Worcester Magazine November 14 - 20, 2019 by Worcester Magazine

NOVEMBER 14 - 20, 2019 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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Does Mass Majority’s infusion of PAC money change the game for local elections?

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Winter 2019

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N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019 • V O L U M E 45 I S S U E 12 Find us on Facebook.com/worcestermag Twitter @worcestermag Instagram: Worcestermag

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Raising the Stakes Does Mass Majority’s infusion of PAC money change the game for local elections? Story on page 11

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‘Mighty’ proud

O.A.R. tour behind latest album coming to Hanover Theatre RICHARD DUCKET T

“

he Mighty,” which was released March 29, is the first studio release from the rock/pop band O.A.R. in five years. O.A.R. saxophonist-guitaristbacking vocalist Jerry DePizzo speaks with pride about the album, but he also talks about still relishing performing live with the band after more than 20 years.

“We do all the other things so we get to perform for those two hours,” DePizzo said of the many demands on the band before it can get up on stage. “I love being in a band — going up there and being able to do my thing … We hit the road, get out there, and entertain folks.” Besides DePizzo, O.A.R. is Marc Roberge (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Richard On (lead guitar, backing vocals), Chris Culos (drums) and Benj Gershman (bass).

“Sirius XM The Pulse Presents O.A.R. — The Mighty Fall Tour” comes to The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts for a show at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17. The trop-rock band Riker and the Beachcombers will open. As a family man these days DePizzo also likes being at home when he can, and that’s where he was while doing a telephone interview on the morning of Halloween. He was getting ready for some 6-year-

olds coming over for trick or treating. “When we’re home it’s nice to be home for quite a bit,” he said. But he was also getting ready for the new tour which was scheduled to kick off Nov. 14 and comes not long after the band’s traditional annual summer tour. On Nov. 29 a pay-per-view event with film and audio will launch the release of a new O.A.R. live album. Nine of the 10 tracks from “The Mighty” will be featured on the new live album,

which has 24 tracks overall. The band didn’t feel that it had to rush to get “The Mighty” out. Its previous studio album had been “The Rockville LP” in 2014. O.A.R. took a careful song-by-song approach when recording, “and when it was done, it was done, and we would move on to the next one,” DePizzo said. “The Mighty” has typically catchy songs that lean into diverse musical styles. There are pop ballads, reggae rhythms, horns and

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acoustic numbers. The first single from the album, “Miss You All The Time,” had over 5 million views on YouTube after its debut. “We were never one to knock out a record every year. We have the luxury to tour and perform and create things with our audience that don’t revolve around an album cycle,” DePizzo said. “ ‘The Mighty’

“There was never an empty show. Friends of friends would show up. It was at the beginning of Napster and file sharing. We were able to identify different colleges around the country and we would visit there,” DePizzo said. After they all graduated in 2001, “We hit the road for five or six years. We didn’t stop.” GREG BORG

Along the way they have added touring members John Lampey (trumpet, backing vocals) and Mikel Paris (keyboards, backing vocals). They have also sold millions of albums. Hit singles include the platinum “Shattered.” Still, the group has maintained a big following in part because of the unpredictability of its live shows, with changing set lists each night and riffs that always bring new perspective to even the oldest songs, making them still sound fresh. Audience members have been known to go from show to show — and ( file) share the experience. “Every O.A.R. show is unique,” DePizzo said. “It resonates not only for us, but for the audience as well.”

When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17 Where: The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester How much: $35.50-$85.50. “VIP” packages available. (877) 571-7469; www.thehanovertheatre.org

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SiriusXM The Pulse Presents: O.A.R. — The Mighty Fall Tour, featuring Riker and the Beachcombers

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is a record we’re extremely proud of.” In its early days, O.A.R. (short for Of a Revolution) found what at the time was a unique way to cultivate its audience — Napster and file sharing. DePizzo wasn’t quite there at the very beginning. O.A.R. came into being with four high school musicians from Rockville, Maryland — Roberge, On, Culos and Gershman. They put out their debut album, “The Wanderer,” in 1997 and then all four enrolled at Ohio State University. Roberge later said, “We wanted to go there. Ohio State is the biggest school. We wanted to be their band.” DePizzo grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, where he was in a band. He played saxophone (and several other instruments) but was more rock than jazz oriented. “I was much more of a Bobby Keys guy than a John Coltrane guy,” he said. He entered OSU at the same time as the four members of O.A.R. In fact, he was in a freshman orientation class with Roberge. “We ran around town together that night,” DePizzo said. They were all in the same dorm. Online distribution of “The Wanderer” started to make the album popular on college campuses. “I was buddies with them. I helped them move their stuff. I jammed with them. I can play a couple of different things. They didn’t have a sax.” He came on board.

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It just wasn’t in the cards

Revisiting our tarot reading for the 2019 Worcester election BILL SHANER

of sudden doom and destruction; The Six of Cups — associated with a nostalgic past; few weeks ago, we had — and The Seven and, for some reason, carof Cups — asried out — the crazy idea of sociated with having a tarot card reader dream-states predict the results of the City Electhat accomtions, and brought politically savvy pany a failure associates in to help us. The readingto act. was preformed by April March Penn, DEB: The of Allston. After the election we reading struck felt the need to revisit the readings, me as both because that’s also fun and weird. So pretty clear and we brought Deb Powers, who is in pretty accurate. touch both with Worcester politics This election and the occult, to serve as WoMag’s came down to a battle between first public tarot card editor. (In the voters motivated by a nostalgic interest of disclosure, Deb Powers vision of a Worcester that never is the mother of School Committee really existed, and those who believe candidate Cara Berg Powers.) that the current power structure in the city needs a serious shaking up. What forces are affecting the That seven of cups represents big City Council and School Board dreams without a solid foundation, Elections? but it also suggests having so many Key cards in this reading include the Tower — associated with a sense choices that it’s hard to focus on just

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one. The card above it, the nine of wands, is the card of defensiveness, standing firm to hold onto what you’ve already got. If there was any one thing that defined this election more than anything else, it was the contrast between the incumbents defending their entrenched positions and the sheer number of challengers, many of whom were running on the need to — you guessed it — change the power structure in Worcester. Will the City Council see significant change? Key cards in this reading include the three pentacles cards: The Nine of Pentacles indicating a harvest or bounty; The Ten of Pentacles associated with a sense of grounded completion; and The Six of Pentacles representing community needs. DEB: Not a whole lot of change, really. The Magician is the one who holds the tools, and knows how to use them, which favors the current

power structure and the support behind them. The 10 of Pentacles is the card of heritage and tradition, the card you want to see if you’re establishing a dynasty — and we certainly got that when we essentially re-elected a slate of incumbents who have been focused on bringing “new money” into the city. That doesn’t mean nothing changes, though. The eight of wands suggests that something has been set in motion, and it has to do with the apportioning of power and wealth. This election stirred things up, and we won’t really know exactly how that will play out until the arrows that were slung start

to land. I want to note that two of wands particularly — it’s a card that suggests thinking about moving outside safe grounds. All of the candidates in this election were challenged to think about ideas and issues that don’t often get an airing during the election season — or any other time, really. Those issues have been raised, and they’re not going to go away.

Will the School Committee see significant change? Key cards include The Queen of Swords who represents the strong, guiding leader, and the three wands card that represent the new energies coming on board. DEB: The first card that struck me in this reading was the two of wands — like the City Council, the School Committee is being challenged to move outside their comfort zone and start addressing issues that were raised during the election.

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The Queen of Swords strikes me as Tracy O’Connell Novick. While she’s a water sign, she embodies swords energy — analytical, incisive, fair and concerned with process. That queen is also often described as someone who has experienced loss in the past, and learned from it, hinting at Novick’s earlier stint on the School Committee. There’s a sense of urgency and motion, but again, it’s in the eight of wands, which suggests things have been set in motion, but are still up in the air. The seven of pentacles just below it suggests the same thing — seeds have been sown, but they’re not quite ready for harvesting yet. The Chariot suggests that the body will be pulled in different directions, but a strong hand can keep things focused on the heavy work that needs to be done. The final outcome will depend very much on whose hand is on the reins.

Are there any rising stars among first-time candidates? The key card in this reading is the Ten of Wands (which keeps coming up), representing too much individual work-load at the expense of community achievement. DEB: I think it’s important to recognize that “rising stars” may not have won this particular election, and that’s really borne out by the Hanged Man and the four of swords, both of which represent stepping back from the situation for a period of rest and contemplation. Candidates like Etel Haxiaj, Jermoh Kamora, Chantel Bethea and Cara Berg Powers showed that they could pull support from a wide range of community groups, and gained a good deal of name recognition from their run for office. It would not surprise me to see one or more of them again.

N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

CITY VOICES

HARVEY

FIRST PERSON

Slamming the brakes on Christmas time spent in the kitchen with my mother (a woman who ordinarily stand before you in defense of was so indifferent about cooking that my brother Kevin and I the turkey. No, not Turkey. And not the dubbed her “The Resentful Chef ”) where I learned to make her turkey facing impeachment. Those are subjects for another day, only specialty — turkey stuffing. The recipe was cribbed from her and quite frankly my blood presmother, who was a waitress at sure is already a worry since the Messier’s diner. Known to our famdanger zone guidelines changed. ily as an absolutely awful cook, my I’m talking about Thanksgiving, grandmother copied this recipe the holiday that gets no respect. watching the chef at the restauAs soon as the skeletons are rant prepare birds. She made it the put back in the closet and the right way only once — after that Jack O’Lanterns rolled into the gutter, out float the inflatable lawn she “experimented” with it by adding chestnuts or mushrooms or ornaments. The snowmen, the reindeer and the Santas are blown whatever else was hanging around in the fridge. (God forbid she up and installed before the leaves are raked off the lawns. Christmas should throw anything away. Surviving the Depression made wastcrap shoves the spooky half-price candy off the shelves at CVS before ing food a cardinal sin.) After her mad scientist stuffing ruined a few the clock struck midnight on the meals, my mother took over. My 31st of October. As for Thanksgivjob was to roll the Saltine crackers. ing, you’ll be lucky to find a lone There were no measurements for bag of Hershey kisses wrapped in this recipe, or if there ever were, earth-toned foil. I tell ya, it ain’t they were lost long ago. I watched easy bein’ the last Thursday in and I learned, and to this day, I am November. Retailers don’t give a drumstick the maker of stuffing. There was excitement in the for the holiday that falls between air on Thanksgiving, and it didn’t Halloween and Christmas, and so involve getting gifts. Being a it’s become Throw-away Thursgreedy kid kicked in a few days day, noted only as the day before Black Friday. Forgive me for crying later, when toy flyers arrived in the Sunday papers. There was the an“fowl!” over this slight. The very ticipation of watching the Macy’s reasons why retailers, other than parade on TV, of wondering if Bullgrocers and butchers, ignore the winkle and Underdog would get day are the same reasons I love it. caught up on a light pole, of seeing We don’t buy gifts for it, and we don’t dress up in silly costumes to relatives we saw only twice a year. celebrate it. We don’t have Thanks- There was the hunt for almonds among the dreaded filberts and giving “parties.” We have family Brazil nuts, and the fight for the dinners. nut cracker. And always, there was We don’t run out and buy “something to wear” for it because Aunt Mae’s cellophane-wrapped we’re going to spill gravy down the Claxton fruit cake that weighed more than the turkey and could front of whatever we put on that double as a doorstop. No one ate day, and the only real sartorial it, though I picked the cherries out concern we have is the comfort when no one was looking. This of our waistbands. The kids don’t was Thanksgiving. need sparkly dresses, patent In honor of the Rodney Danleather shoes or bow ties and button-downs that they tug at and gerfield of holidays, I wield my TV remote and glide past any movie despise wearing. They need jeans or show that has the word “Christor sweatpants and winter coats, mas” in its title. This includes the so we can throw them outside to dreaded Lifetime and Hallmark play after dessert while we argue over headlines or share gossip they networks that show “Christmas Town,” “Christmas Under the shouldn’t hear. Stars,” “A Christmas Miracle,” “ A It bugs me that we steamroller Christmas Kidnapping” and “The one of my favorite days. As a kid Christmas Kielbasa” (I made up I adored this holiday. It meant JANICE HARVEY

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the last two, but they have potential). These gems start rotation before the sunscreen gets shoved into the back of the medicine cabinet. I don’t fall for that sentimental foolishness. My sister calls me “Krusty the Klown,” for cryin’ out loud. I refuse to get caught up in the Christmas rush. The only Christmas special I will watch is “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol.” I really love that one … but only after the first of December. I think. I just can’t resist Jim Backus. And Raymond Briggs’ “The Snowman” … such a beautiful score. And maybe “A Charlie Brown Christmas” … Linus always chokes me up. But that’s all. No, really.

One local overdose, many wars abroad KEN KOZBERG

to the British over a century ago. Back then, the British were heavily nother local kid overdosed. involved in the opium trade; they even fought the Opium Wars in/ I say kid, even though he with China to control the very was in his 30s, but I still profitable addiction trade in China. think of him as he was in I wonder if the Opium Wars are high school. I don’t know where he part of Worcester Public School’s got his drugs, where they originated; does it matter? It is said that social studies curriculum, or even better, their health curriculum. Afghanistan produces 90% of the world’s opium. I don’t know where As a teacher, I sat through many health lessons designed to educate that figure comes from, or if it’s students on the dangers of drugs. accurate, but it’s safe to say the I don’t know how to measure their Afghans contribute a lot of opium results, but a skeptic might questo the world’s market. tion their effectiveness. Perhaps It’s not surprising to me that the experts in Boston can devise there has also been nonstop warfare there for a long, long time. an MCAS test for drug lessons. I would hope the Opium Wars We’ve had troops there for nearly would be taught alongside lessons two decades, fighting Islamic exthat approach the opioid culture tremists, preceded by the Soviets, before them various warlords, back C O N T I N U E D O N N E X T P A G E

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CITY VOICES

WORCESTERIA

Life outside the super precincts BILL SHANER

WHO TURNS OUT: I know it’s a little late for an Election Day observa-

LA CARAVANA: All that being said, I loved to see this little bit of politick-

A SPECIAL ENDORSEMENT: Every once in a while I am reminded of

reason, never acted on his promises once he was elected. The hypocrisy of politicians knows no bounds. Democrat Obama says withdraw and his supporters applaud; evil Republican Trump proposes withdrawal and the same people holler betrayal. Perhaps those folks, or somebody, can figure out why we’re still in Afghanistan, declare victory, and be willing to share credit with President Trump. Then maybe Congress can get some of the people’s business done, among the pressing concerns of the opiod crisis. I for one don’t need to hear about another overdose. Ken Kozberg lives in Oakham.

just how much the fair people of Worcester and surrounding towns love and adore me. It just warms my heart. Take for instance this endorsement I recently received from former state Rep. Candidate Paul Fullen on Twitter: “Bill Shaner is a minion of the liberal left. The supporters of segregation, the KKK, Jim Crow laws and planned parenthood who overwhelmingly prey on minority women. This is what he stands for. Ask Candace Owens. He has a real hatred for her; a strong conservative black woman.” And then “I see dirty beard Bill Shaner is at it again. Accusing me of that which he is guilty. Everything he said I said is from his mouth not mine. Everything he said about race came from him not me. Don’t be fooled by the fool dirtybeard Shaner, the race baiting coward.” Near about brings a tear to my eye. Thanks, Paul.

you’re looking to fund black-ops off the books, it would make sense. I wonder a lot about our nation’s relationship to the poppy and its farmers after being in-country for so long that some of our deployed soldiers were in diapers when our involvement in the war there began. Our forces there can’t be operating in a vacuum. Now President Trump says our troops should come home after nearly twenty years of lost lives and limbs. He’s been criticized for this by many of the same politicians who endorsed the same policy when President Obama made it part of his campaign. President Obama, for whatever

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ing. Called La Caravana, progressive candidates took the show on the road, driving throughout the city (not just the West Side) in a caravan of cars decked out in campaign signs and candidates. It’s a good idea, and one I hope they repeat early and often. I’m also a fan of the slightly trolly name. Can’t wait to see my grandfather’s brain dissolve onto his Thanksgiving potatoes like gravy when I tell him there was a caravan of progressive politicians rolling through Worcester.

that is open to our kids; it’s always smart to teach kids real, interesting history. Today, the Communist Chinese produce deadly blackmarket fentynal that is responsible for so many overdose deaths but their feudal predecessors pushed British opium. The Taliban, al-Qaeda and other Islamic terrorist groups in Afghanistan fund their enterprises via the opium trade. Were the Russians involved in the closing days of the Soviet Union? Maybe yes, maybe no. I’ve read that our CIA was funding Osama Bin Laden’s war against the Russians with opium before the 9/11 attacks, but who knows. If

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tion but my new Monday deadline (yes, I do mention that every week. Yes, it is on purpose) makes me have to be more patient than I would like. I want to talk about civic engagement through these here eyes. For the 2015 and 2017 elections, I voted at one of the hotspot voting locations based on where I lived. That would be the UU Church on Temple Street. And when you go there there’s a cop directing traffic and a million candidates and candidate surrogates out holding signs and waving and all but encouraging voters to get back in there and vote again, baby, because this is America and democracy is alive and well. I moved last year and now I vote in the rec room of a Worcester Housing Authority building and when you go in there to vote you’re encountered by three yawning poll workers and maybe one other person there to vote. One of the poll workers mused if I was the only [ADDRESS REDACTED ON ACCOUNT OF WORCESTER IS FULL OF PSYCHOS] resident to vote. No signs, no candidates, no surrogates, no sign of an election save for a little placard telling you to go this way to “vote here” because it is a little confusing after all. A few weeks ago, Nick Kotsopoulos at the Telegram had a very insightful column on what he called super precincts — eight of the 50 in the city, all on the West Side, that basically decide municipal elections. You really feel the truth in that when you move from one side of Park Ave. to the other. Just keep that in mind when you hear Worcester politicians talk about their “mandate” or “the will of the voters.” Their mandate comes from property owners in three neighborhoods in the nice part of town. And yeah, yeah, I know. The people who show up … I get the argument. It doesn’t mean you act in the interest of the people. It means you act in the interest of 18 percent of the people who all live in the same neighborhoods which just happen to skew rich and white. The more I understand the political reality in Worcester, the more I feel for the people who don’t vote. If you don’t own West Side property, what’s the point?

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 8

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ...

roy Gonyea T residency at Nick’s Troy Gonyea has a blues pedigree that’s hard to beat, having played and toured with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Booker T Jones and Marc Ford, and The Muddy Waters’ Blues Band. So it’s a blessing to be able to have him on tap for a regular residency at Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, mostly on the first and third Thursdays of every month. Usual collaborators include keyboardist Brooks Milgate and drummer Lone Entress, with various guest appearances.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019

Photos by Steve Lanava

COVER STORY

Raising the Stakes Does Mass Majority’s infusion of PAC money change the game for local elections? AM ESB UR Y

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COVER STORY

Baker ordered three of a more conservative bent. outside the Republican Party for Colorio Last week, the City Council consecutive mailer Colorio received the most of any his brand of conservative state won out, race in Worcester was that kind candidate, but in Framingham, campaigns for politics. 500 votes of race, especially for the host of the PAC spent $24,501 on Janet Colorio, at a cost When asked candidates clamoring for an open ahead of of $12,700 each. In Leombruno, a vocal Baker about the PAC’s seat left by retiring councilor Kon- Econosupporter, and $19,800 on total, $47,630 was support for her mou and nie Lukes. Republican state senator spent on Colorio’s campaign, about 650 Long-term, entrenched memand mayoral candidate behalf in the weeks Colorio said ahead of bers of the City Council such Donald Humason. leading up to the she does not Haxhiaj. as Mayor Joe Petty and at-large Though examples of election, a figure that have any afIn the member Kate Toomey were this type of spending in easily dwarfs any filiation or rerelatively safe. But the bottom four weeks leadlocal races can be other candidate’s lationship with ing up to slots were very much up in the Charlie Baker found in other efforts. Mass Majorthe election, air, and they were challenged by states, it is Mailers ity, which she each of the a handful of serious competitors. unprecare a common tactic referred to as As the race developed, it appeared three candidates spent money. Kenneth Gray edented in municipal races, a “bi-partisan” Economou spent about that there was somein and nearly every PAC. She said $14,000, Haxhiaj spent thing of a threeMassachusetts, candidate does them. she won because her promise to $7,900 and Colorio way race for the and has poHad one of Colorio’s keep the lowest residential tax spent $9,500 — sixth seat belitical observers mailers not misrate resonated with voters. large sums to be tween former around the state spelled the name of “The results of this election sure, but not councilor raising eyebrows, reflect that the people of Worcesuncommon for a the city “Worchester,” it’s and politiespecially as a rift ter do not support more taxes,” tight City Coun- possible no one would cal centrist between Baker have noticed that the she said. cil race. Tony Donald Humason and the state mailers were coming As for Mass Majority, the PAC’s But Colorio Economou, Republican party chairman, Gregg Lisciotti, a not from her camhad an edge — a City Repubgrows deeper. paign, but an organization called Leominster developer, said Colo$38,000 one at lican Party Massachusetts Majority. rio fit with the brand of politics that. In the final chairwoman Dig a little deeper, and you find the organization aims to promote. week of the election, a Donna Colorio, “We need more people in public Super PAC funded that Massachusetts Majority has and progresspent a total of $269,260 on local office who stand for civility, biparby and managed sive political Donna Colorio races around the state, supporting tisanship, fiscal responby people close to newcomer, mayoral and council candidates sibility and common Governor Charlie Etel Haxhiaj. onna Colorio’s sense, and we are Council supporting candivictory dates around the re-installs Commonwealth a staunch conservalike Donna Colotive voice on a mostly rio who embody center-left and those values” center-right body. She Lisciotti said. ran on property taxes — Lisciotti served a hot issue in Worceson the same ter given the perennial Shauna O’Connell Baker transition debate over whether team as Colorio, to move from a split to and the PAC he single tax rate — and support for has created is funded by a host of public safety. politically connected developers, Last year, she took the mantle real estate companies, health care of chairwoman of the Worcester companies and other wealthy inRepublican City Committee after dividuals. Its spending in municiformer City Councilor Mike Gaffpal elections is by-and-large a new ney resigned. political strategy, and little Colorio, a former is known about where School Committee the PAC intends to member, is close concentrate efforts with the governor. next. She served on his transition team in 2014. Though the PAC is not directly affiliated with the governor, it is tied to him through perJanet Leombruno sonal connections, and many political observers see the PAC as an effort to build a fundraising operation

COLORIO AND BAKER

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019

COVER STORY

WHO IS MASS MAJORITY

duces content for conservative causes around the country. According to the site Open Secrets, he Massachuwhich creates setts Majority databases Independent of campaign Political Acfinance tion Committee was records, formed in May, with two Red Maverick officers — Lisciotti as Media has president and Charles worked for Gantt, a Gloucester Dominic Sarno candidates Republican Party operaand party ortive, as treasurer. Per the ganizations around the country, PAC’s statement of organization, including Pennsylvania, Virginia, Mass Majority was incorporated Connecticut, West Virginia and to “support candidates who beMaryland. lieve — as the majority of Since its incorporation, the Massachusetts Mass Majority PAC has raised a voters believe total of $920,201. The major– that our ity of the money has come Commonfrom real estate companies, wealth health care companies and is best developers. served Wayfair, an online retail when our company headquartered in economy Boston, is the biggest donor is thriving, on the list, having already our comcontributed $100,000; Niraj munities Scott Galvin Shah, CEO, contributed are vi$50,000, and Steven Conine, brant, and our state government is thrifty and responsible.” Lisciotti, president of Lisciotti Development Incorporation, has donated to Governor Baker’s campaign fund, and served on Baker’s transition team when he first took office in 2014. Gantt runs a company called Bulldog Compliance, a division of Red Curve Solutions. Per its website, Bulldog Compliance services “independent expenditure-only committees (Super PACs).” Past clients of Red Curve include the Trump For President Committee, the Trump Make America Great Again Committee and the Trump Victory Committee. Past clients of Bulldog Compliance specifically include America First Action, Massachusetts First, and Special Operations for America. Though the work the company takes is varied, its focus seems to be fundraising for conservative causes. So far, the Mass Majority PAC’s funding has come only in the form of mailer support for municipal candidates. For every mailer, the PAC contracted a Pennsylvania-based company called Red Maverick Media, per finance records. Red Maverick pro-

N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

COVER STORY

The list also inco-chairman of the comcludes some locals. pany’s board, matched it Kathryn Krock, with another $50,000. representing Other large donors 340-390 Main include Ray Strata, Street Associowner of Analog Deates, contribvices ($35,000), Danuted $5,000. The iel Quirk ($50,000), Central Building Atlantic Development redevelopment, ($25,000), the Fallon a project of the Company ($25,000), Crock family, Robert Epstein, Steven DiNatale received a $19.8 president of Horimillion funding zon Beverage Group commitment from the Baker ($25,000), and Herb Chambers administration in 2017. Lt. Gov. ($10,000).

Karyn Polito announced the partnership at a ceremony in June of that year. Aaron Krock contributed another $1,000. He is listed in contribution documents as a self-employed investor. Kathryn Heaton, a representative of the Menkiti Group, contributed $1,000. The Menkiti group owns several large properties in downtown Worcester. Andrew Salmon, a Millbury resident and executive of Salmon Health and Retirement, contributed $5,000. The Mass Majority Fund spent

2018. In fact, seven of the a largely unprecedented 15 candidates funded by sum on local races the PAC were among this season, at 22 mayors to endorse about $269,260. Baker in 2018. Though the PAC Of the PAC’s 15 mostly supportchosen candidates, ed Republicans, 11 won election or it also supported re-election, but many some Democrats, of the races were not like Domenic Sarclose. Sarno won no in Springfield, his election with 77 Scott Galvin in Brian Arrigo percent of the vote. Woburn, Stephen DiNatale won 4,325 DiNatale in Fitchto 612. Galvin took 70 percent of burg and Brian Arrigo in Revere. the vote. Of all the Democrats All of them endorsed Baker in

PAC Spending Donna Colorio, Worcester: $38,130 Robert Hedlund, Weymouth: $28,095 Janet Leombruno, Framingham: $24,501 Shauna O’Connell, Taunton: $22,950 Brian Arrigo, Revere: $21,312 Heather Porreca, Attleboro: $20,430 Donald Humason, Westfield: $19,893

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N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019

Monica Medeiros, Melrose: $15,696 Arthur Vigeant, Marlborough: $14,601 Jenn Nassour, Boston: $13,917 Dominic Sarno, Springfield: $13,858 Kenneth Gray, Amesbury: $12,336 Mark Hawke, Gardner: $11,070 Scott Galvin, Woburn: $6,137 Stephen DiNatale, Fitchburg: $5,336

$5,000

$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

$35,000 $40,000

COVER STORY

City Council race. the PAC supported, Given that the PAC supArrigo’s election ported mostly mayoral was the closest, candidates, Colorio’s but he still won could be counted as a by 600 votes loss. She ran for mayor, amid a turnand took only 22 perout of roughly cent of the vote in that 10,000. contest, but candidates Close races in Worcester run for included Frammayor and at-large couningham, where cil simultaneously by Janet LeomHeather Porreca default, and her victory bruno, a PACin the at-large council backed candidate, won an at-large council seat race still tips Worcester politics in a conservative direction. by 50 votes. Donald Humason But that money is a little more won by fewer than 100 votes in than a quarter of what Westfield. In Amesbury, PACthe PAC has been backed mayoral candidate able to raise, Ken Gray, an incumbent and speculaRepublican, lost by 200 tion abounds votes to Democrat for what it may Kassandra Gove. be used for, Attleboro mayoral especially given candidate Heather the widening rift Porreca lost handily between Baker and in her contest, taking the state Republionly 32 percent of the can Party. vote. Melrose mayJenn Nassour oral candidate Monica Medeiros lost by 2,000 votes. Jenn Nassour took only 30 percent of the vote in her Boston

CITY LIF E

ng, ia.com . Fair warni itor@gatehousemed digital copies artist, email WMed bio and high resolution will e a small or know of a local tion and what need to provid based on resolu If you are an artist, e what will run, h your work, you’ll in order to publis We reserve the right to choos art. your of of some on newsprint. reproduce best

TLI GHT ART IST SPO

WORCES TERMAG

ging Aimee ghout her upbrin a ballerina. Throu New York. Musicians, acKent,

AZINE.CO M

well as schoo and aristo had all kinds and events as going on to art poets, painters found herself the country in gallery shows of creative tors, dancers, over the same types she is today. Aimee now shows all nd herself with the artist that BFA in 2006. She ls. She continues to surrou surrealistic world. that receiving her and arts festiva the luminous colors of her the Harlequin, a magical being l and at various music the idea of sexual, playfu her to paint are with g inspire uins workin ic Harleq their own to people which now she has been it. These esoter our world and For several years the world that surrounds beyond the boundaries of and ng : can change itself s in their thoughts of traveli following events Greenfield. deviou the views. at imes of or somet in ly elastic points om/coletteaimee al: Sept. 13-15 reach tremendous of her work at rawartists.c Aug. 24, Wormtown Festiv own Spencer: Check out more Party in downt Spencer Street

Let us feature your artwork in Worcester Magazine’s Artist spotlight! Email WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com high res samples of your work and a brief bio!

wanted

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

19 5 - 21, 20 AUGUST 1

of an actor and

ter in to create small town of ée is the daugh that Colette took her life in the Colette Aim in and out of of the influencesSUNY New Paltz in New York, of art flowing l at crats were many

N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019

artists

COVER STORY

FROM MASS VICTORY TO MASS MAJORITY

Republican Party obviously, which is unique,” said Cunningham. “And the Republican Party, frankly, under Chairman Lyons … They’ve targeted the ship to run into an iceberg ver the and they’re not summer, a going to miss fundraisthe iceberg.” ing vehicle So the true called the Massachusetts mission of the Victory Fund all but PAC could have collapsed. It collected Robert Hedlund less to do with almost no money municipal races after raising $11 million and more to do with Baker’s own over the previous five years. The ambitions for a third term as fundraising effort contribgovernor, Cunningham said. uted money to both the In that context, supportfederal and state Reing candidates such publican party, and as Colorio in such an it was an innovaunprecedented way tion of the Baker could be a way to seadministration. cure local footholds The lack of fundoutside of party apraising coincided paratus. with election of “It doesn’t sound to Jim Lyons, a hardme any different than line pro-Trump what happens in poliRepublican, to Monica Medeiros tics all the time,” he party chair, and said of the decision to was cast by many fund Colorio’s campaign. “Here’s as a rift between Lyons and Baker, somebody that has backed him in a critic of Trump. the past. That’s what you do Now, many political in politics.” observers feel this The unusual part, new PAC is an Cunningham said, is attempt to rethat it’s happening capture some of outside the party. the fundraising “He’s lost the party power and influstructure to do it, so ence lost with here’ something difthe Mass Victory ferent. ” Fund. If the PAC’s deci“They’re very sion to fund key Arthur Vigeant creative,” said municipal candiMaurice Cunningdates is a signal of a ham, a political science professor governor’s run, Cunningham said and co-author of the Mass Politics this way of doing it will present Profs blog, who specializes in campaign finance. “The Mass Vic- its own problems. A Super PAC on its own is a very transparent tory Fund was a creway of raising funds. Indeed, ative way to raise all of the donors are listed money and now publicly online with adthey’re doing it dresses and company again.” affiliations. The State “With this Super Republican PAC you’re going to Party appears be able to figure out headed for who’s giving and I think disaster, and that’s more transparent severing ties … and that can present with a popular problems.” Mark Hawke governor with fundraising power is a “senseless move,” he said. “(Baker) has lost control of the

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019

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

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

See more of her work at zazzle.com/outspokenmime

N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019

“I was somewhat of a loner as a child – the youngest of three. I created little worlds within my parents living room to amuse myself. Handfuls of little green army men were precisely positioned on the coffee table. Reese’s Pieces candies were monsters from outer space. Fences constructed from licorice. My passion for creating runs deep, which is why that life of imagination when I was a child never clotted & has bled into my adult life.” – Aung Arpin

CITY LIFE

LIFESTYLE

How to make an event Instagrammable SARAH CONNELL SANDERS

another’s costumes while waiting in line to snap photos on an iridescent swing. The disco room glittered like ast weekend, I attended a miraculous capsule of holographic ArtsWorcester’s Studio 54 FLEXcon. A shadowy recording stuthemed discotheque at the dio at the end of the hall pulsed with Printer’s Building. The event functioned on two planes. Aside from the beats of the William Thompson being a kick-ass dance party with ex- Funk Experiment. This bash was cellent music, the layout was cleverly built for photos. I feel fortunate that my social designed for content creation. calendar fills up fast these days. I’ll Guests were greeted on a red be the first to acknowledge that the carpet by a sassy doorman wielding persistent invites are not on account a velvet rope. We fawned over one of my bank account or my charisma. Even in a shifting media landscape, people like to see their names in the newspaper. That’s where I come in. Take it from Andy Warhol: “Don’t pay any attention to what they write about you. Just measure it in inches.” I arrive at most events aiming to get a requisite picture out of the way. Sometimes I’m hoping to snap an image to run alongside my column, but other times it’s just for my own feed or story. Social media dopamine is real. I’ve come to especially appreciate events designed for ease of photography. Here are a few tips to make your next gala, ball, fundraising dinner, silent auction, or meat raffle more attractive in the digital age: Joy Flanagan rides the

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019

Studio 54 swing.

SARAH CONNELL SANDERS

Interactive Props

I’m talking more than top hats and oversized sunglasses in a photo booth. Give your guests something to do. Establish an “activation” site where they can engage in a hands-on experiential activity. For example, there was someone pumping their legs on the swing at ArtsWorcester every single moment of the night. I also enjoy live animals, edgy crafts, planetariums and garnishing my own cocktail with wildflowers I picked myself. Just a few ideas.

Tastemakers

You don’t need Anna Wintour in your Rolodex to get people to your party. Think local. Worcester’s own Mal E. Fishn’t hand-delivered my invitation in full drag and I immediately marked my calendar. Whose ethos will resonate with the people you are hoping to attend? Likewise, who doesn’t mind having their photo taken with your guests to help incite FOMA across the interweb?

Step and Repeat

You’ve seen step and repeats before. They’re the publicity backdrops with sponsor logos printed in a repetitive pattern. Every red carpet has one. If you’re not ready to hire a live elephant or allow guests to tag the walls with spray paint, a step and

From left, Ryan Hacker, Jessica Walsh, Joy Flanagan, Sarah Connell Sanders and Jacob Sanders at ArtsWorcester’s Studio 54 themed event. PHOTO SUBMIT TED

repeat is literally the least you can do to encourage a few photos.

Lighting

I cannot stress this enough: Dark corners are great for intimate gatherings but terrible for content. Elect a designated area, maybe your activation location, and pump up the rays.

Invest in a ring light for $30 to create even illumination across your guests’ faces. Uplight the dance floor. Project iconic videos on an otherwise barren wall. Create a bright spot where guests will want to capture the night, and I promise the world outside will take notice.

THE NEXT DRAFT

Breweries, pot shop make for Marlboro’s mellowest plaza MATTHEW TOTA

ason Puopolo has discovered a plaza on Rte. 20 here that offers a kind of one-stop shopping he’s yet to experience anywhere else in the state. On a recent Friday, Puopolo went to his new favorite plaza to stock up for the weekend. He parked and headed first to Garden Remedies, a recreational marijuana dispensary that opened in the corner space over the summer. Several different strains of the plant — with names like “Cornbread” and “Dr. Who” — were available that day, as well as THC-infused Belgian chocolates and gummies. After a short wait, he left with a small brown paper bag, which he dropped off in his car before

moving on to the next stop: Strange Brew, something of a craft beer mall home to two different breweries — Strange Brewery and Tacklebox Brewing Co. — and a homebrew shop. Puopolo had planned to pop in quickly to grab a growler of Strange Brewery’s coffee porter, but he ended up lingering to have a pint, marveling that such a hub of vices exists. “Where else can you have a beer, go pick up some pot, then come back and have another beer?” he said. Not to mention, he said, the breweries allow you to bring your own “munchies.” Tenants of the 416 Boston Post Road East plaza have started calling it the “chillest plaza in the city.” It hosts two breweries and a

dispensary, along with an Italian bakery and three restaurants, including one aptly named “Chill.” Strange Brew owner Brian Powers said the combination of craft beer and marijuana has brought more excitement and activity to the plaza, especially during weekdays. “It used to be a ghost town around here on a Monday afternoon. Now we certainly see more people,” said Powers, who started brewing in 1994 and opened Strange Brew at the plaza in 2011. After Garden Remedies began adult-use sales in June, more cars than usual were coming into the plaza. At least five people a day traipsed into Strange Brew asking Powers to direct them to the newest tenant. He would point out Garden Remedies, then welcome them to

return for a beer after shopping. “They weren’t going to the Italian bakery for directions. They would come up to the top of the hill, and they see us and a big sign that says, ‘Strange,’ in the window. Usually they’re kind of looking down at their cellphones, and when they look up, they’re inside the building already,” Powers said. “I kind of know what they’re looking for right off the bat.” Eventually, Powers placed a menu from the dispensary on his bar, just in case someone wanted to have a beer and peruse it before leaving. Early on, the arrival of Garden Remedies was met with some caution, as the other tenants had read about the chaos that ensued when one of the state’s first recreational marijuana dispensaries opened in Leicester

“There were lines down the street, and the town practically closed down,” Powers said. “We were worried that even with all of the parking we have here, there wouldn’t be enough. We wanted more traffic here, but not to the extent where it impedes business. We were concerned we would lose parking spaces, and it would be a nightmare.” Instead, Powers said, there has been more than enough parking, even on weekends. And there are rarely lines of people waiting to get inside the dispensary. He credits Garden Remedies with creating an efficient system to get customers in and out. One day, the plaza may be viewed as a case study for how the

C O N T I N U E D O N N E XT PA G E

CITY LIFE

LISTEN UP

Way Up South joyous on ‘Set Yourself Free’ VICTOR D. INFANTE

opening track. “There ain’t no levy,” sings Carrozo, “that’s ever gonna stop the rain/when the storm season’s over/it always comes ’round again.” Then a bit later, the song’s spiritual bent deepens with the observation, “You may have a body/but all you really are is a soul.” What’s fascinating about some of the album’s more spiritually-tinged songs is just how positive they are, how they seem to burst with a sense of discovery, of becoming clean. What could be preachy or hectoring is instead deeply personal and beautiful. Still, the album doesn’t ever hover in one tone for long, and the subsequent groovefilled “Stay, Dance or Go” manages to convey a different sort of joy, and it’s delightful. Indeed, there’s a lovely positivity in the album, even when it turns its eye toward more bareknuckled subjects, such as on “Fighting Man,” where the persona calls out someone picking fights for really being a coward. (Amusingly, the lyric “The way you talk/when you talk that (expletive)/just scares me half to

THE NEXT DRAFT

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A plaza in Marlboro has been called the city’s “chillest” because it’s home to two breweries and a pot shop. Brian Powers, who owns Strange Brew, keeps a menu for the recreational marijuana shop next to his tap list.

customers that Garden Remedies sees each week. “They don’t all come in here, but it just creates more excitement,” Powers said. “I’m confident that the people who do come in will like the vibe of our space. And once they give the beer a try, they’ll like it and come back. If a couple new people a day come in, it will snowball from there.” Adam Krasinski, owner of Tackle Box Brewing Co., which moved into Strange Brew this year, also isn’t worried about his business suffering because of Garden Remedies. However, he is concerned about people mixing marijuana and beer irresponsibly. “If somebody smokes before they come in, or if they take an edible, we may not know obviously and then serve them,” Krasinski said. “It’s a challenge. It’s not easy. We don’t have a test for that, and we don’t want to deter people from coming in.”

Powers looks forward to the day he can collaborate with Garden Remedies. He has already approached the shop with the idea of imbuing some of their edibles with the flavors of his beer. Until then, he’s been experimenting on his own with cannabis-infused beer, using terpenes, the aromatic oils in marijuana that give it the pungent smell. The beer smells and tastes like marijuana, but it doesn’t contain any THC, he said, which would be illegal. Garden Remedies, for its part, has held off doing any kind of cross promotion with the two breweries. “I’m sure we’ll be reaching out to them at some point,” said Garden Remedies COO Jeffrey Herold. “There are a lot of different ways we can work together. It’s nice that a brewery has a captive audience, 21 or over; there’s a natural correlation of customers.”

MATTHEW TOTA

more of a brawler perspective, with a chorus “If they wanna fight/I’m ready to go.” It moves at a breathtaking pace, and it’s as easy to get caught up in the song’s infectious groove as it is in, well, a barroom brawl. In a lot of ways, those songs serve as counterpoints to the more tender and contemplative songs that flesh

out the album’s ending sequence, including the sweet-spirited love song, “Ain’t It Strange,” and the bittersweet “Drive Me Home.” They’re beautiful pieces of music, each permeated with that sense of transformation that echoes from “River of Soul,” and where one finds the strength for that sort of change: “She once came to the show,” sings Carrozo, “She said I know/just what you know/ about the way most people are/about the way you got your scars/Don’t you know I’m here for you/I see you/ and I see right through.” The tenderness in the delivery resonates with emotion. The album ends on an energetic and upbeat note with “All Seem Funny,” which takes the emotional wash of the entire album and puts it in perspective. It’s a catchy, hook-laden song which takes the sense of joy that’s run throughout the album — a joy that’s sometimes bittersweet joy, sometimes sloppily drunk, and sometimes pure and unadulterated — and brings it to a climax. Will it all seem funny in the end? Most things usually do … at least a little.

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recreational marijuana industry meshes with the craft beer industry, as there are few places in the state where you have one brewery, let alone two, within a stone’s throw of a pot shop. Whether legal cannabis will adversely affect beer sales remains unknown. But the early indication is no, according to data from the Brewers Association, which found that beer shipments in states that allow adult-use marijuana are doing better than in states that have not legalized marijuana. Powers can’t imagine cannabis sales threatening the craft beer market. “It’s nice to have a good quality beer and a smoke,” he said, adding, though, that he cannot confirm or deny his “love of the devil’s lettuce.” And so far, Strange Brew has only benefited from the waves of

death/wouldn’t be surprised to learn you even scared yourself ” becomes “They way you talk when you tweet that (expletive) …”). Later, on “Wolf,” that pugilistic impulse comes from

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ne of the interesting things about the Northboro-based band Way Up South is how it manages to take a predominantly Southern rock foundation and find layers within the style. With its latest album, “Set Yourself Free,” the band both leans into the country side of the Southern rock equation, and isolates the genre’s two polarities: The honky-tonk bar song on one side, while grappling with faith on the other. The result is a richly textured and deeply affecting piece of work that is sold by some standout songwriting and excellent musicianship. The band — which comprises bassist Brian Girard, pianist Bubba Maider, organist Chris Nemitz, guitarist-vocalist Charley Carrozo, lead guitarist Paul Ferguson and drummer Jack Howard — will perform Nov. 23 at starlite gallery in Southbridge and Nov. 30 at the WCUW Frontroom in Worcester. The album begins in gospel waters with “River of Soul,” a joyous, high-spirited song that nods to love, baptisms and new beginnings. It’s a beautiful, brisk song, with guitars winding through the church-influenced vocals and a gorgeous organ

break at the bridge. But as the album takes a honky-tonk turn with the barrelhouse blues piano of “Something To Believe In,” the listener gets the distinct impression that “River of Soul” is closer to the end of the narrative than the beginning. The persona gives you the happy ending first, then tells the listener how they got there. That dichotomy established, the album then pivots into its most straightforwardly contemporary country offering, “I’m Doing Fine,” a tale of a woman who has suffered a loss and, in that moment of loneliness, looks up her ex online after finding his old letters. “Sometimes the grass is greener,” sings Carrozo, “and sometimes the grass is plastic/ it’s never as fantastic/as they try to make it seem.” There’s a wisdom in that observation, a realization that there’s often more going on underneath people’s facades than is immediately evident. It’s a good thought to keep in mind as the album rolls into the high-energy, guitar-driven title song. This is one of the songs that truly highlights the band, with each instrument shining in a joyous jam session. Much the same is the instrumental “Feelin’ Good,” which appears later on the album. Then, with “River Winds,” the tempo turns again, ineffably echoing the

CITY LIFE

DINING

Sole Proprietor is your New England fish house 118 Highland St., Worcester • (508) 798-3474 • thesole.com SANDRA RAIN

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he Sole Proprietor’s most recent round of renovations are astutely casual. Visitors and locals alike crave the comforts of a quintessential New England fish house with minimal pretension and maximum freshness. The Sole Proprietor is Worcester’s seafood standard. The Sole Proprietor is no longer gunning for a fine dining reputation and I think it’s a good look. In the three years since my last review, the restaurant has leaned away from white table cloths and into fisherman’s platters. Guests are even greeted at the host stand with T-shirts for sale that read, “Shucking Awesome.” Hundreds of thin wooden strips climb up to the ceiling, painted slate blue like the ocean on a stormy day. Little glass bricks and mosaic tiles add pops of detail right down to the floor beneath one’s feet. Trophy catches line the walls and scaley sketches beam down from their brittle frames. Every inch of The Sole Proprietor has been nauticalized. The Sole Proprietor would make a perfect filming location for a TV drama about the juicy antics of a seaside village. I am reminded of a 2004 arc in "The O.C." when Sandy Cohen, played by Peter Gallagher,

The seafood sautée features squid ink trombette pasta buys the Balboa Lighthouse — a restaurant where he sets out to serve his mom’s meatloaf to the wealthy elite of Southern California. Get ready to tune in, because The Sole Proprietor is full of characters and the family recipes are hot. On my most recent visit I found a predominantly silver-haired clientele. One Worcester mogul leaned over to tell us, “I have to be nice to the waitstaff here because they know my wife AND my girlfriend.” Everyone behind the bar laughed, probably because this was true. On the

same evening, I spotted a popular local lawn mower salesman, a fellow reporter, more than one member of the Rotary Club, and a youngish couple who had chosen The Sole Proprietor for their “first night out since the baby.” This crowd is classic. Orbs of light in the dining area send reflections ricocheting off dozens of glass bottles that fill an extensive wine room. The Sole Proprietor has received Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence” every year since 2001. I am particularly fond of the 2017 Böen Pinot Noir from the

Russian River Valley on account of its lingering tannins and slippery notes of black licorice. Let me be clear: The Sole Proprietor is notable for more than just baked white fish, though they do that quite well. Dishes include an eclectic mix of contemporary seafood favorites like poke and American sushi rolls. The Buster Roll (named for a giant inflatable crab that drapes the restaurant’s façade every summer) is flush with lump crab, smoked salmon, and a rich brown butter panko. The Sole’s rolls are not intent on grasping any naked purity of raw fish; they are committed to supplying a tasty bar bite and wholly succeed. There are plenty of traditional elements that have been preserved throughout The Sole Proprietor’s 40-year history. All entrees, for example, come with clam chowder or an iceberg wedge salad. The servers sport white coats and the bartenders wear all black ensembles, everything neat and buttoned up. The Sole’s staff is poised and extraordinarily wellversed when it comes to both the wine list and the menu. The seafood sauté is my favorite dish. Lobster meat, shrimp and scallops are sautéed in a bath of garlic, leeks and clam juice then served over delicate twists of squid ink trombette pasta. It is a tapestry of

New England finery. There are nights when I crave simplicity. In the same way a pilsner does not hide behind excessive hops or adjuncts, the “boat to table” selections are cut and prepared fresh to order. I love the Georges Bank sole oven roasted with lemon pepper butter. There’s nothing gaudy about it, just good clean fish straight from the ocean. Treat yourself to The Sole’s key lime pie. Pale yellow custard holds tart and firm in balance with an airy sour cream frosting on top designed to complete your meal. The next time you have a guest from out of town who wants a taste of traditional fare, The Sole Proprietor is a wise choice. I also enjoy it on winter nights when I’m missing the Cape. On our last dinner for two with drinks, appetizers, entrees and dessert, the total came to $135.89. Explanation of Stars: Ratings are from zero to five. Zero is not recommended. One is poor. Two is fair. Three is satisfactory. Four is good. Five is excellent.

Food: HHHH1/2 Ambience: HHHH Service: HHHHH Value: HHHH

TABLE HOPPIN’

Grid Hospitality executive chef making some changes BARBARA M. HOULE

fter hosting a successful wine dinner and the launch of a new menu at Craft Table & Bar in Worcester, Terrell Wilson is ready for the next challenge as executive chef of Grid Hospitality Group. Wilson has a full plate! The chef is in charge of all five of Grid Hospitality Group’s restaurant spaces in downtown Worcester, owned by its parent company, MG2 Group, a Boston real estate firm. Wilson arrived on the Worcester restaurant scene in late July, having previously worked at Towneship in North Easton, a farm-to-table

restaurant developed by Chandra Gouldrup, chef/owner of Taste Hospitality Group. He also did stints in New Jersey, Rhode Island and Walt Disney World Resorts in Orlando, Florida. The chef, who grew up in New Jersey, graduated from Johnson & Wales University in Providence. He said food is his “heart and soul.” His focus is on local, sustainable, seasonal food, with “a great respect for the people who grow and raise the food we eat.” His new menu at Craft Table includes salads, a la carte items, sides and small plates that offer more shareable portions for guests to sample. The menu heading “Ex-

perience” allows the chef creative culinary freedom, using international flavor profiles with dishes such as Ethiopian Spiced Duck, Jackfruit Tamale and Parisian Gnocchi (mustard braised rabbit). Other options: Craft Burger, Pork Tenderloin, Tandoori Fried Chicken, Faroe Island Salmon, Pan Seared Cod, Short Rib Grilled Cheese and more. The chef said he looks to elevate the food at Craft Table, changing the menu every three or four months. The kitchen is “gluten-friendly.” Wilson worked with Toni DeLuca, wine director at Julio’s Liquors in Westboro, for his first wine dinner and looks forward to a second event, a “Wines Around the World” dinner

on Dec. 4. Visit https://www.eventbrite.com for more info. Craft Table & Bar is located at 50 Franklin St., lower level of the former Bancroft Hotel. The restaurant opens at 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday; noon, Saturday. Brunch is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. The restaurant is closed Monday through Wednesday. Visit www.crafttableandbar.com for complete dinner menus, hours, special events, catering and online ordering; Telephone (774) 530-9030. As for the other Grid operations, Wilson said the Worcester Beer Garden, 64 Franklin St., is “pretty much set,” as is Brew on the Grid, a coffee shop at 56 Franklin St. For Revolution Pie + Pint, 50

Franklin St., future plans call for change, according to Wilson, who said the business is expected to have a makeover. Any changes at Revolution Pie + Pint would be posted on social media, according to Wilson. Plans for the closed site that previously housed Stix Noodle Bar at 72 Franklin St. are in the works, according to Wilson, who said a new business is expected to open at the location in the spring. Wilson, who lives outside the city, is becoming “somewhat” familiar with downtown businesses and restaurants. “Honestly, I’ve only been here a couple of months, and my time is spent with this company

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(Grid),” said Wilson. “As with any restaurant, we had a couple kinks to work out, but I am happy with the new menus and concepts we’ve created. We have a great team of managers and sous chefs in place. As a chef, I have always believed the heart of a restaurant is the back of the house.” Wilson brings experience and enthusiasm as he settles into his new role.

wide as “king of chefs and the chef of kings.” Les Amis d’Escoffier Society “brings together members of the culinary profession and friends who appreciate good food and good wines; people who believe in the adage ‘Live and let live’ and who place sincere friendship above all else.” No pressure on the restaurants that host annual Escoffier dinner events!

Terrell Wilson, executive chef at Craft Table & Bar on Franklin Street RICK CINCLAIR

A “space available” sign covers the Crown Bakery name at 1393 Grafton St., Worcester, also the former location of Mrs. Mack’s Bakery & Restaurant. Crown Bakery owners did not return calls for comment on closing their second location. Jen LaPointe and her husband, Edward LaPointe, opened the business last year. The couple own Crown Bakery & Café on Gold Star Blvd. in Worcester, leasing the property since 2017. Jen LaPointe was employed at Crown Bakery before becoming an owner. The Grafton Street location had offered breakfast and lunch, in addition to a variety of Crown Bakery’s pastries and cakes.

Sweets for the holidays

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The holiday rush is on! Chef Alina Eisenhauer comes to the rescue with a Sweet “Pop Up” for Thanksgiving. Eisenhauer owned

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Congrats to local chefs Michael Arrastia and Patrick Moran, inducted into the Les Amis d’Escoffier Society of New England, Joseph Donon Chapter last week at the Escoffier Dinner held at Anya Restaurant in Thompson, Connecticut. The induction was presided over by James Nicas, New England Chapter president, whose father, the late Stanley J. Nicas, founded the Joseph Donon Chapter. Arrastia is executive chef/owner of The Hangover Pub and Broth ramen bar, both in Worcester. Patrick Moran is a chef at The Castle Restaurant in Leicester and also works at BirchTree Bread Company in Worcester and the Ice House Pub in Barre. Chef Albert Colon and staff at Anya created a fabulous menu inspired by Georges-Auguste Escoffier, a French chef, restaurateur and culinary writer known world-

Grafton Street Crown Bakery closed

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Chefs inducted into Les Amis d’Escoffier Society

CITY LIFE

FILM

Dead man acting JIM KEOGH

ames Dean is slated to star in a new movie, and I hope it dies. Like he already has. If you haven’t read about this madness, here’s the thumbnail: Filmmakers Anton Ernst and Tati Golykh plan to digitally recreate Dean’s likeness for their Vietnam War movie, “Finding Jack,” using the same kind of CGI effects that gave Will Smith a younger doppelganger in “Gemini Man.” The duo obtained the rights to Dean’s likeness from his family, who have publicly defended their decision “to continue to honor Jimmy’s legacy and inspiration to so many people.” Hmm. No mention of the sheer creepiness of resurrecting the dearly departed to star in a motion picture. Night of the living Dean. I do understand the allure of reanimating the actor — I mean, we’re talking about breathing new life into James Dean, not Don Knotts. This is someone who moved from man

to myth inside the wreckage of his Porsche Spyder at age 24, preserving him forever as young, beautiful, rebellious, and, to many, transcendent. (To envision how Dean might have appeared as an older man you need to fast forward to the end of “Giant” where his hair is dyed silver and his mustache stolen from Errol Flynn’s top lip.) CGI already has brought dead actors to life — Oliver Reed in “Gladiator,” Peter Cushing in “Rogue One,” Paul Walker in “Furious 7,” Philip Seymour Hoffman in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2” and Fred Astaire in a Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner commercial. The technology is helpful when an actor dies during filming and can’t be recast (at least not without considerable expense), a tactic unavailable in more primitive times. Consider the pre-CGI solution devised by director Ed Wood when Bela Lugosi died during the filming of the 1959 schlock-fest “Plan 9 from Outer Space.” Wood recruited

his wife’s chiropractor to take over Lugosi’s role, forcing the man to play the part with a cape covering his decidedly non-Lugosi face. The ramifications of fashioning a feature film around a deceased actor were explored in the 2002 film “Simone,” in which movie producer Al Pacino secretly replaces a human performer with a computerized actress only to have the digital version become a breakout star. At the time, the concept may have seemed outlandish, but “Simone” writer-director Andrew Niccol had already showed his prescience for cultural disruption when he wrote “The Truman Show,” which presaged the world of omnipresent cameras, extreme-reality television, and civilian stardom. Still, to paraphrase Jeff Goldblum in “Jurassic Park,” just because talented technicians can raise James Dean, does that necessarily mean they should? Actors Chris Evans and Elijah Wood have already lashed out at the

“The Current War — Director’s Cut” — Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse and Nikolai Tesla square off in a race to illuminate the modern world. With Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Katherine Waterston, Tom Holland, Tuppence Middleton, Matthew Macfadyen. (1:47) PG-13. “Doctor Sleep” — Forty years after the events of “The Shining,” the nowgrown Danny Torrance joins forces with a similarly gifted teen to battle dark forces. With Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Carl Lumbly, Zahn McClarnon, Emily Alyn Lind, Bruce Greenwood, Jocelin Donahue, Cliff Curtis. “Downton Abbey” — The Crawleys and their staff prepare for a royal visit in this big-screen adaptation of the beloved British TV series. With Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Matthew Goode. (2:02) PG. “Harriet” — Cynthia Erivo portrays Harriet Tubman, the 19th century African American woman who escaped from slavery and then led hundreds of others to freedom. With Leslie Odom Jr., Janelle Monáe, Joe Alwyn, Jennifer Nettles, Clarke Peters.

(2:05) PG-13. “Hustlers” — Former strip club workers plan to take down a group of Wall Street players. With Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Mercedes Ruehl, Lizzo, Cardi B. (1:50) R. “It Chapter Two” — It’s 27 years later and the evil returns to Derry, Maine. James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Martell, Wyatt Oleff, Jack Dylan Grazer, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor. R. “Jojo Rabbit” — A young boy in Nazi Germany discovers his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in the attic in writer-director Taika Waititi’s satirical fable. With Roman Griffin Davis, Scarlett Johansson, Thomasin McKenzie, Waititi. (1:48) PG-13. “Joker” — Joaquin Phoenix takes on the role of Gotham’s notorious mad clown in this standalone character study/origin story. With Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Marc Maron, Shea Whigham. (2:02) R. “Judy” — Renée Zellweger portrays Judy Garland during the legendary entertainer’s run of sold-out stage shows in 1968 London. With Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock, Rufus Sewell,

The grave of actor James Dean in Fairmount, Indiana. ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

prospect, and why wouldn’t they? Those two may have nothing to worry about career-wise, but what of lesser-known actors scrapping for small roles? Could they one day be replaced by cheaper computergenerated actors the way cashiers have lost jobs to automated price scanners or how some minor league

umpiring positions have gone to robots? Would Dean himself have been OK with the notion of a posthumous acting career? Doubtful. The method actor likely would have acknowledged that you can transform yourself into just about anything, but dead is dead.

Michael Gambon. (1:58) NR. “Last Christmas” — In a holiday romantic comedy inspired by the music of George Michael, a young Londoner meets a guy who seems too good to be true. With Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Emma Thompson. “The Lighthouse” — Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe give towering performances as a pair of feuding 19th century lightkeepers in this mad, magnificently crafted New England gothic from “The Witch” writer-director Robert Eggers. R. “The Lion King” — The young Simba has a series of adventures on the way to claiming his birthright in this computer-animated remake of the 1994 animated Disney musical. (1:58) PG. “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” — Angelina Jolie reprises her role as the Disney villainess in this sequel to the 2014 fantasy tale. With Elle Fanning, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ed Skrein, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Lesley Manville, Michelle Pfeiffer. (1:58) PG. “Midway” — The story of the critical World War II Pacific Theater battle between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy in June 1942. With Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Luke Evans, Aaron Eckhart, Nick Jonas,

Etsushi Toyokawa, Tadanobu Asano, Luke Kleintank, Jun Kunimura, Darren Criss, Keean Johnson, Alexander Ludwig, Mandy Moore, Dennis Quaid, Woody Harrelson. “Motherless Brooklyn” — Writerdirector Edward Norton stars as a lonely private eye with Tourette’s syndrome tracking his mentor’s killer in 1950s New York. With Bruce Willis, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bobby Cannavale, Cherry Jones, Michael Kenneth Williams, Leslie Mann, Ethan Suplee, Dallas Roberts, Fisher Stevens, Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe. (2:24) R. “Parasite” — Winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes, Bong Joon Ho’s deviously entertaining thriller about two very different families is an ingenious weave of domestic dark comedy, class allegory and ultimately devastating tragedy. (J.C.) R. “The Peanut Butter Falcon” — A young man with Down syndrome chases his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. With Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, Zack Gottsagen, John Hawkes, Bruce Dern, Jon Bernthal, Thomas Haden Church, Jake Roberts, Mick Foley. (1:33) PG13. “Playing With Fire” — Firefighters find their lives turned upside down

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FILM CAPSULES “Abominable” — Three friends try to reunite a young Yeti with his family in the Himalayas in this animated adventure. With the voices of Chloe Bennet, Tenzing Norgay Trainor, Albert Tsai, Eddie Izzard, Sarah Paulson. (1:32) PG-13. “The Addams Family” — Cartoonist Charles Addams’ creepy, kooky clan returns to the big screen in animated form. Voices of Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloe Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Snoop Dogg, Bette Midler, Allison Janney, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara. (1:45) PG. “Angel Has Fallen” — Gerard Butler’s Secret Service agent returns, this time framed for the attempted assassination of the president. With Morgan Freeman, Jada Pinkett Smith, Lance Reddick. (2:00) R. “Black and Blue” — A black female rookie cop in New Orleans witnesses fellow officers committing a murder. With Naomie Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Frank Grillo, Mike Colter, Reid Scott, Beau Knapp, Nafessa Williams. (1:48) NR. “Countdown” — A mysterious phone app claims to predict the moment a person will die. With Elizabeth Lail, Jordan Calloway, Talitha Bateman, Tichina Arnold, P.J. Byrne, Peter Facinelli. (1:30) PG-13.

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and operated the popular Sweet Kitchen & Bar on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester. The chef is taking online orders for a variety of Thanksgiving treats, including pies (apple and pumpkin), Paleo Apple Crisp, carrot cake, Sweet’s popular Dossants (chocolate filled “croissant donuts”) and more. Visit chefalina.com/shop/ for more information and to order. Note: Orders must be placed by Nov. 24, with pickup from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 27 at the Worcester Regional Food Hub, 25 Francis St., Worcester. Sweet’s specialties live on!

Niche’s Still & Stir at new location

Niche Hospitality Group last week held the official grand opening of Still & Stir at its new location, 90 Commercial St., Worcester, former space of the Railers Tavern. Still & Stir previously was housed inside The Citizen Wine Bar at One Exchange Place, Worcester, now closed. The “new” Still & Stir will offer unique, approachable craft food, according to Niche CEO Mike Covino. Deluxe Burgers, American Chop Suey, get the drift? Sundays, Still & Stir has an all-day brunch menu from 11 a.m. to 8 C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 22

Nantucket’s LoLa Burger is opening in Boston’s Seaport District on Nov. 14, followed by the debut of LoLa 41 in Palm Beach, Florida next year. Restaurateur Marco Coelho and Team Hospitality currently own and operate the flagship LoLa 41 and LoLa Burger on Nantucket and LoLa 42 at Twenty Two Liberty in Boston. FYI: the LoLa Burger is an 8-ounce hand-packed certified Angus Beef patty served on an oversized English muffin. Topped with aged cheddar and red onion compote, the signature burger is served with foie gras gravy that doubles as a dipping sauce for a side of fries. For more info, visit lolaburger. com. If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com. cyborg franchise. With Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, Gabriel Luna, Diego Boneta. (2:08) R. “Western Stars” — Bruce Springsteen, backed by a band and a full orchestra, performs the 13 songs from his latest album, touching on personal themes and the American West. (1:23) PG. “Zombieland: Double Tap” — Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin and Emma Stone reunite to dispatch even more of the undead in this sequel to the 2009 horror comedy. (1:33) R.

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when they rescue three siblings but can’t find the kids’ parents. With John Cena, Keegan-Michael Key, John Leguizamo, Brianna Hildebrand, Dennis Haysbert, Judy Greer. “Rambo: Last Blood” — Sylvester Stallone’s venerable action hero embarks on a vengeful final mission. With Paz Vega. (1:40) R. “Terminator: Dark Fate” — Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger are baack in the latest chapter of the time-bending

LoLa Burger opening in Boston

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FILM CAPSULES

p.m. Visit stillandstir.com for more information. Derek Grimm, formerly of deadhorse hill restaurant in Worcester, is head bartender at Still & Stir; Johnny Giddix (Block 5 Bistro/ The People’s Kitchen) is head chef. Beginning Nov. 25, Miracle, a Christmas Cocktail Pop-Up Bar will be in full operation. ’Tis the season!

CITY LIFE

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N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019

THINGS TO DO COMPILED BY RICHARD DUCKETT, VICTOR D. INFANTE AND CHARLENE ARSENAULT Health, City of Framingham, and Thursday, Nov. 14 The Late-Night Voice of Worcester the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Monty Tech Comedy Night: 7-9 For 30 years, WCUW radio host Chuck Chillin has often been a.m. Nov. 14, Wachusett Mountain, The reception will feature Bob the last voice of Worcester in the week, the only person Rivers, Chairman and CEO of Wachusett Mountain , Princeton. speaking live over the city’s airwaves, playing soul, R&B and Eastern Bank, as the keynote Cost: $25. For information: (978) hip-hop in the darkest hours of the morning, sometimes until speaker. Reservations required at daylight breaks. But you don’t have to stay up late to listen to 345-9200, whitaker-katy@ him mix beats: You can check him out in a funk-infused show marketing@kennedychc.org. montytech.net. with Shokazoba and The Sunta Africa Band at Electric Haze, Gardening Classes: 10-10:30 a.m. 2019 Edward M. Kennedy which promises to be a highly enjoyable evening. Nov. 14, The Peoples Place of Community Health Awards: 7:30Gardner, 73 City Hall Ave., Gardner. 9 a.m. Nov. 14, Mechanics Hall, What: Shokazoba, The Sunta Africa Band & Chuck Chillin Free. 321 Main St., Worcester. Cost: When: 8 p.m. Nov. 16 Story Time —Terrific 2’s & 3’s: Free. The recipients of the 2019 Where: Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St., Worcester 10:30-11:30 a.m. Nov. 14, Boylston Edward M. Kennedy Community How much: $10 Public Library, 695 Main St., Health Awards will be Dr. Boylston. For information: (508) Samuel Wong, Director of Public 869-2371, llstretton@cwmars.org. Session): 6-7:30 p.m. Nov. 14, Cross, Rehm Library, Smith Hall, 1 Snack & Study: 2:30-4:30 p.m. College St., Worcester. Holden Recreation Department Inspiration in heritage Nov. 14, Boylston Public Library, WOOtenanny Presents: Hot Dog! Conference Room, 1420 Main St., 695 Main St., Boylston. For Front entrance, right door, Holden. A Comedy Sideshow: 8-9:30 Rabbis, cantors, educators, authors information: (508) 869-2371, p.m. Nov. 14, Coney Island, 158 Cost: $31. For information: (508) and musicians from across New efurse@cwmars.org. Southbridge St., Worcester. 829-0263, agreene@holdenma. England will join together in an PAWS to Read: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Featuring Connie Chung (not gov. evening of music and study at Nov. 14, Worcester Public Library that dog) Mairead Dickinson (TX Photography for Makers with Congregation Beth Israel in WorcesBurncoat Branch, 526 Burncoat dog) James Firth (RI dog) Latasha Russ Jennings: 6-9 p.m. Nov. 14, ter. Torathon 2019 will begin with St., Worcester. For information: Havdalah, followed by a concert led Hughes (bubbly dog) Donya The WorcShop, 233 Stafford St., by Ezekiel’s Wheels Klezmer Band. lsheldon@mywpl.org. Trommer (wtf? dog) and more. Worcester. Cost: $80-$100. For After the concert there will be Lecture by Holland Cotter, co-chief information: theworcshop@gmail. Iron Kingdom (Canada), Reckless three 50-minute sessions of almost art critic of The New York Times: Force, Crystal Dagger, & Honoria: com. two dozen offerings of adult Jewish 4:30-5:30 p.m. Nov. 14, Iris and B. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Nov. 14, Ralph’s Rock Intro to TIG welding with Fred study based on the theme “LegendGerald Cantor Art Gallery, College Diner, 148 Grove St., Worcester. Manke: 6-9 p.m. Nov. 14, The ary Jews Who Inspire Us.” of the Holy Cross, 1 College St., Cost: $10. WorcShop, 243 Stafford St., Worcester. For information: (508) Worcester. Cost: $75-$99. For What: Torathon 2019 — “Legendary 793-3356, prosenbl@holycross. information: theworcshop@gmail. Friday, Nov. 15 Jews Who Inspire Us” edu. When: 5:45 p.m. Nov. 16 com. Where: Congregation Beth Israel, Kathy Murray — The Landscape “Intelligent Lives”: Screening Worcester Art Museum Tour — 15 Jamesbury Drive, Worcester Within Exhibit Opening Reception: & Panel, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 14, American Landscapes: 10:30 How much: $20 in advance until 6-8 p.m. Nov. 14, The Hanover Fitchburg State University, 160 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Nov. 15, Boylston Nov. 14; $25 at the door. College Theatre and Conservatory for the Pearl St., Fitchburg. Cost: Free. Public Library, 695 Main St., and high school students $5 in Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Amber Zapatka Trivia Night: 6:30- Boylston. For information: (508) advance; $10 at the door. To view Worcester. For information: info@ 9 p.m. Nov. 14, Elks Lodge, 128 869-2371, efurse@cwmars. the entire evening’s program and artsworcester.org. School St., Clinton. Cost: Free. org. Transportation provided. to purchase tickets in advance go LGBTQ+ Worcester — FOR THE The Yo Daddy Doe Variety Show: Registration required. to www.jewishcentralmass.org/ RECORD Catalog Launch and torathon. hosted by CoffeeHouse Craig, 7 Make a Cork Pumpkin: 3-4 p.m. Reception: 6-8:30 p.m. Nov. 14, p.m. Nov. 14, Strong Style Coffee, Nov. 15, Boylston Public Library, Worcester Historical Museum, 13 Cushing St., Fitchburg. 695 Main St., Boylston. For 30 Elm St., Worcester. Cost: $5. Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy: 7:30 information: (508) 869-2371, For information: (508) 753-8278, p.m. Nov. 14, Bull Run Restaurant, efurse@cwmars.org. Teens & davidconner@worcesterhistory. 215 Great Road, Shirley. $42. Adults Registration required. net. Novelist and Poet Hala Alyan: 7:30 Thank Friday it’s Dr Nat: 5:30 Ornament Making Class (2 Week p.m. Nov. 14, College of the Holy to 7:30 p.m., Nov. 15, Nick’s Bar

‘Landcapes’ to explore “The Landscape Within” is a solo exhibition of recent work by Kathy Murray presented by ArtsWorcester at The Hanover Theatre. Murray explores landscape as both memory and experience in her monoprints, featuring rich pigments and painterly styling. Meanwhile, ArtsWorcester has announced a call for proposals for Material Needs Grants. Funded by an anonymous donor, the grants support the expenses of supplies and materials for the creation of new art in Worcester County. With this gift, ArtsWorcester is able to distribute grants between $500 and $1,500 to local artists. Awards will be given in early 2020, and the resulting work will be exhibited in ArtsWorcester’s galleries in the 2021-22 exhibition season. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 6, 2020. Proposals are evaluated via a committee, focusing on novelty, innovation, potential impact (on the viewer, on the artist’s career, and other artists in the area), and feasibility. For more information visit www.artsworcester.org What: “The Landscape Within” — Kathy Murray. Opening reception When: 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 14; artist talk 6:30 p.m. Exhibition runs through March 11. Where: Franklin Square Salon Gallery, The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester How much: Free

and Restuarant, 124 Milbury St., Worcester. DIY Leather Pouch with Russ Jennings: 6-9 p.m. Nov. 15, The WorcShop, 233 Stafford St., Worcester. Cost: $150-$180. For information: theworcshop@ gmail.com. Ladies Night Out Worcester: 6-10 p.m. Nov. 15, Sprinkler Factory, 38 Harlow St., Worcester. For information: info@ sprinklerfactory.com. Music by DJ Stardust, performances by the Queens of Worcester, stand up comedy by Cindy Gray, Paint your Own ornament, wine and beer, light bites, shopping and all sorts of small Central Mass. businesses owned by women. The Cosby Sweaters: 7-11 p.m. Nov. 15, Kretchman’s Craft Bar & Beer Garden, 9 Frederick St., Webster. Motorboat: 7-11 p.m. Nov. 15, Beer Garden Worcester, 64 Franklin St., Worcester. Animal Embassy, Weapon ESP, Joe Grizzly: 7 p.m.-12 a.m. Nov. 15, The Raven, 258 Pleasant St., Worcester. Cost: $12. Photo Revolution Opening Party — A Night at the Factory: 7-11 p.m. Nov. 15, Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester.

CITY LIFE

‘Little Women’ Goes Musical Vanilla Box Productions takes “Little Women, the Musical” to two venues during the next two weeks. The show will be performed at Holy Name High School Nov. 15-17, and Notre Dame Academy Nov. 22-23. With a book by Allan Knee, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and music by Jason Howland, the musical, which ran on Broadway in 2005 and subsequently toured, is based on Louisa May Alcott’s classic 1869 semi-autobiographical novel. Like the novel, the musical focuses on the four March sisters — traditional Meg, wild, aspiring writer Jo, timid Beth and romantic Amy and their beloved Marmee — at home in Concord while their father is away serving as a Union Army chaplain during the Civil War. The Vanilla Box Productions cast includes Abigail Bradie, John Leslie, Jess Couture, Linnea Lyerly, Keri McCarthy, Katie Moorman, Danielle Pratt, Daniel Reidy, Peter Russo and Paul Spanagel. Joel D. Seger directs, with Kallin Johnson music director, and Christine C. Seger choreographer. What: “Little Women, the Musical” When/Where: 8 p.m. Nov. 15 and 16, and 2 p.m. Nov. 17, Burke Center for the Performing Arts, Holy Name High School, 144 Granite St., Worcester; 8 p.m. Nov. 22 and 23, Notre Dame Academy, 425 Salisbury St., Worcester How much: In advance $22; $20 children and seniors. $2 more at the door. vanillaboxproductions.com.

On his recent album, “Spectacular Class,” Jontavious Willis has a song called, “The Blues is Dead?” It’s a question he approaches with incredulity, and indeed, the entire album itself is a refutation to the idea. With songs such as “Low Down Blues,” “Take Me to the Country” and “The World Is in a Tangle,” Willis carves out a space for himself in the blues tradition that feels both fresh and authentic.

Saturday, Nov. 16

What: “Photo Revolution: Andy Warhol to Cindy Sherman” — opening party When: Friday Nov. 15. Preview 6 to 7 p.m. for members only; 7 to 11 p.m. for the general public. Exhibit runs through Feb. 16. Where: Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester How much: $15 for WAM members; $25 for nonmembers; $15 for students with valid college ID. Tickets may be purchased at photorevolution.eventbrite.com or at the door

Rotmans Furniture), Worcester. Cost: $27. Author Stephen Billias: signing, noon-3 p.m. Nov. 16, Barnes & Noble, Lincoln Plaza 541 D Lincoln St., Worcester. For information: (413) 522-6394, belabreslau@comcast.net. “For All the Tea in Zhōngguó”: 2-4 p.m. Nov. 16, Worcester PopUp, 20 Franklin St., Worcester. For information: (508) 7974770, wcpaboard@yahoo.com. Rodger Martin and Ann Shi will read poems from Martin’s latest volume, “For All the Tea in Zhōngguó.” Cooking with Colin — Thai Curries from Scratch: 2-3:30 p.m. Nov. 16, Worcester Public Library, 3 Salem St., Worcester. Register online at mywpl.org or call (508) 7991655x3. Bob Bois and Tom Gutermuth: 3 p.m. Nov. 16, Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, 124 Milbury St., Worcester. Dinner Dance with Dan Mackowiak and Band: 6:30-11 p.m. Nov. 16, Hibernian Cultural Centre, 19 Temple St., Worcester. For information: (508) 752-9519, info@frohsinnclub.com. $15 members, $30 nonmembers. JAZZED UP with Mauro DePasquale: 7-10 p.m. Nov. 16, Arturo’s Ristorante, 54 East Main St., Westborough. Cost: Free. Mark & Raianne: 7:30-10:30 p.m. Nov. 16, The Vanilla Bean Cafe, 450 Deerfield Road, Pomfret. For information: ask@ thevanillabeancafe.com. The Chamber Singers perform Madrigals, Old and New: 7:309:30 p.m. Nov. 16, College of the Holy Cross-Brooks Concert Hall, 1 College St., Worcester. For information: info@holycross.edu. Shokazoba, The Sunta Africa Band & Chuck Chillin: 8 p.m. Nov. 16, Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St., Worcester. $10.

Jontavious Willis and Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton: 8 p.m. Nov. 16, Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley. $25. Celebrate 10 years of Dale Lepage & the Manhattans: 8-11 p.m. Nov. 16, Nick’s Bar, 124 Millbury St., Worcester. SAINt JHN — Ghetto Lenny’s IGNORANt Forever Tour: 8 p.m. Nov. 16, the Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester. Sold out. The Super Chargers: 8-11 p.m. Nov. 16, Marine Corps League Inc, 181 Lake Avenue, Worcester. Assabet Valley Mastersingers Concert: 8-10 p.m. Nov. 16, Congregation B’nai Shalom, 117 East Main St., Westborough. Cost: $20-$25. For information: info@ AVMsingers.org. Salsa Night: featuring Matthew Sanchez, Fabian Torres, Eric German and DJ Rey G, 8 p.m. Nov. 16, El Basha, Restaurant, 256 Park Ave., Worcester. $20. Comedian Connor McGrath: 8 p.m. Nov. 16, The Comedy Attic at Park Grille & Spirits, 257 Park Ave.,

Worcester. $15.

Sunday, Nov. 17 The Original Wedding Expo: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 17, Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center, 366 Main St., Sturbridge. Cost: Free. Showcase Cinemas presents “Shakira In Concert: El Dorado World Tour”: 1-3 p.m. Nov. 17, Showcase Cinemas Worcester North, 135 Brooks St., Worcester. Cost: $15.50. Trans-Siberian Orchestra 2019 Presented By Hallmark Channel: 3 and 8 p.m. Nov. 17, DCU Center, 50 Foster St., Worcester. Cost: $46.50$86.50. Trapt and Tantric: 6 p.m. Nov. 17, Moonshiners, 105 Water St., Worcester. Harvest Concert with Jack Straw: 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 17, Asa Waters Mansion, 123 Elm St., Millbury. Cost: $20. For information: (508) 865-0855, klivoti@ townofmillbury.net.

Pure Magic “While the moon stoops in the early April sky,” writes Palestinian-American novelist and poet Hala Alyan. “I fold paper into a tragic crane. One magician/burns sand, another palms a tree. My crane/flickers her lovely neck and weeps.” Indeed, magic is the best descriptor for Alyan’s poetry, the way she transfigures words and images to make emotional resonances dance. It’s gorgeous work, from an extremely accomplished writer. What: Novelist and poet Hala Alyan When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 Where: College of the Holy Cross, Rehm Library, Smith Hall, 1 College St., Worcester How much: Free

Fall Fair with indoor flea market: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 16, 652 Main St, 652 Main St., Oxford. Cost: Free. Holy Trinity Church Craft and Vendor Fair: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 16, Webster-Dudley American Legion Post 184, 9 Houghton St., Webster. For information: arita@charter. net. 3rd Annual Assabet Valley/ SkillsUSA Craft Fair: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 16, Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, 215 Fitchburg St., Marlborough. For information: (508) 485-9430, kbaltramaitis@assabet.org. Music for Little Ones with Sarah Gardner at Tatnuck: 9:30-10:30 a.m. Nov. 16, Worcester Public Library Tatnuck Magnet Branch, 1083 Pleasant St., Worcester. For information: lsheldon@mywpl. org. Tea Tasting: 10-11 a.m. Nov. 16, Acoustic Java Roastery & Tasting Room, 6 Brussels St., (Behind

The Worcester Art Museum’s new exhibition “Photo Revolution: Andy Warhol to Cindy Sherman” gets it first exposure with an opening party Friday night. The event will include a DJ with dancing, hors d’oeuvres and cash bar. Guests are encouraged to come dressed in fashions of the 1960s-’80s. The exhibition includes more than 225 works demonstrating how photography proved foundational to major art movements in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.

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What: Jontavious Willis and Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton When: 8 p.m. Nov. 16 Where: Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley How much: $25

Cost: $15-$25. For information: information@worcesterart.org. Exhibition tracing iconic artists from the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. DJ and dancing, hors d’oeuvres, and cash bar. This Changes Everything: 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 15, Park View Room, 230 Park Ave, Worcester. Cost: $8.50$10. Poetry Reading by Oliver de la Paz and Kent Shaw: 7-8 p.m. Nov. 15, Bedlam Book Cafe, 138 Green St., Worcester. For information: (508) 459-1400, bedlambookcafe@ gmail.com. A Night of Comedy with Jackie Flynn and Kevin Flynn: 8-10 p.m. Nov. 15, Samuel Slater’s Restaurant, 200 Gore Road, Webster. Cost: $20. For information: info@indianranch. com. Comedian Lenny Clarke: 8 p.m. Nov. 15, Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley. $25. Comedian Connor McGrath: 8 p.m. Nov. 15, The Comedy Attic at Park Grille & Spirits, 257 Park Ave., Worcester. $15. Giuliano D’Orazio: 9 p.m., Nov. 15, Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, 124 Milbury St., Worcester. Airspray — Attack of the Nerds: with DJ Patrick Allen, 10 p.m. Nov. 15, Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St., Worcester. Free before 10 p.m., $5 afterward.

N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019

Not Dead Yet

‘Photo Revolution’

CITY LIFE

A Touch of Salsa

THINGS TO DO ‘Bridging Traditions’ Both Franz Joseph Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass” and Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms” were written in troubled times. Indeed, Haydn’s work was originally titled “Mass for troubled times” as Napoleon seemed on the brink of conquering Europe and beyond. But the Mass is also celebratory, seeming to anticipate the great victory by Lord Nelson in the Battle of the Nile shortly after it was composed. It popularly became known as “Lord Nelson Mass” thereafter. “Chichester Psalms” was written in the turbulent 1960s. By combining Jewish and Christian choral traditions, Bernstein was implicitly issuing a plea for peace in Israel. The Assabet Valley Mastersingers pair both works in its concert “From Psalm to Mass: Bridging Traditions” with orchestra and soloists Dana Varga (soprano), Pamela Dellal (mezzo-soprano), Gregory Zavracky (tenor) and John Salvi (baritone).

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N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019

What: Assabet Valley Mastersingers — “From Psalm to Mass: Bridging Traditions” When: 8 p.m. Nov. 16 Where: Congregation B’nai Shalom, 117 East Main St., Westboro How much: $25; $20 students and seniors. www.avmsingers.org

Listen! A Poetry Reading: hosted by Dave Macpherson, followed by Bettny Mazur, 7 p.m., Nov. 17, Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, 124 Millbury St., Worcester. SiriusXM The Pulse Presents: O.A.R. — “The Mighty Fall” Tour: 7:30-11:30 p.m. Nov. 17, The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester. Cost: $22. Eric Gales: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17, Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley. Sold Out.

Monday, Nov. 18 One Up Games: 3-6 p.m. Nov. 18, Worcester Public Library Goddard Branch, 14 Richards St., Worcester. For information: lsheldon@ mywpl.org. Dan Kirouac: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Nov. 18, Richard Sugden Library, 8 Pleasant St., Spencer. Cost: Free. “Disney” Themed Trivia: 7-9 p.m. Nov. 18, Red Heat Tavern, 227 Turnpike Road, Westborough. Cost: Free. Dirty Gerund Poetry Series: hosted

If you’re a fan of contemporary salsa music, then the upcoming Salsa Night at El Basha Restaurant should definitely be on your calendar, because not only is there going to be a lot of great music, it’s also a pretty big night for some of the performing artists. Puerto Rican artist Fabian Torres will be performing, local favorite Matthew Sanchez will premier his new single, “En Esta Cama Vacia,” and Eric German will debut his new album, “Mi Sueno.” All this, and music by DJ Rey G. What: Salsa Night featuring Matthew Sanchez, Fabian Torres, Eric German and DJ Rey G When: 8 p.m. Nov. 16 Where: El Basha, Restaurant, 256 Park Ave., Worcester How much: $20

by Alex Charalambides, 9 p.m. Nov. 18, Ralph’s Rock Diner, 148 Grove St., Worcester.

Tuesday, Nov. 19 Writer’s Group: 6:30-7:45 p.m. Nov. 19, Boylston Public Library, 695 Main St., Boylston. For information: (508) 869-2371 or jbruneau@boylston-ma.gov. Led by poet Susan Roney O’Brien. Science Fiction Book Club: 7:158:30 p.m. Nov. 19, Worcester Public Library, 3 Salem St., Worcester. For information: (508) 799-1655, wplref@mywpl.org. Discussing “A

Civil Campaign,” by Lois McMaster. Holy Cross Chapel Artist Series With Oliver Latry, Organist: 7:309:30 p.m. Nov. 19, College of the Holy Cross-St. Joseph Memorial Chapel, 1 College St., Worcester. For information: info@holycross. edu. The Cobra Kings: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19, Greendale’s Pub, 404 W. Boylston St, Worcester.

Wednesday, Nov. 20 Story Time — Bouncing Babies: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Nov. 20, Boylston Public Library, 695 Main St.,

CITY LIFE

‘Lost and Found’ Boylston. For information: (508) 869-2371, lstretton@cwmars.org. Hydroponics Gardening Club: Week 6: 4-5 p.m. Nov. 20, Worcester Public Library Goddard Branch, 14 Richards St., Worcester. For information: lsheldon@ mywpl.org. Chelsea Grin with The Acacia Strain, Spite, Left Behind and Traitors: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 20, The Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester. $23. Not-So-Good Life of the Colonial Goodwife: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Nov. 20, Boylston Public Library, 695 Main St., Boylston. For information: (508) 869-2371. Discussing “taboo” subjects such as menstruation, chamber pots, birth control and breastfeeding. Rory Raven — Brainstorming: An Act of Mentalism!: 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 20, Milford Town Library, 80

Writing Fearlessly

What: Poetry Reading by Oliver de la Paz and Kent Shaw When: 7 p.m. Nov. 15 Where: Bedlam Book Cafe, 138 Green St., Worcester How much: Free

Thursday, Nov. 21

First Performance: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16, Brooks Concert Hall, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester. A reception will follow. Free admission Second Performance: 2 p.m. Nov. 17, Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester. Free with museum admission

Road, Brookfield. Cost: $15. The Yo Daddy Doe Variety Show: hosted by CoffeeHouse Craig, 7 p.m. Nov. 21, Strong Style Coffee, 13 Cushing St., Fitchburg. With Confidence with Seaway, Between You & Me and Doll Skin: 7 p.m. Nov. 21, The Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester. $18. James Armstrong Band: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21, Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley. $18. Troy Gonyea: 8 p.m. Nov. 21, Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, 124 Milbury St., Worcester. Danksgiving: featuring comedians Paul Cyphers, Jai Demeule, James Firth, Liam McGurk and Moseph Mussa, hosted by Jesse Burlingame, 8 p.m. Nov. 21, WooHaHa! Comedy Club, 50 Franklin St., Worcester. $15. Mortiferum, Mourned, Upheaval and Bacterial Husk: 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Nov. 21, Ralph’s Rock Diner, 148 Grove St., Worcester. Cost: $10.

Stage “American Buffalo”: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8, 9, 15, 16; 2 p.m. Nov. 17. Pilgrim Soul Productions, GB & Lexi Singh Performance Center at Alternatives’Whitin Mill, 60 Douglas Road, Whitinsville. $20; $18 for seniors and under 18. (508) 296-0797, pilgrimsoulproductions.com “Little Women, the Musical”: 8 p.m. Nov. 15, 16, 22, 23; 2 p.m. Nov. 17 and 24. Vanilla Box Productions, Joseph P. Burke Center for Performing Arts, Holy Name CCHS, 144 Granite St., Worcester. $22, $20 fir seniors and children 12 and younger. vanillaboxproductions.com “Matilda the Musical”: 7 p.m. Nov. 22, 29, 30; 2 p.m. Nov. 23, 24 and Dec. 1. The Gilbert Players, The Center at Eagle Hill, 242 Old Petersham Road, Hardwick. $12$16. thecenterateaglehill.org.

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Story Time — Terrific 2’s & 3’s: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Nov. 21, Boylston Public Library, 695 Main St., Boylston. For information: (508) 869-2371, llstretton@cwmars.org. PAWS to Read: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Nov. 21, Worcester Public Library Burncoat Branch, 526 Burncoat St., Worcester. For information: lsheldon@mywpl.org. Master Series Third Thursdays Art Talk at WAM, November 21 at 6pm: 6-8 p.m. Nov. 21, Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester. Cost: $14-$18. For information: information@ worcesterart.org. Speaker: Diana Tuite, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Colby College Museum of Art. Art Talk: Paraphotography: Doing Things with Images. Hip Swayers: 6 p.m. Nov. 21, Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company, 55 Millbrook St., Worcester. Thursday Book Club: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Nov. 21, Boylston Public Library, 695 Main St., Boylston. For information: (508) 869-2371, efurse@cwmars.org. Discussion of “Reading With Patrick” by Michelle Kuo. Mindfulness For Mothers Continued: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Nov. 21, Oakholm Farm Estate, 80 Lake

The Holy Cross Chamber Singers present “Love: Lost and Found” with performances on Nov. 16 and 17 at the College of the Holy Cross and the Worcester Art Museum. The program explores madrigals, old and new. This form of a cappella music originated in Renaissance Italy as passionate settings of love poetry and has been transformed through many cultures and centuries since then. “Love: Lost and Found” has four centuries of a cappella songs ranging from sublime passion to cacophonous battle. The Holy Cross Chamber Singers is a select choral ensemble of approximately 16 musicians from the Holy Cross College Choir.

N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019

Oliver de la Paz is a fearless writer, digging into uncomfortable subject matter with the assurance of an archaeologist. “A fount and then silence. A none. An ellipse,” he writes, in “Autism Screening Questionnaire — Speech and Language Delay,” a response to the question: “Did your child lose acquired speech?” Elsewhere, in “Dear Empire [these are your temples],” he takes a page from Shelley’s “Ozymandias,” writing of the ruins of power, “Its form momentarily hides the sun,/though as it sways, the light/strikes our eyes. Saying yes./Saying no.” It’s striking work, and immensely rewarding.

Spruce St., Milford. Cost: Free. Matt Brodeur: 7 p.m. Nov. 20, Art’s Diner, 541 W. Boylston St., Worcester. Wednesday Night Mayhem: 8 p.m. Nov. 20, Beatnik’s, 433 Park Ave., Worcester. Wacky Wednesday Jam: 8:30 p.m. Nov. 20, Greendale’s Pub, 404 W. Boylston St, Worcester. Duncan Arsenault and Friends: 9 p.m. Nov. 20, Vincent’s 49 Suffolk St., Worcester.

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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N O V E M B E R 14 - 20, 2019

Meet Kona & Maui!

These two fancy ladies are specialists in cave exploration, spending their days deep in their snuggle cave. All they want is a quiet place, with fun tubes to scurry around in. Can you give a home to these friendly girls? Their adoption fee is $30 for the pair.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Here are some of WARL’s regular needs: Pet Supplies: Dog and cat food (both canned and dry). Purina brand preferred. Please no grainfree; Non-clumping kitty litter; Bedding, comforters, blankets and towels (not pillows & sheets); Kuranda Beds; martingale collars.

against; For dogs: Kongs, Ruff Wear, Jolly Balls, Tuffies, tennis balls. Office Supplies: Copy paper (white and colors), postage stamps, pink and blue post-its, etc. Staples gift cards are always welcomed!

Pet Toys – For cats: furry mice and balls with bells, stuffed animals for orphaned kittens to snuggle

Computers, Laptops, Printers: Newer models or gently used models are welcomed.

Medical Supplies: Latex gloves, gauze, anti-bacterial hand sanitizer, popsicle sticks, Dixie cups, One Touch Test Strips.

depend on the heartfelt outpouring of people like you. Donations can be given online, mailed, or given in person at WARL.

Monetary Donations: WARL is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and your donations of money, time, supplies, homes, and love are vital to our cause and the lives of the animals in our care. The animals

Cleaning Supplies: Paper towels, 33-gallon trash bags, sponges, bleach, dish soap, “HE” (high efficiency) laundry detergent, Lemon Joy soap.

Amazon Wish List: Can’t stop in? Do you like the ease of shopping online? Visit our Amazon Wish List, and the items will be shipped directly to WARL!

GAMES

J O N E S I N’

“Two Can Play” – what’s on the shelf? by Matt Jones

Across

Call 978-728-4302 or email cmaclassifieds@gatehousemedia.com today to place your ad here!

Last week's solution

1 Passover bread

39 “Bad Moon Rising” band, for short 43 He had a Blue Period 44 Have a go at 48 Sound from a kitty 49 “Not ___ lifetime” 50 343 and 1331, e.g. 51 Poe’s middle name 52 “Shrek” star Mike 53 Baker’s stock 54 Binary 55 Short note 57 “It can’t be!” 59 Massages 61 Advanced coll. course 62 Muscle contraction 63 ACLU focus

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Down

2 1978 Nobel Peace Prize co-winner Sadat 3 Attack anonymously 4 ICU locale 5 Tarzan cohort 6 Cold reaction 7 Dancer’s partner? 8 City air problem 9 1996 Pauly Shore/Stephen Baldwin comedy 10 Band accessory 11 “My ___” (“Hamilton” song early in Act I) 12 Caffeine-yielding nut 13 “Come Sail Away” band 18 South American animal with a snout 19 Apprehend 25 Microsoft purchase of 2011 26 Archer, at times 28 Like some architecture or typefaces 29 Most sardonic 31 Pie crust cookie 32 Placed down 33 Mar. follower 34 Skywalker cohort 35 “Bloom County” penguin 36 Fumbler 37 Pipe section under a sink 38 L.A. area

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Fun By The Numbers Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

1 “The ___ Report” (BBC Two’s answer to “The Daily Show”) 5 Educational foundation 9 Soaks up sun 14 Domini preceder 15 Big high school event 16 6-Down’s opposite 17 What Chubby Checker tried to pull off with his hit? 20 “Jazz From Hell” Grammy winner 21 “By gosh!” 22 Kind of bracket or shelter 23 Galena, for one 24 11th-grade exam 27 Cranberry field 29 Collaboratively edited site 30 Big bucks 34 Bad excuse for a vermin catcher? 39 Duplicate 40 “A Whole New World” singer Bryson 41 Executor’s concern 42 What I can only hope for when writing this puzzle? 45 “Arrested Development” actress Portia de ___ 46 DEA figure 47 Airer of many RKO films 49 Casually 50 GoPro, e.g. 53 Rave genre, for short 56 “___ Flux” (1990s MTV series) 58 “Yours” follower 60 Difficulty identifying people? 64 Diversions (and components of the theme answers) 65 Night, in Paris 66 “The Revenant” beast 67 Aid in replay 68 “The Lord of the Rings” extras 69 Work IDs

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LAST CALL

Erin Nosek Tantasqua Superintendent T antasqua Regional High School senior Rose Pecci sat down with Tantasqua Regional School District Superintendent Dr. Erin Nosek to learn about her journey as an educator and her work in the community.

What led you to become an educator? Interestingly, I did not go to undergraduate school to become a teacher. My degree is actually in political science. During my last year at UMass, I took a course that allowed me to spend a few hours at the Belchertown State School, which housed adults with developmental delays. As part of the program, we were matched up with one of the residents for visits and did different types of social activities with them. At that point, I really became interested in education. Both of my parents were teachers and I didn’t think I wanted to be a teacher, but that experience at UMass interested me. I ended up going back to graduate school to get my certification as a teacher.

Why is working in education worthwhile? I think working in education is the best job you can have, and I mean that sincerely. Every day, we get the opportunity — whether it’s as a classroom teacher, a paraprofessional, a cafeteria worker, or a superintendent — to impact the lives of children. That is a very special calling and a unique opportunity. Our collective responsibility in education is to support the development of children so they can maximize their potential and pursue their dreams. We need students to have access to the content and resources that are important to them. We need students to build a foundation so that when they graduate, they are ready for whatever they choose to pursue. We also need our students to feel physically, socially and emotionally safe, and to ensure that they have whatever support they may need. We are trying to educate the child from a very young age all the way up to high school with the goal of everyone graduating and receiving all that they needed to in order to maximize their potential. I’d argue that it’s the most important job you can have. It’s really special.

Do you have any advice for aspiring educators? Just stick with it. Becoming a teacher can be a challenge, there’s a lot you

have to do before you can get a job. Once you are in the profession, you want to make sure you continue to develop as an educator. None of us leave college having all the information we need. You need to continue to grow and remain connected to the reason you became a teacher in the first place: to impact the lives of students. Any final thoughts? I grew up in Worcester, and I loved my time there, but I feel that I’ve been very blessed to work in so many different places with different environments and roles. Not everybody gets that opportunity, so I’m really thankful for that. I’m very, very fortunate. – Rose Pecci

After being so involved in Worcester and Worcester County for so many years, what do you think is the value of community? The value of commu-

nity is that people have a shared purpose or a shared goal. You feel connected to others and you have common goals and common desires to work towards supporting initiatives that the community might have. Without that community connection, I think especially in education, it wouldn’t make sense because we directly impact our students every day. It’s important to try to build community and support for the schools in particular, so that we can make sure our kids have everything they need.

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How do you contribute to the Worcester community aside from your job? In 1999 there was a fire in the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Co., and one of the six firefighters killed was a friend of mine named Jay Lyons. Following Jay’s passing, a group of our Doherty Memorial High How do you compare teaching to your current position? I loved School friends wanted to make sure we had a way to recognize the classroom and the students. him and his contributions. We I really enjoyed all of my experiences, no matter the district or the created a scholarship fund called the Jay Lyons Memorial Scholarposition. As a teacher you obviship that is funded each year ously spend a lot more time with through the Jay Lyons Memorial students. I miss that. As superRoad Race. Every April, we have a intendent, you don’t get the daily

5k with the support of the Blessed Sacrament Church, which is where the race starts. We have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships that go to a graduate from Doherty Memorial High School as they pursue college in Worcester. It’s a great community event. It not only allows us to fund a scholarship for a student, but it allows us to keep Jay and the other five firefighters’ memories alive. This April will be our 20th year doing the Jay Lyons Memorial Road Race. We enjoy it very much.

ROSE PECCI

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Where have you worked and what positions have you held over your career? I worked in the Worcester Public Schools for a number of years. I started out as a building sub at Sullivan Middle School. From there, I worked as a long-term substitute at Doherty High. Then, I got moved to Burncoat High. After that, I went back to Sullivan Middle School and taught seventh grade geography. I loved all my experiences in Worcester. I worked at Sullivan Middle School in a brand new building until I left Worcester Public Schools and took a principalship at Northbridge Middle School. I was there for eight years. I moved to North Brookfield as superintendent and came to Tantasqua in 2012.

interaction with children, which is something you should love if you decide to go into education. That’s the hardest part. You still work in education, you just deal with it at a different level. I appreciate opportunities to get into schools, get into classrooms, go to games, and go to plays — that allows me to see kids, which is what I love.

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