Worcester Magazine 03 - 18, 2021

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 18-19, 2021 | CULTURE § ARTS § DINING § VOICES

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Featured ..............................................................................5 City Voices ..........................................................................8 Cover Story.......................................................................10 Next Draft .........................................................................13 Artist Spotlight................................................................15 Screen Time......................................................................17 Adoption Option.............................................................20 Games ................................................................................21 Classifieds ........................................................................22 Last Call.............................................................................23

On the cover A Holden Veterinary Clinic employee brings Hazel back to her owner, Beth Pusey.

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ArtsWorcester, museum offer ‘Inside Voices’ Richard Duckett Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

As ArtsWorcester opens a new exhibition, “Inside Voices,” on March 18, the small but influential and popular nonprofit arts organization with galleries at 44 Portland St. has been quietly reopened for visits by the public since Feb. 4.

Whether viewed in-person or online, “inside Voices” is “the 9th reiteration of our terrific partnership with the Fitchburg Art Museum, and a really vibrant and competitive members’ show,” said ArtsWorcester executive director Juliet Feibel.

For this year’s “Call and Response” with ArtsWorcester and the Fitchburg Arts Museum, one hundred ArtsWorcester artists are exhibiting work in a wide range of media in response to a loan of 10 works from FAM’s permanent collection.

In turn, the Fitchburg Art Museum’s curatorial staff will select 10 works from “Inside Voices” to be exhibited at FAM with the selected works from the museum’s collection.

ArtsWorcester member artists were asked to consider a wide range of interiors, including domestic environments, psychological subjectivity, bodies, architecture and sculptural containment for “Call and Response.” “We invite you to turn inward and explore these interior spaces for their potential energy and revelatory power,” artists were told.

Artists had to respond not only to the theme, but directly to one (or more) of 10 artworks on loan from the Fitchburg museum.

These vary in form and style and include Will Barnet’s lithograph “The Reader” depicting a young woman on a bed reading a book with a black cat beside her; Fritz Gerliger’s black and white photograph of the interiors of a stack of pipes looking like telescopes, titled “Steel Pipes”; an Abelam artist’s “Mask”; and Irving R. Wiles’ oil on canvas “Reverie” from 1900 showing an elegantly dressed young woman apparently taking a nap in a chair.

Nastassia Hunt, “Pillow for Two,” oil on canvas, 14” x 11” ARTSWORCESTER

The 100 ArtsWorcester artists who submitted work “was about a quarter less than what we normally see for this collaboration, but we expected that, given that the artists were asked to engage specifically with the loaned works from FAM, instead of their general theme. It was a greater challenge,” Feibel said.

It was also art created in a pandemic.

Was there one particular FAM work that seemed to inspire artists or any sort of emerging common theme?

“Every work in the loan had multiple artists cite it as their influence. There simply wasn’t a single work, or even three, that commanded the most attention, which tells us there was something for everyone, and that our colleague at FAM, Marjorie Rawle, made wonderful choices with her selection,” Feibel said.

“As the works came in for installation, some commonalities made themselves clear,” Feibel said. “The prevalence of windows in the artwork was the first thing we noted, which makes perfect sense, really. What is more inside/

outside than a window? There are many bodies and faces in the exhibition, much more figurative work and more nudity than we normally see. Tim Johnson, who installed the exhibition, describes it as ‘moody,’ and I think that’s right. But there’s also much more humor and visual play than I would have expected, given the season and social darkness of the weeks in which these artworks were created.”

John Gintoff ’s “Kosmonaut” inkjet collage photograph is inspired by Gerlinger’s “Steel Pipes.”

“Soon after the pandemic lockdown began in March 2020, I decided to start making on my computer collaged images from my original photos as well as appropriated images,” Gintoff said.

“Probably within a week after the total lockdown began last March I started to incorporate writing over the photos using different colors and densities for each letter. In this way I felt I was desecrating my images as well as enhancing the image with color as well as imposing

my will over my photographs much like the pandemic was imposing its will over me.”

Random words eventually morphed into becoming the actual title of the photograph, Gintoff said, and he started to use Russian words for the titles using the Cyrillic alphabet. “So the title of my work in the ‘Inside Voices’ exhibit, ‘Cosmonaut,’ is actually the Russian word for ‘astronaut’ … “ In Gerlinger’s photo, “I was attracted to the concentric circles within the pipes as well as the fact that you looked through the pipes to see what was visible at the other end, much like what would happen in my photo where the letters ‘O’ (there are two cosmonaut) became concentric circles as well as allowing you to look through the letters to the images underneath,” Gintoff said.

Claire Lima took Wiles’ “Reverie” as her inspiration for “The Place of Shifting Consciousness,” consisting of wire, wool, seed pods, roses, wild grass and acrylic paint.

“I was initially drawn to the title, ‘Inside Voices,’ because this was something I had been exploring with my art in the previous year. Most of my work has to do with my relationship to place but as those places became more and more confined due to the pandemic, the interior places within came more to the forefront,” Lima said.

“I fixated on ‘Reverie’ as my inspiration piece for those very reasons. The painting is all at once majestic and contemplative and its stillness draws you into the internal story as much as the external. When creating ‘The Place of Shifting Consciousness,’ my aim was to turn the painting inside out in a way, to expose internal landscape, specifically those moments of pure consciousness between thoughts, on the face of the figure rather than within. Then I stuck a white rose in it, like tucking it behind her ear,” Lima said.

Edmy Ortiz’s “My Chromebook Reader,” oil on canvas, has a cat at the center as a girl reads from her Chromebook in a work inspired by Barnet’s “The Reader.”

See VOICES, Page 7D

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Old Sturbridge Village learns a few new tricks Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s a great turnout for “Garden Thyme,” a series of agricultural workshops and programs at Old Sturbridge Village. More than 115 people have joined the staff, on a Saturday morning, at the village greenhouses to learn the do’s and don’ts of caring for heirloom seeds indoors. The staff members speak to a rapt audience — almost triple that of a usual event, even before COVID. No social distancing protocols are being breached however — all but 10 of the attendees are tuning in via Zoom as part of the Virtual Village program.

Certain business models were more vulnerable to COVID-19 than others. The feasibility of remote working and social distancing became the deciding factors of what kept a business afloat. Anything that relied on in-person interaction or crowds had a grim prognosis, facing layoffs and general downsizing to survive. This would seem to be the case for institutions such as OSV — a “living museum” focusing on daily life in the 1790s to 1830s New England with a strong emphasis on personal interaction. Instead, the museum is approaching its 75th anniversary not only open to in-person visitors but with all its staff and having expanded with a Virtual Village component.

Plans to expand the museum’s digital platform had been in the works for some time but had been progressing slowly.

COVID provided the fuel to boost efforts into high gear. True to its name, the Virtual Village includes online 3D models of the buildings to explore, thanks to a longtime supporter who works as a 3D photographer.

“This time last year, the whole world shifted,” said Rhys Simmons, director of interpretations and costumes, and the museum had to shift with it. Simmons’ department includes the costumed historians, or interpreters, whom visitors interact with at the museum. These professionals are not only well versed in the history of that period, but practical experts in the crafts of the time, such as blacksmithing, agriculture and textiles.

Through the Virtual Village, staff worked to convey the entire OSV experience to an audience even while the museum itself was closed. However, the interactive and hands-on aspect, the back and forth conversation with interpret-

A ballroom converted to a socially distanced classroom at Old Sturbridge Village Charter School. OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE

ers, said Simmons, is what truly brings in the visitors and allows OSV to live up to its name a “living museum.” The question was how to translate that quality to a digital format?

“We had a few days when we kind of knew that [the shutdown] was coming,” said Simmons, “and sent people home with a lot of craft projects.” Many of the interpretive staff were able to take their work and tools home, from textile projects such as quilts and mittens to even a potters wheel.

Jean Contino, coordinator of domestic crafts, was in the process of making “stays,” or corsets, when the pandemic hit and shutdowns began. The stays used at OSV are utilitarian garments women would wear at that time while doing heavy work — stiff enough to provide support, yet flexible enough to allow freedom of movement. Contino found that remote work was not so much an equipment issue but that if she hit a hurdle, she couldn’t run next door and ask one of her colleagues. So emails and photos flew back and forth, making the collaborative process more cumbersome due to the distance.

Creating historical clothing, however, requires more materials than just a needle and thread. Original pieces from the museum’s collection, clothing and books that served as a reference, could not be so easily taken home, and Contino often used the OSV website for images, or digital copies of books. If all else failed though, there were still essential

workers on site, caring for the animals and crops who were willing to take a detour to the library. “We certainly relied on people who were there for the leg work and they were very understanding,” said Contino. “It was a real team effort.”

As the interpreters like Contino continued their work at home, they documented their progress and sent along the material to the marketing team — anything from simple photographs and instructions to short videos. “Two to three weeks into the shutdown, I knew we needed to make it bigger than just a couple of posts and really start collecting stories,” said chief marketing officer Christine Tieri. A more robust content pipeline was essential, she said, once it became clear that COVID wasn’t going anywhere soon. Content creation efforts were soon placed under the Virtual Village umbrella. “That made everything into puzzle pieces that fit together rather than individual projects all over,” said Tieri.

Contino’s department ended up making kits that families could pick up on-site, along with online video guides.

These DIY kits for pine cone wreaths and knitting stockings got the audience involved and took them a step past the screen. “We were very excited to be able to do that for our audiences,” said Contino, “balancing the historical context with the practical aspect of the craft.”

“Learning through doing has always been a tenet of Old Sturbridge Village,”

said Simmons, the idea being to better understand that period through the skills needed at the time, like forging, animal husbandry or textiles.

The videos made by staff at home continued as short, timely segments in tune with the seasons — fall focused on harvest, and spring covered planting and livestock. Recently, the museum took it a step further and held a members program through Zoom — Garden Thyme, held on select Saturdays, spotlighting the greenhouses and the upcoming growing season. Oftentimes, the worry is virtual events will not yield as great a turnout as their in-person counterparts but Simmons estimates there were about triple the number of an average in-person program, which would usually draw about 20 to 40 people.

“That’s the kind of lesson that we could extrapolate out for other programs,” he said. “Since people are becoming more and more comfortable with zooms and virtual events, that will have to be part of our profile going forward.”

With a membership base of about 6,000, many of whom are scattered around the country, digital content would allow OSV to interact with an audience far beyond their physical visitors. “We’ve been telling the story of the 1830s for 75 years,” Simmons said.

While the museum’s mission statement has remained unchanged, the same cannot be said for the audience, and OSV “needs to engage them where they are.”

Many peer institutions, as Tieri called them, don’t use social media except to announce opening and closing dates. Tieri wanted material that would let the museum go beyond that. “Everyone had COVID news so we wanted to be that breath of fresh air,” she said. But to generate that content, they needed the right tools.

Before the shutdowns, Tieri shared that they didn’t even have a second camera. When she realized OSV needed to build up capability, she asked, “what do we need if we’re going to go out in the village and start [filming] stuff?” Turns out they not only needed another camera but also a microphone, lights and even extra battery packs, so that was the first step. It was a case of flying by See VILLAGE, Page 18D

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Voices Continued from Page 5D

The cat is Bella, “a stray kitten we rescued from my parents garage that we quickly fell in love with,” Ortiz said. “ ‘My Chromebook Reader’ is a modern day representation of the changes we’ve had to embrace this past year. Not only did children have to adjust to a different sense of technology, we also had to fi nd ways to help them cope with all of the everyday radical changes. In this particular event, our cat Bella served us as a coping mechanism which benefi ted and distracted my kids throughout the pandemic,” Ortiz said.

Barnet’s “The Reader” immediately reminded Ortiz of of an image she has ingrained of her daughter Alba “sitting, focused on her reading while she simultaneously pets Bella, our family cat. I recalled taking a photo image which I quickly found and used it as inspiration for my art piece.”

Aaron Brodeur’s “Headspace” is made of pine, Douglas fi r, found wood, steel, wire, carved trucast, sawdust and ash compound, poly-fi l, acrylic and spray paint on sewn canvas.

“The inspiration occurred instantly from both the ‘Inside Voices’ theme and (the Abelam artist) ‘Mask,’” Brodeur said. “The theme parallels the intent and direction I take in all my work.

‘Mask’ has limitless conceptual content, and gestural and formal qualities that I naturally gravitate to. The authenticity, rawness and usage of sourced natural materials is an aesthetic that I am greatly infl uenced by.”

If the exhibition had happened before the pandemic, does Brodeur think his “Headspace” would have looked and felt diff erent?

“Pre-pandemic I would’ve mostly thought about masks as being something used to perform a work-related task, or as an object worn symbolically or ritualistically,” he said. “Now, masks are an essential item to not leave home without, along with a phone, wallet and keys. This pandemic has been a constant source of fear and anxiety, which has leached into the work. If the pandemic wouldn’t have happened, I think ‘Headspace’ would have taken on a less defensive look and feel.”

“Inside Voices” will be on view in ArtsWorcester’s main galleries and online beginning March 18. Gallery capacity will be limited to 10 visitors at any time, and all visitors are required to wear

“Reverie,” by Irving R. Wiles, 1900, oil on canvas. FITCHBURG ART MUSEUM

gallery for them, I had to ask myself: if riding the bus in this community was risky, why on earth were we trying to run an art gallery? So I closed the galleries again.”

Feibel said “I can’t tell you how diffi cult a decision this was, given the lack of guidance from the state, and a weird social pressure to continue on like everything was just fi ne. It wasn’t! But we had prepared a slew of digital activities and programs in anticipation of a fall or winter spike, so we were ready. We’d also built a lot of fl exibility into the exhibition schedule, so that the shows on view could fi nish their gallery hours after we reopened, whenever that might be. Only the decision to buck the pressure and close again was hard; the rest was easy.”

As for the decision to reopen to the public again, “This part made sense! I simply looked at the case numbers for the fi rst week of December when I closed the galleries again, and decided that when they returned to those levels, we’d reopen. Fortunately for us all, the numbers were far below that point when we fi nished off those December exhibitions, and they’re less than half of that now,” Feibel said.

How has the response been to re-

opening — are there lots of people coming in, or are people cautious?

“People are still cautious, and we are still running visits by appointments,” Feibel said. “We all worried that having to schedule an appointment online or by telephone, even a free appointment, would be a deterrent to visiting. But we learned that if people love art, they won’t mind giving up a little spontaneity.”

Long-term results from what has been endured but also learned include the fact “Gallery exhibitions online are here to stay, and that’s great for our artists and our geographic reach. Some educational programs will stay online, because they’ve been even more successful there,” Feibel said.

“My guess is that some visitors will continue to be apprehensive about large gatherings indoors for some time, but many will be eager to ‘sardine right back in,’ as one visitor said the other day.

Those crazy crowded events, however, will have to wait until our staff and volunteers are fully immunized, even if that has to include a booster shot against variants. It will be worth the wait.”

masks or face coverings. Gallery visitors are required to reserve a free, 45-minute appointment in advance on Eventbrite before entering. ArtsWorcester gallery hours run Thursdays through Sundays, noon to 5 p.m. The exhibition will be on view through Sunday, May 2. For more information, visit www.artsworcester.org.

ArstWorcester shut down its galleries on March 16, 2020, as the pandemic began to hit locally then reopened to the public in early July.

“After Thanksgiving, however, when the case loads began to rise so dramatically, we moved to gallery visits by appointment only,” Feibel said. “But running in-person operations for a non-essential business — a business that can deliver so much online — in the midst of a public health SPRING EDITION crisis sat ill with me. Inviting people from multiple households to Enter to WIN one of our great Ultimate Home Makeover NATIONAL Prizes! gather in public, even if all were fully masked, felt like the wrong choice for our commuOne Grand National Prize of $25,000 nity and for our city. On Two 2nd Place National Prizes of $10,000 Dec. 10, I decided it was One 3rd Place National Prize of $5,000 no longer safe for one of Deadline: April 15th our employees to ride the bus to work, and as we were organizing No Purchase Necessary. For official rules visit contest webpage. rides to and from the

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CITY VOICES WORCESTERIA

A screen capture of the “Pre-Crime Polka,” by Nat Needle and Eliana Stinky.

YOUTUBE

Everybody polka with the WPD! Veer Mudambi and Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

EVERYBODY POLKA!!! Worcester residents may have noticed a new video making the rounds on Facebook, “Pre-Crime Polka,” taking aim at the Shotspotter Connect program which uses AI to analyze the data and create a crime forecast for an area. The musical puppet show features Police Chief Sargent, along with police back-up dancers, extolling the virtues of the new program while scolding the audience as potential criminals who are now under surveillance. Performed by artist Eli Ana, it is a catchy tune written by local songwriter and satirical pianist Nat Needle, an activist with Showing Up for Racial Justice. It is clearly a reference to what people of color deal with when interacting with police — the assumption that you are or are likely to be a criminal. “When I heard this song, I had a eureka moment,” said Eli Ana. “It so brilliantly captured the attitudes of a lot of people.” According to them, poking fun at people in power and political satire is very deeply rooted in puppetry as an art form, so the show starts with a reminder of Sargent’s infamous state-

ment about no racism at the WPD. It focuses on the primary concern that the program would disproportionately target minorities, particularly Black and Latinx communities. “What’s concerning is this image of people being able to avoid responsibility by saying the machine said it,” said Needle, which he touches on in the sarcastic chorus lyrics - “we’ll know when you’re up to no good; machines make no mistake!” Eli Ana is clear that this piece was needed because “there was a lack of understanding of the implications of implementing SSC in our community.” So they decided to make art about it — “using an almost whimsical art form to illustrate a serious issue of life and death,” said Needle. “That’s art.” (VM) GREEN STREET BLUES: We all knew it was coming, but seeing the big orange X spray-painted on the front of the old Cove Music Hall — aka The Lucky Dog Music Hall and Sir Morgan’s Cove — was sort of heartbreaking. We all knew it was going to get demolished to make way for, apparently, an entertainment center with candlepin bowling. Which … kind of happy about the candlepin bowling, but it’s not the See POLKA, Page 9D

FIRST PERSON

Remembering Folk’nA musician Mac Cole Joe Fusco Jr. Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

We lost my good friend Mac Cole Sunday. I hadn’t seen him since COVID-19 hit, but we still talked on the phone occasionally. He was “unique.”

Mac and I were part of the original Folk’nA crew that populated Mike Duffy’s open mike at Gilrein’s on Main Street. It was an eclectic bunch: musicians, poets, puppeteers, inflatable instruments, and even a left-handed guitar player.

At the end of the open mike, Duffy would raffle off discards that the crowd would donate: scratched lottery tickets, unwound cassettes, the third cake-cutter from your second wedding, etc.

Mac would perform original songs and long traditional poems off-page. I marveled at his memorization abilities and affable stage presence, but he said it came natural to him since he performed at Ford’s Theatre for Lincoln.

My wife Cyndi and I struck up a

Worcester musician Mac Cole, who died March 7. SUBMITTED PHOTO

friendship with Mac and his wife, Pauline. They would have singalongs at their See COLE, Page 9D

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Polka Continued from Page 8D

same as being in a small venue where the Rolling Stones played or, less impressively, the place where I was forced to down a Magic 8 Ball beer on stage without using my hands during a Bindlestiff Family Cirkus performance. I’m just saying, everyone’s reminiscences of that place are unique to them.

Something awesome Bees Deluxe will perform at 6 p.m. may come afterward, but March 31 at Bull Run Restaurant in it won’t be the same, and Shirley. PROMOTIONAL PHOTO it’s hard to let go of what’s been lost. (VI) CAN’T STOP THE BEAT: That said, live music is slowly starting to emerge, although as we’ve noted before, the restrictions on that are a little tighter than they fi rst seemed. Still, it was pretty exciting to get an email from Carol Band, of local blues greats the Bees Deluxe, saying that the band will be performing for the Lose Your Blues series at 6 p.m. March 31 at The Bull Run, 215 Great Road, Shirley.

The series, which runs weekly on Wednesdays, has already begun, and while I’ve been a bit dubious about music returning to some venues under these conditions, Bull Run’s banquet hall is one of the few places around where it can work, as there’s actually enough room to socially distance people The Wednesday night shows are free, and Bees Deluxe is a fabulous band, so if you’re comfortable with that sort of thing right now, enjoy! (VI)

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Cole Continued from Page 8D

Paxton home with pot-luck goodies and a plethora of libations.

They would come to our annual Fusco Xmas party and Mac would sing Jewish folk songs.

When Mike Duff y left us, Mac assumed the mantle of Folk’nA host. He kept the open-mike ship afl oat as it moved from Gilrein’s to the Greenery to the Webster House to fi nally a New Orleans-style restaurant on Water Street whose name I can’t recall.

Mac enjoyed my “stuff ” before it became a force of nature on Facebook and Tik Tok. He would always request “Yogurt,” a poignant tale of my quest to learn yoga for self-pleasuring enhancement. But, enough about me…

Mac Cole was someone this world really needs and will sorely miss … A really nice person! Every memory I have of him involves laughter, comradery, mischief and occasionally, mayhem. I’m playing his CD “Still Crazy” as I write this tribute. If there’s a heaven, he’s up there adjusting the microphone and with a twinkle in his eye shouting, “Welcome to the Folk’nA… Free to get in. Three dollars to get out!”

Joe Fusco Jr. is a poet and humorist who lives in Worcester.

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COVER STORY

Dogged determination:

Central Mass. veterinarians on the front lines of COVID How local veterinarians stay safe — and sane — while caring for our pets Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Dr. Catherine Claunch is pelted with rain as she walks out into the parking lot. She doesn’t have a jacket, because she was in too much of a hurry to speak with her client. As she strides toward the SUV, the dog inside barks for attention. A veterinarian at Holden Animal Clinic, Claunch has done her fair share of talking about cancer — never an easy topic, even when she didn’t have to do it in all kinds of weather. She could have called from inside, but she firmly believes there are some things that should be discussed face to face. With COVID restrictions and owners unable to come into the clinic, she goes out to them. She taps on the window before stepping back the requisite six feet.

Vets have never shut down during the pandemic and despite restrictions, they have tried to ensure the same quality of care that they provided before the pandemic. This places them in the category of essential workers who, according to the Centers for Disease Control, provide a range of services for which remote work is not practical. To limit exposure, owners call the front desk upon arrival in the parking lot, staff meet them briefly outside and the patient is handed off. Any other interactions between the clinic staff and owner are done remotely — except perhaps in situations like Claunch’s. After a year, this has become the new normal for both sides, but familiarity does little to make the system any less cumbersome.

“Building trust needs to be done face to face and cannot be done over the phone,” said Claunch. Zoom and other video conferencing tools are often not

Donna Therrien, of Boylston, waits outside the Holden Veterinary Clinic with her four-month-old Bernedoodle, Molly. ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

practical due to spotty internet, so the pick-up, drop-off and communication systems have had to be continuously refined — balancing safety, efficiency, as well as patient and owner comfort. “I try to work with them in whatever way makes them more comfortable,” she said, “like with speaker phone calls and spending time talking in the parking lot in all kinds of weather, rain and snow.”

Thanks to an architectural quirk, Dr. Karen Fine of Central Animal Hospital in Leominster has been able to see her four-legged patients while at the same helping her two legged clients deal with their separation anxiety. “I’m lucky because my clinic has two exam rooms with windows that clients can look through and see their animal on the table — I can open the window to have a conversation, while meeting social distancing guidelines.” Even though winter has cut down on this practice, Fine said many still find it easier in some cases to

Dr. Catherine Claunch, medical director at the Holden Veterinary Clinic, often brings her own dog, Isabella, to work. ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

deal with the chilly temperatures than talking on the phone before and after the exam.

While clinic visits may be easier for Fine, COVID restrictions have affected her practice in other ways. Fine practices a holistic approach which integrates both conventional veterinary medicine with alternative treatments such as acupuncture and herbal therapies. “I used to leave the dogs with the needles with the owners for 20 minutes while I saw other patients,” she explained. Now that clients can no longer come into the clinic, alternative treatments have become much more time consuming, as the pet needs to stay

with an assistant. “It’s just one of all these little logistical things that are affected by the owner not being there,” said Fine.

Even though not being physically present is rough for both clients and vets, Claunch is amazed how many pet owners, especially new ones who have never met her face to face, have been willing to work with her on the restrictions. “On the whole, people have been very understanding,” she said, “but we still have pushback from some who say ‘I’m not going to bring my animal in if I can’t be with them.’” These individuals See VETS, Page 11D

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will often ask if she can make an exception, not realizing how many others before them have made this exact same request.

As a small practice of about 15 people, Holden Veterinary Clinic has little room for error. “It really just comes down to safety,” Claunch said. “We’re all on top of each other. So if one of us gets sick or exposed, there’s a high likelihood it will spread amongst the staff so we’ll have to shut down and then no one gets help.”

She appreciates that clients have extended their trust, especially since she is a pet parent herself, and knows firsthand about the “very special bond between pet owners and veterinarians.”

In addition to the trickier logistics of acupuncture, Fine has also had to suspend her 25 year practice of house calls.

“It was really, really hard to stop back at the beginning when everything was just being canceled,” she recalled. It could have been worse, however — as COVID struck at something of a transition point in her career. Currently, Fine divides her time between the Leominster clinic for two days a week, where a lot of her house call clients now visit, and writing a textbook on narrative medicine in the veterinary field. She will also be teaching a course on the topic at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts in Grafton.

Though the window set-up that Fine implemented made clinic visits less stressful on both owners and pets, Fine still receives her share of problematic clients in terms of COVID protocols, especially since the clinic has been busier than ever. “When you’ve been working nonstop with no lunch break or even a bathroom break, it’s hard when someone gives you attitude when you’re just trying to be safe,” she said.

There are two primary reasons for the increased caseload. The first is more new animal companions being added to families, who now need their check-ups and vaccines. “The one bright spot of COVID is that people adopted more animals,” said Sheryl Blancato, president and founder of Second Chance Animal Services, an adoption and community veterinary organization.

Another is that remote working people are spending more time with their animals and notice more potential issues. Claunch can readily attest to this — “for a while, we were so overwhelmed

A Holden Veterinary Clinic employee brings Hazel back to her owner Beth Pusey.

ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

with people bringing current patients that we had to shut down new clients for a while. Everyone was home, paying attention to their animals and noticing things they wouldn’t have before.”

Everything from breathing funny to finding new lumps on their bodies — patients were brought in with symptoms their worried owners had never seen before, if only because they had not been around to observe them until now. One case is a perfect example of both this phenomenon and the occasional absurdity and humor that comes with working in pandemic conditions. Claunch received a call saying a dog’s stomach was making wheezing noises. She initially thought it was a respiratory issue but the dog was breathing fine and not making the same noises at the clinic, so the only thing to do was wait until he did.

After about 20 minutes, she heard a gurgle. Since the owner wasn’t there to identify if this was indeed the sound, Claunch had to call her up and do her best with her vocal chords to imitate the dog’s stomach.

“That’s how far we’ve come — imitating noises over the phone. I’m used to coughing and hairballs but stomach noises were a new one for me,” she said laughing, but it turned out the dog had gas. “[The owner] was worried since she’d never heard this noise before,” said Claunch, “but when you think about it, the dog probably makes this noise during the 12 hours a day the owner’s out.” A simple probiotic sorted the

issue.

In some cases, problems can be caused by more time spent with animals. Claunch has seen more knee injuries in dogs because they are getting so much more playtime, sometimes more than their bodies are used to — extended ball or frisbee sessions raising the probability of injury. Adding new clients to the mix opened up a floodgate — “I think I had five new pets in one day.

Three puppies and two kittens and at least three of those were with new pet owners altogether,” said Claunch.

As Americans found themselves at home, with their lives seemingly at a standstill, many chose to combat the isolation with a new companion animal.

Others found they finally had the time to train and care for that dog or cat they always wanted. Some were first-time owners while others had not had a pet in years — both meant new clients for veterinarians across the country.

The animals who share our homes play an important role in supporting our physical and mental wellbeing during the pandemic. “Everyone has this different lifestyle [with COVID], so every pet is an emotional support animal right now,” said Fine with a chuckle.

However, while many days it may feel like life will never return to normal, with the vaccine rollout in full swing, there will come a time when people are no longer at home as much as their pets have grown to expect. So what will be the reaction of pets who have known

nothing but the round the clock company of their owners?

“I am extremely worried about separation anxiety when people go back to work,” Claunch admitted. She strongly recommended that both new and experienced owners begin practicing now for that eventuality, though admitted it’s hard to not want to spend every possible minute with an eight-week-old puppy.

Fine agrees that return to work routines, home renovation, or kids going back to college can stress animals, dogs especially. She recounted an incident where a family dog had been vomiting, not acting like himself and going into his crate to rest. The owner was surprised when Fine said it was more emotional than anything else — the sudden departure of a family member was a major disruption in the dog’s routine, with the stress manifesting in physical symptoms. “Not only was the dog missing the boy,” Fine said, but he was also likely reacting to the mother’s stress over her son returning to college. “When we get stressed, they get stressed. We’re more like dogs now, and change is a little harder for us.”

Regarding easing into post-COVID life, Fine agrees with Claunch. “I’m a fan of crate training because it keeps them safe and keeps your house safe,” she said. She recommends “making the crate a really fun place” such as using a reward they don’t get anywhere else — be it a special toy or particularly tasty treat (she personally uses baby carrots cooked in chicken broth).

All that being said, both vets agree that it’s still not a bad time to get a puppy as there is more time than ever to focus on essential behavior training.

“Work with their paws every day, practice brushing teeth,” Claunch encouraged. “All those things that you used to run out of time for during the day.

Teaching the sit and stay commands are especially important and will pay dividends when homes start receiving visitors again, so a dog’s enthusiastic greeting doesn’t cause problems.”

Throughout the pandemic, the primary concern of most veterinarians has been how to maintain smooth, uninterrupted communications with their clients. For instance, if Claunch finds a new lump, she can turn to the owner and ask “have you seen this, how long has it been there, can I evaluate this further?” and so on. “Instead, I have to finish the exam and take notes to review, then call the owner about the lump, ask about See VETS, Page 12D

12 | MARCH 18-19, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Vets Continued from Page 11D

more testing, run the tests; so it’s much more of a piecemeal feeling and doesn’t have the smooth fl ow that we used to have.”

Owners are also looking for an alternative to current clinic protocols — and Dr. Cindy McGinn off ers one. If pet owners can’t come into the vet clinic, the vet will come to them. McGinn runs Homecare Veterinary Service in Worcester, and travels to the homes of clients in neighboring towns. Her practice has been excessively busy since the pandemic began with clients calling on her, when they could not accompany their animals into other clinics. “We’re a small business and can’t aff ord to just stop so we never did,” said McGinn.

Initially, McGinn had appointments outdoors but in the cold weather, she had to go inside homes. “People didn’t want to do curbside care,” but being inside their homes, she has to constantly remind people to keep their masks on.

She recounted how she struggled with

Husky/golden doodle mix Winnie is brought into the Holden Veterinary Clinic by employee Cathy Minutill on Feb. 25. ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

emotional burnout when she received calls for euthanasia because owners did not want to hand their pet over at the door, wanting to be with them at the end.

McGinn said, “it’s a stressful job when your patients need you and you can’t be there for them when you

WM-0000462849-03

want to be.”

“We’ve realized how much our animals mean to us,” observed Claunch. “I think we sort of knew but didn’t quite know just how important until we had people taken away during the shutdowns.

There’s nothing like going home on a hard day for me and having a little snuggle.” Unfortunately, with the economic fallout of the pandemic, many people have had to give up the emotional lifeline provided by pets, being unable to keep them due to job loss or having to pay for their own healthcare.

“All animals provide emotional support,” said Blancato. To that end, Second Chance Animal Services off ers subsidized veterinary care at their three, soon to be four, diff erent animal hospitals. Like other operations, Second Chance has seen a marked increase in clients since COVID. Blancato said numbers have been two to three times higher than usual, requiring them to hire more vets and techs.

The initial months of the pandemic were the hardest, as supplies (personal protective equipment and medicine) became hard to come by.

“After about six to eight weeks, things started to ease back,” she said, and Second Chance began to fi nd its feet, focusing on underresourced areas and providing access to vet care so people could keep their pets during the time they needed them most. However, to do this safely required them to get creative.

Second Chance proved they could do that when they adapted their existing mobile vet service, which off ered free vaccines for pets in low-income areas. It was extremely popular and could attract as many as 400 people at a time. However, under pandemic circumstances, social distancing was impossible. Rather than suspend it, Blancato said they implemented “a pre-registration protocol where people chose time windows to maintain social distancing and when we go back out this year, we’re going to keep using that. It helped streamline the system, staff love it and people don’t have to stand in line for hours.”

While it is clear that we need veterinarians to be creative and keep doing what they do for us, it is a heavy lift and they put themselves and their staff at risk. In terms of vaccination priority, veterinarian status varies by state. In California, they were included in phase one, along with other healthcare workers. In Massachusetts, they are listed under phase three — with the general public.

“Honestly, it’s really upsetting,” said Claunch, “Out of all of the industries in this state and all the places that are essential services, we have never stopped.” Holden Veterinary Clinic has not taken even one day off from COVID-related causes. While they have been able to limit exposure through rigorous safety and cleaning protocols, the constant stress added to their regular work takes a toll. “I feel very strongly that we are providing an essential service,” said Claunch.

While the state vet association has been working to raise their priority, Fine agrees that the current situation is frustrating. “We are in close contact with both the public and with each other,” she said. There is no question for her that the vaccine would help everything go smoother and safer.

So next time you take your companion to the vet, and want to grumble about the hand-off ritual and phone calls from the parking lot, bear in mind that you and your pet do this once. “We’re doing this 20 to 40 times a day,” said Claunch.

Everyone Fine knows is exhausted as well. “We’re doing the best we can,” she said, “but between the vaccine and spring coming up, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.”

Blancato agrees that things have come a long way and the outlook is brighter now. “When this fi rst started, I didn’t know what we were going to do. Everybody was in panic mode at the beginning and worried for themselves and their families, but we were inventive and were able to continue when others couldn’t. So proud of my staff now.”

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 18-19, 2021 | 13

THE NEXT DRAFT

Outlier challenges compromise between distributors, brewers Matthew Tota

With MCU’S Interest-Only Home Equity Line of Credit

Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

That didn’t take long.

Fewer than 80 days after breweries won the right to cut ties with a distributor without having to wage a protracted legal battle, a distributor has called the new law unconstitutional and wants to fi ght a protracted legal battle.

Holliston wholesaler Atlantic Beverage Distributors has tried to deny Framingham brewer Jack’s Abby’s eff orts to terminate its Massachusetts distribution agreement and buy back control of its brand by fi ling a lawsuit with the state’s Alcohol Beverages Control Commission.

Jack’s Abby represents the fi rst high-profi le brewer to invoke the new law, and this case will test the strength of the historic truce between brewers and distributors.

Atlantic is not a member of the Beer Distributors of Massachusetts, the trade organization that worked with the Massachusetts Brewers Guild last year to end the decade-long feud over the state’s archaic distribution law.

Still, Atlantic must have heard about the monumental compromise that led to the new law allowing brewers that produce fewer than 250,000 barrels a year to leave their distributor after paying fair market value. Before, brewers were effectively locked into a lifetime contract, having to fi ght often costly, lengthy court battles to try to prove specifi cally how the distributor wronged them.

No doubt Atlantic’s president, Sean Siegal, saw how brewers and distributors put aside past diff erences for the good of an industry struggling amid a global pandemic, given he himself owns Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Co. in Framingham.

Come on, Sean.

Watch your plans blossom into reality.

Holliston wholesaler Atlantic Beverage Distributors has tried to deny Framingham brewer Jack’s Abby’s efforts to terminate its Massachusetts distribution agreement and buy back control of its brand by fi ling a lawsuit with the state’s Alcohol Beverages Control Commission.

COURTESY OF JACK'S ABBY

Among Jack’s Abby’s reasons for wanting to end its nineyear relationship with Atlantic are concerns over the distributor laying off a large portion of its sales staff and switching more than 1,000 retail accounts — representing about 40% of the brewery’s off -premise business — from in-person sales calls to an online portal. With the pandemic hurting its onpremise business, Jack’s Abby said those accounts have been crucial to sustaining the brewery.

At the heart of Jack’s Abby’s frustrations with Atlantic over the last year has been a breakdown in communication, leading to a relationship that has severed beyond repair, according to brewery co-founder Sam Hendler.

“For me the biggest issue is one of stability,” Hendler said, “and our relationship has disintegrated. When you’re working with someone as partners — and they represent 70% of our wholesale business in Massachusetts and Rhode Island — to have that relationship fall apart is really an untenable position See OUTLIER, Page 19D

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TABLE HOPPIN’

Newest Calabria owners continue tradition in Millbury Barbara M. Houle Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

The Calabria Ristorante in Millbury has a lot of family tradition behind it dating as far back as the ‘90s when it opened as a private club on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester. It became public in 2001 and sold in 2002. The space is now occupied by Funky Murphys Bar & Grill.

Owners Mario and Connie Ritacco with Elio and Connie Romeo (the women are first cousins) opened the Millbury Calabria Ristorante in 2007, turning the keys over to new owners John Direnzo, Maria Spiro and Gianfranco Ritacco (Spiro’s uncle) last June. Retirement and the desire to spend more time with their families and grandchildren were reasons given for the sale.

Members of the Ritacco and Romeo families have always worked in the business, said Spiro, who has cooked for

Calabria Restaurant co-owners John Direnzo and Maria Spiro.

ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

the business since day one. She’s related to the original owners. Spiro left Calabria, Italy, when she was 21, with Worcester as her next home. She’s the only owner who cooks at the Millbury

restaurant, she said. Her uncle and Direnzo are more front of the house, helping out wherever and whenever they can. They like chatting with customers, she said.

Direnzo has owned Direnzo Towing and Recovery Inc. in Millbury since 1999. He’s a friend of the previous owners and ate at the restaurant regularly before buying it. He’s a “single guy who doesn’t cook.”

“I love this place and still eat here,” said Direnzo, who wouldn’t commit to how many days a week he’s at a table.

“Let’s say, I’m not here on Sundays,” he joked. FYI: Sundays, the restaurant is closed.

There have been some menu changes since the restaurant changed hands.

However, recipes are grounded in family tradition and Southern Italian flavors, beautifully balanced. Recipe origins are tried and true, according to owners.

Spiro said she uses the original struc-

ture of recipes but sometimes will add “a dash more of this, or a little less of that,” especially when she executes daily specials. Her love of cooking is expressed in rhythm and routine, creating meals is second nature for this cook. She’s lost count of how much sauce she makes in a week, she said, but definitely looks forward to locally grown tomatoes to use in homemade sauce.

Her favorite dish is Zuppa Di Pesce, shrimp, scallops, calamari, black mussels and haddock sautéed in a red “brothy” sauce. Lobster Ravioli is a new hit with guests. “It’s all my own,” said Spiro. Not surprisingly, the Italian chicken Parmesan at the restaurant is a customer top pick.

The menu offers variety in appetizers, salads, pasta, entrees, seafood and sides (gluten-free pasta included), and guests usually walk away with a takeSee TABLE, Page 20D

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Kayla Degnan Kayla Degnan Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Kayla Degnan lives in Charlton and is a self-taught pen and ink stippling artist with a passion for scientific illustration. Her art is displayed in a couple of small businesses in Western Massachusetts: Wild Oats Market and The Plant Connector, both of these locations are important to her because they “value community.” More of her work is available on Instagram @Silver_Owl_Design or at www.etsy.com/ shop/silverowldesign.

“Scribbs,” by Kayla Degnan “Bee,” by Kayla Degnan PHOTOS BY KAYLA DEGNAN

16 | MARCH 18-19, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

CONNELL SANDERS

LISTEN UP

Worcester’s Charlie Slatkin vies for Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos’ attention

Foucault shows different sides on ‘Deadstock’

Sarah Connell Sanders

Victor D. Infante

Special to Worcester Magazine

Worcester Magazine

USA TODAY NETWORK

USA TODAY NETWORK

As a kid, Charlie Slatkin’s mother gave him a miniature book she bought from an antique store in their Brooklyn neighborhood. She didn’t know it at the time, but the tiny text titled “The Autobiography Of Robert Hutchings Goddard, Father Of The Space Age” would have a profound influence on the creative technologist and space evangelist’s future. Buzz Aldrin brought a matching copy of the carddeck-sized volume to the moon and inscribed the message, “Flown to the moon on board Apollo 11 July 16-24 1969,” before gifting it to Goddard’s widow who then gave it to Clark University where her husband had taught physics.

Incidentally, Slatkin’s first job after graduate school was also as a professor at Clark. His friends had expected him to move to Manhattan and start his own studio. When he told them he was headed for Worcester, at first they were skeptical. “Haven’t you heard?” he told them, “Worcester is the Paris of the ’80s.” The moniker stuck with our city, and so did Slatkin.

“I actually got a call a couple of months ago from someone in Hollywood asking if they could use the expression in Annie Murphy’s new comedy series,” he said. Reportedly, Murphy will be playing a a Worcester package store clerk. “’Paris of the ‘80s’ has taken on a life of its own.”

The “Schitt’s Creek” starlet isn’t the only celebrity on Slatkin’s mind. “Two of the richest people in the world, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, have both expressed that space travel will be the most important thing in their careers,” he said before pulling out a copy of Christian Davenport’s book, “The Space Barons” and flipping to a passage that compares Bezos to Goddard.

“Did you know Bezos even gave one of his sons the middle name ‘Goddard’?” Slatkin asked me. I did not.

“This is such low-hanging fruit for Worcester.”

“Deadstock,” the recent album by New England folk veteran Jeffrey Foucault, is a weird affair, as most such rattlebags of unreleased songs and recordings tend to be, but it doesn’t suffer from the purposelessness that dogs most such projects. Indeed, Foucault doesn’t bother with any warning shots here, kicking off with a cover of the Reverend Gary Davis’ “There Is a Destruction on This Land.” It’s hard to find a more relevant song to today’s world than a gospelblues indictment of a country’s past crimes and sins being soaked into the earth itself.

It’s a haunting, deeply effecting song, and it does a lot of heavy lifting on this album: It signals a seriousness, yes, and a deep songbook, but it also telegraphs that Foucault is showing sides to his work here he doesn’t often reveal. In a lot of ways, “Deadstock” plays with the lens of how one looks at Foucault’s music. “Destruction” is followed by an alternate version of Foucault’s fan favorite, “Mesa, Arizona.” It’s looser than the rendition on the album “Ghost Repeater.” It has kind of a casualness about it that surprises.

But again, it’s not just putting up an alternate version for its own sake: Indeed, the song is presented as part of a trilogy, each written back to back while touring in the Southwest. “Mesa, Arizona” gives way to “Any Town Will Do,” which captures the magic and sadness of the liminal spaces between concerts. “Phoenix to Santa Fe,” sings Foucault, “With the radio on/Feels like living/In a Neil Young song/But you won’t feel

Charlie Slatkin’s fascination with space began as a young boy in Brooklyn when he received a copy of “The Autobiography Of Robert Hutchings Goddard, Father Of The Space Age.” SUBMITTED PHOTO

Slatkin is right. If the richest men in the world idolize the father of modern rocketry, why doesn’t his hometown? Where is Worcester’s sense of wonder? Where are the show-stopping space-focused community experiences? Where are the immersive space “Virtualariums” to inspire the next Robert Goddard among us? And honestly, who can afford it? Bezos and Musk — that’s who.

Slatkin calls this ambitious nonprofit initiative: “The Wonder Mission .” He envisions a Tesla tractor-trailer pulling up to underserved schools, wrapped in seamless screens with resolution so high that people begin to suspend their disbelief and feel the magic of outer space.

It’s the sort of project with with Slatkin is well-acquainted. WOW Inc., of which Slatkin is president and creative director, does large-scale media installations for institutions like Syracuse Museum of Science, The GW Bush Presidential Library in Dal-

las Texas, and Comcast HQ. He contributed as a creative director for The China Pavilion at Shanghai Worlds Fair.

In a recent correspondence to Musk, Slatkin states, “I’m convinced that SpaceX’s involvement and leadership in these innovative space education projects would also significantly enhance its preeminence in PR, advocacy, investor relations, and most critically, in education/scholarship advancing STEM and STEAM goals.” His letter to Musk was packed in a shiny metal briefcase along with a rocket pin, a Martian meteorite, and a copy of the tiny Goddard autobiography that started it all.

“Space is sexy,” observed Slatkin.

“Becoming an interplanetary species isn’t sci-fi anymore — it’s inevitable.”

Bezos and Musk would tend to agree, but it’s time we let them know that space tourism doesn’t have to start with billionaires; it can start right here with Worcester’s youth.

See FOUCAULT, Page 19D

Jeffrey Foucault’s most recent album is “Deadstock.” COURTESY MARTHA JANZ

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 18-19, 2021 | 17

SCREEN TIME

Paralyzing indecision and other new viewing habits Jim Keogh Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

The Boston Globe’s television critic Matthew Gilbert wrote a terrifi c piece last week about the ways our viewing habits have changed and crystallized during the pandemic.

He noted how very attentive we’ve become to the private spaces of public people — from news political pundits to actors attending virtual awards shows — whose homes and offi ces we’re glimpsing through Zoom.

Gilbert also points out that we’re more comfortable with subtitles thanks to all the exceptional content available from non-English-speaking countries available on streaming platforms.

It’s all good stuff . I’d like to add a few more to the list: Paralyzing Indecisiveness – This is a phenomenon I’ve suffered from going back to the days when I’d spend an hour inside a Blockbuster Video and stagger out emptyhanded, but which has grown more acute when I’m faced with seemingly endless streaming selections.

At one point I had access to HBO and Showtime*, Netfl ix, Amazon Prime and Hulu, along with countless (and many pointless) cable stations, and I discovered that too much choice overwhelms me. How many police procedurals from the UK can one man watch?

Also, I need a reason to commit to a piece of entertainment — a recommendation from a trusted source (could be Matthew Gilbert; could be a coworker), an event movie (I’ve put aside my four hours for the Zack Snyder cut of “Justice League”), or even a stray news blurb about an obscure work that intrigues me because of an actor or director involved with it. Without a plan of attack, I’m mummifi ed.

*I’ve since ditched HBO and Showtime. Aside from some inspired prime-time programming and excellent documentaries, their schedules are a molasses crawl of second-run movies.

“Jeopardy” Watch — Since the death of the beloved Alex Trebek, “Jeopardy” fans have been waiting for news of his permanent replacement. In the meantime, a carousel of interim hosts has been reading the answers that beg for questions.

Legendary “Jeopardy” champ Ken Jennings, “Jeopardy” producer Mike Richards, and Katie Couric (through Couric March 19) have done duty, with more to follow, ranging from actress Mayim Bialik to Dr. Oz. Please, stop the fi ght, and award it to Jennings already. He’s got the credibility, the delivery, and a touch of unobtrusive humor that puts him in the sweet spot. (Yes, he made some insensitive jokes on Twitter seven years ago, for which he’s apologized and shouldn’t have to pay an eternal penalty.) I will say this: The show’s continued popularity proves that regardless of host, the game is the thing. No one tunes in to be entertained by the MC, only to be challenged by the trivia. Trebek knew this, and masterfully picked his openings to provide subtle fl air without disrupting the proceedings.

Rediscovering the Oldies — Turner Classic Movies has become a source of renewed fascination for me. I’ve found myself over the last year checking in on TCM more often than I ever have, and getting sucked into See HABITS, Page 18D

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the seat of their pants, she explained. “Everything’s on the fl y — trying to pursue a goal while gathering necessary resources, learning what is needed as you go.”

Another shoe that dropped was the gap in the schedule left by the absence of the whole spring fi eld trip season, canceled summer camps and the worry about missing fall fi eld trip season. In place of those, President Jim Donahue pointed out, the staff developed a digital civics curriculum, which could be accessed by teachers and students.

Around mid-May, they started to target the July distanced reopening and worked toward what promised to be a big undertaking with phasing staff back in. As they planned for the summer, coming back in June to prepare for July, Donahue said, “we had to implement measures to keep each other safe before we could even consider visitors.

The staff stepped up again, developed these protocols, all while creating new experiences for the visitors — like our new Halloween and Christmas programs last year.” The outdoor and socially distanced events had 10,000 and 18,000 attendees respectively.

Donahue attributes the smooth reopening to “our staff

Habits Continued from Page 17D

whatever they’re showing.

Last Saturday it was “Inherit the Wind,” whose depiction of the clash between religion and science and the hysterical public condemnation of the individual at the heart of it (even in the pre-social media era!) never rang truer. As a bonus throughout any given week,

which has always been quick and nimble — they just moved quickly to fi nd opportunity in the crisis and what we need to do to stay relevant.” They even considered what might be needed if there was another change and people were not ready to come back out. “Always just trying to fi gure out where the opportunity was to engage visitors as guidance changed.”

Contino adds that the successful transition was also due to fl exibility on the part of all the craftspeople, love of their work and how it inspires others. “It’s the smallest thing but it made such a diff erence — not just staff but the audience was so receptive to new ways of experiencing the village. We all learned to be much more open this year.”

A colleague of Donahue’s once described the museum’s work by saying, “at OSV, we invite visitors to step into the painting.” For the last year, it has been a painting that the audience can experience through their computer screens but all signs indicate that it was an immersive experience. “One of the positives of the pandemic is that we are now more comfortable with digital programming.”

OSV, he emphasizes, is committed to living history and engaging the audience by costumed interpretation and that will continue to be the case, whether in-person or virtually.

TCM’s team of erudite hosts led by critic Ben Mankiewicz — for whom assessing old movies is imprinted in his Hollywood genes — expertly unpacks the secret histories and artistic and societal ramifi cations of well-known and obscure fi lms.

I’d say my TCM love means I’m feeling nostalgic, but most of these movies are before my time.

I must be hungry for someone else’s nostalgia.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 18-19, 2021 | 19

Foucault Continued from Page 16D

right/Until you get yourself wrong/For a night or two/ Any town will do.” The sense of being disconnected and adrift lend a sense of urgency to the third song in the trilogy, “Real Love,” making the song’s sentiment feel like something solid.

One of the things that makes this album shine is that Foucault’s backed by some seriously talented musicians, including Morphine drummer Billy Conway, guitarist Bo Ramsey, Curtis Mayfl ower bassist Jeremy Moses Curtis and steel pedal guitarist Eric Heywood, along with vocals from Kris Delmhorst, Pieta Brown, and Caitlin Canty, and contributions from Iowa musicians drummer Steve “Chief ” Hayes, bassist Rick “Rico” Cicalo, and multi-instrumentalist Dave Moore.

Make no mistake, Foucalt’s capable of captivating with just himself and an acoustic guitar, but with talent of this caliber, it’s hard to go wrong.

Songs such as “Cold Late Spring Bark River” and

Outlier Continued from Page 13D

for us as brewers.”

Jack’s Abby notifi ed Atlantic of its intention to terminate the distribution agreement on Jan. 14, two days after Gov. Charlie Baker signed the so-called franchise law reform. Under the law, breweries can break these agreements at any time, as long as they off er 30 days’ notice.

But since June of last year, the brewery has made several attempts to sit down with the wholesaler discuss its concerns. Jack’s Abby did not hear anything from Atlantic until Feb. 10.

Atlantic distributes Jack’s Abby in Rhode Island, as well. The brewery is locked into that distribution agreement.

If you ask Atlantic, its bond with Jack’s Abby has never been stronger. In its ABCC lawsuit – known as a 25e Petition – the distributor said it has committed to spending $2.5 million through 2023 on marketing the brewery’s brands, saying it has already spent $1.4 million. The distributor said it sold more than 800,000 gallons of Jack’s Abby in 2020, and more than 900,000 gallons in 2019.

The layoff s, according to Atlantic, were due to the pandemic.

Really, though, Atlantic just doesn’t approve of franchise law reform and has attacked everything about Jack’s Abby’s attempt to invoke it.

I reached out to Atlantic for comment, but did not hear back.

In its petition, Atlantic claims Jack’s Abby has not named another distributor to take over in its stead, even though the brewery said it would self-distribute up to 50,000 gallons, as is its legal right, until it de-

“Real Hard Thinking” have a sort of bluesy rumination about them. Foucault takes a light hand with the former, a heavy blues turn with the latter, but paired with an alternate take on his song “Geese Fly By,” originally on the album “Cold Satellite,” you end up with a gorgeous portrait of impermanence and loneliness. “Here I go calling out your name,” he sings on the latter song, “At three AM this fi rst night, hard frost/Two of us facing off /From opposite sides of the bed.” The song, especially in context, doesn’t feel like an ending. It feels like something’s already gone.

Foucault shakes things up with the upbeat jangle of “Money Blues,” before digging into the heartbreaking portrait, “Crown of Smoke,” singing, “She gave up on love somewhere along the way/Along the way somewhere/She gave up on love/She gave up on other things/Babies and wedding rings/And now she crosses the room/Like the dancer she was/Drifts through the cocktail crowd/Playing at grown-ups/With a dollar in her hand/For the internet jukebox she hates/And plays every time/She plays: ‘Desperado.’”

It’s the sort of portrait at which Foucault excels, one that plays to his lyrical skill and ability to detail a nar-

rative in short, poetic sketches. Indeed, each song seems to demonstrate a diff erent facet of Foucalt’s range: “Jacaranda” shows off a more delicate sensibility, an ability to capture a strange feeling that’s somewhere between contentment and wistfulness. “Here Comes Rainer,” on the other hand, a tribute to slide guitar legend Rainer Ptacek, shows Foucault’s ability to dig deep into the blues to create a sound that’s both brooding and cathartic. “Careless Flame” is a light, thin ballad, while the subsequent “Shadows Tumble” smolders with a sense of restraint and heat.

The album winds down with “Adios Mexico,” which features music by Foucault and lyrics by Airon Kluberton. It’s a song that rings with a sense of resignation, setting the scene for a more upbeat than usual rendition of his haunting “Ghost Repeater,” and an alternate take of his spare and haunting “Pretty Hands,” which originally appeared on his album, “Blood Brothers.” It’s interesting that Foucalt leaves you on familiar ground, and yet, everything is still a little diff erent. Perhaps that’s the point here: You only know a song, an album, an artist from a certain angle. It only takes a diff erent frame for everything to be new again.

cides on whether to get a full distribution license or Atlantic is trying to overturn the hard work of so fi nd a new distribution partner. many in this industry, not to mention the handful of “We want to get control of our brand fi rst, and fi gure lawmakers who championed franchise law reform. out what’s next second,” Hendler said. “All of a sudden And according to a Boston Business Journal report, it there are a ton of options available to us once we get said if the ABCC takes no action, then it will take its these brand rights.” case to Suff olk Superior Court.

Atlantic also said the law itself – the same one most Atlantic must follow the law of the land and let of its compatriots in the industry lauded – is unconsti- Jack’s Abby go. tutional, because it doesn’t allow for due process. The Jack’s Abby believes it can do better elsewhere, for law states that the fair market value Jack’s Abby would itself and its employees. Thanks to the new law, it has have to pay is determined by a panel of arbitrators. that right. And it doesn’t have to spend money on legal “If Jack’s Abby is permitted terminate Atlantic un- fees arguing why. der (Section) 25 E1/2, then the fair market value of At“Listen, the bottom line is, we don’t need a reason at lantic’s rights must be determined by a jury, subject to this point. That’s the whole point of franchise law rea review by a court unless the parties agree otherwise form: If we believe that there are better opportunities (which they have not),” Atlantic wrote in its petition. out there for us, we don’t need to show cause,” Hendler According to Jack’s Abby, it met with an economist said. with experience in distribution rights valuations “to provide an evaluation of the fair market value for the brand, which we have off ered to pay Atlantic in return for the full brand rights.”

Hendler told me that number is in the millions. “It’s not like we get to leave and Atlantic gets nothing. He (Sean) gets paid,” said Hendler, also president of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild.

I get it: Atlantic doesn’t want to lose Jack’s Abby, one of the biggest and most popular breweries in Massachusetts that just signed a fi rst-of-its kind branding part300 Park Ave, Worcester nership with the Boston Celtics.

508-754-1673 • www.ricefuneralhome.com Tough, Atlantic. That’s what breweries and your peers agreed to, because the 50Celeste Rice Kimball • Roger A. Rice year-old law you had in place favored one Funeral Directors side (distributors) over the other, which makes sense since it was written before craft beer existed.

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WARL ADOPTION OPTION

Meet Odin 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.

This handsome boy is Odin. Odin was adopted by a family from a shelter in Mississippi. His previous family had three children, a busy household and he was not able to be properly socialized.

Going from being found in a box on the side of the road to a loud and overwhelming home was a big change for him. Odin is looking for a family who has the time and patience to spend with him showing and desensitizing him to the sounds of everyday life. The pandemic is a trying time for all of us, but being a scared puppy and not being able to go into the world to explore made it hard to socialize with people and other animals for Odin. When he is among friends, he is fun, play-bowing, kissing and cuddling. His adopters should be experienced dog owners who can let Odin take things at his own pace in a positive way.

Odin is nervous around dogs and will at

Table Continued from Page 15D

out box as a result of generous portions, said the owners.

Customers also can order grilled pizza at the restaurant and request special toppings. Spiro said she will prepare special dinner requests Monday through Thursday, if time permits. It’s a good idea to call ahead, she said.

Direnzo likes “everything on the menu,” praising Spiro, saying “she kills it in the kitchen.” And, he admitted that one appetizer on the menu, Uncle Freddy’s Baked Long Hot Peppers, is a particular favorite of his. The late Alfred Potenti, owner of the former Four Seasons Restaurant on Lake Avenue in Worcester, taught Direnzo the recipe. “I grew up in Worcester and I was in and out the restaurant even as a kid,” said Direnzo.

times run away or show his teeth. Odin also does not want to share his food or treats with anyone. He will guard these items and should not be in a home with children for this reason and because he is easily startled. This is something to be worked on at his age and we see a lot of

potential in this young boy. If you would like more information about this precious guy or you would like to make an appointment to visit with him, please contact the shelter.

WARL COVID-19 Procedures As of Nov. 9, 2020 As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we want to share with you some changes we have implemented so that we can continue to serve the pets and people of our community while keeping our team protected.

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

• CASUAL VISITS TO THE SHELTER are prohibited. We will strictly enforce this in order to keep our animal care team protected while still maintaining the most essential function of our operation ... finding homes for animals in need.

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

• SPAY/NEUTER CLINICS: All

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

• DONATIONS ACCEPTED except for open bags of food.

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

• The WARL Volunteer Program is temporarily suspended. All regular volunteer shifts are on hold. We look forward to welcoming you back as soon as we can. We have many animals in our care who depend on us to stay healthy and well. The above measures help to protect our staff and community from the spread of COVID - 19 by minimizing face-to-face interactions while continuing to operate only core essential services. Please continue to follow our Facebook page for additional updates.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the shelter at (508) 853-0030 or info@ worcesterarl.org.

“Fred was a great guy.”

For Calabria Ristorante, take-out and delivery “saved the day” amid the pandemic, and the services continue to help with the growth of the business. “Takeout is here to stay,” said Customers can order a bottle of wine with a to-go meal, Direnzo said.

New to the restaurant is lunch service, which begins April 1, the same day for outside dining, weather permitting.

There will be four outside tables. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. “We decided to give lunch a go because so many people asked us to do it,” said Direnzo. “The menu won’t be as extensive as our dinner menu, but guests will be able to order half portions of some entrees.”

The restaurant, located at 7 South Main St., Millbury is open for dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call (508) 581-9700 to reserve and for information about mercy din-

ners, etc. Visit www.calabriaristorante.com; connect on social media. The restaurant will be closed Easter, but will open Mother’s Day, May 9. Note: The restaurant is currently hiring due to added lunch service and outdoor dining. Buon appetito!

Maple Weekend March 20-21 It’s March Maple Month in Massachusetts and farms statewide are open.

The celebration of Maple Weekend is March 20-21. Visit the Massachusetts Maple Producers Association website, www.massmaple.org for updates and more information.

The message from local producers is “trees don’t get COVID-19 so they’ll be making sap, so sugarmakers will be making maple syrup!” Sugarhouse restaurants will be serving pancakes throughout the season, according to the MMPA. Masks and social distancing will be required at all sites. The recommendation is for visitors to call ahead

before heading out to a sugarhouse.

The MMPA offers classroom resources about maple sugaring for teachers and parents. It also shares recipes, product info and how to make your own syrup on its website. All sweet stuff.

A win for O’Connor’s Congratulations go out to owner Brendan O’Connor and staff at O’Connor’s Restaurant & Bar in Worcester for the top win in the Taste of Massachusetts online competition for Favorite Irish/Pub Restaurant 2021.

O’Connor and wife, Claire, opened the restaurant in 1989. In the competition, O’Connor’s won with more than 25% of the 4,000 votes cast, according to the website, www.tasteofmass.com.

Visit the site to connect with the 16 restaurants that competed, all considered winners.

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

Odin is available for adoption through WARL. PHOTO COURTESY SARA MCCLURE

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LEGALS ADVERTISEMENT The Worcester Housing Authority, the Awarding Authority, invites sealed bids from Contractors for the "A Place to Live" at 38 Lewis Street (WHA Job No. 2021-04) for the Worcester Housing Authority in Worcester Massachusetts, in accordance with the documents prepared by Icon Architecture, Inc. The Project consists of but is not limited to: The modular boxes have been procured separately and the work under this contract is for the Site Work including foundations, placement and connection of the modular boxes, installation of DHW system, electrical hook ups, plumbing hook ups, construction of decks and roofs per specifications, and painting.

The work is estimated to cost $1,400,000 Bids are subject to M.G.L. c.149 §44A-J & to minimum wage rates as required by M.G.L. c.149 §§26 to 27H inclusive.

General bidders must be certified by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) in the category of General Building Construction.

General Bids will be received until 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 28, 2021 and electronically opened, forthwith.

FiledCall sub-bids for the trades listed below will be received until Time, 2:00 Dial-A-Friend p.m., Wednesday, April 14, 2021 and opened forthwith.

Filed sub-bidders must be DCAMM certified for the trades listed below and bidders must include a current DCAMM Sub-Bidder Certificate of Eligibility and a signed DCAMM Sub-Bidder’s Update Statement.

SUBTRADES: Section 071300 - Waterproofing * 079200 - Joint Sealants ADVERTISEMENT Section 210000 - Fire Protection The Worcester Housing ADVERTISEMENT Authority, the Awarding Authority, invites Section 220000 Plumbing The Worcester Awarding Authority, invites sealed bids from Housing ContractorsAuthority, for the "Athe Place to Live" at 38 Lewis Section 260000 - Electrical for the "A Place to Live" at 38 Lewis sealed from Street bids (WHA JobContractors No. 2021-04) for the Worcester Housing Authority in All Bids should submitted through Housing BidDocs Online Street (WHA Job No. be 2021-04) for thewith Worcester Authority in Worcester Massachusetts, in accordance the documents prepared by (www.biddocsonline.com): and receivedwith no later than the date & time Worcester Massachusetts, in accordance the documents prepared by Icon 24 Architecture, Hours Inc. Everyday specified above.

Icon Architecture, Inc. The Project consists of but is not limited to: The modular boxes have General bids and sub-bids belimited accompanied by a bid deposit is The Project consists of butshall is and not to: The modular boxesthat have been procured separately thepossible work under this contract is for not less than five separately (5%) of the greatest bid amount (considering all been procured and the work under this contract is for the Site Work including foundations, placement and connection alternates), and made payable to the Worcester Housing Authority. the Sitemodular Work including foundations, placement and connection of Forms the boxes, installation of DHWfor system, electrical Bid and Contract Documents will be available pick-up at: of theups, modular boxes, installation of DHWofsystem, electrical hook plumbing hook ups, construction decks roofs This project is being electronically bid and hard copy bids will and not be acVINYL SIDING & hook ups, plumbing hook ups, construction of decks and roofs per specifications, and painting. cepted.

Please review the instructions in the bid documents on how to per specifications, and painting.

REPLACEMENT WINDOWS The work estimated cost $1,400,000 register asis an electronicto bidder.

The bids are to be prepared and submitted The work is estimated to cost $1,400,000 Bids are subject to M.G.L. c.149 §44A-J to minimum rates as reFully licensed & Insured at www.biddocsonline.com Tutorials and & instructions on wage how to complete Bids are to M.G.L. §44A-J & to minimum wage rates as required bysubject M.G.L. c.149 §§26c.149 toare 27H inclusive. the electronic bid documents available on the biddocsonline site. (click quired bybidders M.G.L. must c.149be §§26 to 27Hby inclusive.

General certified the Division of Capital Asset Manageon the "Tutorial" tab at the bottom footer).

General bidders must be (DCAMM) certified by Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance in the the category General General bidders must agree to contract with minorityof women Building business ment and Maintenance (DCAMM) in the category ofand General Building Construction. enterprises as certified by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO), formerly Construction.

GeneralasBids will beThe received untilparticipation 2:00 p.m., goal Wednesday, 28, known SOMWBA. combined reserved forApril such enGeneral Bids will be received until 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 28, www.sneadebrothers 2021 and electronically opened, forthwith. terprises shall not be less than 10.4% of the final contract price including 2021 and electronically opened, forthwith.

Filedwindowandsiding.com sub-bids for theSee trades listed below will be received until Time, accepted alternates.

Contract Documents - Article 3 of the2:00 InFiled sub-bids for the trades listed willforthwith. be received until Time, 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 14, 2021 andbelow opened structions to Bidders. p.m., Wednesday, April 14, 2021 and opened forthwith.

Filed sub-bidders must be DCAMM for the trades listed below and PRE-BID CONFERERENCE/SITE VISIT: certified Filed sub-bidders musta be DCAMM certified for the trades listedofbelow and bidders must include current DCAMM Sub-Bidder Certificate Eligibility The job site and/or existing building(s) will be available for inspection at bidders must include a current DCAMM Sub-Bidder Certificate of Eligibility and a signed DCAMM Sub-Bidder’s 10:00 A.M. on April 7, 2021 at 38Update LewisStatement.

Street, Worcester. and a signed DCAMM Sub-Bidder’s Update Statement.

SUBTRADES: The Contract Documents may be seen by electronic media at: SUBTRADES: Section 071300 - Waterproofing *Authority 079200 - Joint Sealants Worcester Housing Website Section Section 071300 210000 -- Waterproofing Fire Protection * 079200 - Joint Sealants http://www.worcesterha.org/currentbids.html Section 210000 Fire Protection Section 220000 - Plumbing Project Dog - www.projectdog.com; Section 220000 - Plumbing Section 260000 Joseph Merrit & Co- Electrical www.merrittgraphics.com ; and Section 260000 - Electrical All Bids should be submitted through BidDocs Online CMD (formerly Reed Construction Data) www.cmdgroup.com/Home All Bids should be and submitted through (www.biddocsonline.com): received no later thanBidDocs the date &Online time NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN and PUR(www.biddocsonline.com): received no later than the date & time specified above.

SUANT TO PROVISIONS OF M.L.C. specifiedbids above.

General and sub-bids shall be accompanied by a bid deposit that is 225 sec 39A. THE FOLLOWING VEHIGeneral bids sub-bids shall be accompanied a bid (considering deposit that all is not lessEMPLOYMENT than and five (5%) of the greatest possible bid by amount CLES WILL BEfive SOLD TO possible bid amount (considering all not less than (5%)ON of 4/1/21 the greatest alternates), and made payable to the Worcester Housing Authority.

SATISFY OUR GARAGE LIEN THERESenior SAP PP Consultant needed

by Saint-Gobain alternates), and made payable to thewill Worcester Housing Authority.

Bid Forms Contract Documents be available for pick-up at: Abrasives, Inc.and to work in Worcester, MA, to ON FOR TOWING AND STORAGE Bid Forms and Contract Documents willand be available forbids pick-up implmt SAP ERP systems used for production This project is being electronically bid hard copy will at: not be acplanning (PP), AND plant maintenance (PM)OF & quality CHARGES EXPENSES SALEbid and hard copy bids will not be acThis project is being electronically cepted.

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The bids to be prepared and while respecting existing model & system at www.biddocsonline.com Tutorials andare instructions on how tosubmitted complete VIN# 1C3EL55RX4N387087 integrity.

Local, national & int’l travel reqd up to at www.biddocsonline.com Tutorials and instructions on how to site. complete the electronic bid are available on the biddocsonline (click 10% of the time perSebring year.documents Interested candidates 2004 chrysler (NO PLATES) the electronic bid documents are available should resumes totab HR Director on thesend "Tutorial" at the(LEL), bottom footer). on the biddocsonline site. (click VIN# Saint-Gobain Abrasives,tab One at New Bond St., on the2T1BA02E7VC201972 "Tutorial" the bottom footer).

General bidders must agree contract with minority and women business Worcester, MA 01615, & reference the to relevant 1997 Toyota Corolla General bidders must agree to contract with minorityOffice and women job title in the application. enterprises as certified by the Supplier Diversity (SDO), business formerly VIN# WDBRF81J35F557127 enterprises as certified by the Supplier Diversity (SDO), formerly known as SOMWBA. The combined participation goalOffice reserved for such en2005 Mercedes C240 The Plate #1PCS18participation goal reserved for such enknown as SOMWBA. combined terprises shall not be less than 10.4% of the final contract price including VIN# WAUBFAFL2AN014708 terprises not be See less Contract than 10.4%Documents of the final contract accepted shall alternates.

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PRE-BID CONFERERENCE/SITE VISIT: The job site and/or existing building(s) will be 10:00 A.M. on April 7, 2021 at 38 Lewis Str The Contract Documents may be seen by Worcester Housing WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 18-17, 2021 | 21 Authority http://www.worcesterha.org/currentbids.html Project Dog - www.projectdog.com; Joseph Merrit & Co www.merrittgraphics.com ; CMD (formerly Reed Construction Data) www.c

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN PURSection 00.11.50 ADVERTISEMENT TO BID The Holden Housing Authority, the Awarding Authority, invites sealed bids SUANT TO PROVISIONS OF M.L.C. sec 39A. THE FOLLOWING VEHIDial-A-Friend from General Contractors for the 667-1 Exterior Siding and Trim 225Call Phase 2, #134058 in Holden, Massachusetts, in accordance with the CLES WILL BE SOLD ON 4/1/21 TO SATISFY OUR GARAGE LIEN THEREdocuments prepared by GCE Architecture.

ON FOR TOWING AND STORAGE The Project consists of: Exterior Painting, Selective Cedar Shingle, Trim and CHARGES AND EXPENSES OF SALE Window Replacement AND NOTICE: The work is estimated to cost $81,900.

Bids are subject to M.G.L. c.149 §44A-J & to minimum wage rates as reVIN# 1C3EL55RX4N387087 quired by M.G.L. c.l49 §§26 to 27H inclusive.

THIS PROJECT IS BEING ELECTRONICALLY BID AND HARD COPY 2004 chrysler Sebring (NO PLATES) BIDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Please review the instructions in the bid VIN# 2T1BA02E7VC201972 documents on how to register as an electronic bidder. The bids are to be 1997 Toyota Corolla prepared and submitted at www.biddocsonline.com . Tutorials and instruc- VIN# WDBRF81J35F557127 24 Hours Everyday tions on how to complete the electronic bid documents are available on- 2005 Mercedes C240 Plate #1PCS18 VIN# WAUBFAFL2AN014708 line (click on the "Tutorial" tab at the bottom footer).

2010 Audi A4 2.0T DCAMM Certification Requirements: NONE General Bids will be received until 1:00 PM on Thursday, 25 March VIN# JTHCF5C24C5059161 2012 Lexus Sedan 2021 and publicly opened online, forthwith.

VINYL SIDING & All Bids should be submitted online at www.biddocsonline.com and reTHE SALE WILL BE HELD AT Island REPLACEMENT WINDOWS ceived no later than the date and time specified above.

Auto on 344 HARDING ST, WORCESGeneral bids shall be accompanied by a bid deposit that is not less than licensed & Insured TER,Fully MA 01610 ON April 1, 2021. five (5%) of the greatest possible bid amount (considering all alternates), and made payable to the Holden Housing Authority.

Bid Forms and Contract Documents will be available for pick-up at SERVICE DIRECTORY www.biddocsonline.com (may be viewed electronically and hardcopy requested) or at Nashoba Blue, Inc. at 433 Main Street, Hudson, MA 01749 00.11.50 ADVERTISEMENT TO BID (978-568-1167).Section www.sneadebrothers Section 00.11.50 ADVERTISEMENT TO invites BID sealed bids The Holden Housing Authority, the Awarding Authority, There is a plan deposit of $50.00 per set (maximum of 2 sets) sealed payablebids to The Holden Housing Authority, the Awarding Authority, invites windowandsiding.com Call Dial-A-Friend from General for the 667-1 Exterior Siding and Trim BidDocs ONLINEContractors Inc. Call Dial-A-Friend from General Contractors forMassachusetts, the 667-1 Exterior Siding and Trim Phase 2, #134058 in Holden, in accordance with the Plan deposits may be electronically paid or by check. deposit will Phase 2, #134058 in GCE Holden, Massachusetts, in This accordance withbethe documents refunded forprepared up to twoby sets forArchitecture. general bidders and for one set for subdocuments prepared by GCE Architecture.

The Project of:the Exterior Selective Cedar Shingle, bidders uponconsists return of sets inPainting, good condition within thirty (30) Trim days and of The Project consists of: Exterior Painting, Selective Cedar Shingle, Trim and Window Replacement receipt of general bids.

Otherwise the deposit shall be the property of the Window The workReplacement is estimated to cost $81,900.

Awarding Authority.

The work is estimated to cost $81,900.

Bids are subject to M.G.L. c.149 §44A-J & to minimum wage rates as reAdditional sets may be purchased for $50.00 Bids are subject to M.G.L. c.149 §44A-J & to minimum wage rates as required by M.G.L. c.l49 §§26 to 27H inclusive.

Bidders requesting Contract Documents to be mailed to them shall include quired by M.G.L. c.l49 §§26 to 27H inclusive.

PROJECT BID(or AND HARD COPY aTHIS separate check IS for BEING $ 40.00ELECTRONICALLY per set for UPS Ground $65.00 per set for THIS PROJECT IS BEING ELECTRONICALLY BIDinstructions AND HARD COPY BIDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Please the in to the bid UPS overnight), nonrefundable, payable to review the BidDocs ONLINE Inc., covBIDS WILL on NOT BEto ACCEPTED. review bidder. the instructions documents how register as Please an electronic The bids in arethe to bid be er mail handling costs. documents onsubmitted how to register as an electronic bidder.

The bids are to be . Tutorials and instrucpreparedCONFERENCE and at www.biddocsonline.com PRE-BID / SITE VISIT: 24 Hours Everyday .

Tutorials and instrucprepared and submitted at www.biddocsonline.com tionsand on how complete electronic documents are available on24 Hours Everyday Date Time:toTuesday, 16 the March 2021 atbid 10:00 AM tions on how to complete the electronic bid documents are available online (click9on the "Tutorial" tab at the bottom footer).

Address: Flagler Drive line (click on the "Tutorial" tab at the bottom footer).

DCAMM Certification Requirements: NONE Community Building, Holden DCAMM Certification Requirements: NONE General Bids will be received untilsite 1:00 on Thursday, 25 March Senior SAP PP Consultant needed by Saint-Gobain Instructions: Please register for the visitPM to attend, email General will opened be received until 1:00 PM on Thursday, 25 March Abrasives, Inc. to work in Worcester, MA, to 2021 andBids publicly online, or callforthwith.

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VINYL SIDING(PM)&& quality All Bids should be submitted online at www.biddocsonline.com and replanning (PP), plant maintenance SITE VISIT

BY APPOINTMENT: NONE VINYL SIDING & All Bids should be submitted online at www.biddocsonline.com and recontrol by analyzing user reqmts & current REPLACEMENT WINDOWS ceived no later than the date time specified above. at: The Contract Documents mayand be seen, but not removed system capabilities to identify WINDOWS the best way to REPLACEMENT ceived no later than the date and time specified above.

General bids shall be accompanied by$150K a bid V2 deposit that is not less than implmt core ERP model within computer systems BDO SmartSpec - DHCD c. 149 $50K to - 26JAN2018 Fully licensed & &Insured existing model system General bids shall be accompanied byamount a bid deposit that is not less than while respecting five (5%) of the greatest possible bid Fully &travel Insured Holden Housing Authority Nashoba Blue Inc. (considering all alternates), integrity.

Local, licensed national & int’l reqd up to five (5%) of the greatest possible bid amount (considering all alternates), 10% of the time per year. Interested candidates made payable to the Holden Housing 9and Flagler Drive 433 Main StreetAuthority. should send resumes to HR Director (LEL), and made payable to the Holden Housing Authority.

Bid Forms Contract Documents will be01749 available for pick-up at Holden, MAand 01520 Hudson, MA Saint-Gobain Abrasives, One New Bond St., Bid Forms and Contract Documents will beelectronically available for and pick-up at Worcester, MA 01615, & reference the relevant (may978-568-1167 be viewed hardcopy rewww.biddocsonline.com 508-829-9182 job title in the application. (may be viewed electronically and hardcopy rewww.biddocsonline.com quested) or at Nashoba Blue, Inc. at 433 Main Street, Hudson, MA 01749 quested) or at Nashoba Blue, Inc. at 433 Main Street, Hudson, MA 01749 (978-568-1167). www.sneadebrothers (978-568-1167). www.sneadebrothers There is a plan deposit of $50.00 per set (maximum of 2 sets) payable to windowandsiding.com There is a plan deposit of $50.00 per set (maximum of 2 sets) payable to windowandsiding.com BidDocs ONLINE Inc. BidDocs ONLINE Plan deposits mayInc. be electronically paid or by check. This deposit will be Sudoku Plan deposits may be electronically paidbidders or by check.

This refunded for up toAnswers two sets for general and for onedeposit set for will sub-be refundedupon for up to two setssets for general and for one set(30) for days sub- of bidders return of the in good bidders condition within thirty bidders upon return of the sets in good condition within thirty (30) days of receipt of general bids.

Otherwise the deposit shall be the property of the receipt of Authority. general bids. Otherwise the deposit shall be the property of the Awarding Awarding AdditionalAuthority. sets may be purchased for $50.00 Additional sets mayContract be purchased for $50.00 Bidders requesting Documents to be mailed to them shall include Bidders requesting Contract beGround mailed (or to them shall a separate check for $ 40.00Documents per set for to UPS $65.00 perinclude set for a separate check for $ 40.00 per set fortoUPS $65.00Inc., per to setcovfor UPS overnight), nonrefundable, payable theGround BidDocs(or ONLINE UPS overnight), payable to the BidDocs ONLINE Inc., to cover mail handlingnonrefundable, costs. er mail handling costs. / SITE VISIT: PRE-BID CONFERENCE Over 90,000 Readers!

PRE-BID / SITE VISIT: 2021 at 10:00 Date andCONFERENCE Time: Tuesday, 16 March AM Date and 9Time: Tuesday, 10:00888-254-3466 AM or email Address: Flagler Drive 16 March 2021 at Call Address: 9 Flagler Drive Community Building, Holden Community Holdenfor the site visit classifieds@gatehousemedia.com Instructions:Building, Please register to attend, email Senior SAP PP Consultant needed by Saint-Gobain Instructions: Please register for the 978-761-3627 site visit to attend, email Senior SAPInc. PP Consultant needed by Saint-Gobain Abrasives, to work in Worcester, MA, to or call gwen@gcearchitecture.com Abrasives, work in used Worcester, MA, to implmt SAPInc. ERPtosystems for production call 978-761-3627 gwen@gcearchitecture.com implmt SAP ERP systems used for(PM) production planning (PP), plant maintenance & quality SITE VISIT BY APPOINTMENT:or NONE planningby(PP), plant maintenance (PM) & quality control analyzing user reqmts & current SITE VISIT BY APPOINTMENT: NONE The Contract Documents may be seen, but not removed at: control by analyzingtouser reqmts current system capabilities identify the&best way to The Contract Documents may be seen, but not removed at: system capabilities to identify the best way to implmt core ERP model within computer systems BDO SmartSpec - DHCD c. 149 $50K to $150K V2 - 26JAN2018

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66

-34 4 5 2 8 8 8 cla

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Across 1 Texting format 4 Iran’s leader, once 8 Counts with margins of error 13 Deviation in a rocket’s course 14 Prefix meaning “end” 15 Prove to be successful 16 Winter road clearer 18 Purport 19 D&D enemy 20 Grass cutter that might use a battery 22 Feeling of guilt 23 Used up 24 The “A” in PTA, for short 25 Test that might be “open” 27 Composer ___ Carlo Menotti 29 Acquire a second time 34 Mountain Dew energy drink 37 First name in fabric stores 38 Made a pit 39 Fu Mingxia, for one 41 Boston team, for short 42 Group in Santa Fe or Sacramento 45 “Switched-On Bach” synthesizer 46 “Mr. Robot” network 47 “Quantum of Solace” actress Kurylenko 50 Rice wine used in Japanese cooking 53 Hard work 57 Serious symptom of a cold, maybe 59 Quadruped up in the sky?

60 ___-Bissau (African country) 61 Actor shown in “One does not simply ...” memes 63 Nod, e.g.

64 “At Last” singer James 65 Tree on Connecticut’s quarter 66 Negatives from Nijinsky 67 Holder of many a merit badge 68 Toots and the Maytals genre Down 1 Early online admin 2 Genre for “One-Punch Man” 3 Given an oath, with “in” 4 Longtime NASCAR sponsor

“Not Quite!”--looks can be deceiving.

by Matt Jones

5 Assists, as with entering a tall pickup truck 6 Knocked for ___ 7 “This Is ___ Do It” (Montell Jordan hit) 8 It’s good for at least a few dates 9 Checked out for a bit 10 Chain that merged with AMC Theatres 11 Equipment used in Winter Olympics 12 Back of a yacht 15 Title ender of a 1974 film that distinguishes it from an earlier Best Picture Oscar winner 17 Photographer William who depicts Weimaraners with human hands 21 Keep occupied 26 Old detergent brand that used to sponsor radio shows 28 Lake Titicaca’s locale 29 Morning beverages, informally 30 Rude sound from a spectator 31 Invoice add-on 32 Samuel Barber’s “___ for Strings” 33 Clean out completely, as a building 34 “Selma” director DuVernay

35 Ran into 36 Cautionary beginning?

40 Place for a nursery rhyme trio 43 Garfield, for one 44 Gardening headwear 45 Fridge ornament 47 Hammond B-3, notably 48 Pretty dang bad 49 False front 51 Deceptive ploys 52 “___ Kick Out of You” 54 Cookies with a recent Lady Gaga-themed variety 55 “Wicked Game” singer Chris 56 Sri ___ 58 “... three French ___ ...”

62 “Yeah, probably not”

Last week's solution

©2021 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #1031

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 18-19, 2021 | 23

LAST CALL

Yukon Wainczak, video game designer Sarah Connell Sanders Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Yukon Wainczak is one-third of the game studio Snoozy Kazoo. Last year, Wainczak’s entry in Mass DiGI’s Game Challenge pitch contest, “Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion,” took the grand prize. “Turnip Boy” has already been named one of 2021’s most anticipated indie games by some of the industry’s leading influencers — Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. It will be released next month.

What is your connection to Worcester?

I went to Becker College in Worcester for interactive media and game design.

Throughout my time there, I worked a lot with MassDiGI. I did their internship over the summer and I was also very active with on-campus activities. I was the vice president of the International Game Developers Association chapter there. I’ve been into game development since I was 11. I found that everyone in the Becker community really pushed each other to do better. Shortly after I graduated, last December, I started a studio and got a publisher for the game we’re working on, “Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion.” It’s been a wild ride.

Tell me more about your studio, Snoozy Kazoo.

The studio is made up of Jennifer Kindl, Jordan Kegler and me. We all live in different places, so we were used to working virtually even before the pandemic. We built the game online.

What’s the premise of “Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion”?

It all begins with a rowdy turnip. The evil Mayor Onion takes Turnip Boy away from his greenhouse after he’s caught committing tax evasion. As Mayor Onion, you make Turnip Boy do all the dirty deeds. There’s an old abandoned barn that Mayor Onion is trying to turn into the town hall and you have to clear out all of the animals from the barn. There are a lot of darker undertones. It’s just a crazy wacky story with all these quirky and weird characters.

In terms of your personal role, are you on the creative side or the computer science side of game design?

That is actually a very hard question

Jennifer Kindl, Yukon Wainczak, and Jordan Kegler of the Snoozy Kazoo game studio. SUBMITTED PHOTO

because we are such a small team. We all wear many different hats. I would argue I’m primarily the programmer, but I also do the business production for the game, and then I also do a lot of the pixel art.

I’ve heard there is quite a bit of hype in the indie game scene around your “Turnip Boy” release. How did you build momentum?

Originally, when I started making “Turnip Boy,” it was just for fun. What ended up happening is I got a booth at BostonFIG. I chipped in with another friend and we both wanted to have a booth together. I used that as a motivator to actually build some type of demo or something that people could play.

People loved it! They went absolutely crazy. There was a line just to play “Turnip Boy.” I’ll be honest, the game wasn’t great back then. I’m still proud of it, but it needed work. We quickly started up a mailing list at BostonFIG. Ever since then, we’ve been posting it online and

on Twitter. We’ve been experimenting with other social media sites, like TikTok. We built communities on Reddit and Discord. We started to see people posting YouTube videos of them playing the demo we put out and then people posting fan art.

When is the official release?

I can confirm it will be in April of this year.

What platform will it be available on?

It’s coming out on Nintendo Switch and it’s also coming out on Steam for Windows, Mac and Linux.

How do you feel about Becker’s potential closure?

It’s really sad. There’s a lot of anxiety and stress for private colleges right now.

For my friends and me, it feels like part of our college experience will vanish.

I’m happy to have had time there, but it definitely feels like it’s dissipating.

I don’t know a lot about the industry, but I know it’s growing very

quickly. How would you suggest someone get started?

I would heavily suggest doing a game jam. There are tons of them online. You can just search “game jam” and you’ll find thousands and thousands. I started at a very early age and that helped me a ton. Being able to have the experience of putting a game together and release it online is empowering, even if it does very poorly and only 10 people play it and nine of them hate it. I just love the experience of getting something out there and being able to say, “I made this, and I can make more things and even bigger things.” Most game jams last 48 hours. They give you a theme, and you have a set period of time to go make a game, and we all support each other in doing that. It’s a wonderful thing for beginners; I’ve done an insane amount of them. I would highly recommend game jams for anyone who wants to get started.

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