Worcester Magazine May 16 - 22, 2019 by Worcester Magazine

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M AY 16 - 22, 2019

in this issue M AY 16 - 22, 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ V O L U M E 44 I S S U E 38

the cover

Starting over: Under scrutiny, new owner steps in at Midtown Mall Story on page 11

Photo by Dylan Azari, Design by Kimberly Vasseur

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M AY 16 - 22, 2019

news Preliminary elections set for both City Council, School Committee BILL SHANER

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M AY 16 - 22, 2019

ariah Martinez, a firsttime School Committee candidate, dropped off the rest of the signatures she needed to get on the ballot around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, an hour and a half before the deadline. After about 15 minutes, Niko Vangjeli, the assistant city clerk, had the signatures certified and it became official: Worcester would see a preliminary election for both School Committee and atlarge City Council for the first time since the 1970s. Martinez was the 13th candidate to get on the ballot for School Committee, triggering a Sept. 10 preliminary election from which only 12 will advance. The general election is Nov. 5. On the at-large Council side, there are 15 candidates — the most in recent memory – and plenty of the names are political newcomers. While the at-large and School Committee races are seeing historic levels of interest, the district councilor seats will see almost no competition. The only district councilor who will be challenged is District 5 Councilor Matt Wally, himself finishing his first term. Johnhaynes Beckles Honeycutt Sr. will take Wally on. For what it’s worth, Honeycutt is Martinez’s boyfriend, and they said at City Hall they plan to run as a couple. For School Committee, the race will pit five incumbents against eight challengers. The incumbents are John Monfredo, Brian O’Connell, Molly McCullough, Dianna Biancheria and Jack Foley. Challenging them are Cara Berg Powers, Chantel Bethea, Hermorne McConner, Jermoh Kamara, John Trobaugh, Laura Clancey, Mariah Martinez and Tracy Novick.

First-time candidate Mariah Martinez drops off her signatures at the city clerk’s office Tuesday. Behind her, Assistant City Clerk Niko Vangjeli cerifies the signatures. BILL SHANER

One School Committee seat will be left open by current member Dante Comparetto, who announced last week he will not seek reelection. The School Committee of late has been marked by highprofile struggles over the superintendent’s contract, sex education and persistent racial disparities

in punishment and educational outcomes between white students and students of color. In announcing he would not seek reelection, Comparetto railed against the School Committee and superintendent’s inaction on racial equity, as well as what he described as backroom dealing and a superintendent

that is less than accountable to the School Committee. It’s likely the racial disparity issues raised in the struggle over the superintendent’s contract, as well as the failure to adopt a sexual education curriculum earlier this year, will become key campaign issues in the School Committee race.

The at-large Council side of things was similarly marked by an incumbent bowing out of the race, but for much different reasons. Longtime councilor Konnie Lukes announced several weeks ago she would not seek reelection citing family priorities. C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 6

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Holy Cross senior from Ghana follows lifelong dream WALTER BIRD JR.

contact with her grandmother, calling her often. “I felt like my whole world was crashing down,” Otabil said. “There are times, like with senior activities coming up, there are things I want to send her pictures of, voice mails, and she’s not there. And sometimes, when I need advice, she’d always be there for me, and now I cannot talk to her. I don’t know how I’m going to be for graduation.” Otabil graduates May 24. Her grandmother would have celebrated a birthday the next day. Otabil said she is getting a lot of support from her mother as well as staff and other students at the

COURTESY OF HOLY CROSS

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dith Mensah Otabil knew from a young age what she wanted to do when she grew up. She wanted to study medicine and someday become a doctor, spurred by a television news program in her home country of Ghana. “Ever since I was little, I’ve been interested in helping people,” the 21-year-old Holy Cross senior, who is set to graduate later this month, said recently. “I watched this TV news show in Ghana about a blind family. Like, the whole family was blind. I was curious, how did this happen? I was probably 9,” she said. “I still remember it.” The experience ignited a passion for medicine she has pursued with dogged determination, following a path that took her to the United States, then to Holy Cross as a first-generation college student, and soon to graduation. After that, she will spend a couple years working at UMass Medical Center. The plan after that is medical school, but Otabil is in no hurry. The passion is going nowhere. If anything, it has only grown after suffering a deep personal loss earlier this year, one that has her eyeing a return to Ghana at some point to help improve the country’s healthcare system. “Recently, my grandma passed away,” the 21-year-old Otabil said recently of her grandmother Naomi Nyamaah as she sat inside Crossroads, a dining spot inside the Hogan Campus Center at Holy Cross. “It has really hit me and that again ignited my interest to pursue [a career in medicine] and to help people, and also to go back to Ghana and help with the healthcare system, providing things like oxygen masks that, here, we’re so grateful to have. Here it’s in abundance. In Ghana, people lose their lives to something like that.” Otabil said she doesn’t know

exactly how her grandmother died, but said it happened Sunday, Jan. 13. “I called her that Friday,” she said. “She was watching TV and had fallen asleep. I was like, ‘I’ll call you back another time because I don’t want to interrupt your sleep.’ That was the last time [she spoke with her grandmother.]” The death hit Otabil hard. As a child, she lived with her grandmother after her mother Monica Anyane Yeboah left Ghana to come to the U.S for a job opportunity when Otabil was about 5 years old. She stayed with her grandmother the next 10 years, finally joining her mother here when she was 15. She had remained in close

news PRELIMINARIES

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Lukes’ move leaves a clear path for one newcomer, of which there are many. This year, the at-large Council will see 10 challengers: Bill Coleman, Donna Colorio, Etel Haxhiaj, Evan Corrigan, Tony Economou, Jesse Gibson, Owura Kwaku Poku Sarkodieh, Ralph Tiscione Jr., Sean Parretti-Noone and James Bedard. Economou is a former District 1 councilor. Colorio last served on the School Committee. All incumbents besides Konnie Lukes are running, including Moe Bergman, Joe Petty, Kate Toomey, Gary Rosen and Khrystian King. It remains to be seen who will run for mayor, and decisions likely will not be made until after the September preliminary. In Worcester, all at-large candidates are technically running for mayor as well, but it is customary for candidates to withdraw their consideration from the top seat if they don’t wish to seek it. The deadline to do that is Sept. 17. Possible issues in the Council

race, besides the normal fault lines of the split tax rate and new taxes, are unclear. The Council is coming off a major win in luring the Pawtucket Red Sox, and the board has not seen the kind of high-profile fights that have dogged the School Committee. Still, the interest in boards has been historic. According to a database put together by local blogger Nicole Apostola, the city has not seen a race in which the School Committee and at-large Council both had preliminary elections since the charter change in 1987. A review of election data kept by the city shows that prior to 1987, there were preliminaries for both seats in 1975. Bill Shaner can be reached at 508-767-9535 or at wshaner@ gatehousemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bill_Shaner.

H O LY C R O S S

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school. Dealing with her grandmother’s death is a challenge, but Otabil is no stranger to clearing hurdles. When she first arrived in the U.S. and Worcester almost seven years ago, she was thrust into situations totally foreign to her. “It was hard,” she said. “I came Nov. 14. It was very cold. [In Ghana] we’re like sunny most of the time. We have wet and dry seasons, but even when it’s sunny, it’s not as humid as it is over here. I couldn’t eat, either, because the food was too sweet. And I started in my sophomore year. Everybody had established their own friend groups.” Otabil lived with her mother on Grafton Street and attended Burncoat High School. “Everything was different,” she said, adding the biggest challenges involved assimilating into a new culture and the language barrier. She spoke English, but not fluently. “I had an accent,” she said, “and people really couldn’t understand

when I spoke. I’d say things like ‘trash can.’ They’d be like, ‘What?’ Sometimes, when people spoke the English so fast, I had to register it in my head. That was a little bit challenging in the beginning.” Overall, it was a big change for Obatil, who found many differences between school here and in Ghana. “It was very shocking,” she said, singling out the classroom experience as one example. “We don’t move around in high school [in Ghana], the teachers move. It was shocking to see all of us move. Also, with like math, everything [in Ghana] is taught as one. It’s not broken down into separate classes like geometry or calculus. There were some things in Ghana I hadn’t done. The educational system is different.” It helped being in a city with a large Ghanaian community. According to a 2017 five-year American Community Survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, Worcester is home to 3,857 Ghanaians. The city is said to have the highest concentration of Ghanaians in the country. “We have our own little Ghana-

ian community here. It’s like a home away from home,” said Obatil, a Christian who attends Seven Day Adventist Church on Vernon Street. “We still eat the food I used to eat in Ghana. We have our own supermarkets we go to.” Obatil ultimately adapted to her new surroundings. She excelled at Burncoat, compiling a 4.33 grade point average in her time there. When it came time to choose a college, the decision was an easy one. For Obatil, it was Holy Cross all the way, receiving encouragement from guidance counselors and others at Burncoat. The school up on Mount St. James boasted a stellar pre-med program, which caught Obatil’s attention. While she had been interested in UMass-Amherst and others in the family of UMass schools, her sights were set almost singularly on Holy Cross. “I found it a very special place when I came here for an interview. I felt like I belonged here,” she said, adding she applied on early decision, meaning if she was accepted, she would have to attend. “Looking back on my experience and C O N T I N U E D O N N E XT PA G E

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her dream of becoming a doctor, which included taking part in internships at UMass Medical Center. She shadowed Dr. John Kelly, a 1988 Holy Cross graduate and chief of general and minimally invasive surgery. Kelly was impressed almost immediately with Obatil. “Edith is probably one of the genuinely outgoing and friendly individuals that I know,” Kelly said. “Just the way she comes into a room and says hello and greets everybody. It’s just such a pleasant experience and everyone easily gets along with her and is drawn to her because of that.” Those qualities, he said, will serve Obatil well as a doctor. “She’ll be great at taking care of people and patients, and whatever she does, because it’s a great human nature that she has,” Kelly said, adding he has no doubt Obatil would make a good doctor someday. “Absolutely. The caring, the connection with people and feelings, I do see that. She’s very much a caregiver. I hope she ends up at UMass. She’ll follow right along my Holy Cross-to-UMass career.” For now, Obatil has graduation in her immediate future. She also continues to deal with the loss of her grandmother and will take a break from going back to school right away. In June, she will go home for her grandmother’s funeral, then return to Worcester to start working as a clinical research assistant at UMass in July. “Right now,” she said, “I feel like I’m not in the right mental space to go into medical school, with my grandma, and I feel a little burned out after college. Once you go in, I don’t want to look back. I want to be fully mentally prepared. I also have to take [the Medical College Admission Test]. I just didn’t want to rush into school.”

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

reflecting on everything I did here, I could not see myself anywhere else.” Obatil made the most of her time at Holy Cross. Academically, while she did not want to talk publicly about her GPA, she performed very well. She made “great friends” and enjoyed attending on-campus events as well as dressing up and going to their favorite places together. She also became active in social issues. Last year, Otabil and some friends started called Students of Color in Stem, a group aimed at enhancing the experiences of students of color at a school whose student population is overly white. “One of my friends, who graduated last year, she was a chemistry major, and one of two black students in the chemistry department,” Obatil said. “She wished there was more of a community of students of color. She wanted to see more diversity, for all of us to come together and talk about our experiences and what resources are offered.” Obatil reached out to some friends and they agreed to start a new group. “It’s to encourage more diversity in STEM and encourage the students,” she said. “In most of my classes, I’ll be one of two students of color. Sometimes, it can get a little isolated. You can feel a little inferior when compared to others. People sometimes may look down on you because they think you’re here because of affirmative action. I wanted to tell students that you are here for a reason, you shouldn’t let that bother you, even telling professors and faculty that we actually belong here.” Obatil also took part in the recent student protests of how Holy Cross was handling complaints of sexual assaults and sexually inappropriate behavior on campus. “I honestly commend the students who started this movement,” she said. “The professors were more encouraging of it. For one class, we’d all go for the sit-in and protest. I participated in that. I feel like these are things that need to be talked about. We know it’s a Catholic school and maybe people want to protect their image, but all we wanted was transparency. It happens at every college, but how you go about it is what changes it, not just covering it up and pretending nothing like that happens.” All the while, Obatil pursued

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worcesteria NOT SO CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER: Well, it seems the thoroughly depressing bloodbath over School Superintendent Maureen Binienda’s contract is now over, and for her complete refusal to give even an inch, she was rewarded handsomely with a huge raise — she makes as much as City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. under this new contract, minus some additional compensation — and a solid, non-revocable, three-year contract extension. A nearly all-white cabal of administrators and teamster union staff (they represent Durham bus drivers, of course) stood witness in the Council Chambers to the 5-2 vote last Thursday. They applauded her, as if on cue, when she entered the room, and again gave her a standing ovation after the vote. It was weird, frankly. Anyway, what’s done is done. The coalition that pressed for more on racial issues and called for her removal lost, and they have to sort house. But they did get one concession, fought hard for, I’m told, by Mayor Joe Petty. That concession is a list of 14 action steps which the superintendent is (sort of, kind of) bound to take on racial equity. One of those steps is the hiring of a chief diversity officer, and it looks like that’s already running off the rails. A review of the budget book shows the chief diversity officer as an underling of the HR director, not a direct report to the superintendent. Hardly a chief, if you ask me. Just goes to show the way this administration seems to wriggle and squirm away from any measures related to racial equity. It’s a great look for us, it really is.

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BIG MAC MANUS: Now onto another frustratingly oblivious institution: the good ol’ boys over at the Catholic Church. The Telegram & Gazette over the weekend printed a story detailing Bishop Robert McManus’s views on transgender people, for some reason. Surprise, surprise, they’re crappy. According to the Telegram, he said, “Transgenderism represents a sharp departure from Catholic understandings of the human person and natural moral law.” Futher, transgenderism is “rooted in theological heresy as well as unsupported science.” So Bishop McManus and your uncle with the Punisher logo as his Facebook profile picture are in lockstep on this issue, basically. All I have to say to McManus is this: It’s no surprise you can barely keep a church open. The dustbin of history is calling your name. Between the sex ed fight of yore, these crappy comments from McManus, and the billboard up on I-290 now that reads “After you die, you will meet God” you’d think someone carved Worcester out and stuck it in the middle of rural Ohio. A progressive city, we clearly are not. DANTE’S OUT: As I’m sure most of my readers know, Dante Comparetto will not seek reelection after going full nuclear on the rest of the School Committee and the mayor on racial equity. Now, I don’t know why he decided to pack it in besides what he said in his blistering exit speech, but I do find it a useful case study of how a one-term elected official can force a hand. The way I see it is this: Dante spent all of his political capital on the racial equity issue. He made it a massive ordeal and made himself a target, getting the old guard of the School Committee to completely put their backs up and really embarrass themselves. Could he have been less inflammatory? Absolutely. Would that have helped him keep a seat for more than one term? You bet. But in taking that public stand, he helped expand the Overton window on this. The school department could ignore and downplay race issues before, but not anymore. Now it’s a campaign issue. As a new crop of good, solid candidates vie for his seat, Dante forcing the race issue leaves the door open for a stronger left wing coalition, and his bowing out of the race means they won’t be dragged down by his pariah status. Good politickin’ overall, I think. Bill Shaner, reporter Twitter: @Bill_Shaner

news

the beat

A deer broke into Doherty Memorial High School last Friday after-

noon around the time of student dismissal. One of three deer spotted on the property, the animal smashed through a window and landed in the main office. Animal Control contained and eventually euthanized the animal, which they say suffered from two broken legs.

PawSox Executive Vice President of Real Estate Development and Business Affairs Dan Rea III has been named to the state’s Eco-

nomic Development Planning Council, a group of civic, business, and community leaders from across the Commonwealth. The group will embark on a statewide engagement tour over the coming weeks and months to help prepare a new economic development plan for state leadership. The tour stops in Worcester on May 30 at Clark University.

GateHouse & ThriveHive bring guided digital marketing solutions to more than 10,000 customers across the U.S. every day.

Good Chemistry, Worcester’s first and only pot shop, is now open for walk-in business. The License Commission last week lifted the

appointment-only restriction put in place to curb a rush in traffic for the opening week. Now, anyone 21 or older can buy legal recreational cannabis at the Harrison Street store.

Five more cannabis firms have moved to the Planning Board for approval of locations. The

businesses went before the Planning Board on Wednesday night, after print deadline. Three stores are seeking approval: Trichome Heaolth Corp. at 68 West Boylston St., Mayflower Medicinals at 645 Park Ave., and Evergreen Strategies at 143 Southwest Cutoff. Two product manufacturers are as well: The Curated Leaf at 10 Pullman St. and RC Cultivation at 30 Pullman St.

Southbridge Middle School was the site of a brief lockdown Tuesday afternoon after a janitor found several spent shell casings.

Administrators identified a student they believe brought the rounds to school. The police chief described the student as someone with past behnavioral issues, according to the Telegram.

store in the works since October, will open officially on Saturday. The store will sell books and coffee. Root & Press’ opening brings Worcester from zero bookstores to two in the span of a few months.

social work will launch its first semester of students in the fall. It is intended to replace the program cut by Wheelock last year.

The Ecotarium now has mountain lions. A pair of young mountain lion kittens took up a space formerly held by a polar bear. The exhibit opened last weekend. Assumption College has officially applied to become a university after months of preparation. The state Department of Higher Education is now reviewing the proposal. President Francesco Cesareo said university status will help the institution remain viable in a competitive market.

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Boston University has launched a social work program in Worcester focused on the opioid crisis. The hybrid masters program in

Find out what you’re missing and make a bigger impact on your audience this spring.

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

Worcester will soon have its second book store, following the opening of Bedlam Books earlier this year. Root & Press, a Tatnuck Square

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opinion editorial

New contract for Binienda does not end concerns

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he School Committee’s decision in Worcester to grant Superintendent Maureen Binienda a new threeyear contract with a new salary of $215,000 (along with annual 2-percent raises) may have put to an end one part of what mushroomed into an ugly confrontation between her supporters and those who believe her administration has failed students of color. It has not, however, pulled the curtain shut on the issues and concerns that were raised. Nor should it. Binienda has earned praise for her years as principal at South High Community School as well as for the many programs she instituted to help students of all races and backgrounds, such as Andy’s Attic at South High. To speak to many folks around Worcester is to hear tales of Binienda’s selfless nature and tireless dedication to students. That, in part, is why this space recently called for critics to hold off on ushering her out the door as superintendent. What is frustrating is the belief among her supporters, and perhaps of Binienda herself, that somehow her accomplishments render her immune to criticism; that anyone who questions her work as superintendent is somehow impugning her character.

While it is understandable that she might take personally the calls that have been made for her to lose her job, Binienda is a leader. And even the very best of leaders are often criticized, maligned and challenged. What separates the very best from the rest of the crop is their ability to take the hits, to listen to the loudest of critics, and respond not with a shooing away of the hand, but with an acknowledgment of their concerns. The controversy surrounding Binienda may well have been enhanced by some of the actions of those around her. School Committee member Dante Comparetto, among the most passionate people serving in city government, did not have to publicly apply some of the labels he slapped on the school system and certain individuals. Claims such as “crazy amounts of racism” in the schools certainly appeared to ignite a spark under the feet of some of Binienda’s critics, but they also may well have slammed shut the door on any chances of productive dialogue. No doubt, Comparetto and others are frustrated by what they see as inaction in some cases, and the wrong actions in others. Binienda’s harshest critics, and even some of her supporters, say the superintendent has

been told for some time now of a need to address growing concerns regarding students of color, particularly Latinos. Some who attended meetings with Binienda say she often was dismissive of issues raised. It was particularly disturbing to hear from students expressing a feeling of not being taken seriously. The superintendent’s contract includes 14 so-called “action steps” related to the criticism and concerns raised about racial disparities. Some have since ques-

tioned whether Binienda is being set up to fail, bound by directives, such as providing quarterly reports, that could detract her from continuing what they say are positives strides already being made. The hope here is for the opposite to happen. As superintendent, Binienda has three years under her belt. There have been accomplishments, but the fact remains, that, when it comes to students of color, the administration must show dramatic improvement in meeting

their needs. In areas of discipline, such as student suspensions, while Binienda’s numbers show a decline, Latinos and other students of color are still being disciplined disproportionately to white students. Academically, many of them are also struggling. As a leader, the buck stops with her. With a new contract in hand, and with concerns expressed quite loudly and clearly to her, Binienda still has the chance to earn as superintendent the praise once heaped upon her as principal.

Editor Walter Bird Jr. Culture Editor Joshua Lyford Reporter Bill Shaner

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R E V O G l l a N M I n w o T t d i M R t a A n i SeTr scrutiny, new owner steps

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feature BILL SHANER

M AY 16 - 22, 2019 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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he relationship between City Hall and the Midtown Mall has been tenuous for decades. Though long a hub â&#x20AC;&#x201D; some would even say an incubator â&#x20AC;&#x201D; for small businesses, city officials and others see a drab, dirty building holding the development renaissance downtown back. The dynamic has led to a complex relationship between longtime owner Dean Marcus and the economic development side of City Hall, best represented, though not entirely, by the Worcester Redevelopment Authority. That relationship came to a head at a public hearing in April, at which ERA members, downtown developers and others invested in it, complained the mall was unsafe, dirty and dilapidated. On the other side, Marcus, his tenants and a small handful of customers, stood up for the mall as one of the only buildings supporting downtown retail left. The public hearing was a necessary step for the WRA to take to pursue seizing the building by eminent domain, and at the end of it, they pressed Marcus to come up with a plan for development by 30 days. Instead of doing that, Marcus sold the building to his next-door neighbor, Felicio Lana, for a price barely above the assessed value he likely would have gotten from the city. Despite the new owner, the WRA is pressing on. At a meeting earlier this month, after previously disclosing it to Worcester

feature the City Council and WRA have inched closer and closer to actually using it. Meanwhile, Marcus and critics – including some city councilors – maintain the mall is an active incubator for small businesses owned mostly by people of color. Though Lana made some commitments to tenants in a letter, it remains unclear whether he intends to stay the course set forward by Marcus or try to change the property.

PERMANENT RECORD

Left to right, Worcester Redevelopment Authority members Sumner Tilton Jr., David Minasian, Chair Vincent Pedone and Jennifer Gaskin at a recent WRA meeting discussing the Midtown Mall. DYLAN AZARI

BACKGROUND

and MassLive, both publications said they were unable to reach Lana. He steps into a long, slow-simmering conflict between City Hall and the Midtown Mall, which city officials largely see as a hindrance to the development of the downtown around it. The mall, while long the subject of complaints and scrutiny by some city officials, became an even bigger target in 2016, when the City Council signed off on an urban redevelopment plan which included the Midtown Mall on a list of possible eminent domain seizures. At the time, City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. and others described eminent domain as a last-resort tool. While still described that way recently,

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Marcus sold the building to Lana, president of a large commercial and residential property management company called Northarcus owned the east Properties, and the owner of Midtown Mall for the three buildings along Front Street, better part of three adjacent to the mall. Lana bought decades. When he the mall for $4 million, and with it sold it earlier this month, he did so now owns almost the entire block under substantial pressure from of Front Street between Main and the WRA. At the April 4 meetCommercial streets. But his intening in which the board voted to tions are still shrouded in mystery. demand a plan, Marcus only half He has not made a single public committed, saying he would try to comment since the acquisition. provide the board with some of the Multiple requests for comment information they required. When from Worcester Magazine, by the sale was recorded, on May 4, phone, email and at the offices of he was fast approaching a May 10 Northeast Properties, have gone deadline to provide a substantial unanswered – and we’re not alone. development plan to the WorcesIn every story put out on the sale ter Redevelopment Authority. by the The Telegram & Gazette

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Magazine, Chairman Vincent Pedone proclaimed eminent domain was not off the table. Despite the new owner, they may move ahead anyway. Lana’s ownership opens a new chapter in this struggle between City Hall and the Midtown Mall, and it leaves many questions unanswered. What Lana plans to do with the building, if anything, is so far a mystery. Whether Lana’s plans will satisfy City Hall remains, perhaps, an even bigger mystery.

hough Lana has not publicly commented on his plans for the Midtown Mall, he’s far from an unfamiliar face in City Hall – especially the Inspectional Services department. Between December 2014 and March this year, Lana has racked up 24 code violations at the buildings he owns at 44 Front St., 50 Front St. and 250 Commercial St. Many of the violations are for problems relating to rodent infestations and overflowing dumpsters. Others include faulty appliances, mold issues, electrical violations, to name a few. The building at 50 Front St., which houses the Shangri-La restaurant, was the source of more code violations than the other two buildings, but many of them were food code violations related to the restaurant, such as improperly-stored food and grease trap failures. An incident in December 2017 in which a car drove through the first floor of the building at 50 Front St. was the source of much consternation from the city.

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Tito Colon, owner of Your Tattoo inside the Midtown Mall.

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BILL SHANER

As the damage to the restaurant went unfixed, code inspectors followed up every few weeks, noting in official documents there had been “no change.” On April 6, 2018, an inspector noted he spoke to Lana again. “He said it would be done in two weeks,” the inspector wrote. “I reminded him he has been saying that for several weeks.” In a letter dated April 24, 2018, Chief Building Inspector Joseph Sansoucy threatened criminal court action and fines up to $1,000. A month later, on May 8, an inspector noted no work had been done, and that the temporary wall installed was not rodent proof. The case was referred to housing court. Around the same time, Inspectional Services was investigating defective or incorrectly installed gas lines at 250 Commercial St. In a letter to Lana, Mark Sokowaski, the city’s plumbing and gas inspector, said a flue between the boiler and chimney needed to be replaced within 24 hours. At 44 Front St., the city was pursuing Lana around May 2018 for work being done to the top two floors without building permits.

space, and the rest of the board agreed. “My sense is you wouldn’t spend $4 million on a property if you didn’t have a plan,” he said. WRA member Sumner Tilton Jr. probed how Lana came to own the building – whether he paid in cash or with a promissory note, or used a bank for financing. He likened the WRA’s process to pushing a rock up a hill. Every time the board gets close to pushing the owner to invest in the property, he said, the property could change ownership. The board voted to send Lana the same letter it had previously sent Marcus, requesting a detailed plan for investment and development. The request includes a detailed explanation and description of development goals, including proposed uses, interior designs and exterior improvements. The WRA also asked for documentation verifying the plan is financially feasible, including investor commitments and financing, and the resume of any developer, contractor or consultant involved with the mall’s renovation and redevelopment. Finally, the board asked for a timeline for completion of the

development and a rundown of contingency planning. The letter, which WRA members jokingly referred to as the Marcus Letter, was to be sent to Lana with few changes save for name and address. The board gave Marcus a 30-day timeline from its meeting in April. It’s unclear whether a new 30-day timeline will apply to Lana as well. What is clear, however, is the WRA is still very much interested in pursuing eminent domain, having already gone through certain necessary steps, like a public hearing. “I don’t think eminent domain is off the table,” said Pedone. “We have to develop this property. It’s a broken tooth in our downtown smile.” The process, he said, should not be slowed by a transfer of ownership, as the discussion is about the property, not the owner. But development short of an eminent domain taking does hinge on the landlord’s plans and financing. Pedone and Tilton asked Chief Economic Development Officer Mike Traynor to find out what he could about Lana and his financing. The city manager’s office is also

In a May 29 letter, the city warned him to stop work on the sixth and seventh floors for apartments, because earlier the building permits for the work were denied. In follow-up inspections from June to August, it appeared Lana followed the work-stop order. Pedone said the code infractions at Lana’s other downtown properties, as he has read in recent news reports, do not paint the best picture. “As it’s reported, it doesn’t sound good,” Pedone said. “It does raise concerns and I think he should address it head on.” What the WRA expects when Lana comes in is to talk about future plans for the property as well as well as some of the issues with his current properties.

THE WRA POV

ast week, the WRA made its first attempt to reach out to Lana. Pedone said the best course of action would be to invite Lana in for a conversation on his plans for the

Soxcessful is an innovative new retail store on the first floor of the Midtown Mall. BILL SHANER

feature

Lorna Ellis, the new owner of 4U Prom & Bridal. BILL SHANER

alking to the tenants of the Midtown Mall, a much different picture of Lana emerges. To them, Lana has been the man behind a flurry of work in the past few weeks to spruce the place up, and those interviewed by Worcester Magazine said they were hopeful the new owner will fix basic things, like the floors and install new lighting, which would breathe new life into the building.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

THE TENANT POV

Tito Colon, owner of Your Tattoo on the first floor, said earlier this week that since Lana assumed ownership, a crew of workers has been in the mall each day clearing out vacant rooms, cleaning the hallways and making repairs. “You should see the work they’ve been doing down her,” he said. “All that needs to be done, they’re doing it.” Colon said he’s seen a crew of workers sprucing up bathrooms and taking care of piping issues, among other things. He said he feels the city needs to sit back and give Lana the time he needs to show an improvement, because he’s clearly working to spruce up the place. “I don’t think they’re being fair to him. They’re really not giving him a chance,” he said. As the WRA continues to consider eminent domain, it raised the question, Colon said, of what Lana could do to satisfy City Hall. Though many city officials have been candid about what they see as an eyesore, they haven’t been as forthcoming with a solution. “If you come into my restaurant and you don’t tell me what you want, I won’t be able to serve you,”

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

pursuing a meeting with Lana, but as of press time the meeting had not happened, according to a city spokesman. Augustus, a longtime critic of the mall, has made only one statement about the ownership change. “The city and the WRA extend an invitation to meet with Mr. Lana and look forward to hearing his plans for the future of the buildings and their tenants,” he said.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

Worcester Magazine celebrated the winners of our annual Best of Worcester readers’ poll with a party at The Palladium on Monday, May 13. Special thanks to The Palladium, musical guest Dezi Garcia, Baba Sushi, B.T.’s Smokehouse, Gerardo’s Italian Bakery, Maddi’s Cookery and Taphouse, Regatta Deli and Wings Over Worcester for making this night possible. Photos by Matt Wright

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

feature

Left: Worcester Redevelopment Authority member Sumner Tilton Jr. Middle: Building Commissioner John Kelly. whose department has dealt with violations at the Midtown Mall as well as properties run by the mall’s new owner, Felicio Lana. Right: Roberta Brien, vice president of projects for the Worcester Business Development Corporation. The WBDC has expressed concerns about the Midtown Mall. DYLAN AZARI

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

he said. “I wish that the newspaper and the city would at least give us the opportunity. You know, there’s a new owner so let’s sit back and see what they’re going to do.” Across the hall from Colon’s space is a new store called Soxcessful. It opened a few weeks ago and sells accessories and gifts that can be personalized or used as part of an immersive experience in the

store. It was not open when this reporter was there. On a morning walk through the mall earlier this week, there were plenty of empty storefronts and a boarded-off escalator that looked somewhat menacing, but there were also active businesses. On the first floor, a cell phone repair shop on the first floor attracted a line of customers. Employees at a beauty salon and

restaurant were going through their opening routines. Colon talked with a client while sketching an idea for a tattoo. A crew appeared to be halfway through clearing kitchen equipment out of a vacant diner. On the basement level, a woman practiced singing in one of the several small churches. At CJ Printing, a business that has been there several decades, owner Joe Grondin sat at his computer. Like Colon, he said he has been impressed with the work the new owner has already put in. “They’re going crazy fixing this building up, I’ll tell you that,” he said. “Unbelievable.” He said they must have invested $5,000 already in plumbing and septic improvements on the basement level, they’ve cleaned the hallways up, installed new lights, and have made measurements to replace the floors in the basement. “They’ve got a crew in here that’s unbelievable, they just keep working,” he said. “I’m impressed, I’ve very impressed with what they’ve done.” The building, he said, is going to

be much better off with the new owner. “You don’t spend this kind of money unless you know what you’re doing,” he said. “Stuff that’s been let go for years is getting done now.” The perspective of the tenants was largely echoed in a letter Marcus sent to the WRA to announce the sale. In the letter, dated May 7, Marcus said the decision to sell the property has been difficult, as he’s spent his whole life as part of this community, “and it means everything to me.” “We have great confidence that the new owner will improve the Mall complex and make it even more essential and vibrant for the people of this great city,” he said. Lorna Ellis, the new owner of 4U Prom & Bridal, said Lana has been responsive and seems easy to work with. Lana and Marcus had a prior relationship, she said, so he’s not a stranger. That the city is still considering taking the building, she said, does not seem right. “I don’t think that would be fair

for people who have their business and generate their business here,” she said. “We do have our bills to pay, we have rent to pay, mortgage to pay, a family to feed. It wouldn’t be fair for them to just say, ‘Oh, I’m taking this, go somewhere else.” The mall, she said, is built for a downtown which has more foot traffic and more people looking for a downtown style retail experience. “I’m from Jamaica and I migrated here in 1983,” Ellis said. “I remember taking my son to the arcade right there in Worcester. The Midtown Mall was like an icon of Worcester, coming down walking through and going to the arcade.” That is, she said, until the businesses started to close up in the 1990s and 2000s. With a new owner, she said she’s optimistic the businesses and the customers can come back. Bill Shaner can be reached at 508-767-9535 or at wshaner@ gatehousemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bill_Shaner.

culture

M AY 16 - 22, 2019 NATHAN FISKE PHOTOGRAPHY

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Opening reception of Paperphilia: Celebrating the Printers Building

culture

Mountain lion siblings roar into their ‘forever home’ at Ecotarium JOSHUA LYFORD

last couple days.” The two cats arrived at the EcoTarium a month ago, after being he EcoTarium in Worcester delivered from the Oakland Zoo in welcomed two brand new Oakland, Calif. The cats were found residents this month, as mountain lion siblings Freyja malnourished in Half Moon Bay, and Salton were introduced to the Calif back in February. It was determined by the California Departcity in their brand new Wildcat

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

Mountain lion siblings Freyja and Salton at the EcoTarium. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ECOTARIUM

Station digs. Even Socks, the EcoTarium’s resident red fox, seemed to get into the excitement as he proudly marched up and down his exterior enclosure wall. Wildcat Station is the EcoTarium’s 18,500-square-foot living space for Freyja and Salton and was formerly the home of the museum’s polar bear. The space is two stories tall and has grass, trees and a mountain lion-favorite perch, where the male and female sibling pair took in the weekend crowd. “Our male is up front and the female is in the back, kind of hiding behind him,” said Rachel Davison, lead cat keeper at the EcoTarium. “This is really common for them. They’re pretty relaxed up there. That’s been a favorite spot for the

ment of Fish and Wildlife that the animals were orphans. “Imagine two cats just wandering around the streets here, people saw them and began wondering about them,” Davison said. “Fish and Wildlife was alerted and [they] came in and looked over the cats and tried to decide whether there

was a mother or not. After a few days they determined there was no mother cat to be found. They made the tough decision to have to bring them in under human care at the Oakland Zoo. They wouldn’t have been able to survive if they hadn’t been taken in.” Without a mother, the siblings could not learn integral life skills, such as stalking, hunting and hiding. When the cats were discovered, they had both internal and external parasites as well as wounds from native wildlife altercations. It took about a month to nurse the pair back to health, according to Davison. While Freyja and Salton are currently only roughly 35 and 41

Davison. “They eat about a pound and a half of meat a day. They are obligate carnivores, meaning they can only survive off of meat. They get raw meat, they don’t get it cooked, that’s how they like it. They get a ground beef diet and chicks and mice and fish. They have not met any type of food that they haven’t liked. They are not picky eaters, they are happy to come inside and have dinner at the end of the day.” The space the mountain lions inhabit has plenty of enrichment items, like balls, that Davison said could “be kind of looked at as toys, but also, we can give other types of enrichment that help animals to display the natural adaptations

pounds, respectively, they have been gaining weight at a healthy pace, and are on track to reach the average adult mountain lion weights of 110-180 pounds for males and 80-130 pounds for females. “They’ve grown about a pound a week since they’ve been here,” said

that they have.” While the sibling pair seemed content to take in their surroundings during their habitat unveiling, they have plenty of time to appreciate their new digs. “This will be their forever home,” said Davison. “Which we’re really proud to say.”

culture An interview with John Cusack: Screening of ‘Say Anything’ hits Hanover Theatre WALTER BIRD JR.

Your father Richard graduated from Holy Cross. Do you have any other Worcester ties? Mostly just Holy Cross.

How often have you been to Worcester? I’ve been there about

three or four times. I went to Holy Cross to do something with my dad related to film, and that was really fun.

What is your approach to accepting film roles? Are there any in particular you regret not landing? I certainly don’t think that

way. It’s hard enough to find things and do things. I don’t really approach it that way. Sometimes you’re doing things for a job, for money, and sometimes you’re doing things just for the pure art of it, and it’s a combination of those. Sometimes you take the best job you can get.

one of the ones that works. If you can make three out of 10 that work, you’re doing OK, sort of like baseball. That’s one of the ones that seemed to be a home run.

think so. I don’t think most people have much of an attention span, Perhaps the most iconic scene is anyway. I guess you never know one of you holding the stereo above way or the other. It’s not really a hard your head. Viewers may have call for me. We have somebody who found it romantic. What about is encouraging white supremacists, locking up kids in dog kennels. If you? How many takes did you have to do holding that stereo? people support him, or think they don’t want to hire me, I don’t want to Not too many. What makes it interwork with them, anyway. esting is the character had a look of defiance in his eyes. It was just, the You’re certainly in good comtone of it is what was interesting.

What do you have in common with Lloyd Dobler? Oh, I don’t know. On my good days, a lot.

Social media wasn’t a thing back then. If it was, maybe Lloyd wouldn’t have gotten a breakup pen. You have certainly taken to social media, and you are particularly candid about

pany when it comes to actors who are unafraid to take on the president. Robert DeNiro, Kathy Griffin and other celebrities have been unafraid to throw barbs at him. Do they ever go too far? It depends on whether too far is being critical of someone who supports the neo-Nazi in Charlottesville running over people in a car. And we’re going too far? The only

thing you can do with a fascist is fight him until he leaves office.

Do you wish you could do more? Yes, always, but I’m working

more on that, some things behind the scenes. But you always wish you could do more.

You once said you wanted to be involved in a “great piece of art.” Is there anything on the horizon for you that has you particularly excited? Anything you can work on

where it has a chance to be original and good, then you’re always sort of thinking this is what you really pour all your energy into. I’ve got a couple things in there that I think could be good. There’s an eight-part piece, a miniseries movie event for Amazon, called “Utopia.”

What made it work? There are a lot of things about it that are pretty unique. It definitely had a darker soul underneath. It was very romantic, but the story with the girl and her father, and her father not being who she thought he was, being a very dark person, the kids graduating high

Trump. Has it impacted your career at all, or do you not care about that? I’m not sure, but I don’t

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Where do you rank “Say Anything” among your films? It’s

school being afraid of the future … I think there was a mixture of a kind of dark soul and romance and lightness to it.

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

ovies in the ’80s weren’t just about teenagers and high school, it just seemed that way. Films such as “The Breakfast Club,” “Sixteen Candles,” “Pretty in Pink” and others familiarized us with young actors who would go on to become big stars. There were many others (and believe it or not, not all of them starred Molly Ringwald). As actors like Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall and Michael J. Fox (with “Teen Wolf ” and “Back to the Future”) were making a big splash in movies with a largely bubble-gum flavor to them, another actor was carving out his own niche playing decidedly more offbeat characters. John Cusack first hit the big screen in 1983 with “Class” at the age of 17. The following year, he was one half of a geek duo opposite Hall that nearly stole the show in “Sixteen Candles.” But Cusack didn’t fall into the ’80s “Brat Pack,” and he certainly didn’t seek out carbon-copy roles. In 1985, he starred in “Better Off Dead” as Lane Myer, a high schooler who decides, after after being dumped by his girlfriend, suicide might be a better option. Then, in 1989, viewers saw him take on the complex role of Lloyd Dobler in a high school flick with a darker romantic tone in “Say Anything,” the directorial debut of Cameron Crowe. Dobler bore the innocent look of a young teen, with much more bubbling under the surface, not unlike the actor playing him. At 52 (he’ll turn 53 on June 28), Cusack still has a certain “aw shucks” quality and a youthful handsomeness to him, but there is something much deeper to the Illinois native. One need only follow him on Twitter, where Cusack unapologetically and unflinchingly takes on President Donald Trump on a near-daily basis, to know that. There was more to Dobler, too, and more to “Say Anything,” which wasn’t just about Dobler’s love for Diane Court, portrayed by Ione Skye. There was the subplot of Court’s corrupt father, played by the late John Mahoney, who ended up in jail. As the ’80s came to a close, it was a darker high school film than

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many that had dotted the previous decade, but it was, of course, also a Hollywood film. The image of Cusack hoisting a portable stereo above his head outside Court’s home, with Peter Gabriel’s ‘In Your Eyes” blaring from the speakers, was as Hollywood as you get. It was also real. Any heartbroken teenage boy might have done the same – and many probably mimicked it for years go come. On Friday, Cusack hits the stage at Hanover Theatre in Worcester for a 30th-anniversary screening of “Say Anything,” followed by a Q&A with the audience. Worcester Magazine had about 10-15 minutes to speak with him recently by phone.

culture

With a new space to call home, ArtsWorcester frames their future JOSHUA LYFORD

arlier this month, ArtsWorcester announced their first capital campaign, Framing the Future, raised $1.75 million, but seeing the new space on the ground floor of the Printers Building on Portland Street showcases exactly what those monetary donations means to the organization and the local arts community. The 2,000-square-feet of exhibition space is beautiful, with freshly-stained hardwood floors and glowing white walls covered in the artists showcased in the 18th annual ArtsWorcester Biennial exhibition, on display until June 8. While the list of technical advancements

made in the space — pinpoint lighting, new wiring, HVAC, general renovations — is long, there is one key factor that brings the new home of ArtsWorcester to another level: accessibility. While ArtsWorcester’s former home, the Aurora Gallery on Main Street, plays home to years of warm memories, the historic building couldn’t facilitate the kind of sweeping accessibility and infrastructure renovations the organization was looking for. “The thing about the Aurora was that it was never going to be fully accessible,” said Juliet Feibel, executive director of ArtsWorcester. “We spent a couple years trying to figure out what it would take to put a floor lift in, and how we could get

someone to pay for it, and how we could have made it accessible. That was really the most significant part of this move, whether you are zero years of age in a stroller or 99 in a wheelchair, all of this, every corner of our offices, our storage, our galleries and restrooms, is accessible to all. That’s a big deal.” The new space is more easily accessible in other ways, too. The funding also allows for extended gallery hours. “At the Aurora, we were open 12 hours a week and by appointment,” said Feibel. “Here, we are open 30. That’s a significant change to our operating expenses. That was one of the purposes of the campaign.” “It’s a significant change to who we can reach out to as well,” added

Above: From left, Juliet Feibel of ArtsWorcester, Sue Swinand, winner of the Sally R. Bishop Prize for Best in Show, and Matthias Waschek of the Worcester Art Museum at the Eighteenth ArtsWorcester Biennial MATTHEW HEALEY PHOTOGRAPHY

Left: Opening reception of Paperphilia: Celebrating the Printers Building

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

A M AY 16 - 22, 2019

NATHAN FISKE PHOTOGRAPHY

Allie Heimos, marketing and communications manager. “People can come by after work, people coming by before a show, it’s a lovely thing. Not only do we have more foot traffic, but we get a lot more out of that foot traffic.” The new windows looking out onto Portland Street allow for more than just light in gallery, pedestrians can easily see the work on display inside. The artists and community members that have visited the new gallery have been pleased with the new locale. “The responses from the community members have been overwhelming,” said Heimos. “They’re shocked and surprised.” For many, the first opportunity to see the space was for the “Paperphilia” exhibit opening on March 30. “I have a video of people first coming in that day,” said Heimos. “There were people crying ,there were people in shock, there were a lot of people who had never been in this space at all before. People were excited.” The total amount raised at the time of this writing was $1.75 mil-

lion, exceeding the organization’s goal of $1.25 million. The money was raised by individual donors, corporations and charitable foundations as well as an in-kind gift of $475,000 from the Davis and Wade family of the Printers Building Trust. “In late 2016, the Davis and Wade family that owns this building approached ArtsWorcester with the offer of a lifetime,” Feibel said. “They would provide the construction of the new galleries and they would freeze our rent at what we were paying at the Aurora for four years, frozen. They contributed all the systems, the floors, the walls, the HVAC, the electrical, the wiring, the doors, the store fronts, the renovation of these beautiful windows.” Now that the space is open and work is well underway, Feibel and her team have had an opportunity to enjoy the new space, while continuing to work toward their goal. “I’ve been at ArtsWorcester for almost eight years,” Feibel said. “To see the faces of the artists and the public as they walk in is the most rewarding experience of my professional life, hands down.”

culture

Adoption option Welcome to Adoption Option, a partnership with the Worcester Animal Rescue League, highlighting their adoptable pets. Check this space often to meet all of the great pets at WARL in need of homes.WARL is open seven days a week, noon-4 p.m., 139 Holden St. Check them out online at Worcesterarl.org, or call at 508-853-0030.

against; For dogs: Kongs, Ruff Wear, Jolly Balls, Tuffies, tennis balls. Office Supplies: Copy paper (white and colors), postage stamps, pink and blue post-its, etc. Staples gift cards are always welcomed!

Pet Toys – For cats: furry mice and balls with bells, stuffed animals for orphaned kittens to snuggle

Computers, Laptops, Printers: Newer models or gently used models are welcomed.

Medical Supplies: Latex gloves, gauze, anti-bacterial hand sanitizer, popsicle sticks, Dixie cups, One Touch Test Strips.

depend on the heartfelt outpouring of people like you. Donations can be given online, mailed, or given in person at WARL.

Monetary Donations: WARL is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and your donations of money, time, supplies, homes, and love are vital to our cause and the lives of the animals in our care. The animals

Cleaning Supplies: Paper towels, 33-gallon trash bags, sponges, bleach, dish soap, “HE” (high efficiency) laundry detergent, Lemon Joy soap.

Amazon Wish List: Can’t stop in? Do you like the ease of shopping online? Visit our Amazon Wish List, and the items will be shipped directly to WARL!

Pet Supplies: Dog and cat food (both canned and dry). Purina brand preferred. Please no grainfree; Non-clumping kitty litter; Bedding, comforters, blankets and towels (not pillows & sheets); Kuranda Beds; martingale collars.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Here are some of WARL’s regular needs:

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

This handsome boy is Stone. Stone was surrendered to WARL due to his protective nature. Stone is extremely sweet and very smart. He knows all his basic commands and loves to be right by your side. Stone lived with a dog in his previous home, but we do not know how he is around small animals or cats. It takes a little bit of time to get to know Stone, because he can be shy with new people. Stone appreciates slow introductions and will benefit from a experienced owner who can give him time and space to get used to his new family and home. We do not recommend Stone going to a home with small children or a home with a lot of commotion. If you would like more information or would like to meet him, please ask staff.

culture Lyford Files JOSHUA LYFORD

It’s probably pretty obvious when looking at my illustrated form at the bottom of the page that I am extremely strong and handsome. My incredible strength was put to the test this last weekend, however, as I have been moving years of accumulated stuff out of my apartment. A trailer parked in the driveway, furniture hurled from the rear porch. Man, is tossing heavy things out of a house satisfying. But it’s also hard work, so my fingers are pretty heavy as I type this week’s column. What does all this mean? Well, it means that I am going to toss up some random, disparate ideas as they come into my head below.

BEST OF PARTAY: I am typing this up on Tuesday, the morning after our annual Best of Worcester party. My first impression was that there were infinitely more babies in attendance than I have noticed in years past. That wasn’t a bad thing because babies (toddlers? They were crawling and making sounds very similar to words. What age is that?) add a level of hilarious chaos to any situation they are in. Whether screaming during quiet moments, or crawling behind a stranger’s legs as they step backward, you can’t beat babies in the chaotic neutral game. Also, props to Best Server Jenny Pacillo and her husband, photographer Nate Fiske, and their hilarious child. I appreciated her sharing her toy fox with me. Luckily, Brisco wasn’t on hand, because he goes CRAZY for toy foxes. GIMME SOME DRINK TICKETS: That’s it, that’s the

whole thing. I saw drink tickets all over the place last night and as the vanguard for this fine newspaper, I want to know why I didn’t get any. Am I whinging? Yes, I am. Does it matter? No, of course it doesn’t. I’m just a broke-ass reporter and if I have to schmooze with business people, I want to be tastefully buzzed.

SPEECH! SPEECH!: I realize that the event is already pretty long and adding speeches to the mix would only make it longer, but my god, can you imagine? Sure, most of them would just be “thanks to everyone who voted,” but what about the speeches that weren’t? You’d get a handful of awkward people who are uncomfortable speaking in public. Always hilarious. You’d get some political comments, which is like catnip to a reporter. Finally, you’d get some shade. This final point is what intrigues me the most. Imagine liquor stores publicly calling each other out over selection. Imagine tire warehouses decrying adversary’s installation speed. I see no reason at all why The Boynton’s Ryan McArdle and The Dive’s Ricky Nelson can’t instigate a very public, very explicit beef on-stage. Maybe next year.

W O R C E S T E R M A G A Z I N E . C O M M AY 16 - 22, 2019

HEARD IT ON THE RADIO: Fellow Worcester Magazine

reporter Bill Shaner and I have long had a radio slot on 102.9 FM (and streaming at Worcestermag.com) each Friday from noon-1 p.m. It’s a wild ride every week and, frankly, getting to rant for an hour each week is a therapeutic experience. I also do another radio show, a show that has undergone some pretty extreme changes recently. Each Tuesday, I co-host a radio show on 102.9 FM (and, again, streaming at Worcestermag.com). Until about a week ago, I cohosted the show with my longtime friend and former colleague, Tom Matthews. It was called the Tuesdays with Tom Radio Hour featuring Josh Lyford, and we talked hockey, music and beer. Well, Tom has moved on to a new job and is no longer with the Worcester Railers HC. So, it is now called the Railers Radio Hour and I co-host with the Railers’ Eric Lindquist. I don’t know what to expect, so tune in and tweet @ joshachusetts about how Joshua Lyford badly I am doing. Culture editor @Joshachusetts

culture Lifestyle SARAH CONNELL

Sticki Bottles

This year, POW! WOW! Worcester is teaming up with Latitude Beverages (90+ Cellars) for a limitedrun Rosé. The wine’s label features red and blue lines to form a 3D rose topped with an accent mark as it appears in the word “Rosé.” The design comes from POW! WOW! Worcester artist Lukas Therian (aka stickipictures) who completed a mural at Clark Street School during the 2018 festival. June 8 marks National Rosé Day and the first chance to get your hands on an exclusive bottle in select local restau- POW! WOW! Worcester is teaming rants and bars, including The Boynton, Via Italian up with Latitude Beverages (90+ Cellars) for a limited-run Rosé. Table, BirchTree Bread Co., Lock 50 and Mezé. The POW! WOW! Worcester Rosé will also be available at Austin Liquors, North Main Provisions and Ed Hyder’s Mediterranean Marketplace. Two dollars per bottle will be donated to POW! WOW! Worcester, an international mural festival dedicated to activating spaces throughout the city.

Shandies and Pretzels

Redemption Rock Brewery also announced a label partnership with POW! WOW! Worcester that is set to last all summer long. The first crowler design in the series features the work of Los Angeles-based artist Allison Bamcat. RRB announced two other important collaborations this week that will make available tasty Crust Bakeshop pretzels and healthy Bedlam Book Cafe juices for the foreseeable future.

For the Greater Good

artists culture

ight

Artist spotl

Asparagus and Flowers

The Asparagus and Flower Heritage Festival arrives on May 18 in West Brookfield on the Town Common. Enjoy crafts, snacks and family activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. As Caesar once said, “Velocius quam asparagi coquantur!” (Translate: “Faster than cooking asparagus,” or “Get your butt to West Brookfield immediately!”)

I’m 100%

I will admit that I am prone to cheesy rom coms, but I have not been as blissfully entranced by a piece of cinema in a very long time as I was by Netflix’s “Someone Great.” I love this movie for its fashion, sense of humor and depiction of female friendships, but most of all I love it for the soundtrack. The best scene features a kitchen dance party in which two of the main characters belt out Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” with sheer abandonment. Stay in some night this week and give this one a watch.

diate and Span to bring the Photoshop from the imme camera and to provide “an escape a spin on the laws of biliHarnois seeksin,” and his work “places endless possi ces them with appears upbeat world we live ery world and repla the physical ” While some of his imag viewer to continue s. the ntly has ties of dream hopes they will force Harnois curre ows he and happy, t them as time goes on. Worcester Wind ter thinking abou ay in the downtown ArtsWorces al displ sever in on shown e at a photo rth,” and has ’s work onlin exhibit, “Rebi find more of the artist can shows. You . Samharnois.com

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Let us feature your artwork in Worcester Magazine’s Artist spotligh! Contact Joshua Lyford at jlyford@gatehousemedia.com for more information!

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

The Alzheimer’s Association MA/NH Chapter invites community members ages 21-40 to join together and raise awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia at an upcoming networking event at Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co. on Wednesday, May 29 at 6:30 p.m. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s; by 2050, this number is projected to rise to nearly 14 million. Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. the country.

culture

E.B. Flatts Likes it Zippy 245 West Main Str. (Route 9), East Brookfield 508-867-6643 • ebflatts.com SANDRA RAIN

W O R C E S T E R M A G A Z I N E . C O M M AY 16 - 22, 2019

.B. Flatts in East Brookfield offers various crow ornamentation throughout its post-and-beam interior. The space is decked out with country primitive and nautical momentos along with a train, a leg lamp, a net with decorative glass ball intact, maritime flags, American flags, a set of vintage Mickey Mouse ears, a microscope and a number of cartoonish wooden frog carvings. Bamboo shades keep the light out, but the pine paneling glows bright nonetheless. There’s no bar to sit at, but servers mix drinks in the back room alongside a collection

of high top tables. The glassware has smudges. The ketchup caddie is piled high with Trivial Pursuit cards. The silverware is school cafeteria grade. E.B. Flatts’ tap list includes Maine Beer Co. Lunch, but it is not fresh. Honestly, you might as well order an “odds and ends” bottle of wine for $12. If you can’t stomach a whole bottle, get funky with a $7 glass of Beringer Bros. tequila barrel aged sauvignon blanc. The menu makes its own running commentary with claims like “whooo-eee! looove that Cajun flavor!” to hype the Cajun prime rib ($20.99). Or, “We came up with this a few years ago ’cuz we were in the mood for something a little bit zippy!” in reference to the black & blue Cajun salad ($13.99 with

chicken). As far as salads go, the buffalo chicken ($13.99) brings beautiful heat, although it subsequently showcases the dreaded refrigerator tomato. E.B. Flatts’ smothered steak tips ($17.99) do not imply asphyxiation, but they will come red in the center if you’re daring. Peppers, onions and mushrooms abound along with a side of broccoli and rice pilaf. Skip the side of vegetable soup, it smells like perfume. The stuffed scallops ($22.99) are another popular entrée. E.B. Flatts’ homemade stuffing is rich and Ritzy, just the way I like it. The scallops are salvageable with a generous spritz of fresh lemon juice. The Saturday night crowd is stacked with regulars, but the service is pleasant to all. E.B. Flatts didn’t set out to become a culinary destination; in fact, it began in 1996 as a food truck spearheaded by two Coast Guard veterans. Since 2006, E.B. Flatts has found its footing as a brick-andmortar restaurant in East Brookfield. This is an establishment for the hungry, not the refined. I would like E.B. Flatts to refresh its branding and replace the cutesydrop lines with compelling descriptions. Narrowing down the menu to one page of dishes that can be sustainably executed would make an immediate impact on quality. Dinner and drinks for two came to a total of $76.20. Explanation of Stars: Ratings are from zero to five. Zero is not recommended. One is poor. Two is fair. Three is satisfactory. Four is good. Five is excellent. Food: HH Ambience: H Service: HHH Value: HH

culture

The ring master JIM KEOGH

icholas Hoult has found an uncommon acting niche, portraying authors at the dawn of legendary careers. In 2017’s “Rebel in the Rye,” he played J.D. Salinger coming of turbulent age as he moves from student, to soldier,

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Jim Keogh contributing writer

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

to literary genius. Now, in “Tolkien,” Hoult embodies the man who fashioned a world of hobbits and wizards, orcs and dragons, elves and dwarves, and inspired one of the greatestselling fantasy series in history. “Tolkien” is at once a classic biopic — the details of J.R.R. Tolkien’s young life are portrayed in real time and through battlefield flashbacks — and a literary detective story, offering clues to the author’s inspirations for “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “The Hobbit.” A grove of ghostly trees bending in the wind will surely be resurrected as Ents; the lush walled-off pastures of his childhood are uniquely Shire-like; his battlefield hallucinations (Tolkien was stricken with trench fever during World War I) turn enemy soldiers into the army of monsters and demons that would one day challenge his fictional heroes. When John takes his love interest, Edith Bratt (Lily Collins), to an opera, it’s Wagner’s “Ring Cycle.” How could it be otherwise? The sly references to his future works aside, “Tolkien” is an emotive story of romantic love struggling to survive the tremors of loss and poverty, and of the deep friendship among young men afire with the

notion that art, music and literature can change everything – Dickens dusted with “The Dead Poets Society.” The story begins with John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (Hoult) and his younger brother orphaned by their mother’s death and sent to live in a boarding house in Birmingham, England. John is a brilliant linguist who has invented his own fantastical language; his creative stirrings are nurtured by a band of fellow students at King Edward’s School, who form the Tea Club and Barrovian Society (today’s equivalent might be a Fortnite group). Scenes of the tweedy lads swapping bon mots over tea and scones are as British a thing as naming your baby Archie Harrison MountbattenWindsor. Tolkien’s other life-altering connection is with Edith, a fellow boarder and talented pianist who fears her future is stalling out. John and Edith’s flirtations blossom into love, which will be interrupted by John’s attendance at Oxford University and his military service. When war is declared, he endures the horrors of the trenches – the nightmares he witnesses feeding his fears and his imagination. Tolkien later recalled that he began writing the first draft of his Middleearth mythology during this terrible time. Some of “Tolkien” seems rushed and cursory, which suggests that cramming the biographical details and allegorical nuances into a single movie may be too ambitious an undertaking. Indeed, focusing on the years before he published his great novels appears to have been a decision reached out of necessity because capturing the breadth of the man’s life and work would be impossible in a theatrical release. I can envision the Tolkien saga as a miniseries that goes deeper and wider into his tale, including his later friendship with C.S. Lewis and his opposition to a translation of “The Hobbit” being published in Nazi Germany. There’s so much good stuff still to tell, I’m ready for the next chapter.

calendar Friday, May 17 Never an Outsider: Community Screening of Crime + Punishment

The Worcester PopUp, 20 Franklin St. A community screening of Crime + Punishment at the Worcester PopUp, presented by GSBS Diversity Interest Group, White Coats for Black Lives UMMS and Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company. There will be a panel discussion following the screening to discuss criminal justice, healthcare and research practice reform. Refreshments from Crust and North main Provisions will be provided.

Friday, May 17 John Cusack Live, ‘Say Anything’ screening

Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge St. A screening of the classic dramedy, with actor John Cusack on hand for a live conversation, covering the making of the film, his career and more.

Saturday, May 18 WooSmash! A Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Event

Barrett Center, Becker College, 80 William St. MassDigi and Becker College present a free, all-ages Super Smash Bros. tournament at the Barrett Center. Bring your own Nintendo Switch and controller and join the fun.

Saturday, May 18 Shawna Shea Film Festival: Spring Shorts Festival

Nick’s, 124 Millbury St. The second annual Spring Shorts Festival heads to Nick’s bar, with a collection of short films under 30 minutes. Tickets are available online at Filmfreeway.com.

Saturday, May 18 10th Annual REC Spring Garden Festival and plant Sale

Worcester City Hall and Common, 455 Main St. The Regional Environmental Council and United Way of Central MA present the 10th annual REC Spring Garden Festival and Plant Sale at the Worcester Common Oval, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Seedlings, live performances, activities and more.

Saturday, May 18 Bob Dylan Birthday Bash

John Henry’s Hammer Coffeehouse, First Unitarian Church, 90 Main St. To celebrate Bob Dylan’s 78th birthday, as well as his illustrious career, Grafton-native Bob Jordan hosts Dylan’s Birthday bash. The program will span more than 30 Dylan songs with two full band sets. The 524Band supports Jordan and guests Ron Carlson, The Hip Swayers, Natasha Hanna, Nate Smith, Stan Matthews, Arthur Sneiderman, Deb Barron-Northway, Gabe Navarre, Rich Leufstedt, Matt Robert, Marty Ayotte, Mark Jacques, Ed Arndt, Nikki Howard, Dave Baronowski (of the Clamdiggers) and others.

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M AY 16 - 22, 2019

Sunday, May 19 Touch-a-Truck

Worcester JCC, 633 Salisbury St. The Worcester JCC’s annual Touch-A-Truck program takes place on Sunday, May 19, giving kids of all ages the opportunity to explore their favorite trucks and vehicles. Police cars, fire engines, construction trucks and more will all be on hand. Face painting, an inflatable slide, alpacas, food trucks and more will be on-site.

Sunday, May 19 Worcester Pride Drag Brunch

El Basha, 256 Park Ave. Worcester Pride’s annual Drag Brunch heads to El Basha with food, fun and a show including performers Poise’n Envy (Miss Worcester Pride 2018), Harley Queen, Victoria Obvious and more.

The Score

Massachusetts Pirates May 11 The Pirates (1-4) fell on the road, 67-56, to the Columbus Lions. (The Pirates have a bye week May 21, before facing the New York Streets on the Road May 27.) Worcester Smiles May 11 In their season opener, the Smiles lost, 3-0, at home to the New England Mutiny. (The Smiles host the New Jersey Copa FC at Foley Stadium in Worcester Saturday night, May 18.)

Round-up

The Pirates last week signed defensive tackle Toby Johnson, who played two games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2016.

games J O N E S I N’

40 Original host of “This Old House” 42 What some ribbons denote 43 Spanish Formula One racer Fernando 44 “I Want ___!” (1958 Susan Hayward film) 47 “Freek-A-Leek” rapper ___ Pablo 49 Basketball Hall-of-Famer Thomas 50 Al ___ (pasta request) 51 Neatens a lawn 54 Transportation to Tel Aviv

Last week's solution

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Down 1 Obiter ___ 2 “___ Life: The John Lennon Story” (2000 TV biopic) 3 Mushroom features 4 Like some cranes 5 Bumps an R down to a PG-13, perhaps 6 Peaceful poem 7 Barnyard fowls 8 Troika 9 More questionable, maybe 10 1980s defense secretary Weinberger 11 Tardy 12 Phish lead vocalist Trey 13 Rifle-man? 14 Suspected Soviet spy of the McCarthy era 25 Title sheep in a wordless Aardman movie 27 Fenway star Garciaparra 28 Bulgogi or galbi, e.g. 29 “Can’t fool me!” 30 Source for wood used in Budweiser fermentation tanks 31 Ride, perhaps 35 Tropics definer 36 2016 NBC family drama full of surprise moments

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

Fun By The Numbers Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

Across 1 Divisions of “The Hunger Games” series 10 One-named R&B singer with the hit “1, 2 Step” 15 Unaware 16 Historic account 17 1990 Warrant hit that was overplayed on MTV, but banned by Canada’s MuchMusic 18 Urban Dictionary fodder 19 Need to unwind 20 So last week 21 Strong quality 22 Home to part of Lake Tahoe, for short 23 Essence from rose petals 24 “Guarding ___” (1994 Nicolas Cage movie) 26 Nearby 28 Put the ___ on (squelch) 31 Bezos or Buffett, e.g. 32 Enjoy Mt. Hood, say 33 Eerie sign 34 Phone setting 36 Accessories often gifted in June 37 Bait shop purchase 38 1958-61 polit. alliance 39 “Nature ___ a vacuum” 41 Put under a spell 44 “Star Trek: TNG” counselor Deanna 45 South African playwright Fugard 46 Potential Snapchat debut of 2017 48 Track on a compilation album, maybe 52 “___ More” (Backstreet Boys song) 53 Broadcast 55 Chronicler of Don Juan 56 Exploiting, in England 57 Orange Free State colonizers 58 Cheapen 59 Chimichanga ingredient 60 Protectors of the orbs?

“Make It Work” — a freestyle puzzle full of style. by Matt Jones

classifieds HELP WANTED Sr. Sharepoint Administrator (Worcester, MA) sought by UMass Memorial Medical Center, Inc. to provide design development, administration, implementation, operation and support of the Sharepoint Platform, installation, configuration, apply periodic fix packs and maintain Sharepoint Server(s), portals, Team Sites (document management) and Sharepoint-Based Applications in support of business processing. Must have Bachelor’s in Computer Sci. or rel & 5 yrs. rel. exp. Apply to Leigh M. Corl, HR Business Partner, UMass Memorial HR, HB-791, 55 Lake Ave. North, Worcester, MA 01655. No phone calls.

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M AY 16 - 22, 2019

SEO/UX Analyst: (Worcester, MA) sought by University of Massachusetts Medical School to define, develop and support an enterprise-class search engine optimization foundational approach that can be leveraged across multiple constituencies and platforms. Develop a tailored approach for key internal customers to foster both internal and external collaboration and drive new business partnerships. Must have B.S. Bus. Admin. Mktg. or closely rel. field, and 4 yrs. rel. exp. or rel. Master’s & 2 yrs. qual. exp. Additional worksite: Shewsbury, MA. To apply, email resume to jobsUMMS@umassmed.edu. No calls please. Solution Architect sought by Westborough, MA IT consultancy firm to provide tech’l leadership to clients & work w/ dvlprs as mentor. Responsible for reqmts gathering, dsgn & dvlpmt of complex ecommerce solutions using packaged s/ware & open source components. Reqs strong troubleshooting skills to identify production issues & recommend solutions. Works w/ client to understand business reqmts, & recommends solution to address business needs. Exp working as an Architect on ecommerce/order mgmt projects & extensive exp in Java. Exp on Inventory mgmt, Order fulfillment & Supply Chain. Good understanding of retail industry & emerging trends in ecommerce. Exp in IBM Sterling; Java, Kotlin, Spring Boot, Groovy; Oracle, Cassandra, IMDG: Hazelcast; Application Servers: Tomcat, IBM WebSphere, Oracle Weblogic; IBM Cognos 8, Adaptive Analytics, Adaptive Warehouse & Reports Studio. Travels weekly to client worksites. Reqs Masters in a Comp related field & 3 yrs’ exp or Bach’s + 5 yrs’ exp. US citizen/GC holder only. No GC sponsorship. Resume to: Yantriks LLC, PO Box 1116, Berlin, MA 01503.

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last call Justin Pitz and Mike Scovil barbers J

DYLAN AZARI

dropped off a humongous painting of Biggie. And then Brandon Rhoads came and dropped some stuff off. It created this cool little environment where people that have no interest in barbershops are somehow getting dragged in here. MS: It’s not like it’s not curated. It’s a binary system of yes and no. JP: We have to say no to some things. It’s not just a free place to come sell shit.

– Sarah Connell

Tell me about your trip to Asia. JP: Boa Newgate is a very good friend of mine; I’ve cut his hair for a long time. He works for Southeast Asian Coalition, where he’s the program manager for Youth Effect International. This dude is just such a good kid. He works full time as a bartender at night and works full time with kids for free during the day. I actually did some motivational speaking for the kids up there last year, and talked about my story and making

good choices and not doing drugs and all that stuff. He came in on a random day and he’s like, “I want to learn a couple of tips so I can cut kids’ hair when I go to Saigon.” And I just kind of half joking said, “So why don’t we come?” He stood up and told us all about how they promote education and they don’t just show up with a bag of money. They do workshops and they dig trenches for clean water. I got all emotional and Mike passed around a jar and people started putting $20 bills in it. So I said, “Well shit, I guess we’re doing this.” We made a Go Fund Me video. We leave July 20 to fly to Saigon, where the whole Youth Effect International Team will assemble. We’re going to travel to the Saigon Orphanage where me and Mike will do most of our work. We’re going to cut hair and run workshops on personal hygiene.

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on pictures on Instagram. In the beginning there’s nothing on the walls. MS: The POW! WOW! artists saw space on the walls for them to fill out. They were like, “Hey, let us give you this, let us give you that.” JP: We showed up like a pack of wolves at Secret Walls during POW! WOW!. We ended up in a dance battle with Matt Cousens and John Powers, the artists from Cop JuJu. MS: Guns blazing. JP: I bought a painting by Matt Cousens for 75 bucks at the Ralph’s skatepark benefit for Worcide the next weekend. I was like, “That thing is sick.” I was driving home and I almost crashed because I kept looking back at it like, “Wow, it’s so good.” And then we just got talking and they came and got mullets from us that day. I was like, “Hey, why don’t you guys bring some stuff to the shop?” And then everybody else started hearing about us. Alex Dunn came and

M AY 16 - 22, 2019

people and eventually the business would break down because everybody was partying too much. I was working at a regular 9-5 shop over in Shrewsbury when Justin went to start up this place. He came and found me over there. He said he wanted a haircut and started asking me questions about what it was that I wanted to do with myself. He kinda got me re-hyped into the barbering thing. I felt like I was ready to make a jump from something really stable How did your shop end up in to something that I knew would Worcester? take a lot of work, but it would be JP: I was working in another worth it to me. It was a risk. I had barbershop and I was sick and all these responsibilities that I had tired of the environment. I to take care of and I signed up for wanted to create my own. I went something I wasn’t sure would on Craigslist and I started lookmake me a dollar. ing at stuff knowing that I didn’t JP: I was like, “I’m not leaving this have any money saved. I had no credit, no means to open a barber barber shop until this mother shop. I saw the description for this f****r says yes.” I went back three times. place and it said, “Post and beam ceilings, a brick interior, natural lighting.” I almost didn’t show up I know you say Axe to Grind to the meeting. I was painting on aims to be a traditional barberthe side, doing some three decker shop, but what does that mean? MS: It’s a place you can come to or whatever. The owner said, get referrals from other people and “Well, you don’t seem so serious. it’s surrounded by a community. When you guys get serious then You show up at this barbershop we’ll talk and if not, then whatexpecting to hang out. It’s a place ever.” I was super nervous and to convene. The word “salon” is stressed out about everything. I French and it doesn’t mean a started to realize this was going to be a lot of work. I thought, “Can place to get your hair cut. Salons used to be places where artists I do it? Am I capable of pulling would go to hang out and drink this off?” Then I was like, “What coffee and exchange ideas. It’s like am I doing?” I dropped my stuff, literally wet paint and everything the birthplace of philosophy, to tell you the truth. You’re not just and I flew here, covered in paint sitting on your phone waiting for and I agreed to take the building your haircut. and that was it. JP: I don’t know if “traditional” is the right word for us, you know Mike, when did he bring you what I mean? The thing is that on? when you think of the word “tradiM: Justin and I went to barber school together in 2013. We would tional” you’re expecting a certain aesthetic. We’re not aesthetically bump into each other after that, traditional. We’re trying to be but we were going down differculturally traditional. ent paths. I cut hair right out of school. I worked a few different Obviously you have a love for places – some that I liked, some that I didn’t like. Usually, the ones contemporary art. JP: I mean, you could look back that I liked were run by crazy ustin Pitz is the owner of Axe to Grind, a popular barbershop located on Shrewsbury Street. He and partner Mike Scovil are teaming up with the Southeast Asian Coalition this summer to visit an orphanage in Saigon, where they will cut hair and deliver workshops on personal hygiene. You can support their mission by donating at: gofundme. com/axe-to-grind-gives-back.

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M AY 16 - 22, 2019