OCT. 29 - NOV. 4, 2020 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
CULTURE • ARTS • DINING • VOICES
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Halloween Tales Facing our fears in 2020 Searching for Bigfoot in Leominster Upending the myths about bats
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O C T O B E R 29 - N O V E M B E R 4, 2020 • V O L U M E 46 I S S U E 10 Find us on Facebook.com/worcestermag Twitter @worcestermag Instagram: Worcestermag
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Featured ......................................................................................4 City Voices...................................................................................6 Cover Story .................................................................................8 Artist Spotlight .......................................................................15 Connell Sanders......................................................................16 Listen Up....................................................................................16 Table Hoppin’...........................................................................17 Screen Time..............................................................................18 The Next Draft..........................................................................19 Adoption Option ....................................................................20 Games .........................................................................................21 Classifieds .................................................................................22 Last Call .....................................................................................23
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the cover Halloween tales Facing our fears in 2020 Searching for Bigfoot in Leominster Upending the myths about bats Story on page 8
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Whose Zoom is it anyway? Colin Mochrie brings online laughs for Hanover Theatre RICHARD DUCKET T
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O C T. 29 - N O V. 4, 2020
T
he ability to think quickly with excellent comedy reflexes is important to being a successful improvisational comedian, particularly if you are taking spur-of-the-moment suggestions from a master of ceremonies or audience member. Scottish-Canadian comedian Colin Mochrie has been demonstrating a knack for that improv spirit from the start of his career and been a regular on the TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” since 1991. He’s also teamed up successfully for 17 years with fellow “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” cast member Brad Sherwood for a two-man stage show with lots of audience interaction challenging their whip-smart comic senses and off-the-cuff brilliance. However, “It doesn’t help me in real life,” Mochrie said of being a quick wit during a recent telephone interview. “I’ve never won an argument with my wife. Never talked my way out of a ticket.” While thinking fast does help on stage, “a lot of it is listening and having trust in the person you’re working with,” Mochrie said. That sort of thinking may be more true than ever with “Stream of Consciousness,” an all-new live improv show via Zoom featuring Mochrie and Sherwood that will be streamed live at 8 p.m. Oct. 30 in coordination with several theaters including The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts in Worcester. There was also a live streamed show Oct. 24. Mochrie and Sherwood have appeared in-person at The Hanover Theatre, but this time they are a distance away from here as well as each other. “Using a technology that I don’t understand at all I’ll be in my basement in Toronto and Brad will be in Las Vegas. The technology looks like we’re in the same room. We can actually go into audience members’ living rooms and interact with them, so it’s been interesting,” Mochrie said. For “Stream of Consciousness,” a stage manager talks to the audience in the Zoom gallery and Mochrie and Sherwood get suggestions from the audience for improvisational pieces. Mochrie said they had done
Comedians Colin Mochrie, left, and Brad Sherwood will perform “Stream of Consciousness,” an all-new live improv show via Zoom, at 8 p.m. Oct. 30 in coordination with several theaters, including The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts in Worcester. SUBMITTED PHOTO
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suggestions.� They did get one recently from a woman who said she’s the person you call when people are trapped in an elevator. “I kept thinking, ‘There must be down time unless you’re working for a really crappy elevator company,’� Mochrie said. Mochrie and Sherwood did a riff playing out her down time. “It’s always fun when the audience gives us something personal when it’s their occupation. You get much more material to work with.� Mochrie and Sherwood have played their in-person stage show around the world as well as appearing on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?� in two countries. Asked if he’s seen any trans-national cultural differences in humor, Mochrie said, “We’re doing goofy, which is kind of international.� With that, North American audiences do tend to be more pop culture oriented, while Brits might have a broader range of suggestions, such as asking for a skit about King Charles II. “Our incredible ignorance makes the scene funny because I have no background in what Charles II did,� Mochrie said. The last time Mochrie was live on stage in an in-person theater was back in February, just before the COVID shutdowns. “I think unfortunately that’s gonna be the last thing to come back,� he said of in-person shows. “While I’m really glad we’re doing the Zoom shows, they’re really no substitute for being in front of a live audience.� Some things remain the same — a revived “Whose Line Is It Anyway?� is still running on TV at The CW Television Network with Mochrie as a regular and Sherwood occasionally showing up. “It’s like a zombie. You can’t kill it. It keeps coming back,� Mochrie said of the show. That’s 30 years of trust, with a break or two. “Believe me I think we’re all really thankful,� Mochrie said. “I think we’re all aware how fortunate we are that this came along and it changed our lives.�
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about half a dozen of these shows so far at the time of the interview, and “they’ve gone great.� By the same token, “It’s a bit of an adjustment,� Mochrie acknowledged. For one thing, “We found out we can’t just make them a Zoom presentation of our stage show,� he said. Zoom shows come across more like it’s TV, and the attention span of TV audiences is shorter, and so the livestreamed improv pieces have been correspondingly shorter on average than what you would see at an inperson stage show, he said. And with the way the technology is set up in his basement, Mochrie can’t really tell if the audience is laughing. “It’s very odd doing a show where you have to have complete confidence that you’re funny.� Furthermore, “This has really cut the physical aspect of our show. I’m kind of working in a 3-feet-by-6-feet space,� Mochrie said. So “Stream of Consciousness� relies mostly on a verbal humor. Through it all, that matter of trust remains. “We’ve been doing the tour over 17 years. I’ve known Brad over 30 years. I know enough to trust him to follow along and know what happens.� “Whose Line Is It Anyway?� started out in Britain as a radio show on the BBC then switched over to television on Channel 4. Mochrie, who was born in Scotland but moved to Canada with his family as a child, was a member of the famous Second City improvisational theater troupe and auditioned for “Whose Line Is It Anyway� several times before joining the British cast. Sherwood, a Chicago native, auditioned a little later and was also cast on the British show. In 1998 “Whose Line Is It Anyway?� flew across the pond to the United States, where it ran for eight years on ABC. Mochrie and Sherwood were on board and Drew Carey was the host. Much of the show consisted of games suggested by host Carey — such as a sequence where the performers could speak only in questions, or acting out a scene dictated by the wigs they had to don. For the stage show Mochrie and Sherwood developed, they had audience members calling the shots. The audiences have not been particularly restrained. With “Stream of Consciousness,� Mochrie said, “We get our usual suggestions. We’re trying to find a way to get new suggestions so we’re not gynecologists and proctologists all the time. We’re trying to get unusual
CITY VOICES
HARVEY
Down to the wire JANICE HARVEY
and I’ve voted in every local and national election since 1974. Never have I seen a newspaper dedicate autious optimism. That’s 10 pages to declaring an incumthe phrase that best describes the nervous tension bent president “a man unworthy of the office he holds.” Ten pages that I live with every day and outline his “unapologetic corrupwill continue to experience until the 2020 presidential election is in tion,” “demagogy,” “fake populism,” “incompetent statesmanship” and the rear-view mirror. The optimism stems from my fervent hope “superspreader agenda,” and serve that enough Americans have tired as a foghorn blast through the of the Trump Traveling Road Show murk. I will keep that section in my makeshift time capsule. to run the circus out of town. The This election will reveal whether caution comes from a stubborn dose of reality that prevents a sun- the blueprint for a democracy was fool-proof or a pipe dream that nier outlook. The MAGA rallies are still draw- could only come true if all the ing sizable numbers. Maskless die- players were honest and dedihards, whose unshakable devotion cated to its success. I don’t think that’s hyperbole on the part of the to Donald J. Trump continues to pundits. Everything we purport defy logic, still gather to cheer on to hold dear about America is on their idol. The possibility of winding up in the ICU or the graveyard the line. Much has been said about the hasn’t dampened their enthusiasm; that’s the reality that fuels my notorious “60 Minutes” interview with Leslie Stahl that prompted caution. Trump to walk off the set. Stahl My optimism is buoyed by the asked if Trump was ready for swell of support for a return to “tough questions” which set normalcy. Trump’s cruelty and Trump ablaze. As an educator, I boorish behavior has worn down was intrigued by what I saw as allhalf of America. The other half too familiar behavior. thrives on the daily nonsense. I Often students who misbehave can’t say for certain that his supdo so to avoid revealing their unporters share his views, because preparedness; that is, they’d rather frankly he has no genuine affinity get thrown out for playing the or disdain for any one group or clown or displaying belligerence, idea. He says what they want to than confess ignorance about a hear, but I’m not sure he subscribes to all of the crazed rhetoric subject. To the child, it’s better to be considered a brash rebel than a he spews. I only know that he dummy. Trump taking his ball and inflames and coaxes the worst in going home was a great example all of us. Is Joe Biden the ideal candidate? of this sad strategy. It’s not hard to understand — what’s unacceptWho is? Democrats wish he was able is such behavior from the sup20 years younger and less gaffeposed leader of the free world. prone, but since neither of these My cautious optimism is kept facts can be altered, voters must in check by the 12 weeks between embrace him for his decency and voting day and the presidential inexperience. Unless we can hold a auguration.Should Joe Biden enjoy seance this week and conjure up a landslide victory over Trump, Abe Lincoln, the perfect presiAmerica shouldn’t exhale until dential contender isn’t likely to Jan. 20, 2021. Trump will wreak surface. Decency and experience sound quite appealing these days, havoc till the last gong, and we must be prepared for mega doses especially when held up against of dangerous retribution. I suspect corruption and incompetence. he will make us pay for not letting The New York Times editorial him continue to avoid the courts board recently took the extraorand evade accountability. Never dinary step of devoting its entire in my life have I ever wanted to be Sunday Review op-ed section to “The Case Against Donald Trump.” more wrong. I’m a lifelong political junkie
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LETTERS
A response to Bishop McManus’ statement on civil What unions Democrats really stand for
they go low, as they so often do. If there is “clarification” needed from Worcester leaders who do not understand our value, we are here to talk and look forward to clarifying. Queer Worcester, we love you. In solidarity and love, Pride Remix
PRIDE REMIX
Dear LGBTQ+ Worcester, We at Pride Remix remain unsurprised by the continuation of major religious institutions grappling with their internal hate-o-meters. We understand that some of us are caught in the middle of these deep human questions of faith and self-worth, and our message to you today and always is this: You are worthy of love and dignity. NO ONE can determine this for you, and we are here if you need help and are feeling isolated because of these harsh realities we face in our own communities. Our lives and love are not up for their politicization, and we will continue to fight back when
S. JANE ARNTZ
Thomas Corrigan in his letter to the editor writes that he is a registered Democrat, and that he can “no longer support the Democratic party that is attacking our core American values.” I disagree with his reasoning and would like to tell him what our local Democratic Town Committee recently came up with. We believe That climate change is real and is a crisis
That health care is a human right That no one is above the law In common sense gun laws In equality for all In respect for all religions That kids do not belong in cages That 90% of the wealth shouldn’t be held by 1% of the people. I certainly feel that these are American values. S. Jane Arntz lives in Holden.
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, so brevity is your friend. A full name and town or city of residence are required. Please include an email address or phone number for verification purposes only. 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.
CITY VOICES
WORCESTERIA
On being the new guy ... VEER MUDAMBI
13 years of ‘Radio of Horror’ has had some scary moments CHRIS DENMEAD
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was asked, “What stands out to you this year for the horror community?” I replied, “This year?!?!” Halloween 2020 is like its own horror story with a body count of more than a million globally. I could would never think some zombie plague movie would hit this close to home. Talking on the radio late at night while a pandemic grips the planet reminds me of “Pontypool,” a movie where a disc jockey reports about a virus from his basement studio. It’s made me think about the time I’ve been on the air with “Radio of Horror,” and how I have had my own share of horror stories over 13 years, from the horrors of Main South sometimes to the heart-pounding dread of always being alone doing radio late, late at night. It’s pretty simple to do a midnight ‘til 2 a.m. show when you’re 27, especially after staying up late with the newborn baby. You get used to it. Flash forward to 37 years ... not so much. But we moved to a new time slot, 10 p.m., and it’s re-energized me doing the show after all these years. One particular night that comes to mind is when I was still on after midnight, in the spring of 2011, and we would get constant phone calls. Every few weeks I would get this call for songs or to
talk movies and the person then started asking about coming on the show and, never having met the person, I didn’t know what to say to them. I was worried they would come to the studio. Our address is publicly known and if they did, what could I do? Sometimes doing a show called “Radio of Horror” would lead to a real-life horror story of a stalker, which would make me think. I got to relate this story to an actress from a popular horror movie franchise that came on the show, talking about problems with a stalker she had. It can be downright scary, especially if you never meet them, because you never know what they look like. On “Friends,” Joey thinks he can avoid his stalker coming up the stairs because they never met and Chandler has to remind him that’s how radio stars avoid stalkers. I had come to learn of a film with Clint Eastwood, “Play Misty for Me.” A radio DJ gets calls from a stalker over and over again. Not all stories of the radio are as scary as a stalker who won’t leave you alone. The best part of this show has always been the music and the atmosphere that surrounds what I’m playing. It can give me this feeling of uneasiness when I’m alone. When I would get emails and instant messages on Myspace (Oh yes, this was before Facebook and Twitter took over) I didn’t know what to
do and thought to call the police, just thinking they wanted to be friendly but I could tell there was agitation in their voice and that’s what really bothered me. I was wondering what every noise was that I heard at 1 a.m. I was shining my flashlight out at the darkness surrounding the station wondering what was creeping around the corner. It really unnerved me at times. Eventually, I stood up to the person and told them if they called again I would call the police. I did call the police and put the warning in a file so it is on record. I took back the power the stalker had in their control. Very similar to a horror movie, when the masked killer stalks their prey in the neighborhood and our hero or heroine has had enough. I learned a lot from doing this show after 13 years, but that lesson of true life horror was the greatest I could ever have and I am better for it. This show gave me a lot of great purpose in life and drives me to be who I am. This is a Halloween I can look back on the last several and really feel great. Chris Denmead is the host of “Radio of Horror” on WCUW. He currently has a Kickstarter running to promote his genderswapped graphic novel, “Vlada: A Dracula Tale.” For more information visit, https://www.kickstarter. com/projects/1408666346/vladaa-dracula-tale.
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For most people, the switch to remote work was from a familiar office environment to a virtual one – same people, same work, new location. Me? I’ve been working remotely from 30 miles away since my first day at Worcester Magazine, Aug. 17. So it’s been a combination of new people, new work and the same location – a family room desk. I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t say that it has generated a small amount of anxiety. Still on deadline and not in the town that I’m working on can create lag, even in the internet age. Covering a new city, especially one as diverse and complex as Worcester, from a distance has some interesting challenges. While I’m no stranger to remote reporting, the flavor of Worcester is missing when I speak to sources, it’s missing when I begin a discussion about a Worcester topic and it’s missing as I create a network of contacts. When I say “local flavor” I mean the kind of information that does not lend itself well to a Google search. It comes from the street level – from random discoveries while wandering about the neighborhood looking for something completely different. Being limited to internet research can be a major stumbling block particular to my profession, and sometimes I may be missing a key piece of the puzzle without even knowing it. But everyone else knows and it shows in interviews and conversations – references such as “but you know how that goes around here” or “that old story.” No, how does that go around here, and, no, please tell me that old story – I’m new! I’ve been very fortunate that some of my contacts are connecting me with others and helping me out with a reputation as the “nature guy at WoMag.” Happily, just about everyone has been patient and willing to elaborate on, what must sound to them like incredibly basic questions. And I’m grateful because it’s not as simple as it sounds – it can’t be easy for them to identify and explain something they’ve taken for granted and lived with for years. Sometimes the most commonplace things are the hardest to articulate but people are understanding and I’m finding my feet. In an attempt to give me some of that local flavor, my editor gave me a walking tour of downtown Worcester. It was a chance to meet my new city on a personal as well as professional level. For example – whenever I move to a new place, I like to stake out a regular foraging space. Usually a Shaws, Star Market or something along those lines where I can drop by after work and peruse the aisles. Here, I know it will be the Worcester Public Market in the Canal District. Part international food court, part farmers market – any regular supermarket just seems boring in comparison. I have a feeling that food shopping will be less of an errand to squeeze in and more of a mini-adventure to look forward to. Writing about Worcester has opened my eyes in many ways, good and bad. My article on the Lovecraft show set in Worcester County opened my eyes about racism in Massachusetts – I was staggered to find that the place I thought was a bastion of liberal thought had a dark history, and that it is entirely possible that Worcester County had “sundown towns” in the 1950s. Other articles showed me how Worcester with its industrial city reputation was actually dotted with wild, green spaces that have been a balm in these pandemic times, and there is a vigorous community of environmental stewards devoted to their maintenance. Coming from Boston, I foolishly assumed we had the market cornered on history. But the city of Worcester is old – older than the nation. First settled under the Indian name of Quinsigamond in 1673, the settlement was abandoned at the start of King Philip’s War. It was at the second attempted settlement that the name “Worcester,” meaning “war-castle,” was adopted but this settlement was also abandoned in 1701. Now, known as the “heart of the Commonwealth,” Worcester was established as a town on June 14, 1722, and incorporated as a city on Feb. 29, 1848. There’s a bit of history seeping down into every crack and corner. And it has transformed since those days – cultural history, community and demographic changes. Today it is a vibrant and diverse city with a good percentage of immigrants. And I am looking forward to exploring and getting to know it. Once I can actually, you know, explore it. In the meantime, shoot me a tweet at @perchancetogame or email VMudambi@gannett.com if you have any story ideas or topics!
FIRST PERSON
COVER STORY
Who needs Halloween in 2020? This is the year the holiday has prepared us for VICTOR D. INFANTE
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or Rev. Aaron R. Payson, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, Halloween is a personal matter. “Halloween is all about me!” he jokes, before admitting it’s his birthday. “My earliest memory of the holiday was having to come to terms with the fact that everyone wasn’t celebrating my birthday by getting dressed in costumes and sharing candy!” Personal connection aside, Payson is hardly alone for his love of a holiday that for some is frivolous and spiritual for others. But as Halloween plans, like everything else this year, get upended because of COVID-19, one’s forced to ask one’s self: Who even needs Halloween in 2020? In a year which has brought us a pandemic, uprisings against social injustice, electoral uncertainty and murder hornets, who needs to fake being scared? But maybe that’s the wrong way to look at it. Maybe 2020 is the sort of year for which Halloween has been preparing us.
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Fear the Reaper
“Halloween is a door that’s been painted over many, many times,” says musician James Keyes. “The ancients, the Christians and modern pop culture have all put a coat on it in their own image, but we walk through the portal the way we see it, not the way it sees us.” And there’s very little agreement as to how its seen, but for some, such as Rev. Jane Willan of First Congregational Church of Paxton, it’s the holiday’s roots that make it interesting. “It means ‘holy evening’ and dates back to the pagan times when there was a celebration of the end of the harvest. It was believed that the walls between the worlds were thin and spirits could pass through. The day immediately after Halloween is All Saints Day when we pray for the saints of the church and then the next day is All Souls Day when we pray for those who have died.” Likewise, author J.J. Griffin IV, chief editor at Crown Hill Press, says, “Halloween’s symbolism and customs are largely drawn from
the celebrations once commonly held in rural European agricultural communities when the last crops were harvested prior to the start of winter; simultaneously when the animals who would not make it through the cold and dark season ahead were slaughtered. These people understood that even though the land showed signs of decay and death, as the day’s length decreased, in time the light would increase and life return to the land as well, with the decaying matter providing the nutrients for next year’s crops — life coming from death.” Griffin says that “knowing that the season was at an end but that a new one would be sown from its ashes kept hope in the hearts of those who did not understand the science behind the seasons. Rather than let the darkness consume them, people faced their fears and reveled in that which made them afraid.” This is something that Payson has observed in the modern holiday, saying that for him, “Halloween has become a time of introspection … On some level, I think the opportunity to experience that which might at other times be frightening, as an act of courage in the face of all that can provoke anxiety on any other day. To dress up, is to put on the armor of protection, which provides both anonymity and a deeper sense of ability to face that which frightens us.” In some ways, Halloween is — appropriately enough for the times — an inoculation against fear of the unknown. When these thoughts about Halloween and its purpose are posed to psychologist Dr. Graham Campbell, he agrees that there’s something to them. “We dress our children up as the things they’re afraid of,” he says, “but we send them out to get innocent candy.” Campbell says the holiday “uses our internal symbolism and internal monsters. Other things come out in dreams, on Halloween we bring them out into the waking world. That’s the inner images and dream images of monsters.” That seems to be the takeaway for poet Richard Fox, who reminisces that, when he was a child, “we were given treats like warm brownies, goody bags (small themed bag filled with a mix of candy corn, jawbreakers, licorice, etc.), homemade caramel candy apples, full-size candy bars, and cups of apple hot cider with a cinnamon stick. Halloween was a night to be afraid of imaginary monsters not real ones who may live in our midst.”
Trick or Treat
For some, the holiday is less shadow and metaphor, and is more grounded in family, community and, of course, candy. “To me it’s just a fun occasion,” said City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr., “a time for the nostalgia of your youth and the memories of being with friends or family, dressing up and walking through your neighborhood. Obviously, the candy is a big deal, too, but really it’s all about the children making memories they will look back on and cherish the rest of their lives.” Councilor-at-Large Gary Rosen can relate to that sentiment, recalling that, “as a child, Halloween reinforced that I was a chocoholic. My belly does that now. Sporting creepy costumes with
COVER STORY
high capacity pillowcases in hand, my older brother and I would hit the streets of Tatnuck a few hours before sunset. In those days, adults knew the importance of Halloween so they didn’t give out teases of fun size chocolate bars. The bars were so large that soon we had to return home to empty our pillowcases before venturing out for a second round. Too old to go trick-or-treating, later I identified with Linus of Peanuts comic strip fame as he sat in the pumpkin patch waiting for the arrival of the Great Pumpkin. Linus believes the pumpkin patch is lacking in hypocrisy so it kinda is the opposite of Worcester City Hall. And now I’m in City Hall where we just denied Halloween by banning trick-or-treating. Oh, how young Gary Rosen would be disappointed in his future self.” But even though this has been a time for making hard, sometimes unpopular decisions such as that, many still hold an unabashed love of the holiday, such as drag performer Aria FiftyOne, who claims Halloween is the reason she does drag. “Halloween is a huge part of my identity,” she says. “Fall brings my joy, apple picking, pumpkin picking and carving, dressing up … and just overall macabre and scary things just interest me. I love everything stereotypical Halloween. It’s all year for me. It reminds me of working at the hayride with my dad and fond memories.” For Muhammad Salman Khan, a queer activist and journalist in exile from Pakistan, currently living in Worcester, the holiday has been a source of fascination and bewilderment, with its off mix of secularism, Christianity and pagan religions. “Honestly, I haven’t celebrated Halloween before in my life until I came to the U.S.,” he says, “Just seen it in cartoons and movies growing up, of how children dressed up in scary costumes would go out trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods. Last year, when I was living with my uncle in Medford, I’d the privilege of celebrating Halloween. I was able to carve my pumpkin from scratch and light it up outside in his front yard. At first, I just didn’t know what to do with the extremely heavy pumpkin but then I saw my uncle and his friends who’d carved pumpkins before, so I followed them, took out the carving knife, and then pasted my drawing paper on the pumpkin to carve it and what came out was a masterpiece. I was quite proud of myself to have carved out my first pumpkin.” Perhaps it’s the amorphousness of the holiday’s roots that makes it so accessible: One can approach it at one’s own level. It can hold perspectives as diverse as District 5 City Councilor Matthew E. Wally, who says, “Halloween is a time for people to enjoy life while playing fantasy and eating more Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups than they care to admit,” and musician Kayla Daly, who says the holiday “represents the creative dark power within all of us. A time of year where change is embraced and death is seen as a beautiful and integral part of living.” If there’s anything we have in common, it’s that we all, eventually, find ourselves looking into the dark. And lately, things have been very dark, indeed.
Into the Dark
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Artist Savonne Pickett says Halloween doesn’t really mean much to her personally, but she’s definitely cognizant of how dark 2020 has been, saying, “I think the most frightening thing about this year is knowing whether something bad is going to happen again and how often is it going to keep happening until things to get better in the world. What I have done to face this fear is keep an open mind and continue to be optimistic about future events and how we as people need to handle our actions.” That perhaps has been the single biggest irony in this unconventional year: It’s something we’re both experiencing together, as a community, but also alone as individuals, and as such, everyone’s response to the 2020’s shadows have been different. “I think it’s been scary for many families and small businesses wondering what the future will bring,” says District 3 City Councilor George Russell. “I have attempted to stay in constant contact with many constituents who I normally visit in person or see in coffee shops or neighborhood meetings. This year most of the contact has moved to phone calls and Zoom meetings. Constituent services and requests don’t stop, in fact they grow in number during the shutdown and pandemic. People expect their councilor and their city government to be on the job, pandemic or no pandemic. And I have been, just more remotely.” Augustus says that he has been “inspired by our men and women on the front lines. We saw doctors, nurses,
first-responders and volunteers overcome their own fears, and put themselves at risk to help others and save lives. They turned their fear into a resolve that truly made a difference.” Rosen says that President Trump’s irresponsible behavior after catching COVID-19 “and the mismanagement of the pandemic by our federal government is what scares me. No matter what your political persuasion, we all know that the lives of at least 100,000 Americans could have been saved by choosing pandemic science over politics. I’m scared — no, I’m terrified — that things will not change as the second wave of COVID-19 intensifies here in Worcester and beyond.” Steve Quist, of the Facebook community Worcester Politics 101, says “2020 has been Nightmare on Elm Street with the needless COVID-19, 215,000 deaths and another 7,750,000 infected, a POTUS undermining our elections all to willing to use a military-grade heat ray gun on American protestors.” Campbell is a big believer in listening to scientists and experts when it comes to COVID-19, and with good reason: “I caught it. I was very sick for three months.” He says he was exhausted, dizzy, had what he described as “COVID brain,” which meant his thinking was cloudy, was unsteady on his feet and had constant GI distress and no appetite. “I was very miserable,” he says, adding that he’s more cautious now than before he caught the disease. “Before I got it I was not very afraid of it,” he says. “Now I take care of myself, don’t go into crowds, those sorts of things. The inner monster has become the outer monster with COVID,” he says, adding that it “also exasperates people’s sense of loneliness.” Campbell agrees that it’s possible the stress of the pandemic has exacerbated other social woes, including political and social issues, issues that were already festering. “2020 has been a scary year for a lot of us,” says Khan, “but what has scared me is this uncertainty, near hopelessness, and isolation that I have been living since last year when I came to the U.S. I am an asylum seeker, who is fleeing persecution in his own country … I have to navigate an increasingly hostile asylum process all on my own, with little financial, emotional and social support. I have been afraid of the political changes that I see in America, I am afraid of ICE and the threat of deportation. I fear that my case is being delayed more. That could be very risky for me. I am afraid of the dangers to my life that exist due to my activism, also I am afraid of being all alone in this most difficult journey of my life. I am afraid of being homeless, I struggle daily with depression and suicidal thoughts as I cope with the trauma that I have to go through forced migration, displacement and exile. I just wish to work on the cause of equality that I believe in, I wish to live my life as a free person and study what I am passionate about. I wish to be the change that I wish to be and do good for America, my new home, and its people.” Khan’s not alone. Talking to people about what they’re afraid of this year brings a staggering list, everything from being killed by police to the end of the world from climate change. They fear pandemic, yes, but what’s most heartbreaking is how much people seem to fear each other. “What has frightened me the most about 2020 is us,” says horror filmmaker Skip Shea, whose short film “SEEDS” was recently screened online by the Italian Horror Festival. “The rise of fascism, the denial of science and the deep desire to be led. I’ve tried to face it by attending as many
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COVER STORY
Bigfoot is alive and well and living in Leominster
North Worcester County town also called a hotbed for UFOs CRAIG S. SEMON
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hen it comes to the elusive Bigfoot, Leominster native Ronny Le Blanc is practically on a first-name basis with the burly, wild berry-eating behemoth. Then again, it doesn’t hurt that Le Blanc grew up and still lives on the outskirts of “Monsterland,” a five-mile stretch of Leominster that intersects where a large population of city residents live, work and shop with the vastness of unchartered trees of the Leominster State Forest. As legend goes, “Monsterland” is known for flying saucers, glowing orange orbs and Sasquatch sightings, all of which might be connected.
“Monsterland” was once known as a small area in South Leominster, by Old Mill Road bridge, near the Lancaster border (where Walmart and commercial businesses now sit), that bleeds into Leominster State Forest and the surrounding areas. Le Blanc claims the boundaries of “Monsterland” has expanded as activity is being reported all around Leominster State Forest. “What I started noticing is that there was a lot of activities and stories in and around Leominster State Forest, which connects to Monsterland through the powerlines,” Le Blanc said. “A lot of the locals that grew up here used to call it ‘Monstah-land.’ It goes back to the ’50s and there was a gentleman that supposedly disappeared after seeing
a strange creature by Old Mill Road.” And Le Blanc knows his Bigfoot and has had his share of glowing orbs. He has done extensive research, so much so that he was plucked at last minute, with his wife’s blessing, to become one of the elite team of Sasquatch specialists who journeyed into the Oregon wilderness in search of the legendary creature on the popular Travel Channel series, “Expedition Bigfoot.” Le Blanc will also be featured on the “Shock Docs” special “This Is Halloween,” airing this week on the Travel Channel, and “Paranormal Caught on Camera,” also on the Travel Channel, airing next month. Previously, Le Blanc has been featured on Animal Planet’s “Finding Bigfoot” and “In Search of Monsters.”
And he just released a new “Monsterland” Black IPA with Bull Spit Brewing Company called “Sasquatch Spit,” which, I gather, tastes better than its actual namesake. The 46-year-old Bigfoot researcher is also the author of two books, “Monsterland: Encounter with UFOs, Big Foot and Orange Orbs” and its sequel, “Monsterland: Encounters with Shamans, Sasquatch, Synchronicity and High Strangeness.” Le Blanc is also making a lowbudget Bigfoot horror movie called “Silver Creek” and, is in serious talks about making “Monsterland” into a documentary series filmed around Central Mass. So what is Bigfoot? “I would say Bigfoot is something that’s more interdimensional, almost
spiritual-kind of a realm that has the ability to manifest itself,” Le Blanc said. “I started off chasing an ape, a flesh-and-blood animal and now I’m thinking it’s something else.” Le Blanc said Bigfoot comes in differences sizes. “So on the West Coast, they seem to be much larger than what people are seeing out here on the East Coast. In Ohio and Pennsylvania, Bigfoots have more black fur and are smaller in stature, 6 feet or so, where out West they’re almost 9 feet tall, much larger than what was captured on the Patterson-Gimlin film in 1967,” Le Blanc said. “There are reports of different colors. So they might change color with the seasons, like where a rabbit is going to change when it comes to snow in the winter time, because there has been reports of white ones seen in the winter.” When Le Blanc was 12 years old, he had a strange encounter behind Fall Brook Elementary School that still haunts and inspires him. And, he knows, the truth is out there. “Before they put Samoset (Middle School) there, there was a bunch of tracks that would connect to Monsterland that would go to the sand dunes where people would go partying and people had reported seeing strange things, UFOs, shadow people, strange beings, balls of light, you name it,” Le Blanc said. “There was one particular track I always used to avoid. It always had a very dark, ominous feeling to it. It would be a beautiful day, and you look down this thing and it looked dark.” One day, gripping the handle bars of his blue Raleigh bmx-style bike, Le Blanc was feeling brave and, alone,
Ronny Le Blanc of Leominster has been featured on Animal Planet’s “Finding Bigfoot” and “In Search of Monsters” and the Travel Channel’s “Expedition Bigfoot.” Le Blanc is pictured in St. Leo’s cemetery, where a couple reportedly had a UFO encounter. CHRISTINE PETERSON
COVER STORY
angular UFO with lights hovering WHO NEEDS over a hillside in Ashburnham. H A L LO W E E N “They’re looking at this thing and C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 9 they’re just dumbfounded how someprotests as I can and by supporting thing so large could just be hovering the people locally who are trying silently there,” Le Blanc said of the Ashburnham incident. “Flash of light to effect change for the better. But honestly, none of that makes me feel and all of a sudden the UFO is gone any better. I do think a lot of people and they look at each other and the in the generations behind me are on wife notices that they have missing time, about 20 minutes. But, the other the right path. I’m just concerned thing, now their car is on the opposite about what the road will be like to get there.” side of the road, like they were put He’s not alone in that concern — back but in the wrong place.” not by a mile. Written with the skeptic in mind, “It has been a very scary time for Le Blanc said he wanted to approach most of us,” says Payson. “Between his “Monsterland” book from being the pandemic, electoral politics, a college-educated researcher with economic uncertainty, systemic evidence, personal experience and witness testimony to back things up. racism in all of its lurid forms and the civil unrest that it has inspired, If you have had any encounters Halloween will be a time to pause or experiences with Bigfoot or this year and consider who it is that UFOs, you can talk to Le Blanc anhas helped me make it to this mononymously via his website, www. ment in my life, and to honor them ronnyleblanc.com prayerfully. It will also be a holiday “Leominster people know what’s to remember the origin of that hugoing on. People talk. But they also man strength that is accessible to keep their mouths shut and don’t all, which energizes us to persevere, say (expletive) either,” Le Blanc said. “So, for me to write ‘Monsterland,’ to and rise to the challenges of this moment through acts of courage, actually come forward, was a little bit of a risk and gamble, in the sense empathy, service, and support for the people and communities that people are going to think I’m crazy. sustain us. These acts are the armor Whatever.”
that I rely on during this difficult time. I don them every day and I admire those I witness whose commitment to justice and peace far surpass my own, as well as the strength and fortitude that are alive and grow through simple acts of kindness, witness, and advocacy, for these are the bedrock of beloved community to me.” For his part, Griffin looks at a world he admits is terrifying, and still finds reasons to hope — reasons deeply rooted in the holiday: “The cycle of life and death is one which frightens us all and one which we avoid recognizing as often as we can. As the world around us grows darker, and we increasingly see decay, we must recall that these are parts of a cycle which we can use to our advantage if we live in tandem with it. Thus, this is the perfect season for culling that which needs to be let go and to be fearless in the face of change, to acknowledge that change is a part of life, and to embrace it rather than fear it. Let go of that which is decaying matter and let it become the nutrients for your own future growth, knowing that there are brighter days ahead.”
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and you could see just the faint light from the distance coming through. And the psychic medium said, ‘It’s going to move. Watch’ … And this tall shadow moved through the trees without making a (expletive) sound … I’m like, what are we dealing with? Is it an animal or is it something else?” Back in Central, Massachusetts, Le Blanc says there is so much happening in the area. Personally, Le Blanc said he has seen glowing, floating orbs nine times now, including, during the day, at Doyle Field. And he believes there is a connection between these orbs and sightings of Bigfoot. “People have seen Bigfoot holding an orb,” Le Blanc said. “They look like a basketball with plasma swirling around and they’re silent. I’ve just seen them hovering over the sky and just blink out and disappear. There are a lot of different theories about Bigfoot but the reality is something is happening. People are seeing them. They are leaving tracks.” What Le Blanc said he finds crazy is there are a lot of sightings with Bigfoot close to suburbia. “People who have claimed to have a Bigfoot in their sights of the guns said they can’t pull the trigger because they looked too human,” Le Blanc said. “I always found that fascinating and I feel like for something to be this elusive and so evasive this long it has to be a more human than animal for it to do that.” The Leominster area is also thought to be a hotbed for UFO sightings and, quite possibly, abductions. Le Blanc references Betty Andreasson, who claims that on Jan. 25, 1967, she was abducted by extraterrestrial aliens from her South Ashburnham home. She also had a close encounter in 1944 in Leominster. “There was a huge UFO wave in 1967 in Central Mass. People were seeing UFOs over ponds and lakes and there was a lady in Fitchburg saying there are UFOs coming out of the reservoir,” Le Blanc said. “When I started researching, I found out that Betty Andreasson had this thing happen down on Howard Street (in Leominster) with this ball of light hit her head and this mental telepathy and these gray aliens, and other stuff happening in the forests in Westminster and South Ashburnham. During this time, this area was also getting a wave of Bigfoot sightings and reports from the state police.” Le Blanc also talks about a couple in March 1967 saw a UFO at St. Leo’s Cemetery in Leominster and, in the ‘70s, another couple who saw a rect-
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went down this trail. “There were two trees on either side. It just felt like this prehistoric gate welcoming me into this place,” Le Blanc recalled. “I start going down this trail with my bike and I just could hear the bike squeaking and I noticed there are no other sounds in the forest. Nothing.” Le Blanc remembers coming to a dead stop. He couldn’t see anything on either side and started getting an uneasy feeling in his gut. So he put his feet flat on the ground and didn’t move a muscle. “At that moment,” Le Blanc continued, “something crashed through the woods right in front of me and I could feel it reverberating in the soles of my feet. It was pushing trees and shrubs, went across the trail and onto the other side. But I couldn’t see anything. That’s what was disturbing.” Flash forward 24 years later. Le Blanc was doing research on people’s encounters with these “invisible things.” “As you dig deeper into Bigfoot, you’re start talking about cloaking and the fact that they can vanish before people’s eyes. And these stories go back hundreds of years where all of a sudden a posse has this creature cornered and the tracks just disappear in open field, like something just came and picked it up and took it away,” Le Blanc explained. “So all these stories start to intertwine and I started to go back and I went ‘(Expletive)! A lot of these people are talking about these similar encounters that I had.’ So there’s a belief that Bigfoot could be alien or interdimensional. And it sounds crazy, like something in science fiction, but when you think about it, we have this preconceived notion that an alien has to be gray or green.” A few years back, at 1 a.m. Oct. 21, in Salt Fork State Park in Lore City, Ohio, Le Blanc was with a group of experts that included Le Blanc’s podcast partner, Matty Blake, psychic medium Dr. Rebecca Foster and Creatureplica owner Jeff Byers looking for Bigfoot. “We saw this orange ball of light floating in the woods. I noticed it and I said, ‘Guys, we got something going on over here.’ So we walk over. We’re at the edge of the woodline and all of a sudden this thing splits into two and it looks like two eyes and it’s high off the ground and it’s moving around like it is part of something. And the psychic medium said, ‘We have a Sasquatch right in front of us.’” Le Blanc recalled. “And there was a moment where you could see the silhouette of the trees
COVER STORY
Worcester experts weigh in on bats’ image problem VEER MUDAMBI
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s we celebrate all that gives us goosebumps and chills, references to one animal will be popping up everywhere— in our decorations, clothing, even candy. Bats are as much a symbol of Halloween as pumpkins, ghosts and skeletons but this has only helped to cement an undeservedly sinister reputation throughout the rest of the year. When people think of bats, vampire bats come to mind and by
extension their undead namesake. However, vampire bats are three species out of 1,400 and all three of them are south of the equator. “There’s an inherent mystery that surrounds nocturnal animals,” said naturalist Jake Dziejma, of the EcoTarium in Worcester. The average person doesn’t see them as often, he explained, which leads to misinformation, lack of understanding and eventually fear. Humans have been afraid of the dark since ancient times, so nocturnal animals will naturally be as-
sociated with that cultural phobia. Susan Elizabeth Sweeney, Murray Professor of Arts and Humanities at the College of the Holy Cross, agrees that it is part of human nature to “make things up about creatures who move differently than we do” — such as flying or being active at night. Both of these traits together guarantee an animal a place of suspicion and dread in our collective imagination. Once a year, those who live in the dark are celebrated — but bats actually deserve respect year-round.
According to MassWildlife, they are among the most diverse groups of vertebrates on the planet, occurring on every continent except Antarctica. In fact, they are the second largest group of mammals in the world. Of the multitude of bat species in the world, only 45 are found in the United States, and of those, only nine are native to Massachusetts. They perform many critical ecological functions, particularly consuming immense quantities of insects and indirectly affecting pollination. While Massachusetts bats are not
known as pollinators, they are still an essential part of the ecosystem because of their outsize role in regulating insect numbers. They can eat up to 100 insects per hour and estimates from researcher Dr. Thomas Kunz of Boston University show that bats living near Rt. 128 can eat up to 14 to 15 tons of insects each summer. This cuts down transmission of mosquito-borne diseases, which are on the rise due to global warming and regulating the insect population. Unfortunately, New England bat
COVER STORY
Naturalist program coordinator Jake Dziejma and collections management specialist Martin Christiansen show off bat specimens. Above: A bat specimen on display at the EcoTarium. PHOTOS/ASHLEY GREEN
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February 2020 studies have shown signs of recovery at some sites, according to Jennifer Longsdorf, program coordinator of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program at Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife. However, it will be a long time, if at all, before the bats return to even a fraction of their former numbers. Hibernation areas for bats, called hibernacula, can be abandoned mines, limestone caves and old aqueducts where the humidity is high and temperatures rarely drop below freezing. MassWildlife currently has 30 hibernacula sites in their database, which includes both former and current sites. Worcester County’s brief mining industry in the 1800s left several abandoned mines and quarries in the area, all of which are ideal hibernacula. Since the recovery of many bat populations hangs by a thread, the NHESP does not publicly disclose these hibernaculum sites, aside from the Chester mine, to avoid damage from human intrusion. Human-related harm does not have to be intentional — in fact, it can just as often result from well-meaning actions, something Longsdorf refers to as “loving something to death.”
vampire appeared in print a long time before “Dracula,” and the vampire bat was known a long time before that, but it was the first time in literature that they were connected. Education is the key to changing the negative perception, said Sweeney, but it’s also a matter of how do you teach people empathy for other beings that are not as charismatic and not pets. “It’s difficult enough to get people to empathize with other people who look different or live somewhere else,” Sweeney said. Like the campaign to “rescue” the honey bees, a similar effort could recast the bat as able to do cool, “magical” things, making it a source of fascination rather than fright. Though nothing like the quasidemonic pests we imagine, bats are still wild animals and should be given the proper space. They can carry rabies and histoplasmosis so scratches and bites from a bat can pass on the diseases and no bat should be handled without gloves or other protections. But remember, next time you see a bat fluttering through the night — it doesn’t want your blood, just your bugs.
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populations have been giving wildlife biologists a different kind of fright over the last decade. In 2008, the bat population, particularly the little brown bat, was decimated by white-nose syndrome. “The little brown bat population is down to 1 percent of what it was,” said Dziejma. The fungus that causes whitenose syndrome attacks the bare skin of bats while they are hibernating in a relatively inactive state and can cause scarring and holes in the wings. As it grows, the fungus causes changes in bats that make them expend too much energy during the hibernation period and burn up fat that they need to survive the winter. Many fly outside in the cold looking for food and water, but if there are no insects, the bats freeze or starve to death. The WNS fungus thrives in moist, cold areas so cave-dwelling species are most vulnerable. At the largest Massachusetts bat hibernation site in an abandoned mine in Chester, there were about 10,000 Little Brown Bats in early winter 2007-’08. By the end of winter 2008’09, nearly every bat had been killed by WNS and only 14 bats remained. Presently, cave bat populations in Massachusetts seem to have stabilized, but remain very small.
Bats are protected by law in Massachusetts and may not be killed or captured except under permit, if they are a risk to public health or if they are damaging property. Oftentimes, the best way to help is to simply stay away. “If you stumble upon a hibernaculum, don’t go in, as WNS can be spread through contact,” warned Dziejma. Though the WNS does not affect people due to our high body temperature, it can still be passed on from shoes and clothing. The fungus is then transferred to surfaces within the cave where it is picked up by the local bats. Even if you don’t make a habit of exploring caves and abandoned mines, you can still support bats from your own backyard. Build your own hibernacula with a bat house and reduce the use of harmful fertilizers and pesticides which will pass on to bats through insects. Although bats are nocturnal creatures, they weren’t really associated with horror until 1897, when Bram Stoker published “Dracula.” Sweeney said bats have become increasingly identified with horror, haunted houses and Halloween, thanks to Stoker’s novel. The word
COVER STORY
Shining a light on new horror writers Danger Meows Publishing a platform to genre newcomers VEER MUDAMBI
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hile Michael Mars’ band, The Deadites, has enjoyed success on the local Worcester music scene for over two decades, the front man actually first started with the goal of not writing songs, but comic books. Ever since he was a teenager, the visual appeal of the horror genre has attracted him both in film and comics. However, he soon found that finding a willing publisher is notoriously difficult for new content creators. When he took up with the Deadites, his horror comic writing was put aside — but not forgotten. Now older and wiser, Mars has
returned to creative writing to make another go of it — this time on his own terms. “If I wanted to do things the way I wanted to do things, I had to do it myself,� he explained. But more than simply self-publishing, he wants to help other aspiring creators get their own chance as well — so with a mix of old friends and new contacts, Mars started the digital printing press, Danger Meows Publishing. “There’s a glass ceiling� for new authors, said Mars, who hopes that DMP will be more approachable to aspiring writers who may have been intimidated by the prospect of dealing with a larger publishing company. The company’s mission statement is to provide a platform for new
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talent to push the boundaries of the literary medium — especially in the realms of science fiction and horror. In giving newcomers a leg up, DMP can potentially expand the genre, bringing new voices and content to an audience where they would have otherwise gone unnoticed. “I think the Worcester County area needs scary stories,� said art director Aaron White, who believes DMP can tap into this market. White, a longtime friend of Mars who did the artwork for the first Deadites album, initially submitted two stories to DMP’s first project, a horror anthology titled “VHS Nightmares,� after which Mars invited him to join the team as the art director. White also represents the sort of content creator Mars was hoping to attract for the nascent publishing company. Over the years, White has submitted numerous short stories for publication, eventually combining them into a single illustrated collection as a long-term project. He was not sure what he would do with it once he finished — finding a publisher was challenging and he did not relish the marketing that would come with self-publishing. White described it as “this weird manifest destiny that Mike asked me on board when he did, so I have this platform to push (my book).� White plans for his own book, “The Language of Shadows,� to be released by the end of the year. Editor-in-Chief Jaimie Hayes described “VHS Nightmares� as a love letter to the ‘80s and ‘90s horror movie era before the advent of DVD and Blu-ray. For Hayes, who is pursuing a graduate degree in English literature, the anthology is a way for readers to explore “horror movies as an artifact not just a piece of media — the charm of analogue.� “VHS Nightmares� can tap into that nostalgia to become more than just a collection of horror stories but an old-fashioned video store horror section in book form. “If you were to go through the table of contents and you look at the names, you can imagine going through a video store and seeing these titles,� Mars explained. Twenty years ago, before streaming services, choosing a movie in a video store depended on attracting an audience by the cover art. “The VHS artwork was so important — you picked your movie based on that
artwork,� said Mars. He recalled seeing the cover of the original “Evil Dead� and being unable to put it out of his mind until he finally saw the movie. “If it came out now, it would just be a thumbnail among a thousand other thumbnails.� A lot of horror culturally results from societal fears, said Hayes. More so than other genres, horror can provide a psychological profile of a society. “You definitely see a resurgence now of similar sentiments as you did in the ‘80s and ‘90s — unrest, distrust, conspiracy theories. A lot of these cultural hang-ups and concerns cycle through history.�
More than scary stories, to the team at DMP, the venture represents an opportunity to support free creative expression, rather than be dictated by what manuscripts or formats a publisher deems popular. “We’re doing a short story anthology right now now but that doesn’t mean it’s what we’ll always do,� said Hayes. “VHS Nightmares� features stories from Mars, Hayes and White, along with other writers Mars found through the Deadites and his podcast, “Trick or Treat Radio.� Horror fans can expect it on Halloween.
CITY LIFE If you are an artist, or know of a local artist, email WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com. Fair warning, in order to publish your work, you’ll need to provide a small bio and high resolution digital copies of some of your art. We reserve the right to choose what will run, based on resolution and what will reproduce best on newsprint.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
The Sea Lions, an award-winning piece by Rick Boyer of Belchertown.
Burt Reynolds, created by Gerald Kottmann of Hubbardston.
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from travel, he is still teaching anyone who asks during club meetings. Other members of the club include Rick Boyer of Belchertown, the recipient of the New England Woodcarvers Carver of the Year award; Edsel Johnson of Fitchburg, a retired Monty Tech carpentry teacher and now carving instructor; and Gary Filiault of New Boston, New Hampshire, a New England Woodcarvers Board of Directors member and teacher of mathematics, carving and knife sharpening. Gail Hansche Godin of Hubbardston is one of several women who have joined the club; Gail is also a renowned bird carver, nature photographer and teacher as well as inveterate traveler. For a 2019 club project, everyone contributed a carved figure to go with a Halloween-themed Haunted Mansion. From gargoyles to mummies, scaredy cats and bats, the fun project was exhibited at the Gardner Museum. The group that created the Haunted Mansion included: the late Lennie Hill, Scott Arsenault, Gerald Kottmann, Jan LeClair, Jim LeBlanc, Edsel Johnson, Ed Laetz, Paul Crowley, John Lussier, Bill Mansur, Tom Siart, Bob Guay, Frank DeSorbo, Jackie Lane, Rick Boyer, Mandy Thibeault and Gary Filliault. (Apologies to anyone missed.)
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The Central Massachusetts Caricature Carvers has been in existence since the 1980s when a few local men found each other and formed an adhocracy. The club has no formal structure and no officers but is one of the largest carving clubs in New England. Currently, with 30 men and women on the roster, they meet three times a week (even during COVID-19 and following proper protocols). On Tuesday nights, the meetings take place at Montachusett Regional vocational Technical School, on the front lawn during nice weather and inside during the winter months. Thursday mornings, from 9 a.m to noon, they meet at the Westminster Senior Center, now open for groups of 25 or less. Saturday mornings are spent carving at local farmers markets, recently in Barre. They will also appear at the Fitchburg Senior Center one weekday morning when that site is open again. The club hosts carvers of all ages and all skill levels, from absolute beginners to world-renowned carvers, including Pete LeClair of Westminster, a member of the prestigious Caricature Carvers of America (open by invitation only to the best of the best). Pete has traveled the world teaching the art of carving. Now retired
CITY LIFE
CONNELL- SANDERS
‘Blair Witch’ crushes the cottagecore aesthetic SARAH CONNELL SANDERS
T
he Gen X’ers in my life all want to know: “What’s the deal with cottagecore?” It started over the summer during something of an identity crisis when my paychecks began to arrive from “Gannett” instead of “Gatehouse.” Another media merger had me on edge. “I must DEFINE myself,” I told my friends and family. I googled things like, “How to build your personal brand,” and downloaded Tezza for dreamy filters. All of the results said the same thing: consistency, consistency, consistency. It’s not enough to print my column in the newspaper every Thursday. According to the world wide web, I should also be posting excerpts to Instagram three times a week. Pick an aesthetic. Stay relevant. No one is safe. An aesthetic is the social media equivalent of one’s perpetual mood. Are you grungy? Do you always post in landscape mode? Is your whole
grid black and white? Do you keep it clean? Are you filter free? Naturals? Neons? Dreamy? Drastic? There’s a theme for every thought. An approach for every app. I settled on cottagecore — the coziest corner of the internet. A cottagecore aesthetic celebrates crafting in nature, rustic recipes, foraging for wildflowers and long prairie dresses pulled straight from the wardrobe of a Sophia Coppola movie. I convinced my husband to go camping. I learned to bake lemon tea cakes. I planted tomatoes. I bought a checkered picnic blanket. In late July, Taylor Swift dropped her “folklore” album and everything fell into place. I felt like I was living the life of a romantic indie-rock queen who frolics in a meadow whilst gnawing on a baguette. I proudly tagged every post #cottagecore. I had made it on the internet. My Instagram following actually grew. I got a few more freelance inquiries than usual each week. Busi-
ness was picking up. By fall, I was starting to think my writing career might be more secure than I had suspected. Then, I went to Cinema Worcester’s showing of “The Blair Witch Project” at Timberyard Brewing Company and cottagecore began to feel less cute, and more — cursed. I should have known the jig was up when I found a tiny stick figurine bound by twine under my seat. If you’ve never watched the film in question, it is the seminal example of a found-footage production. A Sundance darling. A cottgaecore nightmare. Three student filmmakers hike into the woods, following a vintage map. They cross various logs precariously balanced over rocky streams and eventually land at an unholy cottage in the woods. A cottage. YES, a cottage. Witches live in cottages. Today, “Blair Witch” could function as a true crime-style podcast. It relies heavily on audio and unscripted dialogue. The shaky camera
Cottagecore is drinking tea on a slate shingled rooftop in a prairie dress at sunset while listening to folk songs and staring longingly at a bowl full of ripe peaches. SUBMIT TED
footage even feels comfortable in a time where everyone’s phone renders them an amateur cinematographer. Suffice to say, I was spooked. I’m not abandoning cottagecore altogether, I just feel a little more vulnerable now that I’ve been haunted by a mythical witch. Then again, witches could be viewed as the origi-
nal feminist icons. Perhaps they’ve been on-brand for me all along. Timberyard is hosting another event on Saturday Oct. 31 — a socially distant haunted drive through. Dust off your apron dress, crochet yourself a scarf and grab your spell book. I feel certain our cottagecore journey is only just beginning.
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LISTEN UP
Joyner Lucas shows ‘Evolution’ on new album VICTOR D. INFANTE
C
oming less than a year from his breakthrough album, “ADHD,” Joyner Lucas’s “Evolution” pivots from the pop end of hip-hop to territory that’s both deeply personal and raw. There’s a grit to the album that recollects his earlier work, but it’s balanced out by a liberal does of R&B. In a lot of ways, it’s probably the most soulful album he’s pushed out, but it’s also uncomfortable at points. The persona that Lucas portrays on “Evolution” is both brutally honest and flawed, navigating fractious relationships that disintegrate even as he finds wealth and commercial success. There’s a reason to use the word “persona” here: No matter how confessional an artist is, it’s a fundamental mistake to conflate that artist with their artwork. There’s only so much those of us on this side of the speakers know about the
singer. This is important to consider here, as Lucas delves into a perspective that’s, on the surface, deeply confessional, the central access of which is a dysfunctional relationship between the persona and his father, and the persona’s subsequent effort to not duplicate that toxicity with his own son. Everything on the album revolves around that dynamic, and Lucas creates at times an emotional resonance that is difficult to sit with.
The album begins with a short skit between a teacher, “Mrs. Nelson,” asking a young Joyner what he wants to be when he grows up, which leads into the album’s title track. It’s a fairly benign interaction, but when the character recurs in later skits, it’s easy to first see her as the worst teacher ever, calling out a child in front of other children for being a tattletale, and later mocking young Joyner for having a step-dad, rather than a “real” dad. Eventually, though, it becomes clear that Mrs. Nelson isn’t the voice of education, she’s the voice of society, conditioning children on how to feel on things in ways which aren’t necessarily healthy, especially in the latter case. The song “Evolution” introduces some of the album’s major themes, including the realization that wealth doesn’t wash away earlier wounds: “And I thought if I was rich, then all my problems’d be through/’Til I made a few million and now I got
more problems than you.” This gives way to the rich, warm vocals of R&B singer Lyla on “On This Way.” Here, Lucas explores the personal and the political in parallel structures. On the one hand, he’s talking again about the struggle of his own rise to fame, but here he extends that perspective outward, rapping, “Rainy nights and desperation/Pray we fight the legislation/Protest until we flatline, paralyzed/They throwin’ stones at my Black Lives Matter signs/Made a change but we still not satisfied.” Making a connection between his own narrative to the current racial justice wave energizes that narrative. The song also features a sample of the late rapper XXXTentacion speaking on what the legacy of his career might be, and rapper The Game closing the song with bars that drive the underlying theme home: “You said I would never be what?/I wouldn’t amount to what?/Now you in this Trader Joe’s same lines, sayin’,
‘Wassup?’/Talkin’ ‘bout like how you like my songs, not knowin’ it was me/ Security had me in a headlock and I told you I couldn’t breathe/Now it’s Black Lives Matter and white letters on your shirt/Now how many black lives did you help, or did you hurt?” The wounds of the past linger, and empty symbolism doesn’t undo complicity in real past harm. This is Lucas’ album, not The Game’s, but the prominence this verse plays seems to resonate throughout the album. Lucas’ persona raps throughout about people treating him different now that he’s rich, and wonders where they were when he wasn’t, but rather than ruminating on it, he turns his gaze outward again on one of the album’s strongest songs, “Things I’ve Seen,” a paean to Black women: “Black lives matter, black lives scatter,” he raps, “Black eyes under black eye shadow/Black blood C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 19
CITY LIFE
TABLE HOPPIN’
Red Apple Farm doughnuts earn Yankee Magazine honors BARBARA M. HOULE
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About Red Apple Farm’s apple cider doughnuts, Traverso wrote: “While mail-order doughnuts may never beat the ones fresh out of the fryer (likely purchased as a pick-meup on an afternoon spent wandering through the orchards), Red Apple Farm’s version holds up to the rigors of long-distance travel. Red Apple Farm makes its cider doughnuts fresh daily, year-round, using its own farm-pressed cider.” Hot apple cider has no trustier sidekick than the apple cider doughnut, according to Traverso. The photograph of Red Apple Farm’s cider doughnut in Yankee will move you to head out to the farm, if you haven’t already. Massachusetts-based food award winners: Clam Chowder, Legal Sea Red Apple Farm owners Al and Nancy Rose with a pile of Foods; Whoopie Pies, Chococoa their award-winning cider doughnuts. Baking Company; Stuffed Quahogs, C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 18
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pple cider doughnuts from Red Apple Farm in Phillipston won big in the recent 2020 Yankee Foods Awards: Celebrating the Makers of Iconic New England Foods, focusing on companies that ship their regional treats around the country. The farm is one of 10 winners, six of which are Massachusetts-based food companies. Congratulations go out to proud owners Al and Nancy Rose, who operate the fourth-generation family farm located at 455 Highland Ave., Phillipston. The entire farm team was “surprised, thrilled and flattered” to learn of the award, said Al Rose, who is a third-generation family member to live on the farm, started in 1912. His family took over the farm in 1929. Last year, 100,000 of the cider doughnuts were sold at Red Apple Farm’s Country Store, 290,000 at the Boston Public Market and more than 43,000 at Wachusett Mountain ski area, according to Rose. Note: Red Apple Farm is a vendor at the Boston Public Market (https://bostonpublicmarket.org) four days a week. Al Rose said the farmhouse and barn date back to the 1700s. He and his wife, Nancy, live in the original farmhouse. More than 50 varieties of apples, in addition to fruits and pumpkins are grown on the property. Open to the public year-round, the business includes a Country Store and the Brew Barn, where the farm’s hard cider is sold. Customers also can buy Moon Hill Brewing Company’s (Gardner) beer. The Brew Barn is open weekends during the fall season. Call Red Apple Farm, (978) 2496763, for more information about special events and weddings. Visit the website for family and farm history, photos and fall and winter hours. Rose said while 2020 has been challenging amid the coronavirus, there also have been bright spots. Pick-your-own is an outdoor activity high in demand, he said. “We have all the systems in place to support a safe environment for our guests,” said Rose.
The business is a popular spot for fall barbecue and Thanksgiving harvest festivities, held this year with state guidelines and social distancing. Good news is that the farm’s Thanksgiving pies can be pre-ordered. Check the website and social media posts. Add a dozen or more doughnuts to your order! The farm is a pickup site for Thanksgiving turkeys pre-ordered from Jordan Dairy Farms in Rutland (https://jordandairyfarms. com). As for the Yankee Magazine awards, senior food editor Amy Traverso with two staffers chose the winners, with products ranging from sweets to seafood, to specialoccasion splurges and supermarket staples. The goal was to bring the best flavors of New England to consumers, “food that we love to eat,” said Traverso. Samples from numerous companies were ordered and tested and winners were first alerted before Yankee Magazine officially made the announcement last month on its website, https://newengland. com/yankee-magaazine. The Yankee Food Awards began eight years ago with lots of categories and 30 award winners the first year. The list is shorter now, said Traverso, whose decision “to go all in” with iconic foods from across New England in 2020 was mindful that this year is Yankee’s 85th anniversary. Yankee’s subscribers and nonsubscribers love all things New England, she said. The magazine staff works a year ahead of publication and no one could have predicted that the food awards would coincide with a national surge of online shopping as a result of a coronavirus pandemic, said Traverso. “Local food in New England has always been in the spotlight, but now more than ever,” she said. Traverso, who lives outside of Boston, said in a telephone interview that she is familiar with many of the state’s orchards and farms. “I’m a big fan of PYO orchards,” she said. She also shops farmers markets, and as a food editor and writer, knows the local restaurant scene inside and out. She said she once worked in Worcester at a local hospital.
CITY LIFE
SCREEN TIME
Worcester scores spotlight in Lifetime movie JIM KEOGH
F
riday night, I made the rookie mistake of falling asleep on the couch for two hours. I was in a sitting position, and I’m sure my jaw was slacker than the Iron Giant’s when he tried to make people sounds. This was one of those dreamless, joyless slumbers you fall into at the end of a long week and awaken from remarkably unrefreshed — and aware there’s no chance of slipping back to sleep. I started channel surfing, bored with every option. Then I hit the Lifetime Channel and saw Worcester on my television. It was “Christmas on Ice,” the locally shot Lifetime movie about a plucky former figure skater named Courtney (Abigail Klein) who crusades to save the skating oval behind City Hall after the mayor and City Council declare it too expensive to operate. She enlists the help of a retired hockey player/Sexy Single Dad to convince the naysayers a Christmas miracle is possible.
I’d missed a bunch of the movie by the time I stumbled on it, but I got the gist. “Christmas on Ice” follows the holiday blueprint of Lifetime and its rival, the Hallmark Channel, down to the detail that Sexy Single Dad is a widower, not a divorcee. A proper SSD must always have a dead wife in his past. When Courtney muses to her best friend, “I wonder what happened to his wife?” I mumbled, “He murdered her.” If this was “Dateline,” that would have been 100 percent true. Lifetime or Hallmark holiday movies insist a single parent exclusively have a child of the opposite sex. A Sexy Single Dad, by some unwritten yet ironclad decree, must have a daughter who needs a mother figure in her young life. The Sexy Single Mom can only have a boy who craves a strong male presence, someone to burp out the alphabet with. So, yes, the story is pure cheese — but at least Worcester gets to supply the cheddar. When I heard about this project, I’d wondered if the city would either not be identified or be
From left, Meara Mahoney Cross, Ryan Cooper and Abigail Klein in “Christmas on Ice.” SUBMIT TED PHOTO
given a fictional name. Fortunately, thanks to local screenwriter/director John Stimpson, the script is filled with Worcester shout-outs, and he obviously made sure the actors could manage the pronunciation. He also included plenty of nice shots of city
structures, made the interior of City Hall sport a high sheen, and added a scene where a Telegram & Gazette reporter races over to Mayor Greenwood to grill him about the fate of the oval. If you watch “Christmas on Ice”
TA B L E H O P P I N’
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Cape Cod Stuffed Quahog Company; Fried Clams, Woodman’s; South Shore Bar Pizza, Cape Cod Café. Also, Lobster Roll, The Clam Shack in Maine; Sharp Cheddar, Shelburne Farms in Vermont; Blueberry Pie, Michele’s Pies in Connecticut; Boston Brown Bread, B&M in Maine. A self-described “New England gal,” Traverso worked for Yankee Magazine from 2002-2005, returning to the staff in 2011. She is co-host of the national public television series “Weekends with Yankee” and the award-winning author of “The Apple Lover’s Cookbook,” published by Yankee. She is former food editor of Boston Magazine and her work has been published in The Boston Globe, Salon.com and Travel & Leisure. She has appeared on “The Martha Stewart Show,” the Food Network’s “Throwdown with Bobby Flay,” Hallmark’s “Home & Family” and Gordon Ramsay’s “Kitchen Nightmares.” I look forward to sharing several holiday recipes from Traverso and Yankee Magazine in a future column. This year more than ever, it’s a
you may even spot a familiar face in more than one scene given the number of Worcesterites used as extras. A former co-worker of mine got to play a city councilor and Facebooked screenshots of her 15 seconds of fame. My favorite aspect of “Christmas on Ice,” however, has nothing to do with the local flavor. As I watched a scene in which Courtney meets with Mayor Greenwood to plead for the ice oval, I became fixated on the voice of actor Will Lyman, who plays Greenwood. He sounded so familiar. It wasn’t until I shut my eyes and listened that it came to me: He’s the “Frontline” guy! Lyman has employed his resonant, soothing voice to narrate “Frontline” documentaries since 1984, and millions have heard him as the offscreen storyteller spinning tall tales of “The Most Interesting Man in the World” in Dos Equis beer ads. I can’t say he has particularly memorable screen presence, but I’d listen to him read an old Worcester phone book any time.
good idea not to wait until the last minute to pre-order online food gifts. Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and you know what’s up next.
Thai Corner coming
Thai Corner is the new outdoor sign at space formerly occupied by Friends Café, 120 June St., Worcester. The West side has had its share of restaurants at this location, including Dianna’s Neighborhood Bistro, which had a much longer run than Friends. It’s a wait-and-see situation with this new one.
110 Grill has deal on kids meals
Kids eat free on Oct. 31 at 110 Grill locations. The deal: Dine at 110 Grill and receive a complimentary kid’s meal (select from kids menu) with the purchase of an adult entrée. Show or mention the promotion to receive the discount. The offer cannot be combined with any other promotion. If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.
CITY LIFE
THE NEXT DRAFT
Redemption Rock sets a powerful example Brewery is city’s first B Corp MATTHEW TOTA
T
LISTEN UP
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As the album enters its last stretch, the previously established themes seep into everything, Lucas’ persona muses on his inability to commit to a relationship. “I ain’t perfect, but I try,” he raps, before offering her retort: “She said, ‘That’s a lie/You know you just sabotage.’” Later, he observes, “I figured all of these hoes can solve the problem, well maybe the problem is me.” It echoes an earlier line in “Evolution,” where Lucas raps, “if I ain’t the solution, guess I’m part of the problem.” Evolution is a process of change, of adapting to one’s environment. Throughout the album, Lucas’ persona seems to be in conflict with his own past, and as he does so, he centers that theme of self-control
Dani Babineau, CEO of Redemption Rock Brewery at 333 Shrewsbury St., Worcester.
do make a difference.” Massachusetts is home to 59 Certified B Corporations, and Redemption Rock has the distinction of being the first brewery in the state to achieve B Corp status; it is the third in New England, behind The Alchemist in Vermont and Allagash Brewing Co. in Maine. It would be too easy to say that it’s only a matter of time before other breweries in the state seek B Corp certification. The reality is that many likely won’t, especially now as they recover from the pandemic and brace for a cold winter. Still Babineau hopes to use her position as the chair of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee to help other breweries follow Redemption Rock’s path. She wants more breweries — more industries, actually — to consider the benefits of priding social wealth over profits. And Redemption Rock’s example is in many ways more powerful than that of the larger Certified B Corporations like Ben & Jerry’s or Patagonia, because the brewery pushed through the certification process with a tiny staff and limited resources. “You don’t have to forsake all the goals and missions that you have in order to be a profitable business,” Babineau said. “There are a lot of companies and breweries now that could easily be certified.” Now they just have to step up.
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repeatedly through the narrative, as though weighing it. As though he wonders how much of it is necessary and how much is useful. “Legend” shows Lucas at his most defiant, again backhanding sycophants and critics, remarking, “If I die today, I’m goin’ out a (expletive) legend/And if they play this when I’m gone, then I’ll be resurrected.” But he lets bona fide hip-hop legend Rick Ross have the last word. Ross offers this practical if cynical advice: “I done seen a couple (racial epithets) lose they life over a dollar/And they hit the hardest when it’s not an outsider/Better keep your money close ‘cause that’s the only thing that’s honest.” Trust issues? They permeate this album, all landing on the album’s
closer, “Like a River.” It’s one of the album’s strongest tracks, as Lucas’ persona addresses his relationship with his father head on. It’s an honest, difficult piece of music, buoyed by sung vocals by Elijah James that give the more plainspoken rap delivery Lucas uses here some texture. “But I’m still starin’ at the river tryna get across,” raps Lucas, “And all I see is apparitions of what never was/And everything I used to wish for is dead and lost.” Lucas doesn’t really come to a resolution here, but rather shifts the focus to his own relationship with his own son. That’s the reality to which Lucas’ persona needs to adapt, a love and a need that is unarguably real.
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it’s good to see both sides of that dysfunction (and Ashanti’s vocals are always welcome). “Zim Zimma” is a straightforward banger that shows off Lucas’ ability to articulate tight rhymes while re-enforcing the narrative of people wanting things from him, and “Snitch” follows on the aforementioned ”Tattletale” sketch, picking apart the complexity some deal with in the face of incarceration. “Str8 Like Dat” starts as a literal middle finger to his critics, but then slides into a number of other themes — such as his dislike for drugs and alcohol, and the harm he’s caused in his own romantic relationships — that amount to a desire to maintain self-control.
low-flow toilets and all Energy Star appliances. We track all our waste streams. Those smaller things really
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made a black life splatter/Black sister had a black life shadow/Black single mother, black favorite color/ Black brother made a black woman suffer.” This is a significant and welcome turn, as women rarely figure much into Lucas’ narratives. Frequently, they’re objects of affection, or he’s reflecting on being closed off emotionally to relationships. Those things persist here, put it makes the switch-up of “Things I’ve Seen” almost startling, likewise the dual perspectives of the album’s first single, “Fall Slowly,” a duet with Ashanti. It’s a dysfunctional relationship, but
of simple interventions,” she said. “We used all recycled or recyclable material where we could. We have
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he next time you pick up a four-pack from Redemption Rock Brewing Co., note the “Certified B Corporation” seal stamped near the top of the cans. No other brewery in the state can carry it. No other company in Worcester has earned it. The uppercase B means Redemption Rock’s four founders can look in the mirror and say they’ve done everything in their power to use their business as a righteous force for the community, that they have worked harder to create a more inclusive, sustainable and transparent economy than they have to turn a profit. They can say these things proudly because they have proof. They have tangible evidence and are legally bound to consider how their decisions as business owners affect their workers, customers, suppliers, community and the environment. They do not need fluff, false promises or flat-out, self-aggrandizing lies to burnish their image or clean their conscience. B Lab, a nonprofit that has verified more than 3,500 companies around the world as Certified B Corporations, spent months assessing how Redemption Rock performs in what it calls “impact areas,” including governance, workers, customers, community and environment. Different benchmarks make up each category. For example, in the workers category, Redemption Rock
received points for how it handles the financial security of its employees and its efforts to protect their health, wellness and safety. In the “community” category, the brewery received grades for how it promotes diversity, equity and inclusion and on its civic engagement and giving. “There are a lot of companies out there doing great things, with people running them in a way that creates a lot of these benefits. But they tend to be very quiet about it, very humble,” said Redemption Rock CEO Dani Babineau. “The downside of that is people don’t realize what these companies are doing. The B Corp certification is a way to call out those businesses and recognize them.” Redemption Rock’s overall score was a 96.8 out of 200. The brewery earned its highest marks in how it engages with the community: look no further than its work to build a more diverse staff through blind hiring or the many nonprofits it has supported through its charitable tipping program. Redemption Rock’s next highest grade came for its sustainability initiatives, which surprised Babineau. “When you think about a company that is very sustainable, you think about a big company like New Belgium Brewing Co., with these very complicated measures — solar panels everywhere, a water reclamation program. The fact that we were able to score as high as we did put into perspective the power of doing what you can and the power
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.
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Brady doesn’t adjust easily to change. His family moved several times and is moving yet again, they didn’t want to put Brady through that stress. He and the family’s other cat fought occasionally. We think Brady prefers to be your only pet. There were children in his home. The toddlers scared him. He was more comfortable with kids over 4 years old. The owner said Brady is scared of anything new whether it’s people or places. Brady has been with us for a few weeks, and we call him a Spirit Cat, which is a cat that lives in the shadows. We’ll give you a handout on Spirit Cats. Be patient with Brady. Give him a quiet place where he can feel safe. We made him a blanket teepee to hide in. Brady qualifies for our Senior for Senior Program.
WARL COVID-19 Procedures As of March 25, 2020
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we want to share with you some changes we have implemented so that we can continue to serve the pets and people of our community while keeping our team protected. • ADOPTIONS: At this time, adoptions are being held BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. If you are interested in adoption, please visit our website worcesterarl.org/adopt/ to learn more about our available animals then call us at (508) 853-0030 ext.0 or email us at info@worcesterarl.org to schedule an appointment. • Casual visits to the shelter are prohibited. We will strictly enforce this in order to keep our animal care team protected while still maintaining the most essential function of our operation... finding homes for animals in need.
• ANIMAL SURRENDERS: Our business practice for surrendering a pet remains the same. All pet owners must contact WARL in advance of surrendering a pet. Please call (508) 853-0030. • SPAY/NEUTER CLINICS: All scheduled appointments will be honored. If you have a scheduled appointment, we will be contacting you to discuss changes to our drop off/pick up procedures. • DONATIONS: We will not be accepting linens of any kind or used, stuffed dog toys. While we are grateful for your thoughtfulness, we will not accept these donations if brought to the shelter. • Pet food, cat litter, and other shelter supplies will be essential in continuing to provide for our animals and to assist community members in need. To avoid unnecessary travel and exposure, items can be purchased online from our Amazon Wishlist - https://www.amazon.com/gp/ registry/wishlist/3AX342JIL73M0
• Weekly training classes are suspended until further notice. • The WARL Volunteer Program is temporarily suspended. All regular volunteer shifts are on hold. We look forward to welcoming you back as soon as we can. We have many animals in our care who depend on us to stay healthy and well. The above measures help to protect our staff and community from the spread of COVID - 19 by minimizing face-to-face interactions while continuing to operate only core essential services. Please continue to follow our Facebook page for additional updates. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the shelter at (508) 853-0030 or info@worcesterarl.org.
Thank you for your continued FURiendship and support.
GAMES
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10 11 12 15 18 19 24 25 26 28 30 31 33 35 37 38 39 41 42 43
48 “Hawaii Five-O” detective, to McGarrett 49 Go letter by letter 51 “Bon ___” (good evening, in France) 53 Photographer Diane 54 Transform bit by bit 55 Dealt a sharp blow, in the Bible 57 Asks intrusive questions 59 “The Sky ___” (1950 Italian drama) 61 Hurt all over 62 Rapper in “Law & Order: SVU” 63 Dermatologist’s case 64 Miniature golf goal 65 English school founded by Henry VI 66 1040 IDs
Last week's solution
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©2020 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #1012
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Down 1 Golden State, informally 2 “30 Rock” star Baldwin 3 Longest possible sentence 4 Go together perfectly 5 With “The,” 2008 Mike Myers flop 6 Carpet calculation 7 Stereotypical '80s hairdos 8 Words in the middle of
9
everyone’s favorite Napoleon-based palindrome Alternate nickname for Sporty Spice (as opposed to Scary) Home of Suntory’s headquarters 2000 World Series MVP Derek “___ let you down!” Green “Sesame Street” character “It’s either them ___” Karmann ___ (classic VW model) Rhett Butler’s last word The ___ State University Jonas who developed a polio vaccine Actress ___ Ling of “The Crow” “Despicable Me” supervillain “Late Night” host Meyers Omit Initialism for the series of “Avengers” movies “Keep ___!” (“Don’t give up!”) “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” star Michael “Jurassic Park” beast God, to a Rastafarian Preternatural power Make retroactive, like a payment
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Enjoy Fun By The Numbers puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
Across 1 Completely chill 5 Cat’s resting spot 8 “Sweat smile” or “moneymouth face,” e.g. 13 Et ___ (Latin for “and others”) 14 Golden ___ O’s (cereal variety that somehow exists) 16 Fix with a needle 17 ITEMS IN THE FREEZER 20 ITEMS IN THE FREEZER 21 Affectionate greeting (that I’m guessing there will be a lot of when this is done) 22 Raphael’s weapon, in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” 23 Gallery offering 24 Raíz cúbica de ocho 27 Long sandwich 29 Makeshift car cleaners 32 Exclamations that have their moments? 34 Ewe’s mate 36 Answer a stimulus 40 ITEMS IN THE REFRIGERATOR 44 Phone maker from Finland 45 “Born in the ___” 46 New employee 47 Degs. for many professors 50 Alternatives to Macs 52 It’s usually due April 15 53 Breakfast hrs. 56 Android program 58 Carp in some ponds 60 ITEMS IN THE VEGETABLE CRISPER 67 ITEMS IN THE VEGETABLE CRISPER 68 Words before ante 69 It ended on April 9 this year 70 Musk of Tesla Motors 71 Bedding item 72 Get the idea 73 Some TV rooms
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LAST CALL
Simone Barjolo and Christian Carrasquillo YouthGROWers
L
ast week, I visited the Regional Environmental Council’s urban farm on Oread Street to meet with two members of YouthGROW, Simone Barjolo and Christian Carrasquillo. YouthGROW is a teen development program that offers yearround employment for up to 40 individuals annually. YouthGROWers gain leadership skills and work experience while analyzing the social justice implications of food insecurity in their own community. All decisions are made through the consensus of a youth leadership team. The program has continued to thrive (much like Simone’s tomatoes) since its inception in 2003, but they have only recently begun to incorporate elements of public art. You can support the future of YouthGROW by visiting https:// recworcester.kindful.com/ to make a donation and learn more about building healthy, sustainable and equitable communities in Worcester and beyond.
How long have you been involved with YouthGrow? SB: This is my fourth year. CC: It’s my third year.
SARAH CONNELL SANDERS
CC: And also, corn stalks. I recognize them now. Where did you get all of those caps? SB: We had a staff member who went to every laundromat in the area to collect all of the bottle caps.
I’m not sure how I would have handled myself at a formal interview when I was a high school freshman. That’s pretty impressive. CC: They get everybody in a group and lead you in activities while the other candidates are being interviewed. It happens right over there, around the corner. Who is on the interview panel? SB: This year, I was in charge of interviewing a bunch of kids. They just told me about themselves. I asked, “Why do you think you’re
the best fit?” The activities and games are also important as we are trying to figure out who they really are. By the time we reach the sit-down interview process, they feel more comfortable to explain their own stories. So, you look for youth who are reliable, but also have positive personality traits? SB: We just want you to be yourself. I spoke to some YouthGROWers at the start of the summer to brainstorm ideas for your new mural. Were you two involved in that project? SB: No, that was for the Junior Staff. What are the different levels you can progress through if you continue the program for all
four years of high school? CC: Core Youth, Youth Leader and Junior Staff. Do you have a favorite thing to grow? SB: This year, I spent a long time with the tomatoes. They’re my babies — you know? I put a lot of care into my tomato babies. In previous years, I focused on the Swiss chard and the kale. But, this year, I felt really drawn to tending the tomatoes. How about you, Christian? CC: For me, I think it’s the mustard. You can put it in a sandwich for a little kick to spice up your ham and cheese. – Sarah Connell Sanders
23
It looks beautiful. I can tell you guys are both really invested. What keeps you coming back to YouthGROW? SB: Honestly, it’s fun. It’s great to watch how the farm evolves. At the beginning of this season, the farm didn’t look like this at all. Then, the way it just transforms in front of your eyes as a result of the work you put in is incredible. Plus, we usually take field trips. Not this year. But, normally there’s a camping trip and a big end of the year party to look forward to.
How do you get a spot on YouthGROW? Is it competitive? CC: One of my teachers gave me the application and I filled it out, then they called me for an interview.
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I’ve noticed a lot of public art has emerged here since the last time I visited a couple of years ago. What does public art have to do with growing fresh produce for the community? CC: It gives the farm its own unique look. While we were working on the fence, a couple of different people just stopped to say, “Oh, the farm looks so nice!” or ask us, “What are you guys doing?” It brings people towards the farm to see what’s going on behind the art. It’s very eye-opening. What are the designs on the fence made of? SB: Laundry detergent bottle caps.
Christian Carrasquillo and Simone Barjolo at the Regional Environmental Council’s urban farm on Oread Street.
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Where do you both go to school? SB: I go to University Park Campus School. CC: I got to North High School.
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