Worcester Magazine March 15 - 21, 2018

MARCH 15 - 21, 2018 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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Foreclosure activists take aim at banks Page 4

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Laughing in the face Slam poetry of recovery champs Page 24 Page 38

ISSUE

THE

MARCH MUNICIPAL

MADNESS Please Indicate Which Item You Would Like To EXPAND or ESTABLISH.

After-School Programs, 17 Including Sports & Arts

1

WPD Traffic Enforcement and Jaywalking Response

2

Roadside Solicitation and Panhandling Response

3

WPD Gang Unit

4

Citizen Review Board for WPD Incidents

5

Combat Opioid Epidemic

6

WFD First-Responder Responsibilities

7

Armed Security in All Schools

Number of Teachers 23

8

Universal Body Cameras for Police

Universal, Free Pre-K 24 at 4 Years Old

9

Marketing of Worcester & Region

Establish Diversity & 25 Inclusion Initiatives

Mark with the ITEM NUMBER.

Technology in the 18 Classroom School Facilities Investment 19 School for High-Achieving 20 Students

PUBLIC SAFETY

EDUCATION

Privatization or Merger of 22 Non-Core Services

Mandatory Municipal 26 Employee Performance Evaluations

10 Incentives for New & Existing Businesses 11 Historic Preservation Fund

A Single Tax Rate 27

12 Street Repair/Repaving Program

Funding for OPEB 28 Obligations

13 Affordable Housing

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

OPERATIONS

14 Sidewalks, Crosswalks, & Bikepaths Upgrades

16 Tax Incentives for the Pawsox

CHAMPION Send your completed bracket to info@wrrb.org or fax to 508-767-7720.

Municipalities make tough choices. Local leaders are called upon to prioritize hundreds of initiatives, but with limited resources at their disposal. Policies and programs are pitted against one another and scarce funds and staffing are allocated to the winner.

In honor of the NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament, the Worcester Regional Research Bureau and Worcester Magazine have teamed up to present “March Municipal Madness.” Within four broad categories (Public Safety, Economic Development, Education, and Operations), you will determine which policy initiatives you would like to expand or establish, unfortuWORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

A “Strong Mayor” System 29 3-Year City Council Terms 30 & Term Limits

15 Commuter Rail & Bus Activity

2

Principal/School Autonomy 21

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

A Sanctuary City Policy 31 Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes 32 (PILOT) for Non-Profits

nately to the detriment of other worthy selections. This process will lead to a winner, but it will lead to 31 admirable losers as well. Ultimately, the Champion itself faces defeat as it must square off against a community’s current initiatives to secure itself a coveted spot in the annual budget.

We invite you to submit your bracket and your Champion. You can fill out a bracket online at www.wrrb.org/march-madness, print and send a copy of the bracket via email to info@wrrb.org or via fax to 508-767-7720, or send via post to The Research Bureau, 500 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609. The most frequently submitted Champion priority will be announced on April 3.

Officials deal with pot regs, tackle zoning issue. The Cannabis Control Commission released its final regulations for pot shops last week. 5

in this issue M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018 • V O L U M E 43 I S S U E 29

the cover

The Pet Issue Story on page 12 Design by Kimberly Vasseur

Diner kings. A new line of Worcester manufacturing tee shirts are now available at Crompton Collective from the local creatives at Hundred Acre Design. 27 Poetry slam champs. Max Stern’s ninthgrade U.S. History class at University Park Campus School recently participated in the first R.A.P. F.A.I.R., or Revolutions and Protests that Fight Against Imperialist Rule. 38

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31 8

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

Find us on Facebook.com/worcestermag Twitter @worcestermag Instagram: Worcestermag

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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news

Foreclosure activists take aim at banks BILL SHANER

The activists suggest banks have consistently lied to the courts in foreclosure by entry cases, saying they stepped on property ousing activists are padding a they never actually did. case against banks they say have Though Hilton has taken her case farther consistently lied to the courts in than most, she was not alone. Many of the foreclosure cases. other speakers shared similar stories of court The Worcester Anti-Foreclosure Team documents from banks they felt were untrue. rallied in front of the Worcester Court Susan Ewans, a Worcester resident, said House earlier this week before dropping off that in her case, the bank represented to the documents and videos related to 24 cases, court that an employee went to the property and called on the Worcester County District and no one was home.

Attorney’s Office to take action.

“None of that was true because no one “They are destroying lives,” said Grace Ross, entered the property,” said Ewans. “And this a member of the WAFT steering committee. information was in our [court] file without our Ross was one of dozens to rally outside the courthouse Monday afternoon. After the rally, knowledge.”

In Massachusetts, Worcester County is the group took supporting documents and seen by many as the center of a worsening videos to District Attorney Joe Early’s office for review. Best case, Ross said, the DA’s Office housing foreclosure crisis. Worcester County had the most notices of any county at 2,676 verifies the evidence and takes action against what she called a series of criminal acts on the in 2016, according to a state report. The number jumped 34 percent from 1992 in part of banks.

Several homeowners directly affected in the 2015, reflecting a statewide trend. Foreclosure cases brought forward by the housing activists notices jumped in every county but Nantucket from 2015-16, according to the report. spoke at the rally.

Christine Hilton, an Auburn resident whose Worcester also leads the state in foreclosure notices. More than 600 were logged in 2016, case against Webster Bank is in the state the most recent data available, followed by appeals court, said she got into a foreclosure Springfield and Brockton, both just under 500. case after her fiance, with whom she owned District Attorney Early has already accepted the house, died. The bank, she said, testified past evidence provided by WAFT, Ross said they went to the property to take the house, at the rally, and, she said, has brought the but no one from the bank ever did. She said evidence to the attention of the Attorney she submitted videos as evidence, but the General’s Office. courts wouldn’t accept them.

The fact that the documents contain “I’m not looking for empathy. I’m not forgeries, Ross argued, makes the foreclosures looking to cry on someone’s shoulder,” said illegal and significantly hurts the court cases Hilton. “If I have to follow Massachusetts law, of homeowners trying to stay in their home. so do they.”

In a foreclosure case, there are several ways Further, it pits the homeowners’ sworn verbal a bank can seize a house, regardless of whether arguments into a “he said, she said” situation that can be impossible to overcome. the occupant still lives there. Two of the most “Our homeowners never got the due process common are by auction and a method called “foreclosure by entry,” which means a bank can right to reexamine the documents,” she said.

“People are not getting their opportunity in seize a house simply sending a representative court to prove the documents are false.” to the property.

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

Grace Ross, Worcester Anti-Foreclosure Team activist, addresses the crowd outside the Worcester Courthouse

ELIZABETH BROOKS

Mätthew Griffin, an activist who has stayed in his home for nine years after what he calls an illegal foreclosure, said banks use the term “peacefully unopposed” in court documents, despite the fact that activists were on the scene protesting the taking. He has video evidence, he said, that is part of the 24 cases WAFT delivered to the DA. Cheryl LeBlanc, a Fitchburg resident, said when she got the letter the bank was holding an auction at her foreclosed house, she sat on her porch all day.

“Nobody showed up the whole day, so I just figured ‘Okay, I lucked out,’” she said.

But, a few months later, she found in court documents from the bank had claimed that

three people were there.

“I would have seen if three people were there,” she said. “The property is very small.

They never showed up, but they still claimed they did. They give the paperwork to the court, and it’s all lies.”

The DA’s Office could not be reached for comment on the WAFT documents.

Bill Shaner can be reached at 508-749-3166 x324 or at wshaner@worcestermag.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bill_Shaner.

news

Officials deal with pot regs, tackle zoning issue BILL SHANER

a bring-your-own-pot model. Since it doesn’t offer any cannabis for sale, the owners did not need to apply for a pot shop license, which the orcester officials will have to wait until next year for guidance from the state will start accepting in April, per the new regulations. state on what to do with membersBut even without ofonly cannabis smoking clubs like the ficial word from the state, Cannabis Lounge on Water Street.

The Cannabis Control Commission released the city is taking action to further regulate any its final regulations for pot shops last week, other cannabis smoking but the new rules don’t include any provilounge that may open in sions for what the commission calls “social Worcester. consumption.” Regulations for businesses like “The Cannabis so-called pot bars and delivery services have Control Commisbeen delayed until February of next year and, according to a CCC spokesman, private smok- sion determined that addressing ing lounges would fall under that category.

When the Summit Lounge opened in Febru- private membership ary, city officials criticized the club’s owner for clubs was outside of their purview. However, the city jumping through what they called a loophole in the state’s new recreational pot law. The law has proposed a zoning amendment that adds a new made it legal last December to smoke pot in private places, and the lounge’s owner applied use classification, which will address private membership clubs that allow marijuana to be for permitting the city requires for a private tobacco-smoking lounge. The club operates on consumed on-site,” said Jake Sanders, the city’s

W

coordinator of intergovernmental affairs and municipal initiatives.

The ordinance, which is currently being reviewed by City Council, but has not yet been approved, would require cannabis-smoking clubs to get a special permit from the Planning Board, a process marijuana retailers will have to follow as well.

The permit also has the effect of subjecting private smoking lounges to zoning restrictions being considered for pot shops. The zoning restrictions prohibit pot shops from opening within 500 feet of a school, daycare or library, and relegate them to business- or commercial-zoned parcels.

According to a map put together by city officials on where pot shops could go under the draft regulations, the proposed rules would push pot shops to business corridors along highways and main arteries, the downtown and among the warehouses and industrial parks that fall mostly in the southern and eastern quadrants of the city.

Since the Summit Lounge opened before the regulations were implemented, it will likely be grandfathered without the need for a permit, according to a city spokesman.

COUNCIL DISTRICTS

W

hile the Summit Lounge has been a major source of concern for city officials, there remains another, at least among city councilors.

Councilors, especially District 2 Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson, District 3 Councilor George Russell and District 4 Councilor Sarai

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news

1,001 words

(election districts) to achieve the purposes of the other (zoning),” Moore wrote.

In an attached memo, City Manager Ed Rivera, have called for rules that make sure pot Augustus Jr. stood by Moore’s analysis.

“I believe that allocating three marijuana shops are spread evenly among the city’s five establishments to each of the five City Council council districts. election districts would lead to circumstances The fear, they say, is pot shops will cluster and actions which would not survive anticiin their districts, which comprise the eastern pated legal challenges,” Augustus wrote. and southern quadrants of the city, and leave The City Council already approved Districts 1 and 5, which mostly comprise the regulations limiting the number of marijuana “West Side,” untouched. licenses issued in Worcester to 15 – a number But it would seem councilors may not be able to do anything about pot shops in specific tied to the amount of liquor licenses in town, and councilors wanted to make sure each Council districts.

“The short answer is that this strategy could district saw three.

But Augustus wrote to councilors that the not be deployed in Worcester in relation to city is addressing future pot shops via zoning, regulating the location marijuana establishlicensing and policing. The city, he said, “will ments,” said City Solicitor David Moore in a take all appropriate measures to prevent memo to the City Council. Councilors last week asked Moore to examine whether or not or mitigate any of the harms which can be reasonably expected.” it was possible.

The memo was slated for review at the City Limiting marijuana retailers and production-side businesses by Council district Council meeting Tuesday but, due to snow, the meeting was canceled. could lead to an accusation of spot zoning, and could rub up against preemptions in the Bill Shaner can be reached at 508-749-3166 state marijuana law. x324 or at wshaner@worcestermag.com. Follow Also, Moore argues Council districts and him on Twitter @Bill_Shaner. zoning maps promote different public goals.

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worcesteria

ON THE DECLINE: The 2017 Worcester crime stats were released this week, and there’s really

nothing to complain about. Not even I could complain about it. Crime is down in pretty much every category, against both last year’s rates and a five-year average. Homicides dropped 38 percent year over year, robberies dropped 20 percent, breaking and entering dropped 36 percent, car thefts dropped 39 percent. One of the only categories that went up was disorderly conduct calls, which rose 5 percent. Compared to the five-year average, the property crime section is the most striking. B&Es and car thefts are down more than 40 percent, and car thefts and vandalism are down more than 10 percent. Good job, Worcester Police.

FIX. THE. BUS.: It took a sitting Senate president, but Gov. Charlie Baker is finally on record

on the issues surrounding the Worcester Regional Transit Authority. But don’t get your hopes up. His comment, essentially, is that the state has invested adequately in the RTA network, despite cries from around the state that he hasn’t. The WRTA has been level funded since 2015 – that means no new money, for you non-budget wonk folks – so Baker’s claim that “I think the state has been pretty supportive of the RTAs, generally,” rings a little hollow. He said so after a recent meeting with our own Senate President Harriette Chandler and House Speaker Robert DeLeo, according to Commonwealth Magazine. But Chandler isn’t letting the issue go. She and DeLeo have promised to rework the Senate and House budgets to include more money for the RTA network. This comes as transportation activist have planned a rally next Tuesday in Worcester to decry the state of the RTA network. Any more cuts, they say, and the system could die. Absolutely unacceptable for a city the size of Worcester to be having trouble like this keeping a public bus running.

THE ROAST OF ST. PATRICK: It happens every year, folks, and every year, there’s a moment or

two that shine through as Worcester politicos get together for the Annual St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast to blast each other. To my mind, the first moment is what read like a final send-off to the years-long battle between Mayor Joe Petty and former Councilor Mike Gaffney. Petty compared the battle to the literal St. Patrick’s battle with snakes. “I only had a few snakes,” he said, “and now the Gaffneys are gone from Worcester.” But Unity Radio host Hank Stolz read from what he said was a letter from Gaffney (it wasn’t), saying he’s undergoing treatment for his “McGovern/Murray Derangement Syndrome,” and, as part of that therapy, he’s suing Turtleboy Sports. That case, by the way, was moved to Uxbridge District Court and, after two rulings on procedural matters, it’s pretty much back to square one. Anyway, another good moment from the roast was State Rep. Dan Donahue’s observation the room that morning was pretty white, and, in the era of Trump, “it’s finally a totally white gathering that does not carry Tiki torches.”

No one point out to Gaffney this is another Worcesteria with his name and a reference to neonazis in the same paragraph. We’ve learned over here he doesn’t like that very much.

MARCH OF THE WHEELIE KIDS: Very pleased to see the organizers from Worcester Earn A Bike pairing up with 508 Bike Life, the group we’ve come to call the Wheelie Kids, to put on a po-biking event over the weekend. The Slow Bike Ride took place Saturday. Cyclists from around the area descended on South Main and Main Street for a leisurely stroll. I said it before, but the Wheelie Kids were unfairly cast as pariahs for several months late last year for an activity known as “swerving,” which consists of biking out and around cars. These are kids riding their bikes for fun, and they’re not the first to ride them recklessly. I was discouraged by news stories of arrests and bike confiscations. Like, of all the problems. Events like the Slow Bike Ride, on the other hand, work to bring the kids into the larger cycling culture in Worcester, which is growing.

Worcester-Boston Full Service Radio for New England 8

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M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

LEST WE FORGET: The citizens of Puerto Rico are still in a bad way. Hurricane Maria exposed major, languishing infrastructure problems that are largely the result of harsh austerity measures from the federal government. Instead of providing federal money to PR like they would a state, the government’s policy has, for the most part, been to offer loans, and the loans quickly caused a debt crisis on the small island. Straight up colonialism. You won’t hear the federal government talk about that, though, and they don’t need to. The news cameras have moved on to other things and the Trump Administration is off the hook for a completely lackluster response to the natural disaster. But there’s a group of local activists in Worcester who aren’t letting the issue go. Greater Worcester Our Revolution is hosting an Evening In Solidarity With Bill Shaner, reporter Puerto Rico on April 11 at El Bawshaner@worcestermag.com sha, raising funds for the local reTwitter: @Bill_Shaner lief group Amor Para Puerto Rico.

news

the beat Someone lost their Worcester key to the city, and North Adams Police recovered it. A post last week to the North Adams Police Department Facebook page asks for information regarding the key’s owner. The post has been widely shared, almost 250 times, but no leads as of yet. If you lost your key to the city, you know who to call. The key is old, by the way, dating back to the 1950s, when Andrew Holmstrom served as mayor.

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The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce has

been active on the Worcester-Framingham commuter rail line of late, attacking on two fronts. Last week, the Chamber issued a “white paper” calling for more retail in the historic Union Station, which holds the Worcester stop of the line. More recently, the Chamber has joined a choir of voices around the state calling for a temporary stop in Allston as MassDOT officials have pushed back a full station build to 2040.

The area got smacked, again, with a lateseason snow storm Tuesday. Spring starts next Tuesday, March 20. Hopefully, this is the last we’ve seen of Old Man Winter. So, obviously, the long-promised and agonized-over student walkout did not happened Wednesday. This of course was national walk-out, organized by the Parkland students and against gun violence. There’s talk of rescheduling, but nothing conclusive by deadline.

Check online for updates.

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Trouble in Charlton, it seems, as one of the water commissioners has sued both the

Telegram & Gazette and a fellow water commissioner. Commissioner Rob Lemansky is alleging defamation by both the Telegram and Commissioner Alex MacKenzie over the term “illegal,” used in the context of a battle over a water line and Lemansky’s personal business, Ronnie’s Seafood.

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Trouble in Rutland as well. Wayne Walker, a

selectman there, caught in a Worcester prostitution sting, will not resign from the board. The arrest, he said, is a personal matter and does not affect his ability to serve, according to the T&G. He’s on the board until 2020. Though some have called for a censure vote, it appears Walker is unwilling to budge.

The Worcester Evening Free Medical Service Program, Inc., celebrated its 22nd an-

niversary Monday night at the Epworth United Methodist Church on Salisbury Street. You may not know what this program is, but for uninsured folks in the area, it has been a valued, near-vital resource. Good to see it’s still going strong.

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In an effort to better protect city watersheds, city officials have scooped up $95,000 worth of land, about 50 acres, off South Road in Holden. The land is along a brook that feeds into a reservoir, according to the T&G, and the idea is to buy it so no one builds on it.

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

9

editorial

opinion

letter

For students, enough is enough Consider

S

tudents at high schools around Massachusetts on Wednesday — including here in Worcester — were expected to take part in walkouts marking one month since the Feb. 14 massacre of students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. as well as to protest or spark discussion about gun control.

The question asked by some: Should students be allowed to get up and walk out of classes, free of retribution, or should they, as they are on most other school days, be expected to stay at their desks and do classwork? Some school districts, including Worcester, have taken any doubt out of the equatio by organizing walkouts at their high schools with the students.

Whether you agree that students should be allowed to exercise free speech during a school day, the simple facts are that they have borne witness to attacks on the places where they are supposed to feel most safe: their schools. The mass shooting in Parkland is only the latest. It was, it appears, a tipping point for students.

Enough, they are saying loud and clear, is enough. For that bold statement, they are being labeled by some mere pawns in a war on guns and the NRA. By not doing something already to try and stop these senseless massacres, however, have we — unwittingly or not — been using students as pawns in the political chess match that is gun control?

We have watched as some of the youngest students among us have been slaughtered, as happened in Newtown, Conn. We have

watched as high school students have been whipped into a terrified frenzy as shooters roamed their halls. Each time, the discussion quickly turned to gun laws.

In the wake of the Parkland shooting, mental health appears to be finally coming into the picture, but again, that is not doing anything to immediately address school shootings. Our politicians talk and wrangle, point fingers and blame. The NRA puts out propaganda blaming the anti-gun lobby.

Gun control activists do the same with the NRA. Meanwhile, our students are standing up and saying the time has come to do something. That they are doing so during school hours could be seen as thumbing their noses at the powers that be. Or it could be seen as the right time to draw the most attention to a cause that has become fiercely personal to them. Critics say it opens the door to allowing students to walk out anytime they disagree with or are upset about something. The individual schools can decide how to approach that.

In this instance, some schools are opting to work in concert with their students, rather than punish them.

Some might say, when it comes to the school shootings in Parkland and elsewhere — and with the senseless loss of students their age and their entire lives ahead of them — they have been punished enough.

Editorial 508.749.3166 x322 editor@worcestermagazine.com Sales 508.749.3166 x333 sales@worcestermagazine.com President Paul M. Provost Publisher Kathleen Real-Benoit x331 Editor Walter Bird Jr. x322 Culture Editor Joshua Lyford x325 Reporter Bill Shaner x324

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To the Editor: Yes, it is still winter, but at Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, we would like you to think spring – spring cleaning, that is.

That’s because this time of year is our low-

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

Editor's Note: The Worcester walkout was canceled Wednesday and is expected to be rescheduled.

Photographer Elizabeth Brooks x323 Contributing Writers Stephanie Campbell, Sarah Connell, Janice Harvey, Jim Keogh, Jessica Picard, Jim Perry, Corlyn Voorhees Editorial Intern Bridget Hannigan

72 Shrewsbury St. Worcester, MA 01604 worcestermagazine.com

donating to Goodwill

est for donations and we are asking for your help. In 2017, Worcester residents donated more than 1.3 million pounds of goods to Goodwill and we are very thankful. Now we are hoping you will get a jump start on spring cleaning and look in your closet to find items to help Goodwill today.

Donating makes you feel good. It also makes a difference in people’s lives. When you donate to Goodwill, you create jobs.

Program participants get on-the-job training in our retail enterprise, graduates from our

Director of Creative Services Don Cloutier x141 Creative Director Kimberly Vasseur x142 Creative Services Department Becky Gill, Stephanie Mallard, Colleen Mulligan, Wendy Watkins Ad Director Helen Linnehan x333 Media Consultants Diane Galipeau x335, Cheryl Robinson x336, Sarah Perez x334 Media Coordinator Madison Friend x332 Classified Media Consultant Rachel Cloutier x433 M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

WORCESTER MAGAZINE is an independent news weekly covering Central Massachusetts. We accept no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. The Publisher has the right to refuse any advertisement.

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opinion Spring ahead? I’m working on it.

JANICE HARVEY

B

ut damn – it ain’t easy.

I set the clocks an hour ahead this week, and in doing so I whispered a wish with every sweep of the hands, and there were more than a few to set. I confess to an obsession with clocks and time. In a one-bedroom condo I have no less than seven time pieces to reconfigure, not to mention my watch, without which I never leave the house.

I’ve been searching for a name for my obsession, and while I haven’t as yet come across it, I did stumble upon an obsessive disorder that I believe I share with many Americans: chronophobia.

Chronophobia is defined as “the persistent and often irrational fear of the future.” This isn’t a life-long fear that I’ve harbored; in fact, I‘m pretty sure that when it comes to planning ahead, I’ve usually flown by the seat of my pantaloons. At first, I thought that my shorttemperedness, my insomnia and my overall malaise could be blamed on a physical ailment, so I booked all the right appointments:

LETTER

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 10

training programs get access to interview attire free of charge and local residents get jobs in The Goodwill Stores. Your donations help us advance our mission of helping people with barriers to self-sufficiency to achieve independence and dignity through work.

In Worcester, you can donate clothing and household goods at The Goodwill Store, 25 Park Ave., or at another donation center near you. For more information about Goodwill, as well as the locations and hours of The Goodwill Stores and donation centers, please visit www.goodwillmass.org.

Joanne K. Hilferty President and CEO, Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries Have something on your mind? Send us a letter! There is no word limit, but we reserve the right to edit for length, so brevity is your friend. A full name and town or city of residence are required. Please include an email address or phone number for verification purposes only. That information will not be published. Please note that letters will run as space allows. Send them to Worcester Magazine, 72 Shrewsbury St., Worcester, MA 01604 or by email to editor@worcestermag.com.

annual physical, eye exam, dentist, hearing test – even a full body scan by a dermatologist. The results? I’ve gained some weight because I’m lazy and I eat too much. I still need glasses. My teeth aren’t falling out, I’m deaf as a haddock in one ear and my Polish genes have protected my skin from damage much more efficiently than my Irish DNA. There’s only one logical answer: My chronophobia is caused by the precarious state of affairs we find ourselves in under the slap-happy leadership of Donald J. Trump. In considering this cause, I recalled an op-ed piece written last fall by The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank, “President Trump is Actually Making Us Crazy.” In it Milbank described what he has dubbed “Trump Hypertensive Unexplained Disorder.” Symptoms ranged from indigestion, to chest tightness, to irritable bowels, with a dozen more maladies in between. With tongue firmly in cheek, Milbank described his list of ailments as “a veritable organ recital.”

Definitions aside, anxiety over the future isn’t really irrational, given the chaos and turmoil that define the current administration.

your turn

When the sand shifts beneath our feet, as it has since November 2016, it’s quite rational to worry about tomorrow. When the news is saturated with doom, optimism is understandably in short supply. There’s no escaping it, unless substance abuse becomes an option, in which case tomorrow really won’t matter at all.

Politics shouldn’t dominate our lives the way it does today. Recently, while devouring cupcakes and espresso at the Bean Counter, my brother Kevin and I mulled over life under Trump (a great title for Melania’s future tell-all, but I digress.) He’s lived under 13 presidents, though admittedly he was blissfully unaware of the first two. “I’ve never before found myself thinking about the president every day,” he mused.

He’s got a point. During “normal” times in our lives as Americans, we can go about our business without worrying daily about things like possible nuclear proliferation caused by name-calling, without wondering if our immigrant friends, family members and neighbors will be wrenched from their homes. Questions like these are why we fear the future: If nothing

is done to prevent Russia from continuing to manipulate our elections, what will become of democracy? Why do kids know what a “porn star” is when they should be learning the names of constellations instead? What effect will these scandals have on the way our children perceive tomorrow’s leaders. And, as our government denies climate change, what kind of a planet will we leave for them? All of these concerns are wrapped up in the person of Donald J. Trump, the president we can’t get out of our heads.

Chronophobia. I’m suffering from it. Most thinking adults are, too. Yet, as I set the clocks ahead one hour, I was torn between my desire to push the hands back by two years and a need to fast-forward the process to 2020. The wish I whispered with each sweep was a simple one: May time heal our wounds.

Janice Harvey contributing writer

Why the debate over arming teachers doesn’t need to be so complicated or polarizing BEN WHITE

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know this topic gets people riled up, and rightly so, but please hear me out before you retreat to your respective political corners. We’ve become so polarized in this country, it sometimes seems like there isn’t a thoughtful conversation to be had on important issues. I refuse to accept that. So here is my “common sense” solution to the issue of school safety in a time when mass shootings are, unfortunately, almost common.

Giving teachers guns is ridiculous. Those who teach our children became educators to help young people succeed, not to fire a weapon; if they wanted to do that they would have gone into law enforcement. Arming teachers would be so much more than just giving Mr. Smith a Glock. It would require teachers to undergo extensive background checks, mental health evaluations, certifications, and policelevel firearms and combat training. And don’t forget the compensation they would receive for the extra hazard and responsibility they would be taking on. The monetary cost alone would be astronomical (*cough* fiscal conservatives *cough*), not to mention the mental

toll on students as they watch their previously comfortable schools slowly morph into Rikers High. It just doesn’t make sense.

On the flip side of things, taking all guns out of schools is downright dangerous. As many police chiefs and safety experts, like Worcester School Safety Director Rob Pezzella, point out, the vast majority of casualties and injuries occur in the first 5-7 minutes of an attack, before police can respond to the scene. Not having someone on campus who can respond immediately and neutralize the threat is itself deadly. If we fully disarm soft targets such as schools, we leave students, faculty and staff as sitting ducks for any sicko with an AR-15.

Simply put, no guns means no effective way to fight off an attacker.

How do we square these two diametrically opposite realities? Resources officers. A fully-armed and trained resource officer isn’t a menacing storm trooper, he’s an integral part of the community. In 2014, Worcester reacted to violence in North High by placing full-time resource officers in the high schools. Many in the city were skeptical of this move, saying it would create a school-to-prison pipeline and increase arrests, especially for students of M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

color. Not only did that not happen, it had the exact opposite effect. One of the largest critics of this new policy was T&G columnist Clive McFarlane, who earlier this month (“More police in local schools not harmful after all,” Telegram & Gazette, Feb. 28) called the move a success saying, “the facts are incontrovertible.” He went on to write: “School arrests and charges went down 19 and 14 percent from the 2015-16 school year to 2016-17, according to the data.”

Now, I understand these stats aren’t directly about school shootings, but they’re indicative of the positive effects the resource officers have had. What we should do, is take any resources that would have gone into arming and training teachers and allocate that money to better equip, empower and enable the officers to keep the schools safe.

Let’s leave the security to the dedicated professionals who actually have “safety” and “security” in their job description and let teachers do what’s in theirs: teach.

Ben White resides in Dedham. He is a producer for Unity Radio in Worcester and for The Worcester Magazine Radio Hour.

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feature ISSUE

THE

Pet insurance has your dog, cat (and iguana?) covered BILL SHANER

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s pets more and more get treated as a part of the family, and pet ownership on the whole is on the rise, pet health insurance has emerged as a growing industry. Relatively cheap policies cover routine vet visits and have low deductibles for accidents or illnesses. Though more than a million American pets are insured, the debate over whether or not a policy is worth it has not yet been settled.

Though it’s a relatively young industry, pet health insurance is large and growing.

Since 2009, the industry has grown 13.2 percent annually on average, according to Investopedia. More than one million pets are insured across America, at a collective cost of $595 million.

Trupanion, a health insurance company specifically for pets, has emerged as a market leader.

Anita Amin, a Spencer resident, said she has a policy with Trupanion for her dog and, while she hasn’t had to use it, she feels it’s worth the cost.

“I like them because you can pay

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on a sliding scale for what you want to pay monthly and deductible. We haven’t had to use it, but because we have a dog with three legs I’d rather have something we don’t use than the alternative,” said Amin.

But others choose to forgo insurance.

Francesca Lombardo Monti, a Milford native, first purchased insurance for her puppy through Banfield, a clinic within

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

PetSmart, for the puppy’s first year.

“I found it helpful when my dog was a pup, as we were able to have unlimited visits covered and I had tons of minor issues and questions with her,” said Monti.

But she said she dropped the plan after a year and started going to a vet without insurance.

“I didn’t find it to be cost effective anymore,” she said.

Pet health insurance has been around since the 1890s, at first for horses and livestock, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association. But it wasn’t until 1924, in Sweden, that the first dog received health insurance.

Though the practice was relatively common in Europe, Americans were slow to adopt health insurance policies for pets.

In 1982, Lassie, the famous TV dog, was the first American pet to receive health insurance. At the time, there was only one

company offering pet insurance, Veterinary Pet Insurance. Now there are hundreds, including Nationwide, Geico and other large insurers.

Still, health insurance policies are, for the most part, relegated to cats and dogs.

Pet health insurance doesn’t work quite the same way human health insurance does.

In fact, it works a little more like insurance for private property, like a car, except with way cheaper premiums. Monthly payments range from $14-$98 monthly, according to Investopedia; Deductibles typically range from $100-$250. Most plans allow owners to choose a vet, pick from a number of simple policies covering accidents or illnesses, or both.

Pet health insurance is typically relegated to cats or dogs – heavy on the dogs. In fact, about 90 percent of all pet insurance policies are taken out for dogs, according to Investopedia.

Cats accounted for the other 10 percent.

For pet owners with other animals, such as a bird or ferret, the options are almost nonexistent. But Nationwide offers plans for what they call exotic pets. The plan, advertised as something you’ll only find with Nationwide, covers amphibians, chameleons, chinchillas, ferrets, geckos, gerbils, goats, guinea pigs, hamsters, hedgehogs, iguanas, lizards, mic, opossums, potbellied pigs, rats, rabbits, snakes, sugar gliders, tortoises and turtles.

Bill Shaner can be reached at 508-749-3166 x324 or at wshaner@worcestermag.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bill_Shaner.

feature Choosing daycare, boarding for your pet WALTER BIRD JR.

“You want a clean place that also has a decent amount of staffing,” said Russell, who here are thousands of dog daycares in offers both daycare and long-term boarding for the country, giving pooches and their dogs. “The big things are clean facilities, care for dogs and staffing.” owners plenty of options. And with A good dog daycare and boarding facility, more and more pet owners workthe experts say, provides plenty of space and ing or otherwise unable to tend to their pets time for pooches to roam and be free. When for long chunks of the day, or if they go on an the weather is good, dogs should be spending extended vacation, daycare and boarding are a good amount of time outside, versus cooped attractive alternatives. up in a cage all day. Grooming is also available But what should you keep in mind when in some facilities. Others, such as Waggerz’ choosing who watches and cares for your pet Lounge, even sell some retail supplies. away from home? And what can you do to As for amenities, modern dog daycare and ready your pet for daycare of long-term boardboarding businesses, some of which, like The ing?

Barkwood, also take in cats, have grown to When it comes to choosing the right thing for your pooch — and in some cases cat — lo- offer much more than the traditional dog run cal pet daycare and resort owners say the facil- and kennel. The 12,000-square-foot Barkwood, ity’s cleanliness is key, as well as staffing levels for example, which opened in 2008 and is owned and operated by husband and wife Tim and how much play time your pet will get. and Barbara Gingras, offers individual rooms “Look for a place that is clean, a place that for dogs, with TVs for them to watch and camlets you see behind the scenes, not hiding anything, lets you see where the dog’s going to eras to monitor them. First-floor rooms offer direct access to the outdoors. stay, not hidden in crates that are stacked or Dog owners may also be concerned with the anything like that,” said Megan Oliver, assistant other dogs their animals will be with during manager at The Barkwood Inn Pet Resort in their stay at daycare or long-term boarding.

Charlton, which offers daycare and long-term

T

doesn’t want the hassle of bigger dogs or bully breeds. That depends on the kennel. Some I know won’t take big dogs or bully breeds. We’ll give any dog a shot.”

The main thing for his facility, Russell said, is temperament.

“Obviously,” he said, “we won’t take a dog who has a history of attacks. If a dog sounds like it’s going to be aggressive, we won’t take them.”

are some tips from pawsafety.com to get them ready: • Have their medical history available, including proof of vaccinations.

• Inquire about safety certifications. Are the facility and its employees able to respond to basic medical situations that may arise?

• Determine the cleaning protocols. As suggested by the experts in this story, a clean facility is important.

Above: Barkwood Inn Pet Resort Left: Waggerz Lounge groomer Allison Smith and owner Chris Russell.

ELIZABETH BROOKS

boarding. “[Look for] a place where the people up front seem to like dogs, people that are friendly, you just trust them; a place the dog comes home from happy and isn’t afraid to go to in the morning.”

Over at Waggerz’ Lounge, 17 Mountain St. E, Chris Russell, who owns the business with Sherri Gallant, agreed a clean facility is a must.

Other factors are important as well.

Facilities vary in their determination of which dogs are allowed in, with some more strict than others.

That, said Russell, whose Waggerz’ Lounge opened in 2011, is another factor to take into consideration: the business’s attitude toward accepting pets.

“Some places,” he said, engage in breed selection. “You can have a smaller facility … that

Facilities such as The Barkwood offer a temperament evaluation to their prospective, four-legged clients.

“If they’re not socialized with other dogs, or it’s their first time here, we try them with smaller groups of calmer dogs,” Oliver said.

“We never just throw a dog in a larger group.”

The Barkwood has indoor play rooms for their dogs: one for smaller breeds, another for larger dogs. There is also a “natural” indoor area, where dogs can do their business just as if they were outside.

Dr. Karen Fine, a holistic animal nutrition practitioner with Central Ani­mal Hospital in Leominster, said while she prefers to have a housesitter stay with her pets when she is not home, a boarding facility is a great backup.

“It’s a lot better than it used to be, when, if you boarded your dog, they didn’t have the daycare aspect,” she said. “Your dog was maybe let out to go to the bathroom, but there wasn’t an emphasis on getting them out to play.”

If you are considering boarding your dog long-term or sending them to daycare, here M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

• Prepare for an evaluation. A good daycare or boarding facility will assess your pet without you present.

• Practice by taking your dog to a park or other public place where it can interact with other dogs.

• Ask what is included with the cost of boarding or daycare. Are their services available at an additional cost? Don’t get caught off guard with the final bill.

• Ask what a typical day includes. Will your pet spend quality time with employees and other animals? Will they get outside - and for how long?

• Who is responsible for meals? Some facilities require pet owners to provide their pet food. Others have basic rations available. Does your pet have special dietary needs? A good facility will go over these and other food issues.

• What amenities are available? TVs are provided or offered as an upgrade at places like The Barkwood. Cameras to monitor your pet — and the personnel to watch them — are also a good sign.

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feature Pet food trends: A closer look at raw food, home-cooked meals WALTER BIRD JR.

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he right diet for a pet is essential, just as it is for humans. But pets, of course, are much different than their human counterparts. Nutritionally, they have different requirements. Two growing trends - home-cooked meals and raw food have added to the decisions owners can make when it comes to feeding their pets. Before they do, there are many things to be taken into consideration, according to some of the experts on pet food nutrition.

Dr. Cailin Heinze examine’s MD during a nutrition consultation.

ELIZABETH BROOKS

HOME-COOKED MEALS

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ore and more pet owners are turning to what’s in their own kitchen when it comes to feeding their cats and dogs. There are varying opinions on the overall healthiness of

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doing so, but the experts agree: If home cooking is your preference, be sure to consult with a professional, such as your local veterinarian.

According to Dr. Cailin Heinze, a boardcertified veterinary nutritionist and assistant professor of nutrition at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in Grafton, an improperly-designed home-cooked diet plan for your pet could have negative consequences. Cats and dogs, she said, have specific calorie requirements that are generally met through commercial foods. Adding home-cooked foods to the menu could put your pet over the top, calorie-wise. Conversely, relying wholly on a home-cooked diet could deprive your pet of key nutrients. If anything, Heinze sees home cooking as a supplement to commercial food - if done right.

“It depends on how strongly you feel about feeding a home-cooked diet,” she said. “If your goal is just to provide your pet with some foods that are fresh, and whole foods from the household, you don’t have to home-cook entirely. You could feed 90 percent of calories from a commercial diet, then use the remaining 10 percent and feed fruits and vegetables or cooked grains or eggs and meat, healthy C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 17

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

feature Cat-scratch fever? There are alternatives to declawing WALTER BIRD JR.

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t is not surprising the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is staunchly opposed to declawing cats. In a day and age when other options are available, removing a part of cat so tied to its everyday life is less and less necessary, the MSPCA says.

“There is definitely a movement afoot to move beyond declawing for humane reasons,” said Rob Halpin, director of public relations for the MSPCA. “Cats need their claws. The ability to retract or take out their claws when they need them — for better footing, for defense if they happen to be outside, or running and climbing — is essential.”

The procedure itself is a turnoff to some. While there are different declawing techniques, each involves removing the actual claw. That requires removing the piece of bone the claw grows from. Otherwise, the claw would grow back.

“This,” Halpin said of declawing, “is not the same as taking out the fingernails on a human hand. While it may be uncomfortable to go through life without fingernails, the articulation of the hand remains in place.”

Declawing, he pointed out, requires searing off the entire knuckle, even into the second knuckle of the cat’s paw. The knuckle must be removed, which Halpin said leaves the cat walking on a foot that can no longer bear its weight, comfortably or safely. It can lead to long-term health problems for the cat.

“The surgery itself is deemed unnecessary by the MSPCA,” Halpin said. “Whenever you put an animal through a procedure, from a veterinary ethics perspective, we must ask ourselves, ‘Is this medically necessary?’ The answer, when it comes to cats is this is never necessary.”

Halpin said he cannot think of a reason to justify declawing a cat.

“Some kind of abscess or infection, an abnormality in the joint, perhaps,” he said.

“The odds of that affecting all the cat’s claws are infinitesimal. Never in our history have we seen a medically-necessary reason for a cat to be declawed.”

In the past, he said, when there was a glut of homeless cats, it may have made sense to declaw a cat if it meant an owner might take it in, rather than put it down or commit it to life in an animal shelter.

“Twenty, 30 years ago,” Halpin said, “we were stuck in the mindset that it’s better to take a cat out of a shelter and have it be in my home and declaw it, than have the cat languish in an animal shelter. Some of it is regional, because

we’re very progressive when it comes to animal said. welfare issues. We’ve gotten to the other side of In her first veterinary job, however, Fine said the homeless pet population crisis.” she started seeing elderly people coming in Dr. Karen Fine, a holistic animal nutrition who were on blood thinners and whose arms were scratched up from their cats. practitioner with Central Ani­mal Hospital in “I thought, you know, maybe there’s a place Leominster, agrees. forPage it,” she “I’ve always pretty much1against she PM Womag Juniorbeen page.qxp_Layout 1/24/18it,”3:52 1 said. “I try to talk people out of it. I

don’t like it when people want to do it because they just think their cat should be declawed. I try to get the to learn how to trim nails and go for things like scratching post.”

As suggested by the MSPCA, a scratching post can be a good way to get your cat to turn C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 17

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feature The benefits of spaying and neutering

is a straightforward process, and in Massachusetts all animals leaving a shelter must be spayed or neutered, provided they are healthy enough to undergo the procedure. Progressive laws that promote spaying and neutering, as well as public awareness keep states like Massachusetts in the Northeast from having the same sort of massive population surges that areas down south, such as Tennessee and South Carolina, face. Many of those animals end up in shelters elsewhere in the country.

“There are already so many homeless animals out there that need homes,” said Tellier.

“From a shelter standpoint, in general, we have a hard time. There are a lot of animals that need homes. We don’t need to create more.”

Of course, population control isn’t the only issue at play. Depending on when the procedure is undergone, hormones in an animal change as well.

“You are reducing the amount of hormones in the animal,” said Tellier. “This can be a

JOSHUA LYFORD

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helters across the country provide a temporary home for pets while they await a family to take them in.

According to the American Society for Protection of Animals, there are an estimated six and a half million animals entering shelters across the country each year and approximately one and a half million are euthanized in that same span of time. One way to reduce that animal overpopulation, leading to homeless pets, is spaying and neutering.

“Spaying is for females and neutering is for males,” explained Allie Tellier, executive director at the Worcester Animal Rescue League. “It’s the process of removing parts of them so that they don’t reproduce. Puppies and kitties are adorable, but with shelters being so populated — not so much in the northeast, but in general and places like down south — it’s a great way to control the population and not have to euthanize animals.”

For a healthy pet, being spayed or neutered

Allie Tellier, executive director of the Worcester Animal Rescue League.

ELIZABETH BROOKS

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M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

feature benefit if, say the animal is high strung. If they have higher levels of testosterone or estrogen, they can become more territorial, more defensive, they can agress quicker. They’re trying to do what nature intended, procreate and mark their space. This lowers their hormones after a while. If you spay an animal young, those hormones don’t have a chance to get to the body and make those changes happen. If they’re older, they might be set in their ways already.”

There is new research suggesting that waiting a year to spay or neuter your pet may have advantages.

“Some say to wait a year, because that’s when they mature,” said Tellier. “All the growing and development that is going to happen has happened at that point. It’s essentially going through puberty, in a dog, it lets the hormones reach where they would have reached and they aren’t necessarily stunting

the animal. It’s new research, its new information. If as a pet owner you are responsible and want to see them either through that first heat cycle or that first year, and you can assure that there’s not going to be any blind dates or anything or litters that come with it, that’s ok. You just have to be responsible.”

Still, for shelters like the Worcester Animal Rescue League, spaying and neutering remains the go-to procedure.

“It doesn’t take away their masculinity or their femininity,” said Tellier. “The animal isn’t going to look at you with disdain. It’s a surgery, it has to be thought of that. There is a recovery period. In our opinion, it is worth it to avoid potential cancer and health issues.

There are infections particularly to female dogs. They can get a uterine infection that can kill them in two days. Right now, we’re very strong on spaying and neutering.”

D E C LA W I N G

the center of the nail. The best method can be gleaned from watching a veterinarian or animal manicurist.

Of course, scratching is part of a cat’s nature, and it can become amplified when it is bored. Interacting with your cat can help reduce unwanted scratching behavior.

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 15

their attention from a cherished sofa. Fine suggests knowing your cat’s habits. If they like to scratch a vertical surface, consider a tall scratching post. At the same time, cats could be turned off from scratching surfaces you

PET FOOD

drool on our pillows.”

“There’s so much evidence [raw foods are contaminated],” she said. “The FDA looked at people food … However, if you’re feeding half of raw diets and found a number of them to be their foods from the kitchen and half commer- contaminated. We know these products are cial food, that could cause nutritional probcontaminated, so why would take that risk, lems. Commercial foods are generally intended when there’s no evidence these diets are any by the company to be fed as 90-100 percent of healthier than cooked diets?” the pet’s calories for the day.”

Still, Heinze acknowledges raw food is “one On the other hand, Dr. Karen Fine, a holistic of the biggest growing areas of pet food right animal nutrition practitioner with Central Ani- now, which I find extremely disturbing.” mal Hospital in Leominster who also practices On the other side of the raw food debate is animal acupuncture, is not sold on the health Fine, who admits her stance may run counter benefits of commercial pet food. A dog owner to more traditional veterinary practices.

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 14

ELIZABETH BROOKS

ELIZABETH BROOKS

herself, she feeds them some kibble, or dry food, but is also a home-cooker.

“Not everybody has the time or inclination to do that,” Fine said, “but if it’s done correctly, it’s probably the best thing you could feed your pet.”

By “done correctly,” Fine said she means not by going online and finding any old recipe, but by consulting with a veterinarian. She does recommend one website, balanceit.com, which suggest recipes, but it also requires you buy their supplements. Fine uses the site, and believes it is “a good way to go.”

RAW FOOD want to protect by applying double-sided tape or a piece of cotton scented with bath oil.

Nail trimming can also help. A professional can do the work, but it can also be done at home. It should be started when the cat is young. Clipping a cat’s claws is best done when the cat is relaxed or napping. Nail clippers should be used, and not scissors, which could harm other parts of the cat. The blade should be placed about an eighth of an inch in front of the pink “quick” running down

“If we’re at work all day and there’s one cat at home, it’s pretty likely the cat is going to express a lot of boredom,” Halpin said.

“If we’re noticing an uptick in scratching behavior, consider a second cat, or consider, if possible, changing our lifestyle so we can be home more often and, if possible, engaging in interactive play, which they love. It’s a kernel, a seed that grows. It does have an impact.

It’s less time they’re going to be doing other behaviors, like scratching.”

A

nother popular trend involves feeding raw food to pets. Like homecooking, the issue of raw diets also sees veterinarians and animal nutritionists divided. Heinze stands opposed to feeding raw food to pets, noting several recalls posted by the FDA this year alone. Marketing efforts, she said, convince owners to tap into their pets’ inner wild animal by pointing out those in the wild eat raw meat.

“They use a lot of symbols,” Heinze said. “‘Your dog is a wolf. Your cat is a lion.’ Well, wolves and lions don’t sleep in our beds and M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

“My main thing is there’s no one diet that’s right for everybody,” she said. “Some animals do great on raw food, some animals won’t.”

Fine said she sometimes prescribes raw food, although she does not recommend it for puppies, or for households where there are toddlers or someone with a suppressed immune system.

“I think, if you’re feeding packaged raw food from the pet store, I don’t believe it’s any more dangerous than other foods out there that have had a million recalls,” Fine said. “What I don’t encourage people to do is go to the supermarket and buy raw meat or chicken, because the supermarket doesn’t have the quality control for food to be fed raw. You need to prepare raw food, especially ground beef. It’s more likely to be contaminated.”

Both Heinze and Fine agree that consulting with a veterinarian or pet nutritionist is key to providing your pet a healthy diet. Simply surfing the internet or googling pet recipes won’t cut it. Tufts, Heinze noted, has a comprehensive website and blog, petfoodology.org, dedicated to answering many of the questions pet owners have when it comes to feeding their animals.

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feature End of life: Planned or unexpected, loss of pet hits hard BRIDGET HANNIGAN

through the death of a pet.

Part of what Richman does is help veterinarians talk to osing a pet is never easy, whether families about their options it’s a childhood pet or a more recent when it comes to an ailing pet, addition to the family. We quickly allowing them “to make a decibuild relationships with our pets and sion that is best for them and when it comes time to say goodbye it can be clearly best for their pet.” traumatic.

Richman, with 25 years of Elizabeth Belliveau, a practicing clinical social worker at Enlightened Interventions based experience in hospitals dealing with people, is no stranger to in Worcester, explained how “the experience of taking care of an animal can be therapeutic. death and dying.

“Coming over to the veteriMany clients report that animals have a very nary world,” he said, “there are grounding a stabilizing effect.” some similarities.”

Belliveau described the many benefits of A major difference is the pets, ranging from helping kids establish a routine to coping with depression and anxiety. option of euthanasia. Although Richman believes people want “Pets often support people,” she said. to make the best decision So what happens when these support syswhen it comes to their pets, tems are lost? such as whether to end the “People will downplay the loss of a pet and act like it’s not a legitimate loss,” said Belliveau. pet’s life, they often get caught The loss of a pet, according to Eric Richman, up in their own grief.

“People get lost in their own is “disenfranchised grief, it’s grief that’s not necessarily recognized by society or allowed or emotions,” he said. “... They can’t make the best decision accepted.”

Richman is a clinical social worker at Cum- for their pet.”

To help guide clients, Richman will question mings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University in North Grafton. He provides coun- the pet’s quality of life: Are they eating, drinking, mobile or suffering? seling and support for families who are going

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The issue of cost and overall lack of pet or animal insurance can also push people toward opting to euthanize their suffering pet.

While Richman acknowledged a more

sudden death - such as a pet being hit by a car - is more traumatic, owners feel guilty either way.

“Cats and dogs are very good at hiding illness,” Richman said, explaining why often times it seems pets go from healthy to gravely ill in what seems like a short amount of time. In Richman’s experience, this often leads owners to “take on the guilt that they didn’t see it.”

Regardless of what led pet owners to euthanasia, it is a traumatic event. In fact, according to Richman, “Fifty percent of pet owners feel guilty about it,” whether it’s the ultimate decision to euthanize or that they didn’t catch their pet’s illness at a point when something could be done.

Families and individuals will often take days to decide whether or not euthanasia is the right decision for them and their pet.

While a humane way to end a pet’s suffering, euthanasia is a difficult call to make.

Pets: Talking to your child about the death of a pet JOSHUA LYFORD

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t’s an unfortunate reality that pets are subject to the same laws of reality all creatures are. You spend years with your pet, an animal that is often enriching to an individual and a family. One day, however, it will be time to say goodbye to your furry friend and that can be a difficult experience, particularly when there are children involved.

“It’s the harsh reality of what we do,” said Worcester Animal Rescue League executive director Allie Tellier. “What we do as pet owners — which I actually hate that term, pet owners, it’s not like you possess this being — you’re buddies, you’re family members.

He’s your bro, my dog is my soulmate. I think in the fun times, you don’t think about it, but then when you do have to deal with it you say, ‘Why am I doing this. Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we go through this heartbreak?’

“To equate it to the loss of another human, it can be similar. Humans live generally a lot

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longer, so you’re prepared a little bit more when the time does come. But it is the reality of what we have to do.”

While the decision is never an easy one, animals tend to show their pain. You often know when the time has come for your beloved furry family member.

“We owe the animal that respect when the time comes,” said Tellier. “I’m glad we have euthanasia as an option, because you can tell when your pet is suffering and the time has come and you can help alleviate that for them.

I think it’s one of the kindest gifts you can give.”

Dealing with the loss of a pet can be especially tricky when dealing with a child and their varying degrees of circumstantial understanding.

“If they’ve seen the animal slow down and change, they know,” said Tellier. “They sense that. They see a difference. The loss of a pet is still traumatic. It’s your responsibility as a pet owner and a parent to be clear and concise and be honest about what’s going on in a really simple way.”

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

With that clarity in mind, it can also be important to make sure you don’t draw unwanted parallels during that experience.

“As a parent, you probably want to avoid words like ‘old’ or ‘sick’ or ‘dying’ and ‘doctors,’” explained Tellier. “As a kid they’re going to look at that and go, ‘Well my dog went to the doctor and never came home.’ You don’t want that association.”

It is easy to humanize the animals you spend your lives with, but pets and their enjoyment and fulfilment in life aren’t going to be the same as a human being’s, and that’s an important factor in determining their quality of life and how to move forward when they are at the tail end.

“The dogs, especially the ones that live so vibrantly, if they can’t be themselves, if they are at the point where they’re having accidents in the house, they do feel shame,” said Tellier.

“They lived their whole lives being told to go outside and they start losing body control. You have to think of their emotional well-being, too, without overthinking it.”

Some Do’s and Don’ts when explaining the death of a pet to your child ( from petplace.com): Do be open and honest, especially when euthanizing a pet.

Do explain what dying means Do allow your child to express their feelings about the loss. Some families hold a “burial” service or other small ceremony for their pet.

Do show your own feelings.

Do tell your child’s teacher about the loss, so they understand why their student may be upset in class.

Don’t blame the veterinarian. Some parents may actually lay it all at the feet of the vet, to avoid having to explain the loss to their child.

Your vet may actually be able to help explain the situation to your child.

about your loss. The Pet Loss Hotline, run by Tufts veterinary students, is also a great service for those suffering with grief, he said. The service offers an anonymous way for struggling individuals to call in to talk and learn about other resources that might help them.

For some, replacing an old pet with a new pet is an easy way to fill the hole they’re feeling. It is, however, a practice Richman discourages. Not only could replacing the pet prevent proper grieving, it could lead to comparison.

“They may be very different, and not that they’re better or worse, they’re just different,” he said.

However people react to the process and ultimate result of losing a pet is okay, he said.

“People,” Richman said, “have different relationships with their pets.”

“There is a grieving process that really varies from person to person, and can take a long time,” added Belliveau.

Both agree that what is most important, and while it may be a difficult and arduous process, is for pet owners to cope and come to terms with the loss.

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“A lot of people like to be with their animal during euthanasia,” said Richman, allowing them to say their final goodbyes.

Studies, Richman said, have proven “the loss of a pet is equivalent in terms of the emotional loss of a person … pets have become a part of the family and the family structure and people really grieve.”

“You don’t get over it,” he said of losing a pet, “you get through it.”

“Finding a way to remember that pet through an activity, a momento, a scholarship,” said Belliveau, is incredibly beneficial in the grief process, “just like with the loss of a person.”

Similarly, Belliveau encourages people to seek out therapy after pet death.

As a counselor, Richman suggests a variety of ways to help cope with the loss of pet.

While memorializing and remembering your pet is a huge help in coping, he said it is important to talk about loss.

“Share your grief,” said Richman.

Whether it’s with family and friends, or with a monthly pet loss support group, like the one Richman runs at Tufts, it’s important to talk

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feature Divorce and the family pet: Custody battles rise

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BILL SHANER

ivorce can be one of the most challenging proceedings of adult life.

When two people who promised their life to each other separate, the break is rarely clean. There are finances to untangle, children in need of custody and, increasingly, the tricky question of what to do with the family pet.

“I can tell you as a general matter, as more people consider animals as family members, these battles are becoming more prevalent,” said Sarah Hanneken, a lawyer with the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

Hanneken’s assertion is backed up by a recent survey conducted by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, which found that 27 percent of the reporting lawyers saw an increase in pet custody disputes over the past five years.

But there’s a problem: courts are, for the most part, blind to the concept of a pet as family member. When it comes to dividing up assets, there are only two categories, people and property, and pets always fall into the latter.

While some state legislatures have taken

action to ensure the best interest of the pet is considered, most states, Massachusetts included, don’t offer that protection. Without it, a custody battle could be decided simply by who paid for the pet.

“Animals are nothing like TVs or tables and chairs or even priceless works of art,” Hanneken said. “They are sentient beings that have the capacity for pain and pleasure and should be treated as such.”

In some cases, especially if there’s bad blood, the spouse who purchased the animal will keep it, even if the other spouse was the primary caregiver or had more of an attachment. Because the law can be unforgiving in a pet custody battle, Hanneken recommends mediation instead of custody battles.

“If someone is in a situation where legally they might not have title to the animal, but do feel like they’re in a better position to care for the animal, mediation might be a better fit for that person,” said Hanneken.

But, just because judges in Massachusetts are not obligated to consider the best interest of the animal, it doesn’t mean they can’t, said Hanneken.

“It’s possible you could convince a judge the person who the dog continues to live with after the separation, who is taking care of the animal, who pays for the vet, sometimes those things will be considered evidence of ownership,” she said.

But, still, the most common – and the easiest – metric for deciding who keeps the pet is who paid for it.

That’s why lawmakers in Illinois and Alaska have passed laws that mandate the best interest of the pet be considered in divorce proceedings. Alaska was the first state to adopt the measure. The bill was signed into law in October 2016. Illinois passed similar legislation last December. Both laws require the judge to consider the best interest of the animal and also allows for a joint ownership agreement, according to the Chicago Tribune.

In Massachusetts, there’s a bill filed that could address the matter, if only tangentially.

A bill filed last January by State Rep. Steven Howitt, R-Seekonk, would change the legal definition of pets from property to “companion animal,” and pet owners from “owner” to “guardian.” The bill is intended as a measure to

impose stiffer punishment for animal abuse.

For advocates like Hanneken, a persistent problem in all legal matters related to animals, divorce proceedings included, is the fact there are only two definitions: person and property.

Hanneken and others argue a third category needs to be created and accepted by judges.

“There’s no reason there couldn’t be a third category, for sentient beings or animals,” said Hanneken.

Getting there, she said, would take a threefold front. The public perception that animals should be treated more like people than property, action in the legislature to reflect that change and a paradigm shift in the courts.

At least on the first front, public perception, Hanneken thinks American society is well on its way.

“We want to garner that sentiment more widely,” she said.

Bill Shaner can be reached at 508-749-3166 x324 or at wshaner@worcestermag.com.

Pet friendly: Where to go with your four-legged friend BRIDGET HANNIGAN

ELIZABETH BROOKS

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ets are our best friends, our furry fourlegged companions. Their love make us want to bring them everywhere.

And, believe it or not, there are actually a lot of unexpected places you and your favorite companion can enjoy together.

To begin with, if you don’t have your very own pet yet there are plenty of great places around to find yourself one. The Worcester Animal Rescue League works with foster homes and rescue groups all around and is an excellent place to find an animal that needs you. Sterling Animal Shelter Inc., based in Sterling, is not only a nonprofit, non-kill shelter, but also a perfect place to find your new best friend.

INDOORS

After running around the dog park all day, you may want to bring your four-legged friend to a restaurant so you can chow down.

Whether you’re in the mood for a burger or a deli sandwich, there are a number of restaurants in the area that offer dog-friendly dining.

The Fix, Regatta Deli & Sandwich Shoppe, Zorba’s Tavern and deadhorse hill, all located in Worcester, offer outdoor seating you can enjoy with your pet in good weather.

For those with a sweet tooth, Crown Bakery & Cafe, located just off Interstate-190, has dogfriendly outdoor seating.

If you finish your meal and want to keep the

OUTDOORS

Next up: where to take your pet. More and more spaces are welcoming people and their pets, including public parks.

While some parks discourage or prohibit pets, there are plenty that do just the opposite.

Worcester recently abandoned years of snubbing dogs in their parks, and now allows them in most parks, as long as they are leashed. The city also has opened two dog parks, at Vernon

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Hill Park and Beaver Brook.

As long as a dog is on a leash, the Westville Dam Recreation Area in Sturbridge and Purgatory Chasm in Sutton also welcome them.

However, Purgatory Chasm, does ask that only well-behaved dogs be brought, since there are a lot of kids running around. If you don’t mind splurging, Butler Farm Dog Park in Millbury is a place for vaccinated dogs to run around offleash. For a Millbury/Sutton resident, the cost is $5 per year. For outside residents, the cost $20 per year.

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feature Buy from a breeder or adopt? It’s all about the right fit JOSHUA LYFORD

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ou’ve thought about it for months, maybe years. Perhaps you’ve been waiting for your life to reach a certain point, perhaps you moved into a new home. You’ve made the decision: you are going to bring a new pet into your home. Now, the question is, do you rescue a pet from a shelter or get a purebred animal from a reputable breeder?

We spoke to Worcester Animal Rescue League Executive Director Allie Tellier and the answer isn’t as simple as you might think.

Bringing home a pet, after all, is all about making the right fit for person and pet alike.

“If you find a particular breed and find a reputable breeder, that is fine,” said Tellier. “I think people are surprised when I say that, but you want a pet that is going to fit in your home and fit in your life. I’m sure the intention is to get a shelter pet, but maybe the timing doesn’t work out. Outside of shipping in a dog from across the country, if you know the dog is sound behaviorally and physically, then that’s ok.”

Of course, with so many pets in need of homes in shelters across the country, there may even be that purebred pet of your dreams waiting for you to find them.

“What is great is that, as a shelter, we often have a lot of purebred dogs,” said Tellier.

“Right now we have two purebred German Shepherds. We have a handful of Chinese Crested, they win the ugly dog contest.

Shelters do often have purebred animals.

They’re surrendered not because they’re broken or they’re bad, but maybe their owners moved away, or something happened. It might have needs, but if you’re looking for a specific breed, shelters may have that.”

Being hyper-focused on a particular breed or look can be a tough situation, as the appearance of a pet doesn’t necessarily reflect the animal’s characteristics or behavior.

“The whole breed conversation, I get hung up on,” said Tellier. “It’s really hard to say that because a dog looks like this breed, it’s going to act characteristically like this breed. Just because a dog looks a certain way doesn’t mean it will act that way. Physical characteristics are

WHERE TO GO

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fun going don’t worry, there’s plenty more to be had.

Quite Fetching LLC in Grafton hosts a fun Yappy Hour every Friday. Enjoy a night of complementary beer tastings and cheese pairings, or BYOB and join in some trivia fun, all with your dog. If you’re looking for a more quiet af-

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Allie Tellier motions to animals available for adoption at the Worcester Animal Rescue League.

ELIZABETH BROOKS

only 5 percent of their DNA. There are some dogs true to the breed standards, but it doesn’t mean they will act like that.”

While utilizing a reputable breeder ensures you know the lineage of the animal in question and will — at least visually — know exactly what you’re getting, it is important to remember every animal has their own personality.

According to Tellier, the most important aspect of bringing an animal into your home is ensuring the right fit for you, your family and your new pet.

“I had someone come in once with their whole family,” she recalled. “They wanted a

dog, but they didn’t want a pitbull. They were looking at a high-stress retriever mix we had, a panicked dog. They had an adult autistic son in their home. They wanted something cool, calm and collected that loves to snuggle. And I had to say, you know, this pitty is checking off all those boxes, but doesn’t look like the dog you want. If I could grow his hair out, I would. They ended up adopting him and they send us letters every couple months. Their son loves him, he’s wonderful, he does these therapy things.

He looked like the scary muscular breed, but it’s breaking the stigma.”

Rescuing an animal from a shelter may not

be for everyone, but it can be an incredible experience for both human and animal.

“You are literally saving two lives. You’re rescuing this animal and taking it home and giving a homeless animal a home,” said Tellier.

“You’re also giving another animal who needs to come into the shelter that opportunity too.

You also get that selfish, feel-good, I just saved an animal feeling. And that’s good, feel that.

That’s a good feeling. You’re helping the local community. A lot of dogs end up coming from Tennessee, or South Carolina or wherever.

We’ll certainly help out other states, but it’s local first.”

fair, get the full drive-in movie experience with your dog at the Mendon Drive-In. All they ask is that you keep your companion leashed.

While most pet-friendly places limit themselves to dogs, there is a place exclusively for cat lovers. You may not be able to bring your own cat here, but don’t worry, you won’t miss them, there will be a surplus of cats at the Purr Cat Cafe. A recently-opened restaurant in Brighton, the Purr Cat Cafe is a cageless

environment for cats that offers people the opportunity to pet them, while enjoying food, beverages and fun activities.

If you’re a teacher and want to open the eyes of your students to the magic of having a pet, check out Pets in the Classroom, a program that works in both the U.S. and Canada with the goal of awarding educational grants to K-9 educators. The grants can be used to buy a classroom pet, ranging from hermit crabs to

hamsters and reptiles. The registration process is simple, with three easy steps. Check it out petsintheclassroom.org.

Although more and more places are opening their doors to pets, it’s always a good idea to call ahead and clarify, even if they’re listed as pet-friendly, before bringing your companion along.

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

culture Jim Perry not ready to slow down: The Accelerators, with Jim Perry on guitar, are set to debut at Vincent’s Thursday, March 22. 25 Loving Vincent: The entire hour and 34 minutes play like a Van Gogh painting sprung to life. 29 Worcester 78s wrap up inaugural season: With the playoff loss, the 78’s ended their season at 13-5. 32

Worcester celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in style Sunday, March 11. Check out the photo gallery at worcestermag.com

ELIZABETH BROOKS

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

23

culture

Laughing in the face of recovery

Everybody is still skeptical, but during that time, family and friends are saying get out of Worcester. He never did,” recalled Taylor. “Instead, he really leaned into the city and found this group of people who are a similar age and they all grew up in Worcester. They’re the closest group of people in the world. They go to meetings together, they go to church together. They decided together,

Central. For some comedians, like Dillon himself, these events are particularly meaningful.

“He just filmed a Netflix special, a Comedy Central special and he’s like, ‘Every great thing that’s happened in my career happened when I stopped using cocaine and drinking,’” said Taylor.

“There are so many comedians that have been addicts. If they’re sober, they’ve been through

While the success of Addicted to Laughter and events like Worcester Recovers are important to Taylor, seeing the success of those in recovery -- people like his brother -- is something he could not have imagined a few short years ago.

“I was really resigned to the fact that he was going to die,” said Taylor. “He had been in jail for a year and a half, he was living under a bridge in

JOSHUA LYFORD

T

here is nothing funny about struggling with addiction. There is, however, a place for levity in the hearts and minds of those going through addiction treatment programs. With comedy organization Addicted to Laughter and corresponding fundraising events like the upcoming Worcester Recovers on March 31 at the White Eagle, 116 Green St., founder Eric Taylor has brought smiles to those in recovery, program staff and the comedians themselves.

Addiction and recovery are topics close to Taylor’s heart, as is his interest in comedy.

“I’ve lost a lot of close friends and family members to overdoses,” said Taylor. “My oldest brother, we lost him. It started piling up with losing people to overdoses, like childhood friends.

My next older brother was, for years, a heroin addict. This was 10 years. He was in and out of jail and rehab, all sorts of things. The three of us always really loved comedy. We had that in common.”

When Taylor and his Marlborough community lost a close family friend a few years ago, he decided to do something about it.

“About four years ago, a really close family friend passed away and his family wanted to do a fundraiser to raise money for a scholarship and to help the Channing House,” Taylor said. “He had a lot of success after being there. They were thankful for the place. I love comedy. I wanted to bring really good comedians who were coming up from New York and do a benefit show.”

That show raised an impressive $5,000 after expenses in its first year and would continue to grow in the years to come.

Before long, the Justin Clement scholarship was funded for years to come. At that point, Addicted to Laughter turned its eyes on Worcester and its community, raising money for various rehab centers and recovery programs.

Worcester tends to “get a bad rap,” according to Taylor, whose now-sober brother spent much of his time in the city while he was struggling with addiction. Now clean, Taylor’s brother stayed in the city, buying a home, starting a family and working to help others in recovery.

“My brother had maybe strung together a few months longer than ever before of sobriety.

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Eric Taylor, founder of Addicted to Laughter speaks with Worcester Magazine at Brew on the Grid.

ELIZABETH BROOKS

‘We’ve been to enough funerals, we have to make this work for each other.’ They’re all very similar stories. Ten years in this cycle: homeless, jail, rehab. Finally, they said they had to do it together.

It’s really inspiring.”

Addicted to Laughter hosts free weeknight comedy events at recovery centers around New England. Worcester Recovers at the end of the month acts as a fundraiser for the various organizations Addicted to Laughter supports.

This time around the beneficiaries include The Channing House, Alyssa’s Place and Net of Compassion. The evening is hosted by Taylor as well as Worcester comedian Shaun Connolly.

The comedians performing at the event are Kelly MacFarland, Worcester’s rising star Orlando Baxter and Tom Dillon, who recently released comedy specials on both Netflix and Comedy M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

that program. They get it. There are so many comedians who started achieving success after they quit. They can tie that back.”

While the free comedy shows at area programs are appreciated by those in recovery, the experience is also something the comedians can enjoy.

“The crowds are great,” said Taylor. “There is nothing you can say that will phase or shock these people. They heard worse than that in a meeting 40 minutes ago. They’re appreciative.

They’re captive. Literally captive, they’re not allowed to leave. Comedy is a struggling artist type thing. you do all these shows in the backs of bars and coffee houses where people are kind of indifferent. To do a show where everybody does well and afterward everybody wants to share a cigarette with you and talk to you and shake your hand, it’s not the norm. It’s really nice.”

Worcester. It was kind of a foregone conclusion. I was rooting for him, but you can’t help someone forever. I have my own son, I have to live my own life.

“It was a foregone conclusion. He missed my wedding, it wasn’t going to happen. Then he strung together a few months. We were hopeful.

Legal issues started working themselves out. A few months became a year. It took like a year and a half to start investing in a relationship again.

He got involved in the church, that was something he needs. It snowballed. Now he’s working full time. Now he has an apartment. Now he’s dating someone. Now he’s buying a house and has a better job. It’s crazy to me that my brother is married with a kid, involved in his church and helps people like him for a living and is four years sober.”

culture

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Jim Perry not ready to slow down yet JOSHUA LYFORD

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f you’re an area music fan, you are probably already familiar with musician Jim Perry. His output has been prolific through the years, whether performing onstage, setting up weekly blues jams at Worcester’s Greendale’s Pub or writing about bands in this very magazine.

Still, Perry isn’t someone who slows down easily and with his fresh three-piece blues-based rock band, The Accelerators, it doesn’t look the fretboard on his guitar is going to get a break anytime soon.

The Accelerators, with Jim Perry on guitar, Craig Rawding on vocals and The Silverbacks’ Glenn DiTommaso and Bill Macgillvray on bass and drums, respectively, are set to debut at Vincent’s, 49 Suffolk St., Thursday, March 22 and Thursday, March 29.

Perry, no stranger to juggling several bands at

a time, disbanded blues and R&B act HotHouse last fall, partially to decrease his musical workload. It would seem, however, the musician just couldn’t stay away from live music, and with The Accelerators he has a whole new angle to work from.

“I decided, well, I have four bands anyways, maybe I should reduce my workload to three,” Perry said. “One of the main reasons for breaking it up was because it wasn’t working out as I intended and to decrease my workload. I’m in my 60s now and that’s a lot. Then I got restless. I had this idea, I had friends tell me, ‘Form something that features your guitar playing, instead of the arranging thing. The guitar is your ace in the hole.’ I always resisted that.”

“I wanted to expand my skills and try different things,” he continued. “I love all kinds of music.

Long story short, I decided to think about a band that’s based on my guitar playing. What kind of guitar playing do I like the most? I got into thinking about that and it was easy. The stuff I grew up with — Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck Group, Free with Paul Rodgers on vocals — I love that power blues. I started getting the itch. I had to scratch it. It was still just an idea floating around in my head.”

While the idea continued to swirl in Perry’s mind, he contacted DiTommaso and Macgillvray, the rhythm section of The Silverbacks. It didn’t

take long before the fledgling act was rehearsing and, according to Perry, “They were both enthusiastically in. It was like, ‘Uh oh, now I have to do it.’”

“It was just so much fun. Billy [Macgilvray], in particular, always wanted to play this stuff. He grew up loving it,” Perry said. “The only thing that I felt wasn’t up to the standards of how amazing we sounded together was my voice.”

So, Perry and company reached out to friend and former Delta Generators vocalist Rawding.

“If I wanted to get the best possible voice to go with this project, who would it be? The immediate answer is Craig Rawding,” said Perry.

“He is an incredible singer. I expected him to say no thanks, but his response was filled with exclamation points. It turns out he always had a

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

love affair with that old rock and blues.

The number-one focus of the band, according to Perry is to have fun. There is another force at play here as well. Not only is this an area Perry was interested in pursuing, but the musician felt the time was now to pursue it.

“These rehearsals have been a riot,” he said. “All we do is laugh. When we’re playing the songs, we look at each other and it’s holy shit, this is great.

It’s basically for our own enjoyment. There’s a little bit of selfishness to it, but we know people will love the band. The main thrust of it is for us to play what we love to play and have fun with it.”

Even with the members of The Accelerators being on the same page and enjoying themselves, Perry, the lifelong musician, doesn’t plan on stopping until he has to.

“It’s not like I’m suddenly obsessed with age issues; however, I am much more conscious of it,” he said. “I had to have knee replacement surgery because my knee basically wore out. The age issue has to come to the forefront because I am getting older. A lot of times when I do gigs with other people my age, Cliff Goodwin, etc., we’ll comment how lucky we are to be able to still do this in our early 60s. I’ve become age conscious.

When I throw something together, it’s not like I have a completely open palette for the future.

There’s only so much more I can do before I have to slow down a little I guess.”

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TASTE THE PAIN: Or, at least, taste an $11 Bud Light big man can and see the pain. I really have to get out of the habit of running these subheads that need at least a sentence of exposition to make sense of, eh? That sentence itself was a rambling mess. As the kids say, “LOL.” Moving on, I haven’t gotten to mention wrestling in this column for a minute. Beyond Wrestling is busy killing it at Electric Haze and I haven’t had the time in my schedule to catch up on the drama in the WWE. BUT! WWE Smackdown Live TV (a bit clunky for a title, if you ask me. No one did, though, and they seem to be doing just fine for themselves) is headed to the DCU Center Tuesday, May 22, with tickets going live on March 16. The coup de gras (not really applicable terminology, to be sure, but I don’t think I’ve written that phrase here before)? A Fatal Four way is going to be held between AJ Styles, Shunsuke Nakamura, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Other wrestlers set to be wrastlin’ are Bobby Roode, the Usos and Charlotte Flair. Woo! As always, the card is subject to change and I’m not sure where the DCU Center stands on holding signs these days, but it will most assuredly be a good time. Seeing as how I’m a journalist and can’t afford them, hey WWE give these editorial bums some tickets, eh?

DISCO BISCUITS: But, like, not. There is, however, both a disco and possibly biscuits in

this item. That’s a silent disco and food trucks that, hey, maybe have biscuits. I’m off the deep-end here. On Saturday, March 24, there will be a benefit for POW! WOW! Worcester in the form of a Silent Disco at the Sprinkler Factory, 38 Harlow St. What is a silent disco, you ask? Well, everybody gets a pair of headphones and grooves their way to the dance floor. There are three DJ’s spinning music and hip-wiggling dance maniacs set their phasers to fun, choosing their own channel and dancing their pants off (please keep pants on-the management). This results in a good time, hey, you’re dancing, and is also completely hilarious as the entire crowd is dancing to different rhythms.

There will be a cash bar, food trucks and a live-painting tagging and graffiti wall. Plus, money raised helps out POW! WOW!, so you can feel good about your pelvic thrashing motion.

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660 Main St. Aurora Gallery, ArtsWorcester is headed to the ground floor of the Printer’s Building, 44 Portland St. The new building is handicap accessible (parts of the current space are not accessible), 2,500 square feet,and gives the arts organization a fresh canvas to kick off some cool stuff.

The move also further solidifies the downtown “Theater District” concept, currently nailed down by the Hanover Theatre. Completion of the move is expected in early 2019, and to help facilitate this, ArtsWorcester has launched “Framing the Future,” a $1.25-million, five-year campaign. More than 60 percent of this goal has already been reached. If you are a fan of the arts and aren’t struggling to buy necessary weekly groceries for yourself, help out a great cause in the city.

MAKE SOME NOISE: Oh, boy howdy, lemme tell ya, watching the Worcester Railers work to get themselves into the playoff picture is an intense affair and one that they will be struggling for right up until the final regular season game. If you happened to be lucky enough to catch their game Sunday, March 11 against the Adirondack Thunder, you know the team didn’t stop until the final buzzer, um, buzzed. The Thunder scored in the first, leaving the Railers with a goose egg on the board, but they tied it back up early in the second. The Thunder would score again and the Railers once again evened the score. After a nail-biting scoreless third, the teams went into overtime, again leaving the extra minutes scoreless. Then it was on to the shootout and, yowza, what a time to be alive. A 12-round shootout is intense, lemme tell ya. Defenseman Mike Cornell scored the gamewinner in the 12th round and goalie Mitch Gillam gave the guys hope by standing on his head the entire time. Keep it going Railers!

STRAIGHT UP: GET LOUD: I’m super out of touch, for sure. I used to go to hardcore shows at all the venues and could name all the spots and all the bands. That time is passed. I guess you could call it washed up, or maybe I’m just old and my knees hurt, I’m really not sure. With that in mind, I’m not sure when Straight Up Cafe, 807 Main St. starting allowing heavy shows, but one just came across my desk. If slam and metalcore aren’t your thing, this might not be the one for you, but new and interesting venues are always a good thing and there’s an added benefit: all the proceeds from this show, presented by New England Noise, will assist alcoholics and addicts seeking treatment through scholarships.

Not bad, not bad. The show takes place Saturday, March 24 and features Marble Mouth from Western Mass., Black Lotus (I hope this is a M:TG reference) from New Jersey, Distressor from the Joshua Lyford North Shore, Hold the Keep from Merrimack ValCulture editor ley and Central Mass’s own Vulgar Intentions. @Joshachusetts

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M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

culture Lifestyle SARAH CONNELL

Wormtown’s Boozy Barleywine Birthday

difference this time versus our previous 10 dinners is the brewery has electricity, plumbing, a permanent bar and a roof - far different than being set on a farm!” Stromberg shares. Guest purveyors for this event include Crust Artisan Bakeshop, deadhorse hill, Mullahy’s Cheese Shop, Noah’s Table, Say Cheese and simjang. All dishes will feature 100-percent local ingredients from local farms, beer pairings

by Medusa Brewery, live music and coffee from Union Coffee Roasters.

This year, Wormtown’s birthday falls on Saturday, March 17. This local landmark brewery has been brewing “Great Beers for 8 Years” and they want you to join in the celebration with the release of their new American barleywine.

Extended hours for this The newest hand-screened event promise to keep the print from Hundred Acre doors open 12 -10 p.m. New Design depicts an 1891 renmerchandise will be available for purchase along with dering of Worcester’s Night food from Smoke Stack Lunch Wagon.

JONNIE COUTU BBQ and Wicked Twisted Diner Kings Pretzels. Escape Games Did you know WorcesWorcester pledges to keep ter is home to T.H. Buckley, the original lunch you entertained. Birthday Brew #8 exercises five wagon king? Buckley was a young entrepreneur base malts for complexity and features local hops who gave rise to a diner empire at the turn of from Four Star Farms including Centennial, the 20th century. The night lunch wagon was Cascade, and Pépite for balance, along with Chi- popularly referred to as “the owl,” and catered nook for a shot of fresh resin. As the beer world’s to factory workers who got off the clock at odd most famous mystery blogger so often reminds hours. Despite a fast food boom in the ’60s, us: “barleywine is life.” Here’s your chance to get Worcester’s factory workers were known for on board. maintaining their loyalty to the city’s diners,

Canal District Devotees

If you are as eager to find out about Allen Fletcher’s Harding Green development project as I am, here’s your chance to get the scoop straight from the source. Join Mr. Fletcher for Canal District After Hours on Tuesday, March 20 beginning at 5 p.m. The event will be hosted by Lock 50 restaurant and includes hors d’oeuvres.

No formal business is set to be discussed, but Fletcher’s presentation will reportedly be open to all stakeholders in the Blackstone Canal District. What qualifies you as a stakeholder, you ask? “Business owners, property owners, and general fans of the burgeoning shopping and entertainment district” are all welcome. I’ll be the girl with the foam finger.

Lettuce E.A.T.

When I try to succinctly explain the complex work of Lynn Stromberg, co-founder of Lettuce Be Local, I often refer to her as a matchmaker for farmers and chefs. Stromberg’s passion for educating, aggregating and transporting (yes, she loves to E.A.T.) renders her one of the most respected professionals in the Central Mass food and beverage community. On Sunday, March 25, Lettuce Be Local will curate the latest in a series of farmer dinners, this time at Medusa Brewing Company in Hudson. “Although, the

which had evolved from Buckley’s original lunch wagon and continue to thrive today. A new line of Worcester manufacturing tee shirts are now available at Crompton Collective from the local creatives at Hundred Acre Design. The newest hand-screened prints depict an 1891 rendering of Worcester’s Night Lunch Wagon. Other designs include the space suit and the monkeywrench.

Cupcake Queens

The Queen’s Cups will host a Youth Open Mic Night on Friday, March 16, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. for performers age 9-18. Prospective participants must register online to perform. Some of The Queen’s Cups’ most recent creations have included cake batter mini-egg, deep dish cookie dough, fried ice cream, cherry Coke, “elementary school classic:” and strawberry chocolate chip milkshake.

If you’re cupcaked out, order the Matilda - an homage to Bruce Bogtrotter encapsulated in a personal chocolate cake stuffed with scintillating ganache.

Sarah Connell contributing writer

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Reasons to Choose & Mix

Want to taste through some sauces? Your server will gladly dole out soy lemon, hot paste, teriyaki and sesame oil to help you make an informed decision. Have a question?

Your server is more than willing to speak at length about the menu. Thirsty? Bring your SANDRA RAIN own booze. And you’d better believe, on the way out the door, you’ll hear the team exclaim, “See you tomorrow!”

Choose & Mix After one particularly mesmerizing visit, 5 East Mountain St., Worcester I asked our server if she was the owner. Her 774-530-6123 energy and presence throughout our meal had amazed me, save the stacking of our dirty onducting a side-by-side analysis of plates as she bussed our table. “No, I just love Worcester’s Korean eateries would to work here,” she said before bouncing back feel, in particular, like comparing behind a cloth partition depicting a series of mangosteens and rambutans; that is cartoon cats. to say: fruitless. Nevertheless, Worcester’s “I think she might be my favorite human,” appreciation for Korean cuisine is growing my companion said without exaggeration. We rapidly and it’s important to note that you’ve got options. Look no further than the success immediately mapped out a return visit.

Wee bowls of miso soup will arrive at your of the aptly-named Asian Supermarket on Mill table in a cloud of kelp and steam, along with little dishes of kimchi and sweet pickled daikon radishes. The spicy pork ($12.95) will prove gentle as far as heat goes, consisting of a generous platter of tender pork marinated in Korean barbecue sauce and topped with a fried egg. Break the yolk and have at it.

If you order the signature bibimbap ($9.41), a rice or noodle bowl with your choice of vegetables and protein, we suggest you swallow the $1 upcharge and accept the offer of a hot stone bowl. When it arrives at your table, the Kale and spinach dumplings and miso soup.

SANDRA RAIN contents will sizzle like a saucer of Rice Krispies. I like the sweet potato noodles, translucent little ropes buried by a sea of onion, Street for proof of Worcester’s yearning for red cabbage, peppers, bean sprouts, broccoli, gochujang. carrots, mushrooms and jalapeños. Mix the The immaculate Choose & Mix storefront soy lemon and teriyaki for an optimal sauce can be found tucked into a tight stripmall on experience. You can choose from a range of East Mountain Street. You’ve probably seen proteins, but I tend to keep it simple with tofu. their dishes pop up on your social media It is customary to eat bibimbap with a spoon feed over the last few months. The bright rather than chopsticks; Choose & Mix takes lights are cause for food photography, as are issue with neither. They just want to make the handmade kale and spinach dumplings sure you’ll come back tomorrow. And you ($6.45). Be that as it may, the decor is humble should. The Korean culinary scene may very - stark white tile, industrial stools and dark well be the wave of Worcester’s future. wooden butterfly chairs fill a single room.

On my last date at Choose & Mix, our total Choose & Mix may have been designed as a came to $35.66. takeout establishment, but the thundering mob is coming, and they’d like their bibimbap Food: HHHH to stay.

Service: HHHH There are concrete alterations that would make Choose & Mix feel more welcoming, Ambience: HH1/2 hooks under the bar rail, for instance. But the Value: HHHH staff have found an easier way to fill every seat: hospitality. This model transcends smiling.

C

culture Vincent’s last starry night

come into his orbit. A year after the painter’s death, a young man named Armand Roulin (Douglas Booth) is dispatched by his postmaster JIM KEOGH father to deliver a letter from Vincent incent Van Gogh picked up a brush at that had never found the age of 28 and over the next eight its way to the artist’s years painted 800 works. When he beloved late brother, died, he’d sold exactly one — same as Theo. In his search for the number of ears he took with him to the grave. His red-bearded face could be the avatar Theo’s wife, Armand visits the French town for “troubled genius.” of Auvers-sur-Oise, Vincent was mysterious, too, no more so where Vincent died, than in the details of his death. It was ruled a and conducts an suicide: a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the informal investigation stomach that took two days to kill him. Some speculate the real cause was murder, and point into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. the finger at his physician, Dr. Gachet, a frusArmand talks to servants and fishermen, trated amateur painter who sensed Vincent’s cops and innkeepers, all armed with gossip latent brilliance and claimed ownership of and theories, often conflicting. Vincent was a many of his works in return for treating him. riddle in life, so it only makes sense the facts Did he hasten the painter’s demise? of his death would be equally unreachable.

“Loving Vincent” is a recapitulation of The questions flow, but concrete answers are Vincent’s final days, told by the people who’d impossible.

V

Visit an operating 19th- century

sugar camp

Directed by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, “Loving Vincent” is a stunning visual achievement. The movie was filmed in live action with real actors, then each of the 65,000 frames was hand-painted by a team of 100 artists. Finally, the film was animated in rotoscope, so the entire hour and 34 minutes play like a Van Gogh painting sprung to life. I’ve seen good rotoscope (Richard Linklater’s “Waking Life”) and bad rotoscope (Ralph Bakshi’s “Lord of the Rings”), but this is the best I’ve ever experienced, largely because the source material is unmatchable. The colors erupt, landscapes shimmy and each gorgeous scene leaves me convinced all of humanity should be granted an opportunity to reside in the French countryside.

“Loving Vincent” is also an intriguing mystery. At one point, Armand pays a visit to an old doctor who examined Vincent’s body posthumously and makes a compelling case

Sugaring off and

cooking in Village households

for murder. Later, Gachet (played with growly authority by Jerome Flynn from “Game of Thrones”) debunks the accusation, offering his own convincing take on why Vincent was a perfect candidate for self-harm.

Thanks to the bracing visuals, the artist’s spirit hovers over this film like the stars in his most famous work. Each one of those stars, he said, is “surrounded by unfathomable loneliness.” The tormented man who created them may indeed have turned the gun on himself in a field while painting, which remains the official story. It’s a shame he never experienced the acclaim that would come his way long after he joined the firmament.

“Loving Vincent” will be shown at 7:30 p.m.

March 20, 21 and 24, and 1 and 3 p.m. March 25 in the Jefferson Academic Center at Clark University. The film is part of the Cinema 320 series.

Jim Keogh contributing writer

Celtic CELEBRATION

AT OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE

March 17 – 18 Evening Concert & Dinner March 17 performance with Full Gael and Irish buffet dinner

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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culture MARCH 15-18 Jersey Boys

Thursday, March 15, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, March 16, 8 p.m.; Saturday, March 17 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday, March 18, 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Hanover Theatre, 551 Main St., Worcester Tickets $41-$81 Thursday, $51-$96 Friday, $56-$101 Saturday and Sunday (1 p.m.), $41-$81 Sunday (6:30 p.m.)

A fabulous and fun musical that tells the inside story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, from the streets of New Jersey to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

MARCH 17 Maple Farm Sanctuary’s St. Paddy’s Day Vegan Potluck and Health Desserts Cooking Class

MARCH 16-17 Shrek The Musical

Friday-Saturday, March 16-17, 7-9 p.m.

191 Franklin St., Auburn Adults $10, students/children $7 Don’t miss everyone’s favorite ogre, Shrek, as he leads a cast of fairytale misfits on the adventure of a lifetime to rescue a princess and find acceptance.

Saturday, March 17, 12-3 p.m.

Unitarian Congregation of Mendon & Uxbridge, 13 Maple St., Mendon Tickets $5-$25 Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a vegan potluck and learn to make healthy vegan desserts. Sample each dish and take part in a raffle to win a free tour of Maple Farm Sanctuary.

MARCH 16-18 Worcester Railers

Friday-Sunday, March 16-18 DCU Center, 50 Foster St., Worcester Tickets $15-30-plus Don’t miss a three-game home stretch that sees the Worcester Railers take on the Wheeling Nailers Friday night, the Fort Wayne Komets on Saturday and the Utah Grizzlies on Sunday. Friday and Saturday’s games start at 7:05 p.m., Sunday’s at 3:05 p.m.

LIVE & LOCAL Jim Polito 5-9 am

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M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

WTAG.COM

Jordan Levy 3-6 pm

culture MARCH 17 Saturday, March 17, 7-9:30 p.m.

Shrewsbury Public Library, 609 Main St., Shrewsbury Cost is $100 a team (up to six players) The Shrewsbury Public Library Foundation holds an interactive fundraiser with a panel of local celebrities answering questions to humorous questions.

Audience members will try to match their answers.

MARCH 18 Helen’s Hope IV: An IBC Research Fundraiser

Sunday, March 18, 12-5 p.m.

Halligan’s Royale Lounge, 889 Southbridge St., Auburn Suggested donation $10 Check out the fourth annual event to raise money for inflammatory breast cancer research in honor of Helen Levine Lipkin, who passed away in 2014 from the disease. Proceeds benefit research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Enjoy live music, tarot card readings, door prizes, food and more.

MARCH 20 Holy Cross Men’s Lacrosse vs.

Brown University Tuesday, March 20, 7 p.m.

Free Get in on great college lacrosse action as the Holy Cross Crusaders take on the Brown Bears.

MARCH 18 The Fabulous Thunderbirds

Sunday, March 18, 7:30-10:30 p.m.

Bull Run Restaurant, Sawtelle Room, 215 Great Road, Shirley Tickets $45 in advance, $50 day of If you’re “Tuff Enuff,” check out The Fabulous Thunderbirds, led by Ken Wilson, who have been doing their thing more than 30 years.

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

31

sports p Worcester 78’s wrap up inaugural season

ending, 110-109, first-round playoff loss to the Jersey Express.

It wasn’t how or when the 78’s, who are largely a representation of the former New England Anchors, thought their season would come to an end. Now it’s wait until next year. And Marino is looking ahead as he reflects on the ups and downs of his team’s inaugural run in the ABA. What a run it was. With the playoff loss, the 78’s ended their season at 13-5. They were among the top teams in the ABA. Playing in the Northeast Division, with their home games at Worcester’s Boys & Girls Club, the team trotted WALTER BIRD JR. out a lineup of scorers who routinely put up well over 100 points a game. In some contests, they t didn’t end quite as hoped, but in their first topped 150. year in the American Basketball Association, At home, they did it to often sparse crowds of the Worcester 78’s didn’t just play the game - 50 or less - and they did it with players who didn’t they showed they’ve got game. get paid. Marino knows he and the team have Now it’s just a matter of spreading the word. to up their game on many fronts next year. He “I run into people daily that didn’t know we praises them and is hard on himself. were here,” team owner Tom Marino said earlier “Our guys battled,” he said. “We had an awethis week, just a few days removed from a season- some group of guys. I’m proud of them. They

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battled like hell [against the Jersey Express]. On the basketball side, the coach [Anthony Leonelli] was awesome. He did a great job, put together a great roster.

“On the business side, which is my responsibility, we have to improve some things. We got some important things done. We certainly didn’t draw well enough, anywhere near where I’d like. There were tough lessons learned. I need to do better.

We need to do better establishing the brand of the team ... which we’ll do.

“No offseason,” Marino added. “I start [now].”

In terms of the roster, Marino practically gushes over the players, including guys like Sam Longwell, who played his college ball at WPI, and Worcester’s own Jose Cruz Jr. and Kamahl Walker. And to get Marino talking about Tony Gallo, a prolific scorer from Lynn who played Division 1 hoops at Coppin State University, is to tap into his inner fan. An all-star this season, Gallo averaged about 32 points a game, according

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to Marino, and lit up the scoreboard many nights.

“We played Jersey here late in the regular season,” Marino recalled. Gallo, he said, went for 40 points that night. “Their assistant coach later that week did a podcast interview. He said he’s never seen a performance like that on any level by anybody.”

For his part, Gallo, who recently turned 29 and is the father of two young girls, said he “feels like I’m a good player. There’s not much I can’t do on the court.”

He said he has upped his game through his work with younger players through his business, Tony Gallo Athletics.

“I train kids every day, giving them new moves,” Gallo said. “I study the game every day to better them, which also betters me.”

Like Marino, Gallo, who said he has some options to play elsewhere next year, but could see himself staying with the 78’s, sees room for

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sports

improvement in different areas of the team.

“I feel we have to get a little more creative in the business aspect, which I plan on getting more involved in,” Gallo said. “Location’s key.

We’ve got to get something that’s appealing for people wanting to come in. We’ve got high-level guys doing it for free, which is amazing to me.

We were a Top 10 team in the country the whole year. I don’t think too many of those other teams were not getting paid.

“I think we’re on the right path. Winning is big for us. I think we caught a couple people’s eyes.

Now I think we have to get people that believe in us. I think we all have to market. It can’t all come from Tom.” That might be music to Marino’s ears, but he believes he can do more for the team.

“I’ve run a business before and I’ve done better than this,” Marino said. “... What should have been obvious, but wasn’t, is traditional marketing is very important for live events. Part of that is cost, but I think I depended on online marketing a little too much. I probably should have been talking to more people, handing stuff out. We need to some traditional, paid marketing.”

Marino would also like to see changes made on the league’s end. At 110-plus teams, he thinks the ABA, which merged with the NBA in 1976 and returned independently in 2000, may be too big. That, he said, thins out the talent pool - for both players and referees.

Another issue, Marino said, was how the playoffs were set up. Some teams, he said, were afforded an opportunity to play in the postseason, regardless of their record. One team, he said, lost a play-in game. Had they won, according to Marino, they would have entered the playoffs with just that one victory. Marino said some exemptions were also given to teams who failed to meet the playoff requirement of having played at least 16 games.

“I would like to see [league] leadership a little more consistent,” he said.

All in all, he said, the first season for the 78’s went well.

“On the court, I love our guys,” Marino said.

“They fought their asses off and they’re all, to the man, really good players. If we can move forward in that direction, we’re in good shape. We were a really tough point, but a point away from playing in the event we all play this game to get. In the grand scheme of things, that’s not a bad thing for the first year.”

It is, both Marino and Gallo believe, something that can be built on.

“There’s only up for this thing,” said Gallo. “If we can find someone to believe in us, we can make it work.”

The Score

Worcester 78’s March 10 The 78’s bow out of playoffs with 110-109 loss in New York to Jersey Express.

Worcester Railers March 7 Railers lose afternoon game, 5-2, to Wheeling Nailers on the road March 11 Railers win rousing, 12-round shootout at home over Adirondack Thunder, 3-2 (Upcoming: Railers have three-game home weekend set on tap: Friday, March 16 vs.

Wheeling Nailers; Saturday, March 17 vs. Fort Wayne Komets; Sunday, March 18 vs.

Utah Grizzlies.)

College sports Baseball

Anna Maria March 17 vs. Eastern Nazarene @ NEBC, 11 a.m.

March 17 vs. Eastern Nazarene @ NEBC, 1:30 p.m.

March 18 @ Clark, 12 p.m.

March 18 @ Clark, 3 p.m.

March 21 vs. Pine Manor @ NEBC, 7 p.m.

Assumption March 17 @ Queens, 12 p.m.

March 17 @ Queens, 3 p.m.

March 18 @ Queens, 12 p.m.

March 20 vs. American Int’l, 3:30 p.m.

Becker March 15 vs. McDaniel @ Auburndale, Fla., 9 a.m.

March 15 vs. McDaniel @ Auburndale, Fla., 11:30 a.m.

March 16 vs. Stockton @ Winter Haven, Fla., 9 a.m.

March 17 vs. Wm. Paterson @ Winter Haven, Fla., 9 a.m.

March 20 vs. Fitchburg State, 4 p.m.

Clark March 15 @ Massachusetts Maritime, 3:30 p.m.

March 17 vs. Brandeis University, 12 p.m.

March 17 vs. Brandeis University, 2 p.m.

March 18 vs. Anna Maria, 12 p.m.

March 18 vs. Anna Maria, 3 p.m.

March 21 vs. Eastern Connecticut, 3:30 p.m.

Holy Cross March 17 @ Northeastern, 11 a.m.

March 17 @ Northeastern, 2 p.m.

March 18 vs. Northeastern, 1:05 p.m.

March 20 @ Massachusetts, 3 p.m.

March 21 vs. UMass-Lowell, 5:05 p.m.

Nichols March 15 vs. Arcadia @ Port Charlotte, Fla., 10 a.m.

March 16 vs. Ohio Wesleyan @ Port Charlotte, Fla., 9 a.m.

March 16 vs. Susquehanna @ Port Charlotte, Fla., 12 p.m.

March 20 @ WPI, 3:30 p.m.

Worcester State March 16 vs. St. Norbert @ Auburndale, Fla., 4:30 p.m.

March 16 vs. St. Norbert @ Auburndale, Fla., 7 p.m.

March 18 vs. Elmhurst @ Auburndale, Fla., 10:30 a.m.

March 18 vs. Elmhurst @ Auburndale, Fla., 1 p.m.

March 20 vs. Bard @ Auburndale, Fla., 11 a.m.

WPI March 17 vs. Mass. Maritime, 12 p.m.

March 17 vs. Mass. Maritime, 3 p.m.

March 20 vs. Nichols, 3:30 p.m.

Round-Up

The Worcester Railers on March 9 announced the signing of UMass-Lowell’s Tommy Panico.

Men’s Lacrosse

Anna Maria March 15 vs. Lyndon St., 5 p.m.

March 17 vs. Eastern Conn. St., 1 p.m.

March 19 @ Wentworth, 7 p.m.

Assumption March 16 vs. Post, 6 p.m.

Becker March 19 vs. UMass-Boston, 4 p.m.

March 21 vs. Maine Maritime, 4 p.m.

Clark March 17 @ Western New England, 1 p.m.

Holy Cross March 17 @ Army Westpoint, 12 p.m.

March 20 vs. Brown, 7:05 p.m.

Nichols March 15 vs. UMass Boston @ Davenport, Fla., 5 p.m.

March 21 @ Mitchell, 4 p.m.

Women’s Lacrosse

Assumption March 17 @ St. Michael’s, 1 p.m.

March 20 vs. Bentley, 4 p.m.

Becker March 16 @ Purchase, 5 p.m.

March 18 vs. Maine Maritime, 2 p.m.

Holy Cross March 17 vs. Lafayette, 1:05 p.m.

Worcester State March 15 vs. Castleton State, 4 p.m.

March 19 vs. Western New England @ Englewood, Fla., 5 p.m.

March 21 vs. Calvin @ Englewood, Fla., 10 a.m.

Softball

Assumption March 21 @ Stonehill, 3 p.m.

March 21 @ Stonehill, 5 p.m.

Becker March 15 vs. Fredonia @ Clermont, Fla., 4:30 p.m.

March 15 vs. Franklin & Marshall @ Clermont, 7 p.m.

March 16 vs. Trinity @ Clermont, Fla., 2 p.m.

March 16 vs. Lawrence @ Clermont, Fla., 4:30 p.m.

March 20 vs. Clark, 3 p.m.

March 20 vs. Clark, 5 p.m.

Clark March 16 @ Bridgewater State, 3 p.m.

March 16 @ Bridgewater State, 5 p.m.

March 17 @ Brandeis University, 12 p.m.

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

March 17 @ Brandeis University, 2 p.m.

March 20 @ Becker College, 3 p.m.

March 20 @ Becker College, 5 p.m.

Holy Cross March 17 vs. UMass-Lowell @ New York, N.Y., 9 a.m.

March 17 @ Fordham, New York, N.Y., 2 p.m.

March 18 vs. Detroit Mercy @ New York, N.Y., 1:30 p.m.

March 18 vs. Seton Hall @ New York, N.Y., 3 p.m.

March 21 vs. UMass-Lowell, 4:05 p.m.

Nichols March 15 vs. North Central @ Fort Myers, Fla., 9 a.m.

March 15 vs. Castleton @ Fort Myers, Fla., 11 am.

Worcester State March 18 vs. Plymouth State @ Clermont, Fla., 9 a.m.

March 18 vs. Wis. Oshkosh @ Clermont, Fla., 11:30 a.m.

March 19 vs. St. Lawrence @ Clermont, Fla., 9 a.m.

March 19 vs. Wash. & Jeff @ Clermont, Fla., 11:30 a.m.

March 20 vs. Grinnell @ Clermont, Fla., 9 a.m.

March 20 vs. Bowdoin @ Clermont, Fla., 11:30 a.m.

WPI March 20 @ Fitchburg State, 3 p.m.

March 20 @ Fitchburg State, 5 p.m.

Men’s Tennis

Assumption March 17 vs. St. Michael’s, 11 a.m.

March 20 vs. Stonehill, 3:30 p.m.

Becker March 21 @ Clark, 4 p.m.

Clark March 20 @ Regis College, 4:30 p.m.

March 21 vs. Becker College, 4 p.m.

Holy Cross March 18 vs. Colgate, 2 p.m.

March 20 vs. Suffolk, 3:30 p.m.

Nichols March 15 vs. McDaniel @ Orlando, Fla., 10 a.m.

March 16 vs. Hamilton @ Orlando, Fla. Mach 18 vs. Lawrence @ Orlando, Fla., 3 p.m.

Women’s Tennis

Holy Cross March 18 vs. Colgate, 2 p.m.

Nichols March 15 vs. McDaniel @ Orlando, Fla. March 16 vs. New Paltz @ Orlando, Fla.

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Adoption option

SHERI BREADY PHOTOGRAPHY

Top ’o the mornin’ to ya! Meet silly, happy, playful and excited Roxy!

Roxy is an older girl, but you would never know by watching her. She has such a zest for life and loves everyone she meets. Roxy was brought to the shelter because her owners could no longer keep her. Roxy would do best in a home with no cats and possibly a low-energy dog.

When she arrived at WARL our vets noticed that she had two weak knees on her back legs. This is something that may need on-and-off attention throughout the remainder of her life. Roxy is ready for a fresh start and a new family. If you’re interested in meeting Roxy, ask a staff member today!

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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M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

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games "What Am I Doing Here?"--somehow in the middle.

by Matt Jones

JONESIN’ Across 1 5 10 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 23 24 27 29 33 36 37 39 40 41 43 44 46 47 48 50 52 54 55 57 59 63 65 68 69 70 71

Fun By The Numbers Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

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72 73

1998 Apple rollout #, outside of Twitter Dog in early kiddie lit "You're in trouble!"

Buddy, slangily Russian speed skater Graf who turned down the 2018 Winter Olympics Request in exchange for some ones, maybe?

"Roseanne" of "Roseanne" Confused It's sung twice after "que" "Uh-huh" Prepares leather Bedtime, for some Golden-coated horse The Rock's real first name 66 and I-95, e.g.

Surveillance needs, for short 1966 Michael Caine movie Pound sound Io's planet "You've got mail!" company "The Great Gatsby," for one Harry and William's school General feeling Some circus performers Split into splinters Harnesses for oxen Garden of Genesis Scrooge's outburst Bacon portion Search (through) Shaped like a zero Sand down some menswear?

NPR correspondent Totenberg Wonderstruck Bauxite, et al.

"Electric Avenue" singer Grant (who turned 70 in 2018) "I Got Rhythm" singer Merman Abbr. in a Broadway address

Down 1 Greek vowel 2 Castle surrounder 3 Affirmative responses 4 Snack notable for its residue 5 Retiring 6 Org. that honors sports legends

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 22 25 26 28 29 30 31 32 34 35 38 41 42 45 47

Author Kingsley 49 Pic taken alone, or together (as the name doesn't suggest) Bridge fastener 51 Extremely Looked closely 53 Canonized figure Convulsive sigh 55 Fibula or ulna Demand for your favorite band to perform at a county gathering?

56 Dedicated Beast 58 Dullsville Camping need 60 Emotion that's unleashed Palindromic address with 61 Claim on property an apostrophe 62 Crafty website 1978 Nobel Peace Prize 64 Make some eggs? co-winner Sadat 66 Ma who says "baa" Preemie's ward, for short 67 Blanc with many voices Rickman, in the "Harry Potter" films Buddy Last week's solution "Guardians of the Galaxy" star Chris Heart chambers Walked away from the poker table with cards face down?

Leaves off Mythical weeper (and namesake of element #41) Caught lampreys Took the wrong way?

People who cut you off in traffic, say Oklahoma city near Oklahoma City Shortest of the signs Meat that somehow sparked a ©2018 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) 2017 Arby's craze Reference puzzle #875

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last call Team Vietnam

M

ax Stern’s ninth-grade U.S. History class at University Park Campus School recently participated in the first annual R.A.P. F.A.I.R., or Revolutions and Protests that Fight Against Imperialist Rule. Youth from UPCS competed in a rap/slam poetry competition for a panel of guest judges. The R.A.P.F.A.I.R functioned as a valuable display of student work on the histories of people that have fought against oppression, exploitation and imperialism for independence and self-rule. Students, according to Stern, have prepared for the event by studying the way European countries and the United states have taken advantage of other people by extracting natural resources and imposing their cultural values. Stern hoped the R.A.P. F.A.I.R. would show that the native and indigenous people were not silent and passive about injustice and oppression throughout history. “Moreover,” Stern said, “the R.A.P F.A.I.R. is a chance for students to share their research in a way that is culturally relevant through a hip-hop based education approach, centered around the countries that represent the demographics in the ninth grade.” Helen Segil organized the event. Segil is the communications director/artist in residence for the Hiatt Center for Urban Education at Clark University. Stern and Segil are collaborating on the development of a hip-hop curriculum at UPCS. The Hiatt Center supports youth and educators, along with members of the community and Clark University, in developing spaces for youth to engage the world, inquire into possibilities, and become creators of new realities. The winner of this year’s competition was Team Vietnam: Jennifer Ha, Tigist Asmare, Anna Luong and Emily Huynh. The team had a lot to say about R.A.P.F.A.I.R. and more.

against Imperial Rule. The R.A.P. F.A.I.R. was surprisingly awesome.

It was a fun way to get a bunch of information and historical facts and put them into a unique way of expressing the history of a certain country; expressing what we knew and teaching people about the country in a musical way that everyone really likes. I think it’s really creative, because most teachers will just do text book and graded work, but instead of book work, we got to rap about something we are very interested in with a form we really like.

What was the inspiration for your winning piece and how does it address injustice and oppression? I think some of our inspiration came from how our lives connected to this project. Like how some of our parents are from The slam poetry champs from, left to right, Emily Huynh, Jennifer Ha, Vietnam, and we’re not supposed Anna Luong and Tigist Asmare. to talk about it, so staying neutral SUBMITTED PHOTO was our goal. We tried not to say something was good or bad, but everything we learned just went away. It was look at the facts and present them to What are your aspirations for the future? people from the perspective of a citizen. That hard to express that to the audience. We JH: I want to be a lawyer. really gave us inspiration and gave us an idea motivated each other and tried to embrace our mistakes and nobody noticed. We also EH: I want to do something with the arts. of how to act, because we have people that couldn’t see people’s reactions because AL: I want to major in pre-med, and hopefully have once been in those shoes. Just talking the audience was dark, but it was good to become a surgeon or anesthesiologist. to them about it, making them open up to hear people screaming and encouraging us.

TA: I’m thinking medical stuff or psychology. us about it, really gave us inspiration. It was Practice is your best friend when it comes hard to get our parents to open up, but after to this project. We realized that we needed Will you share the text of your winning asking them about it, and seeing all the deep to embrace our mistakes, and no one else piece? emotions behind it, it made it easier for us noticed.

“In 1802, we met our savior to figure out how to present this project. The Nguyen Anh he taught us to ignore the haters artwork we made expressed how the French Was this your first performance in front of he tried to create us a stronger country controlled Vietnam. The French wanted to an audience? We’ve stood on stage before, it’s France’s turn, they made it rusty take North Vietnam and South Vietnam What year are you at UPCS and what just like, not really to say anything. But we In the late-19th century, our culture had lost makes your school so unique? We are fresh- to take it as their own, so for our art pieces had never been on stage actually presenting It became like this because the French man we used symbols and symbolism to show men at UPCS and we graduate in 2021. Our something we had written, so when it was crossed. freedom and peace. school is unique because our school is small, time to perform and share what we had VIETNAM FAM!? VIETNAM. like very, very small, and it provides us a way CAN EVERYBODY SAY VIETNAM!?”

What is the difference between composing worked on for so long, it was really hard. to get closer and have certain relationships -Anna Luong a piece on paper and performing it to a between teachers and students.

When you aren’t writing, what is your live audience? Oh, man! That was so nerveracking. We had the lyrics down and we were favorite thing to do in Worcester? We like Can you tell us about the R.A.P. F.A.I.R.? to play volleyball, go bowling, look at the art like, “We got this.” But, on the day of, it felt Well, R.A.P. F.A.I.R. is really an acronym and murals around Worcester, and to dance.

– Sarah Connell like we wanted to throw everything up. Like, for: Revolutions and Protests That Fought

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M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

Awesome

h t 7

80s Prom

1 ual n n A

Saturday, April 21st Mechanics Hall, Worcester

Featuring:

TONE LOC “Wild Thing”

and very special guests:

NAKED EYES

“Always Something There to Remind Me”

and from the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas

MJ The Legend & his Michael Jackson tribute Tickets on sale to the general public Friday, March 9th at 7am

Click the link at www.WXLO.com to purchase tickets.

Must be 21 or older to attend.

M A R C H 15 - 21, 2018

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