casts and crews, the effect can be significant.

“All of its administrative offices have been here since September,” said Williams. “For three months we’re seeing an economic return.

We’re seeing it in production staff and hiring by the film company.

Businesses are flourishing and receiving income stream by the products and services they offer. We’re seeing creative talent that is seeing Worcester as a great place to make films and a great place to support media industries in general.”

An executive producer on the film, Andrea Ajemian, was raised in Central Massachusetts and had created films for years. The filming of “Honest Thief ” in Worcester is a full-circle affair.

“She grew up in Holden and

culture worked in Worcester for many years,” said Williams. “In the early 2000s, she created mini-videos called ‘Worcester Love’ with Kaz Gamble [musician]. ‘Worcester Love’ promoted significant experiences in their life. They both went on to write and produce their own films. Kaz has flourished in the music industry. Andrea has worked on a number of films in the boston area over the years. She brought the Honest Thief to Worcester and made it its home base.”

Williams said films like “Honest Thief ” can attract visitors to the city.

People still come to Worcester to check out scenes from 2015’s “Sea of Trees” and 2013’s “American Hustle.”

“It develops social capital, it creates tourism. We’re still having waves of folks from when ‘Sea of Trees’ shot here,” she said. “‘American Hustle’ was shot here. People are attracted to films and the making of films, and it generates jobs, and it creates a great self image for Worcester.”

While Williams did not give a specific number, the city is used to production companies approaching with filming needs. While major films are rarer than smaller commercial shoots, she said they treat all projects with the same amount of respect.

“The reason films come to Worcester is, number one, because of course they love Worcester, they come because the state of Massachusetts has a film tax credit,” explained Williams. “Essentially, the credits make it more economically feasible and lucrative for films to shoot in our state than, say, even California or parts of New York state. Many states have pulled back their credits. The film industry follows the credits. The bottom line is they are a business.”

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culture Lyford Files JOSHUA LYFORD

THAT’S A WRAP: Since I’m writing this from the past, for the future and highlighting the much more distant past, I feel like I should lay a few things out before we get into this. All of this will be typed in a whirlwind of coffee, cold symptoms and maaaaybe a slight hangover from last night. It’s Tuesday, Dec. 18 where I’m sitting. I watched the Boston Bruins absolutely stomp the hated Montreal Canadiens last night at my favorite Bruins viewing location (that isn’t the TD Garden or my living room): Breen’s Cafe on Cambridge Street. We’ve all got a double deadline because of the holidays (I could have written Christmas, but I figured holidays would get a certain subset of folks a touch angrier. If you’re a Fox News fan, you’ll know there is an active war on Christmas, after all.) and I’m trying to get as much copy manufactured as possible in the shortest amount of time. Thus, a year-end wrap list seemed like just the ticket.

FEED ME MORE: Channeling his inner Ryback (a personal favorite

former-WWE wrestler of mine), my beautiful stallion of a hound dog, Brisco County, Jr. Jr. (who you can see in the lovely illustration of us in this very column thanks to the wonderful Chelsea Zona), has eaten a lot of important things this year. He’s a good boy, but sometimes he gets a little distressed when I’m not at home. Now, before you think I’m a monster, he has a ton of chew toys, it’s just that my valuables are a little more appealing. Here are the best things he’s chewed into smithereens this year: POEM: Written by my wonderful partner in lovely script. I’m nearly positive it wasn’t bacon-flavored.

TV REMOTE: Not just any TV remote, but the master TV remote.

MY COUCH: He takes a little nibble here, a tiny bite there. Poof. It’s gone.

“DREAMSNAKE:” A first-edition copy of the legendary sci-fi novel by Vonda N. McIntyre on loan from a friend. Close to impossible to find, but luckily McIntyre herself signed a replacement copy.

DREAMBOX: It’s cheesy as hell, but my mom gave me a tiny wooden dreambox when I was in middle school. You write a dream you have for the future inside of it. For over 20 years this box has held a tiny note that said “to be a writer.” Well, congratulations Josh you idiot, here you are. I think he was just trying to free me from the wooden bonds. Or something.

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SLÁINTE: Unless you are above the $75,000-a-year mark, it is generally frowned upon to drink on the job. Which is completely unfair, as I see you fancy pants getting brews down at Wormtown from my office every day.

However, I’ve found a work-around. The radio show on 102.9 FM I do with Tom Matthews. We talk about beer, music and hockey and naturally we have to sample some wares. Now that I don’t have to sneak a bunch of nips in my pockets, here are my favorite drinks I’ve had on the job: BLOODY MARY: from the Parkway Diner. Extra olives please.

COFFEE STOUT: By way of Jack’s Abby. I forget the name, unfortunately, but it was great.

GREYLOCK: From Greater Good. The first time I had one of these, I was actually at the summit of Mt. Greylock after having just been forced to turn around on the trail thanks to two cranky black bears. Nice.

OLD MAN YELLS AT CLOUD: Hopefully, you got “The

Simpsons” reference. Here are my favorite thing townies from just outside of Worcester have complained about on Worcester-centric social media: DRAG QUEEN STORYTIME: People are real upset that the WPL is hosting a drag queen storytime. Why? I have no idea, but it’s gotta be tiring getting upset about a human being reading in a public space.

CULTIVATE: Damn, are some Leicester folk pissed about the recreational marijuana space. It was (obviously) busy on opening day, slowing traffic.

This business had the audacity to be successful and that really bummed townies out.

PLASTIC BAG BAN: You’d think the Council banned angry commenting on Facebook with the way people reacted to this. Gary Rosen was forced to list all of the things he already recycles. Ouch.

EVERYTHING: The hardest part of this job is reading the comments every day and not going insane. Seriously. I have to go look at little birds and pictures of cute otters every Joshua Lyford night while I weep in bed just to Culture editor survive it a little longer. @Joshachusetts

culture Lifestyle SARAH CONNELL

Dishing on New Year’s Day

It might be school vacation week, but it’s business as usual over at Livia’s Dish. Stop in for holiday drinks and a special holiday kids menu. The Main Street eatery is also hosting a New Year’s Day brunch from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Livia’s Dish is known for their crepes prepared sweet with strawberries and Nutella or savory with smoked salmon and chipotle aioli. Oriola Koci opened Livia’s Dish in 2012, along with her husband Enton Mehillaj, a graduate of Johnson & Wales. Koci saw a new vision for Worcester’s brunch scene inspired by her time in southern Europe. Livia’s Dish seeks to cultivate an experience that goes beyond the food on guests’ plates.

Deck Dining

All You Can Eat Eve at simjang

New Year’s Eve with the Cobbler

Hudson’s favorite cobbler-shop-turned-speakeasy, Less Than Greater Than, will also be hosting a New

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Year’s Eve celebration with what they are calling “the most decadent four-course dinner party the Metrowest has ever seen.” Expect caviar, homemade pasta swimming in uni butter, luscious lamb, and silky desserts.

Tickets are $70 with wine pairings available for $30 and luxury wine pairings priced at $60; seatings are at 6 p.m. and Sarah Connell 9:30 p.m. contributing writer

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Another New Year’s Eve is upon us and this time around, simjang is hosting the hottest party in the city. It’s a special tiki celebration including all-you-can-eat ramen and fried chicken, plus a welcome beverage and a champagne toast at midnight. DJ Chuck Chillin’ will keep the crowd dancing. Prizes are to be awarded for the top three tiki outfits in the form of $100, $50 and $25 gift cards to simjang. Tickets are available online for $45. The party starts at 6 p.m.; you know where to find me.

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Last week, Wachusett Mountain launched O’Brien’s Deck Bar & Grill. The new dining area is named for Wachusett Ski Area’s long-time General Manager Joe O’Brien, who served as the mountain’s general manager from 1974-1992 and continues to reside in Princeton. O’Brien’s Deck Bar & Grill will serve draft beers and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. “Ski Magazine readers regularly vote Wachusett among ski country’s best food & service,” noted Wachusett President Jeff Crowley, “This new service will be especially popular on sunny days when our guests love to gather on the deck while they’re taking a break from the slopes.”

At the opening, O’Brien was presented with a moving dedication plaque that praised him for teaming with Ralph Crowley Sr. to bring Wachusett Mountain Joe O’Brien cuts the ribbon for from a “sleepy hometown O’Brien’s Deck Bar & Grill at Wachuski area to one of the best known small mountains sett Mountain with some help from his wife Ellen and grandson Travis. in the United States.”

O’Brien began working at PHOTO SUMITTED/WCHUSETT MT the Mountain at age 14.

culture Take Your Time at Thai Time 107 Highland St., Worcester 508-756-7267 • thaitimeworcester.com SANDRA RAIN

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carrots with your choice of chicken, pork, beef, scallops, shrimp, squid, vegetables and tofu. The potatoes are mealy. The meat isn’t nearly as pleasing as the curry itself – a nuanced combination of coconut milk and peanuts. The same is true of the drunken noodles ($8.95). The dressing is excellent – a combination of

hai Time’s long and skinny layout affords guests a range of experiences. Visitors can pick up takeout from one end of a long and winding counter, having barely crossed the threshold from Highland Street. Guests who sit in a front booth get a gusty view of those who come and go, coupled with a more casual ambience.

Sit in the back room for brighter dining and a window to the world, illuminated by beaming sconces. A third aisle of booths sinks deep back in the restaurant lending privacy for groups and large parties.

The decor itself Thai Time’s drunken noodles and is radiant, including striped banquettes and massaman curry. shiny wooden tables to complement the French sweet brown sugar, savory fish sauce country aesthetic. Busts of Budand salty soy sauce. The ground dha peek out from the center of the chicken and slimy wide noodles room, surveying the barrage of WPI don’t express freshness. The perky students sitting at booths and sipbasil leaf garnishes do. ping on large bottles of inexpensive As long as you’re dabbling with wine. Thai Time is BYOB, an asset if Thai Time, you should order the I’ve ever seen one. bubble tea ($3.95) made with Thai Service is exceedingly kind, yet iced tea for a sweet way to end your hasty. Servers are slow to greet meal. Portions are huge at Thai Time, tables, but come prepared to take so prepare to leave with a box. orders in their entirety from the get Thai Time is a family-owned go. Food arrives quickly from there, business that I am happy to support dropped unobtrusively and piping hot. The staff will give recommenda- in the community. The soups and sauces are dynamite. With that, tions only if you inquire. the meats and proteins are not top Thai soft spring rolls ($5.95), are quality, making Thai Time far from nice to share, already cut in half my first choice for takeout. The real to make eight pieces. Cool spring draw here is a warm and vibrant roll skins hold together steamed vermicelli, lettuce, carrot, cucumber BYOB setting where groups can take and a close relative of chicken salad. their time.

On my last date, our bill came to A sweet and sour dipping sauce topped with peanuts heightens their $40.45. pizazz. The Tom Yum ($4.95) soup Explanation of Stars: Ratings are from is a wintertime necessity. This Thai zero to five. Zero is not recommended. classic combines lemon grass, chilOne is poor. Two is fair. Three is satislies, mushrooms and lime juice into factory. Four is good. Five is excellent. a steamy concoction of nourishing bliss. The chicken tends to be dry and stringy, even when immersed in Food: HH1/2 Ambience: HHH broth; order the shrimp.

Service: HHH The massaman curry ($14.95) Value: HH1/2 is served on a huge platter of rice, potatoes, onions, green peppers and

culture Rock, Gaga, and Josh Brolin’s head JIM KEOGH

M

any high school yearbooks still include a “superlatives” section, honoring seniors who flash the Best Smile or who are Most Likely to Succeed. The movie industry has the same thing — it’s called the Academy Awards. But looking back at 2018, I’d like to recognize a few specific films and actors who shined in uncommon ways.

Worst place to drop a plate … step on a twig … or fart

The farm in “A Quiet Place.” This John Krasinski/Emily Blunt horrorthriller takes place in the near-future, when an army of vicious sightless aliens has wiped out much of the human race by homing in on their sounds with super-powered hearing. To stay alive, all you gotta do is refrain from making a noise. As Blunt proves, that feat is exceptionally difficult when you’re delivering a baby in a bathtub.

Best Moonlighting Gig

Best Lost Boy

Most Effed-Up Head

Most Stirring Depiction of a July 1969 Event

The moon landing in “First Man.” Ryan Gosling played astronaut Neil Armstrong as a sullen man and brilliant tactician, apparently the best-suited NASA employee to pilot a rocket into the void and leave his footprint on the lunar surface. The scene of Armstrong hunting for a landing spot on the moon’s unforgiving terrain as his fuel runs perilously low is a nail-biter. Imagine if we didn’t already know the outcome.

Most Enraging Depiction of a July 1969 Event

“Chappaquiddick.” The drowning of campaign aide Mary Jo Kopechne in Ted Kennedy’s car was a tragedy of human proportions and altered the landscape of presidential politics by destroying his chances for the top office. It seemed the latter mattered more to his army of sycophants who furiously stonewalled the authorities and spun the press in the days following the accident in an attempt to preserve Kennedy’s reputation and influence.

Jim Keogh contributing writer

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Josh Brolin as Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War” and as Cable in “Deadpool 2.” CGI and prosthetics gave his “Avengers” villain the skull and jaw of an Easter Island statue. His noggin was normalsized (though still impressive)

“Skyscraper.” Here’s the scene: To save his family from the terrorist occupation of a skyscraper, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson scales a massive crane 90-plus stories in about 30 to 40 seconds. He then races the length of the crane’s boom, while dodging automatic-weapon fire, launches himself 30 feet through the air, and crash lands into the building. And he does this all with a prosthetic leg.

The end.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Lucas Hedges. Let’s see, in 2016’s “Manchester by the Sea,” Hedges languished in the care of an emotionally crushed uncle. In 2017, he struggled with his homosexuality (“Lady Bird”), and watched his mother go off the rails after his sister is raped and murdered (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”). In 2018, he’s forced into gay-conversion therapy (“Boy Erased”) and battles an opioid addiction (“Ben is Back”). Hedges is a wonderful actor, but somebody please give this kid a comedy.

Most Rock Thing Ever

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Lady Gaga. As a singer, Gaga’s talent is unassailable, but her acting in “A Star is Born” was a revelation. Free of makeup and dosed with humility, Gaga stole the show as an aspiring singer who becomes the lover/ protégé of Bradley Cooper’s fading country-rock star. The moment when she’s coaxed on stage to belt “Shallow” raised the hair on my arms

in “Deadpool 2,” though horribly scarred, capped with a bad fade haircut and sporting a cyborg eye.

He’s retooling both characters for sequels, but in between he gets to play country-western icon George Jones, whose cranium is disappointingly average.

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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EAST DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY

Animal Control brought Morticia Adams to the shelter. Sadly, her owner died, leaving several cats alone with the owner. You can imagine how scary that was for Morticia. Suddenly, her owner couldn’t feed or take care of her, then a lot of people came and chased her, put her in a carrier and brought her to the shelter. Initially, Morticia was hissy and growly in the shelter. We’re impressed with how much she’s calmed down in the shelter. Morticia needs a patient adopter who wants a companion more than a lap cat. Morticia may never sit on your lap, but she will be nearby watching what you’re doing.

calendar Through Monday, Dec. 31 Night Lights

Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive, Boylston See the Tower Hill Botanic Garden in a whole new light! More than 200,000 lights have been strung across the 15 acre botanic garden. Tickets must be purchased in advance for entry after 4 p.m. Head to Towerhillbg.org.

Monday, Dec. 31 Noon Years Eve 2018

EcoTarium, 222 Harrington Way A family-friendly New Years countdown at the EcoTarium with countdowns at noon and 2 p.m. Visitors can make time capsules, enjoy “Polar beverage bubblies” and make resolutions.

Monday, Dec. 31 NYE at Wachusett Mountain

Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, 499 Mountain Road, Princeton Wachusett Mountain welcomes skiers and snowboarders to ride into the new year. Fireworks, live music, a midnight balloon drop and more. Head to Wachusett.com for more.

Check out Worcester Magazine January 24th

HEALTH & WELLNESS A PREMIER ISSUE OF WORCESTER MAGAZINE

D E C . 27, 2018 - J A N . 2, 2019

Tuesday, Jan. 1 Hike into the New Year

Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center & Wildlife Sanctuary, 414 Massasoit Road.

Join the Broad Meadow Brook team for a New Years hike with hiking and snowshoeing across the sanctuary. Visitors can sip coffee and cocoa while looking for tracks and signs of wildlife. Hike will be roughly three miles and is open to families with children eight and up.

Wednesday, Jan. 2 Game On!

Worcester Public Library-Burncoat Branch, 526 Burncoat St. An all-ages event for all. Relax and enjoy Sonic Mania Plus and Just Dance at the Worcester Public Library.

Worcester 78’s Saturday, Dec. 22 The 78’s fell on the road, 154-138, to the Western Mass Zombies.

Sunday, Dec. 23 At an exhibition at Friendly House in Worcester, the 78’s beat the Zombies, 117-103.

Round-Up

The Massachusetts Pirates have re-signed wide receiver Lavon Pearson, who led the team last season with 83 receptions, and have signed former Wisconsin defensive back Lubern Figaro of Everett.

Space Reservation closes THURSDAY, JANUARY 17 Contact you Media Consultant and Reserve your space today!

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Worcester Railers Wednesday, Dec. 19 Goalie Mitch Gillam posted 54 saves and the Railers (12-123-1) beat the Brampton Beast on the road, 3-2.

Friday, Dec. 21 At home, the Railers (12-133-1) fell, 5-3, to the Adirondack Thunder in a fight-heavy game that saw 70 total penalty minutes assessed to both teams.

Saturday, Dec. 22 The Railers (13-13-3-1) knocked off the visiting Reading Royals, 5-3.

(Upcoming: The Railers kick off a homeand-home on the road with the Maine Mariners Friday, Dec. 28, then host the

Mariners Saturday, Dec. 29)

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

The Score

games

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J O N E S I N’ Across 1 Palestinian president 6 Indira Gandhi’s son 11 Actor Shepard of “Idiocracy” 14 Ben Stiller’s mom Anne 15 Edit out 16 Brand of pads 17 Scottish singer born 12/25/1954 19 Pince-___ glasses 20 Do, for instance 21 Island instrument 22 Porgy’s love 24 Conversation 26 Dish with peanut and lime garnish 29 It’s been alternately called a “cash point” or “bankomat” 30 One who takes things the wrong way?

33 “___ Lang Syne” 34 Not so puzzling 35 Cold storage?

36 Canadian world leader born 12/25/1971 39 Juan ___ de León (Fountain of Youth seeker) 40 Did penance 41 Put ___ signal 42 Citrus soft drink introduced in the 1960s 43 Scott Joplin song 46 Hang on the line 48 “An Inconvenient Truth” presenter 50 Princess who became a general 51 High point 53 Tahiti, e.g.

54 Stationery store purchase 56 American actress born 12/25/1949 59 “Many years ___ ...”

60 “Washington Journal” network 61 “___ ear and out the other” 62 Blow away 63 Actor ___ William Scott 64 Knight’s mount

“Birthday Holiday”

by Matt Jones

Down 1 Dresden Dolls lead vocalist Palmer 2 1984 marathon gold medalist Joan 3 Not a big chicken 4 “The Little Mermaid” heroine 5 Enclosure to an ed.

6 Need a bath 7 Obama education secretary Duncan 8 It’s somehow National Soup Month, for short 9 Line on a weather map 10 Perturbed 11 Longtime Dolphins coach 12 Prop for Paul Bunyan 13 W’s successors?

18 Bela of monster roles 23 Completely fake 25 Speak before a crowd 26 2000 Alejandro Iñárritu drama “Amores ___” 27 Baseballer Felipe, Matty, or Jesus 28 Promising words 31 Where 100 is 4 32 Midler of “Beaches” 34 Word before artist, clause, or room 35 Best-case

36 37 38 39 42 43 44 45 47 49 51 52 54 55 57 58

Soup du ___ Up to this point Opens a bottle Okra portion Crème de ___ (strawberry liqueur) Tanner of ’70s-’80s tennis Garfield’s girlfriend Got overexcited over niche pop culture, with “out” Hockey pucks, e.g.

Gargantuan Strong ___ ox Loretta played by 56-Across Print maker Id’s counterpart Upscale hotel amenity Circumference-to-diameter ratios

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!

Call 508-767-9501 or email cmaclassifieds@ gatehousemedia.com today to place your ad here! ©2019 Jonesin’ Crosswords (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #916

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Public Auction Notice Notice is hereby given pursuant to the provisions of M.L.C. 225 sec.

39a the following vehicles will be sold January 5th, 2019 at a sale to satisfy our garage lien thereon for towing and storage charges and expenses of sale and notice: 2016 FordF-150 VIN # 1FTEX1E866FD28309 2011 Toyota Camry VIN # 4T1BF3EK1BU215817 2011 Nissan Altima VIN # 1N4AL2AP3BN445153 2007 Chevy Malibu VIN # 1G1ZT58FX7F117198 2014 Ford Fusion VIN # 1FA6P0G75E5361359 2008 Chevy Impala VIN # 2G1WU583481242213 2006 Toyota Corolla VIN # JTDBR32E560090764 2001 Chevy Silverado Pick up VIN # 1GCEK19VX1E139206 The Sale will be held at Early’s on Park Ave. 536 Park Avenue Worcester, MA 01603

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Prayer to the Blessed Virgin (Never known to fail) O most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity, O Star of the Sea, help me and show me where you are my mother. O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech thee from the bottom of my heart to succor me in my necessity, (make request). There are none that can withstand your power, O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (three times). Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (three times). Say this prayer for three consecutive days and you must publish it and your request will be granted to you.

DMH

Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Worcester Probate and Family Court 225 Main St. Worcester, MA 01608 Docket No. WO05P3286GI1 CITATION GIVING NOTICE OF PETITION FOR RESIGNATION OF A GUARDIAN OF AN INCAPACITATED PERSON In the Interests of: Jason Moore Of: Westborough, MA RESPONDENT Incapacitated Person/Protected Person To the named Respondent and all other interested persons, a petition has been filed by James F Yates, Esq., of Gardner, MA in the above captioned matter requesting that the court: Accept the Resignation of the Guardian of the Respondent. The petition asks the court to make a determination that the Guardian and/or Conservator should be allowed to resign; or should be removed for good cause; or that the Guardianship and/or Conservatorship is no longer necessary and therefore should be terminated. The original petition is on file with the court. You have the right to object to this proceeding. If you wish to do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance at this court on or before 10:00 A.M. on the return date of 01/15/2019.

This day is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline date by which you have to file the written appearance if you object to the petition. If you fail to file the written appearance by the return date, action may be taken in this matter without further notice to you. In addition to filing the written appearance you or your attorney must file a written affidavit stating the specific facts and grounds of your objection within 30 days after the return date. IMPORTANT NOTICE The outcome of this proceeding may limit or completely take away the above-named person’s right to make decisions about personal affairs or financial affairs or both. The above-named person has the right to ask for a lawyer. Anyone may make this request on behalf of the above-named person. If the above-named person cannot afford a lawyer, one may be appointed at State expense.

WITNESS, Hon. Leilah A Keamy, First Justice of this Court.

Date: December 11, 2018 Stephanie K. Fattman, Register of Probate 12/27/18 WM

last call

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Balloonski installation artist I f you are familiar with the Turtle Boy statue at Worcester’s legendary Burnside Fountain, then you probably got a kick out of Balloonski’s Ninja TurtleBoy, which inexplicably appeared downtown at the end of the summer. Turtle Boy’s teenage mutant Michelangelo adornments came on account of Balloonski’s participation in Pow! Wow! Worcester, an international mural festival that brought together more than 30 artists from around the globe.

Balloonski’s installations proved to enhance events throughout the week with an equal dose of interactivity and imagination. Community members were encouraged to wear, influence, and in some cases, test the life expectancy of Balloonski’s art. His work functions on three planes: live event engagement, gallery art and street art. He believes balloon art is approachable for everyone. Balloonski just returned home to Los Angeles from a stint to Art Basel Miami, the preeminent showcase for emerging contemporary artists. He thinks back fondly on the time he spent in Worcester during 2018.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

What took you to Los Angeles?

All of my homies who I played music with back in Florida had moved there. I was with my chick in Miami who was hella corporate and that was great for her, but when we broke up, I immediately moved to LA. New life, new you? I decided to keep the balloons and forget everything else.

When was the moment when you knew Balloonski meant more than just dogs and swords? My first street piece was a marionette with these big hands holding sticks with strings running down. That was my first Basel piece.

Is it just a free for all at Art Basel? Well, my art can’t really damage anything. That was my thought. I was scared the first time, but I knew I could just pop it or move it or whatever.

I’ve noticed that the popping of your pieces eventually adds to their entertainment value. Some Where are you originally from? I people want to have a balloon, was born in Indiana, but I grew up some people want to hit it around, some people want to pop it. Whatin Florida. ever makes them happy is making me happy.

How did you acquire your identity as Balloonski? I started Your masks are also very intermaking balloons. I figured out active. When I moved to Miami, I how to make a dog and a sword really started pushing my balloons from YouTube. There’s this old and having my own events. The hip-hop thing where artists used to put “-ski” at the end of words, so girl I was with was into dinosaurs, one day I started saying, “balloon- so I learned to make dinosaur ski.” I looked it up and no one had heads. Now that feels like my sigit anywhere. I bought it right then nature. I’m always trying to make reptilians. We all love reptilians. and I was like, “I guess that’s my balloon name.”

Do you have a day job when How long ago was that? Almost you’re back in LA? Nope. eight years ago.

Do you ever get hired for corporate jobs? I’ve done all that Were you into visual art before that point? No, I was into music. I stuff, but it’s usually event-based.

It’s not like I’m pushing a product. was actually a punk rock singer. I I’ve done some television shows, was involved in entertainment.

like “Disjointed” on Netflix. I did Bishop Briggs’ album. That was kind of corporate. I didn’t really come up off of it though, so I’m sour about that still. But at the end of the day, I signed the paper.

I don’t have a team, it’s just me, so corporate stuff can get the best of me if I’m not careful.

What do you make of Worcester? I like it a lot. It’s like a smalltown feel with a big-city vibe.

It’s vibrant and the people are awesome. During POW! WOW!

Worcester, everybody was really chill. They were true and real. In LA, you get used to dealing with fake shit and it just sucks. POW! WOW! was a breath of fresh air, with so many people doing their art like they couldn’t stop. That speaks to me.

Woes told us you played a prank on his roommate during Pow! Wow! OK, so I was making a bird’s head. I started with the bottom rim of the head and I left some extra pieces in Woes’ hotel

room. I didn’t get a chance to complete it. I saw Stikki Peaches later and he said, “I got the present you left on my bed.” It was just a ring with one huge long balloon sticking off of it. I was like, “Bro, it was a bird’s head.”

Oh, my God. Did he think it was some sort of phallic symbol?

Yes. He thought I was trying to be funny. It was really just a bird’s head, but I couldn’t convince him otherwise.

– Sarah Connell

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