10 | JANUARY 7 - 13, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
CITY VOICES LANDGREN ANOTHER UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCE OF GLOBAL WARMING
WORCESTERIA
FIRST PERSON
Thoughts from a curmudgeon on trip to Lost Wages, Nevada Joe Fusco Jr. Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
I noticed age spots on my neck and left forearm the night before our departure. Never a good omen. We hadn’t been on a plane in three years. I disliked fl ying before Covid-19. Now, I loathe it! The Southwest fl ight-attendant was very stern. “No mask, no fl ight,” she warned us. “Only remove your mask to eat your snack and drink your beverage then re-mask,” she warned us. “Don’t try to pee standing up,” she should have warned me. Speaking of bathrooms, a lot of my musings seem to cen-
ter around them. Maybe, it’s because my urologist said my prostate is the size of a small cantaloupe. Maybe, it’s because when I’m not peeing, I’m thinking about peeing. On the shuttle from the airport to our hotel, there was group in the back eating fried chicken and singing “Mandy” by Barry Manilow, my favorite performer. I joined them on the chorus. We stayed seven days and six knights at the Excalibur Hotel. The room’s hair dryer had been removed from the bathroom wall and was MIA. My wife alerted housekeeping and also mentioned our desk was minus a chair, a situation I See FUSCO, Page 12
Fernando Perez. PHOTO COURTESY ED ANTONELLI
Saying goodbye to fi xtures from Worcester’s arts scene Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
As 2021 fades into 2022, it’s natural to take a moment of the winter stillness to contemplate the people who’ve left us in the preceding year, and in an arts community – both here in Worcester and really anywhere – there’s no such thing as an insignifi cant loss. Even a fi gure who may have been more behind the scenes or just an ardent supporter can leave a hole in the community’s fabric. Perhaps it’s because what each person brings to that community is both intensely
personal and totally unique, their absence is almost always palpable. This is certainly the case with longtime Worcester arts advocate Kelly Momberger, who died in October from a cardiac arrest. “Kelly was very important to me and the city arts scene,” says stART on the Street cofounder Tina Zlody. “My fi rst real introduction to Kelly was at a Dr. Gonzo cookout, she was so enthusiastic about these fun, informal gatherings. Then she joined the Worcester Arts Council when I was chair. Kelly jumped in with both feet and helped us look at equity and inclusion in our guide-
lines, making sure we were reaching the people and organizations that really needed funding.” Shortly thereafter, Momberger was appointed vice chair, becoming chair four years later, when Zlody reached the end of her tenure. “She was a great leader in every position she held on council,” says Zlody. “Kelly was instrumental in bringing and managing Make Music Day to the city … Kelly fl ew under the radar, she was quiet and stayed out of the spotlight but was one of the most eff ective, See ARTS, Page 12
