Worcester Magazine September 13 - 19, 2018

SEPTEMBER 13 - 19, 2018 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

NEWS • ARTS • DINING • NIGHTLIFE

FREE

Top 10 Worst City Council Orders

2

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

in this issue S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018 • V O L U M E 44 I S S U E 3

the cover

Top 10 Worst City Council Orders.

Reporter Bill Shaner picks through some of the more curious council orders over the years.

Story on page 12

18

Photo illustration by Elizabeth Brooks, Design by Paula Ethier

At left, Wootenanny returns to Worcester, bringing a week's worth of laughs to venues around the city. 18 Below, the Worcester Railers are sharpening their blades as they ready for their second year of action in the ECHL. They've got some new faces, such as Nick Sorkin. 25

25

West Nile Virus has made a big return this summer, and cities such as Worcester have felt the effects. Find out why WNV is so prevalent this year and what's being done to stop it. 4

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

4

3

news

West Nile Virus risk spikes in summer of heat, rain WALTER BIRD JR.

4

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

C

oncern over the potential risk of the Zika virus led Worcester to join the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project earlier this year, but it is West Nile Virus that has .

The risk level in Worcester for WNV, a viral infection carried by birds and most commonly spread by mosquitoes that can cause health complications in humans, has been at medium for several weeks. Last month, for just the second time ever, the state Department of Public Health raised the statewide risk level for WNV infection from low to medium. Some 17-18 communities have had their risk level raised to high.

Already this year, according to the DPH, 11 people have contracted West Nile. There were six total cases last year. There have been two animal cases. In total, 499 mosquito samples have tested positive for WNV. In Worcester, the CMMCP has sprayed for mosquitoes in several areas of Worcester more than five times already, and was scheduled to spray again in two other areas this week.

The increased activity surrounding West Nile Virus has gained the attention of the CMMCP and public health officials.

“For the past 18 years, this is by far the most WNV cases,” CMMCP Executive Director Tim Deschamps Sr. said, pointing out WNV wasn’t identified until 2000.

Not only have the instances of WNV increased, but, according to State Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown, so too have the areas where it is being found.

“It is true to say we are seeing a very high proportion of the mosquito samples we’re testing, test positive for WNV. I mean, really

kind of unusually high proportion.”

Brown said, adding last year, of all the mosquito samples tested, about 4.5 percent tested positive for the virus. By the same time this year, 9.5 percent of samples have tested positive.

“The other thing that’s unusual this year,” Brown said, “is that, while West Nile Virus is sort of historically something more of a problem in urban areas, simply because of the species of mosquito responsible for spreading it, this year we’re finding it also in many of our suburban, and even rural areas.

So, in addition to the proportion of samples testing positive, the geographical distribution of those samples is also unusual.”

While temperatures will eventually cool as the seasons change, and mosquitoes die out, awareness should remain high until then, officials say.

“I definitely think, up until the first hard frost, people should be concerned,” said Karyn Clark, director of public health for Worcester.

While it is typically not deadly, WNV can prove problematic to the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

“I wouldn’t say, at this point, it’s not a reason not to go outside, but when you’re outdoors, it is wise to cover most of your skin as much as possible, wear repellant as much as possible. Recognize mosquitoes’ active time tends to be around dawn and dusk,” Deschamps said. “I don’t want to downplay West Nile Virus too much, only because people with compromised immune systems can show significant illness as well as people over the age of 55.”

Deschamps said some data over the past few years has shown even mild cases of WNV can, years later, show itself to be detrimental to people.

“It’s not something one would

choose to get,” he said. “There a lot of things out there to be concerned about. Thankfully Zika has not shown up, EEE either. WNV is the one we’re paying the most attention to.”

Weekly reports from the CMMCP on mosquito gathering bear that out. In just one week, Aug. 26-Sept.

1, 90,000 total specimens were collected. Of them, 110 pools tested positive for WNV. None tested positive for EEE. The positive detections included pools found in Auburn, Millbury, Shrewsbury, Webster and Worcester as well as several other area communities.

That Worcester has been plagued by mosquitoes may at first seem peculiar, but it actually presents some of the prime conditions for breeding.

“It’s interesting to think an urban center would have this many mosquitoes,” Clark said. “You think it would just be out in the woods, but Worcester does have bodies of water and a lot of … dense neighborhoods that have old housing stock, a lot of people living in smaller places, a lot of potential for kiddie pools and pools and things like that. And with the catch basins, too, there’s a lot more opportunity

for breeding grounds that no one would think there are in the city.”

The CMMCP, Clark said, has put larvicide into each of the city’s 16,000-plus catch basins to kill mosquitoes. She also said residents are advised to turn over any items outside their houses that could hold water, such as smaller pools, tires and buckets. They can be particularly attractive to the mosquito of biggest concern this year, the Culex, which prefers to lay its eggs in containers.

Weather has played a significant role in the proliferation of mosquitoes, and the resulting spread of WNV, this year. An uneven summer has seen sustained periods of high heat as well as heavy rain. Both conditions are ripe for the presence of mosquitoes. And whereas in the past, the hot days of summer might fade in August, now they are lasting longer. Rain, too, has been heavier and over a longer period of time.

The immediate concern often is flooding. Perhaps not given as much attention has been the effect on potentially harmful nuisances such as mosquitoes.

“Climate changes all the time,” Deschamps said. “Back when I first started working, August nights

would get cool and we’d routinely shut programs down around Labor Day. Just [the other day] it was in the 90s and we had another heat wave. We’re going to be trapping and testing well into this month, possibly even into October. As the climate continues to shift, different species could be introduced as well as new viruses into areas that have never seen them before.”

Mosquitoes, however, are not the root cause of the problem, according to Brown, who pointed out WNV originates in birds. Weather conditions, she said, played a part.

“But the other part we don’t have a way to measure directly,” Brown said. “The virus is in birds. It required birds with the virus in order for mosquitoes to get infected.

What we don’t know, but we can surmise, is there must have been a larger-than-normal proportion of birds that were carrying WNV kind of at the beginning of the season.

It can’t just be the mosquitoes that explain what’s going on. There must have been a lot of virus just to start out the season.”.

For more information about the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Program, visit cmmcp.org.

news

Two proposals bode well for future of Lincoln Square

BY BILL SHANER

While the vote on the city manager’s deal with the Pawtucket Red Sox was expected to be the main draw at City Council Wednesday night, tucked in the agenda were two notes from city officials that suggest Lincoln Square – the other end of the downtown from the proposed ballpark – may soon come back to life.

Two letters from the city manager - one concerning the longvacant Memorial Auditorium, the

other concerning the old Boys and Girls Club across the street - show both buildings may come back into use in the near future.

At the Boys and Girls Club, a developer has a concrete proposal.

WinnDevelopment Company is offering to buy the building for $300,000 and invest $20 million to turn the building into a therapeutic school for students with high-functioning autism and related diagnoses called the Summit Academy.

WinnDevelopment owns the

Voke Lofts down Salisbury Street from the Boys and Girls Club, as well as the Canal Lofts and the Wellington Community.

Construction is expected to start in early 2019, depending on the results of a study on the building’s structure, according to a note from Mike Traynor, the city’s chief development officer.

In a letter to city staff, WinnDevelopment officials said the building is a challenging one to rehabilitate. The core and shell, they said, are significantly com-

The Boys and Girls Club and Memorial Auditorium as seen from the Lincoln Square War Memorial.

BILL SHANER PHOTO

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

5

news

6

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

promised, and the grounds are configured in such a way that the building could only have one tenant with minimal on-site parking. The restrictions, they said, called for a niche occupant.

The campus, run by Summit Academy, would offer 24-hour support and dorm style living for middle- to high school-aged adults. The proposal includes beds for 42-45 students.

City Manager Ed Augustus, Jr., in a memo to councilors, said the development will go a long way in bringing vitality back to the square, already added by the planned residential development at the old Worcester County Courthouse.

“Winn’s acquisition and renovation of this signature building in Lincoln Square is not only a win for historic preservation, but together with the renovation of the historic former Worcester County Courthouse will bring life and vitality back to Lincoln Square,” he wrote.

“The Square will once again serve as a hinge connecting the commercial activity of Highland Street with the reimagined Main Street business corridor.”

The developers have also promised to keep in tact and maintain the grounds of the Lincoln Square War Memorial in front of the building.

At the Memorial Auditorium across the street, the proposal is less solid. The Architectural Heritage Foundation, the firm tasked with developing a reuse plan, asked for a second extension, bringing the due date out to February 2019. But, in the meantime, the firm shared some preliminary information.

Becker College has been identified as a possible anchor tenant in the old historic building, per a memo from Traynor.

The building would serve as a location for a cutting edge interactive media, technology and arts center focused on the eSports industry. The center would support competitive gaming, streaming, creation and online production. AHF is also considering a restaurant and movie theater within the space.

But none of that is finalized.

“To be clear, however, this reuse program is conceptual and exploratory at this stage,” Traynor wrote. “While the parties are committed to working collaboratively this is still a feasibility study with much due diligence to be performed.”

AHF has been examining the building for reuse since January 2017, and promised to spend $250,000 on the study. Per the deal, the firm has exclusive

news

1,001 words

ELIZABETH BROOKS

pollination

rights to study the building, and those rights required two extensions, one to this August and one to next February, each costing the firm $25,0000.

The building, built in 1933, originally served as a World War I memorial featuring a large hall and historic mural. It also contains a theater on the back end known as the Little Theater. The building has sat vacant, save for a few events, since 1999. It has been on Preservation Massachusetts list of most endangered historic resources since 2009 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Trinity Financial is rehabilitating the former Worcester County Courthouse, which Augustus referenced in his memo, and converting it into affordable and market-rate housing.

Bill Shaner can be reached at 508-767-9535 or at wshaner@ worcestermag.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bill_Shaner.

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

7

news

worcesteria

DEAD CRUCIFIX-SPIN: Those of you who did not read the scathing – if

that’s strong enough a word – story in Deadspin on the deal to bring the PawSox to Worcester really oughta. Titled “The Stadium Scam Goes Minor League, And It Has An Unlikely Ally” the article, written by a sports economist, pokes many a hole in the city’s stance that taking out a $100.8-million loan, among other things, to pay for a Triple-A baseball club to come to town, is a raw deal. The two most damning parts of the piece, in my opinion, are a the dive on economist/consultant Andrew Zimbalist’s backstory and a look at the line that the park wouldn’t be worth it if it didn’t come with the ancillary hotel, residential and retail development.

On the first point, author Neil deMause argues Zimbalist leaves in his wake a trail of consulting jobs tied to sports developments that did not pan as anticipated, all the while writing in an academic context of the trouble with public money for sports ventures. On the second point, the piece is perhaps more damning. “What Worcester officials needed, then, was a way to paint the stadium deal as one that pays for itself – or, at least, as something where the numbers are hazy enough that it could be interpreted that way. And that’s where the mixed-use development came in.” Forecasting ancillary impact, he argues, is a mess, and turns the battle over merits into a he-said, she-said debate. The “it’s not just a stadium” line has been used in other cities, like Oakland, New York and Nashville.

But, by the time you’re reading this, the short month public debate was effectively ended by a unanimous City Council vote of approval. The vote happened after our Wednesday afternoon deadline, but the safe money rest squarely on a pass. Now, we all better hope it works out.

8

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

PORTRAIT OF THE TROLL AS A YOUNG MAN: I’m happy to share the

amazing news that head writer and owner Aidan Kearney is writing a tell-all book about Turtleboy Sports, the inarguably worst thing about Worcester. The book is set to be published as an e-book, they say, in the coming weeks. It features 22 chapters, per a list released on the blog, including juicy topics like “AFW,” which I can only assume means Aidan From Worcester, the original name of the blog; “My Job Before Turtleboy” which is bound to be just... incredible; and “Buffalo,” which is bound to be a recap of the time he was caught being gross at a Buffalo Bills game and then outed by a fellow gross blogger in Buffalo who ripped apart Kearney’s sloppy attempt at online anonymity. Should be a truly terrible read. Can’t wait.

HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN: Mark Henderson, the man behind the

now-defunct Worcester Sun, posted a somewhat cryptic Tweet last week that may suggest the return of the newspaper, which shuttered temporarily in February. “Very much looking forward to speaking with Wachusett Area Rotary Club Friday morning to talk journalism, digital media and What’s Next,” he wrote. “Time to unveil.” The Tweet was capped with a “fingers crossed” emoji. So don’t count ’em out yet. The Worcester Sun, one of the only papers in the country, if not the only, to launch a print product in 2017, may be coming back. Or maybe Mark is just tugging our chain. Who knows.

THE TRAIL: Don’t you forget, it’s an election season and candidates are busy doing all the candidate things. Paul DePalo, the Democratic challenger to Republican Jen Caissie’s Governor’s Council seat, was endorsed

by Carpenters Local 336, an active local union. The Young Democrats of Massachusetts endorsed Tom Merolli in his bid to unseat Worcester Norfolk District state Sen. Ryan Fattman.

Worcester Pride Day this past Saturday was a big day for stumpin’ local Democrats, DePalo, Congressman Jim McGovern and 17th Worcester Candidate David LeBoeuf were all seen at the event.

Bill Shaner, reporter wshaner@worcestermag.com Twitter: @Bill_Shaner

news

the beat The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission is still

serious about moving its headquarters to Worcester’s Union Station. The agency requested a meeting with Worcester Redevelopment Authority officials this week to discuss a proposal for a 10-year lease, staffing 50 employees in the 13,000-square-foot space. The state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance is still reviewing proposals as well.

Hundreds came out on Saturday for Worcester Pride Day 2018, featuring

a parade from Institute Park to City Hall Common, as well as music, vendors and booths from local organizations. The event was a colorful display featuring many costumes and displays of gay pride.

A public health advisory remains in effect at Indian Lake, at least by press time, due to cyanobacteria

density, which can cause harm to humans if it is ingested or comes into contact with skin. Though results are improving, city officials still warn swimming, fishing and boating are strongly discouraged.

The shuttered Regal Cinemas on Route 9 in Westboro may become a new theater. Of four proposals entertained by town selectmen, three include buying the property to open a new theater. Westboro officials are considering taking the property by eminent domain and selling it to a developer.

Holy Name Catholic High School held a clean energy festival

The Worcester School Committee is considering taking busing operations on in-house. The Finance and Operations Subcommittee

is considering two proposals, one to lease property and one to lease buses, which would both take effect in 2020.

Currently, the city contracts bus services through Durham School Services, and the contract is set to expire next year.

Officials in West Brookfield auctioned off two iconic statues in the town common, known as

Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Clark University lead Worcester-area schools in the U.S. News rankings. Of

the eight local colleges to make the list, WPI ranked highest at 59th nationwide, while Clark ranked at 66th. Among liberal arts colleges, the College of the Holy Cross ranked 35th.

Ifeanyia Menkiti, the developer who most recently purchased the

9

former Shack’s clothes store location to launch the Emengini Institute for Comparative Studies, has purchased the building at 204 Main St. for $860,000, which houses the Courthouse Cafe.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

The Ladies, for $11,000 to be used for park maintenance. The statues had been there for more than a century.

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

Saturday which featured electronic vehicles and a rundown of the way that the school’s wind turbine powers the campus.

opinion editorial

10

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

West Nile Virus an unpleasant surprise West Nile Virus, according to State Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown, is hard to predict in advance. In her words, it is “almost impossible to predict in advance of a season how bad it’s going to be.”

This year, as it turned out, the cases of WNV have turned out to be especially troublesome. Statewide, there have been 11 human cases and two animal cases. The percentage of mosquito samples testing positive this year for the virus, which is carried by birds and spread by mosquitoes, has about doubled the percentage last year.

In Worcester, WNV has been in news headlines on a regular basis.

Most recently, this week spraying was expected to be done in two areas. The city is approaching double digits in spraying events. So far, however, no human cases of WNV have been detected in Worcester.

Worcester is looking mighty smart for joining the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project earlier this year, even if it did so for an entirely different

reason. In fact, the stated purpose for Worcester joining the CMMCP - at a cost of almost $150,000 a year - was over concerns of the Zika virus. The state had alerted city health officials of evidence of the Asian Tiger mosquito, which can carry the Zika virus, in Worcester.

That let to a recommendation to join the CMMCP, which, among other services, provides spraying of mosquitoes.

Just this week. Brown told Worcester Magazine, “Zika we knew was, first of all there has never been Zika locally in Massachusetts.” Likewise, she said, the state wasn’t particularly concerned about eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE. It turned out the virus least on the radar became the biggest problem.

“It was pretty early on in the season, based on mosquito surveillance, we were able to tell this was going to be a tough year for West Nile Virus,” Brown said.

High heat and heavy rain have made Worcester and many other

cities and towns around Massachusetts big targets for mosquitoes, particularly the Culex, which have overwhelmingly been the species testing positive for WNV. Climate change is being seen as a culprit, with more extreme weather patterns featuring higher temperatures and longer-lasting rain events that have led to flooding.

A deeper issue involves the birds carrying WNV. As quoted

in a story elsewhere in this issue, Brown said more birds than normal had to be carrying the virus at the beginning of the season in order for so many mosquitoes to be testing positive. That is alarming and bears further study.

In the meantime, for the remainder of the season and perhaps into early fall, even with cooler weather having entered the area this week, people should pay careful attention to their expo-

sure to mosquitoes - and to the habitats that breed them. WNV is not typically deadly, but it can be.

It can also be particularly troublesome to older individuals or those with compromised immune systems.

It may not have been the virus local health officials expected, but WNV has certainly made its mark this year.

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

Distribution WORCESTER MAGAZINE is available free of charge at more than 400 locations, limited to one copy per reader. Unauthorized bulk removal of Worcester Magazine from any public location, or any other tampering with Worcester Magazine’s distribution including unauthorized inserts, is a criminal offense and may be prosecuted under the law.

Subscriptions First class mail, $156 for one year. Send orders and subscription correspondence to GateHouse Media, 100 Front St., Worcester, MA 01608.

Advertising To place an order for display advertising or to inquire, please call 508.767.9530. WORCESTER MAGAZINE (ISSN 0191-4960) is a weekly publication of GateHouse Media. All contents copyright 2018 by GateHouse Media.

All rights reserved.

Letters to the Editor Policy

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. 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, 72 Shrewsbury St., Worcester, MA 01604 or by email to editor@worcestermag.com.

72 Shrewsbury St. Worcester, MA 01604 worcestermag.com Editorial 508.767.9527 editor@worcestermag.com Sales 508.767.9530 sales@worcestermag.com President Paul M. Provost Publisher Kathleen Real-Benoit

Editor Walter Bird Jr. Culture Editor Joshua Lyford Reporter Bill Shaner Photographer Elizabeth Brooks Contributing Writers Stephanie Campbell, Sarah Connell, Janice Harvey, Jim Keogh, Jessica Picard, Jim Perry, Khrystina Reardon, Corlyn Voorhees Director of Creative Services Don Cloutier Creative Director Kimberly Vasseur Ad Director Helen Linnehan Media Consultant Diane Galipeau Media Coordinator Madison Friend

Legals/Public Notices Please call 978.728.4302, email sales@centralmassclass.com, or mail to Central Mass Classifieds, P.O. Box 546, Holden, MA 01520

WORCESTER MAGAZINE is not liable for typographical errors in advertisements.

opinion See me after class JANICE HARVEY

Oh it’s gonna get ugly.

Not like it wasn’t already, folks. We’ve been careening into a dumpster since Donald J. Trump rode the escalator to the presidency.

We should’ve recognized the symbolism; he started at the top and descended while announcing his intention to run for the highest office in the land. We were all headed south with him from that moment.

Wasn’t it entertaining? Who could have dreamed he’d win? We watched the 2015 Republican primary debates as if we were watching “Family Feud.” Donnie was the most fun! He threw out wisecracks and silly nicknames and we laughed and laughed.

“This is fun!” we said. “Debates are so boring, and these 15 other guys are big doofuses!

Donnie won’t win, but at least he’s making politics fun!” Fun fun fun.

Who’s laughing now? We’re scrambling up the down staircase, after two years of endless buffoonery. It turns out Adult-Size Donnie was just the kid in the back of the classroom, the one who tries his best to aggravate the teacher until he’s sent to the office, all in an

effort to avoid doing any work. Adult-Size Donnie, we discovered, is really Little Donnie, that kid who goofs his way through school, socially promoted by exhausted teachers to get him out of everyone’s hair. Who knew he’d become the principal?

Kids like Little Donnie are always in hot water, mainly because they’re too disinterested to learn any new skills, and rely on bullying and disruptive behavior to control their environment. At the heart of the problem lies a genuine lack of curiosity. Adult-Size Donnie has no desire to learn, therefore his thought process stalls and sputters. He resorts to insults and angry outbursts to distract from his utter lack of knowledge in nearly every department. When he uses phrases like “Who knew this was so hard?” he’s really saying, “I had no idea what this involved.” It’s the equivalent of “I was told there would be no math.”

The problem with kids like Little Donnie is when cornered, they get scared, and scared leads to ugly. When they’re forced to conform to class rules, they buck and bray even

harder, because conforming means revealing what they don’t know. At his core, Little Donnie is painfully insecure and terrified to show he’s been bluffing or blustering his way out of everything since preschool. Ask him to read a paragraph aloud. He’ll turn a desk over before he’ll let on that his skills never rose above second-grade level. In Adult-Size Donnie’s case, he’ll manufacture shiny objects - like trade wars - to distract from whatever situation he’s gotten himself into.

For Adult-Size Donnie, even though he’s the principal, there’s still one office he can be sent to, and the door on that office reads “Mr. Mueller.” Right now, he’s outside that office, pacing the corridor. He’s trying to formulate a reason for why he did what he did, if saying he didn’t do it doesn’t fly. He’s no different from Little Donnie now, just heavier and taller. Who can he blame? Maybe that pretty girl who told him to go away during recess.

He hates her. Maybe the skinny boy in the wheelchair - nobody knows what he’s saying, anyway. Maybe that brown kid, the one from some weird- sounding country! He’s wicked

quiet and afraid of Little Donnie. He’ll do.

Outside the principal’s office, Little Donnie would have considered pulling the fire alarm.

The whole school would forget what he did in an emergency! Fire trucks would come! Only problem is, that stupid camera. It catches everything. Adult-Size Donnie is just now learning about cameras and tape recorders, and he doesn’t like them at all.

It’s going to get ugly before it gets better, because Adult-Size Donnie is much more dangerous when scared than Little Donnie ever was. He’s going to become nastier and more destructive and the fire alarm he pulls could have grave consequences for everyone. We can only hope Mr. Mueller has AdultSize Donnie’s unredacted behavior chart on his desk when he finally opens the door.

Janice Harvey contributing writer

letter Public should To the Editor: Very nice, educational and entertaining article about Worcester’s baseball past by Matthew Perry (“After all this time, Worcester is still a National League city,” Your Turn, Worcester Magazine, Aug. 30).

He refers to the new Worcester team as the “WooSox.” Shouldn’t we follow the example of the parent Boston Red Sox, who are called the “BoSox,” and call our guys the WoSox?’ After all, it’s the WoMag, not the WooMag. Let’s have the public debate and vote on an appropriate nickname for our new team. Any suggestions?

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Rich Miller Worcester

11

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

vote on nickname for Worcester Red Sox

feature

12

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

CITY COUNCIL ORDERS BILL SHANER

W

hat do border collies, military operations, Canadian Geese and Four Loko have in common? They’re each the subject of what we have dubbed some of the worst Worcester City Council orders ever filed.

As City Council comes off summer schedule and gets back into full session, we thought we’d put this list together to remind folks that, for all the meaningful policy measures the council promotes, there’s also moments like these.

For those who don’t know, orders are the mechanism city councilors use to make suggestions to the city manager. They’re essentially motions, coming either on the agenda or at the end of the meeting, during a segment called “under suspension of rules,” to instruct the city manager to take a look at something.

Most are mundane, either having to do with neighborhood problems or arcane financial issues like to how to properly cover insurance liabilities. Others set the course for major policy decisions, like the handful of orders over the years instructing the city manager to pursue nabbing the Pawtucket Red Sox. But some – some are pure governmental oddities. Especially with the benefit of hindsight,

certain orders shine through as being especially strange or unhelpful.

To put together this list, I first took suggestions from close observers of the City Council. Their suggestions illuminated the possibilities, and set a very high bar for what constitutes a bad order. But I couldn’t leave it to institutional memory alone. I had to see for myself. I then combed through each of the City Council agendas posted to the city of Worcester’s agenda archive, starting in mid-2008 and moving slowly to the present day. All told, I had a folder full of screenshots of 112 orders over the 10-year period, with a few especially good suggestions that came a few years earlier. From there, I formed an editorial board of office staff. I read them the orders in reverse chronological order and asked them to rank them as “bad,” “very bad,” or “the worst.” I kept the orders anonymous, so as not to cloud judgment of the merits. About 25 orders remained in “the worst” folder, and of those, the editorial board and I faced the difficult task of picking the top 10.

At their best, City Council orders give the city manager a clear sense of which direction the council would like to see the ship steered. And then there are orders like these.

ELIZABETH BROOKS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

TOP 10 WORST

feature 1. PEP IN YOUR STEP Councilor Gary Rosen, Sept. 26, 2006: Request the City Manager consider the feasibility of introducing rubber sidewalks in the City of Worcester.

Perhaps the holy grail of ridiculous Council orders, this suggestion in 2006 by Councilor Gary Rosen tops the list – and for

2. OFFICER GOOD BOY

The goose problem has led to some hall of fame weird Council orders, but this one tops the list. Just hire a dog and let the dog scare away the geese. Though I’m sure Officer Good Boy would relish the task, it comes with a host of complications. What differentiates this dog from a stray dog.

What would prevent a well-meaning park goer from taking said dog to the nearest animal shelter? If the dog is attended, whose job is that? Who is responsible for feeding and washing the goose poop off

Councilor Bill Eddy, April 13, 2010: Request City Manager provide a report to City Council concerning whether or not the city could afford to purchase a border collie for geese control and further, request report include costs for purchasing, housing, training and feeding this animal.

Councilor Mike Gaffney, under suspension of rules, Oct. 3., 2017: Request City Manager request Police Chief monitor ATV usage near Illinois St. This is perhaps the most blatantly self-serving Council order in the 10 years

Joff Smith, Nov. 10, 2008: Request City Manager explore placing advertising on the city trash bags as a potential revenue source for the city.

Ah, city bags – everyone’s favorite point of contact with city government. What

could possibly make this perfect system better? The idea here is to leave advertising space on the yellow bags that would be attractive for advertisers because the bags are in nearly every home in the city.

As former Councilor Smith explained to me by phone, the revenue source, however small, is a new stream for the city. Our editorial board came to the conclusion there would be few advertisers chomping at the bit for this opportunity. Once the trash is out on the curb, the advertiser im-

this said dog? And finally, could the dog keep the geese away from every park in which geese congregate? Would it require multiple Good Boys? This suggestion was the first (that I saw) of several very weird suggestions for goose control. In 2015, Councilor Rosen followed this up with a proposal for the GooseBuster, a “divebombing drone to scare and disperse the city’s ever increasing population of Canadian Geese.” Love it.

I reviewed. At the time, Gaffney lived in a condo on Illinois Street, so, you know, this basically amounts to using the mechanism of the Council to take care of a personal problem. Sure, dirt bike and ATV usage in the city had been a well-documented issue for the city council, but while other orders focused on the city as a whole, this one directs enforcement squarely to Gaffney’s backyard. The motion was one of the last, if not the last, Gaffney made as a city councilor, and it was during a time of tremendous turmoil for his campaign (he withdrew

mediately associates its brand with literal garbage. It’s no wonder the order was never adopted. It was, however, repitched in 2016. Councilors Moe Bergman and Candy Mero-Carlson filed an order to offer advertising on city bags as a way to offset the cost of the bags themselves (currently $7.50 for a pack of five). That perhaps has more appeal for advertisers. Imagine a bank: “We made these city bags cheaper for you, and we can do the same for your mortgage.”

from the election after getting on the ballot, then said he would serve if elected, but he ultimately lost). After this particular meeting, Gaffney was a scant presence in City Hall. He missed most, if not every, meeting from this order until the end of his term in December. While Gaffney’s ultimate legacy will rest squarely on his anti-Sanctuary City resolution that sparked protest and his strange “Cheers Worcester” videos, this particular order deserves a little sunlight for the brazen, public attempt to use city services for personal gain.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

4. TRASHY ADVERTISING

the concept fully, according to CityLab, and installed 20,000 square feet of rubber sidewalks throughout the city. The results, as you might expect, have not been ideal. A Santa Monica public works official is quoted in the 2014 CityLab story saying the panels fell well short of their estimated seven-to-10-year life cycle, and most needed to be replaced after two years. Safe to say, it’s a good thing thenCity Manager Mike O’Brien left this order at the bottom of the pile.

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

3. SOUNDS LIKE A PERSONAL PROBLEM

obvious reasons. At first reaction, two immediate questions: what’s wrong with regular, concrete sidewalks? And what could rubber sidewalks possibly achieve? Rosen could not be reached for comment to expand on this suggestion, but he’s not the only city official in the U.S. to propose such a thing. Around this time, dozens of cities were considering the possibility of replacing concrete sidewalk slabs with rubber, saying they’re easier on the roots of shade trees and help with stormwater runoff. Santa Monica embraced

13

feature

5. HEY, SCRAM Councilor Konnie Lukes, under suspension of rules, April 29, 2014: Request City Manager terminate the unnecessary practice of peeking into windows by the Assessor’s staff when assessing properties within the city.

14

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

This one made the cut not because it’s necessarily a bad idea, but for the sheer narrative quality. It’s essentially a short story. The peeping assessor caught in the act. Unfortunately, the full story has been lost to time. By phone, Lukes said she couldn’t remember what exactly prompted the order. “I know it was a neighbor, or some neighbors,” she said with a chuckle. “Not a serious policy issue.”

feature

6. MINE, MINE, MINE Councilor Phil Palmieri, under suspension of rules, Feb. 15, 2011: Request the City Manager request the City Solicitor to draft an ordinance that would amend the Revised Ordinances of the City of Worcester to disallow the feeding of seagulls within the city limits. These birds have been determined to be significant carriers of bacteria from the areas in which they forage such as the city of Worcester and deposit their droppings into the Quabbin Reservoir and other drinking water sources, causing potential harm to the general populace.

Let this and number two on this list attest: It isn’t easy to legislate your way around bird poop, but the attempts can be pretty funny. In the hypothetical situation the city actually took this up made an ordinance about feeding seagulls, how would it be enforced, who would enforce it, and would it ever be enforced? Also, it is rare to find someone intentionally feeding a seagull. They mostly just pick trash. Like actual rats, let the rats of the sea be. When I called former Councilor Palmieri to inquire about this motion, I didn’t get much context. “I don’t recall it,” he said. “I don’t recall it, sorry I can’t be of help to you.”

Then he hung up the phone.

Ah, the great Four Loko panic. As someone who was 19 at the time of this order, I am accustomed to this drink of which they speak. Four Loko was all the rage for the under- and barely-aboveage crowd for one glorious season until they were pretty much unilaterally banned across the country. This order made the cut not because it’s all that bad, but because it illustrates the grave seriousness with which public officials were taking this silly drink. OK, OK, a few people passed out. I get it. And it got blamed for some deaths.

But, for people of my generation, Four Loko and the massive public health response to it have become something of a meme. True story: I have a friend who still has a few of the pre-ban, fully-caffeinated Four Lokos. He’s saving them for his wedding.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Councilors Rick Rushton, Paul Clancy, Barbara Haller, Bill Eddy, Joe O’Brien and Joe Petty, Nov. 13, 2010: Request City Manager contact the Colleges of the Worcester Consortium and work together in the banning of Four Loko and like caffeinated alcoholic beverages from their respective campuses. Further, request City Manager request the Health Department approach local retailers and request them to consider voluntarily banning the sale of these beverages.

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

7. THE FOUR LOKO SCOURGE

15

feature 8. I GOT A STORY FOR YA Councilor Kate Toomey, under suspension of rules, Oct. 22, 2013: Request City Manager send a copy of the City Manager’s item #8.24B to the Boston Globe to inform them of the city’s good standing.

The item in question here is a note on the city’s bond rating, which is basically a municipal credit score. I cover Worcester and only Worcester, and I have a tough time motivating myself to write a story about the city’s bond rating, no matter how good it is. So it’s safe to say the Boston Globe would never pick that pitch up. Also, this illustrates a funny governmental quirk. Toomey, of course, could have sent the email pitch herself.

There are other examples of this, like Mayor Joe Petty this January, requesting via a motion that the city manager provide the Council with an article in Commonwealth Magazine about Worcester. Seems like a roundabout way of doing things when email exists.

9. STOP PARTYING Barbara Haller, Paul Clancy, under suspension of rules, Oct. 20, 2009: Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning expectations for an end to the misbehaviors of Caro, Boyden, Clay and College streets, replacing Laissez Faire policy with Zero Tolerance to these steady assaults on residential quality of life.

16

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

And people wonder why we’re not more of a college town. The streets in question here are some of the residential streets surrounding Holy Cross.

There were many, many orders around this time concerning hard-partying college kids, but this one made the cut for the language of the order itself.

Now, city officials often muse on how to retain more of the college population after they graduate. That aim seems to be at odds with orders like this, calling for a zero tolerance policy on college kids doing what college kids do.

10. SPECIAL OPPS Councilor George Russell, Aug. 14, 2012: Request City Manager consider notifying City Council when he authorizes a planned military operation via the City Council Agenda.

On paper, this order is surreal. What sort of military operation could the city manager possibly be planning? Turns out it wasn’t the city manager, but the actual backstory is also pretty good. By phone, Russell said the motion came a few days after the National Guard had staged some military training, but no one at the time knew that. “There were just helicopters and stuff flying all over the east side of the city and nobody knew what was going on,” he told me this week, Apparently, the city administration was informed of the planned drill, but didn’t pass the word on.

Honorable mention: Councilor Mike Gaffney, Oct. 21, 2014: Request City Manager request the City Solicitor provide an opinion to the City Council relative to the legality of the City Council and Standing Committees to require an oath or affirmation to provide truthful information.

Councilor Kate Toomey, March, 24, 2009: Request City Manager to personally engage the public in conversation through the use of twittering so that he and his cabinet members gain input concerning spending, taxation and transparency.

culture ON THE MARCH Hundreds took part in Worcester Pride 2018 Saturday, Sept. 8, which saw a parade from Institute Park, near Worcester Polytechnic Institute, to City Hall Common, where vendors, local organizations and performers celebrated the area's LGBTQ+ communities.

ELIZABETH BROOKS PHOTO

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

17

culture

WOOtenanny takes over Worcester JOSHUA LYFORD

18

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

S

omething is happening to the Worcester comedy scene.

Perhaps it is concurrent with the overall reimagining of Worcester, or maybe standup comedians Shaun Connolly and Bryan O’Donnell completed the requisite ritual sacrifices, but no matter how you shake it, comedy is gaining traction in the Heart of the Commonwealth.

You don’t have to look much further than WOOtenanny, now in year two, as it takes over the city with its week-long lineup of comedy events running from Sept. 24-30.

“I think it’s the ever-present sea change of the city,” explained cofounder Connolly, leaning forward at a table nestled in the back of the Dive Bar. “Everyone keeps saying this is it. Everyone says it’s changing, but Worcester is finally doing it now. I think it’s clear. We’re here at a secret graffitti show at the Dive right now. People are here at 8 for it. There is so much happening, it’s insane.”

Connolly isn’t exaggerating, comedy has begun to explode in Worcester. More established comedy events, such as Connolly’s own Sort of Late Show at Ralph’s Diner and the Dirty Gerund (not a comedyspecific event, but often tangentially showcasing comedians), joined by an open mic night at Nick’s on Millbury Street, as well as open mics at Pearl Street’s Bull Mansion and Paul Cypher’s regular comedy show at the Summit Lounge.

“We hit a tipping point in Worcester,” said fellow co-founder O’Donnell, himself vying for tape recorder space over a raucous Secret Walls crowd. “POW! WOW! was inspirational, how people will support things, how businesses will come out and do their part. Also being able to say, if it doesn’t work out, we want to shoot our shot. It was more like, ‘I just want to not think about what could I do and just try it.’

Worst-case scenario it’s bad and we try again next year.”

From Monday, Sept. 24 through Sunday, Sept. 30, Worcester will be home to numerous events focusing on comedy, including “Dear Worcester: A Love Letter” at Nick’s Bar, “Addicted to Laughter” at Brew on the Grid, an open mic hosted by Niki Luparelli at Bull Mansion, the Boston Comedy Chicks at Nick’s, Weeding out the Stoned, Comedy &

Karaoke and more.

This year, Connolly, O’Donnell and his brother Casey are taking things a step further from year one.

“Last year, it was pretty much all the shows we already do and all the comics we pretty much always have around,” said Connolly. “That was our template, that was our pilot season. We knew how to run all these things, we knew the venues would work with us, let’s just roll it out.

This year, it was so successful last year, that we said, ‘Let’s up the ante.’”

The pair had a hard time pinpointing exactly what it is that has made the local comedy scene begin to explode, but there are historical American trends that tend to coincide with a larger appreciation for comedy.

“It’s a weird time in America, in general,” said O’Donnell. “That always seems to make people venture toward comedy a bit more.

I think there was a slow build and eventually it tips over and things start being easier to do. Shaun has been grinding for a long time. We’ve been trying new shows and different things. We hit critical mass and it became easy to do. Once it’s easy for comics to come out, it’s easy to do the next thing.”

Locally, the pair had seen increased crowds at their respective events, HOT DOG! at Coney Island and the Sort of Late Show at Ralph’s Diner. In the inaugural run of WOOtenanny, five of the six official events sold out, a good indicator of area interest.

“The ground has been set,” said Connolly. “Last year, we laid the groundwork. This year, we can actually talk to people about it, because they’re already somewhat familiar with it.”

For the WOOtenanny team, being able to showcase comics and perform themselves is important in ways that go beyond their own enjoyment of the craft; it can be an integral part of a larger consciousness. “[Comedy] is vital in the way of giving words to what people see around them,” O’Donnell said. “It’s important to go see movies and music. All these things are important for different reasons. I think comedy can be one of the most cathartic things. When you’re angry about things, music can be great for that, but someone saying what you’re thinking, but not able to give words

Comedian Jack Robichaud performs at WOOTenany last year at Nick's in Worcester/Photo submitted

to, is unparalleled. It’s a release for people. Being able to be silly, irreverent, things are serious in this country right now. You have to

take that opportunity to laugh.”

For more information such as the festival’s event calendar, head to their website at Wootenanny.

com, or find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @Wootenanny.

Krave?

What do you

Coming October 18!

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 20188

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

For advertising information, contact Helen Linnehan at 508-767-9530 or at hlinnehan@worcestermag.com

19

culture Lyford Files JOSHUA LYFORD

ONE EMPTY TUNNEL: I’ve written “pull back the curtain” in this column about 200 times. Yes, it’s a way to eat up four words in my overall culture word count, but it’s also very applicable to what I try to do in this rascallish little thing I call The Lyford Files. So, here we go, pulling that damn curtain back hard. I hope the metaphorical curtain you are imagining is a drab beige, by the way. So, it is not a massive secret that I have been a part of the POW! WOW! Worcester committee the last few years and hopefully you’ve had a chance by now to run around the city and enjoy the new public art on display. Maybe you even attended some of the accompanying events. If you happened to head to the Johnson Tunnel for the Sounds of the Underground closing party, well, there’s a good chance you purchased your drink tickets from me. I spent a few hours volunteering before cutting loose myself and, as is often the case, I ate nothing and couldn’t hang with the high-percentage beers. Luckily, my lovely partner escorted me out of there before my dance moves caused a scene. Unfortunately, I left behind my backpack that contained a large portion of my personal reality. This caused mass confusion and chaos for myself and those around me. FEAR NOT! A friendly city employee called me Monday morning at 7 a.m. with great news, he had recovered my backpack. This means I now had my car and home keys, my moleskin notepad, my favorite street hockey ball, my 50-year-old smelly water bottle and my sunscreen. Alas, my iPhone charger was not in there, but that is replaceable. With that, I’d like to thank the nameless employee who helped me out. I hadn’t had coffee yet, so I was unfortunately unable to ask for his name. From the bottom of my drunken little heart, thank you nameless friend. May the road rise up to meet you.

20

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

QUIT HESSIAN AROUND: 10/10. Perfect sub-

head. You can’t change my mind. On Thursday, Sept. 13, Portland, Maine’s HESSIAN is playing an album release party for “Mercenary Retrograde” at Ralph’s Diner. This is a part of the long-standing Metal Thursdays held at the iconic bar. Already pretty damn cool, but the bands' will be joined by Salem’s Olÿphant and Worcester’s Facepaint. Alright, so I’ve said this before, but you don’t want to miss Facepaint. They sit in a unique position in Worcester’s heavy music scene, being one part rock and roll hardcore and two parts KISS-influenced rowdiness. The nice thing about sharing a practice space in the busiest space in Worcester is you get to hear new songs blasting from other bands' spaces, and lemme tell ya, these boys are only getting rowdier. Don’t be an idiot.

1, 2, 3, Yo!: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, nothing makes me happier than an event title so good I don’t have to use my own brain cells (of which there are a terrifying few remaining) to come up with one.

On Saturday, Sept. 15, 3cross Fermentation Coop, 4 Knowlton Ave., is playing host to “1, 2, 3, Yo!” to celebrate some new artwork from John and Tommy Vo as well as John Wang. I am sad to say I am not familiar with Mr. Wang’s work, but I am familiar with John and Tommy’s and this ought to be exciting. If you weren’t aware, John and Tommy run the Nine Dot Gallery on Main Street. They are talented guys, do great work at their gallery and are some of the nicer folks you’d be privileged to meet, so get some beers in ya and enjoy. Also, “1, 2, 3, Yo!” is apparently a way to say cheers in Vietnam, so you’ve learned a little, too.

Joshua Lyford Culture editor @Joshachusetts

culture Lifestyle

BY SARAH CONNELL

Redemption Rock Brewing to Open by 2019

CEO Dani Babineau, Head Brewer Greg Carlson, and Marketer Dan Carlson will launch Redemption Rock Brewing by the new year. The trio first got invested in the beer community while serving as volunteers at a number of Boston based beer fests and soon began homebrewing. For the Redemption Rock team, it was all-grain from the beginning; they skipped right over the malt extract kits that most homebrewers start out with. This allowed Babineau and the Carlsons to influence the outcome of their creation with precision.

The taproom will feature 12 rotating draughts, including four year-round offerings: a kölsch, an American IPA, a dry Irish stout and a Hefeweizen. Dan Carlson explains, “Variety is very important to us. In the early days, part of falling in love with beer was about falling in love with different styles. We want to offer a wide spectrum to capture that excitement in our taproom.” Babineau adds, “I love finding people who ‘don’t like beer’ and then blowing their minds."

The most integral part of Redemption Rock’s business model is they exist as a Certified B Corporation, meaning they are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community and the environment. “It will help us run our business better and to examine just how our prioritization of sustainability, diverse hiring, local partnerships and transparency will pay dividends,” Babineau concludes.

You Be the Judge

Chopped Worcester will return on Monday, Sept. 24, 5:30-8:30 p.m., in the Odeum Room in the Rubin Campus Center at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Tickets are $50. Chefs will compete using ingredients found in a

food pantry in a head-to-head throw-down, creating an appetizer and an entrée in the space of only 40 minutes. The creations will then be evaluated by a panel of judges, including Executive Chef Michael Arrastia of the Hangover Pub; Chef Alina Eisenhauer, formerly of Sweet; and Chef Derek Gibbs of the Serenitee Restaurant Group. Do you think you have what it takes to sit on the judge’s panel? You can bid on the Jeremiah’s Inn page for your chance to sit in the fourth chair. All proceeds from the event support the Nutrition Center at Jeremiah’s Inn, which provides food to more than 9,000 South Worcester residents each year.

Think Fast

Score!

21

Sarah Connell contributing writer

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

The Passion of Joan of Arc screening with live score including string quartet and electronics will take place Saturday, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. at The Sprinkler Factory. Admission is free with a $20 suggested donation at the door.

The Passion of Joan of Arc, directed by Carl Th. Dreyer in 1928, is considered one of the finest silent films made. Rene Falconetti gives one of the greatest performances ever recorded on film, as the young maiden who died for God and France. The score was written specifically for this particular screening, by vocalist and composer Simona Minns, and musician Luis Antonio Fraire. The score is composed of a combination between string quartet, live vocals, zither and electronics. Highly-acclaimed classical string players will be performing: Tudor Dornescu, first violin; Aija Reke, second violin; Josh Wareham, viola; and Alan TodaAmbaras, cello. Simona will be conducting the quartet as well as singing and playing her traditional Lithuanian zither, Luis will be joining by playing liveelectronics. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Boston Cultural Council, a local agency that is funded by the Mass Cultural Council, and administered by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture.

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

I have relished the opportunity to help propel female voices with my new show Pop It on the local talk-radio station, 102.9 FM WUTY. On Saturday, Sept.

15, beginning at 7 p.m., Unity Radio will celebrate its one year anniversary with Dale LePage and The Manhattans at Bull Mansion. In addition, on Friday, Sept. 28, the station is hosting the pub trivia challenge, with $5,000 in cash prizes, free food and a cash bar. Doors open at 6 p.m. for competitors in teams of four to six.

Krave?

What do you

Coming October 18!

For advertising information, contact Helen Linnehan at 508-767-9530 or at hlinnehan@worcestermag.com Reservation deadline: Sept. 20

culture

No Fuss at Nonna’s

112 Harding St., Worcester, 774-420-7167, nonnasworcester.com

22

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

SANDRA RAIN There’s no telling whether a nonna has ever walked this earth who was both fast and casual. My own Italian grandmother tends to take her time, as most reginas della cucina do. Her sauce simmers all day and we never dine without proper linens. That said, Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta on Harding Street grasps at the spirit of “authentic-based Italian American cuisine” - a wordsmithed mantra for the ages - while deliver- The meatballs and the Caesar ing speedy service with a fast-casual salad at Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta. model. Patrons can grab a hot lunch to-go in well under 10 minutes, and the addition of a mobile app has made this task even easier.

The space reminds me of The Max from "Saved by the Bell" retro booths, squeaky subway tiles and angular red platforms propelled from the industrial ceiling. Aluminum chairs surround tables, which have been preset with cans of peeled tomatoes presently filled with silverware wrapped up in red linen napkins. Natural light spills in from the glass-paneled store front and hockey players glide in from the entrance to Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center. Tables are available adjacent to the parking lot for outdoor dining. The fluorescent lighting bodes well for portrait mode, not for ambience. But, who cares if we have to look at each other? They have one of those new-age soda fountain dispensers.

I visited Nonna’s on five occasions in preparation for this review - twice for private dining, once for takeout, twice for large gatherings in the upstairs event space. At events, attendees ordered drinks at the bar and helped themselves to platters of pizza from a buffet line under large block letters that read, “Mangia! Mangia!” Pizza was cut into squares and doled out from deep metal pans served “grandma style.” The pies were cooked in a brick-lined oven and topped with a mixture of grated provolone, mozzarella and parmesan. The loaded slices like buffalo chicken ($11/$20) were sloppy (something I don’t mind given a knife and fork) topped with cubed chicken breast, buffalo sauce and ranch dressing. The meat lovers ($11/$20) carried extra weight with crumbled meatballs, ham, bacon and pepperoni. Nonna’s classic ($11/$18) best showcased their bubble crust, risen twice to glean texture.

Downstairs, dishes were consistently served on synthetic plastic plates built for survival. We ordered at the counter and took a number to our seats for proper distribution. On one visit, I was surprised when a server handed over my can of Jack’s Abby house lager unopened. The classic caesar salad ($9) begged for an extra dollop of anchovy paste, but I found my romaine lettuce well dressed and snuggled in croutons. The three meatball starter was a steal ($6) served in spicy red sauce and delivered in less than four minutes. The arancini rice balls ($8) bathed happily in a douse of garlic aioli to soften their crispy exterior.

On two occasions we were served vegetable dishes at the Worcester Ice Center tasting of chemical residue. It is possible a pan had just been sanitized or the produce had been left unwashed. While dining in at Nonna’s, we sent the dish back and a manager generously insisted we take a gift card for our trouble.

While enjoying take out from sister-establishment Steam Energy Cafe, we simply pitched the item in the garbage and cut our losses. How does the saying go? Fool me twice, shame on me.

On our last dinner for two, the bill came to $39.59.

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: HHH1/2 Ambience: HHH1/2 Service: HHH1/2 Value: HHH1/2

culture

Holy terror

BY JIM KEOGH

T

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

23

Jim Keogh contributing writer

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

he latest entry in the horrormovie pantheon features a demonic nun — skin shriveled to a corpse-like state, eyes ablaze, bony fingers ready to slam and strangle the innocents who cower before her.

We are supposed to fear this creature.

But as a product of a 1970s-era Catholic school education, my only response is, “Yeah? So? My fifth-grade teacher, Sister Mary Flavia, makes this one look like Mother Teresa.”

Yes, I am loading up on the meannun jokes, though not without affection. As I look back at my elementary school days, I recall being taught by many kind and thoughtful women of the Sisters of Mercy. Sadly, a few others in that sisterhood should never have been around kids — not with rulers anyway. These particular nuns were assigned to classrooms with the command to whip us into good Catholics by any means necessary, and they didn’t mess around.

It’s okay. They can’t reach me now.

I digress. The new movie “The Nun” wants us to beg for deliverance from a spectral woman of the cloth. When a young nun dies of mysterious circumstance in a crumbling abbey in Romania, the Vatican dispatches Father Burke (Demian Bichir) and Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga), a young novitiate on the verge of her final vows, to investigate. Burke is the Church’s equivalent of Fox Mulder from “The X-Files,” assigned to look into reports of strange occurrences, except he also exorcises the stuff that looks really bad. You can assume anything occurring inside an abandoned Romanian castle in the middle of the woods will require crucifixes, holy water and probably Max Von Sydow.

The two are joined by a local delivery man named Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet), a French-Canadian immigrant (To Romania? Who does that?) who adds yet another accent to the film’s Tower of Babel. Irene was recruited from London, but her linguistics are pure American. Father Burke speaks with heavily-accented Spanish. The nuns they encounter in the convent speak perfect English. No one is Romanian, not even the bartender in the Romanian saloon.

The titular central character floats past windows and poses ominously at the end of dark hallways (just like Flavia!), which can be visually unsettling.

Unfortunately, we learn nothing about Sister Moldy Hair – no origin story, no explanation for her monstrous existence. In fact, the entire plot is a mess, more concerned with pouring on the jump-scares than providing any narrative coherence. (The evil nun, blessed with superhuman strength, attacks Frenchie in the forest. He reappears later to save the day, unscathed, and without even a good tale of how he managed to avoid death. Did the director run out of film?)

I don’t get to see as many horror movies as I used to, so I’m reminded of things once so obvious to me. Chief among them is the fact that the characters in these films are so devoid of common sense they deserve to be gutted, even by the claws of a demented ghost-nun. The people populating “The Nun” possess such an amazing talent for turning down the wrong corridor or allowing a door to be locked behind them, they at least require a good rapping on the knuckles. Somebody get me a ruler.

culture

Adoption option

24

W O R C E S T E R M A G A Z I N E . C O M S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

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.

Opal was abandoned in a carrier outside a Petco. This gorgeous cat is still recovering

from that trauma. Being left in a carrier in a public place is better than being dumped on the street outside a carrier, but it's still terrifying. Opal lost her person and home. We put her in a quiet cage to decompress. Now she looks at us when we talk to her, and more and more comes forward to be petted. It will be another adjustment for her when she moves to your home. Be patient and start her in one room with her food and litter box. She'll tell you when she's ready to come out and settle into her new home. She is 5 years old, spayed and vaccinated.

- East Douglas Photography

sports p Changes made as Worcester Railers head into Season 2 WALTER BIRD JR.

T

T

he trade of forward Nick Saracino, a popular player with fans, to the Wheeling Nailers for big-time scorer forward Nick Sorkin, led the way in that regard. Sorkin tallied 58 points (nine goals, 49 assists) for the Nailers last year. Saracino, meanwhile, scored 37 points (12 goals, 15 assists) for the Railers.

Offense is a precious commodity in hockey, and consistent scoring proved elusive for the Railers last year. Sorkin is expected to help give it a boost.

“Your biggest challenge as an expansion team,” Russell said, “is finding offensive players. Those are the hardest players to land. Players who have produced offensively … are highly sought after. When teams get them, they don’t let them go. We were certainly challenged offensively.”

Sorkin is expected to help fill the void left by the departure of captain Chris Langkow, who will play in Europe this year. “[Langkow] was terrific with his on-ice play and off-ice leadership.

He will certainly be missed,” Russell said. “That was part of the impetus to make a trade for Nick Sorkin. He

Tyler Barnes COURTESY PHOTO

can play the middle, gives us good size down the middle, a guy who can certainly produce at both ends of the rink.”

Tyler Barnes, who comes to Worcester by way of free agency, is another big addition. A rookie of the year winner in 2014-15, he led the Toledo Walleye in scoring last year with 53 points.

AN ARMY OF ONE

T

he Railers are also getting a new face behind the bench in assistant coach and former Providence College standout Derek Army. The 27-year-old Army, whose father, Tim, was named the new head coach of the AHL’s Iowa Wild this year, retired from playing after finishing the 2018 season in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners.

“I decided it was time to get into COMING BACK he Railers are returning a core coaching,” Derek Army said, noting group of players, including one his family’s ties to the game. In addition to his father, his brother, his who had no problem finding grandfather and great-grandfather all the net, Barry Almeida. The played or worked in the sport. forward scored 61 points (22 goals, Army played all four years with 39 assists) last year.

Providence, where Russell was also “Our first order of business when the season ended … was Barry,” Rus- an assistant coach, and for a while held the record for most consecusell said. “We’re very excited to have him back and potentially see a line of tive games played. After graduation in 2014, he signed and finished the Almeida, Sorkin and Barnes.” season with the Nailers, with whom Also returning are forwards he played a full year in 2015. He reWoody Hudson (29 points) and Dylan Willick (4 points in six games), signed with the Nailers in 2016, before being called p to the AHL, where and defensemen Kyle McKenzie, Tommy Panico and Connor Doherty he played with four different teams: The team, which is the ECHL affil- the Texas Stars, Portland Pirates, iate of the NHL’s New York Islanders, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins won’t know until after training camp and Ontario Reign. He finished the who is assigned from their AHL affili- season with the Stars and rejoined the Nailers, who went to the Kelly ate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Cup finals and lost in Game 6.

In 2017, Army signed again with the Nailers and was called up in December to the Milwaukee Admirals.

T

He was sent down to the Nailers, then back to the Admirals before being traded to the Roadrunners.

Army, a Rhode Island guy who admits it was tough to hear the Pawtucket Red Sox would be leaving to play in Worcester, but is excited for the city’s good fortune, said he is ready to write the next chapter in his hockey story.

“I am excited to learn,” he said.

“Coaching around sports is starting to get younger and younger. Coaches now, it’s not so much the classic ‘got to be hard on them’ game. The game has changed. I kind of know how players want to be treated. I’m kind of looking forward to the opportunity of being able to coach and be around the game.”

A former captain with the Nailers, Army is used to having a leadership role, but said, “It will be nice to be under Jaime and just learn, whether it be the practice plans and learn the details of the game, and at the same time perfect my craft.”

NEW DIVISION LOOK

T

he Railers have two new division foes — and lost one — this year. Gone to the Central Division are the Nailers.

Heading to the North to join the Railers, Royals, Thunder, Brampton Beast and Manchester Monarchs are the Maine Mariners and Newfoundland Growlers.

New teams aside, Russell is focusing on what he thinks his team needed to do to improve and how they can take their game to the next level this season.

“Our focus going into the off-season was a couple things,” Russell said.

“We were a young team, in terms of pro experience. We had 12 to 14 rookies on the roster. We wanted to get more production, more experience and wanted to get bigger as well. I think we’ve accomplished all of the above in terms of the moves we made this offseason.”

25

COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Nick Sorkin

Derek Army

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

he Worcester Railers kick off their second season in the ECHL exactly one month from now, their first two games on the road with the Reading Royals Oct. 13-14 and their home opener Saturday, Oct. 20 against the Maine Mariners.

A lot will have changed since last year by the time the Railers and head coach Jamie Russell begin playing in earnest. There are new faces, including a new assistant coach, some familiar ones, a focus on putting the puck in the net and two new divisional opponents.

Lighting the lamp was a chore at times in the Railers’ inaugural 2017-18 campaign, but defense and a knack for scoring when it mattered propelled the team into the playoffs.

Their exit came fairly quickly, courtesy of the Adirondack Thunder.

The goal this year is to rewrite the script and head deeper into the postseason, with all eyes, of course, on the Kelly Cup. The Railers are looking at a strong returning core group of players, along with a key trade and signing, to help with that.

NEW FACES, NEW FOCUS

26

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

calendar Sunday, Sept. 16 stART on the Street

Park Ave., Worcester The largest arts festival of its kind in Central Massachusetts returns to Park Avenue with artists, crafters, vendors, food, music, performances and more! The event is free and open to the public.

Thursday, Sept. 13 Movies on the Common: Avengers Infinity War

Worcester Common, 455 Main St. Bring your favorite camping chair or beach towel and spread out on the Worcester Common for Movies on the Common. This time around "Avengers Infinity War" is the film of choice. Movie starts at dusk.

Saturday , Sept. 15 Unity Radio One Year Anniversary Bash

Bull Mansion, 55 Pearl St. Unity Radio celebrates one year! Dale LePage and the Manhattans will provide the music and Andrea Castinetti will receive a key to the city. Unity Radio hosts will be on hand, so enjoy some food, drinks and fun.

Saturday, Sept. 15 Streetlight Manifesto

The Palladium, 261 Main St. The band celebrates 15 years by performing “Everything Goes Numb” in its entirety.

Indian Ranch, 200 Gore Road, Webster The iconic musician and man behind the hit “Jessie’s Girl” heads to Indian Ranch with opener The Mylars and National Anthem singer Larry Smith.

Mass Audubon Wachusett Meadow, 113 Goodnow Road, Princeton The annual event featuring farm-related demonstrations and hands-on activities. Enjoy

Friday-Sunday, Sept. 14-16 Massachusetts Tattoo Convention

DCU Center, 50 Foster St. Now in its third year, the annual tattoo convention returns to the DCU Center.The three day event features tattooers, vendors, music and performances.

Wednesday, Sept. 19 Despite, Despair

27

Ralph’s Diner, 148 Grove St. Utah punks, Despite, Despair join Boston’s Years Apart, Worcester’s Bad Image and Worcester’s finest sludge, Altar of Ash.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Saturday, Sept. 15 Hey Day

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

Saturday, Sept. 15 Rick Springfield

games

28

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

Jonesin’ Across 1 Playground marble 6 "Stay With Me" singer Smith 9 Point-and-click tool 14 Late-night TBS show 15 Bank offering, for short 16 "Champagne Supernova" band 17 Storage place 18 Does some present preparation 20 New pilot's achievements 22 Wed. preceder 23 "Inglourious Basterds" org.

24 The Braves, on scoreboards 25 "I ___ Man of Constant Sorrow" 28 Country singer Travis 30 Elba who recently announced he won't be playing James Bond 32 Australia's Outback, alternatively 37 Becomes less green 38 Historic castle officially called "Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress" 41 Discipline with poses 42 Wound on a bobbin 43 Limp Bizkit frontman Fred 45 "Parks and Recreation" character Andy 48 Joan of Arc, e.g., for short 49 Ruling official 52 Word with Plaines or Moines 53 Niihau necklace 55 Like a government wonk, say 58 They may be receding 61 1990s cardio fad 62 For some reason it's National Soft Pretzel Month 63 "Ambient 1: Music for Airports" composer 64 Become a member 65 Regards 66 Columnist Savage 67 Classic symbols of the theater

"TL;DR"--some short versions.

by Matt Jones

Down 1 "With ___ of thousands" 2 Escaped 3 Horn 4 "Break Your Heart" singer Cruz 5 Provide with a wardrobe 6 Protestors' placards 7 Unfit for farming 8 Mario Puzo subject 9 "The Jungle Book" boy 10 Rowboat pair 11 "Mr. Robot" network 12 Tiny drink 13 Feature of a Mariner's cap 19 Blasting stuff 21 Fall-blooming flowers 25 2012 Affleck thriller 26 Bearing 27 Donkey relative 29 "___ the best of times ..."

31 Word before longlegs or Yankee 33 1940s-'50s jazz style 34 Strange sighting 35 Traffic caution word 36 Poker variant 38 Hype up 39 Grimm creature 40 Piece with a headline 41 PGA measurements

44 2016 Dreamworks movie with Justin Timberlake 46 Respectable group?

47 Converse rival 50 Lilly of pharmaceuticals 51 Penalized, monetarily 52 Knighted vacuum cleaner inventor 54 They offer immunity on "Survivor" 55 Highly proper 56 Wrestler John of countless memes 57 "Peter Pan" dog 58 Took in 59 King Kong, for instance 60 Vexation

Last week's solution

©2018 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com)

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!

Classifieds Summer Hours!

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Monday - Friday

classifieds

Friends ask where I ďŹ nd such cool stuff and helpful services...

My secret is CLASSIFIEDS!

Over 90,000 Readers in Print and Online.

Ads post immediately!

New postings everyday!

978-728-4302 sales@centralmassclass.com centralmassclass.com

PUBLIC AUCTION NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF M.L.C. 225 SEC. 39A THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES WILL BE SOLD SEPTEMBER 29, 2018 AT A SALE TO SATISFY OUR GARAGE LIEN THEREON FOR TOWING AND STORAGE CHARGES AND EXPENSES OF SALE AND NOTICE. 2006 HONDA CR-V VIN# JHLRD78896C010597 2003 HONDA CR-V VIN# SHSRD78893U144935 2009 LINCOLN MKZ VIN# 3LNHM28T89R615292 2007 ACURA TL VIN# 19UUA66287A029200 2005 HONDA ACCORD VIN# 1HGCM56475A049322 SALE LOCATION : EARLY’S ON PARK AVE. INC 536 PARK AVENUE WORCESTER, MA 01603

Women’s Hair Loss??

Fully Insured Insu

SANREMO

Hair Loss Center Specializing in women’s hair loss.

100% Human Hair in just Weeks!!!

HIC#111318

Donald F. Mercurio

WM-0000362425-01

• Tree Trimming • Tree Removal

774-230-0422

sanremohairlosscenter.com

G. HANSON. Co PAUL Furniture Repair â?ˆ

Major/Minor Repairs â?ˆ Touch Ups â?ˆ Chair Regluing

Pick up & Delivery 978 464-5800

www.furniturerepaira2z. com

30 Years in Business

C&S

Carpet Mills CARPET & LINOLEUM 30 Sq. Yds. $630 Installed with Pad Berber, Plush or Commercial Free Metal Included Call Tom

800-861-5445 or 508-886-2624

29

Owner Operator Insured

• Shrub Trimming

Fully Insured Free Estimates www.millerslandscapingma.com

508-755-5852

Repaired & Replaced

t 8FTU #PZMTUPO

• Aeration & Overseeding

958 Southbridge St. Worcester

BULKHEADS

Foundation Repairs #SJDL t #MPDL t 4UPOF Basement WaterprooďŹ ng

• Fall Cleanup

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

MA CSL#97139

WM-0000362715-01

Master Installers of RooďŹ ng, Siding & Window Products FINANCING AVAILABLE www.johntheroofer.com TOLL FREE 866-906-ROOF

WM-0000365647-01

QUALITY EXTERIORS ORS FOR FO OVER OV 65 YEARS!

FR CONSU EE LTATION

MILLER’S LANDSCAPING

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

Free ee estimates

WM-0000365063-01

LEGAL NOTICE

last call Adam Costello, Veterans Coordinator

30

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

Veterans Count is just one of the programs designed by Easter Seals to ensure no one is left behind.

Adam Costello is the veterans coordinator for Easter Seals Massachusetts.

What is your history with Central Massachusetts?

I’ve lived in Central Massachusetts all of my life, minus seven years away with the Army. Growing up, my mother and I lived in a triple-decker near the Worcester Business Center. I went to Thorndyke Road Elementary school off of Burncoat Street, and later we moved to Barrem where I would spent my high school years. Soon after high school, I met my future wife, who was from Northborough, where we eventually settled. I graduated from Quinsigamond Community College and Becker College here in Worcester. I have a lot of memories of the city. When I was 9-years old, I remember sneaking into see “The Terminator” when the Hanover Theatre was still Showcase Cinemas. I spent a ton of quarters in the Dream Machine.

How many Veterans are living in poverty?

I’m going back to a report from 2015, so there might have been some slight changes to these figures, but there are about 1.5 million Veterans living in poverty. When split by age, those veterans age 34 and younger have the highest poverty level.

This trend reflected an increase of about 120,000 for the period of 2005-2012. The average age of an enlisted person is 27 years, so we can assume that’s about the age of most people who are returning. When a person enlists in service, they’re around 21 years old. Military service is a nomadic experience with moves every few years; in order to maintain a relationship marriage rates are high. Based on a recent study from UMass Amherst, the average age of marriage in the military is 22. More than one-

third of the active-duty population is married with children.

They’ll spend a lot of time away from their young family due to various training requirements and combat deployments. After about four to six years, having fulfilled their obligation, many return to the civilian world to pick up where they left off. When a person arrives home from service, it’s likely that they will have moderate debt, no job waiting, and will be renting an apartment.

They’ll need to return to work to earn money to support their family, but will be competing against people who have higher levels of education and likely more direct experience in whatever industry it is that they’re pursuing. Many service members are forced to take employment that’s well below their skill level in order to sustain themselves, and then balance this with pursuing a degree and raising young children. The transition from military service is a difficult period, and it can take a long time for a Veteran to catch up to their civilian peers.

How do we change that?

Assuming no change in the military culture, and just looking at our response back home, there are things that we can do. Many of the burdens can be lifted to some degree through the various state and federal benefits programs that exist. It’s often best to apply for these early.

Many veterans don’t even realize a lot of these programs exist, understand how they work, or feel confident navigating the application processes. We can help with this through our internal resources and with our external partnerships.

What are some specific challenges that female Veterans face?

The military culture is shifting. Female participation in all military roles is increasing, and it’s normal to see females in the ranks in every unit in today’s military. While the modern military culture is making great progress

in this shift, the veteran culture has a long way to go. Most traditional veteran organizations are staffed by men from earlier service periods and whose military experience either did not involve women, or where women were viewed as “lesser” contributors due to various serviceimposed limitations or different service-created standards used to judge performance. If each and every member of an organization doesn’t share the perspective that service defines the veteran (not gender, race, orientation, or some other classification) then the organization as a whole will fail to meet its obligations to our Veterans equally. For example, a few years ago I was invited to observe a veteran organization’s meeting that was trying to recruit female members, but was unsure of why they weren’t having success.

Most of the leadership and the membership was committed to having women join their ranks.

Most. A potential member came to this location and passed several bar patrons to approach the leadership team’s recruitment meeting. Although the majority of the patrons were friendly and courteous, there were several looks from a notable portion that ranged from sexually intimidating to openly hostile. The veteran remained composed. The leadership team made their case for why their organization would be a great place to be, when one of them stated, “And with you here, at least we’d have something good to look at.” While the veteran remained friendly and composed, there was a subtle change in her outward expres-

sion which was a strong indicator that she would never return. She never returned.

Why do you think suicide rates are on the rise among veterans?

There are a lot of contributors to suicide. I believe that a lot of it comes down to an individual’s belief that there is a relevant purpose for him or her and that achieving that purpose is both attainable and worthwhile. Many service members are conditioned over time to reduce their fear of death. After all, if we allowed a reasonable fear of death to strongly influence our actions, than we wouldn’t engage in the high-risk activities necessary during wartime. If we remove the fear of death and combine that with a lack of meaningful purpose, then suicide can be perceived as a reasonable option during times of struggle. The Department of Veterans Affairs has taken several reasonable actions to reduce the suicide rate through expanded mental health resources and the implementation of the Suicide Hotline. Even with the consistent increase in resources over the years, the data shows that veteran suicide is still trending upward, especially among those under age 34. The major flaw in these services is

that the person has often already reached the stage where he or she is contemplating suicide before they’re utilized. I believe that, in order to reduce the suicide rate significantly, we need to intervene before the person reaches that point. A part of that means that meaningful connections have to be established early on.

There are many things that can give somebody a purpose, such as a relationship, meaningful employment, inspiring others, or helping somebody accomplish something perceived as important. Participation in social activities and fostering relationships are a big step toward finding purpose that we feel is meaningful.

Often, one of the greatest ways is to help others avoid the struggles that we have had to overcome ourselves. Peer networks are a great way to contribute, but far from the only way. A single organization is not going to solve this problem on their own. As a community, we can do this together.

I’d encourage anybody interested in tackling this problem to get in contact with me. ­— By Sarah Connell

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

31

32

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

S E P T E M B E R 13 - 19, 2018