JUNE 6 - 12, 2019 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
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? N W O T T S GHO
N W O T E G E L L O C or Some city businesses suffer when college students leave for the summer
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in this issue J U N E 6 - 12, 2019 • V O L U M E 44 I S S U E 41
the cover
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College Town or Ghost Town? Some city businesses suffer when college students leave for the summer Tech Pizza and WooBerry Frozen Yogurt sit on the corner of West and Highland Streets, sandwiched between Becker College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Story on page 10 Photo by Anissa Gardizy, Design by Kimberly Vasseur
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news Discover Central Mass budget held over Chamber question D iscover Central Massachusetts’ budget was held up another week after some City Councilors questioned the agency’s relationship with the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Councilors Khrystian King, George Russell and Candy Mero-
for a cherry sheet of a previous year to be sent to the council before the next budget hearing, and Carlson pointed to issues in the contract between the city and Discover Central Mass. Though Discover Central Mass has its own board of directors and accountability structure, the agency is housed by the Chamber of Commerce and the staff are
most who spoke lauded it. However, for some, the relationship with the Chamber of Commerce is what Candy Mero-Carlson called “the elephant in the room.” For the past several years, the Chamber of Commerce has strongly criticized the council’s direction on the city’s split tax rate – every year one of the highestprofile votes the City Council
voted to either widen or maintain the split rate in favor of residential property owners. The Chamber of Commerce, in press releases and in front of the council, has panned the council’s stance as anti-business. Councilor King, in pressing for an audit, said that Discover Central Mass markets the city as one that is easy to do business
Carlson were among those who took issue with the way an annual $500,000 city payment to the agency passes through the Chamber of Commerce. King requested an independent audit of the way the money is spent, Russell asked
technically its employees. Discover Central Mass is a marketing and tourism agency that focuses on bringing outside visitors and outside businesses to the area. Very few councilors criticized the performance of the agency, and
takes. The Chamber of Commerce would like to see the city move toward a single tax rate for business and residential property, as they feel the split hurts businesses. The council has been reticent to do so. In tight votes, the council has
with, yet the Chamber of Commerce sends a different message come time to talk about the split tax rate. “This is a business arrangement,” said King. “I’m not sure on what business we would have
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BILL SHANER
an employer of record going on record in representing the city as being unfriendly to business while we are paying them and sending money through them to a group that is trying to market the city as a city that is easy to do business with.” However, not everyone in the room shared the opinion. City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. suggested that the Chamber’s political advocacy and the work of Discover Massachusetts should be seen separately. Despite its association with the Chamber, Augustus said the return on investment in Discover Central Mass has proven to be a good one. District 5 Councilor Matt Wally similarly argued that questioning a business relationship because of the political activity of an associated advocacy agency sets a dangerous precedent. “I’m disappointed this budget hearing is being politicized,” he said. Views on whether the Discover Central Mass budget deserves scrutiny seemed largely to mirror the stances councilors took on the city’s split tax rate. Last December, the council voted to widen the tax rate gap in a 6-5 vote. The winning block was composed of King, Mero-Carlson, Moe Bergman, Konnie Lukes and George Russell. Mayor Petty, councilor Kate Toomey and Wally voted for the line suggested by the Chamber of Commerce, while councilors Sean Rose and Sarai Rivera opted for a compromise rate between the two. King and others said the Chamber targeted individual members
news of the council, taking attack ads out and “presenting this body overall as unfriendly to business.” “I think we need to be cognizant of that,” King said. Similarly, Russell expressed frustration that the relationship between the Chamber of Commerce and Discover Central Mass was never made completely clear. He didn’t know, for instance, that the city gives about $41,000 to the Chamber of Commerce every month for Discover Central Mass. The line item, overall, is about $500,000 a year, and Russell said
he was unaware that money was going to the Chamber of Commerce then disbursed to Discover Central Mass. For her part, Lukes said the chamber’s advocacy has been disappointing. “I am upset the negative impact of the Chamber is hurting the good work of Discover Central Mass,” she said. From her perspective, the agency has been much better at marketing the city than the one before it, which used gimmicks, contests and other “amateurish”
devices, like inventing the term Paris of the 80s. “We may not be the Paris of the 80s, but I think we’re coming around to being the Worcester of the 21st Century,” she said. Bill Shaner can be reached at 508-767-9535 ore at wshaner@ gatehousemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bill_Shaner.
Saturday, June 22, 9:30am-5:30pm
BIGGER DIPPER ICE CREAM FESTIVAL & ABILITYFEST WALK
Join us for the Bigger Dipper, an inclusive event for people of all abilities featuring a one-mile walk, all-you-can-eat ice cream, entertainment, and more!
Worcester’s Elm Park Proceeds will benefit Children’s Friend services for children and families in Worcester, and Community Connections for people with disabilities supported by Seven Hills.
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9:30 am Walk Registration 10:30 am Walk Begins 11:00 am Ice Cream Festival
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worcesteria
ALL ABOARD THE IMPEACHMENT TRAIN: Jim McGovern, our
local U.S. congressman, has joined the increasingly loud call to open an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. In a recent interview with WGBH, McGovern said he feels the House Judiciary Committee has to open a formal impeachment inquiry into whether or not to pursue it. So like a step toward another step toward maybe doing it. “We have to do what’s right,” he said, regardless of what the polls say. The inquiry is, of course, tied to Special Council Robert Mueller’s basic assessment that while he couldn’t prove anything, he also couldn’t disprove anything, and a lot of sketchy stuff happened regardless. McGovern is one of about 60 on the House side to throw in for impeachment. That’s a lot, but nowhere near a majority. Most still think it’s a bad idea. As a lowly peon worried about the prospect of increasingly violent civil unrest as we hurtle toward nightmare times (listen to the podcast It Could Happen Here), I think I’m still with the ones who think it’s a bad idea, if for no other reason than I would like to see a peaceful transition of power at some point.
WELL, ANYWAY: Back to Worcester, where the news is more fun. Another salvo in the brewing feud between the incoming WooSox and the entrenched Bravehearts. Again pulling from WGBH (it’s great to see all the attention they’ve been paying to Worcester lately), Bravehearts General Manager David Peterson said he’s ready for the competition. He also gave this amazing quote: “This is a city where you have to earn it. You can’t just waltz in here thinking people are just going to open up their checkbooks and start buying from your business and promoting you to their friends. This is blue collar city. If you’re not one of them, they don’t want to talk to you.” Ah, another riposte in this Song of Bat & Ball. Just remember – when you play the game of small market baseball, you win or you die.
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IF THE SHOE DOESN’T FIT: The Walker Shoe Factory in the
Canal District will be rehabilitated and turned into – you guessed it – more market-rate housing for young, single people in an effort to lure a well-off “creative class” to the urban core. The $5 to $7 million development will create about 60 studio or one-bedroom apartments, as well as a fitness room and a dog park. The units will be small, and I mean noteworthy small – 293 to 532 square feet, per a Telegram story. If these rent for more than $1,000 a month, I’ll be outside the developer’s office ringing a big iron bell and chanting “shame, shame, shame.” While it’s great that these old, empty buildings are getting reused, it would be nice to see just one single developer build something suitable for people who already live here.
READ THIS AGAIN IN A YEAR: Just going to leave a note here so
we can all check back on it. Tucked in the agenda for the School Committee meeting tonight is a request from parents at the Flagg Street School (deep in the west side, importantly) to pave a walking path often used by kids because, they say, the current dirt path gets muddy when it rains, and it’s hard to traverse in the snow. Seems like a pretty innocuous request but in a district with $70 million in backlogged building maintenance, perhaps a muddy path is low priority. So, in a year’s time, let’s just check back and see whether Flagg got its paved path and if – for instance – the Roosevelt School (east side) still does not have full access via sidewalk, as Councilor George Russell pointed out during a recent school budget hearing.
Bill Shaner, reporter Twitter: @Bill_Shaner
news
the beat
Complaints against the Worcester Police Department are down 38 percent this year, making it the lowest level in the past seven years. In
2018, 44 complaints were filed, as opposed to 71 in 2017. Of the 44 complaints, six were generated internally and 38 were filed by residents.
The third annual 5k run to benefit the Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation takes place June 15 at
Mount Wachusett. Marcotte was murdered while out on a run in Princeton in August, 2016. The foundation has since raised $300,000 and organizers said they hope the run this year has the largest turnout of the three years they’ve held the event.
Assumption College has named its new business school for David Grenon, an honorary alumnus who graduated from the Assumption
Prep School in 1957. Grenon’s family made a donation more than $1 million, though the school did not disclose the exact amount. The donation is the second largest in the college’s history.
The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has aquired a Main Street building for $7 million. The building at 379 Main Street is known as The Lofts, and includes 55 single residential units. MCPHS University President Charles Monahan said in a statement the purchase builds on the school’s commitment to enliven the downtown.
The Worcester Common Oval Out to Lunch Festival and Farmers Market series returns on June 20. For 10 weeks, the common oval
June 8, the mobile market heads to Shrewsbury for a stop at the Rte. 9 Wholefoods from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Throughout the summer, the REC will circulate two vans around 16 different locations on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for all local produce needs. The mobile market vans can be found at Seabury Heights (240-244 Belmont St.), Centro, Inc. (11 Sycamore St.) and the Worcester Senior Center (128 Providence St.) among other locations. The full schedule is posted on the REC Mobile Farmers Market Facebook page.
The Greater Worcester Community Foundation awarded $683,000 in scholarships this year to local residents. The awards ranged from
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$300 to $5,000, spread among 399 students. The students are either beginning or continuing college educations. Since the program started in 1978, the GWCF has awarded $11.8 million in scholarships to more than 8,000 students and scholarship funds.
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The Regional Environmental Council of Central Mass. kicks off its mobile farmers market season this weekend. On Saturday,
J U N E 6 - 12, 2019
will come to life with musical acts, a wide range of food and vendors. The series debuted 10 years ago in 2009. The festival will take place on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Scheduled performers include King Warble, Dale LePage, The Alchemystics (pictured) and Crocodile River Music.
opinion Heads will roll and so will the presses JANICE HARVEY
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’m still here. Gums were flapping in Wooville last week when the hammer fell on Worcester Magazine’s staff. I don’t have all the answers — or any, really — as to why the powers that be decided to lay off most of the paper’s employees. The corporate world mystifies and terrifies me, quite frankly. Freelancers like myself, known in the masthead as “contributing writers,” will now carry the workload that its reporters once shouldered. Worcesteria’s Bill Shaner will bring new meaning to the old saw “busier than a one-armed paper hanger” as WoMag’s lone editorial staffer. I wish him something more than luck; I’ll have to dig out my ratty thesaurus and get back to you with a better word. I’ve been “contributing” to this paper since 1993, first with essays and odd assignments tossed my way. In 1995 I inherited the columnist’s space from former editor Paul Della Valle when that selfproclaimed ink-stained wretch left to start his own paper. I came on board in the early days of Allen Fletcher’s acquisition of WoMag, after he snagged Walter Crockett and Della Valle from the pages of the Telegram & Gazette. Co-editors Crockett and Della Valle knew their stuff, and they wisely coaxed fledgling writers to submit work for consideration.
100 Front St., Fifth Floor Worcester, MA 01608 worcestermag.com Editorial 508.793.9375 WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com Sales 508.767.9530 WMSales@gatehousemedia.com President Paul M. Provost VP Multi-Media Sales Michelle Marquis Ad Director Kathleen Real-Benoit Sales Managers David Singer, Jeremy Wardwell
They created a page called “First Person” giving local scribes and poets a place to see their work published. I was Worcester Magazine’s first “First Person.” I’ve since watched many an editor come and go; Crockett departed, as did Mike Warshaw, Larry Pintak, Marc Onigman, Doreen Manning, Noah Bombard and more. (I can’t keep track of employee revolving doors, between WoMag and 29 years with the Worcester Public Schools.) I’ve worked with editors I wanted to strangle, and editors I admired greatly. Crockett and Warshaw never let me get away with anything, which placed them squarely in both categories. It’s a bad time for print. The Internet has created a generation of readers who glance at incendiary headlines no reputable editor would ever allow, and deprives them of the anticipation and comfort of hearing a Sunday edition land with a thud on the front porch. I know it sounds passe, but like meatloaf on a rainy night, certain small comforts sustain us. With an administration that views the press as the enemy of the people, it’s more important than ever that struggling independent papers like this one continue to provide readers with well-written, well-researched and honest reporting. Bill Shaner has put out a call to local writers interested in covering the city as freelancers. He just may find some wonderful writers
out there. To freelancers looking to be read, I advise you, as I would any writer: don’t quit your day job. Writing is one of the greatest joys of my life, but the lousy money has never been a factor, unless I consider that gas isn’t free, and neither is coffee. Worcester Magazine is currently a cover-to-cover version of Crockett and Della Valle’s “First Person,” and I strongly
encourage freelancers to answer Shaner’s call. The city needs more than one newspaper, even if it is owned by the same conglomerate. With all the exciting changes happening in the heart of the Commonwealth, from the rebirth of downtown to the emergence of the Canal district as a destination, covering those changes is what Worcester Magazine is all about.
The long and storied history of the little independent that could shouldn’t end here.
Executive Editor David Nordman Reporter Bill Shaner
Jody Ryan, Henry Rosenthal, Regina Stillings, Randy Weissman
Contributing Writers Stephanie Campbell, Sarah Connell, Janice Harvey, Jim Keogh, Jim Perry, Kristina Reardon
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opinion
your turn
Become Part of Worcester’s Transportation Planning Process JOE BELLIL
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he transportation scene in Worcester is a dynamic one. There’s construction going on everywhere and new businesses sprouting up all over the place. Trains, planes, buses, taxis, private cars, bikes, scooters, wheelchairs, etc. are all moving people in and around our city. Transportation is the lifeblood of a city. We need to be involved in our transportation landscape and one of the best ways to do that is by being a part of the transportation planning process. Here are some of the recent activities in the world of transit to considered as we plan the city’s transportation future. The Worcester Regional Research Bureau just came out with a report which recommends that Worcester consider having a fare-free public transportation system. The report states that the
data collected on several different factors including ridership, costs, service area and more shows that a fare-free transportation system should be considered. As we ponder increasing traffic congestion and environmental effects on our community, this becomes more of a possibility. In the news, we hear about Uber and Lyft stock offerings. On-demand trips in the city are now close to 1 million, even though none of those trips were wheelchair accessible, which is another issue in itself. Uber, Lyft, taxis, trolleys and other forms are transportation options are around us and growing every minute. This has created more vehicles on the road and a concern for more traffic congestion down the road. More people want to have friendlier and safer bike lanes in the city. A city where we honor Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor for
his triumphs as a world-famous bicyclist should think about the role of bicycles in our transportation ecosystem. And as we are thinking about bikes, we should also consider the potential impact of electric scooters that have caused chaos in other urban areas. These two-wheel vehicles have been seen as hazards to cars and pedestrians. Ask a taxi driver down in DC what they think of scooters. The Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) has recently suggested changes in some of its routes. The changes are the result of rider input and efforts to make the fixed routes more efficient. The WRTA has said it is considering giving bus drivers control over some of the traffic signals as a way to reduce bus travel times. They are also talking with the Council on Aging to see if their transit system could work with the WRTA’s scheme and provide more
transportation options for riders in the surrounding towns. Our state legislature formed a transportation Task Force on Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Performance and Funding to study ways to improve the RTAs across the state. The report recommended that pushed the state provide $90.5 million in FY2020 have adequate funding adjusted annually for inflation for the Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), $90.5 million, and for the RTAs to work on creating efficiencies within their service areas. Expanding services, on demand trips and connecting to other service areas were also included. Shout out to our local legislators and especially Senator Chandler for sponsoring an amendment to ensure proper use of these funds. So, how do you become part of this process? You start by learning as much as you can on the issue
and by participating in community forums, public hearings, meetings with legislators and councilors, advisory boards, advocacy groups and other entities that are connected to transportation. Find your passion about an issue, then start advocating that it become part of the plan. This will take time, effort, patience and flexibility, but you can have input in the process. People want to make things better. They want to see change. Everyone says voting in elections is the way to make change happen. I think voting is one of the top ways to do this, but I feel that being part of the actual planning process can make that change a reality.
artists culture
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Let us feature your artwork in Worcester Magazine’s Artist spotlight! Contact Bill Shaner at wshaner@gatehousemedia.com for more information!
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Tech Pizza and WooBerry Frozen Yogurt sit on the corner of West and Highland Streets, sandwiched between Becker College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. ANISSA GARDIZY
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Some city businesses suffer when college students leave for the summer
ANISSA GARDIZY AND CHRISTOPHER VAN BUSKIRK
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oomer’s Subs & Deli on Highland Street delivers food to students at neighboring colleges as many as 30 times a day during the academic year. Manager Eduard Postol said business doubles and he hires additional workers, employing 20 or 21 during the school year and only about 15 people following the exodus of college students in the late spring. The summer, Postol said, hurts business. “It’s kind of quiet,” he said. “You can tell the difference. Employees are standing, nothing to do. When [college students] are around, the place is full.” Worcester’s population swells during the academic year as about 35,000 students take up residence in the city, which is nearly equivalent to adding the entire population of Shrewsbury. Worcester can call itself a college town given the fact that it’s home to nine colleges and universities spread out over roughly 40 square-miles. Assumption College Professor Thomas White said he doesn’t think the exodus of students affects the city’s economy as a whole.
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Manager Eduard Postol of Boomer’s Subs & Deli. CHRISTINE PETERSON
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management cuts shift lengths in half during the summer to four or five hours from nine hours during peak season. The Bean Counter staff mostly works year-round and the company currently employs one seasonal worker who attends WPI and travels home for the summer. Less than a block away from Bean Counter Bakery, at the corner of West and Highland streets, sits a family-owned pizza shop. Situated between a Brazilian wares store and WooBerry Ice Cream, 27-yearold Tech Pizza is located less than a mile from Becker College and WPI. Owner Paul Bitzas works behind the counter making pizzas while his wife of 41 years Kathy Bitzas runs the register. There isn’t much difference between summers and school years, Kathy said, as on-campus establishments are keeping students from venturing out into the neighborhood. “They make it more convenient on campus,” she said. Becker College, for its part, offers four different dining locations at its Worcester Campus — two dining halls and two convenience stores. The college also offers various meal plans with one granting students 19 meals per week. WPI provides students with seven dining locations, including traditional dining halls and other grab-and-go options. WPI advertises four plans
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“My feeling is that some businesses may feel an effect, but citywide, I don’t think it is noticeable,” he said. “While students have a fair amount of purchasing power collectively, as individuals they are not big spenders in the city area, outside of a few popular destinations.” The businesses who thrive on the approximately 20 percent increase in residents have to survive when students leave for the summer. Boomer’s, sandwiched between Becker College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, is not the only business feeling the potential strain of summer. Down the street, Jill Roy works at Bean Counter Bakery, a popular study lounge for students. The business is also situated between Becker College and WPI, and Roy said the fewer college students in the area affects the coffee shop’s weekend atmosphere. “During the school year, the majority of our customers on the weekends are college students,” she said. “Finals season and graduation — right before they leave — is our busiest time. Once they are gone and moved out, the pace is a lot slower — we will have an hour where it is just dead.” Roy said the store only schedules one employee to close the restaurant on Fridays and Saturdays, instead of the usual two, to combat fewer customers. She also said
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BirchTree Bread Company is located in the Canal District and represents one slice of the businesses that are housed in Crompton Place. ANISSA GARDIZY
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ranging from 200 meals a semester to 19 meals a week. Kathy noticed the shift of students staying on-campus over
the past 10 to 15 years. Paul said he prepares 10 large and 20 small pizzas daily during the fall and spring. When late spring turns into summer, the pizza shop only bakes 10 pizzas. Once five are sold another five are prepared. The area has always been a college neighborhood, Paul said. The residential area also brings in regular customers, which helps business in the summer, however, parking near the shop is an issue. “There are a couple of meter spots on West Street so it’s hard to get a parking spot,” Kathy said. Professor White said the city is less dependent on students than other college towns who thrive from September through May. “Worcester has a large number of college students because there are so many colleges in the city, but some college towns have one large university where the entire economy of the town is driven by the academic year to some extent,” he said. “In Worcester, the colleges are more dispersed, I don’t think there is much seasonal fluctuation because many students still live in Central Massachusetts.” Over in the Canal District, BirchTree Bread Co. noticed a change in customer patterns during the summer — undergraduate students no longer occupy the tables and counters. Manager Mary Quinlivan said while graduate students still frequent the shop, there
is definitely a dip in the summer. “As far as undergraduates, we do usually see a lot less students and we have a big surge in the fall,” she said. The shop has become a haven for students from the College of the Holy Cross and other universities since it opened in November 2014. However, despite losing some business, Quinlivan said the shop doesn’t need to engage in new promotional campaigns as they compensate with catering orders from events like bridal and baby showers. With the weekends regularly busy, the large orders help counteract the loss of students, she said. Employment at the popular bread and coffee outfit doesn’t change much over the summer as a few of the students working at BirchTree live in the city. Employment rests around 40 people year-round, including a handful of college students. Some of the student-workers attend Quinsigamond Community College while the majority are enrolled at Clark University, Quinlivan said. Employment in Worcester’s private and public sectors dropped 680 jobs from April to August 2017. The next month the city added 1,585 jobs, according to data made available by the Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. Data for 2018 or 2019 was not available.
feature Clark University economics professor John Brown attributed the annual dip in employment to workers in the education sector not working the entire summer. He also said the number of healthcare industry jobs doubles the amount in the education sector annually.
when it opened,” she said. “Some stick to the bubble on campus because it is easy and there is so much going on.” Holy Cross offers nine dining options that range from a newly renovated dining hall to a campus center coffee shop. Students also
Wael Aldayoub reads an order while working at Pizza Palace, a restaurant that sees a 30 percent increase in customers during the academic year, he said. ANISSA GARDIZY
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“Worcester has a pretty substantial labor force, so the impact is probably relatively small,” he said. “Health is by far the largest employer with 33,000 employees in 2017, and education was 16,000, including public schools.” Ted Landsmark, director of the Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University, said some college campuses are offering more on-campus housing, entertainment, and tightly managing food services to both increase revenue from students and guarantee their safety. “Students are very strong profit centers and to the extent that campuses can keep those students on campus, the colleges benefit from the revenue flow,” he said. Worcester resident Rebecca Blackwell graduated from Holy Cross in 2016 and now works as the executive assistant in the college’s Office of Public Affairs. She said it was more likely for local students to venture from the gated campus that overlooks the city than out-of-state students. “Students did explore the Crompton area by Kelley Square — people went there for thrift shopping and the BirchTree Bread Co.
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feature have the option of using “Crusader Cash” to buy groceries — such as produce, grains and meats — through the Apartment Plan dining option. While recently walking out of BirchTree, Holy Cross senior Ally Sullivan said her school’s history of being secluded from the city is changing. “In the past, the school has been pretty isolated — I think that has to do with transportation since we are on the outskirts of Worcester,” she said. “But the school has been putting in a big effort, and they have shuttles that go into Worcester which helps underclassmen who don’t have cars.” Blackwell said most students who leave campus take Ubers as opposed to driving or walking. A 2017 survey by the Worcester Student Government Association found that 69 percent of students stay on their school’s campus most of the time. “I think students tend to stick with what is comfortable, and if you are not from Worcester then you don’t know the area,” Blackwell said. “I don’t think it would affect businesses too much, maybe just coffee shops and places like that.” For students who choose to venture off campus, some travel to Santana Company Barbershop, a cozy Main Street shop near Clark University that is just big enough to fit customers and the four barbers who work there. Owner Will Santana said he and his employees feel the impact of fewer students in the city during the summer. “We serve a large population of college students — Clark, Worcester State, Holy Cross — I would say about 60 percent [of our clientele],” Santana said. To combat the slow summer, Santana takes several approaches, such as supporting his employees and practicing more community outreach. “We take time off to enjoy our families and I try to subsidize what [my employees] pay me to say ‘thank you for sticking around,’” Santana said. “We try to work in the community and reach out to the neighborhood to let people know that we are here — we mostly reach out on social media, but we also offer complimentary haircuts or go out with our business cards.” Santana, for his part, gives store keys to each of his four employees
so that they can start their days early or end their days late. “It is what it is,” Santana said. “Every single year this happens.” Next door to Santana’s barber shop, David Fullerton walked into his coffee shop, Acoustic Java, to a few afternoon customers. The shop, he said, relies mostly on the college season for business. The café loses approximately half of its sales and 17 employees during the summertime. “By and large, a significant portion of business relies, if not on the students, then the college season,” he said. Landsmark said local restaurants take a more severe hit than landlords or those in other parts of the retail industry. “Restaurants, which are used to having significant student presence on Thursday through Saturday nights, suffer much more significantly because local population does not increase,” he said. Not every business in Worcester expects a summer slump. Co-owner of WooBerry Ice Cream Brendan Melican said when students from the nine area colleges return home for summer break, his shop — located between Becker College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute — does not lose business. “We don’t — the students do a great job filling up the place in the winter, but locals start coming out in decent weather when [the students] leave,” he said. “In terms of business there is not much change, we are actually busier in the summer.” Wael Aldayoub works only a half-mile from Holy Cross at Pizza Palace, a shop that attracts mostly college students during the academic year. Aldayoub said he takes to advertising — through mail and Facebook — to attract locals to the shop. “It’s about a 30 percent increase, so that’s 20 to 30 percent gone [in the summer]. The rush is just not the same rush,” he said. “You have to advertise more. Students are there, [but] locals are more important, they are your long-term people. I love students, but they are not here long.”
culture
T
Spells, Sass and Drag A Harry Potter-Themed Drag Brunch
GARI DE RAMOS
his past Sunday, I was transported to the wizarding world of Harry Potter. I did not, however, rewatch the movies or take a trip to the theme park in Florida. Instead, I simply got brunch at Worcester’s very own Bull Mansion. “Harry Potter and the Order and the Order of the Hash Browns: A Magical Drag Brunch” is exactly
the trip one would expect from an event with that kind name. Although Sunday drag brunches are a staple in the drag community, this one was a part of Bull Mansion’s Harry Potter themed weekend. The drag queens of Worcester like to put on themed shows to allow people “to see drag in a new way,” said Violet Ultra, who performed as Ron and Ginny Weasley throughout the brunch. “It lets the queens try out new things and [new audience members to] see their
favorites and cult classics in a new light,” she said. With a lightning bolt sharpied onto my hand to mark my less-thanlegal drinking status, I stepped into a dimly lit room modeled after Hogwarts’s Great Hall. Four long tables, each covered in red, blue, green or yellow to reflect the wizarding school’s four houses, take up most of the space. Adding to the magic, the room was lit by candles hanging from chandeliers from string so thin
the candles looked like they were levitating. Unlike in Hogwarts, food did not magically appear in front of us. Instead, we went into a different room filled with bacon, chicken parm and eggs. Much to my dismay and counter to the event’s name, there was a startling lack of hashbrowns. As the fans of drag, brunch, drag brunch and Harry Potter enjoyed their food, the drag queens and Bull Mansion’s staffers made the finishing touches to the stage.
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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
TEREZA LOPEZ
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Poise’N Envy performs as Dobby the House Elf to Dolly Parton’s song “9 to 5” during the “Harry Potter and the Order of the Hash Browns: A Magical Drag Brunch” at Bull Mansion on June 2.
All of the drag queens performed as Harry Potter characters. Kandi Dishe, who hosted and helped organize the event, was the wizarding boy wonder himself. Harley Queen performed as Hermione Granger, Violet Ultra as Ron and Ginny Weaseley, Poise’N Envy as Dobby the House Elf and Ally P. Sha as Voldemort. What the brunch lacked in hash browns, it made up for in entertainment. As the host and pseudo stand-up performer Kandi kept the audience busy sorting us into our appropriate houses, forcing friendships and encouraging tips with the perfect amount of friendly sass. In terms of performances, Kandi, Harley, and Ultra opened the show with a routine to “Bang Bang” by Jesse J which included some dangerous and impressive bar stool strutting in heels. Poise’N Envy leaned into her character as a house elf by opening her routine to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” by clearing everyone’s plates away. Ally P. Sha, whose Voldemort makeup was so good I genuinely could not tell if she had a nose or not, blew everyone away with her getup and stellar performance. Other notable performances were Violet’s performance (as Ron) to Beauty and the Beast’s “Gaston” (only the name Gaston was replaced with Harry) and Harley Queen’s nostalgic performance of the Wizards of Waverly Place theme song and Beyoncé’s Formation. In true drag fashion, the queens were not shy about their sensuality. Performers got all up in the audience’s faces, having tips tucked into places that don’t normally see the light of day. Ally P. Sha’s performance to Paula Abdul and Britney Spears included sultry snake-fondling. Kandi and Violet (as Ginny) serenaded each other with High School Musical’s “Breaking Free,” but performed with broomsticks tucked between their legs they later made, to put it lightly, touch.
culture
Charlie’s Road Race Gets Honored JIM PERRY
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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
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ark Epstein is excited. He sounds like the type of person who is perpetually excited anyway, but at this point in his life, he has plenty of reason to ramp it up even more. “It’s phenomenal! Yeah, phenomenal!” Mark’s late father, Charlie Epstein, was honored Sunday at Elm Park, where a memorial in his honor was unveiled. The reason for the
honor: Epstein was the creator of the famous Charlie’s Surplus Road Race, which was an annual event in Worcester from its inception in 1976 until the last run in 1998. The memorial was unveiled after a memorial walk around the park. Following the unveiling, Rick Porter and Sons of the Soil played a roughly 90 minute set. Porter is a longtime friend of Mark Epstein. The memorial is the result of a long stretch of contemplation by the younger Epstein. “Every year, when
we talked about this,” he said, “my mind would race for a few months, you know, maybe I would do this, maybe I would do that.” A concert, a memorial walk – various ideas popped up. When Charlie was still alive, talk of some type of memorial was already initiated. Cooney, a family friend, was a supporter. The entire community was basically on board for some kind of honor. But Charlie insisted that the honor be bestowed after his death. “He really threw me a
curve ball,” says Mark. “He said, ‘whatever you decide to do is fine. It’s an honor.’ So I said, hmm, okay.” The idea of the memorial has been floating around for many years. Not long after Charlie’s passing in November of 1999, the city council had it presented to them for the first time. The vote was unanimous, 9 to 0. “There was never any pushback on this,” Epstein said. “Mr. Antonelli, the Parks Commissioner stood up and said that he wanted it.” Then the only delay was Mark himself. He didn’t feel ready to commit. “For some people, it looks like it came together so easily, but it was twenty years in the planning,” he said. Finally, Mark and his wife discussed it toward the end of 2018, and he said he was ready. Charlie was involved in many sports, but running was always chief among them. Mark makes a connection between his dad’s line of work and his passion for running. “He was a peddler, he took his suitcase, hitchhiked across Central Mass., through the countryside, and would sell whatever he could to the farmers. And he did it for sixty years.” When Mark was a boy, Charlie would take him to the Boston Marathon, and as Mark recalls, they would stay until the final runner crossed the finish line. “He just loved every single moment of it,” he said. In 1976, the idea to create a local race to rival the Boston Marathon was set in motion, with the intent to honor the Bicentennial of the United States. Charlie put his considerable energies into it. First, he had a talk with two track coaches at Doherty, John Wallace and Tom St. Denis. “He called them into the store,” said Epstein. “I happened to be there, and he said, ‘guys, I want to sponsor an event, and I don’t know anything about it.’” He went on to outline his vision for the two men. Next came Bill Rogers. “He just fell into our lap,” said Epstein. “He had recently married a girl from Worcester, and he had just won the Boston Marathon.” His new father-in-law was an Epstein family friend. Rogers was training for the Olympic trials,
which were to take place in May. In February, Charlie contacted Rogers’ father-in-law, who told him he couldn’t make any guarantees. He called back, and set up a rendezvous in Charlie’s store. Rogers was there. “They sat down,” said Mark, “a little conversation lasted about ten minutes.” Mark was there as well. “After a few minutes, Rogers said ‘I’m in’.” This meant that he had to forgo the Olympic training for the time being, so it was a special commitment. From there, it took off. As the years went by, the popularity of the race increased to the point where it was ranked in the top 100 marathons in 1984. “We averaged about 20 to 30 thousand fans throughout the race course,” Epstein said. “They’d all converge in Elm park to see the finish.” The race was set as a loop stretching five miles in one direction, then five miles back. It began at Doherty High School, out onto Chandler Street and past Worcester State, and back down Pleasant Street. The second loop went past Bancroft Tower toward Forest Grove and back down Park Avenue. The race lasted ten years under Charlie’s tutelage, then the Telegram & Gazette took it over, and sponsored it for another ten or so years. The memorial will serve as a permanent reminder of this energetic man who put his heart and soul into the Worcester community. Mark Epstein is elated. “I couldn’t be more proud.”
culture Lifestyle SARAH CONNELL
Bell Does Some Heavy Lifting
One of the most remarkable women I have met in Worcester is Nikki Bell, founder of Living in Freedom Together. LIFT is a survivor-led organization that aims to provide resources, advocacy and support to empower individuals to exit and recover from the impacts of commercial sexual exploitation and to end prostitution. Bell is working to open Jana’s Place in Worcester this summer, a first-ofits-kind recovery home for women focused on holistic, Nikki Bell is the founder of Living in sustainable recov- Freedom Together, a survivor-led orgaery. Saturday, June nization that aims to end prostitution. 8, the First Baptist SARAH CONNELL Church (111 Park Ave.) will host a night of dinner and dancing to raise funds for Jana’s Place. For more information and an extended interview with Bell, tune into this week’s episode the Pop It Podcast.
Welcome to Festival Season
Have you ever tried moussaka? Holy lord; it is divine. Last weekend’s Albanian Festival tapped into my deep affection for meat on a stick. This weekend’s Middle Eastern Festival promises to keep the dream alive Friday - Sunday, June 7-9 at St. George Orthodox Cathedral in Worcester.
DRAG BRUNCH
C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 15
After the show, I had the luxury of going backstage to interview the queens as they all disassembled their get\ups. When asked what inspired their performances, the queens had a variety of answers. As Hermione, Harley Queen wanted something that was “very wizard and witchy” and played off Hermione’s experience being bullied in the first installment of the series. When brainstorming their performance ideas, Violet showed Harley the mashup she would go on to use. Collaboration is definitely common within Worcester’s drag queen community. Violet, for example, “really struggled with coming up with numbers for Ron,” so she sought to collaborate and perform with other queens like Kandi Dishe. “The community is pretty supportive as long as you are a supportive player,” Violet said. “There’s some feuds, but if you provide a positive presence you’ll find sisters in the community.” “We have a no bullshit policy,” Kandi added. “You bullshit us and you’re out.” In Worcester’s drag scene, there exists a core group of drag queens who are regularly booked. These queens are booked for a reason. “It’s
difficult to be comfortable [in my because they do a quality job and femininity] after college,” she said. they put time and effort into these “Walking off of Clark’s campus, I’ve things,” said Violet. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever been attacked a couple of times.” Having graduated, being involved in said to me,” Harley quickly added. Worcester’s drag scene allows her to When asked why they will continue to do these kinds of events and continue to drag, the queens took a minute from disassembling their outfits and to get introspective. Kandi does it because she feels prettier as a woman. Harley does drag as a creative outlet. Poise’N Envy — who studied gender and sexuality at Clark University — does drag to actually use her degree and perform. Performer, host and organizer Drag, however, is Kandi Dishe addresses the audience more than artistic as “Harry Potter.” expression. Still in her TEREZA LOPEZ prosthetic Voldemort continue to explore this femininity face, Ally P. Sha said she does drag in a comfortable yet out-of-the-box “as a way to cope with my body as environment. a trans male. I made it so extreme What was a day of make-believe it wasn’t real anymore.” With the for me and other audience memwig off and male romper on, Violet bers is a fulfilling part of life for added that she does drag to express Worcester’s drag queens. To see their femininity in a safe space. As these queens in action, keep an eye a student at Clark University, Violet out for Bull Mansion’s monthly drag comfortably started experimenting wearing dresses, make up, and heels brunches. on the regular. “I knew it would be
Rekt by Robots
Touch Tomorrow is an immersive hands on event intended to spark your curiosity, on Saturday, June 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at WPI. We’re talking virtual reality, robotic kangaroos, straw rockets, exclusive video games and astronaut headsets. The city has been abuzz all week about Worcester Memorial Auditorium’s prospective future as a 2,000 seat esports venue. Here’s your chance to get a taste of our city’s destiny as the home of technological innovation. Two local brewers made big announcements for expansion to close out the month of May. Wormtown plans to open a satellite taproom at Patriot Place in Foxborough to serve the needs of Patriots fans by the start of the 2019 season. Wachusett also revealed plans for a new taproom set to anchor the Worcester Public Market in early fall.
Wilde Moss
a glamour burn-out. While we’re on the subject of critical darlings starring fiery females, Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut, “Booksmart” warrants an immediate trip to the theater.
Star Spangled Bagel
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After a six month tease, Anthem Bagels has finally opened its doors in Kelley Square. Hours are currently limited to Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. In its first week, bagels were regularly sold out by noon. I have a long history with Bagel Time and a devout appreciation for Crust’s gruyere bagel, but I am willing to brave the most dangerous intersection in the state for Sarah Connell you, dear reader. Stay tuned. contributing writer
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
Cinema Worcester is screening “Her Smell” in the Park View Room starring Elisabeth Moss on Friday, June 7 at 7 p.m. The event comes just two days after the Season 3 premiere of Moss’ Hulu hit, The Handmaid’s Tale. “Her Smell” reveals Moss as a self-destructive rock star in the throes of
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What’s Brewing
culture
New England’s Harvest Grille 1 Princeton St., Holden 774-345-4058 theharvestgrille.com SANDRA RAIN
D
oes every suburban town across the country have a family restaurant known for its steak tips and baked white fish, or is that a distinctly New England phenomenon? The menu is always two pages too long and the threadbare carpet is always a few fibers too short. I can predict the specials without ever setting foot inside: grilled salmon, short rib, surf and turf. There’s something comforting about the predictability but also something tired. Welcome to the town of Holden’s standard interpretation of the style: Harvest Grille. The front door is not the front door, but rather, a seldom-used entrance to Harvest Grille’s bar area. Beyond a sea of glass ornaments, the dining room offers high ceilings and the same number of leafy potted spider plants and monstera fronds as the floral department of a Whole Foods. Slats divvy up the forest green
booths and brighten the dark wood paneling on the walls, as do the flying saucer light fixtures overhead. Acoustic panels hang from the ceiling to invite conversation and a brick fireplace inhabits the back wall for another sort of warmth. The most unique and memorable characteristic of the space is the way it doubles as a gallery for local artist Joan Erickson. Her wispy scenes of New England suggest that establishments like Harvest Grille are familiar staples of our local culture which deserve to be appreciated and not disregarded by the obscure food critic of an alt weekly. Here’s to you, Ms. Erickson. The service at Harvest Grille is endearing. I think they may actually employ the entire JV field hockey team from the local high school. Or maybe it’s the lacrosse team? At any rate, they have hustle and smarts. They recommend the steak tips and the baked haddock. The menu features Mexican, Mediterranean, and Italian cuisine along with a number of New England classics. Entrées come with a side salad. As a rule, everything at Harvest
The chicken piccata and the vegetable risotto are popular menu items at Harvest Grille in Holden. SANDRA RAIN
Grille is slathered. The Caesar comes heavily dressed, but still crispy with a delightful smack of anchovy paste to lend a sense of swagger. The garden salad has surprising pops of fresh mint and arrives on the Luminarc Canterbury salad plates that everyone’s grandma owned and are now used ironically in the hottest Oaxacan-American street food joints San Francisco has to offer. I ordered the vegetable risotto ($15.95) because I’ve been told that gassy cows are going to prevent my grandchildren from ever playing pond hockey unless I start eating less meat. A perfect risotto is rich without being heavy. Harvest Grille’s risotto was both. Still, the rice arrived silky with a creamy asiago coating and folded with leeks, tomatoes and spinach for diverse texture. The chicken piccata ($17.95) came sautéed in lemon and garlic, then dotted with salty capers. Both our pasta and
protein were overcooked. Harvest Grille serves the families of Holden well with a friendly, accessible menu that has probably saved them from many loads of dirty dishes. It is not a destination restaurant, unless you can make the case to travelers that this sort of place is truly a New England treasure. On our last dinner date at Harvest Grille, the bill came to $61.78.
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 1/2 Ambience: HHH Service: HHH Value: HHH
Biopics you can hum to
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JIM KEOGH
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few stray movie thoughts while waiting for summer: Last week in this space, I asked, “Another Godzilla movie? This is what the world is clamoring for?” Apparently so. “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” clawed its way to more than $50 million at the domestic box office this past weekend. The lizard abides. The recently completed FX miniseries “Fosse/Verdon” was an expected pleasure, since the network already had mastered the art of presenting damaged showbusiness partnerships with 2017’s “Feud,” an insider’s look at the venomous Bette Davis-Joan Crawford pairing on the set of “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” Sam Rockwell was terrific as Bob Fosse, a legend as a choreographer-director and a louse of a husband to long-suffering Gwen Verdon, realized beautifully by Michelle Williams. As a big fan of Fosse’s 1979 autobiographical film “All That Jazz” — and an enduring admirer of its star, Roy Scheider — I found particular joy in watching Lin Manuel-Miranda portray Scheider on the “Jazz” set. Loved his prosthetic boxer’s nose, too. The live-action version of “Beauty and the Beast”? Will Smith as the genie in
“Aladdin”? A CGI “Dumbo”? Fuggedaboutit. In Disney’s continued repurposing of its classic animated movies, nothing will come close to “The Lion King,” which opens July 19. “Yesterday” promises to be the ultimate what-if movie. A young musician magically awakens into a world in which no one, except for him, has ever heard of the Beatles and their music. He begins passing off their most famous songs as his own, earning international acclaim. Who hasn’t enjoyed a similar fantasy? Going back in time and knowing who will win the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Best Picture Academy Award, etc. and betting accordingly. Or is it just me? The release of the Elton John biopic “Rocketman,” fresh on the heels of the Freddy Mercury extravaganza “Bohemian Rhapsody,” prompted a recent workplace conversation about the best-ever film biographies of musicians. There are have been some fine ones: “Ray,” “La Bamba,” “Amadeus,” “Lady Sings the Blues,” “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “The Buddy Holly Story” (where have you gone Gary Busey?), “Straight Outta Compton” and “Bird” among them. “Walk the Line” was not only a textured recollection of the life and times of Johnny Cash, but it spawned one of the great parody movies, “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.” It’s a testament to Gary Oldman’s talent that
he has convincingly played both Winston Churchill and punk rock avatar Sid Vicious (“Sid and Nancy”) in the same career. And was Prince acting or simply behaving as himself in “Purple Rain”? One film I hate to see get lost in the discussion is “Love & Mercy,” the story of the Beach Boys’ troubled genius, Brian Wilson, played by Paul Dano in his younger years when his creative obsessions surged, and by John Cusack in the later chapters when mental illness, drugs and an abusive psychotherapist left him hollowed. It’s a surprisingly bold movie that refuses to simply check biographical boxes and goes for something deeper. My son is 23, so I’m well out of the danger zone. But I fear for those parents forced to sit through “Pokémon Detective Pikachu.” If you are among this unfortunate cohort, my condolences – I have been in your shoes. You’ve just have to hang on until your kid ages out of the Pokémon universe and into something not so terrible. Jim Keogh contributing writer
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.
EAST DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY
Meet Ginger. Ginger was abandoned in a carrier in a Worcester park. A note on her carrier said her name is Ginger, 5 years old, spayed and very sweet. The owner was homeless. We wish the owner surrendered her to WARL, but, fortunately, a kind woman found Ginger and brought her here. Ginger is still shell-shocked by her experience. Every day, she feels less nervous. We don’t know if she has ever lived with pets. We think she will be okay with older, respectful kids but not young children. Ginger is a sweet cat who loves Temptations and someone petting her gently while telling her she’s a pretty cat.
calendar
Friday, June 7 - Sunday, June 9 Middle Eastern Festival
Saint George Cathedral, 30 Anna St., Worcester Fri. 4 - 10 p.m., Sat. 12 - 10 p.m., Sun. 12 - 10 p.m. This three day festival features food, dance, kid activities, live entertainment and vendors. Open to any and all wanting to explore Middle Eastern Culture!
Thursday, June 13 Sing & Play at Worcester Public Library
Hosted by Worcester Central Kids Calendar, this event is open to two and three year olds and their parents/guardians. Make music, dance, sing and play with other kids! No registration required. 10 a.m.
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
Opening celebration 2-6 p.m. Elm Park, Worcester Exhibiting Artists: Anne Alexander, Julia Buntaine Hoel, Tracey Cockrell & M. C. Boyes, Jose Criollo Guncay, Jim DiSilvestro, Chloe DuBois, Anne Eder, Kathryn Egnaczak, Joe Fix, Vicente Garcia, Susan Geissler, Harold Grinspoon, Emma Hendry, James Kitchen, Stephen Klema, Rob Lorenson, Matthias Neumann, Mike Quinlivan, Marco Rodrigues, Jennifer Rubin Carey, Antoinette Prien Schultze, Brendan Stecchini, and Michael Yefko, plus 5 pieces from Worcester Public Schools art instructors and their students. On display through Sunday, Sept. 8.
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Saturday, June 8 “Interludes” Art in the Park, 2019 Biennial
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games “Pairin’ Up” — they both come together. by Matt Jones
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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
J U N E 6 - 12, 2019
J O N E S I N’ Across 1 Photo session 6 Flame followers 11 Current measure 14 Barbera’s animation partner 15 “So long” 16 “Come Get It ___” (2014 Pharrell Williams single) 17 Snacks in sleeves 18 Fred who directed “High Noon” and “From Here to Eternity” 20 Baseball arbiter 21 Really cold temperature range 23 Quickly 24 False cover? 26 John of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” 28 “Walking on Broken Glass” singer 32 Singer Lana ___ Rey 33 Involuntary movements 34 “___ kidding, right?” 35 Transportation link between Folkestone, Kent and Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais 41 “___ of many colors” 42 Words of confession 44 Prominent NASCAR sponsor 47 Role revived in “Fuller House” 50 Second-smallest Teletubby 52 Apprehensive 53 Geneva girlfriend 54 Polecat 57 Sch. week start 58 Super Bowl X MVP 61 Ranking higher than 63 Raw metal source 64 Pestered 65 Lyft transactions, e.g. 66 Magazine with “Spy vs. Spy” 67 Bisected 68 Alleges as fact Down 1 Scold loudly 2 Consonant, musically 3 ___ Man (anime series about an extremely powerful hero) 4 “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” cowriter
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6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 19 22 25 26 27 29 30 31 36 37 38 39 40 43 44
___-Freez (soft-serve chain mentioned in “Jack and Diane”) Activity on a placemat Slayer of Ymir, in myth Baking pans One with a nest egg? Take legal action Put down Be in charge of Long-distance letter writer Theresa who announced she’ll resign in June 2019 Wriggly animal Galileo Galilei Airport locale Ancient Irish king Brian ___ (anagram of O, RUB) Yoked team “___ Springfield” (Kent Brockman show) Baseball Hall-of-Famer Ryan Wacky Zip “March Madness” hoops org. Billiard ball with a yellow stripe Designer in “The Incredibles” Is on top of Chardonnay feature Skiing event with gates
45 Singer/actress Gray who was on Season 1 of “American Idol” 46 Like a wincer’s expression 48 Large wine cask 49 World capital that lent its name to a type of goat or rabbit 51 “Dancing With the Stars” judge Goodman 54 It’s often iodized 55 Had more than a feeling 56 Edit menu option 59 ___ Lanka 60 Score an upset, say 62 1990s R&B group Bell ___ DeVoe
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!
Last week's solution
Call 978-728-4302 or email cmaclassifieds@ gatehousemedia.com today to place your ad here! ©2019 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #939
classifieds
uff Where do I find such cool st and helpful services?
HELP WANTED
My secret is CLASSIFIEDS!
Tyco Fire Products, LP, a Johnson Controls company, is seeking Embedded Software Engineers II for its Westminster, Massachusetts location to design embedded electrical components & software apps for fire alarm (life safety) systems, including TCP/IP networking, routing & Linux in a distributed monitoring & control environment, audio communication systems, and notification; plan, track, & lead suppression system projects; design, implement, & test new embedded software app tech and tools for fire safety products. To apply, mail resume to: JS/JCI, 5757 N. Green Bay Ave., X34A, Milwaukee, WI 53209. Must reference job code: ESE-WMA. EEO.
Senior Accountant (Worcester, MA) sought by UMass Memorial Medical Center, Inc. to provide financial data analysis, schedule preparation and financial statement preparation; collect, verify, process and analyze financial data, and prepare and issue financial statements and perform necessary reconciliation. Must have Bachelor’s in Accounting or Finance. Apply to Leigh M. Corl, HR Business Partner, UMass Memorial HR, HB-791, 55 Lake Ave. North, Worcester, MA 01655. No phone calls. SW Engineer (Mellanox Technologies, Inc., Westborough, MA). Work as part of multicore processor product s/ware dvlpmt team; dvlp products containing highly scalable ARM-based multicore processors. Reqs.: Master’s deg or foreign equiv in Electrical Engg, Computer Engg, or S/ware Engg plus 3 yrs exp. Exp to incl dvlpg code for fatal error handling/diagnosis. Mail resumes to HR. Dept., 350 Oakmead Parkway, Ste 100, Sunnyvale, CA 94085.
l Call 978-728-4302 or emai om edia.c cmaclassifieds@gatehousem LEGAL Sudoku Answers
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Release Date 5/29/19
Project Title 46G Richards St. Fire Repair Pre-Bid Conference @ 46G Richards Street, Worcester, MA 01605 Gen. Bid Opening @ Modernization Dep. 81 Tacoma St. Worcester, MA 01605
Bid Surety
5%
Important dates & time 10:00 AM 2:00 PM
6/5/19 6/19/19
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General Bidders must be certified by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) in the GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION category of work. Bids are subject to M.G.L. c149 §44A-J and Davis Bacon wage rates as well as other applicable laws. Bid Forms and Contract Documents will be made available on the Worcester Housing Authority website (http://www.worcesterha.org/currentbids.html) Questions regarding this project shall be submitted in writing 72 hours prior to opening and emailed to ModBids@worcesterha.org. Reference the WHA Job Number: 2019-02 only in the subject line. WHA reserves the right to reject any or all responses, in whole or in part, deemed to be in their best interest. Award of all contracts is subject to the approval of the WHA Executive Director or Board of Commissioners. The Operating Agency shall indemnify and hold harmless the WHA and its officers or agents from any and all third party claims arising from activities under these agreements as set forth in MCL c.258, section 2 as amendment. Worcester Housing Authority, Joseph P. Carlson, Chairperson
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QUAKER MARKET DAY Saturday, June 15 9-3 pm Multiple Vendors Books by the Bag 901 Pleasant St-Rt 122 Tatnuck Selling space: 508-754-3887
Jackson Restrepo, Chief Procurement Officer
Invitation For Bids The Worcester Housing Authority invites sealed bids for 46G RICHARDS STREET, FIRE REPAIR MA12-17 SOUTHWEST GARDENS, 46G Richards Street, Worcester, MA 01605- 2655; WHA Job No. 2019-02 in accordance with the documents prepared by the Architect, DIXON SALO ARCHITECTS, INC. The work is estimated to cost $188,430. Project consists of but is not limited to: Removal and replacement of damaged roof trusses, plywood roof sheathing, and asphalt roof shingles, new gypsum board ceilings in areas where ceilings have been removed, removal and replacement of existing vinyl tile flooring (abatement required), removal and replacement of vinyl cove base, replacement of certain doors, removal and replacement of existing kitchen cabinets, countertop, and appliances, painting, plumbing, ventilation, electrical work, and fire alarm work, all as indicated on the Contract Documents. WHA Job No. 2019-02
WORCESTER: Yard/Estate Sale 22 Clive St. Sat. & Sun. 6/8 & 6/9 10am-4pm rain or shine. Clothing, furniture, household items & more must be sold, so come down and take home something nice at a great price!
WORCESTER HOUSING AUTHORITY ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS SEALED BIDS shall be received at the Purchasing Office, 69 Tacoma Street, Worcester, MA 01605. Solicitation package may be picked up at the location above or may be downloaded from our website: www.worcesterha.org/purchasing, or call (508) 635-3202/3203, TTY/TDD (508) 798-4530. Bidders are responsible for ensuring they have received any/all addenda prior to submitting a bid. Separate awards will be made for each solicitation. WHA reserves the right to reject any or all responses, in whole or in part, deemed to be in their best interest. Award of all contracts is subject to the approval of the WHA Executive Director or Board of Commissioners. The Operating Agency shall indemnify and hold harmless the WHA and its officers or agents from any and all third party claims arising from activities under these Agreements as set forth in MGL c.258, section 2 as amended. Project Title Bid Opening Bid No. Release Date 19-18 6/6/2019 Designer Services 2:00 PM June 27, 2019
Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Worcester Probate and Family Court 225 Main St. Worcester, MA 01608 508-831-2200 CITATION ON PETITION FOR FORMAL ADJUDICATION Docket No. WO19P1700EA Estate of: Betty-Lou Gottlieb Date of Death: 04/25/2019 To all interested persons: A Petition for Formal Probate of Will with Appointment of Personal Representative has been filed by: Lisa H. Gottlieb of New York, NY and Geoffrey J. Gottlieb of Great Barrington, MA requesting that the Court enter a formal Decree and Order and for such other relief as requested in the Petition. The Petitioner requests that: Lisa H. Gottlieb of New York, NY and Geoffrey J. Gottlieb of Great Barrington, MA be appointed as Personal Representative(s) of said estate to serve Without Surety on the bond in an unsupervised administration. IMPORTANT NOTICE You have the right to obtain a copy of the Petition from the Petitioner or at the Court. You have a right to object to this proceeding. To do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and objection at this Court before: 10:00 a.m. on the return day of 06/18/2019. This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written appearance and objection if you object to this proceeding. If you fail to file a timely written appearance and objection followed by an affidavit of objections within thirty (30) days of the return day, action may be taken without further notice to you. UNSUPERVISED ADMINISTRATION UNDER MASSACHUSETTS UNIFORM PROBATE CODE (MUPC) A Personal Representative appointed under the MUPC in an unsupervised administration is not required to file an inventory or annual accounts with the Court. Persons interested in the estate are entitled to notice regarding the administration directly from the Personal Representative and may petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration. WITNESS, Hon. Leilah A Keamy, First Justice of this Court. Date: May 21, 2019 Stephanie K. Fattman, Register of Probate 06/06/19 WM
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last call Nicole DiCello Bedlam Book Cafe Owner N
icole DiCello is the owner of Bedlam Book Cafe, in the Crompton Collective building in Worcester. Bedlam has quickly become an intellectual asset for the city’s literary community. DiCello offers a rotating menu of fresh organic juices and smoothies with the intention of nourishing the body as well as the mind. How did you end up in Worcester? I’ve only lived here in Worcester for five years, but I’ve lived in the Central Mass. area for almost 20 years. Moving here was definitely like opening up Pandora’s box and discovering the creative community and the art scene.
Did you visit a lot of other bookstores to prepare for your opening? No. I mean, over the course of my whole life I have spent a lot of time in bookstores. I’ve always been immersed in this kind of culture; this was not something new. We have friends who own used bookstores and I have always gone to used bookstores. They were hugely formative in my late teens, early twenties.
that you can grab and go and if you bring the mason jar back, you get a dollar off the next time. It encourages reusing and recycling. I saw there’s another bookstore opening in Worcester. How do you feel about another bookstore opening up in such close proximity? Root and Press sells new books, but even if they sold used books, I’d be happy for all of it. I mean, North Hampton has like eight used book stores. It helps create a scene. The more the merrier. I’ve been hearing little inklings of people trying to get bookstores going around here and every time I do, I’m like, ‘Please do it!’ – Sarah Connell
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I want to know about your juice program and what you’ve got Sometimes I literally buy books going on in the back of your based on the feel and texture of store. their jackets. Yes. We are up to a lot back there. Yeah, absolutely. Some of my faWe’ve been doing a collaboration vorite books are things that I had with Redemption Rock Brewery, never heard of and discovered just making juices that they mix with from browsing. I was like, ‘Oh my a couple of their beers to make God, this book changed my life.’ shandies for the ultimate summer refreshment every weekend. We I would love a couple of sughave a bunch of rotating seasonal gestions. One ‘must read’ for the specials inspired by whatever is summer. And also a classic. fresh and in season right now. One of my favorite books I never We’ve got a green smoothie made have in stock because it’s such a with spinach, spirulina powder, good book that nobody wants to chia seeds, date paste, almond get rid of it: “The Wind Up Bird milk and vanilla. You wouldn’t Chronicle” by Haruki Murakami. think that a green smoothie could “Love In the Time of Cholera” be so yummy, but it’s absolutely by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a delicious. We are introducing classic. mason jar salads. It’s just what it sounds like: a salad in a mason jar this feel on Amazon.
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How do you face off with something like Amazon and differentiate yourself? I think that the Amazon era had its time. It’s hit its peak and it doesn’t worry me like it used to. I mean, first of all, I should mention one of my friends owns The Raven used bookstore in North Hampton. She’s been around for 25 years during the rise of Amazon and her store is a fixture in that community, so I know it I’m curious how your role on the can be done. And then there’s the fact that I think people realize Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee plays into your that there’s only so much benefit to ‘online anything.’ You can go unique mission for Bedlam. online to find an exact thing you It very much plays into my miswant, but what if you don’t know sion and my goals here. So does what you want? What if it’s about being on the Worcester County discovery, curiosity and getting Poetry Association because I have a huge poetry section – big- lost in the stacks? There’s a cerger than a lot of other bookstores. tain kind of experience that you can have in a physical bookstore In terms of diversity, I really that you cannot have online. And make an effort to cater to all of there’s this sense of community Worcester’s population here. We and the feel in here. You don’t get have a foreign language section
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And what made you want to transition from the corporate world? I needed a change. I had been doing software technical work for so many years and I really wanted to start doing something that had more of a direct impact on people and gave back to the community that I was part of. I had no idea how to go about that. I started immersing myself in all sorts of things like getting involved in politics, and joining the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee for the city and also the Worcester County Poetry Association. But I felt so clueless and lost for a while about how I was actually going to make a living.
DYLAN AZARI
with entire shelves of French books, entire shelves and Spanish books, entire shelves of Russian and Portuguese books. Also, we have an African American studies section, which shockingly, not every bookstore has. We have a women’s studies section and an LGBTQ section. Our store reflects the interests that the book manager and I have. This collection is also consciously shaped in a way that reflects our community’s diversity which is part of why I love Worcester so much.
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