Worcester Magazine November 5 - 11, 2021 by Worcester Magazine

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | CULTURE § ARTS § DINING § VOICES

FREE

WORCESTER

MAGAZINE

PAST MEETS PRESENT

IN THIS ISSUE: ECOTARIUM RETURNS TO ITS VAULTS TO BRING TREASURES BACK INTO THE LIGHT

2 | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

PUBLIC DISPLAY

You’ve worked hard to keep your customers safe and your business going strong. Put all you have to offer on full display with LOCALiQ’s winning combination of search and display marketing.

Visit LOCALiQ.com/ShowOff to drive the awareness your business deserves.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | 3

IN THIS ISSUE

Worcester Magazine 100 Front St., Fifth Floor Worcester, MA 01608 worcestermag.com Editorial (508) 767.9535 WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com Sales (508) 767.9530 WMSales@gatehousemedia.com VP, Sales & Strategy Andrew Chernoff Executive Editor David Nordman Editor Nancy Campbell Content Editor Victor D. Infante Reporters Richard Duckett, Veer Mudambi Contributing Writers Stephanie Campbell, Sarah Connell Sanders, Gari De Ramos, Robert Duguay, Liz Fay, Jason Greenough, Janice Harvey, Barbara Houle, Jim Keogh, Jim Perry, Craig S. Semon, Matthew Tota Multi Media Sales Executives Deirdre Baldwin, Debbie Bilodeau, Kate Carr, Diane Galipeau, Sammi Iacovone, Kathy Puffer, Jody Ryan, Regina Stillings Sales Support Jackie Buck, Yanet Ramirez Senior Operations Manager Gary Barth Operations Manager John Cofske Worcester Magazine is a news weekly covering Central Massachusetts. We accept no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. The Publisher has the right to refuse any advertisement. Legals/Public Notices please call 888-254-3466, email classifieds@gatehousemedia.com, or mail to Central Mass Classifieds, 100 Front St., 5th Floor, Worcester, MA 01608 Distribution Worcester Magazine is inserted into the Telegram & Gazette on Fridays and is also available for free at more than 400 locations in the Worcester area. Unauthorized bulk removal of Worcester Magazine from any public location, or any other tampering with Worcester Magazine’s distribution including unauthorized inserts, is a criminal offense and may be prosecuted under the law. Subscriptions First class mail, $156 for one year. Send orders and subscription correspondence to GateHouse Media, 100 Front St., Worcester, MA 01608. Advertising To place an order for display advertising or to inquire, please call (508) 767.9530. Worcester Magazine (ISSN 0191-4960) is a weekly publication of Gannett. All contents copyright 2021 by Gannett. All rights reserved. Worcester Magazine is not liable for typographical errors in advertisements.

Featured ..............................................................................4 City Voices ........................................................................13 Cover Story.......................................................................16 Artist Spotlight ...............................................................20 Next Draft .........................................................................21 New on DVD .....................................................................24 Adoption Option.............................................................28 Classiﬁ eds ........................................................................29 Games................................................................................30 Last Call .............................................................................31

On the cover Siegfried the Stegosaurus was ready for Halloween. VEER MUDAMBI/WORCESTER MAGAZINE

4 | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

FEATURED

Acclaimed musical ‘The Band’s Visit’ is visiting The Hanover Theatre Richard Duckett Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

When James Rana joined the cast of “The Band’s Visit” for the fi rst day of rehearsals in September 2017 ahead of the show opening on Broadway in November of that year, he may not have known that he would still be involved in the musical more than four years later. But he did have an immediate sense that there was something special about the musical concerning an Egyptian police band that mistakenly travels by bus to a remote Israeli small town in the desert. “I think the fact that it was so unlike most Broadway musicals,” Rana said. “The simplicity of the storytelling. There’s no showiness. And the beautiful lyrics and the gorgeous music. We did something diff erent, there was something beautiful.” A rather unusual storyline for a Broadway show, certainly. But that was part of the appeal. Ten Tony Awards later, the national touring production of “The Band’s Visit” tour will visit The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester, for six performances Nov. 11 to 14. The show’s visit is part of The Hanover Theatre’s 202122 Broadway Series. Rana is still on board — or rather, the bus. He’s an actor and writer with lots of theater and television experience, but said “The Band’s Visit” has changed his life. “It reminds me to be a better person,” he said of the musical. As “The Band’s Visit” played on Broadway, “people were loving the show,” Rana recalled. People would fi nd out exactly how much when the “The Band’s Visit” won 10 Tony Awards in 2018. It is one of four musicals in Broadway history to win the

“The Band’s Visit” will be coming tot he Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts in Worcester. MATTHEW MURPHY

unoﬃ cial “Big Six” Tony Awards, which include Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score, Best Actor in a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical, and Best Direction of a Musical. “Someone said, ‘What is happening?’” Rana recalled of the shockwaves at the ceremonies. Rana spoke on the phone Oct. 22 when the show was in Nashville, a stop for the national Broadway touring production that went back on the road earlier in October after being halted for over 18 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Based on a 2007 Israeli ﬁ lm of the same name, “The Band’s Visit” has music and lyrics by David Yazbeck (whose father is of Lebanese descent and his mother half Jewish and Italian) and a book by Itamar Moses. The story opens with the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra at Tel Aviv bus station mistakenly ending up with bus tickets to a small town named Bet Hatikva instead of Petah Tikvah, where they are meant to be performing at the opening of an Arab cultural center. At a café in Bet Hatikva, the owner, Dina, is eventually able to explain to the

group’s conductor, Colonel Tewfi q, that they are not in the right place. However, there aren’t any buses until the next day, so Dina off ers for the band to eat and stay the night. Nicole Ackman, reviewing the touring production recently for Broadway World as it started up again, said “It’s a show about unlikely connections as we see the Arab musicians bond with those in the small town. There’s little confl ict, certainly not the type that you might expect could arise from such a situation. See VISIT, Page 5

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | 5

Visit

'The Band's Visit' When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11; 8 p.m. Nov. 12; 2 and 8 p.m. Nov. 13; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Nov. 14. Audio descriptive services provided at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 14.

Continued from Page 4

Instead, this delicate show provides gorgeous music and a sweet and unusual story.” “The Band’s Visit” premiered at Off -Broadway’s Atlantic Theater Company in 2016 with Tony Shalhoub as Colonel Tewfi g and Katrina Lenk as Dina. Shalhoub and Lenk moved with the show to the Broadway production at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Rana was cast as a member of the ensemble and understudy to Shalhoub. “I was there the whole run,” Rana said. “The Band’s Visit” closed on Broadway in April 2019, and the national tour was quickly up and running, opening at the Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence in June 2019. “I inquired,” Rana said about joining the tour. “I’m thrilled to be doing it.” Currently, he is playing the role of Simon, the second in command in the band and a clarinetist who would love to conduct. Simon has also written a piece of music that he hopes one day might get performed. “There’s moments of unfulfi llment (in his life),” Rana noted. Simon stays the night with one of the families in the small town, and like many of the characters in the musical has some nice moments of sharing in the unusual circumstances. “He has a moment of fulfi llment and he helps the people he’s staying with that night,” Rana said. Meanwhile, are there sparks of a romantic kind going on between Tewfi g and Dina? Israelis and Egyptians fi nding literally harmonious bonds against a backdrop of centuries of confl ict has a universal message. “Absolutely … Putting diff erences aside. We’re human beings, and at the end of the day

Where: The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester How much: $39, $49, $62 and $79 depending on seat location. (877) 571-7469. Visit www.thehanovertheatre.org for COVID-19 restrictions.

Janet Dacal and Sasson Gabay appear in “The Band’s Visit.” Photo by Evan Zimmerman, MurphyMade. EVAN ZIMMERMAN

we’re going to help each other,” Rana said. The music is Arab-inﬂ uenced, and indeed the Broadway World review said, “while the songs are great, it’s the instrumental music that is the star.” “In New York, I’ve had young Arabic audience members so proud,” Rana said. “It meant something to them and that’s an extraordinary thing.” As the show had been playing in Nashville, “We’ve had wonderful audiences. The audiences are really enjoying it,” Rana said. “This is a very electric city. Even in the afternoon, the bars are open and packed with live performances. It’s truly a musical city.” Rana said he was walking down a street in Nashville with a “The Band’s Visit” bag when someone approached him and said they had seen the show. “In Nashville, the home of bluegrass and country music. We really highlight Arabic music. The audiences love it. It shows how international music is,” he said. The ﬁ rst incarnation of the tour had also been going well. There was a show March 12, 2020, in Pittsburgh, where the

production was scheduled to be for a few days. Of course, the cast and crew knew things were going on. “We were taking everything in real time. We knew we had a show that night,” Rana said. That show went ahead. But the next night, Friday, March 13, no less, it was not to be. “I was taking a tour of another theater in Pittsburgh when I got a message. ‘The bus will be taking The Band’s Visit to New York City. We will regroup in a few weeks.’” It would take much longer, but Rana said, “Our producers never stopped having meetings.” The objective was “to bring the show back as safely as possible.” Meanwhile, Rana was quite busy as the pandemic raged. He played Ambrose Bierce in the East Lynne Theater (Cape May, N.J.) production of “Nothing Matters” by Dave Geible. The production streamed online for six weeks and was featured in The New York Times, Broadway World and American Theater Magazine. He also played Ferdinand Magellan in the virtual production “Black Henry” for Atlantic Paciﬁ c Theatre. Originally from Teaneck, N.J., Rana graduated from Fair-

leigh Dickinson University in Teaneck where he majored in radio and television but also started performing in plays. Theater got the call when he went to the prestigious Trinity Rep Conservatory in Providence and earned an MFA in theater. He said he credits everything he knows about theater to his time at Trinity Rep. While in the New England area, he also acted with Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, but his upcoming stay in Worcester will be his fi rst visit here. Rana has written plays, had parts on TV shows such as “Madame Secretary” and “Third Watch,” and has a long list of Off -Broadway and regional theater credits. But there was no doubt about it when “The Band’s Visit” was ready to resume its tour. “It’s a great blessing that we are back,” Rana said. Award-winning Israeli fi lm actor Sasson Gabay has the role of Tewfi q, the part he created in the 2007 fi lm and has subsequently played on Broadway and on tour, and Janet Dacal (”Prince of Broadway,” “Wonderland”) is Dina. Rehearsals were held in September, and the tour offi cially got back underway Oct. 5 at the

Durham Performing Arts Center in North Carolina and will continue on to more than 25 cities through the summer of 2022. All the while, “We’re following strict COVID protocols,” Rana said. Following Nashville, the next scheduled stop on the tour was a return to Pittsburgh Oct. 28-31. “What’s beautiful is we go back to Pittsburg and fi nish the performances we were unable to fi nish,” Rana said. After four years, give or take a pandemic, Rana doesn’t show any signs of letting up on his enthusiasm about being a member of “The Band’s Visit.” “Knock wood, I’ve never missed a show,” he said. “For me, I never tire of the show. Even backstage watching (when he’s not in a scene) I fi nd myself drawn watching the show. It still has an eff ect on me even though I joined the show fours years ago. I could keep on touring forever, but we are going to be ending the end of July. I hope the world is more healthy and all the theaters will be open.” When the tour does conclude, it might not quite close the book on “The Band’s Visit” for Rana. “I love meeting the people in every city. I’ve been keeping a full journal about everything,” he said. “I’m hoping that it might become a book.”

A+

6 | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Our marketing helps you make the grade.

With industry leading tech and insights from 300K+ clients, our smart marketing solutions and even smarter marketing experts help you get A+ results for your business.

localiq.com/NewEngland

8 | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

No crowds? No problem! We’re experts at bringing people together, even while 6 feet apart. Ask us how our unique digital marketing solutions can help keep your customers engaged from anywhere.

Visit LOCALiQ.com/Engage to get started.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | 9

Hot Water Music set to keep things loud at the Palladium Robert Duguay Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

The best kind of show has a band pushing the amps up to their maximum volume, performing to the best of their ability with the crowd going crazy. There’s a unifi ed appreciation for the moment, the time and each other, which is a feeling that we could surely use more of these days. When it comes to the type of band that can pull this type of atmosphere off , Gainesville, Florida, punk rock act Hot Water Music fi ts the bill. The quartet of guitarist and vocalist Chuck Ragan, bassist Jason Black, drummer George Rebelo and guitarist Chris Cresswell, who is originally from the Canadian punks The Flatliners, know how to take over any sort of setting with unbridled energy. They’ll be exhibiting this and more when they come to the Palladium at 261 Main St. in Worcester on Nov. 14 with New Bedford’s A Wilhelm Scream and Brooklyn’s MakeWar opening up the show. In November of last year during the COVID-19 pandemic, the band did something a bit out of the ordinary and recorded a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke” and posted it on their Bandcamp page. They recruited saxophonist Peter “JR” Wasilewski from Less Than Jake to lead the horns. “It was loads of fun, we’ve always been a fan of that song and it’s a hell of a track,” Ragan says about “Sir Duke.” “It started out just as one of those fun ideas that all of us in bands talk about while we’re in the bus, in the van, and in the airport killing time saying ‘Oh, it would be so crazy if we covered this or that or did this song.’ Unfortu-

Hot Water Music is set to play the Palladium. DAVE DECKER

nately, most of these ideas don’t even come to fruition, they never really happen. This was one where Jason and George started talking about it and man, those guys are so good as the rhythm section for the song. They just started talking about it, we were keen on doing it and next thing we know they already started laying the track down and we all

like ‘OK! All right, we’re doing it!.’” “At the time, everybody was kind of split up all over the place,” he adds. “It was right during the shutdown, really. I think it was a healthy outlet for everybody and it was a good thing for everybody to do.” Around a month and a half ago, Hot Water Music was part of a unique virtual event called

“Greetings From Splitsville,” which was presented by the online talk show "Two Minutes To Late Night." It had the band covering songs by the Los Angeles hardcore act Terror and vice versa, which made for a unique approach when it came to making it happen. “For starters, we love those guys,” Ragan says about Terror. “It may be totally diﬀ erent mu-

sic than what we do but a lot of us have kind of the same ideals in life, living, music, ethics and how we should treat each other so we share a lot of common ground there. I think that’s why we’ve always gotten along with that band and we’ll see those guys at festivals from time to time and we’ve kind of just talked about it. I know Jason was the one who brought it up fi rst even though I can’t remember who exactly spearheaded the idea but all I know is that when we started talking about doing the songs, I immediately was fi guring out how it was going to go down. My fi rst thought was that we can’t play these songs like they play these songs so we gotta make it our own, which is more or less either a rock n’ roll song or just a straight punk rock song. “When it came to how we were going to do it, we started messing around with stuff while having it be a group eff ort with a bunch of ideas fl inging around and we started knocking it out,” he adds. “That was defi nitely a lot of fun.” Hot Water Music recently announced via social media that they have a new album coming out on Equal Vision Records and End Hits Records in the beginning of next year with co-vocalist, co-guitarist and non-touring member Chris Wollard. Ragan says that there will be a mix of the past and present. “It’s still being worked on by a pretty broad group of friends from the record label, artwork and you name it,” he says about the album. “To me, it feels like a breath of fresh air. It's a big shot of old and new Hot Water songs. There’s some stuff on the new record that defi nitely reminds me of what we were doing 20 years ago.”

10 | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

‘Cobra Kai’ and ‘Clerks’ stars set for Rhode Island Comic Con Craig S. Semon Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

This weekend’s Rhode Island Comic Con has something for almost everybody. For fans of the 1984 fi lm “The Karate Kid” and its TV spinoff “Cobra Kai,” which kicks off its fourth season on Dec. 31 on Netfl ix, you have William Zabka, who originated the role of Johnny Lawrence, aka the 1984 All-Valley Karate Tournament rival of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio, who is not going to be at the RICC), and Martin Kove (who is attending RICC), who plays Lawrence’s sadistic sensei, John Kreese. In addition to the Zabka and Kove, several of the young costars of “Cobra Kai” — including Gianni Decenzo (Demetri), Jacob Bertrand (Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz), Mary Mouser (Samantha LaRusso), Peyton List (Tory Nichols), and Xolo Mariduena (Miguel Diaz) — will also be in Rhode Island. If you are a fan of “Clerks,” its writer, producer, director and one of its costars Kevin Smith will do a special, separate admission-priced panel Friday night (which is his only day there), while most of the movie’s stars, including Jason Mewes (who plays Jay opposite Smith’s Silent Bob), will be on hand for the whole weekend, plus fellow “Clerks” stars Brian O’ Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti and Scott Schiaff o and, from “Clerks II,” Trevor Fehrman and Kevin Weisman. In the guise of life imitates TV reruns, William Shatner, aka Captain Kirk on “Star Trek,” last month became the oldest person who ever reached “Space, the Final Frontier” in real-life, courtesy of a multi-

Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook, who starred together in “She’s All That,” are just two of the guests appearing this weekend at the Rhode Island Comic Con. MIRAMAX FILMS

From left, Jacob Bertrand, William Zabka and Xolo Mariduena are three of the seven stars from “Cobra Kai” that are appearing this weekend at the Rhode Island Comic Con. Also appearing from “Cobra Kai” are Martin Kove, Gianni Decenzo, Mary Mouser and Peyton List. SONY PICTURES TELEVISION

billionaire Jeﬀ Bezos’ complimentary tickets on Blue Origin’s second sub-orbital human spaceﬂ ight. The 90-year-old actor is always a hoot to listen to and now that he has the profound experience of crossing the Kármán line (the widely recognized boundary between the atmosphere and space about 63 miles above the Earth) who knows what wisdom and/or witticisms this real-life “Rocketman” has in store for RICC guests. While Carl Weathers is probably best known for playing Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” series and Giancarlo Esposito is best known for playing Gus Fring on “Breaking Bad,” Weathers and Esposito, who

also have key roles in Disney’s big hit, “The Mandalorian,” will be joined by Chris Barlett, Emily Swallow and Omid Abtaki, all costars of hit “Star Wars” spinoff saga. For fans of the teen romantic comedy “She’s All That,” Rhode Island Comic Con is reuniting the fi lm’s big man on campus (Freddie Prinze Jr.) with unpopular dork-turned-popular prom queen (Rachael Leigh Cook). Also at RICC, Cook, who also stared as Josie in “Josie and the Pussycats,” will bring twothirds of the band together with fellow Pussycat Tara Reid, who played the fi ctitious band’s absent-minded drummer and backup singer in the fi lm. For fans of the clever Wes

Craven-directed/Kevin Williamson-written slasher ﬁ lm, Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich will be sharpening their wits and, possibly, knives. Lillard, who also starred in “She’s All That,” played Shaggy to Prinze’s Fred in the live-action “Scooby-Doo” movie and its sequel. For “Walking Dead” fans, you have Chandler Riggs (Carl Grimes, the ill-fated son of Sheriﬀ Rick Grimes), Jeremy Palko (Hilltop Colony member Andy) and Ryan Hurst (aka the menacing Beta of “The Whisperers”). In the anti-heroes, superheroes and anti-super-heroes niche, cast members of “The Warriors” (including Brian Tyler, David Harris, Dorsey

Wright, Terry Michos and Thomas G. Waites) will come out and play with guests at the RICC, while “The Boys” stars Dominque Mcelligott, Jessie T. Usher, Karen Fukuhara, Laz Alonso and aforementioned Esposito will be up to superhero shenanigans. Alan Ritchson, Curran Walters and Savannah Welch from “Titans” will be on hand as well. Fans of the “My Hero Academia” will have a chance to meet the Japanese superhero manga series’ voiceover talents Brina Palencia, Bryce Papenbrook, Christopher Wehkamp, Ian Sinclair, James Marchi, Justin Cook and Trina Nishimura. “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” fans will want to go to Rhode Island Comic Con to meet Walter Emanuel Jones (the original Black Ranger on “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers”) and Blake Foster (the Blue Turbo Ranger on “Power RangSee COMIC CON, Page 11

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | 11

�� Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith (seen here in 2019’s “Jay And Silent Bob Reboot) will be at the Rhode Island Comic Con, along with many stars from “Clerks.” SABAN FILMS

Comic con Continued from Page 10

ers Turbo”) In the blast from the past department, Rhode Island Comic Con welcomes Jerry Matthews and Tony Dow of “Leave It To Beaver” fame; Lou Ferigno, who played the green behemoth in “The Incredible Hulk”; Debbie Dunning and Richard Karn of “Home Improvement”; and Larry Thomas, aka “The Soup Nazi” from “Seinfeld.” For those who are into wrestling and fi ghting, AEW wrestlers Adam Cole, Britt Baker, Matt Hardy and Ruby Soho, ECW’s Francine Queen of Extreme, "GLOW’s" Gremlina, MMA fi ghter Rampage Jackson, NWA’s Velvet Sky, twotime TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bully Ray, WWE wrestler Jerry “The King” Lawler, John Layfi eld and Adam Scherr, and WWF wrestler Honky Tonk Man will be signing autographs, posing for pictures and hitting the mat for fans. If horror and scares are your thing, RICC has Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin on “Stranger Things”; Jackson Robert Scott, who played Georgie, in “It Chapter One” and "It

If you go Rhode Island Comic Con is from 3 to 9 p.m. Nov. 5, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 6, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Dunkin Donuts Center and the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island.

Fall is sitting by a lake, with a spiced drink in one hand and a comfort meal in the other...nothing better! Reservations required

All patrons, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear masks at all times, unless eating or drinking at a set location. At this time, organizers are not requiring fans to be vaccinated or show negative test results. For information on tickets, panels, guests, and directions, check www.ricomiccon.com/.

Chapter Two”; Tony Todd, who has played “Candyman” in four ﬁ lms; and James Jude Courtney, who played Michael Myers in 2018’s “Halloween” and this year’s “Halloween Kills.” C. Thomas Howell (star of “Red Dawn” and “The Outsiders”), Joey Fatone of NSYNC, David Koechner (star of “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” and “The Oﬃ ce”), Taryn Manning (“Orange Is the New Black”) and Tom Arnold (“Roseanne” and “True Lies”) will also be there.

Casual Waterfront Dining on Lake Lashaway 308 East Main Street, East BrookField 774-449-8333 308lakeside.com

Free Valet Parking Friday & Saturday Nights WM-0000456280-01

12 | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Worcester Art Museum, India Society of Worcester team for Diwali Fall Community Day Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Growing up Indian American, early November to the end of December was one long festive season, celebrating Diwali and Christmas along with Thanksgiving between them. It felt like I had the best of both worlds. My family ensured I knew the traditional Diwali stories and customs even though we couldn’t always practice them. As a kid, I remember looking forward to hearing about how the festival was observed when my parents were growing up in India — if you think the community fi reworks in Worcester this past summer was a lot, try Mumbai during Diwali. Diwali or Deepavali, which is the full name, means rows (avali) of lights (deepa) and celebrates light of all kinds — physically, the brightness of lamp light in the darkening autumn season, spiritually, as inner illumination from ignorance to knowledge, and metaphorically, the victory of good over evil. The festival of lights is a set of fi ve days of celebration, beginning Nov. 4 this year — food, family and fi reworks, with the fi ve days of observance meant to honor knowledge, prosperity, and family relationships. In India, all households, from the wealthiest to the humblest, put out little clay lamps with homemade wicks at the doors and windows so that the goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi, would fi nd her way to their homes in the dark. When I was a kid, it was the one day a year that it was okay to leave the lights on throughout the house. Diwali, thought to be a harvest festival in ancient times, is the third day of the fi ve days, and falls on the darkest day of the Hindu lunar month, Kartik. For Hindus, the day is in honor of Rama, a mythological hero who returned to his kingdom with his queen after their 14year exile during which he defeated the demon king. Their saga makes the Indian epic known as the Ramayana. Oftentimes it coincides roughly with Halloween, and I remember making the (extremely simplifi ed) explanation to my friends that while we don’t have Hal-

Dancers perform in Renaissance Court as part of a past Diwali celebration at Worcester Art Museum. COURTESY OF WORCESTER ART MUSEUM

loween in India, we do have a holiday celebrating demon-slaying. Locally, Worcester Art Museum and the India Society of Worcester will come together on Sunday, Nov. 7, for a Diwali Fall Community Day. Activities will include dance, music, lamp lighting, a Saree fashion show, a special docent led tour and Indian food. It is the ﬁ fth year that they have partnered to bring Diwali to the community of Worcester. The program: Story Time with the Indian Society of Worcester (10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.) — Hear the epic tale of the Ramayana: good defeats evil, light overcomes darkness, and knowledge triumphs over ignorance. Diwali Lamp Lighting (11 a.m.–noon) — Witness this time-honored tradition

of lighting the rows of clay lamps that symbolizes the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. Diwali Cultural Programming with Dance and Music (11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.) — The Indian Society of Worcester presents a lineup of traditional, modern and contemporary Indian performances in the Renaissance Court. Bawarchi Biryanis: Feast on Authentic Treats (11:30 a.m.–3 p.m.) — Bawarchi Biryanis restaurant of Framingham will provide traditional Indian cuisine available for purchase. Honoring Lakshmi: Lotus, Mudras, and other symbols in Hindu and Buddhist Art (12:30 p.m.) — A special docent-led tour focused on India connections. Henna by Meghna (11 a.m.–3 p.m.) —

See how a mehndi artist works and receive your own henna. Cultural programming and fashion show, “Saree — A Cultural Heritage of India” (1:15 p.m.–2:15 p.m.) — Indian dance and music. The end of the programming will provide a close up view of the vibrancy and color of India’s traditional garments in this Diwali cultural dance and fashion show. Studio Art Activities (11 a.m.–3 p.m.) — Mandala art led by WAM Teen Council Members; Rangoli Sand workshops are led by WAM instructors for all ages, abilities, and interests. All programs and activities are free. The Worcester Art Museum is located at 55 Salisbury St. Masks are required for all visitors, age 5 and older, regardless of vaccination status.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | 13

CITY VOICES LANDGREN REMEMBER TO SET THE CLOCKS BACK, BUT ONLY AN HOUR ....

WORCESTERIA

How I learned to quit worrying and just shove pie into my face Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

FIRST PERSON

The survivalist case for environmentalism Malt Schlitzman Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

A neighborhood where every roof has solar panels and rainwater recycling systems. Every yard is bursting with wildﬂ owers and raised garden beds. You know this neighborhood is safe, because there is no want. There is food and water and electricity to spare, this buﬀ er that allows people to survive the worst with grace. Community resilience is self preservation. I want to address conservatives and libertarians who might have disagreed with my last article about rewilding yards. You have been sold the idea that ecological conservation is a radical left-wing idea.

You have been told you can survive what is coming by stockpiling guns and hiding away from the world. You have been lied to. Here’s the gist of it: Things are getting worse, and they are getting worse faster. We are going to need the most people possible to survive whatever’s coming, because we all have unique skills that combine together to stitch the quilt of civilization. But we are all low-lying islands in a rising sea! Obviously it’s easy to imagine what happens to a society when no one can operate a nuclear reactor. Bad things! But you need more than just nuclear engineers, you need See SCHLITZMAN, Page 15

I have never asked much more out of a journalism career than to meet interesting people and to do interesting things. I've had the honor of interviewing politicians, rock stars, business leaders and witches, and that's just in the past few weeks. I've covered hip-hop shows, comic book conventions, city council meetings and boxing matches, and am usually game to experience something I've never done before. So when Executive Editor Dave Nordman called to ask me if I wanted to compete in a pie-eating contest against 14time Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest champion Joey Chestnut, during the intermission of the Railers' ﬁ rst game of the season at the DCU Center, my instant response was, “Huh? Wait, what? I'm pretty sure there are better choices for this.” Competitive eating is one of those things that absolutely did not appear on my bucket list. The only time I tried anything remotely like that, in high school, was some sort of Lime-Aid drinking contest, which had me vomiting in public, something I had sworn never to do again once my brief-lived punk band broke up. Moreover, I actually have developed a sensitive stomach and a weak metabolism as I've gotten older, so this prospect was all sorts of concerning. Besides, the last time I got

The Telegram & Gazette team of Victor Infante, left, and Craig S. Semon pack away blueberry pies as they challenge professional eater Joey Chestnut during a contest at the Worcester Railers game on Saturday. STEVE LANAVA

roped into a stunt with the Railers, I attempted to learn how to ice skate, and ended up with a sore back for days, so this was kind of a hard sell. Nordman explained that myself and reporter Craig S. Semon would be teamed together to represent the Telegram & Gazette, and there'd be competitors from other media outlets. I hemmed and hawed in an uncharacteristic manner, but eventually relented, with the caveat that we would probably lose badly. I then promptly failed to think about it again until the day of the competition. Indeed, while most of my competitors were starving themselves to get ready, I made my wife and I a nice ravioli dinner beforehand, conﬁ dent in the knowledge that it would not make a lick of diﬀ erence. Arriving at the DCU Center

with Craig, who was wearing some sort of postmodern gonzo journalist costume — think Hunter S. Thompson meets Max Headroom and they create a comic book character together — I actually began to get a bit nervous. What had I gotten myself into? This was so far outside of my comfort zone as to be in a diff erent state altogether. It helped a bit that I knew some of the other competitors — Sarah Connell Sanders writes for WoMag, in addition to cohosting the “Pop It” podcast with Molly O'Connor, and MassLive's Tom Matthews was known to me, although I think this was the fi rst time we really met in person. Still, the idea of stuffi ng Table Talk pies in my face in front of a few thousand people was more daunting than I'd See INFANTE, Page 14

14 | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

HARVEY

Students have paid heavy price for year away from schools Janice Harvey Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

School’s back. Sorta. Since my retirement from the Worcester Public Schools nearly a year ago, the question I hear most from educators still teaching is: “Do you love it?” The answer I give is: “Are you kidding?” There are two kinds of teachers engaging in this exchange. There are those who are close to retirement and counting the days, and those who have many years to go before they are anywhere near the 80% mark for a full pension. Regardless of this gap, their reactions to my retirement are quite similar: wistful envy. The quarantine caused by the coronavirus changed teaching more than anyone imagined. Veteran teachers tell me that their students have lost so much more than a year of academics; students have forgotten how to be students. The Year That Wasn’t — 2020 — seems to have wiped away attention spans, common courtesy and the drive to learn. In many instances, their teachers are at a loss to repair the damage. According to secondary teachers, a notable indiﬀ erence

Infante Continued from Page 13

imagined. It was Chestnut himself who proved to be a calming inﬂ uence. Chestnut radiates an aura of Midwest niceness that's kind of infectious. He was just so calm about the whole thing, and he gave us amateurs some great advice, most of which boiled down to, “don't die.” I

The quarantine caused by the coronavirus changed teaching more than anyone imagined. PIXABAY

to learning has replaced a desire for good grades. If it’s possible, students have become even more attached to their phones, having spent the better part of a school year sporadically attending Zoom classes while texting friends out of camera range. Separating a high school kid from a phone is akin to lopping oﬀ an appendage. This can eventually be dealt with if administration sets ﬁ rm rules about phone

use, but more serious side effects of quarantine have begun to surface. Apathy is one. Depression is another. Students whose home lives were dysfunctional before the pandemic found themselves stuck spending all of their time in places they avoided by attending school. For many children, school was and is a refuge from tensions and arguments, from poverty and domestic violence.

Quarantine made these the ingredients for an explosive atmosphere as adults tried to cope with their own fears. To tackle the frightening uptick in children’s mental illness, the ﬁ rst line of defense comes in the form of school adjustment counselors, who have seen a tsunami of cases of depression in students. I spoke with one of these unsung heroes recently. She chose to remain anonymous to

thought to myself, “I can do this!” I mean, I knew I couldn't win, but I knew I could do it and not completely embarrass myself. I was remarkably calm when we were called to make our entrances. When they called my name and I stepped on the ice to thunderous and completely as-of-yet unearned applause, all I could think was, “The last time I was on the DCU ﬂ oor, I was reviewing Phish.” At that concert, someone had passed me a joint, but since I

don't smoke marijuana, I dutifully passed it on. Right that moment, though, I really wanted that joint to come back around. It did not. This was deﬁ nitely not a Phish show. When it came time to eat the pies, I devoured the ﬁ rst one as fast as I could, but the second one went slower, kind of gumming up in my mouth. I could swallow, but I felt like a stopped-up sink. The pie was sort of just oozing into my stomach, not plummeting. I

started a third one, and got most of the way through it, before our 90 seconds were up. For anyone who thinks this isn't much — and I have read your emails and Facebook comments — I suggest you get a timer and try it. Please, by all means, post video! Final verdict: Craig and I ﬁ nished four pies between us, as did Matthews and his partner, Tim McKone, sports anchor at WBZ-FM 98.5 The Sports Hub. Connell Sanders and O'Connor

protect the children she serves. I will refer to her as A.C. “What I’m hearing is loss, loss, loss … they’re grieving over the loss of friendships that were solid before the pandemic and are now gone. They’re socially stunted by the isolation they experienced,” she said. “One boy told me he ‘sorta’ had friends before but now he’s forgotten how to interact. Depression in teens is normal, but what I’m seeing is something else altogether. I’m dealing with suicidal ideation in some instances.” Anxiety is “through the roof,” she said. All of the things kids look forward to as high school students have either been taken away or are in limbo right now. Proms, football games, graduations — all the moments that make school memorable and enjoyable hang in the balance. Added to this mix is social media, which simply ampliﬁ es those losses. “For a year, they had nothing to do and nowhere to go, and now they’re back in school, feeling awkward and disconnected. Social media makes everything seem worse.” Many teens have abruptly lost their childhood because See HARVEY, Page 15

were behind us with three, and the two guys who'd won a raﬄ e to be there were ahead of us with seven. Chestnut smoked us all with 12, but I felt sort of relieved that most of us could only get two pies down. It's one area where I can say I feel completely content to be average. Will I ever enter the realm of competitive eating again? It's unlikely, but I'm proud I didn't puke, and we didn't even lose! Sometimes, you take your victories where you can.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | 15

Schlitzman Continued from Page 13

metalworkers building replacement parts. That means you need miners and smelters to provide the metal to the metalworkers. It’s the same thing with a farm. You need a farmer to plant the seed, and pollinators to make the fruit. If you’ve got pests, you need pest-pests to eat the pests before they can pester your peas. Beneath every layer is an additional layer of complexity, and we are losing them at a distressingly rapid pace. We’ve got to save more than just the bees. The fastest way to do that is to turn grass lawns into meadows, this is accomplished by the arduous task of not mowing and just letting awesome wildﬂ owers do their awesome stuﬀ . By letting yards become meadows, plant roots reach deeper into the earth, sequestering more water and building up a thicker layer of topsoil. In addition to better surviving storms and providing more wildlife habitat, this creates a huge amount of farmable

Harvey Continued from Page 14

they were thrust into the role of caretaker for younger siblings if their parents were essential workers. For those kids, any sense of safety and comfort disappeared in March of 2020. According to A.C., the system in place to help kids is overwhelmed. In the past, the 18-year veteran was always able to utilize community services for children in need of immediate attention, but COVID-19 changed all that. “It took two weeks for a child who expressed suicidal thoughts to be seen. Two weeks. I spent a major part of

land in a very short time, without clearing forest habitat or importing huge amounts of biological material, which will be unavailable after crisis. We need to create this farmland now, before we need it in ﬁ ve years. If you are someone who truly believes America is heading for a collapse, you understand on some level you will need to provide food for yourself and your family. You have a vested interest in ensuring there is quality, poison-free soil and water around you to grow in. The best way to provide this is to take care of your neighbors. Likewise, if you believe that emergencies will drive people to commit crimes of desperation, why not take steps now to help them escape desperation? Caring for your neighbors is self-defense. If you think there isn’t enough of something to go around, money, food or housing, ask yourself, who created that scarcity? Who got rich hoarding themselves a silo of grain while our neighbors starved in the street? There is enough wealth for us all to survive what’s coming. It has been hoarded by those who will proﬁ t most from the

A bee pollinates a wildflower growing near a pollinator garden at Bare Cove Park in Hingham. ROBIN CHAN/WICKED LOCAL

emergencies they create. If we want to survive, we need to take back the wealth they stole, and give it to those most in need. If you think that’s social-

ism, ﬁ ne. The alternative to socialism is you dying cold and alone in a bunker, eating potato slop from a bucket. Shrug emoji.

If the Apocalypse was a problem you could survive by shooting enough bullets through it, America would already be saved. That’s just not the case. We only have each other. No one else is coming to save us. The wealthy are divesting themselves from society, and Earth itself. But Jeff Bezos wasn’t ever going to help us in the fi rst place, and furthermore, we don’t need him to. We have each other. Our labor built their wealth. Our labor built their empires. They clearly think we are powerful enough for them to survive off of, why wouldn’t we do the same for each other? When sailors fall overboard, they form rings. They hold together. If they all tried fl oating on their own, they would freeze and drown. The storm is now. We are all overboard. Hold tight! Your life depends on it! Malt Schlitzman is a writer living in the Worcester area.

SAME DAY CROWNS ARE HERE! DONE IN 1 VISIT. NO MORE TEMPORARY CROWNS. THAT’S LOOKING REAL GOOD.

every day with her until partial hospitalization was available.” Therapy for kids is backlogged, she said. There’s no question in her mind that more adjustment counselors need to be hired now. “What these kids need to do is talk,” she said. Teletherapy sessions are not useful in most cases, for a variety of reasons. “Kids can’t be their authentic selves talking to a screen in their own homes. They can’t say they have an issue with Mom or anyone else if that person is standing in the kitchen, listening.” “These kids don’t just need to talk. They desperately want to talk,” she said. There just aren’t enough ears to go around.

Are you ready for a dramatically improved experience on your next crown? Utilizing CEREC technology, we are able to provide same-day porcelain restorations that happen in hours, rather than days - no more temporaries, no messy impressions, no more multiple visits! • Same-day restorations • Beautiful, natural appearance • Stronger, more precise ﬁt • Relaxing patient experience

Dr. Salman Khanani 1084 Main St., Holden | khananidental.com |

@khananidental

*Some exclusions may apply: patient must be a candidate for dental implants and some patients may require comprehensive treatment plans to meet their individual needs. Special does not include the fee for extractions, bone grafts, sinus augmentation or the need for a surgical guide

Call 508-829-4575 to book your appointment today! Call 508-829-4575 to book your appointment today! WM-SPAD0625114016

Implant, Cosmetic and Family Dentistry

16 | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2021 | LEOMINSTER CHAMPION

COVER STORY A lioness head in storage. VEER MUDAMBI

Straight out of

history

EcoTarium puts its past on display with 2nd Worcester Community Curation exhibit Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

Walking through the EcoTarium, with its modern design and shiny, interactive exhibits, it’s easy to forget it's actually one of Worcester’s oldest institutions. Founded by the Worcester Natural History Society in 1825, the EcoTarium is coming up on its second centennial. h If letting an accumulated treasure trove of two centuries languish in storage seems like a waste, that’s because it is. It was clear to the staff that new exhibits are called for to cycle through the valuable cache of items in the repository. But how does one begin to choose what gets showcased and when? h Museum staff found an elegant but simple solution — if the goal was to share the collection with the community, why not let the community decide? The result was the fi rst Worcester Community Curation exhibit in 2019. While it was meant to be an annual event, the museum’s “hibernation” during the 2020 pandemic means that the present one is the second rather than the third. The new exhibit opened on Oct. 20. See EXHIBIT, Page 17

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | 17

Harp seal, picked as part of the community curation exhibit. VEER MUDAMBI PHOTOS/WORCESTER MAGAZINE

Exhibit

Protect yourself with a Checking Account

Continued from Page 16

Three members of the Worcester community were given a tour of the collection and allowed to choose a piece, while a fourth was chosen by online vote. The four items were then used in an exhibit on global climate change. “Community Curation allows us to make global connections with Worcester and the ecology of the planet,” said Katie Chappelle, director of education and exhibits. “Part of why we chose the theme of climate change is because it is so wide reaching — it touches all of us,” she went on, so any piece in a natural history museum could conceivably fi t into a climate change exhibit. This year, the four items seeing the light of day are a horseshoe crab, a set of three perching birds, a long tooth sawfi sh and a harp seal, all of which are directly aff ected by the climate crisis. The horseshoe crab has existed for 450 million years, but rising sea levels threaten the nesting grounds and it was chosen by the interim CEO Michael Halperson. “We wanted to connect our new CEO to the

Broke down? Empty? Flat? With 24-hour coverage for roadside assistance services and other benefits like cell phone protection, ID protect®, credit monitoring, and more,* why not choose a checking account that covers you during life’s unexpected speed bumps.

So, what does your checking account do for you? Visit fidelitybankonline.com/carechecking to open an account today.

Small birds seen between the cracks of the massive moving shelves of the storage room.

community,” said Chappell. Halperson took up the position this past July. The perching bird set consists of three species, a crow, goldfi nch and scarlet tanager. Of the three, crows are the least aff ected due to their adaptability, but rising temperatures interfere with the nesting and migratory habits of goldfi nches and tanagers. Tracy Acito, with her daughters Sophia and ElySee EXHIBIT, Page 18

For a limited time, get a

$250 bonus with any new Checking account!**

800.581.5363 | 13 Offices across Central and Eastern Mass *Special Program Notes: The descriptions herein are summaries only and do not include all terms, conditions and exclusions of the Benefits described. Please refer to the actual Guide to Benefit and/or insurance documents for complete details of coverage and exclusions. Coverage is provided through the company named in the Guide to Benefit or on the certificate of insurance. $5.95 is the monthly service charge for SecureCare checking. Insurance Products are not insured by the FDIC or any Federal Government Agency; not a deposit of or guaranteed by the bank or any bank affiliate. Some benefits require registration and activation. For complete details of this checking account, visit fidelitybankonline.com/CheckingBenefits or speak with a Fidelity Bank representative. **Open any Fidelity Bank Checking account beginning Wednesday, September 29th, 2021 to be eligible. To earn $250 bonus you must have direct deposits into your new account that total at least $500 within 60 days of account opening, enroll and use both online and mobile banking, and have at least 12 posted point-of-sale debit card transactions of $10 or more each month for the first two full calendar months following account opening. For example, for accounts opened in October required posted transactions to be eligible for the promotional offer will be in November and December. Note that transaction and posting dates can vary and some transactions may take up to three business days to post to your account. Direct deposit is defined as a paycheck, pension, Social Security, or other eligible monthly income electronically deposited by an employer or outside agency into your checking account. Transfers done via ATM, online banking, payment apps or websites (such as Venmo or Paypal), in branch, or from a bank or brokerage account are not eligible. The value of this bonus may constitute taxable income and will be reported on IRS Form 1099 (or other appropriate form). Bonus to be deposited into your account during the subsequent statement cycle after meeting the eligible criteria above. Offers valid only for new Checking accounts including SecureCare, CareFree, CareDiscover, CareMore, CompleteCare, and LifeDesign 18/65 accounts. All account applications are subject to approval. Minimum opening deposit for eligible Checking accounts are: SecureCare ($25), CareFree ($25), CareDiscover ($10), CareMore ($100), CompleteCare ($250), and LifeDesign 18/65 ($10). $5.95 is the monthly service charge for SecureCare. As of 9/23/21, the Annual Percentage Yield (APY) for CompleteCare is 0.03% and SecureCare is 0.01%. Rates subject to change after account opening. Fees may reduce earnings. Offer is not valid for Fidelity Bank clients with an existing Fidelity Bank checking account and is limited to new checking account clients only. Limit one account per tax reported owner. Account must be open, active, and in good standing to receive the bonuses. Accounts closed within 6 months of receiving bonus will incur a $250 early account termination fee. Promotional offer subject to change or cancellation at any time.

18 | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Birds of prey in mid-take off gaze haughtily down from the shelves of the storage area.

Exhibit Continued from Page 17

sia, having maintained a longtime family membership at the EcoTarium, chose this piece. The long tooth sawfi sh, of which only its signature saw blade is displayed, came from a specimen which was 14 feet long — a size that it rarely reaches anymore due to climate change destroying its habitat. Michael Bobbit, executive director of the Mass Cultural Council, picked the sawfi sh, with input form his son who is pursuing a degree in Natural Resource Conservation. The fi nal item, an adorable harp seal, which faces the threat of melting sea ice that is necessary to raise the young, also caused some melting of hearts. It was picked by the Worcester community, as a whole, when the museum put up fi ve items online and held a vote over social media. The harp seal won hands-down, a fact that Chappell fi nds unsurprising due to its fl uff y exterior. The EcoTarium was pleased to accept the choice, knowing that the possible sad fate of the harp seal may well inspire children, when they grow up, to

make the world a better place. It is not inconceivable that a heart tugging exhibit could motivate a child to become a scientist or activist and ensure that we can still look at cute fl uff y harp seals in real life, not just in a museum or a zoo. Marty Christianson, the collections management specialist, indicated that they are always looking for people interested in ecology/climate change to be community curators. The 2019 theme for the Community Curation exhibit was climate change as well and it may well be so for the foreseeable future, given the overwhelming urgency of the crisis. The chosen items in 2019 were a sea turtle, Atlantic puffi n, three toed sloth and walrus. Referring to the EcoTarium’s long history, Christianson said, “in 200 years we’ve collected an awful lot of cool stuff but in that time, we’ve changed our mission from science and nature in the entire universe to science and nature as it applies to Worcester, Massachusetts.” Additionally, when the museum shifted to being a children’s museum, many items were put into storage as they did not lend themselves to the new hands-on approach to science. Upon entering the storage

Birds on display, under some seasonal decoration.

area, there’s an immediate feeling of being watched — hundreds of glass eyes staring from around every corner and the tops of shelves. For safety reasons, visits must be limited to 15 minutes, said Christianson. While the taxidermized lions, tigers and bears (oh, my) are no longer a threat, the formaldehyde that preserves them can be after too long without proper protective equipment. Most museums only have one to 10 percent of their collection on display at any given time. Given its history, the EcoTarium is decidedly on the low end of that range. Representatives from across the animal kingdom can be found among the rolling shelves, with poses and expressions ranging from serenely sitting or standing to snarling mid-leap. Taxidermy is as much an art as a science, and is just as susceptible to changing trends and styles, explained Christianson. Modern taxidermy, intended for museums rather than living rooms, tends See EXHIBIT, Page 19

Marty Christianson, collections management specialist at the Ecotarium, stands beside the perching birds specimens, one of the chosen items for this year;s Community Curation exhibit. VEER MUDAMBI PHOTOS/WORCESTER MAGAZINE

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | 19

An antelope in the Africa exhibit that is on track to be cycled out after being on display for 30 years.

The jawbones of a humpback whale greet visitors. While not part of the community curation exhibit, it shares the water theme with three out of four. VEER MUDAMBI PHOTOS/WORCESTER MAGAZINE

Exhibit

$ S

Continued from Page 18

toward the more natural. The more action-oriented poses are generally indicative of the Victorian style, when every animal was portrayed as fi erce and dangerous, with teeth and claws on full display. And it was really every animal, said Christianson, who recalls having seen even a guinea pig from that era which the taxidermist had clearly attempted to lend a savage aspect. A large number of the specimens were acquired by private collectors who were members of the Worcester Natural History Society, the group that founded the EcoTarium as a place to share, discuss — and show off — their discoveries. Signs of these rivalries can be seen in what parts of the collection underwent particularly rapid expansion at a given time. “At least four diff erent mem-

 

M  N  A snapping turtle

Sterling Silver Paperclip Chain Bracelet acelet with 8-9mm Freshwater Pearls 7” Length with Extender to 8”

bers of the Worcester Natural History Society seemed to be having a slap ﬁ ght over who could ﬁ nd the rarest shells,” said Christianson, chuckling. As a result, the malacology (study of mollusks) section commands multiple units of shelves. Most specimens were donated after the collector passed See EXHIBIT, Page 20

Since 1937

Worcester’s Fine Jewelers Gold Star Boulevard | 19 Glennie St. in Worcester | 508·791·2211 Closed sunday & Monday · Tues-Wed 9:00aM-5:30pM · Thurs 9:00aM-7:00pM · Fri 9:00aM-5:00pM · saT 9:00aM-4:00pM

sharfmansjewelers.com

Like us on Facebook

20 | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Suzanne Stumpf Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

Suzanne Stumpf has received wide recognition for both her sculptural and functional ceramic creations. She was selected as a 2017 Niche Award Finalist in both the ceramic sculpture and functional ceramics categories as well as a 2013 Niche Award Finalist in ceramic sculpture. In 2019, she was named an Artist of the Year by the Cambridge Art Association and won First Prize at the Legacy 4 Art Exhibition in North Easton. That same year, she was selected for an Open Studio Residency at Haystack Mountain School of Craft. This year, her sculptures received Best in Show at the Winter National Art Show in Duxbury and Honorable Men-

tion awards at the State of Clay (national juried exhibition sponsored by the Lexington Arts and Crafts Society) and the ArtsWorcester Biennial. Her work has been included in numerous national and international juried art and ceramics exhibitions from across the U.S. to Bucharest, Hungary, including six times at the National Prize Art Show in Cambridge, three times at the Potters Council International Show, and four times at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts ceramics biennials. Her interactive sculptures and other work have been included in numerous books and publications, including 500 Ceramic Sculptures: Con-

“Breast Project,“ sculpture (porcelain) SUZANNE STUMPF/ARTSWORCESTER

temporary Practice, Singular Works (Lark Books); 500 Raku: Bold Explorations of a Dynamic Ceramics Technique (Lark Books); Humor in Craft (Schiﬀ er Publishing), the European magazine Ceramics Now, Art-

Exhibit Continued from Page 19

away or “their families got tired of tripping over them in the living room,” said Christianson. The heyday of such collecting was in the 1800s, he said, making many of the specimens quite old. You wouldn’t know it from looking at them though, as each animal is in equally good condition as any of the items on display. This is the result of diligent maintenance on the part of staﬀ ers like Christianson, making sure there is nothing to attract pests like moths in the ﬁ rst place, keeping everything clean and dry

Skulls of a stag and possibly a cow, acquired from the former Becker College collection. VEER MUDAMBI/WORCESTER MAGAZINE

along with a careful temperature control. If anything, the specimens

out on display require more active care, and Christianson revealed his primary tool is actu-

scope, among others. To see more of Suzanne’s work, visit her website at https://ceramicsatthebarn.com. This Artist Spotlight is presented by Worcester Magazine in partnership with ArtsWor-

cester. Since 1979, ArtsWorcester has exhibited and advanced the work of this region’s contemporary artists. Its exhibitions and educational events are open and free to all. Learn more at www.artsworcester.org.

ally a toothbrush for dusting. As many of the animals are perched in high display cases or on top of shelves, he gets through the cleaning routine with a “mix of acrobatics, parkour, art direction and blind luck.” The staﬀ at the EcoTarium hope that kids can come, see and learn about animals that they might not otherwise get to see. The goal is for their parents or guardians to bring them and for them to ask what climate change is and what they can do? After all, many famous researchers often point to a single experience in their impressionable years, which sparked their curiosity and set them on a path to change.

Since Oct. 6, the EcoTarium has been open fi ve days a week. “We’re really excited and it helps us be more accessible to school groups now,” said Chapell who also added that they have been reopening exhibits and slowly adding back staff to the team. “Were guests ready and comfortable to be inside the museum,” she asked, “well, here science is the fi rst thing on our mind.” So far, it looks like families want to be back, school groups are delighted, and kids need it. “They’ve been at home on Zoom-school for the past year and a half, so it’s important to create informal in-person education opportunities available to kids.”

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | 21

CITY LIVING THE NEXT DRAFT

‘Black Brew Dialogues’ strives for conversation about diversity in craft beer Matthew Tota Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

WORCESTER – Ray Berry poses an eye-opening question toward the end of “Black Brew Dialogues,” a new travelogue produced by the Mass Brewers Guild, now streaming online. The founder of Springﬁ eld’s

White Lion Brewing, one of the few breweries in the state owned by a person of color, wonders what the craft beer landscape would look like if, during the early days of the industry, it had been marketed in Black and brown communities. “If we were exposed at the onset of craft and craft was the hip thing to our community, as

it was the hip thing to the majority community, where would we be right now?” Berry asks the show’s host, Collin Knight. Earlier, Knight shared that before ﬁ nding a taste for craft beer, he drank malt liquor, enticed by ads featuring actors and musicians like Billy Dee Williams and Ice Cube that made him believe he was drink-

TOO TOO TOO TOO TOO TOO TOO TOO TOO

ing something cool and exclusive. “But really,” Knight says, “it’s the dredges of the industry.” At the heart of the travel show’s ﬁ rst episode is Berry and Knight having frank and largely uncut conversations about how craft breweries can become more appealing and welcoming to people of color.

Along the way Knight tries some of White Lion’s hazy IPAs and tours its Tower Square brewery and taproom. The MBG hopes to make at least ﬁ ve more episodes of Black Brew Dialogues, with Knight traveling to other breweries in the state, having simiSee DRAFT, Page 22

Thanksgiving Weekend

TOO

THAT’S A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE. Build genuine connections and grow your audience with LOCALiQ’s storytelling,

branded and social marketing solutions. THAT’S A content, GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE. AT’S A GOOD PROBLEM TOmedia HAVE.

Contact your sales rep today or visit LOCALiQ.com/GrowAudience to get started.

it Do alljust justjust one partner! itwith all with one partner! allDo with one partner!

Contact your sales rep today or visit LOCALiQ.com/GrowAudience to get started.

THAT’S A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.

Build genuine connections and grow youraudience audience with LOCALiQ’s storytelling, d genuine connections and and grow your with LOCALiQ’s storytelling, Build genuine grow your audience with LOCALiQ’s storytelling, Do it connections all with and justsocial one media partner! branded marketing solutions. solutions. nded content, andcontent, social media marketing solutions. branded content, and social media marketing

Contact rep your sales rep today or visit LOCALiQ.com/GrowAudience to get started. tact your sales today or visit LOCALiQ.com/GrowAudience to get started.

Sponsored by:

THE HANOVER THEATRE NOV 11 - 14 TheHanoverTheatre.org 877.571.SHOW (7469) Code: FEEL for $10 off!

Worcester Center for Performing Arts is a registered not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, which owns and operates The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts.

28 | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

ADOPTION OPTION

Meet Salsa

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. Introducing SALSA. Salsa was brought to WARL by Worcester Animal Control after being found running loose with another dog. This brindle beauty is 80 pounds of love. She has been aﬀ ectionate with the staﬀ caring for her and our advanced dog walking volunteers. When sitting on the ground with Salsa, she will jump in your lap to snuggle and ask for belly rubs. She loves toys and playing in our fenced-in pen. Salsa is exceptionally strong and pulls hard when walking on leash. She also has a tendency to jump up when she is playing or gets excited. For those reasons, we are looking for an adopter who has experience handling large and strong dogs. We also believe she is best not living with very small children. If you are looking for a pup to take on a morning hike with you then spend the afternoon hanging on the couch, Salsa is your girl. If you would like to schedule time to meet this pretty pittie, email us at info@worcesterarl.org.

DVD Continued from Page 24

“Mom: Season 8”: The fi nal season of the CBS sitcom fi nds Allison Janney’s character adjusting to life without her daughter in the house. “The Banishing”: This horror fi lm set in the 1930s fi nds a young reverend and his family moving into the most haunted house in England, with terrifying results. “Zone 414”: Sci-fi thriller set in the

WARL COVID-19 Procedures As of Nov. 9, 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. h 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. h 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 ... fi nding homes for animals in need. h 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. h 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. h DONATIONS ACCEPTED except for open bags of food. h 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. h Weekly training classes are going on for adopters. h 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.

near future starring Guy Pearce as a private eye hired by an eccentric and powerful businessman to ﬁ nd his missing daughter. “Star Trek: Discovery: Seasons 1-3”: Three-season set includes all 42 episodes of the Paramount+ series and over eight hours of special features, including cast and crew interviews, behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted and extended scenes, audio commentaries and more. “Sex and The City: The Complete Series + 2 Movie Collection”: Catch up with Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and

Miranda in this box set featuring all six seasons of the HBO comedy and both movies on Blu-ray for the fi rst time. “The Sheik”: The 1921 silent fi lm classic starring Rudolph Valentino is newly restored on Blu-ray in this limited-edition release to mark the movie’s centennial. OUT ON DIGITAL HD NOV. 2 “Electric Jesus”: A rocking comedy that follows the exploits of a religious hair metal band in the summer of 1986. “Iron Temple”: Documentary about pro bodybuilder Tony Torres, who was sent to prison for fi ve years after cover-

ing for a friend who had committed murder, and his subsequent eﬀ ort to rebuild his life. “River’s End”: Using the water politics of California as an example, this documentary explores the global water crisis. “Nightshooters”: A group of ﬁ lmmakers must survive the night on the run after inadvertently witnessing and recording a gangland execution. “The Spore”: The lives of 10 strangers intersect as a mutating fungus begins to spread through a small town, killing all who come into contact with it.

Salsa is available for adoption through WARL. STEVE GEORGON

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | 29

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN PURSUANT TO PROVISIONS OF M.L.C. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN PUR225 sec 39A. THE FOLLOWING VEHISUANT TO PROVISIONS OF M.L.C. CLES SOLD ON 11/06/21 TO 225 secWILL 39A.BE THE FOLLOWING VEHISATISFY GARAGE LIEN THERECLES WILL OUR BE SOLD ON 11/06/21 TO ON FOR TOWING SATISFY OUR GARAGEAND LIENSTORAGE THERECHARGES AND EXPENSES OF SALE ON FOR TOWING AND STORAGE CHARGES AND EXPENSES OF SALE AND NOTICE: AND NOTICE: 2014 Chevy Cruze LT 2014 Chevy Cruze LT VIN#: 1G1PC5SB4E7102796 VIN#: 20181G1PC5SB4E7102796 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 2018 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 4Matic 4Matic VIN#: WDDS14GB6JN556420 VIN#: WDDS14GB6JN556420 2008BMW BMW335xi 335xi 2008 VIN#:WBAVD53578A010543 WBAVD53578A010543 VIN#: 2008Toyota ToyotaTundra Tundra 2008 VIN#:5TFBT54108X010482 5TFBT54108X010482 VIN#: The TheSale Salewill willbe beheld heldatatWorcester Worcester Towing Towingon on344 344Harding HardingSt, St,WorcesWorcester, ter,MA MA 01610 01610 on on November November 5,5, 2021. 2021.

SERVICE DIRECTORY MISCELLANEOUS MISCELLANEOUS

Need A Friend?

Need A Friend? Call Dial-A-Friend Call Dial-A- Friend 508-852-5242 508-852-5242

Inspirational Inspirational Messages Messages Recorded Recorded Daily Daily 24 24Hours HoursEveryday Everyday

SERVICES & REPAIRS SERVICES & REPAIRS

SNEADE BROS. BROS. SNEADE VINYL SIDING & VINYL SIDING & REPLACEMENT WINDOWS REPLACEMENT WINDOWS Fully licensed & Insured Fully licensed & Insured

WM-0000427199-01 WM-0000427199-01

LEGALS Section 00.11.00 ADVERTISEMENT TO BID The Worcester Housing Authority, the Awarding Authority, invites sealed Section 00.11.00 ADVERTISEMENT TO BID bids from Contractors for the Waste Pipe Improvements in Worcester, The Worcester Housing Authority, the Awarding Authority, invites sealed Massachusetts, in accordance thePipe documents preparedinbyWorcester, Russo Barr bids from Contractors for the with Waste Improvements Associates, Inc. Project consists Waste stack replacement and waMassachusetts, in The accordance with the of: documents prepared by Russo Barr ter riser replacement. Removal andof:reinstallation the kitchenand cabinets Associates, Inc. The Project consists Waste stackof replacement wawill be needed to complete the and work. Cutting, patching, painting of the ter riser replacement. Removal reinstallation of the and kitchen cabinets will be needed to complete the work. Cutting,shall patching, and of the drywall. At project completion, Contractor provide a painting written guarandrywall. Atcovers projectallcompletion, shall provide a written guaran-of tee that defects in Contractor workmanship and materials for a period tee that all defects workmanship materials a period of two (2) covers years from date of in acceptance. The and general scope for of the constructwo years date of acceptance. The general scope of the construction(2)work is from as follows: tion work is as follows: •Removal of kitchen cabinets and set aside. Cutting of the drywall. •Removal of kitchen cabinets and set aside. Cutting of the drywall. •Removal and replacement of kitchen waste stacks and hot and cold•Removal and replacement of kitchen waste stacks and hot and coldwater risers. water risers. •Patching drywalland andpainting paintingthe theareas areasthat thatwere wereworked workedon. on. •Patching ofof drywall •Reinstallation kitchencabinets. cabinets. •Reinstallation ofof kitchen The work estimatedtotocost cost$1,260,000. $1,260,000. The work is is estimated Bids Bidsare aresubject subjecttotoM.G.L. M.G.L.c.149 c.149§44A-J §44A-J&&totominimum minimumwage wagerates ratesasasrerequired byby M.G.L. quired M.G.L.c.l49 c.l49§§26 §§26toto27H 27Hinclusive. inclusive.THIS THISPROJECT PROJECTISISBEING BEINGELECELECTRONICALLY TRONICALLYBID BIDAND ANDHARD HARDCOPY COPYBIDS BIDSWILL WILLNOT NOTBEBEACCEPTED. ACCEPTED. Please Please review the instructions review the instructionsininthe thebid biddocuments documentsononhow howtotoregister registerasasananelecelectronic bidder. tronic bidder. The The bids bids are are toto bebe prepared prepared and and submitted submitted atat www.biddocsonline.com. Tutorials and instructions on how to complete www.biddocsonline.com. Tutorials and instructions on how to complete the electronic bid documents are available online (click on the "Tutorial" theatelectronic bidfooter). documents are bidders availablemust online on the "Tutorial" tab the bottom General be (click certified by the Divitabof at Capital the bottom General bidders must be(DCAMM) certified by the folDivision Assetfooter). Management and Maintenance in the sion of Capital of Asset Management Maintenance (DCAMM) in the following category work, Roofing, andand must submit a current DCAMM Cerlowingofcategory work, Roofing, and must submit a current DCAMM Certificate Eligibilityofand signed DCAMM Prime/General Contractor Update Statement. General Bids be DCAMM received Prime/General until 11:00 AMContractor on Thursday, 25 tificate of Eligibility and will signed Update November 2021 and publicly opened online,until forthwith. Filed Statement. General Bids will be received 11:00 AM on Sub-bids Thursday,for25 the trades listed will be opened receivedonline, until on and publicly onNovember 2021below and publicly forthwith. Filedopened Sub-bids for line, theforthwith. trades listed below will be received until on and publicly opened onSUBTRADES line, forthwith. Filed Sub-bidders must be certified by the Division of Capital Asset ManSUBTRADES agement and Maintenance (DCAMM) in the following category of work, Filed Sub-bidders be acertified the Division of Capital Asset and ManPlumbing, and mustmust submit current by DCAMM Certificate of Eligibility agement and Maintenance in the following category of Subwork, signed DCAMM Prime/General(DCAMM) Contractor Update Statement. Filed Plumbing, mustuntil submit a current Certificate of Eligibility and Bids will be and received 11:00 AM on DCAMM Thursday, 18 November 2021 and signed opened DCAMMonline, Prime/General UpdatebeStatement. Filed Subpublicly forthwith.Contractor All Bids should submitted online at www.biddocsonline.com and received later than date and time Bids will be received until 11:00 AM onnoThursday, 18 the November 2021 and specified bids and sub-bids be accompanied a bidat publicly above. openedGeneral online, forthwith. All Bidsshall should be submitted by online deposit that is not less thanand fivereceived (5%) of the possible bid and amount www.biddocsonline.com no greatest later than the date time (considering all alternates) payable shall to the Bedford Housing specified above. General and bidsmade and sub-bids beNew accompanied by a bid Authority. Bid Forms and Contract Documents will be made available on deposit that is not less than five (5%) of the greatest possible bid amount November 03, 2021 at www.biddocsonline.com (may be viewed elec(considering all alternates) and made payable to the New Bedford Housing tronically and hardcopy requested) or at Nashoba Blue, Inc. at 433 Main Authority. Bid MA Forms01749 and Contract Documents will is beamade on Street, Hudson, (978-568-1167). There plan available deposit of November 2021 atofwww.biddocsonline.com (may be viewed elec$50.00 per set 03, (maximum 2 sets) payable to BidDocs ONLINE Inc. Plan tronically andbehardcopy requested) or by at check. Nashoba Blue, Inc. at deposits may electronically paid or This deposit will433 be Main reStreet,for Hudson, MA sets 01749 is one a plan funded up to two for (978-568-1167). general bidders There and for set deposit for sub-of bidders return of the sets good condition within thirty (30)Inc. daysPlan of $50.00upon per set (maximum of 2insets) payable to BidDocs ONLINE receipt of general Otherwise,paid the or deposit shall This be the property deposits may bebids. electronically by check. deposit willofbethe reAwarding Authority. Additional sets may be purchased funded for up to two sets for general bidders and for for $50.00. one set Bidders for subrequesting Contract Documents mailed to them shallthirty include sepa-of bidders upon return of the setstoinbe good condition within (30)a days rate check for $40.00 per set for UPS Ground (or $65.00 per set for UPS receipt of general bids. Otherwise, the deposit shall be the property of the overnight), non-refundable, payable to the BidDocs ONLINE Inc., to cover Awarding Authority. Additional sets may be purchased for $50.00. Bidders mail handling costs. requesting Contract Documents Attention is called to the following:to be mailed to them shall include a sepacheck of forEqual $40.00 per set forOpportunity; UPS Ground (or $65.00 per set for UPS 1.rate Provisions Employment payable to the ONLINE to forth cover 2.overnight), Provisions non-refundable, for payment of not less than theBidDocs minimum wagesInc., as set handling costs. inmail the Specifications; 3.Attention Provisions Chapter 14,following: Acts of 1966, Imposing a Temporary Sales Tax, is of called to the Section 1, Subsection (d) and (k) exempting the Authority from the opera1. Provisions of Equal6 Employment Opportunity; tion of such a chapter; 2. Provisions for payment of not less than the minimum wages as set forth 4.in Requirement to furnish and pay for a Performance Bond and a Labor and the Specifications; Materials Bond of asChapter set forth14, in Acts the specifications, 3. Provisions of 1966, Imposing a Temporary Sales Tax, 5. Insurance certificate indicating coverage for public liability, property Section 1, Subsection 6 (d) and (k) exempting the Authority from the operadamage and workers compensation, in accordance with the contract retion of suchmust a chapter; quirements, be filed by the successful bidder upon signing of the 4. Requirement to furnish and pay for a Performance Bond and a Labor and contract. Materials Bond as set/ forth in the specifications, PRE-BID CONFERENCE SITE VISIT: 5. Insurance indicating coverage publicAM. liability, property Date and Time: certificate Wednesday, 10 November 2021for at 11:00 Address: 40 Belmont Worcester, MA. Instructions: All attendees damageStreet, and workers compensation, in accordance with are the required contract to refollow all COVID-19 and by Local quirements, mustState be filed theguidelines. successful bidder upon signing of the SITE VISIT BY APPOINTMENT: NONE contract. The Contract Documents/ may seen, but not removed at: PRE-BID CONFERENCE SITE be VISIT: Worcester Authority 10 November Nashoba Inc. AM. Address: 40 Date and Housing Time: Wednesday, 2021Blue at 11:00 630A Plantation Street 433 Main Street Belmont Street, Worcester, MA. Instructions: All attendees are required to Worcester, MA 01605 Hudson, MA 01749 follow all COVID-19 State and Local guidelines. 508-665-3312 978-568-1167 SITE VISIT BY APPOINTMENT: NONE The Contract Documents may be seen, but not removed at: Worcester Housing Authority Nashoba Blue Inc. 630A Plantation Street 433 Main Street

RichardSneade Sneade Richard

508-839-1164 508-839-1164 www.sneadebrothers www.sneadebrothers windowandsiding.com windowandsiding.com

Sudoku Answers

Where do I ﬁnd such cool stuff and helpful services?

My secret is CLASSIFIEDS! Over 90,000 Readers! Call 800-695-1924 or email classifieds@telegram.com

30 | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

J O N E S I N’

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!

If you would like to place your ad in our classifieds please call

800-695-1924 or email classifieds@telegram.com

Across 1 Traffic issues 7 Partner of the “five W’s” 10 Former host of “The Tonight Show” Jack 14 Part of AOC 15 Moses Malone’s league, once 16 Nearly 5,000 square yards 17 Role in an Oregon capital production of “The Odd Couple”? 19 Ball-___ hammer 20 The rite words at the rite time? 21 Kunis who voices Meg Griffin 22 English makeup YouTuber turned-actress Burr 23 They may be put on 25 Brady in charge of every round piece of sporting equipment? 28 Escape the egg 30 “Back to main menu” key 31 Regret 32 “Certainement!” 34 Early August sign 35 “J’adore” perfumier 36 Footwear merch for “Wuthering Heights” fans? 41 “Sometimes you feel like ___ ...” 42 Nutri-Grain grain 43 Thanksgiving day, on a sched. 44 Denver summer hrs. 45 College, slangily, abroad 46 Shoestring tip 50 Find lead singer Day at the right Time? 55 Prefix with decimal 56 FDR biographer Joseph 57 Quechua speaker 59 Diesel that isn’t measured by the gallon 60 Bert who sang “If I Only Had the Nerve” 61 20th U.S. president picking a side in the “war of the currents”? 64 “___ Blue Moon” (Marie Osmond song) 65 Sushi fish 66 “Annie Get Your Gun” protagonist 67 Mountain ___ (some Taco Bell orders) 68 Authority in a Twitch chat 69 Doesn’t look forward to Down 1 President Bartlet on “The West Wing” 2 French-Canadian region

“Cat-astrophe”--when they’re paired up. by Matt Jones

3 Jeppson’s ___ (Chicago-based wormwood liqueur) 4 Benefit from 5 Liqueur producer James, whose drink is used in a “cup” cocktail popular during Wimbledon 6 Actress Vergara 7 Permissible, in Islam 8 “Help me, ___-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope” 9 Lose hair, in a way 10 Pontifical 11 Without a middle, geometrically 12 Concerned query 13 People changing their branding, say 18 “Oh, bloody ___!” 22 “No Scrubs” group 24 Rapper Travis who had a signature McDonald’s meal 26 Dog food ingredient, maybe 27 “___ Place to Land” (Janae Marks book) 29 “What the ...?” 33 Prefix meaning “image” 34 On fire 35 Bakery need 36 Side at some delis 37 Cartilaginous layer between vertebrae and disks 38 Place to see cars indoors 39 Bear’s den

40 “Grease” band ___ Na Na 45 Play caller 47 Bottom of a parking garage, perhaps 48 Voted off the island? 49 Old Radio Shack home computers 51 Pamplona participants 52 Unbending 53 Words before tie, bind, or knot 54 Atlantic food fish 58 Remotely 61 Three Gorges, for one 62 Comedian Margaret 63 Barinholtz announced to work on the Mel Brooks series “History of the World, Part II”

Last week's solution

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | 31

LAST CALL

Leo Negrón Cruz, activist in the Latinx LGBTQ+ community Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Leo Negrón Cruz has been a longtime member and activist in the Latinx LGBTQ+ community in Worcester. Moving here from Puerto Rico in 1985, Cruz has been an integral part of LGBTQ+ history in this city. In 1989, he founded the Gay and Lesbian Latino Organization (GALLO), which continued until 2005, acting as a forerunner for other LGBTQ+ Latinx groups. He has also worked in AIDS prevention eﬀ orts and is a member of the For the Record steering committee. For the Record is an exhibit at Worcester Historical Museum that highlights the LGBTQ+ community’s history. His voice is particularly relevant now: Cruz spoke at the exhibit as part of LGBTQ History Month and with Hispanic Heritage Month having concluded on Oct. 15, he sat down with Last Call to discuss not only history but the future of the community, overcoming divisions and keeping a foot in both worlds. What’s something that you would particularly like people to know about LGBTQ+ history in the Worcester area? The important thing is to remember that we do have a history here — we have had a presence in this area forever and many of the struggles for civil rights and recognition that happen at the national level, also happen here. Even from before Stonewall. What would you say was the driving force behind the fragmentation of Worcester Pride? I think that it does appear to

Leo Negron Cruz speaks at Worcester Historical Museum’s For the Record exhibit, discussing LGBTQ+ history in Worcester. WORCESTER HISTORICAL MUSEUM

be divided and more of a fragmented community. We haven’t been able to sit down as a group and discuss what we need to do to make our community more cohesive and therefore more politically powerful. The struggles with the previous Pride committee were similar to what I’ve heard happened in Boston Pride. I think it was a lack of desire to hear other voices, particularly voices of color. Is it issues like this that led to the formation of GALLO back in the ‘90s? Partly — you look at the issues then and the issues today and they’re pretty much the same because we haven’t really

spoken about it. We created GALLO so gay and lesbian latinos would have their own community. GALLO means rooster in Spanish and was created as an acronym that could also pass as a last name, and would be a signal to community members that were not out of the closet. We wanted to bring them together and create a community but also keep them safe. Could you talk about how you experienced some of this division in the community? In the early ‘90s, there was a newspaper article about Worcester Pride. I got a call at home from the chair of the Pride committee to invite us to

the meeting to appear more diverse for the news picture. I refused — we were oﬀ ended but we also found it funny. I sent GALLO representatives to the meeting but gave them instructions to leave before the picture was taken. The next day the Pride chair came to my oﬃ ce to scold me. He said, “you need to decide if you’re gay or latino.” I asked him how do you seperate being white and being gay? He looked at me and said “what a weird question, I couldn’t do that.” I said it was the same for us and that they should have included us from the beginning and not at the last minute to add color to the picture.

What would you hope the next generation of the community understands? The GALLO motto was that individually we are diﬀ erent but together we can make a difference. That we are just one big community — the term family is a little overused but it ﬁ ts. I’m one of 13 children — we’re all very distinct individuals but still similar. In a big family like that, we might not agree but should be open to hearing from each other. We don’t necessarily need to love each other but we need to appreciate each other and stand together. My sharing my power with you does not take my power away, nor does it take your power away — it helps us all. Would you say it’s a twosided issue — making sure LatinX and LGBTQ voices are not silenced in each culture? Yes, that’s my kind of activism while working in the Latino History Project. I want to make sure that queer voices, Latino queer voices, are included in the story that we’re telling. Thoughts on the School Committee candidate’s comments regarding demonic possession and homosexuality? I think it’s sad that almost a quarter into the 21st century that we’re still hearing those kinds of comments of homophobia. It’s sad that someone is using that as a boogeyman to get votes. Especially when we see the percentage of queer youth attempting suicide, being homeless and needing places to go. I hope that person doesn’t get elected because we need healthy voices in the school committee to create a healthier Worcester for all of us.

32 | NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Worcester Magazine November 5 - 11, 2021

Articles inside

City Voices

Last Call

Artist Spotlight

Adoption Option

Featured

Cover Story