JUNE 11 -17, 2020 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
CULTURE • ARTS • DINING • VOICES
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SEEKING CHANGE Recent Black Lives Matter protests have touched nearly every aspect of Worcester culture. What comes next?
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the cover Maggie Barjolo organized Worcester’s Amplify Black Voices rally. Story on page 23 Photo by Dylan Azari Design by Kimberly Vasseur
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CITY VOICES
FIRST PERSON
The view from Sturbridge’s Black Lives Matter protest
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ROSE PECCI
he Sturbridge Town Common has always been the town’s center of congregation, used to host events such as weekly farmers markets and concerts. On June 4, it was once again used to bring its citizens together as Sturbridge held its own peaceful protest in support of black rights. As the Black Lives Matter movement has reemerged in response to the recent horrifying deaths of Black Americans such as George Floyd, many cities have held protests to demand justice, denounce police violence toward black people, and to mourn the black lives lost. While Sturbridge is a small, rural town rather than a large city, it was not left behind. Although Sturbridge is a predominantly white area, they showed their support to the black com-
munity. Last week’s peaceful protest on the Common was organized by teens Brooke Gebo, Parker Paige and Rosangeline Fleming. They spread word of the event through social media, and received an overwhelming response. Paige expressed that their goal for the event was “to raise awareness and to mourn all of the hurt that’s been put on people of color and the black community for so long,” and Gebo added that she wants this event to “honor those that have been abused by the system, and just give people something to think about.” Fleming emphasized that she hopes to “continue fueling the energy for the Black Lives Matter movement … I don’t want this to be the flavor of the week or a trend or something that’s gonna die out … I want people to be able to
express that energy in a peaceful setting where we are able to learn and explore ideas that may be jarring and upsetting to a lot of us who haven’t had to deal with this.” Some Sturbridge residents expressed concern about the event and the possibility of violence erupting from the protests, but the coordinators of the peaceful protest continued to emphasize the intended peaceful nature of the protest and stressed that “it’s a vigil, not a riot.” In order to ensure the safety of those who were in attendance, the event coordinators worked with the local police. Before the protest, Earl Dessert, Sturbridge’s interim police chief, said, “I don’t anticipate anything getting out of hand, obviously if anything gets out of hand we’ll be there to make sure peace is restored, but I’m looking at it as a
peaceful event that we’re gonna be down there standing in solidarity with the cause which is to stop police brutality.” More than 300 people gathered at the Sturbridge Town Common to support the black community, not just those in this area, but the whole country. Though the event started at 5:30 p.m., many occupied the Common well before then. As people arrived, a few police officers greeted them and helped them park safely. The coordinators stood in the gazebo at the head of the common with a microphone and were playing empowering music as they waited for protestors to gather. Although the event was led by young people, a large variety of citizens showed up; while there were lots of young adults, there were equally as many older citizens and parents with their kids.
Despite the variety of protestors, everyone had the same goal: to show their support and stand in solidarity for the black community. One activist vocalized their motivation for protesting on behalf of the black community: “As an LGBT person, I stand with Black Lives Matter because I owe my rights to black lives.” From the beginning, the mood on the Common was very uplifting and positive. People cheered each other on, those that passed by in cars beeped their support and in return received clapping from the congregation. People continued to show up. As some left, passersby took their places in the crowd. The event organizers encouraged those gathered not to respond to any hate directed toward the movement; only a few dared to jeer at
a coffee shop, playing chess. They are standing incredibly close together while wearing nitrile gloves. No masks. People on bikes shoot down the street. None of the bikers wear masks. If you’re going faster
does that break up the respiratory particles? One guy rides his bike shirtless while singing at the top of his lungs. They say singing sends the most particles into the air. I call
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Just this side of the frontline
KYLE MAXWELL
likely not what you experience during this pandemic. Cause this Worcesterite ain’t in Worcester put on my mask and gloves anymore. I moved to New York last. I don’t want to touch my City to pursue a career in Acting (I sneakers after I put my gloves on, something about that feels can hear you groaning from here) but it’s not the NYC you think you dangerous. I check to make sure I have my wallet. I grab my backpack know. My NYC is not the world of Carrie Bradshaw, Seinfeld, or any and reusable bags. I keep hearing of the “Friends.” Not even Phoebe that they won’t allow me to use those but everyone else still is and (she seemed to be living the weirdest, and thus most real, New York they’ve started charging for paper life). Nah baby, this is Queens. A recently so who knows. My mask few miles from Elmhurst Hospital, is a bandana with gauze in the Queens. Sirens going off nonstop middle. My mother sent me the since March, Queens. Ridgewood, gauze by mail. Someday I hope to tell my grandchildren about receiv- Queens. Frontline Queens. In the outer boroughs we don’t ing gauze by mail. Grandpa was really knee deep in it, kids! The gauze have the same setup as Manhattan. Our neighborhoods are unevenly filter ain’t doin’ jack squat and my outfitted with essentials. If you’re mother and I both know it, but I lucky you live a few blocks from use it because it makes her feel better. I pat all my pockets to make a quality bodega. If not, then it’s sure I haven’t forgotten anything. I time to start walking. Unless you wave to my fiancé from across the dare to ride the subway, but durapartment. Her look is inscrutable. ing all this mess stepping on the subway is like walking into the Her look is always inscrutable. It’s fourth ring of Dante’s hellscape. My her inscrutability that keeps me walk to the store is its own battle. coming back. I take my last safe Ridgewood is an incredibly diverse breath of air for a while and walk area. Diversity of race. Diversity out the door. For my fellow Worcesterites the of religion. Diversity of opinion on mask wearing. On the corner of my preceding paragraph may have block is a Coptic Christian church. felt familiar, even the inscrutable Guys hang out in front of it all day fiancé. What follows, however, is
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smoking cigarettes and alternating between wearing their masks and taking it off to talk. I cannot work the logic of that. A little farther up I pass a pack of middle-aged Albanian dudes standing outside of
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CITY VOICES
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the Common, but those gathered took the advice of their wise young leaders and ignored the negativity. After Chief Dessert reiterated to the crowd that this was a peaceful event and made it clear that the few police officers were there to provide support and protection to those gathered, Paige, Gebo and Fleming began the vigil in which Black lives that have been lost to police brutality were honored. Every minute for nine minutes, they listed names of those lost and a minute of silence would follow. They effectively concluded this list with the name George Floyd, a name that is recognizable to the whole world right now. Only a few people were scheduled to speak, and after that anyone was welcome to share their experiences with those gathered, with Black speakers given priority. As each new person came up to speak, more became inspired,
FRONT LINE
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the checkout counter which is just a desk. A guy is already there, buying lottery tickets. He is wearing a mask around his neck. He nods to me and holds his tickets up, I nod back. Good luck. Once I’ve checked out, I push through the exit door and breathe deeply. Maybe that wasn’t a good idea. The Crop Duster is back. He is flying down the middle of the road, arms stretched wide, face to the sun, singing Donna Summer at the top of his lungs. He seems happy. Maybe he knows something I don’t know. Kyle Maxwell is an actor and writer living in New York City. He was born and raised in Worcester.
Letters to the editor are a great way to share your thoughts and opinions with thousands of readers and online viewers each week. There is no word limit, but we reserve the right to edit for length, so brevity is your friend. If handwritten, write legibly - if we cannot read it, we are not running it. A full name and town or city of residence are required. Please include an email address or phone number for verification purposes only. That information will not be published. Make sure your letter makes it into Worcester Magazine in a timely fashion — send it in by the Monday of the next issue. Please note that letters will run as space allows. Send them to Worcester Magazine, 100 Front St., 5th Floor, Worcester, MA 01608 or by email to WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com.
Doug Chapel: ‘Action Geek’ cartoon Doug Chapel is a 50-year-old old illustrator, cartoonist, independent publisher of comic’zines and artist. His comic strip “Action Geek” ran for years in Worcester Magazine, and his comic’zine of the same name showcases his cartoonillustration hybrid work. His work is collected in “Nonstop Action,” a 100-page, full-color, crowdsourced published art book, and he has exhibited his work at several locations around Worcester. You can find out more about his work at www.dsquared.org.
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him the “crop duster.” He is riding literally every single time I step out the door. Either we are on the same shopping algorithm or he is just always riding his bike like a background character in “The Truman Show.” My time inside the store is best described as a controlled panic attack. I am bumping into tiny grandmas left and right, bowing in non-verbal apology except when a bow itself feels culturally inappropriate. The store is tiny, so I try to move quickly. I am 6’2 250 lbs and I might be scaring people with how fast I am moving. I reach
and while this made the protest go on longer than planned, everyone stayed and listened to the stories and experiences that were shared. People held signs high over their head during the whole event, and while their arms grew tired, one attendee said they knew this fatigue was nothing compared to the suffering the Black community has faced and continues to face. Each speaker shared new wisdom with the crowd and provided an additional call to action. Although protesting during this pandemic is controversial to many and could be considered dangerous, one protestor remarked “It shows that people are willing to put themselves at some sort of risk to come and show their support for something like this, which is so important.” Rose Pecci is a class of 2020 graduate from Tantasqua Regional High School and a lifelong Sturbridge resident. In the fall, she will be attending Northeastern University and studying journalism.
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Rallying for a change
Inside the push to defund the Worcester Police Department BILL SHANER
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multiple well-attended demonstrations, and they’re all calling for the same thing: Defund the police department. Across the country, activists and organizers within the Black Lives Matter movement have pushed for cities to defund their police departments in response to problems with violence and racism which they say is systemic within the institution. The movement is gaining momentum. Major cities across the country
have made budget cuts to police departments and removed police officers from schools. In Minneapolis, police officers were removed from city schools. In Los Angeles, city government scrapped plans for a $122 million budget increase. In San Francisco, the mayor has proposed a plan to reduce the police department’s budget. In New York, 40 council candidates have signed on to support a plan to reduce the department’s $6 billion budget by $1 billion
over four years. When activists call to defund the police, they don’t mean all at once or right away. What they’re asking is to implement a process of slowly and intentionally diverting money away from police and directing the funds toward schools and other social services. Demands also include removing police officers from schools, taking away military-grade gear and stopping the purchase of “less-lethal” crowd control weapons such as rub-
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orcester activist Jai Chavis took the mic at a Black Lives Matter rally Saturday at City Hall. Standing in front of a banner that read “defund the police, fund our communities,” he called for “massively cutting the police departments that are incredibly bloated and instead invest so much of this tax money into things that actually
benefit our communities.” He rattled off a list of things on which the money could be better spent: education and crumbling school buildings, affordable housing, green jobs, etc. The line was met with thunderous applause from the crowd. Chavis is not the only one in Worcester making such demands. Hundreds of comments at public meetings, a petition with thousands of signatures, and rallying cries at
Demonstrators protesting the murder of George Floyd and brutality by police officers gathered on Worcester Common behind City Hall Saturday. MATT WRIGHT
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really unique place given that we lean center-left-ish, but given the demographics of this city and the history of this city, there’s a lot of personal relationships with public safety and I think that really prohibits conversations to be had at a political level.” At the City Council meeting last week more than 80 people commented calling for the City Council to take up the issue. Organizers interviewed for this story expected another strong showing this week, as the budget may be approved. Worcester is in the middle of its annual budget approval process, and the police department is slated for a roughly $250,000 increase. Organizers are calling on the City Council to divert the $250,000 to other line items Eliana Stanislawski, an organizer involved in creating online resources to educate people on the concept and lobby the city council, said the unwillingness of the council to respond to the demands of the community is disappointing. “It really shows how completely out of touch they are and how little they value their constituency,” Stanislawski said. Stanislawski brought up the City Council in Minneapolis, who announced recently that they had the votes to completely disband the police department and replace it with a new model for public safety. “They’d been working on that effort for four years. We are not so naïve as to believe in one week we could change the entire culture of the city government of Worcester, which is basically in the pocket of police in a myriad of ways,” Stanislawski said. “If we are not able to get these changes in the 2021 budget, that doesn’t mean the fight is over by any means.”
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ber bullets and tear gas. In Worcester, calls from the community have so far gone unanswered. No city councilor has proposed an order on the subject in either of the two meetings following the Black Lives Matter demonstrations. A spokesman told Worcester Magazine that the City Manager’s Office has no plans to make any such budget recommendation. City Councilor Kate Toomey, chairwoman of the public safety subcommittee, said she would not support any effort to move money away from the police department toward other services. Instead, she supports continued training for officers and hiring social workers via outside grants. “I think there are other ways to do this than fall into a knee jerk reaction,” she said. “The City of Worcester is different from other communities. I believe that Chief (Steven M.) Sargent and the men and women of the police department have done wonderful yeoman’s work on improving the presence of police in the community and creating a more approachable police department.” On Tuesday’s council agenda, there is one petition filed by a citizen which requests that police “immediately cease the allocation of money used to purchase future military-grade weapons and gear for the Worcester Police Department,” as well as prohibiting police officers from covering their badge numbers. The citizen, Doug Arbetter, said he plans to continue filing petitions in the hopes of forcing a conversation, at the very least. “I think it’s pretty clear that our political leaders really don’t want to risk the political clout they have or even have the spine to start this conversation,” he said. “Worcester is a
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A quiet season ahead for Indian Ranch Pandemic has lead to numerous shows being canceled or postponed RICHARD DUCKET T
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reopen Samuel Slater’s Restaurant at least for outdoors dining when state regulations allow, perhaps with small groups of musicians performing outside for the diners. Similarly, Indian Ranch is also waiting to see what will happen with its Indian Princess riverboat, as well as its dry land banquet facilities that host events such as weddings and can feature performers. “You look outside and everything seems normal as can be, but your world is up in the air right now,” said Suzette Raun, president of Indian
Ranch. “It’s been challenging. We’re just hoping to find our way.” Indian Ranch dates back to 1946, and Raun and her family have owned it since 2004. “I never experienced anything like this, that’s for sure. A day-by-day situation is what it is,” Raun said. Over a good part of its history, Indian Ranch has been nationally known for bringing in country legends. That music is still a key part of the schedule but in recent years a mix of country and classic rock has
also been sitting well with audiences. The line-up for this year promised another exciting season. The main stage amphitheater can seat 3,000 and includes a covered pavilion. The 2020 summer series was to have begun with The Mavericks June 27 and run through September. “We ended up with about 16 shows. A couple of shows hadn’t been announced yet,” Raun said. But already following announcements earlier in the year, new plans and decisions loomed. “The national schedule’s been really tough. There
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he reverberations of the COVID-19 pandemic mean there won’t be nearly as much county music, classic rock or other popular styles of music reverberating around Indian Ranch on the shores of Webster Lake in Webster for revelers this summer. Most of the shows for the summer concert series and all of the national acts that would have included The Mavericks, The Charlie Daniels Band and The Marshall Tucker Band (as
a double bill), Josh Turner, Jamey Johnson, Ziggy Marley, Yacht Rock Revue, Los Lobos and more have been either been postponed to 2021 or canceled. That doesn’t mean Indian Ranch is going to have a silent summer. There are still hopes that the popular locally produced annual CountryFest (scheduled for Sept. 19) and Pike HairFest (Sept. 26) can take place for a smaller audience with room for distancing. Meanwhile, the campground is open (with some restrictions), and there are plans to
Suzette Raun is the president of Indian Ranch. MATT WRIGHT
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Melissa Etheridge smiles while performing her show at Indian Ranch last June. FILE PHOTO/MATTHEW HEALEY
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Fund to provide tickets to upcoming shows. For more information about that as well as ticket policy for refunds for canceled or postponed shows, visit www.indianranch.com “It’s really been a letdown and it’s been a roller-coaster,” Raun said. “The artists have been really good to work with” but readjusting schedules isn’t easy. “It’s difficult when you think of everything affected by it. In the height of our season we usually have about 80 more employees, and those employees don’t have a job for this year,” she said. Bartenders and servers have also been laid off. Indian Ranch currently has about 22 full-time employees. “There’s not been one part of my business that wasn’t hit by this,” Raun said. “We’re definitely taking losses. It’s probably going to be a two-year recovery. We rely on this time of year to make it through the wintertime here.” Samuel Slater’s Restaurant opened in 2018 to help expand Indian Ranch’s calendar year-round. It closed in March due to the pandemic and reopened May 12 for curbside and dockside pick up with a new takeout menu that includes limited grocery items and a selection of beer and wine with the purchase of food. The restaurant was anticipating reopening for outdoors dining perhaps as soon as June 10. For Indian Princess, “we don’t know what our capacity will be,” Raun said of waiting for a go-ahead from the state. Indian Ranch received permission to open the campground, although the pool and recreation center
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are so many factors,” Raun said. A lot of artists scheduled to tour this summer canceled or postponed shows. “And if we’re going to have large shows, are people ready for that?” Raun noted. “We made a decision to move most of our shows to 2021. We hope to offer some kind of entertainment later in the summer, maybe some smaller shows where people can spread out in the (amphitheater) venue and really enjoy some live music.” CountryFest and HairFest would work well in that scenario, Raun said. “We don’t want to have any super large shows.” CountryFest will feature Annie Brobst, Houston Bernard, April Cushman, Ayla Brown and Alec Macgillivray. HairFest has 1980s tribute bands. With the national touring acts, “We’ve been working with artists one by one to get better dates,” Raun said. As things stood at the time of writing, the following shows have been rescheduled to 2021: The Mavericks, June 26; Chris Johnson, July 10; Fire on the Mountain Tour with The Charlie Daniels Band and Marshall Tucker Band, July 11; Get the Led Out, July 24; Ziggy Marley, July 25; Grand Funk Railroad, Aug. 8: Josh Turner, moved to 2021; and The Ultimate Queen Celebration with Marc Martel, fall of 2021. Tickets (including for CountryFest and Hair Fest) are on sale. Indian Ranch has partnered with Lyte to give fans a way to donate official tickets to first responders, medical providers, and others working on the front lines in Central Massachusetts. The value of tickets will be put in the Indian Ranch Tickets for Heroes
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Through being cool
Worcester musicians share the worst songs they love
in mind, there are still plenty of songs that you might find yourself cringing at, but which you still sing at full volume when they appear on the kitchen radio. I’m not fond of the phrase “guilty pleasure,” as I never see music as something to feel guilty about, but I have to occasionally check myself when I’m belting out Britney Spears’ “Toxic” as I do the dishes. In order to understand this mystery, I put out a call to Worcester musicians and their far-flung compatriots and asked them: “What’s the worse song you love?” Then, I asked them to cover it for all the world to hear. The results were eclectic, and more than a little revelatory. Ryder, for instance, covered both Lionel Richie’s “Hello” and “Buffalo Stance,” by Neneh Cherry. Worcester musician Kayla Daly offered “Danny’s Song,” by Loggins and Messina. Rocker Michael Kane, of Michael Kane and the Morning Afters, delivered a rendition of Blue Oyster Cult’s “Burnin’ For You.” Jazzman
VICTOR D. INFANTE
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hey say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and nowhere is that old adage more true than with music. Indeed, as a person who has written about music off and on his entire adult life, I find myself endlessly fascinated with the phenomenon of songs that I view as truly terrible acquiring widespread appeal, or the reverse phenomenon: Perfectly good songs that have found themselves, one way or another, fallen into disrepute. “Music is subjective and not everyone likes the same thing,” says local singer-songwriter Sean Ryder. “Human perception is subject to human biases and can be influenced by things like peer pressure, upbringing and DJ play counts. New flavors of music emerge in response to overproliferation of another style. This is seen time and time again over music history. Grunge was a response to hair metal. Americana surged in response to bro country. Disco was destroyed by the resurgence of rock ‘n’ roll music. Hell, even rock itself was born out of a backlash against slickly produced Pollyanna Top 40 popular music.” He has a point, but even with that
(Top) Matt Brodeur covers Cyndi Lauper’s “Money Changes Everything.” (Bottom) The Undecideds cover Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams Come True.”
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Above, Michael Gutierriz-May performs John Denver’s “Sunshine on My Shoulders.” Below, Sean Ryder plays “Buffalo Stance,” by Neneh Cherry.
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Mauro dePasquale played a cover of Rod Stewart’s “Maggie.” Poetry-music combo the Duende Project took on David Crosby’s “Triad.” Industrial music artist ITOARAZI tackled “Numb,” by U2. Amazing Dick put together two different versions of the Banana Splits’ “I Enjoy Being A Boy (In Love With You),” which, he explains, “was released by a group created by Hanna-Barbera, on a fan club 45. I ordered it off a Frosted Flakes box.” An auspicious beginning for any single! By that same token, musician Karen Maguire discovered her song, “Stop,” sung by none other than “Beverly Hills 90210” star Shanon Doherty, in a Lifetime Movie. “I figured ‘Lifetime Movie’ was synonymous with ‘cheesy’ and ‘guilty pleasure.’” Not that there was a lot of guilt to be had among the musicians.
Most of them were happy to own their love of a song at which others might snicker. California musician Jeff Burton said his song – “I’m Too Sexy,” by Right Said Fred – “takes me back to the early ’90s; a time when I was young, dumb and … stuff. It was dumb fun song for a dumb fun time.” Likewise, Amazing Dick describes his song as “It’s pure sugary pop and the first record I owned … ” California musician Sean Carbone – who recorded Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams Come True” with his teenage children as The Undecideds – says he loves the song “because it’s an ear worm. It screams ’80s innocence. It’s the kind of song that you uncontrollably sing in the car. The video just puts it over the top.” To prove his point, Carbonne and his children recreated the video, to
(Clockwise, from top): Kat Brooks performs Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” Jeff Burton covers “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred and George Alexander of Harmless Doves tackles Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
hilarious result. Nostalgia’s one thing, but the musicians were also quite cognizant of the issues with the songs they chose. “While I realize there is some tonguein-cheekiness to it,” says Burton, of “Too Sexy,” “the song, and especially the video, is just gross.” Poet Tony Brown of the Duende Project says that while “Triad” has “a gorgeous melody and chord progression,” its message of polyamory seems a little less enlightened and a little more … manipulative … over time. Worcester’s Jacob Leevai says his song, Eddie Murphy’s “Party All the Time,” “was written and produced by Rick James to be Eddie Murphy’s breakout single. It sounds like a track that wasn’t good enough for a Rick
James album that was then given to Eddie like, ‘eh I wasn’t using it anyway.’ The disco ’80s cheese aged just about as well as the music video. It’s catchy, but definitely not peak songwriting.” But it was teenage singer Katyana Hall, who covered “Wake Me Up” by Avicii, who best summed up the shared biggest sin of most of these songs: “It was played so much it just got so annoying to hear.” Ryder agrees, saying, “I don’t think (‘Hello’) is trash either. I think it is a romantic masterpiece that is both musically interesting and well-produced. I think it was way overplayed, and somewhere along the line it became cool to hate Lionel Richie. That’s what I think. Wikipedia
tells me that John Taylor from Duran Duran called ‘Hello’ the most hated song of 1984. Speaking of 1984, if you ask me, I think a world without Lionel Richie would be dystopian indeed.” George Alexander of Harmless Doves concurs. Saying his song, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” is “definitely not trash but it’s definitely a go-to karaoke or ‘night out’ anthem that gets overdone … so in that way it’s a guilty pleasure.” Somewhere along the way, whether it be familiarity breeding contempt or some other factor, some songs just get deemed “uncool.” “There’s a snowball effect that’s strongly reinforced through peer pressure,” says Will Ryan of TenThou-
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sandDollarMan, who covered Jason Mraz’s “If It Kills Me.” “Music tastes are majorly forged during teenage years when you are the most vulnerable to the tyranny of other people’s (expletive) opinions. It takes a while to build up the confidence to trust your own tastes. I don’t think it takes very much for a new song to be pushed into the uncool column and then it’s a spiral down into ridicule from there.”
For Daly, “The subjectivity of music is what makes it wonderful. … Music teaches us that there’s such an array of emotional experiences throughout the lifespan and that is exciting that we have an art form that can hold all of that for each and every one of us.” To listen to the cover songs mentioned in this story, please visit Worcestermag.com and Telegram. com.
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well as schoo and aristo had all kinds and events as going on to art poets, painters found herself the country in gallery shows of creative tors, dancers, over the same types she is today. Aimee now shows all nd herself with the artist that BFA in 2006. She ls. She continues to surrou surrealistic world. that receiving her and arts festiva the luminous colors of her the Harlequin, a magical being l and of at various music paint , playfu g with the idea inspire her to uins are sexual their own to people which has been workin it. These esoteric Harleq and she world now our For several years the world that surrounds beyond the boundaries of and ng : can change itself s in their thoughts of traveli following events Greenfield. sometimes deviou ly elastic points of views. om/coletteaimee or at the in 13-15 Sept. al: ndous rawartists.c town Festiv reach treme of her work at Aug. 24, Worm own Spencer: Check out more Party in downt Spencer Street
Let us feature your artwork in Worcester Magazine’s Artist spotlight! Email WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com high res samples of your work and a brief bio!
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of an actor and
ter in to create small town of ée is the daugh that Colette took her life in the Colette Aim in and out of of the influencesSUNY New Paltz in New York, of art flowing l at crats were many
CITY LIFE
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Worcester Magazine’s annual Summer Guide was canceled, like many things have been. Summer Guide — which has to be printed in early May — could not be published with so many unknowns, but we already had a cover illustrated and ready to go. In January and February, before the breakout, Creative Director Kimberly Vasseur once again made the trek to Boston to work with Irena Roman’s talented class of senior illustrators. Here we present the illustration that would have graced the cover of Summer Guide, as well the illustrations of all the students who worked on this project.
Illustration by
Noah Modesto
Modesto is a freelance artist from Boston. She graduated with a BFA in Illustration from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where she decided to always make art and to have fun! Modesto enjoys mixed media techniques, but primarily works digitally, designing her own illustrations and greeting cards – the subject of which may be at times witty words or charming scenes, though in all cases she takes inspiration from the events of her own life and surroundings. You can check out more at her work at ncmodesto.com.
CITY LIFE
Sloane Doris, originally from Saratoga Springs, New York, currently studying Illustration at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. I enjoy making patterns and hopefully will go into the surface design industry. Most of my inspiration comes from nature’s elements–such as water, plants, and clouds. You can check out more of my work at sloanedoris.com.
Shayna Swenson was born in Falmouth. Throughout the beginning of my art career I was self taught, using mostly graphite pencil and ink. My high school didn’t provide art programs, being a Technical High School, so MassART was my first true art program that I had. I’ve always found an interest in creating characters and creatures, which sprouted as a child playing a ton of fantasy video games such as Pokemon, but creating environments has begun to be a big interest in mine. Being able to draw out the Cascading Water area allowed me to explore different textures and colors that I plan to bring into my own pieces. I aim to be a concept artist for video games and other industries, allowing me to develop my interest in character and creature design.
Jess Reef is an illustrator who graduated this year from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She is a self-taught artist and began drawing at 15 years old after being diagnosed with epilepsy. In April of 2018, Jess found herself accepting an apprenticeship under Jeff Burt at Pleasure in Pain Tattoo. She has been working there for two years and specializes in illustrative black and grey tattoos. See more of her work on Instagram @artbyjessreef
Alyssa LaTorre is a Boston-based illustrator currently at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She enjoys working with traditional line work mixed with digital assembling and is interested in editorial work. LaTorre’s favorite subjects to work with are people interacting in a space, playing with flattened imagery and using specific details to add personality to characters. She is always excited to visually solve problems and communicate effectively through her images. Check her out on instagram @u_h_l_i_s_u_h.
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Laura Pichardo is a Dominican-American mixed media artist working & living in Providence, Rhode Island. Her interests in art making are broad, including playing around with weaving, collage, digital work, painting, photography, etc. Laura is inspired by bright colors, interesting textures, playful compositions, and playing with memory and nostalgia. Follow her on instagram @ laurapichardo - or catch up on her work at laurapichardoillustration.com
Tiffany Ramos is an illustrator and painter. She enjoys using textures in my traditional or digital pieces. She likes to depict people, animals, and scenes of her childhood in Puerto Rico. See more of her work at tiffanyramos-art.com
Steph Biddy is an illustrator based in Boston who graduated from MassArt in May 2020. Her main focus is on children’s books and plans to write and illustrate her own book that educates kids on epilepsy and service dogs. Find more of her work on StephBiddy.com.
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Marisa White is an illustrator and artist based in Boston. She’s a 2020 graduate of Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a BFA in Illustration. As an illustrator, she is interested in working in children’s publishing and focuses on themes of Inca mythology. Working mainly in traditional media, Marisa specializes in acrylics and watercolor. See more of her work at marisawhiteart.com.
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CITY LIFE
LIFESTYLE
Easing back into the real world SARAH CONNELL SANDERS
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he real world beckons us from self-quarantine. Scientifically, new cases and hospitalizations are down — a data point which has enabled retail, outdoor dining and driving ranges to resume business this week. More holistically, Americans are being called to leave their homes and join in the rallying cry for systematic reform to cease state violence long targeted at black people. Jenna Wortham deems the pandemic an “accelerant” in her striking New York Times analysis, “A ‘Glorious Poetic Rage.’ This time is different. Here’s Why.” Wortham notes, “For roughly three months before Mr. Floyd’s death, Americans were living in a state of hypervigilance and anxiety, coping with feelings of uncertainty, fear and vulnerability — things many black Americans experience on a regular basis.” Solitude
and glaring reminders of the stark inequity across our country led many to examine crucial questions of racism, bias and privilege. Worcester’s Amplify Black Voices demonstration drew thousands of peaceful protestors. This show of solidarity marked the first crowded public outing in 10 weeks for me and many others. In so many ways, it felt like the start of a new chapter. If you too are feeling ready to reenter society (with a mask, of course) here are a few easy ways to jump in:
Visit the farm
Many business owners and organizers have reached out to me this week with operational updates and thoughts on how to safely re-enter their respective spaces. Creativity and flexibility are at a premium right now for everyone. Many nonprofits forced to cancel major events have pivoted to virtual alternatives. For instance, the Alzheimer’s Association
introduced a free-of-charge meal kit in lieu of their annual fundraising dinner scheduled for April. There’s even a Facebook group where participants can post pictures of their heart-healthy meal photos and videos. If you feel comfortable, head to a local farm stand like Howe’s in Paxton with your shopping list and prepare a dish to highlight the Alzheimer’s Association’s Mediterranean diet.
spot equipped with sanitizing materials and enough room to allow for proper social distancing measures. Colette is hopeful the weather will cooperate for 5:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. classes. “Comfort level is the priority here,” he said, adding, “All classes have filled up immediately, including the waitlist.”
Attend an outdoor exercise class
Whether you are venturing back into the world for a large-scale rally or a small-scale return to the gym, keep in mind your car probably has not gotten a lot of use in the last few months. Mike Bundick, director of product marketing at Michelin North America, suggests you take care of your own light maintenance tasks before traveling more than a few miles for the first time. “Oil is the lifeblood of your vehicle,” Bundick said, “Now is not the time to get stuck
Exercise groups are making adjustments to move their workouts outside. CrossFit Prototype continues to offer online classes in addition to group fitness opportunities held in their parking lot. Owner Mike Collette explained, “We’re limiting classes to nine clients per one instructor with mats outside.” Everyone will have their own parking
Reacquaint yourself with the open road
on the side of the road or delayed.” If your car has been sitting for an extended period, check the battery and the air pressure before you hit the road. Is your spare tire inflated? Do you have a set of jumper cables? Bundick also urges drivers to check their tire treads with the “penny test” prior to a maiden voyage. “Take a penny and hold Abe’s body between your thumb and forefinger,” he said, “Select a point on your tire where the tread appears the lowest and place Lincoln’s head into one of the grooves. If any part of Abe Lincoln’s head is covered by the tread, you’re driving with the legal and safe amount of tread.” Any lower and your vehicle will have trouble gripping the road. Be honest about your own comfort level and stay safe out there. Let’s make the post-pandemic world a better place.
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Headed to a Black Lives Matter rally in another community? If your car has been sitting for three months, we have some light maintenance reminders before you hit the road. CREATIVE COMMONS
CITY LIFE
LISTEN UP
TABLE HOPPIN’
‘Heroes for Hire 3’ a timely, powerful effort VICTOR D. INFANTE
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BARBARA M. HOULE
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Luke DeCiccio, owner of the Abundance Family Farm in Charlton, bags up a head of lettuce, at the Sturbridge Farmer’s Marker, held on the Sturbridge Common. STEVE LANAVA
Farm in Rochdale. “We are grateful for all the support,” said Kelly. “We really didn’t know what to expect, especially on the first day, but the turnout was great with a mix of regulars and new customers.” The Holden Farmers Market is held from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the Damon House Lot, at the corner of routes 31 and 122A, Holden. There were seven vendors on opening day and five or six more are expected in coming weeks, according to Kelly. Last week, the market featured early produce such as lettuces, arugula and peas, dairy products and flowers and plants. “We are all adapting during COVID-19,” said Kelly, who has a protective shield at her booth to allow for safe spacing. “We may have a different look, but customers know our food is fresh and locally grown. We look forward to another great season.” Hancock Dairy Farm in Barre was among participants that sold out of product, with ice cream being a crowd favorite last week at the Holden market. Owners Rickey and Sandy Evangelista, who operate the dairy farm C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 18
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before closing time. Salvadore credits not only vendors, but also six “wonderful” market volunteers for a successful opening day. The volunteers help with set-up, she said, and track the number of visitors and social distancing. “We’re in full swing, despite operational changes,” said Salvadore. With an eye on safety due to the coronavirus, customers can pre-order from a list of preferred customers on the Sturbridge Farmers Market website, www.sturbridgefarmersmarket.com, and pick up at the Sunday market. The list of vendors includes Crust Bakeshop in Worcester; Sturbridge Coffee Roasters; Brimfield Winery & Cidery; Ragged Hill Cider Company in West Brookfield; Hunt Road Berry Farm in West Brookfield; Free Living Farm in Brookfield; Window Box Farm in Tolland, Connecticut; River Rock Farm in Brimfield; Walnut Lane Farm in Dudley; BOTL Farm in Ashford, Connecticut; The Center Bakery, Elzire’s Acre Goat Milk Soap in Princeton; Brimfield Botanicals; and Hop Hollow Beer Soap. Opening day (June 2) for Holden Farmers Market went really well, according to Leslie Kelly, market manager and owner of Sundance
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orcester County farmers markets have opened for the season with a different look and new guidelines about how markets can operate amid the impact of COVID-19. The state’s farmers markets, farm stands and CSAs are working with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and local from a 2009 speech from rapper Wise boards of health in individual cities and towns, following protocols and Intelligent, which breaks down the guidelines to keep everyone healthy history of black uprisings since the ’60s through the Rodney King riots. It and safe, while still providing a vital could be merely didactic, but Proof ’’s service. Some of the current practices music makes it work. at farmers markets: Vendors and The album has numerous high visitors wear masks and markets points. “Juice” digs into the grind maintain social distancing and caof hard work with a sultry beat pacity limits. Borders around market that burns, and “Hannibal Barca” – sites limit public entrances and exits; named for the famed Carthaginian vendors minimize the handling tactician – dives deep into Africanand distribution of produce and American pride with swagger and products, keeping items out of reach force. But really, the apex of the of customers. No product samples, album is “Geronimo,” inspired by either. At booths, one designated Geronimo Pratt, an African-Ameriperson handles money (or cards) can Vietnam veteran and member and another distributes produce/ of the Black Panthers who was convicted of murder. The conviction products to customers, who either point or say what they want on the was overturned years later when it vendor’s table. Markets definitely came to light that police had withhave more signage and chalkboards held information that exonerated with product lists and sanitizing him. We’ve been here before. There’s stations. always a knot of rage stoked by racThe official local farmers market ism that emerges from time to time, season is off to a good start despite and probably always will until we find some way to untangle centuries restrictions, according to market managers we interviewed. Customof damage. The weight of all that ers are supportive of guidelines, they cultural detritus lands on the song said. The question asked most is why “Numb,” featuring local rapper Fred market customers can’t handle proCrespo. The exhaustion resonates duce, while grocery store customers throughout the song, but the song can. Market managers explain that itself is not exhausting. Indeed, it’s driven by an undertow of determina- sites implement state agricultural and local health guidelines. tion and hope. There was a line (social distancThere’s no prescription here. ing) on June 7 to the kickoff of the Instead, Ghost counterpoints the Sturbridge Farmers Market on the politics and anger with moments of Sturbridge Town Common. The joy. “Too High,” with rapper Death Over Simplicity, and “Prays Together” market operates from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 11. and “Yesterday” all have elements Market manager Caitlin Salof shaking one’s self out of despair, vadore said more people than and focusing on the things in life that make it worth living. It gives the expected showed up in the first 15 minutes of the market, and she album a bittersweet feel as it rolls anticipated more customers by late to the end, but it also shows the morning. She was “thrilled” to have humanity which pulses under the 16 vendors on opening day and was anger, and that is, ultimately, what certain many vendors would sell out shines through.
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orcester rapper Ghost in the Machine is a busy guy. His collaboration with local rapper Weapon E.S.P and New York producer Reckonize Real, “Savageland,” just came out in April, and now he’s out already with a third collaboration with producer DJ Proof, “Heroes for Hire 3.” It’s a testament to Ghost’s work ethic and the prolific nature of the Worcester hip-hop scene, certainly, but it’s also uncannily timed. The album was dropped May 15, a full 10 days before the slaying of George Floyd, which has sparked a nationwide firestorm over police brutality and institutional racism. Those are the subjects at the album’s core, and while the timing seems to be little more than serendipity, the truth is that it points to a larger, more tragic truth: These subjects never stop being timely. The recent protests are the largest we’ve seen in decades, but they’re hardly the first. We have seen a constant trickle of stories of unarmed persons of color, largely black men, being slain, often at the hands of police. We see it so much that it often barely blips on the cultural radar. Indeed, even as we talk about Floyd’s death, the May 27 slaying by police of Tony McDade, a black trans man in Florida, has barely made the news at all, and the March 13 slaying of Breonna Taylor by police – in her own home – has only gotten a little time in the spotlight. Point being: This album was always going to be timely, and that’s an absolutely horrific thought. The album begins with a sort of slow deliberation on “Power, Pt. 2,” with Ghost intoning affirmations: “I’ve got power/You’ve got power.” There’s a beat to let that thought sink in, before the pace escalates, the rhymes wrapping tight as the song unfolds. By the time the album moves onto the second song, “No Smoke,” it’s barrelling forward at full force. “Sever the strings of Geppetto,” raps Ghost, “freedom still rings in the ghetto/in the minds of the youth and the poets/confined to the booth.” The rhymes are tight and the music has a slow-burn groove, and that might be enough to sustain the song, but then, something interesting happens: Ghost’s raps give way to a sample
Modified farmers markets off to strong start
CITY LIFE
FILM
Reliving old sports glories on TV JIM KEOGH
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ast summer I attended a workshop that ended with our group sitting around a small bonfire drinking beer and chatting. The workshop moderator posed a question: Describe an experience you’ve had that quickly went from bad to good. I chose a sports moment. In 2009 I took my son to a Red Sox game against the White Sox at Fenway Park on a beautiful late August evening. The Sox went into the ninth with a lead they promptly coughed up when a Chicago player hit a game-tying home run (I don’t recall the guy’s name — his anonymity somehow made it more galling). In the ninth inning of a baseball game I devolve from passionate fan into The World’s Most Practical Man. I calculate traffic patterns and travel times, and how much of the crowd will be exiting the ballpark simultane-
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with their daughter Beth Wilson, also were at the Barre Farmers Market on the Barre Common Saturday (June 6), with Rickey assisting customers at their booth, while Sandy handed product from the farm truck parked nearby. The couple have operated the dairy farm for 18 years and sell most of the farm’s raw milk to Puleo’s Dairy in Salem, where it is vat
ously and will I be able to get around the fat guy at the end of the row?! As much as I love baseball, the prospect of a 10th inning — or more — at a live game fills me with the same kind of existential dread many people reserve for public speaking or death. Fortunately, one of the Red Sox batters in the bottom half of the inning was David Ortiz, and, yes, he did the Big Papi thing. A home run blast he wrapped around the Pesky Pole in right field gave Boston a 3-2 win and flipped us from despair to elation with a single swing. It was inevitable I would choose a sports-related milestone to meet the requirements of this bonfire assignment. I’ve always loved sports — their history and drama, their poetry and physicality. I join the multitudes who miss them. I’ve found myself watching chunks of classic basketball games between the 1980s Celtics and Lakers, Patriots Super Bowl victories airing on the NFL Network,
and snatches of memorable World Series games. When I land on one of these vintage contests, I follow a basic rule: I never stick around for the pain. So if the game in question is a thrilling home-team victory — the Patriots-Falcons 2018 Super Bowl, for instance — I’m in. I’ll watch from any point in the action until James White dives into the end zone in overtime. But if I turn to the NFL Network and find it’s airing the PatriotsGiants 2007 Super Bowl, I’m done. There’s no need to rewatch David Tyree catch Eli Manning’s desperation heave like it was Velcroed to his helmet. (Baseball is no different. MLB Network on Sunday aired a tribute to the 1986 Red Sox-Mets World Series, which I didn’t stick with for too long. I’m quite familiar with how it ended.) Fortunately, NESN and NBC Sports Boston know their demographics very well, and unlike the
national networks they serve us a steady diet of hometown heroics. Until sports are reintroduced to the landscape, there will be no surprises — no unexpected feats of valor, no unanticipated come-frombehind victories. We know how all the narratives end. David Ortiz at bat for the Red Sox. Watching Kevin AP PHOTO Garnett’s Celtics defeat Kobe Bryant’s abbreviated seasons. Pro football Lakers in the 2008 NBA finals is the has the luxury of not kicking off until equivalent of watching Roy Scheider September. And baseball is mired in face down the great white at the end a dispute over money between the of “Jaws” for the countless time. Do players and owners that could kill I enjoy the outcome? Of course. But their season. At this point, I’m not I’d also appreciate a conclusion that I looking for much from any of them: didn’t see coming. just something that goes from bad to Basketball and hockey have been good. Something I can talk about at figuring out how they’ll finish their a bonfire one day.
pasteurized and made into whole, skim and chocolate milk, in addition to light and heavy cream and ice cream. Products are brought back to the farm and sold on home delivery routes and at farmers markets, said Sandy Evangelista. The couple also turns remaining milk into a fresh farmers’ cheese available for home delivery and sold at farmers markets, she said. They also donate to food banks and help people in need. “We’re following all the new market guidelines,” said Sandy Evange-
lista, who joked about sometimes displaying empty milk bottles filled with sugar at their booth. “You can’t have the real thing and the table looked pretty empty,” she said, “so we improvised a little.” Hancock Dairy’s home deliveries have picked up since the beginning of pandemic, according to Evangelista. The increased business is good, she said, “because you can’t shut dairy cows off from producing milk.” The couple is hopeful that new customers will continue with them in coming months. Visit https://hancockdiary.com for more information about products, home delivery and online ordering. FYI: Rickey Evangelista was once in the restaurant business. He is related to several Worcester “Evangelista restaurateurs,” he said. Barre Farmers Market has operated for three weeks, with Ward Holloway as market manager. The market is held from 9 a.m. to noon on the Barre Common. “We sometimes will have as many as 11 vendors on site,” said Holloway. Customers will find everything from plants and veggies to bath and body products, he said, adding that the community is very supportive and business at the market is better than expected. Holloway, who grew up on a dairy farm in New Braintree, sells assorted veggies and plants he grows at his
Holloway Farm in Barre. Business was brisk for Lynn Hartman of Hartman’s Herb Farm in Barre, who not only is a noted herbalist, but also a businesswoman who runs the family’s bed and breakfast and wedding venue with her daughter, Carissa Hartman-Wozniak. Hartman said despite weddings at her farm being postponed amid the pandemic, the take-out dinner business remains brisk, and she continues to sell herbs and plants at local farmers markets and at the farm. “People really are enjoying gardening and the outdoors,” she said. “Gardening is a way to relax and stay calm.” Hartman said she especially missed being part of the annual June plant sale held at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston. “I love that event,” she said. “Who doesn’t?” No word yet on the opening of the Canal District Farmers Market in Worcester. Check social medial postings about farmers markets, or visit https://www.massfarmersmarkets. org; www.mass.gov or https://www. centralmassgrown.org. Tougas Family Farm in Northboro has an online Farm Store that offers fresh strawberries, shortcakes, cider, strawberry donuts, etc. Follow the farm on Facebook for more info and updates on PYO strawberries. June is the season for fresh local berries.
Nikki Simonelli of Holland, MA (center), purchases a bottle of wine from Kate Corriveau, left, owner of the Brimfield Winery, at the Sturbridge Farmer’s Marker. STEVE LANAVA
Father’s Day takeout special at Hartman’s
Smoked Barbecue is the Father’s Day take-out special offered by Hartman’s Herb Farm in Barre. Pre-order only at www.hartmansherbfarm.com/takeout, or call (978) 355-2015. All preorders must be received by 2 p.m. June 18. Pickup is from noon to 3 p.m. June 21. Pulled pork poutine, brisket, ribs, chicken and sides such as Mexican street salad, homemade mac & cheese and honey cornbread are on the menu. Desserts include Chocolate Mousse Cake, Strawberry Shortcake and Blueberry Cobbler. Combos can be ordered!
Crown Bakery closed
A sign on the door at Crown Bakery & Café, 133 Gold Star Blvd., Worcester, notified customers that the business is permanently closed. Calls to the business “could not be completed.” Owners Jen LaPointe and her husband, Edward LaPointe, have leased the property since 2017. The couple closed their second Crown Bakery location on Grafton Street in Worcester last year. If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.
CITY LIFE
THE NEXT DRAFT
Cheers! After 80 days of curbside and takeaway, breweries open for pints again MATTHEW TOTA
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CHRISTINE PETERSON
be. Will they be comfortable with draft beer, or do they want packaged beer open at their table?” Dani Babineau, co-founder and CEO of Redemption Rock Brewing Co., gets that people will have concerns about going to restaurants and breweries; but there are probably just as many if not more itching for an escape from their quarantined lives. So, she has stopped trying to predict how people will feel when they emerge from their lockdowns. “I’m sick of speculating what people are going to do. You plan for the best case, the worst case and somewhere in between, and go from there,” Babineau said. First, it’s up to breweries to make sure they keep everyone safe and second, to give their customers an experience that doesn’t feel rushed, neutered or unconformable, even in these abnormal times. To that end, Redemption Rock has invested in expanding its patio outside its Worcester taproom and purchasing new outdoor furniture. The brewery and coffee roaster aims to open as early as next week. “I want to deliver some joy to people. I don’t want them to come out and sit in the parking lot at picnic tables with a crappy pop-up canopy
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ies to start reconnecting with their communities and rebuilding their businesses, I question whether I’m ready for the more sanitized, cautious experience that awaits — like trying to fathom how I’ll feel the first time I make a reservation to visit a brewery. “Going out to a bar or brewery will be a shock, because you haven’t done it in so long, and because it will be completely different from your last experience,” Wormtown Brewery co-owner and brewmaster Ben Roesch told me. Wormtown will open both its breweries, in Foxboro and Worcester, Thursday; on Shrewsbury Street, Wormtown hopes to spread seating out into the parking lot. The brewery will also have Volturno’s full dinner menu. I’ll try to fight my consternation and visit two or three breweries this week. There is the anxiety over being out among other people again, and, as Roesch told me, the anxiety over seemingly mundane things I never worried about on a night out. Breweries are feeling it, too, he said. “There are so many unknowns,” Roesch said. “How many people you can have at your brewery and what the consumer’s level of comfort will
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
to help restaurants reopen. “What we’re really happy with is now most every brewery has a path to reopen,” said Sam Hendler, cofounder of Jack’s Abby in Framingham and president of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild. “Is it a perfect solution that lets everybody open immediately with no work? No. But it puts us in the driver’s seat so we can immediately work to comply. We’re needing to be partnering with our municipalities to make sure this happens quickly and efficiently.” Jack’s Abby started last week working with city officials in Framingham to expand its patio. Once it has the go-ahead, Hendler said, the beer hall will open this week. Medusa wasted little time in preparing to open its beer garden, applying for the one-day licenses needed to operate it weeks before it knew where breweries would fall in the state’s reopening timeline. The beer garden, opening Thursday, will operate under heightened precautions for COVID-19. You’ll need a reservation before arriving and have to provide information for contact tracing at the entrance. It’s been more than 80 days since I’ve had a draft beer at a brewery. And while I’m overjoyed for brewer-
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edusa Brewing Co. gave itself six days to turn an empty, weed-ridden field in downtown Hudson into a beer garden. On the phone with me last Friday, Keith Sullivan, one of Medusa’s three founders, ticked off the to-do list — landscaping, picnic tables, WiFi, fencing. He paused, took a deep breath, and reassured himself. “We always make it work,” he said. After months of trying to survive with its taproom effectively closed, forced to see customers only briefly as they pop in and out for pickups or pull up at the curb, Medusa has ached to reopen again. “We desperately want our customers back, even if it’s at six feet with face masks on,” Sullivan said. On Monday, breweries and beer gardens were allowed to open for on-site consumption, as long as they have a food permit or license. They’ll have to follow the same guidelines for social distancing and sanitation as restaurants, including limiting party sizes, spreading guests six-feet apart and only serving outside to start. Some may even require reservations. The food component seems arbitrary, but most breweries that warm pretzels, assemble cheese boards or sell chips have a retail food permit or common victualler license, or both. Still, to comply, breweries will likely adopt some sort of table service for food. The path to reopening should prove relatively short and pain-free for breweries that have the licensing and the outdoor space available. Others, though, will first have to work closely with their towns and cities to expand patios, approve new outdoor space — in their parking lots, for instance — or acquire the necessary food permits. Some breweries may not have the money, time or staff to fulfill any of the requirements and will have to wait until phase four of the state’s reopening plan, along with bars and dance clubs. Many may not survive that long. At least breweries will benefit from streamlined permitting and eased outdoor dining restrictions that cities and towns have adopted
over their head,” Babineau said. “I want to get people excited again.” As breweries slowly reopen for on-site consumption, their hours and policies — reservations, contact tracing, ordering procedures — will no doubt be in flux during this hectic time. For the most up-to-date information, check their websites and social media accounts. I’d love to hear about your experiences visiting breweries again. How did it feel ordering your first pint? Were you nervous going in? Did the experience feel strange, or was it like you never spent two months in quarantine? Send me your stories at thenextdraftworcester@gmail.com or reach out on Twitter @mtotama.
Sarah Lee and Medusa Brewing co-owner Keith Sullivan prepare the brewery’s outdoor seating area off Main Street in Hudson. Medusa is set to reopen, with restrictions, Thursday.
CITY LIFE
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. SARA MCCLURE
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Meet Lincoln!
Lincoln came to WARL as a stray from Worcester. Since his arrival here, he has been a gentleman and enjoys showing off all the tricks he can do! Lincoln knows how to sit, lay down, give paw and speak. He is strong on a leash, but the help of a harness makes walking much easier. Lincoln enjoys playing with toys and getting attention. We do not have any history on Lincoln’s previous home and because of this, we recommend him going into a home with no young children. Lincoln also needs to be the only pet. While here at the shelter, Lincoln has met a couple of other dogs and does not like them. Lincoln has a hard time focusing when they are around and needs a home where he will not be in a busy neighborhood full of them. He is happy when meeting new people and cannot wait to be a part of a family again. If you would like to make an appointment to meet Lincoln please contact the shelter at (508) 853-0030 or info@worcesterarl.org.
We have many animals in our care who depend on us to stay healthy and well. The above measures help to protect our staff and community from the spread of COVID - 19 by minimizing face-to-face interactions while continuing to operate only core essential services. Please continue to follow our Facebook page for additional updates. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the shelter at (508) 853-0030 or info@worcesterarl.org.
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71 Walk like a duck
47 49 51 52 53 54 56 59 61 63 64 65
sandwiches, etc. The “R” of RBG Arches National Park locale Gin flavoring fruit Dog created by Dashiell Hammett Glitzy estate Geologist’s layers Aesop fable’s lesson Opening Hard rain Enjoyed a meal Had discomfort Bread heels, really Barnacle’s spot Ending for some commerce URLs Sudoku section “Unknown” surname
Last week's solution
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©2020 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #992
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Down 1 How most aspirin is sold, for short 2 PC document 3 One way to stop a bike 4 First name in Notre Dame football 5 Make beloved 6 “You betcha” 7 A lot of it is filtered 8 Settle a bill 9 Salad with romaine lettuce 10 Part of ETA 11 Wedding souvenir 12 Terra ___ (solid ground) 13 Balletic maneuvers 18 Country completely surrounded by South Africa 22 Creator/star/director Adlon of FX’s “Better Things” 24 Beside the point 26 “Both Sides Now” songwriter Mitchell 27 Brewery fixtures 28 Mate from Manchester, e.g. 30 Kimmel’s onetime game show cohost 33 Proverbial place for bats 35 Like some references 37 Options for cereal,
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Across 1 How karaoke singing might go 7 Org. advocating pet adoption 11 CIO merger partner 14 Singer Watkins (aka T-Boz) of TLC 15 Early TV host Jack 16 Sprawl 17 Someone who just likes the sky levels in the Mario series? 19 Car grille protector 20 Rock suffix, in NYC 21 Auckland Zoo animals 22 It may cause inflation 23 Shows pride 25 Work-at-home wear 27 Machine that inspired separate rewinding machines 29 Aussie hoppers 31 Disk memory acronym 32 Ishmael’s captain 34 “Simpsons” character who was on Homer’s bowling team 36 “The Unity of India” author 40 Accepts emergency funds? 43 Fire off some letters? 44 Alternative to watercolors 45 ___ Cat (pet food brand) 46 Dandyish dresser 48 Minor bones to pick 50 “I finally got it!” 51 Interpret inaccurately 55 2022 World Cup host country 57 None other than 58 In ___ of (rather than) 60 Actor Fulcher of “The Mighty Boosh” 62 USPS driver’s assignment 63 Spoken sign from the rafters? 66 “We ___ Never Ever Getting Back Together” 67 Like some lattes 68 Verdi opera based on a Shakespeare play 69 Area full of used cars 70 Canadians’ last letters
“Reed All About It” – at least one famous Reed. by Matt Jones
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LAST CALL
Magdalene Barjolo community organizer M agdalene Barjolo organized Worcester’s Amplify Black Voices rally on June 1, which drew close to 6,000 peaceful protesters downtown.
What is your history in Worcester? I’m 21 years old. I was born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts. I attended the Advanced Math & Science Academy in Marlboro, Massachusetts, for high school. I attended St. John’s University in Queens, New York. I’m in the class of 2020. Congratulations. I know it was a really strange graduation year. It was, but things happen for a reason. I’m just grateful to have my degree.
What message did you want people to walk away with? Personally, for me, I wanted everyone to know that the struggle of black people can’t just be viewed through one lens. It needs to be examined through so many different lenses because there are so many different perspectives and experiences. Just because black men and women, and even children, are not killed on a daily basis in the streets of Worcester, does not mean that racism doesn’t exist here. It’s within the healthcare system and the education system. It’s in different aspects of our daily lives. And, it’s time that we realize and acknowledge the oppression and injustices that black people face. It’s not something only within the state of Minnesota. It’s also in Massachusetts, specifically in Worcester. It’s time that we stop using the ideology of colorblindness to repress our guilt and forget about where we came from and the history that’s been recurring.
Maggie Barjolo organized Worcester’s Amplify Black Voices rally. own genocide. You can not tell people not to cry or scream when they’re going through their own genocide. The group that did continue to protest was separate from the rally. I don’t really know much about what took place, but from what I saw, it was a really small group of kids still protesting when things took a different turn. I think people need to remember I was so proud of our city for the reason as to why we are proprotesting peacefully. How are testing in the first place. Rememyou feeling about the unrest that happened later in the eve- ber that black lives have been lost in the streets and in the hospitals ning with the Worcester Police due to COVID-19 and how we are Department? disproportionately affected by I think that there’s this agenda to that. This is not just due to the dictate how black people profact that George Floyd died. It’s test. And I think the concept of due to 500 years of oppression and a peaceful protest is something injustices. Focusing solely on the that society will try to hold over violence and solely on the fact that our heads as if black people have not been protesting peacefully for damage was done will not help the situation because you’re forgetting years. I think there’s no one way the root of the problem. White for us to express pain and hurt. I don’t agree with any violence, but I supremacy and racism is the issue. think we need to understand why That’s why we were protesting. people act violently. You cannot tell anyone to protest peacefully – Sarah Connell Sanders as they are going through their you treat everyone as equal is a slap in the face to the black community and other marginalized groups, because it’s saying that our struggles are not real and that the reasons black people are dying in the streets is not because of racism, when in reality, that’s not the case.
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and use it to support your black brothers and sisters? Or, are you going to use it for yourself? Like you said, it’s not a black person’s job to educate white people on race. We cannot dismantle something we did not build, and I think that white people need to go into their own communities and educate their own friends and family on racism and the issues that black people and marginalI’ve tried to be conscious that, ized people face in this country. as a white person, it’s my own responsibility to educate myself I would also say that during a protest, you should be wise of your about race. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to do intentions. If you’re a white person going to these protests, go with this interview because it must a clear heart and a sound mind be emotionally exhausting. Do to learn and to hear the stories of you have any advice for white others. Do not infiltrate these proallies that you want to share? tests to accomplish other things For one, I want you guys to know that are not for the movement. I that you don’t have to be black to think violence and black people amplify black voices. It’s OK to be privileged. There’s nothing you can have always been synonymous. A lot of individuals who are not part do about the inherent privilege that you have, but it’s how you use of the movement are using this opyour privilege that determines the portunity to loot and to be violent. It defeats the purpose of why we’re type of person you are. Are you willing to recognize your privilege protesting. Just to reiterate, saying that’s you’re “color blind” and that
DYLAN AZARI
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
That’s awesome. What role did Councilor King play in making the event happen? He helped things come together in terms of getting access and connecting us with the right people. He made sure our message was clear. This was my first time organizing something like this myself. I participated in a lot of activist work as a college student
Do you have a sense of the crowd size? I was told it was approximately 6,000. I was like, “Wow — that’s actually crazy to me.”
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Can you share a bit about the planning process for last Monday’s rally? Honestly, I think that the entire event happened because of God. I remember sitting in my room just having this heavy feeling on my heart, like, “Wow, I really want to do something. I want to be able to amplify the voices of people that look like me. It feels like no one’s listening. How can I do that?” So I called my friends and suggested a protest. I also contacted my teacher from high school. I asked them all, “Am I crazy?” They said, “No, you’re not crazy.” Next thing you know, I’m being contacted by this person and that person until eventually I got in contact with the councilman Khrystian King, and things started to come together.
and as a high school student. Councilor King was able to show me the ropes and prepare me for the things I would need to know in order to have a successful protest.
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