Worcester Magazine December 31, 2015 - January 6, 2016 by Worcester Magazine

DEC. 31, 2015 - JAN. 6, 2016

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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Kirk A. Davis President Kathleen Real Publisher x331 Walter Bird Jr. Editor x322 Steven King Photographer x323 Joshua Lyford x325, Tom Quinn x324 Reporters Colin Burdett, Sarah Connell, Brendan Egan, Brian Goslow, Janice Harvey, Jim Keogh, Jim Perry, Kara Senecal, Corlyn Vooorhees, Contributing Writers Megan Baynes, Jessica Picard, Jared Zanghi Editorial Interns Don Cloutier Director of Creative Services x141 Kimberly Vasseur Creative Director/Assistant Director of Creative Services x142 Matthew Fatcheric, Becky Gill, Stephanie Mallard, Zac Sawtelle Creative Services Department Helen Linnehan Ad Director x333 Diane Galipeau x335, Rick McGrail x334, Media Consultants Kathryn Connolly Media Coordinator x332 Michelle Purdie Classified Sales Specialist x433 Worcester Magazine is an independent news weekly covering Central Massachusetts. We accept no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. The Publisher has the right to refuse any advertisement. LEGALS/PUBLIC NOTICES: Please call 978-728-4302, email sales@centralmassclass.com, or mail to Central Mass Classifieds, P.O. Box 546, Holden, MA 01520

DISTRIBUTION: Worcester Magazine is available free of charge at more than 400 locations, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 each at Worcester Magazine offices. Unauthorized bulk removal of Worcester Magazine from any public location, or any other tampering with Worcester Magazine’s distribution including unauthorized inserts, is a criminal offense and may be prosecuted under the law. SUBSCRIPTIONS: First class mail, $156 for one year. Send orders and subscription correspondence to Holden Landmark Corporation, 22 West St., Suite 31, Millbury, MA 01527. ADVERTISING: To place an order for display advertising or to inquire, please call 508.749.3166. Worcester Magazine (ISSN 0191-4960) is a weekly publication of The Holden Landmark Corporation. All contents copyright 2015 by The Holden Landmark Corporation. All rights reserved. Worcester Magazine is not liable for typographical errors in advertisements.

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he numbers, as you will see in this week’s cover story, are staggering and alarming. They confirm what, by now, most in and around Worcester already know: there is a drug problem of near epic proportions in our cities and towns, and throughout the country. Worcester has been dealing with a significant increase in reported drug overdoses in recent years, from 96 in 2006 to 985 as of earlier this month. While a number of other issues, events and goings-on captured our attention in 2015, the opioid epidemic remained not only on the radar, but in our faces from start to finish. It did not always garner the headlines, as say the spate of gang shootings in the summer or race relations in the city, but through the constant emergency calls for overdoses and continued efforts at just about every level, from community organizations right up to the governor, the drug crisis remained front and center. In our last issue of the year, our annual Person of the Year, we have gone plural to honor the People of the Year – the men and women behind the scenes and out in front of war on drugs that has gripped almost every part of our nation. Worcester has not been immune, and there are a number of people, not all of whom we could include here, doing battle against the lethal threat of heroin, opiates and drug addiction. Worcester Magazine is proud to honor these warriors as our People of the Year. – Walter Bird Jr. , editor

11 Winter Education Series

4 City Desk 8 Worcesteria 10 Editorial 10 1,001 Words 11 Education 16 Cover Story 26 Night & Day 30 Film 31 Krave 34 Event Listings 39 Classifieds 47 2 minutes with… About the cover UMASS Memorial paramedics Patrick Ring and Christian Grant. Photo by Steven King Design by Kimberly Vasseur

DECEMBER 10, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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December 31, 2015 - January 6, 2016 n Volume 41, Number 18

Khrystian King readies for his crowning moment on Council

JOE SANTA MARIA/KILL THE BALL MEDIA

Tom Quinn

viewed as less tolerant and accepting than the 21st century, the two black candidates elected since then lead to some hair-raising statistics. hen Khrystian King takes office as an For example, more black councilors served At-Large City Councilor in January, in Worcester before the passage of the 15th he will be making history. In a city amendment to the Constitution – which frequently cited for its diversity, King will guarantees voting rights regardless of race – become its first black councilor in 15 years – and the first black male councilor since before than have served since then, although King will bring that ratio into a tie. And there was World War II. a 59-year gap between Scott and Luster where The Council has had 11 white members, Worcester’s black population did not have or 10 out of 11 white members, for long any representatives that looked like them, stretches, and King will join with District 4 despite an increase in Worcester’s overall Councilor Sarai Rivera to make one of the racial diversity in that time period. Another most diverse councils in recent memory – 15-year gap will separate Luster and King, with two candidates from communities of marking seven recent elections where no color. black candidate was successful in their bid for “It has a lot of significance,” Worcester a seat. NAACP president Pat Yancey said. “It’s been Current At-Large Councilor Konnie Lukes, too long since we’ve had an African-American sit on the City Council, and we’re excited that for another example, has more years of service on the Council than every black people were engaged enough to vote for a member in Worcester’s history, combined. qualified and committed candidate.” King, a first-generation American whose Stacey DeBoise Luster was elected in 1997, family immigrated from Bermuda, said he making history as the first black woman is aware of the implications of his victory, to earn a seat on the City Council. She was calling to mind Busby, Scott and other reelected in 1999, but resigned to take a position with Worcester Public Schools in July trailblazers. “I think it’s very important that a city’s 2000. government is a reflection of its population,” Before Luster, the last black City Councilor was Charles E. Scott, who served from 1918 to King said. “I think that’s significant. I think it’s certainly good for the Council to have a 1921 and from 1926 until his death in 1938. well-rounded voice.” Before Scott, G. Alfred Busby served one term starting in 1903. Although both Scott continued on page 6 and Busby were elected in a time generally

Khrystian King

WOO-TOWN INDE X A weekly quality of life check-in of Worcester

The city gets bad news before year’s end when the Massachusetts School Building at Authority rejects bids to include three schools in the agency’s next eligibility period. -3

Even if you hate snow, don’t you feel better now that some snow has fallen in December? +1

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM • DECEMBER 31, 2015

First Night Worcester soldiers on, giving those living in and around the city a local and fun option for New Year’s Eve. +2

Two gun-toting thieves shake things up at McGuire’s Lounge in Worcester, with one of them alleging firing a shot at the ceiling. Bottom’s up! -2

-1

Total for this week:

Worcester to change minimum age to buy cigarettes to 21? Boston did it, could happen here. 0

Chaos reigns in Southbridge, but School Committee catches a break when the AG’s office rules it did not violate the Open Meeting Law at a July meeting. +1

We support a more bike- and pedestrianfriendly city, but there are streets in Worcester that are barely wide enough for cars, yet have bike lanes. How about common sense? -2

Although the music scene has changed in Worcester, the slate of bands and performers throughout the city for New Year’s Eve is impressive. Try seeing one. +2

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Keys to the city a longtime tradition

JOE SANTA MARIA/KILL THE BALL MEDIA

Tom Quinn

he keys do not actually open anything, unless the door leading to a lifetime of bragging rights has a lock on it. The Key to the City of Worcester has been forged and given away hundreds of times over the years; each time it is a carefully considered gift from the sitting mayor to a resident of Worcester or respected visitor, presented as a recognition of their contributions. Most recently, Mayor Joe Petty paid a Christmas Eve visit to Vincent J. Perrone at his Dana Ave home, awarding him a Key to the City for his service in World War II as well as 69 years running a hair salon business in Worcester. Worcester’s Key to the City program was started in 1924 by then-mayor Michael O’Hara, whose grandson was the first to receive a redesigned version of the Key when they began production in 2012. Today, there are actually two versions of the key. One is a plaque version, which the mayor’s office gets from Olympic Trophy on Main Street. The other, newer version is a replica of O’Hara’s key manufactured by students in the Advanced Manufacturing Program at Worcester Technical High School. “The Key to the City of Worcester is conferred to individuals by Mayor Petty for a myriad of reasons,” according to a statement from the mayor’s office. “Some have received it for their commitment to Worcester over the course of many years like Fred Eppinger, others for a specific project that improved our city like Officer Sean Lovely. Some people have received a Key to the City to celebrate their 100th birthday, others for owning and operating a business here in Worcester for many years. On Dec. 7 the Mayor presented the Key to the City to a woman who served at Pearl Harbor during World War II. For some of

our notable visitors, such as President Obama or Neil DeGrasse Tyson, it is the ultimate way to show how welcoming our city is to visitors.” The price of the key, which comes out of the mayor’s budget, often pales in comparison to the monetary value of the recipient’s contribution to Worcester, though. C. Jean McDonough, for example, received a key to the city in October after the Myles and

C. Jean McDonough Foundation made “the biggest [donation] to the Worcester cultural community this century, if not of all time,” according to the city manager - $15.25 million to seven organizations, including the American Antiquarian Society, the Worcester Art Museum and the the Worcester Historical Museum. And New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft received a key when he visited the city earlier this month, and donated

$200,000 divided evenly between Worcester Tech and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The Key to the City award isn’t always a fluff ceremony, either. Petty has awarded a Key to at least one controversial resident – Peter Stefan, the funeral parlor director who buried Boston bombing perpetrator Tamerlan Tsarnaev amid protests and politicians continued on page 7

DECEMBER 31, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

{ citydesk } KING continued from page 4

Still, Yancey and King were both quick to point to his qualifications as the main reason he was elected, including his career as a social worker and his experience advocating for youth. “Being committed to the city in the way that I am, as a result of losing friends to gun violence when I was a young adult, I think that resonated across race, across parts of the city – a commitment to youth, a good work ethic,” King said. When Luster resigned, Juan Gomez took her place, breaking into the Council as a Latino candidate. He went on to win reelection twice, before losing his seat in 2005 and narrowly losing to King for the sixth at-large seat this year. Rivera was elected in 2011 as the only non-white member of the Council, at a time when the rest of the city’s representative bodies are lacking in color. Hilda Ramirez’s defeat on the School Committee side will lead to seven white members there (including the mayor), while all five of Worcester’s state representatives are white. “It’s not the only time I’ve been the only person [of color],” Rivera said. “It’s not the most uncommon thing in the world. I know what it is to be in a classroom and I’m the only student of color, or a meeting or a training or a workshop.”

Rivera said the idea that all heads should turn toward her when a racial issue comes up – as they have, in candidates’ forums before, she said – was flawed, since all councilors should represent their entire constituency. Just as she is not just representing Latinos, white candidates are not only representing whites. Still, she said, there are valid reasons to desire governmental representation that looks representative of Worcester’s black and Latino populations – firsthand knowledge and experience being the foremost advantages. “You could be the most sensitive, egalitarian man in the world, if you’re with three of your girlfriends and they’re talking about their menstrual cycles – if you come in and say, ‘Yeah, that bloating is awful,’ they’re going to say, ‘What are you talking about?’” Rivera said. Likewise, Yancey said firsthand experience, like the kind King has growing up as a black man, cannot be replicated or reproduced by anyone else. “The diversity of voices is very important,” Yancey said. “It takes a person of color to know the community of color and how things impact us on a personal level. [King’s] experience as a person of color can’t be replaced by anything else. Living in Worcester, living in any community is unique, different from living as someone who is white or Latino. That experience and cultural

competency gives him a more holistic and deep understanding of what’s going on in our community.” The west side of Worcester is famous for having high voter turnout, while more urban areas tend to have worse voting rates – and the demographic differences in those two areas are frequently cited when explaining why more candidates of color aren’t elected. Communities of color aren’t voting, goes the argument. Rivera said, regardless of voter turnout, candidates of color face challenges while campaigning that white candidates do not. “People would question my level of education and assume I didn’t have one. People would assume I wouldn’t speak English,” Rivera, who has a doctorate degree, said. “I remember knocking on a door in a predominantly white area, and I don’t think this was malicious, but this person wanted to be supportive, and they said, ‘don’t worry about the white vote, because they’re not going to vote for you.’ … They didn’t say it in a malicious way, but that’s the ignorance.” King, who also ran an unsuccessful campaign for state representative in the 16th Worcester district in 2013, mentioned negative experiences on the campaign trail, but said overall the campaigning experience was positive. “That’s something as a black male, you

experience in life,” King said. “[But] we received a tremendous amount of support here in the city.” Yancey said King’s election, “adds more richness to the tapestry Worcester is,” and would be beneficial for future generations of hopeful political leaders in communities of color. “I think it’s important that young people of color have role models in all levels of leadership, because without people who look like you in these positions, it’s hard to visualize yourself getting there,” Yancey said. King had a similar point, making sure to cite those who went ahead of him in the political arena, and expressing hope that his candidacy would have an impact. “Bill Coleman, a perennial candidate, I remember being a young boy, playing basketball, and when I looked in the paper, he was the only person who looked like me,” King said. “And he was a candidate. It had an impact on me. And now I’m knocking on doors, seeing little boys and girls who look like me. You hope to influence folks to be active in their community. I hope this candidacy shows that hard work and community commitment can win you an election despite how you look, where you come from or who you are.”

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM • DECEMBER 31, 2015

continued on next page

{ citydesk } KEYS continued from page 5

jockeying to remain disassociated with the action. “I think we made the city of Worcester proud, and I think we certainly taught the world a lesson in ethics,” Stefan said at a City Council meeting, a few weeks after the 2013 municipal election, where he accepted the Key. The Worcester Historical Museum is intertwined with the new Keys to the City as well, having helped with the design of the keys to replicate the intricate design of the 1924 symbol. Students from Worcester Tech are the most involved now, though, taking the key from the computer-aided design phase to physical reality. “We did it in [modeling program] Mastercam, using the art component,” Brian Cummings, who heads up the Advanced Manufacturing Program at Worcester Tech, said. “So we drew the whole key up and put all the artwork on … made it a little more modern looking.” Cummings estimated his program turns out 60 keys per year with the aid of the Haas Technical Education Center. When the program started the keys were made of lead and were gold-plated, although these days they are made out of different material. “You take a piece of brass – a raw piece of 6-inch long brass – and we cut it,” Cummings said. “And with cutting all that material away, the material stretches, so it bends and twists everywhere, so we have to straighten them when they come off the machine, and we have to polish them.” Since the Key to the City program is not a legal matter and is not governed by the KING continued from page 6

Still, King’s overall goal is simple – to be an effective City Councilor and to help make Worcester a better city. “At the very first Council meeting, none of this other stuff matters,” King said. “At the end of the day, this matters to me personally a great deal … I’m not going to say it doesn’t matter. It absolutely matters to my family and my friends, and it’s a source of pride for our city, so I don’t want to downplay it at all, but

city charter, record-keeping about who the recipients are is a little haphazard. But a partial list provided by the mayor’s office shows dozens of recipients in 2015 alone, and more than 150 stretching back to Mayor Joe Petty’s first term in 2012. “It’s one of the better parts of the job,” Petty said. “Many times it’s a surprise, and people really do appreciate the key, or a proclamation.” Keys to the City don’t have to go to specific individuals, and mayors have awarded them to a number of organizations over the years. The Worcester Bravehearts, for example, received a key to the city after winning the Futures Collegiate Baseball League championship in their inaugural 2014 season. Cummings can rattle off a list of recipients, including president Barack Obama, who gave Worcester Tech’s commencement speech in 2014. “It’s certainly a win-win for the mayor and our program as well,” Cummings said. “It’s a tough program to draw [students to] … anything that can be done to bring recognition to our shop is always helpful. To do this job for the mayor is a big honor, but it’s also good recognition for us, so as long as we can do them we’ll continue to do them.” As for the initial class of students who designed and produced the first batch of redesigned Keys, they received the only honor that would be appropriate – a Key to the City of Worcester. Reporter Tom Quinn can be reached at 508-749-3166 x324 or tquinn@ worcestermagazine.com with story ideas, feedback, or questions. Follow him on Twitter @bytomquinn. at the end of the day, when you sit down at the Council, you have to do your work, find out how to build relationships and find out how to get things accomplished.”

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Reporter Tom Quinn can be reached at 508-749-3166 x324 or tquinn@ worcestermagazine.com with story ideas, feedback, or questions. Follow him on Twitter @bytomquinn.

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DECEMBER 31, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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Tom Quinn

Below is a look back on notable events from the past year, filtered through a Worcesteria lens and a photo of Main Street Worcester a few days after we had we had sunny skies and 60-degree weather, as a reminder that no matter what happens in all the months in between, the year is always going to start and end the same way – with Mother Nature vomiting all over the city and screwing up everyone’s commute. Here’s to a Happy New Year.

JOE SANTA MARIA/KILL THE BALL MEDIA

January: “That the City Council go on record in support of the Worcester Police Department

and the department’s high level of professionalism, leadership in community relations and dedication to the citizens of Worcester.” That was City Councilor Konnie Lukes’ proposed resolution, which ended up passing 9-2, while a similar resolution stating that “all lives matter” passed 11-0. The whole thing came on the heels of national attention focused on (usually white) police killings of (usually young) black men, with a huge number of protesters showing up to the Council through a few meetings to call the timing bad and the resolution hurtful, with some pointing to brutality lawsuits against the WPD and referencing personal anecdotes of violence. Later in the month, the Kelley Square Four blocked the bustling intersection for four and a half minutes as Black Lives Matter protest. They did it along with dozens of allies, although only four people were picked out by the WPD and subsequently charged with disturbing the peace in a court case that — as of publication — is still ongoing.

February: Melinda Boone, the ex-Worcester Public Schools superintendent and part-time

lighting rod, held a meeting at North High School for parents to address a series of bomb threats and assaults. North was a huge part of the city’s conversation in 2015, with the incidents — which administrators would say were perpetrated by a small minority of students — affecting everything from political ambitions to newspaper coverage to, we assume, actual students’ lives. Parents complained there was not a whole lot of notice for the meeting, and the administration gave a generous, unverified estimate of 33 parent attendees. They optimistically ordered 50 Ciao Bella pizzas for the event, sending people home with uneaten ‘za. Both the number of parents and quality of the pizza went unverified by local reporters, who were banned from the meeting in what appears to be the first sign that the WPS were turning to the Dark Side (as opposed to the Transparent Side). Boone would announce her departure for greener pastures in her home state of Virginia later in the year, causing a fracas over her successor that is still ongoing.

March: The city of Worcester reached an agreement with New Hampshire developer Brady Sullivan, selling them the old Worcester County Courthouse for $1.2 million. The deal was touted as a clear win for the administration, as the city had taken over the site from the state for $1 one year prior, and proponents celebrated the preservation of a historic structure and the addition of mixed-use residential and retail space to a “no man’s land” on north Main Street. The Worcester Community-Labor Coalition, however, showed up to discussions wearing bright orange stickers advocating for local jobs to remind the city’s power elite that they can ask for things in negotiations with developers. In this case, the agreement was amended to include provisions requiring the developer to ask for permission before selling the building to a taxexempt organization and an agreement to not seek an “HDIP” tax break deal. Although Brady Sullivan also pledged to use “best efforts” to hire 50 percent of its labor from local labor sources, WCLC members also raised questions about the developer’s track record, and complaints that have been filed against it in the past. April: April was quite the month for Worcester’s lackluster sports scene. The Worcester 8

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM • DECEMBER 31, 2015

{ worcesteria } Sharks hockey team played its last game in the DCU Center before moving back to California to be closer to its parent team, the San Jose Sharks. Later in the year, it would be revealed that Worcester may get a replacement team in the future from the ECHL, one level below the American Hockey League the Sharks played in. That month was also when talk of a merger of the Holden and Worcester tennis clubs was discussed. That was significant because the club actually voted to try to enter into a public-private partnership with the city of Worcester, which would have kept the club in the city and taken the $500,000 it had on hand and added it to money from the city to upgrade the tennis courts at Elm Park. That plan was scuttled, and in possibly related news, there was vocal public opposition to the plan. The Telegram broke the story, but decided the best person to write it would be a member of the Holden club (which stood to benefit from a merger), so they can’t be awarded any points for it. In addition to all that, a couple Worcester State University students got their film about the Worcester Tornadoes and Bravehearts baseball teams on NESN as part of a contest.

Real People. Real Learning. Real World.

June: The last in a series of U.S. Department of Justice facilitated talks – not counting the actual last one, which was more of a summary – was held at Worcester Tech. The talks were held weekly to address topics such as representative government and the media through the lens of race. Proponents said the talks helped with the racial climate in Worcester – opponents said they were a waste of time that accomplished nothing. Like so many things, though, both sides probably came to those conclusions before the events even happened. The whole series started shortly after white WPD officer Michael Motyka was arrested for an alleged raciallycharged beating of a handcuffed black prisoner.

July: The Boynton Park Brawl had all the elements of a great newspaper story – violence, public employees, doggies and pissed off residents just aching to give a great quote. The undisputed facts of the case are, since the city of Worcester bans dogs in all its parks, dog lovers turned Boynton Park in Paxton (although the park is still Worcester property) into a de facto dog park. On July 5, a Worcester Parks employee drove over a makeshift barricade residents at the park had erected at the entrance to a large field and drove away, creating quite a scene. From there, stories about what happened differ. Dog lovers said the employee had been a problem for months before the incident, and escalated things. They also characterized his exit as a hit and run, as one resident said the fleeing car brushed him, hurting his hand and breaking his watch. The employee, who was let go by a city administration already under pressure to do something – anything – about the years-long dog park deficit, said he was ordered to go to the park multiple times per day despite his fear of dogs, that he did not see the barricade before driving through it and did not mean to hit anyone, and that he was actually sympathetic to dog owners’ complaints of being put in a no-win situation by the city. August: When a Worcester SWAT team and state police raided a Hillside Street apartment on Aug. 19, they were looking for Shane Jackson on a “no-knock” warrant. Jackson had a different address on file multiple places, including with the parole officer he was checking in with regularly, but based on their best guess at the time, police went into Marianne Diaz’s apartment with guns drawn. Diaz’s story drew sympathy from many in the community, as she had her young daughters with her and was naked at 5:30 a.m. when the officers burst in, and said her daughters were traumatized while her fiancee and a roommate both sustained injuries. Police had a different take on the event, of course, addressing open letters specifically to the reporter who broke the story – the Telegram’s Brad Petrishen – saying the officers acted professionally, did nothing wrong and the vulgar language Diaz recounted would have been avoided so as not to confuse residents who might think a SWAT raid was home invasion. Perish the thought. October: The city and Preservation Worcester announced a plan to save Stearns Tavern, one of he oldest documented buildings in the city, from demolition. The owner had applied for a permit to tear down the building, although he said he wanted to see it moved to a good home, and the powers that be came through with a plan for Preservation Worcester to pay for operating costs until the building can be relocated to the old Coes Knife site next Spring, at which point the city will take ownership. The site, planned to be a universally-accessible playground near Coes Pond, will be a perfect fit for the historic building, proponents said. November: There was a hotly contested City Council election in November, one that lead to a recount, then not a recount, with some sharp words interspersed. Rick Rushton decided not to run for reelection, so Khrystian King edged out Juan Gomez to claim the sixth spot on the at-large panel. All five other incumbents won reelection, because something something machine politics, although Mike Gaffney did make a run at Joe Petty for mayor that, while unsuccessful, resulted in his ascension to the vice-chair seat. The only district seat to change was District 2, where Phil Palmieri ran at-large before deciding to withdraw, leaving the door open for Candy Mero Carlson to defeat Jennithan Cortes. On the School Committee side, Donna Colorio reclaimed a seat, while Molly McCullough won her first campaign, booting off Tracy O’Connell Novick and Hilda Ramirez. Oh, and some guy named Donald Trump came to town and packed the DCU Center for one night.

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Reporter Tom Quinn can be reached at 508-749-3166 x324 or tquinn@worcestermagazine.com with story ideas, feedback, or questions. Follow him on Twitter @bytomquinn DECEMBER 31, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

commentary | opinions slants& rants { }

Editorial Reflections on the year that was

he year is almost over, and what a year it was in Worcester. Gangs that couldn’t shoot straight saved the city from seeing even more tragedies, but put residents on edge, nonetheless, as their violence turned more brazen as the summer wore on. North High turned into a battleground before a series of steps helped bring about calm in the halls and classrooms. A superintendent bolted town right before an election that may well have turned out different had she stayed. The Black Lives Matter movement grew strong in Worcester, leading many to wonder just what they were angry about, since no black people were being shot to death by cops like they were in other parts of the country. They got plenty when four activists were arrested for blocking traffic in Kelley Square. A mayor got the scare of his political life and survived. A city manager finished his first full year to near-universal rave reviews. People on Lincoln Street continued to get mowed down by vehicles. The T&G continued to serve as a revolving doordoor, this time for publishers. Oh, and their building was sold. A first-term councilor tapped into the frustration of many residents and parlayed it into a second-place finish in both the mayor’s and At-Large Council races. As the year wound down, a number of fire deaths rocked the city. Drug overdoses continued to plague the city and the state, as officials and others worked frantically to stem the deadly tide of an opiate scourge. A Republican governor serving his first term in the bluest of blue states ended up the highest ranked governor in the country. The Donald descended upon Worcester and drew crowds that stretched blocks away from the DCU Center. A group of folks wearing orange remained persistent, but failed to attract City Council to its cause. A local columnist outed a local blogger, who in turn denied being the sole person behind the blog. A series of race dialogues was held throughout the city, facilitated by the U.S. Department of Justice – and once more prompting some to ask, “What is the problem again?” The head of the Worcester Housing Authority generated controversy by suggesting folks utilizing government-subsidized housing try to get an education or work their way out of those living quarters – or risk being told to leave. For the second year in a row, the city earned a perfect rating for its efforts promoting LGBTQ rights. Downtown Worcester started taking shape in its newest form, with the promise of more positive change to come. Dog owners and their four-legged friends took a stand at Boynton Park – and a city employee lost his job. Oh, and the city still has no official dog park. For us, the year that was is about to give way to the year to come. We hope all that happened in and around Worcester this year helps the city as it looks ahead to a new 12 months. What do they hold? We’ll be sure to help keep you in the know – and we hope you will continue to keep us informed. From all of us at Worcester Magazine, Happy New Year. We’ll see you in 2016.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

• DECEMBER 31, 2015

1,001 words By Steven King

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY Have something on your mind? Don’t keep it bottled up, put it in words and send it to Worcester Magazine! Letters to the editor are a great way to share your thoughts and opinions with thousands of readers and online viewers each week. There is no word limit, but we reserve the right to edit for length, so brevity is your friend. If handwritten, write legibly - if we cannot read it, we are not running it. Personal attacks and insults don’t fly with us, so save them for when someone cuts you off in traffic. A full name and town or city of residence are required. Please include an email address or phone number for verification purposes only. That information will not be published. Make sure your letter makes it into Worcester Magazine in a timely fashion — send it in by the Monday of the next issue. Please note that letters will run as space allows. Send them to Worcester Magazine, 72 Shrewsbury St., Worcester, MA 01604 or by email to editor@worcestermag.com.

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A CALL TO PERFORMERS, VENUES AND EXHIBITORS

Feel free to include a orcester Magazine’s annual Spring Arts Preview hits the streets FR E E high-quality, high-res photograph, which we Thursday, March 24. While may use if needed. it may seem a while off, it will be Or you can reach out here before you know it, and if you to our photographer, want your event to be featured, we Steven King, at encourage early responses. sking@worcestermagazine. If you are a band, museum, artist, com to arrange a performance or film venue, theatre, photograph. author, bookstore or similar group or G SPR IN All information individual, we ask you to submit your should be emailed to listings of events happening from March the editor at wbird@ 24 through May 31. worcestermagazine.com, We comb past issues and web Preview Subject Line: sites looking for the most up to date PT 6 SE SPRING ARTS PREVIEW. information, but the best source 18 AP RI L ON VI EW For more details, c is you! all 508-749-3166, ext 322 or Your listing should include the name of email the editor. venue/performer/event/etc, the date and We look forward to including you in this special, time, address, web site and social media information yearly edition! and a brief, but explanatory description of the event. 2015 - APRIL 1, MARCH 26

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Winter Education Series

{ education }

Colleges hit ‘like’ button on social media Brendan Egan

ey. Hey, you. Take your eyes off Facebook for a second and look over here. Social media has become an almost integral part of life for many people and organizations. The ironic thing is, if you just looked up from your Twitter, you might have missed this article. Everyone from businesses to news outlets are on board with using these electronic soap boxes. Constant feeds keep people posted on their friends and family while they flip through the day’s headlines. It’s no wonder colleges and universities across the city and country are doing the same. Whether schools are reaching out to potential new students, guiding enrolling students or keeping alumni abreast of the goings on with their Alma Mater, many are on board with riding the Internet wave to reach out to whoever will listen or watch. “The big thing, social media marketing, part of the reason it’s getting so much attention now, when you do it strategically and correctly you have that increased communication. It increases your brand awareness,” said Jessica McCaughey, social media specialist for The College of the Holy Cross. McCaughey is the school’s only social media specialist, but she is not the only one responsible for maintaining Holy Cross’s online presence. She said each department generally has a social media manager that updates the world on its happenings, including the athletic department, admissions, student affairs and many others. Worcester is home to nine higher ed institutions, and more are just a short ride out of town. You would be hard-pressed to find one that does not have a social media presence. Accounts range from the obvious sites, such as Facebook and Instagram to other social media platforms that might come as a bit of a surprise. As future students look for guidance online, McCaughey said, social media is a great way to reach out and get their questions answered. “Students can expect responses within 24 hours,” said McCaughey. “So it’s faster than email.”

If you’re in the market for a new school, there are plenty of ways to end up on your school of choice’s social media account. Obviously, the first resort is to just fire up your favorite platform and search for the school. Odds are, they are already there waiting for you. Schools also reach interested candidates through mailing lists, or “email blasts,” so check your spam folder if you are looking for a new school, because it is probably not all Nigerian princes and herbal supplements. Worcester State University is making an extra effort to use advertising within social media to catch the attention of those who

might not seek out the university on their own. The school’s executive director of marketing, Tara Probeck, explained the importance of social media in preparing incoming students and keeping them informed. Getting interested people into the mix online sets them up to feel like “they are part of a community already,” even before they arrive. “We’re entertaining using Facebook ads, also, for visibility and awareness, and out of state recruiting,” said Probeck. Sponsored Facebook ads go out to larger audiences. regardless of whether they participate or follow a particular account. “There’s never just one way in which marketing can solve all of your problems,’ Probeck said. “Social media is another one of those mediums that the younger generations respond to.” Both Worcester State University and Holy Cross maintain alumni pages as well as pages for upcoming graduating classes to help boost school and community spirit. Looking to attend a class

reunion? That is something else easily organized on social media. Incoming students can use social media to introduce themselves to future classmates and figure out who they are rooming with, said Probeck. “It’s one of those things that sort of manages itself,” she said. Besides the obvious website and app choices, schools have started to use social media that might seem a little offbeat at first, but actually makes quite a bit of sense when you think about it. Visual media are often great ways to give people a literal look at what is happening at events and functions at their potential or past school. “We always try to make sure we’re keeping up with trends. It’s definitely making sure we have Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We’re also branching out and joining Periscope and Snapchat,” said McCaughey. Utilizing apps such as Periscope, institutions can live stream events right to Smartphones and tablets - no need to be present. According to McCaughey, this appeals to alumni who are interested in what is happening at their schools but do not necessarily have the time to attend events. Holy Cross most recently tested its Periscope account by doing a 10-minute live stream of the tree lighting ceremony this past December. “Just as much attention as we give to ... those students, bringing them in, we do just as much after they leave. Whether that’s encouraging them to come back and visit or share things and re-Tweet them,” said Probeck. “We actually even have a Pinterest account. That’s managed part time by a person in my office.” Probeck said Worcester State University also has a Snapchat account in the works, and hopes to have it launched for the upcoming semester. The school has not made the jump to video-related social media giants Periscope or Vine, however. The school is also working on a YouTube account in order to showcase the campus’s offerings in a series of videos that talk about residential life, the school’s high commuter population, admissions and continuing education. If you head over to YouTube now, you can find accounts for Holy Cross, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Becker College already teeming with videos. The Internet is hard to predict. and there is no real way to say where things might end up through the coming years. Schools will likely adapt and figure out new creative and efficient ways to get information out. “This generation is definitely the type that they’re used to having the Internet in their hands,” said McCaughey.

DECEMBER 31, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

{ education } Winter Education Series Megan Baynes

Surviving college finals: Music to study by

inals are looming, stress levels are rising, and students across Worcester are desperately cramming in order to ace remaining exams and coursework before school finishes for the festive season. With increasing numbers of students retreating to the library, or the dark confines of their dorm room, many are turning to music to help them with their studies. Talking with students around Worcester, there seems to be a common thread amongst music preferences. That is, the majority of students find music with lyrics too distracting. “I mostly listen to just music without lyrics, so I can focus on my work,” said local student Heather Bagdoian, 19. “Or I put on stuff that I know the words to really, and that way I don’t focus on them as much.” While it may seem strange, because after all, surely if you know the music well you are more likely to get distracted by it, a study published in ‘Scientific Reports’ found that listening to music you actually like can help you focus in on your own thoughts. What the results of the study showed was pretty unexpected. When the participants were listening to a song they liked, they

were better connected to a part of the brain called the “default mode network,” which is linked to how human beings can switch between thinking about what is going on around them, and their self-referential thoughts. That, the study found, is why it is easier to tune out a song when you know the lyrics really well. The relationship between music and the brain has been heavily explored, and will likely continue to be so. Many studies have already pointed to music’s ability to improve productivity, or help children learn more effectively, and this can be translated to tackling college finals. Everyone knows the old wives tale that classical music will make you smarter, but it is actually much more than that. “The Mozart Effect” is a psychological phenomenon, which shows creativity soars when people listen to Mozart. In addition, stress is relieved, communication is improved and efficiency is increased. Many students find lyrics too distracting, and some have said that if they listen to music with lyrics they just end up typing out the song. That is where Mozart (or classical music in general) comes in. continued on page 14

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

• DECEMBER 31, 2015

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Classical music “raises performance levels and productivity by reducing stress and tension, masking irritating sounds and contributing to a sense of privacy,” said Don Campbell, author of the “Mozart Effect.” It has even been shown to calm autistic children, and those suffering from ADHD. It has been found that students using the “Mozart Effect” pieces, and certain other baroque pieces (recorded at about 60 beats per minute), could study longer, and had a higher rate of retention, as well as earning better grades - something most college students are hoping for as the term draws to a close. Dr. Georgi Lozanov, the renowned Bulgarian psychologist, developed a methodology for teaching foreign languages that used baroque music with a beat pattern of approximately 60 beats per minute, students were able to learn in a fraction of the normal time. In fact, Lozanov proved conclusively that by using certain baroque pieces, foreign languages could be mastered with 85-100 per cent effectiveness in 30 days. The usual time is two years. Students who learned using this method were still able to recall their second language with nearly 100-percent accuracy, even after not studying it for four years. Still hate classical music? Well, the first study mentioned may prove that the type of music you listen to might not be as important

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as your preference for it. So if you still prefer rocking out to Slipknot while you take down those notes, you’ll be just fine. If you still hate listening to music altogether, check out 4’33” by John Cage, a threemovement composition by the experimental composer, which is essentially four minutes and thirty-three seconds of silence. Need some inspiration? Here are a few suggestions from local Worcester students. • Madelyn Bowers, 19: “I listen to the electronica Pandora station. It has lots of Lindsey Sterling, which is intense and motivating. It also has no lyrics so it’s not distracting.” • Steve Warich, 23: “I’d say my go to is ‘On My Way,’ because it’s wicked uplifting. Or classical music — largely Mozart — and most songs by Moby.” • Eliana Stanislawski, 20: “‘Welcome Home’ by Radical Face. It mellows me out! The song reminds of feeling at home.” • Sacha Silverstone, 21: “Spotify has some really good playlists, like Zen.” • Sam Nelin, 22: “‘The Sound of Silence.’ Unpack that one.” • Luke Ballmer, 20: “I listen to Eric Satie’s ‘Gymnopédies.’ It’s evocative and emotional when you’re focusing on it, and pleasantly forgettable when you’re not.” • Writer’s Recommendation: Ludivico Einaudi is my go-to. His piano pieces are very relaxing and make good background music when you’re trying to concentrate.

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{ education }

The Cheapest Colleges in Massachusetts 30

Walter Bird Jr.

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

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Worcester State University

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Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

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Westfield State University

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If, like most of us, your family is not rolling in dough — or you can’t get a “small loan” of $1 million like Donald Trump — you may be factoring in tuition and fees in your decision on where to attend college. Fear not, we took to the Internet — which, I suppose, you could do as well — and came up with the Top 20 Cheapest Colleges in Massachusetts. Remember, cheaper does not necessarily mean a lesser education. Your research into college destinations will tell you that, but for pure cash considerations, here are some place you can go without bankrupting your great-grandchildren.

25 Cost, in thousands, annually, in-state

ou have dreams. You are finishing up high school, you want to go to college. Most of all, you want to get away from home, right? Your parents very well feel the same way (with love, of course). Getting to college is not as easy as a dream, however. There is a price tag.

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At Westfield, you can. Find out how this environment inspires you. To think. To grow. To be curious. westfield.ma.edu/banacos

DECEMBER 31, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

{ coverstory }

FILE PHOTO/STEVEN KING

THE FIGHT AGAINST THE DRUG EPIDEMIC

PEOPLE OF THE

YEAR

By Walter Bird Jr.

When it comes to the drug crisis that has clutched Worcester and so many other cities and towns in a vice-like grip, the numbers are not simply staggering, they are horrifying. 16

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Through Dec. 9 this year, there were 105 overdose deaths in Worcester County. That was just eight off last year’s pace. It marks three years in a row of 100 or more drug overdose deaths in Worcester County. In Worcester alone, through Dec. 15 there were 985 reported overdoses – a 263-percent increase over 2006, when there were 96. There has not been one year since then when the numbers have declined. Overdose deaths in Worcester continue at an alarming rate, with 79 through Dec. 15. Over the final five months of the year, there have been 22 fatal overdoses. Over the same period last year, there were 19. That included the fateful month of August, when there were 12 fatal overdoses – about 10 in less than a week. It was kicked off by a three-way, fatal overdose in a housing project off Mill Street. Just days later, city officials declared the

• DECEMBER 31, 2015

city in crisis. It is safe — and tragic — to say the drug crisis facing the nation has not only worsened, it has opened the eyes of many who may have been content just a year or two ago to say, “Who cares, as long as it doesn’t affect me?” The problem is, statistically, the drug epidemic is on pace to touch the lives of everyone. In and around Worcester, eyes are wide open to a problem that has grabbed as many, if not more, headlines than any other issue. In 2015, we have seen local politics screech into the forefront, a presidential election grab the attention of thousands with the visit of one of the leading GOP presidential contenders, a blog that filled the void for some who craved a more bloodthirsty approach to the news and much more. What we also have seen is the rise of many,

many people and organizations working frantically to stop the seemingly senseless loss of so many lives to an addiction that did not arrive overnight, but for too long went unnoticed. In many ways, it was not unlike the NIMBY approach – so long as it was not happening in our back yard, why pay attention? If everyone is not paying attention now, they do so only out of ignorance. In the case of Worcester, indeed the entire state, that ignorance is fast fading. With that in mind, we have chosen a group of individuals as Worcester Magazine’s People of the Year. They are the people on the front lines, behind the scenes, in the board rooms and court rooms, and in the hospitals where the fight against the drug epidemic is being waged mightily. In some cases, we spoke with people representing an organization or agency. From government leaders, to police, to fire, to

{ coverstory }

Top Locations for Repeat Overdose Activity

FROM THE STREETS TO SOBRIETY When we talk about the drug

epidemic and those refusing to stand down from its path, the user may not be the first person that comes to mind as

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health officials, to schools and more - there are plenty of people in the fight against the opiate epidemic, too many to acknowledge here given the constrictions of a finite amount of news print. Through their work and efforts, attitudes and perceptions about the drug crisis and the users themselves are changing. More money and resources are being poured into a desperate attempt to spare more families from the agony of losing a loved one to a drug overdose. More lives will be lost, to be sure. The people leading the fight, however, are committed to providing more help to the drug user and more penalties to the dealer. It is a slow, painful battle whose field is already littered with too many bodies. It is, however, a fight that must continued to be waged. To those waging it, the alternative is simply unacceptable.

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a valiant soldier in the battle. When you think about it, though, who knows any better than the person caught in the throes of addiction about what it takes to overcome it?

Not every drug user is able to stand so tall, especially when he or she is in the nod from heroin or frantically seeking that next high. Darilyn Espinoza has been there. If this latest

war on drugs (make no mistake, the first war on drugs was an epic failure) needs a frontline commander, the 17-year-old Espinoza with a disarming smile and laugh, is as good a candidate as any. The young woman whose first name sounds like “darling” is a student at Worcester’s Recovery High School, also known as the Rockdale Recovery School, at 20 Rockdale St. Espinoza is one of 28 students at the school, which opened this year as the fifth recovery

school in Massachusetts. The others are in Beverly, Boston, Brockton and Springfield. Sipping from an over-sized mug filled with juice, Espinoza sat in a conference room at the school recently. At first glance, she is like any other high school student. In fact, she attended North High School for a spell. In most ways, she is like her peers in public high school. She has the goal of graduating high school, attending college and taking on a career – she had been thinking police officer, but loves fashion, drawing and makeup. Like many others in their late teens, she is undecided on her professional future. Right now, Espinoza has her eyes on another prize: sobriety. As of Dec. 26, the Portland, Oregon transplant was one year sober. At the time she spoke with Worcester Magazine, she was also six days clean from cigarettes and vaping. Having been involved in Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, Espinoza knows staying sober is a one-dayat-a-time affair. In many ways, that is how she has been living her life all these years: one day at a time, one trauma after another, one fix to the next. “My brother is a meth addict,” Espinoza said, noting the difference in drug preferences on different sides of the country. “On the east coast, the drug of choice is heroin. On the

continued on page 18

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{ coverstory }

JOE SANTA MARIA/KILL THE BALL MEDIA

continued from page 17

west coast, it’s meth.” She and her brother shared a single mother and different fathers. Growing up was not easy for either sibling. “We were with baby sitters a lot,” Espinoza said, adding somewhat vaguely, “What leads to to addiction a lot is sexual trauma.” She abandoned that train of through for a moment. “My brother started smoking weed in the fourth grade,” she said. “I would see him do that. In the sixth grade, I smoked pot for the first time and I really liked it. I didn’t smoke constantly. It was almost like on a weekly basis.” By that time, Espinoza revealed, she had already been sexually abused. It happened again the first time she decided to try another drug, methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA, more popularly known as Molly. “I was at a party,” she said. “My brother left. People take advantage of you when they’re high, so it didn’t really matter.” In a matter-of-fact voice, she said she has testified in a lot of rape cases in which she was the alleged victim. “It fucks with your head. Your perception of life changes,” Espinoza said. “You don’t see life as good, anymore.” In addition to sexual and physical abuse when she was younger, she said she was also bullied. “I was such an ugly kid,” Espinoza said, noting she was prescribed Valium at one point and would save them up to take them all at once. She even tried to commit suicide. She felt accepted by her new group of friends, but that changed once she started having sex with them to get high. “They convinced me to do it, but once I started doing it I was trash to them,” Espinoza said. “It wasn’t hard for me because I had already lost my virginity. That had already been taken from me.” Not long after, her mother requested a job transfer, and the family ended up in Worcester. The change of scenery did her good – at first. Then she met a boy at a local church. “He smoked weed and all that. I thought he was so attractive,” Espinoza said. Her Prince Charming turned out to be a cocaine dealer who lived in Plumley Village, but rolled with the Kilby Street Gang. He introduced her to coke, which proved a big hit with Espinoza. “I was instantly hooked. It was a different kind of high,” she said. “He gave it to me free at first, then he started bringing all his friends around.” Soon, Espinoza was back to having sex for drugs. Then she started “hanging around” Main Street. “That’s when I officially did it,” she said of becoming a prostitute. “My mom didn’t really understand. I wouldn’t come home for weeks at a time. She had the cops look for me.”

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

training,” she said. “I’m advocating on the drug problem. I’m really involved in NA. I direct meetings.” Like most who have struggled with addiction and recovery, Espinoza knows the road will not be smooth. “Everyone has family problems, but that hasn’t derailed me,” she said. “I’m actually living at home. I live in downtown Worcester, surrounded by the people I used with, but I have so much support from this school. I want that help, because I know how bad life can get.”

ARockdale SCHOOLRecovery OF THOUGHT School has Darilyn Espinoza On Dec. 26 last year, Espinoza went home to grab a change of clothes and some shoes. Her plan was to leave again and get to her dealer. Instead, she said, she ended up fighting with her mother and getting arrested for assault and battery. Before the police arrived, however, Espinoza said she overdosed. “When the cops got there, I was passed out,” she said. “I ended up in detox and withdrawals in the hospital. From there I went to a psychiatric hospital, then to a step-down program.” After that, the Department of Children and Families sent her to Grace House in Worcester. Espinoza spent seven months there. At some point during her stay, the bells went off in her head. She still does not know exactly what changed. “Somewhere along the line, something switched in my head,” Espinoza said. “One moment, I was pushing, hitting and screaming. A couple weeks later I wanted to be there, I wanted help. “I started seeing things differently. I worked a lot on my trauma and my substance abuse issues. I got introduced to AA and NA.” While at Grace House, the program director mentioned a new recovery school opening in Worcester. Espinoza said she was immediately impressed. “It was incredible,” she said. “I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I have to go there.’” Now Espinoza is an “A-plus” student who is hoping to take a drawing class at Quinsigamond Community College next month. She wants to go to school two years there, then to a four-year college. In the meantime, Espinoza has gone from the front lines of drug abuse as a user, to the front lines of the fight against addiction. A few weeks ago she spoke at a Christmas party for the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery. “I’m getting a lot of public speaking

• DECEMBER 31, 2015

27 other Darilyn Espinozas – kids battling one addiction or another, or more than one. As principal, Susan Strong forges relationships with all of them.

floor. I wanted to get at what was going on and what was taking the lives of so many kids. I saw the ad. It had been a dream of min. I applied, and I can’t believe how lucky I’ve been to get the job.” There are 28 students at the Recovery School. They attend classes, just like they would at a regular high school. “The standards are really high,” Strong said. “What we know about addicts, [they] are brilliant. If we created a program where everybody sort of hung around in their pajamas … we didn’t want kids sitting around feeling sorry for themselves.” Ironically enough, Strong made that statement on Pajama Day, when the kids were allowed to dress in their most comfortable PJs. School starts at 9 a.m. daily, a start time Strong said was chosen by design. “Most of our kids have insomnia,” she said. “Insomnia, anxiety and depression are part and parcel of addiction.” Students start the day with academics: English, history, math and science. A world JOE SANTA MARIA/KILL THE BALL MEDIA

Susan Strong

Never wanting to push papers, Strong applied for the job of principal of the state’s newest recovery school after the drug crisis became personal. “Five kids in one senior class of a tiny high school, with 72 kids per class, five became addicted to opiates,” Strong said of her time as principal of a school in Western Mass in 2008. “I was devastated, because I knew these kids since they were babies.” Two years ago, she lost a custodian in his 20s to a heroin overdose. “I thought, ‘I have to be part of this,’” she said. “At this stage in my career, I didn’t want to do anything other than work on the ground

language is also offered. At 10 a.m. each day, a 20-minute community meeting is held, during which students might read from AA or NA literature. They are encouraged to talk; some may, others might choose to remain silent. That session is followed by a 10-minute smoke break. While students are allowed to smoke cigarettes, those who do must take part in smoking cessation classes. After break there are two more periods of academics, followed by a half-hour lunch break and more classes. After that, students take part in their electives.

Long Term Overdose Trends - All Incidents Reported as Overdoses (Not Drug-Specific) 1000 985

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the kids at the school. While support has been strong, and students are given every chance to succeed, not everyone will make it through – in some cases, quite literally. “We have kids here who will die,” Strong conceded. “They are so seriously addicted to heroin that if they don’t enter recovery they will be a casualty. And they know it.”

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Reported Incidents

Twice a week — once at the start of school Monday and again at the end of school on Friday — a 12-step meeting is held. The Friday meeting is preceded by a community luncheon. Since coming to the school, Strong has already overcome her number one fear: relapse. “I really didn’t know what I would do [if a student started using drugs again],” she said. “Well, we’ve had 15 now, some over and over. It’s part and parcel of what we do.” Students at the school are battling some addiction: heroin, alcohol, pills, marijuana, to name some. If they fall off the wagon, the school does not abandon them. “We’re harm reduction, so we don’t kick kids out if they relapse,” Strong noted. “Some schools are abstinence-based. We just didn’t believe in that model. That was really important to me when I came, to be a school like that.” One of Strong’s students is an unfortunate example of the struggle to kick the habit; she has relapsed four times since the school opened in September. “She’s a serious, serious addict,” Strong said of the young woman’s addiction to pills and alcohol. “It’s got her like nobody’s seen. Her greatest fear was we were going to kick her out. It’s important for us to tell kids having

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a disease isn’t a reason for discipline. I’m not going to discipline you for your illness.” The school, Strong said, has been well received by the recovery and business communities in Worcester. Many people in recovery visit the school as guest speakers, and according to Strong, Tim Rassias of Safeway Luxury Transportation on Grove Street in Worcester has a driver picking up one student every morning from Townsend, allowing the boy’s father to go to work and pick him up in the afternoon. Rassias provides

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the service free of charge, Strong said. AdCare Hospital in Worcester, which provides services to substance abusers, donated $5,000 to the school, which Strong said was used to introduce a yoga program, take students on field trips and buy memberships to the YMCA. MOAR has also sent members to the school to run meetings, work on projects and help with field trips. Cafe Manzis donates food on a regular basis, Strong said, and has cooked food for

against the drug overdose epidemic, the men and women charged with enforcing the laws have one of the toughest – and ever-evolving – jobs. From the jail to the courtroom, the District Attorney’s office to the Sheriff’s Department, the long arm of the law is very much involved in this latest war on drugs. “We lost,” Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis said without hesitation of the

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{ coverstory } be more cost-effective to put them in the correction center.” notorious war on drugs of the ’80s. There, he said, participants are tested daily The numbers bear that out. Consider that for drugs and monitored closely. more people from Massachusetts died last year “They’re arrested, they’re in the system,” from opioid overdoses than during the entire Evangelidis said, “but instead of just having Vietnam War. Some 1,400 Bay State residents them on probation, we offer enhanced fatally overdosed last year. Massachusetts lost supervision … If you fail, we will contact the roughly 1,331 soldiers in Vietnam. probation department. At the same time, we “We’re in a war right now, and we’re losing offer people a carrot and a stick. Part of the this war, and people are dying in droves,” carrot involves drug treatment, substance continued from page 19

STEVEN KING

Sheriff Lew Evangelitis talks with inmates at the Worcester County House of Corrections. abuse counseling, vocational skills, resume writing, anything we think we can do to work with people.” According to Evangelidis, it costs roughly $4,000 to put one person through the community center. In contrast, the cost is more than 10 times that, about $50,000 to incarcerate one individual, he said. That does not, he added, mean the judicial system is shutting its doors to criminals, or not cracking down on them. “We have warehoused people in the past, built prisons, thrown people in jail, no programming, and that’s their form of punishment,” Evangelidis said. “It’s been shown that didn’t reduce recidivism at all. We had to be smarter, not weaker, but smarter. That’s been a big part of it. There’s been a lot of talk about how we can’t incarcerate our way out of this problem. I don’t believe in any way, shape or form we need to be softer on crime. What we need to do is find intelligent ways to approach this problem. That means, with addiction running rampant … we need to tackle that head on.” Judge Tim Bibaud could not agree more. He sees the drug crisis from the bench, but it is not just banging the gavel on a sentence. Bibaud presides over one of few drug courts in Massachusetts – the only one in Worcester County. The concept mirrors the changing approach to tackling drug abuse. Instead of simply slapping on cuffs, slamming the jail doors shut and walking away, more and more efforts are being made to treat the user. Bibaud’s • DECEMBER 31, 2015

Evangelidis said, making a point raised by many interviewed for this story. “This crosses every demographic.” Evangelidis sees the proof up close and personal through his Face-to-Face program, which as of December had reached 183,000 students since its inception in 2011, after Evangelidis became sheriff. “It doesn’t matter if I’m in the most urban or most rural [community],” he said. “It doesn’t matter if I’m in the wealthiest of the least wealthy school. We are really in crisis mode.” Evangelidis partners with many organizations and individuals, in addition to what is offered at the jail, which includes a rigorous and intensive drug rehab and counseling program. The sheriff hosted the first meeting of Gov. Charlie Baker’s opioid task force at Quinsigamond Community College. He and dozens of others around Central Mass are also involved in District Attorney Joe Early’s opioid task force. At the jail, inmates in recovery nearing their release participate in a program 60, 30 and 10 days out from their release date to coordinate a re-entry plan. As Evangelidis tells it, his department is “very plugged in all over Worcester County.” In addition, the sheriff oversees three community correction centers – one each in Fitchburg, Webster and Worcester. “We take someone who’s an addict, who’s committed crimes because of it, a non-violent offender,” Evangelidis said. “We think it may

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drug court is part of the process. Drug court meets every Wednesday, according to Bibeau, and includes probation officers, DA’s, the judge, clinicians and others all focused on the participants. “We talk about the need of the individuals scheduled that day,” Bibaud said. “We try to craft the best possible plan to help them succeed.” There is drug testing, detox, probation, career building and more – all aimed at longterm sobriety and fewer repeat offenses. For health services, the court has partnered with the Southbridge-based Harrington HealthCare System. The Dudley Drug Court started in June 2014, and has 55-56 offenders in court at any one time, according to Bibeau, a Holy Cross grad who worked 28 years in the DA’s office. Sixteen participants graduated last June. Since 2014, Bibeau said, there have been 24 graduates; of them, only one was re-arrested. There are 41 participants currently in the program, six or seven of them on warrant status. “We’re not quitting on them,” Bibeau said, adding he has been surprised by the success of the drug court model. “This went way beyond my expectations. I thought with the first year, if we graduated half the class it

would have been successful.” According to the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, drug courts accomplish three key initiatives: reducing crime, saving money and ensuring compliance. Nationwide, according to statistics from NADC, 75 percent of drug court graduates remain arrest-free for at least two years after leaving the program. Taxpayers, meanwhile, save as much as $3.36 in criminal justice costs for every $1 invested in drug court. And, according to NADC, drug courts are six times more likely than community-based programs to keep offenders in treatment long enough to rehabilitate them. Plans are underway for a drug court in Worcester, but Bibeau said it takes a significant investment of time and resources. “It is an awful lot of work,” he said. “You’ve got to get everybody to buy into what you’re doing. You have to go full-throttle or it won’t work. There’s a toll that’s taken. It’s not a normal part of the criminal justice system. It’s not that common.” Like Evangelidis, Bibeau said efforts such as drug court should not be taken as weaker stance on crime. “If anything,” he said, “we’re trying to stop the person from coming back. But

STEVEN KING

Judge Tim Bibaud in his Dudley District Court chambers.

STEVEN KING

have we been able to incarcerate away the problem? Of course not. There are so many other underlying issues. I hearken back to the early ’80s and the AIDS crisis. We were so uneducated. It’s no different than what we’re doing here.” In Worcester, the attitude toward drug addiction and how to deal with it may have changed about two summers ago, when three men overdosed together in an apartment off Mill Street. It kicked off about 10 drug-related deaths in less than a week. Days later, city officials declared the city in crisis. District Attorney Joe Early has seen it firsthand. “It really has hit hard in the last three to four years with opioid overdose death spiking up,” he said, noting there were about 75 overdose deaths in the region four years ago. “Have we seen it spike overnight? No, but within the last couple years we’ve seen it grow exponentially. It’s just taken off.” The problem has been compounded by how heroin and other drugs are being cut, with Early noting the introduction of Fentanyl, which is used medically to treat severe pain, but surfaced as a potentially-deadly additive to heroin in several communities, including Worcester. On the law enforcement side, Early and others said the theme being pushed now is compassion.

“We tell our ADAs, if someone’s got an alcohol or drug problem, show compassion,” he said. “What we’ve been trying to do for the user is try to get them involved with services. It’s a disease. We decided to start putting [an emphasis on] how can we prevent this? A lot of what we do is based around the theme of prevention.” Early’s opioid task force is one weapon in the fight against drug use and addiction. It convenes many partners from around Central Mass, and has enacted initiatives such as Safe and Competent Opioid Prescribing Education training, otherwise known as SCOPE of Pain. In that effort, much more attention is being paid to the docs, the prescribers of pain medications such as opiates. “People are getting smarter,” said Early. “SCOPE of Pain, basically, involves going through talking to nurse practitioners and doctors about proper administration of opioids. It’s part of the curriculum now in the pharmacy schools.” Early pointed out that, while the U.S. Boasts just 5 percent of the world’s population, it uses 95 percent of prescribed opioids. “When Oxycontin came out, they told us it was non-addictive, this would be the greatest drug,” he said. “Just like that, it was abused.” In an attempt to combat that, the DA’s office has worked to get into schools and educate children at a young age.

District Attorney Joe Early inside Worcester County District Court.

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“We’ve done a lot in the schools,” Early said, noting his office is in the process of designing a presentation for school-aged kids. “We’ve just got to get it right. When you’re talking to a high school or middle school student, you’ve got to hold their attention.” The DA is also partnering with the Recovery School on some public service announcements, similar to what some city officials did earlier this year. He also cited organizations such as Learn to Cope, which offers a forum for parents of those dealing with substance abuse to speak with and learn from one another. Early said he is also going to be looking for statistics involving unattended deaths, which often involve drug overdoses. “I don’t want to say too much, because I’m rolling it out to [police] chiefs in a couple weeks,” he said. “I’m meeting with chiefs of police, and I want to talk to all of them working with us on a fatality review team, looking at unattended deaths and what we can learn from them.” In addition, Early’s office received a twoyear, approximately $400,000 federal grant to fight opioid abuse, which he said will allow for more partnerships with organizations and schools such as MCPHSU and UMass Medical. Other steps the DA has taken include showing the film “The Hungry Heart,” which

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DECEMBER 31, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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examines the addiction to prescription medication, at Monty Tech in Fitchburg. Early said he also attended a drug abuse seminar in Atlanta, Georgia, where the secretary of the National Institutes of Health talked about the possible identification of non-addictive genes in people. “What that said to me was they’re awfully close,” said Early. “Possibly, with a pin prick and drop of blood they’d be able to tell if someone had the addictive gene. If someone had the addictive gene, they would not prescribe opioids to them.” Until then, a continued shift in thinking about drug addiction remains apparent, perhaps nowhere more so than the Worcester Police Department, where, from just a purely physically and visible standpoint, there is a drop-off box for unwanted or outdated

JOE SANTA MARIA/KILL THE BALL MEDIA

it early on. It is some of the more instantly rewarding endeavors you can make out there. A blast up their nose and they’re back from the dead, literally.” Just as the Police Department has changed its policy on handling prostitution arrests, it is and has been changing how it deals with drug users. To that end, McGinn said the department has been working with the Gloucester Police Department, which earlier this year established a volunteer program called ANGEL, through which anyone entering the Gloucester police station seeking help with an addiction will be taken to the hospital. If the person is in possession of drugs, needles or other drug paraphernalia, he or she will not be arrested. The police officer in contact with the individual is required to immediately notify the watch commander, which triggers a series of steps.

Worcester Deputy Fire Chief John Sullivan ,talks about some of the medical equipment carried on board the city’s fire trucks.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

DOCTORING THE PROBLEM When Dr. Mike Hirsh was

going through medical school and performing his residency in the ’70s and ’80s, the approach to pain medicine was much different. What was prescribed back then for serious pain now is given out for something as minor as a tooth extraction.

STEVEN KING

prescription pills. Not long ago, the police chief was wary of such an idea, but as Deputy Police Chief Ed McGinn said, it has proved a huge success. About 70 pounds of pills were dropped off in November, he said. “A lot of it is over-the-counter stuff, but a lot of it is heavy-duty stuff,” said McGinn. “I am absolutely stunned at how much is being put in there.” Another change on the law enforcement end has been the use of Narcan by police officers. Since the start of the year, according to statistics provided by the city manager’s office, police officers have administered Narcan about 57 times, typically using one dose, but sometimes more. All but four of those cases resulted in a reversal of the overdose. “It’s a stop-gap, but Narcan was a good step,” McGinn said. “Our officers embraced

the user heading back to the streets, and back into the waiting arms of addiction. “There are not enough beds right now,” McGinn acknowledged. “It’s a huge struggle, a huge struggle.” Like others, McGinn noted the part to be played by physicians and others in charge of prescribing pain medication to patients. “I know the docs at UMass are working on it now, to train these people on here’s how we do pain control, here’s how we get people off of it,” he said, “but it’s too little, too late, right now. So many people are jammed up. Once you get this addiction, it’s hard to get off your back. Getting off it is an absolute bitch … It’s a lifelong fight, and they’re prone to relapses.”

“We’re working with [Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello], trying to replicate his program out there,” McGinn said. “Gloucester has about 38,000 people, we have 180,000. We’re not in a position where we can do all that. We don’t want to come in and promise something we might not be able to deliver. So that’s kind of where we’re stuck.” The other sticking point, the deputy chief pointed out, is the lack of available beds for people in recovery. According to the city’s Division of Public Health, there are just 325 residential beds in Central Mass. With roughly 5,000 people admitted into a detox center every day, the math simply does not add up. While a person can detox in five to seven days, it can take far longer than that for a so-called step-down unit to become available, which often leads to

• DECEMBER 31, 2015

“The meds we’re giving now for pain, we really just gave to post-op patients who major surgeries,” said Hirsh, who serves as surgeon in chief of the Children’s Medical Center at UMass Medical Center. He is also the medical director for the city’s Division of Public Health. “Those patients had pain, and we would give them pain medicine, but the minor stuff we’re give Tylenol, and later Motrin.” It was not until doctors were told they were under-treating pain that it all changed, according to Hirsh. “That’s when I think the floodgates of prescribing changed a lot,” he said. “The expedient thing for a doc to do would be to over-prescribe. I think this was an unintended consequence of the decision about evaluating pain. We’re trying to take that back.” The education of young medical students is a start, Hirsh said, but even longtime doctors need re-education. Organizations such as the Worcester District Medical Society and Massachusetts Medical Society, he said, are trying to educate doctors about involving chronic pain experts in the evaluation process. Hirsh singled out Fred Baker, president of the WDMS, for reaching out to the regional dental society about dentists who prescribe more medication than needed for relatively minor prescriptions. Hirsh said he, too, remains vigilant when prescribing to patients. “I find myself definitely asking very carefully, ‘Does this patient need that level of pain control?’” In addition to his work as a doctor, as medical director Hirsh is tied closely to the DPH and its efforts, which include starting an

Deputy Police Chief Ed McGinn education process to reach out to college-aged kids who may be susceptible to using opiates. The DPH is working with UMass Medical School, Worcester State University and Clark University in that regard, Hirsh said. He has also been a key figure in the city’s Community Health Improvement Plan, or CHIP, a component of which is drug use. In addition, Hirsh has been involved with SCOPE of Pain. “It is definitely a multi-pronged approach, along with the education of youth,” Hirsh said. “... I think we know we don’t do everything, but I think we have a lot more boots on the ground. This call to action has coalesced a lot of people.”

AN EMERGENCY MISSION For firefighters and

Emergency Medical Services personnel, the drug crisis is in their faces almost daily. Much like the approach has changed for police, who are also often first responders, firefighters and ambulance personnel see the numbers going up, and the need for treatment and compassion as critical if any dent is to be made. “In the early ’80s we evolved into a more responsive EMS agency than we previously had been. That was industry wide,” Deputy Fire Chief John Sullivan said. “We’ve been going to medical calls for over 20 years on a daily basis. Heroin is not a new problem. In the ’60s and ’70s, heroin was a problem. Our problem has evolved into the crisis we have

today. It’s supply and demand. “It’s the purity of the heroin that’s coming through, the ease of access. They’re cutting it with Fentanyl and other narcotics. In that sense, the cases of overdoses are way up over the past couple years.” “For us,” Sullivan continued, “it’s the never of calls we’re going to that actually include overdoses. Previous to that, when someone was just high and was having an episode, generally it was a police matter, and they’d deal with it. Now the Fire Department has become part of the first responder action. In that sense, we’re responding to a lot more overdose patients.” Like Worcester Police, the city’s firefighters are also armed with Narcan. Since it became available to them, the department has purchased 331 doses, and has 79 currently in service. According to data provided by the Fire Department, there have been 506 documented incidents involving opiates, with 192 doses administered. In November, there were 55 incidents, 11 of which involved the Fire Department administering Narcan to 35 patients. Not all the doses administered were from the Fire Department’s supply. October saw the largest number of incidents, 115, 34 of which saw fire personnel administer Narcan.

Victim Data by gender

Female Victims 28% (258)

Male Victims 72% (668)

Victim Data by race Asian or Pacific Islander 1% (9) Black 3% (26)

Middle Eastern or East Indian 0% (2)

Hispanic 14% (122)

Unknown 25% (217)

White 56% (479)

The Fire Department is currently going through a new round of buying Narcan, which is done through a grant. The original state grant was for $17,000, according to Sullivan, who said the Department is at the end of that funding cycle. Sullivan said the Fire Department is working with the Governor’s Council and other partners in the fight against drug overdoses and addiction. “We’re hoping the holistic approach is going to allow some of the folks to get the services they need, whether in-patient or out-patient, and that we can say any one of them,” Sullivan said. It’s going to be a win for us. We don’t want to see anybody die as a result of addiction.” The deputy chief, like many others, said he has seen a distinct change in the demographics of the drug user. “I remember an incident back in the early ’90s, a teacher found in an apartment on Belmont Hill, a local teacher who had been coming to the city and getting his fix and going to school,” Sullivan said. “It was a big outrage at the time. It was an eye-opener for the city … It woke up the city’s eyes to the fact that heroin and addiction is not limited to the Main South area. We’re responding to overdoses all over the city.” Michael Hunter sees the same changes as deputy chief of EMS and communications supervisor for UMass. “Drug addiction is an illness,” he said, “but we’re seeing a much younger demographic in areas, cities and towns, you wouldn’t expect to see an opioid problem, and that’s tragic.” UMass delivers EMS services for Worcester and Shrewsbury as a contracted 911 provider. It also answers 911 calls for EMS requests for the two communities, and provides dispatching services for Westborough and Leicester. “The thing is we’re seeing it … in suburban communities,” Hunter said. “Before, it was an anomaly to have a heroin overdose in Leicester or Westborough. Now we’re seeing heroin overdoses in Shrewsbury. We’re seeing them come from Leicester.” As the statistics show, the sheer volume of calls reporting drug overdoses has increased mightily. “When I first started,” Hunter said, “we didn’t do really as many heroin overdoses a day. Now we do them daily.” Another change, a positive one, he said, is the growing public awareness of the drug epidemic, along with the way it is being addressed. “If you had told me in 1992 that the Worcester Police Department was going to be administering Narcan and AIDS Project Worcester would be giving out Narcan … I would never have believed it.” While EMS personnel are responsible for rolling out to emergencies and trying to save lives, there is a role for them to play with the community and state partners working on the drug crisis. “Yes, straight out, yes,” Hunter said,

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FILE PHOTO/STEVEN KING

Dr. Michael Hirsh, medical director of the city’s Division of Public Health

noting the presence of his agency at a recent Governor’s Council meeting. “We’ve been involved with the city’s [CHIP]. We are involved with the city whenever they ask and whenever we can help. Certainly, we are involved with the DPH, including the opioid issue.”

THE HEALTH OF IT ALL As much as anyone, the

city’s Division of Public Health is on the front lines and behind the scenes in war on opioid abuse. Newlyappointed Commissioner of Health and Humans Services Mattie Castiel, Director of Public Health Karyn Clark and Regional Behavioral Health Programs Coordinator Cassandra Andersen are among the city’s point guards in directing the game plan to combat the drug problem. All three are involved in most of the same initiatives and efforts as the sheriff, DA, Police and Fire departments and others. And like them, they have seen a change in the approach when dealing with the user and his or her addiction. Castiel, who helped establish the Hector Reyes House, which serves Latino men trying to overcome addiction, is blunt when asked why she believes that has changed. “We never thought of it as a disease,” she said. “Most recently, because it’s the young white population, everybody’s saying, ‘Yes, now it’s a disease.’” According to city statistics, 56 percent of

overdose victims in Worcester are white. A larger percentage, 72, are men. “I think we haven’t dealt with it as a disease,” Castiel said, “and we’re still not dealing with it as a disease in the sense that hospitals are not treating it as a disease.” Castiel is leading the call for recovery coaches in hospitals, people who could work with and counsel drug users when they come to the hospital. “How can you go into the hospital and say, ‘I have an addiction,’ and they say, ‘Well, we don’t do treatment here.’ Do we do that with any other disease?” Her concern is shared by City Manager Ed Augustus Jr., who as the city’s CEO has helped lead the way in the war on drugs. He said recovery coaches in hospitals make sense. “The idea came from folks in the community, if you had someone who came in with an overdose, there’s somebody in recovery themselves who’s navigated a fairly complicated system,” Augustus said. “[He or she] tries to encourage the person, support the person and get the person to commit to wanting to go into recovery, and then helps them navigate whether it’s a detox bed or whatever the appropriate treatment option is.” Andersen said attitudes and perceptions are changing, if slowly. “I think it’s going to take a really long time,” she said, “but the addiction has been separate for such a long time, it’s very hard to integrate that into the standard medical care system, and even the mental health care system. They both function separately, at this point. “Even though people have been talking about co-occurring disorders and treating them together for years, we’re just starting to really see that happening. I think it’s starting to be recognized as something that needs to be part of the whole system of care, but we’re not there, yet.”

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Clark acknowledged the shift toward drug abuse prevention, and the many organizations and individuals involved. “In 2008 we started the Worcester Cares Opioid Coalition,” she said. “The first meeting, it was a Friday afternoon in July, about 100 degrees and it was standing room only. I remember thinking to myself, ‘Wow, we really have something here.’” Clark said she believes such a show of interest and support helped the state Department of Public Health see the value of having a community like Worcester help gather partners around the table. “We then started to get invited to other people’s tables,” Clark said. Among the steps the city’s DPH took, she said, was partnering with the Police Department to create a database to help identify areas of drug activity in the city. There was also a Latino Advisory Group, she said. The DPH has a relatively new partner in the reconfigured and newly-empowered Board of Health, which recently approved a needle exchange program for Worcester. When that starts, certain agencies and organizations will be allowed to distribute clean needles, while at the same time offering counseling and treatment advice. With the city’s DPH having regionalized, there are even more people at the ready to talk about and take action on the drug crisis. “We’ve grown a lot,” Andersen said. “Instead of everybody being crowded into this one room to try and get the work done, we have a lot of meetings all over the place with different communities and different types of partners. “I go to Shrewsbury, and we have this amazing meeting at the high school, where the whole community is around the table. I go to Millbury, where at the Board of Health meeting, there’s people coming to talk about it. In Grafton, we’ve got a really great group that’s really excited to talk about what it is we can do around substance abuse and mental health.” “I mean, every community is really mobilizing around this now in a way that hasn’t been done in the past,” Andersen continued. “It was really like pulling teeth. Now everybody is there, everybody really wants to be involved. They want to have events. That has been something that has been really great that we’ve been able to do over and over again, is to host different events for the different partners we work with.”

ALocally, SEAT ATthere THEmay TABLE well be no louder voice and no stronger advocate in the recovery community than Athena Haddon. Like Espinoza, she comes at the issue from experience. Haddon has lived the life and walked the walk. 24

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Now the program director for Everyday Miracles, hosted by Spectrum Health Services, she has more than 20 years of sobriety under her belt.

Just don’t call her a recovering addict. “I’m a person in recovery,” Haddon said, with an air of defiance. When it comes to winning the war on drugs, Haddon said overcoming stereotypes and stigmas will play a big role. “Within the recovery community,” she said, “we’ve always had this old-school train of thought. We always identify as addicts and alcoholics. That’s not helpful. In this movement, we’re re-learning how to identify ourselves. I won’t identify as an addict. I’m a person in long-term recovery. If I say I’m an addict, you’re probably going to reach in your back pocket and check your wallet.” “If I say I’m an addict, does that mean I’m still struggling? Am I in recovery? It’s negative. If I want to get treatment and I’ve got all these labels, why would I want to get help?” According to Brendan Melican, public relations manager for Spectrum Health Systems, society is not yet at the point where terms such as “addict” do not carry negative connotations. “We still haven’t gotten to the point where we’re able to acknowledge that the pejorative attached to that label is the ugly part,” he said. “It’s an instinctual pejorative. That’s where I think there is so much value in working to actually embrace the language that’s historically used so you can come forward.” Haddon believes the more work done on and attention paid to the drug crisis, the more perceptions will change. “I think we’re making history, I really do,” she said. “This whole movement is about changing the way we look at addiction and the way we treat addiction, like any other illness. It’s going to take a lot of people.” Many of them are already involved, but are all the right people at the table? Haddon does not think so, although she believes the city is moving in the right direction and has made great strides. “I that it’s always important to have the people most affected by any issue at the table,” she said. “When we don’t, we often are making decisions for people we don’t know … Even now, when I look around the table, if we’re talking about homelessness in the city, why don’t we have the homeless at the table? Who can best tell us what is needed? I think that’s really, really important. “I believe in leadership from those people as well. Survivor leadership is really important. We’ve got a lot of people at the table. I’d like to see more people who have been affected by the issues making the decisions.” That might take more than an invitation, she said. If some form of compensation were offered, more people in recovery might be encouraged to become involved. While more can be done, Haddon said

• DECEMBER 31, 2015

STEVEN KING

{ coverstory }

Athena Haddon

much already has been accomplished. The state has played a big part, with Gov. Charlie Baker making the overdose crisis a key focus of his administration. One of the governor’s biggest initiatives involves his opioid abuse prevention bill, which takes the bold step of proposing a 72-hour supply limit on first-time opioid prescriptions. It also recommends allowing doctors to hold patients against their will if they are deemed a threat to themselves because of substance abuse. The state Legislature may ultimately approve a different version of the bill. The House this week released redrafted bill that limit first-time opioid prescriptions to a seven-day supply. Under the House recommendation, anyone admitted to the ER for an apparent drug overdose would be required to undergo a substance abuse evaluation within 24 hours. The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Committee was expected to vote on the bill this week. For his part, Baker appears willing to sign off on any legislation that takes concrete steps toward solving the drug problem. While he may not have been completely caught off guard by the scope of the opioid epidemic, it was not part of his campaign when he first started running for governor. “The previous administration had talked about it,” he said of Gov. Deval Patrick. “I had seen it was an issue. What surprised me was

how prevalent it was. It was unusual to find something as dispersed as this issue is. “The simple truth is it’s bad everywhere, not just in Massachusetts. It’s bad nationally.” Baker noted grimly the number of people who will die to drug overdoses in 2015 will be bigger than 2014. “There is a 20-30 percent increase every year,” he said. “My goal is to slow that trend and, hopefully, break it.” That kind of commitment, almost everyone fighting the drug crisis agrees, is what it will take to win. Melican said those who are waging battle against addiction and the overdose epidemic are working as close as ever. There is a network whose tentacles now reach far beyond their own walls. “The thing that has become self evident is that all the various groups working on various siloed issues are now all communicating, and in better ways,” Melican said. “... It’s hard not to get the sense in the city of Worcester that, finally … we’re realizing we have a really big toolbox in the city. Unfortunately, some of those tools weren’t able to work together. Now they’re all starting to come together. “The resources are incredible. Tying everybody together is where things can actually start to get done It doesn’t appear that you have a problem that can’t be fixed, anymore.”

DECEMBER 31, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

night day &

December 31, 2015 - January 6, 2016 | art | dining | nightlife

The Bane of their existence

JC CAREY

Joshua Lyford

It has been 20 years since the hardcore juggernaut Bane formed in Worcester, and while much has changed almost as much has stayed the same. What mattered to the band — the music and ethics of hardcore — never waned.

The band is celebrating two decades of playing, as well as continuing its countdown to its ultimate disbanding. Bane plays an anniversary show at Club Oasis, 70 James St., Worcester on Saturday, Jan. 2. Enthusiasm for the anniversary show’s announcement was so great, a second show had to be added the following day. “That happened so quickly, it was completely unexpected,” said Bane vocalist Aaron Bedard. “We felt bad and Dive said they could play another show. We got so many messages from people that were sad they had to miss it. We couldn’t wrap our heads around it, but it ended up working out.” Dive will join Bane for both shows. Aside from a handful of times, they have been largely inactive since the ’90s. Dive is from the Fitchburg/Leominster area, though band members have gone on to play in other bands, including Overcast and the Dropkick Murphys. The members of Bane have a personal connection to the band, and they were an easy pick for the 20th anniversary lineup. “Dive was around in that era when a lot of us were coming up,” said Bedard. “They were a Massachusetts band from Fitchburg and they had a really unique sound. They meant a lot to us. They weren’t very renowned outside of Massachusetts, but to us, they always meant a lot.” The lineup for both show dates is deep, and there should be something for every New England hardcore kid, whether it is a band that hasn’t been active in a long time, or new bands coming up to get excited about. On Jan. 2, Bane will be joined by Boston hardcore legends Reach the Sky, who have been largely inactive aside from occasional appearances at the This is Hardcore Festival in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; up-and-coming Cape Cod straight edge band Caught in a Crowd; and Boston hardcore band, FREE. Day 2 will feature Dive, Richmond, Virginia’s Down to Nothing, Worcester’s own Mountain Man (who are, frankly, an experience live) and Boston’s Labeled. The venue itself has a connection of sorts to the band. “I haven’t been back there in a very long time,” said Bedard of Club Oasis, formerly the Espresso Bar. “That was the site of our first show ever. We came up going to shows there. When it was tossed out as a possibility, we

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got excited at that prospect. It came together while we were in Europe. I’m stoked, the nostalgia of it is cool.” The band just returned from its final tour of Europe, an experience Bedard said was incredible, but also overwhelming in its finality. Bane had toured Europe yearly since 2000. “There were a lot of good vibes, a lot of emotion,” he said. “It was the best tour we’ve probably ever done there. Attendance wise, it was incredible. The shows were great, but there were a lot of really hard nights. Like, is this really it? It was really overwhelming. We have a lot of strong memories that are hard to shake.” Since the release of its newest (and final) LP, “Don’t Wait Up,” in May, 2014, the band has been saying goodbye to all the people and places they’ve spent 20 years touring.

• DECEMBER 31, 2015

“There is no way I could have ever seen anything like this in a crystal ball,” said Bedard. “It’s been overwhelming and amazing. This longevity, that was never the point. We never set out to do it. The years fucking flew by. It happened so fast. You try to enjoy it while you can and hold on to it, but it went by so quickly.” “I’ve tried not to lose track of why I got into a band to begin with,” he continued. “What it was in me that got me into it in the first place. I get to share my thoughts with people and stand on stage with a microphone being a part of it. I never stopped being psyched about having found a way to do that. I get to be a part of this thing that saved my life as a kid. I try to pinch myself and remember that this is all I’ve ever wanted. “I didn’t do it to be rich or famous, I just wanted to be in a hardcore band and

give back. I get to do something that a lot of people wish they could. I just want to appreciate it and enjoy it. I never got too far ahead of that and I never asked for too much more than that.” There will be more shows; the 20th anniversary show isn’t the last for Bane, but the end does loom and this is a fantastic opportunity to see them perform, whether it be for the first time or the 50th. All the band can do is enjoy the ride while they gear up for the end of the road. “When the end is two years away, it feels abstract,” said Bedard. “Now that it’s breathing down our throats, I’m petrified. I almost want to undue those statements of finality. If I could get another year out of this, I’d want to do that. But, we’re focused on our ideals and we’re not going to turn our back on

continued on page 28

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what we said. It’s freaking me out in a very real way. “There is literally one tour left and it’s got me crazy inside. When Bane ends, I have no idea what comes next. I know I’ll be fine and I’ll land on my feet, but there isn’t a plan. There’s a real element of excitement to see what that next chapter is, but to be perfectly candid, I know nothing will ever be as good as this is.” The Saturday show is sold out, but tickets remain available for the Sunday, Jan. 3 show. You can pick up a ticket online at Bane20th. limitedrun.com, or you try your luck and swing by Club Oasis, 70 James St., for the show beginning at 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 and

you can find more information on Bane online at Facebook.com/Banecentral. Reporter Joshua Lyford can be reached at 508-749-3166, ext. 325, or by email at ELEONORA CHATZOPOULOU

Jlyford@worcestermagazine.com. Follow Josh on Twitter @Joshachusetts.

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• DECEMBER 31, 2015

night day THE &

Sudden Urge

Lyford F iles

New Years Eve Dinner and Dancing

Make Dinner reservations by calling 508-943-0404 or go online at PointBreezeOnWebsterLake.com

Joshua Lyford

Open 7 days a week • Casual Dining 508-943-0404 • 114 Point Breeze Rd., Webster

PIZZA AND FRENCH FRIES: This is a popular method

of teaching folks how to learn to stop in skis, apparently. I haven’t touched skis in about 20 years, but at one point I knew how to stop, so I guess it must have worked. Wachusett Mountain Ski Area is going for a fairly bizarre Guinness record on Friday, Jan. 8 by trying for the “World’s Largest Ski and Snowboard Lesson.” The idea is to get as many people to the mountain as possible for a gigantic group lesson beginning at 10 a.m. There are discounted beginner packages available for $30, though I would certainly argue that offering free lessons for the day would be a more effective way of getting people to show up. One of my first jobs was checking tickets at Wachusett though, (I think my feet are still cold), so I’ll let it slide in this case.

HIT THE ICE: I made mention of the Worcester Common Oval ice rink a few weeks back, but I wanted to toss in a refresher. Yes, it’s been unseasonably warm lately, but I assure you, the ice is frozen and good to go. I’ve spent quite a few days there myself and it’s an absolute blast. I’ve had the ice almost to myself each time, which leads me to believe people aren’t aware there is ice currently. Go, cruise around like a maniac and have yourself a time. It’s $2 for admission and $3 to rent skates, pretty solid bargain if you ask me.

NEMES-IS: The guys in indie/rock band Nemes are putting on a show at Ralph’s Diner,

148 Grove St., Friday, Jan. 8. If you aren’t familiar with the band, they are certainly on the fringes of what constitutes an “indie” band, and their use of violin makes them completely unique. Their sound is tough to define, but I strongly suggest you give them a listen and decide if they scratch your particular itch. Give ’em a jangle over at Nemesband.com. They are joined by the fine gentlemen in Dressed for the Occasion, who are themselves an interesting combination of genres with country and blues infused rock; Builder of the House, folk/pop from Portland, Maine; and Grain Thief, folk/Americana from Boston. The show is $7 and 21-plus.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: There are a number of New Year’s Eve events happening

throughout the city, but since the magazine is released that very day, I’m not going to list NYE events here; frankly, it would be a little reckless to still have no plans for the evening. I’m sure you all know exactly where you’ll ring in the New year by now, I think I might actually keep it a little low key, since I am writing this while on vacation (doesn’t sound like a vacation? There’s no such thing as time off in journalism). Regardless, it’s time to come up with some resolutions to make (and subsequently break) and this time around, I think my resolution will be to drink less coffee while on the clock. I’ve gotten into the disgusting habit of drinking so much coffee I sweat and shake. It’s not a very good look. Tweet me your resolutions @Joshachusetts so we can all have a good laugh.

AT A LOSS FOR WORDS: If you read last week’s feature story, “Fight For What You Believe,” then you already knew that Massachusetts pop punks, A Loss For Words, were saying goodbye, but on Sunday, Dec. 27, they played their final show at the Worcester Palladium. It was a fantastic evening, though a bit sad to say goodbye to the guys. Still, the downstairs was completely sold out and there was a line of disappointed fans unable to get into the venue that wrapped around the side of the building. Unfortunately for those who missed it, it was an absolute blast of an evening and all the bands on the lineup killed it. PVRIS, Therefore I Am, Junction 18, Vanna, Transit, Handguns, Lions Lions and Major League joined A Loss For Words for the event. That is a completely stacked lineup of current and past bands. All of the sets were great, but A Loss For Words was in a league of its own. Band duties were shared by members from throughout their history, and it was great to hear some deep cuts being performed. Following the show, the band rented out the upstairs at Ralph’s Diner and fun was had. Hate to see the guys go, but it was a pleasure to join them along the way. Rest in peace gentlemen and good luck in all of your future endeavors. Reporter Joshua Lyford can be reached at 508-749-3166, ext. 325, by choosing the correct copy of the “Necronomicon Ex-Mortis”and properly reciting “Klaatu Barada Nikto,” or by email at Jlyford@worcestermagazine.com. Follow Josh on Twitter @Joshachusetts.

Make Reservations Online at PointBreezeOnWebsterLake.com

THIS WEEK AT 04 Monday

For the Week of

December 31 - Jan. 7

Night Race League Begins

For more information call 978.464.2300 or visit www.wachusett.com

Wachusett’s night race league kicks off for the season! Teams will compete weekly now through the beginning of March as they bid for top placement heading into the Championship race!

31 Thursday New Year’s Eve Celebration

Join us all evening long as we ski-in the new year! We’ll be open until midnight with live music by Ben Knight, Magician Eddie Raymond, Fireworks and a Balloon Drop at midnight!

01 Friday

Happy New Year!

Make your New Year’s Resolution to ski or ride more in 2016! The Mountain will be open from 9am-10pm to help you start on day one!

02 Saturday Hike to Bullock Lodge

05 Tuesday

Polar Sampling

(3:30-7pm) Join the Polar Beverages crew to test out Polar’s seasonal seltzers! Take part in a few games and win some prizes!

Wednesday

Bring a Friend

January is National Learn to Ski and Snowboard month. We all have friends who we’d love to see on the slopes! Get them out with special deals on lift and lesson combination packages!

Take a guided hike, or venture out on your own to Bullock Lodge, the original Wachusett Base Lodge! Now maintained by Red Apple Farm, you can enjoy fresh cider donuts, apple cider, and other treats!

03 Sunday Kids’ Frisbee Games

Thursday

Join members of the Wachusett Ski School for some ‘frisbee’ games. Meet at the Yurt near the pond at 1pm. Free Wachusett Frisbee to all participants (while supplies last).

Women’s Clinic

(9:30-11:30am) Improve your skiing, get some exercise, make new friends and have fun too! This is the first of a 5-clinic session, running through February 4th.

ONGOINGEvents

January is National Safety Awareness Month: Staying safe on the trails is just as important to us as it is to you! That’s why we’ve teamed up with the National Ski Area’s Association to bring you a full month of safety-related activities, contests and more! Take A Lesson: Regardless if you’re a first timer or a seasoned vet, everyone can benefit from a few tips from a pro! Our ski school has instructors at all levels ready to help you take your game to the next level. facebook.com/WaWaWachusett

Skybox on the Slopes: It’s like a luxury suite at the Stadium only here you can get into the game! Book now for your next special occasion! Call 978-464-2300 x3175! Try Before you Buy: Test out the latest skis and boards at the MTNside Demo Center, located inside the Base Lodge. Full and half day rentals available! Reserve exactly what you want online at mtnside.com! twitter.com/Wachusett

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DECEMBER 31, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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• DECEMBER 31, 2015

The calendar says it’s the end of the year, so the call of The Top Ten List must be heeded. I proceed with a few a caveats. Deadlines being what they are, I was unable to screen a couple of high-profile movies — “Joy” and “The Big Short” among them — before filing this. Others, like “The Revenant” and “The Hateful Eight,” have yet to open here. A few on my list never played a big screen in Worcester, but are on streaming services, which is how most of the civilized world accesses its entertainment. My 10 in alphabetical order: “Amy” This powerful documentary chronicles the scorching talent and eventual self-destruction of singer Amy Winehouse, humanizing her in a way the traditional media never could so that you find yourself urging Amy to pull out of her tailspin despite knowing exactly how it all ends. That some of her worst enemies were also those closest to her only compounds the tragedy. “Call Me Lucky” The revelatory profile of Barry Crimmins, the legendary godfather of the Boston comedy scene, unravels Crimmins’ tormented life, including the sexual abuse he endured as a boy. How he turned his rage into action on a national scale is astounding. “Creed/Southpaw” I love a good boxing picture, and 2015 gave us two. In “Southpaw” Jake Gyllenhaal delivers one of his best performances as a punch-drunk fighter stepping into the ring to rebuild his crumbling life. “Creed” extends the “Rocky” saga by focusing on the late Apollo Creed’s son (Michael B. Jordan) as he makes his bid for boxing glory. Sylvester Stallone is lights out as the aging Rocky Balboa, who trains the brash kid while he battles his own demons.

“Ex Machina” A reclusive billionaire builds robotic women in his mountain retreat, then invites a lonely programmer to spend some quality time with the most beautiful of them. What could possibly go wrong? “Love & Mercy” An inspired biopic of troubled Beach Boy Brian Wilson that shuttles between two critical periods in his life: the creative mushroom cloud of the mid- to late-’60s that culminated in the seminal album “Pet Sounds,” and the lost years in the ’80s when he’d sunk into a haze of drugs and depression. Paul Dano as the younger Brian and John Cusack in the later chapters prove an impressive acting tag team. “Mad Max: Fury Road” When the apocalypse does arrive, it won’t be heralded by fire and brimstone, but by a clown slamming an electric guitar while he’s attached by bungee cords to a speeding semi. Director George Miller perpetuates the hellscape he launched in 1979’s “Mad Max” with a simple plot — go from here to there — and includes Tom Hardy in an iron mask and Charlize Theron, desert queen of badassery. “The Martian” Stranded on Mars, astronaut Matt Damon is forced to “science the shit” out of his situation until a rescue team can arrive. The film works as intellectual thriller, survival procedural, and a showcase for enough Damon one-liners to get “The Martian” nominated for a Golden Globe in the comedy category. Must have been all the near-starvation jokes that put it over the top. “Meru” Three veteran climbers scale an insanely sheer piece of Himalayan granite dubbed the “Shark’s Fin and are forced to retreat before reaching the summit. A couple of years later, they ascend again and bring a camera with them. The result is breathtaking. “Spotlight” This retelling of The Boston Globe’s investigation into the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal celebrates the toppling of a powerful institution by reporters who just wanted to get at the ugliest of truths. Though we know the outcome, the film is remarkably taut as it tells Boston’s bleakest story and becomes a vessel of outrage and sadness. “The Wolfpack” Six young adult brothers kept virtual prisoners in a New York City apartment by their smothering parents remain connected to the outside world through movies, which they reenact in painstaking detail. This is, guaranteed, one of the strangest, most fascinating documentaries you’ll ever see.

night day { dining}

krave

Eighty Ates Bar & Grille

FOOD HHHH AMBIENCE HHH SERVICE HHH VALUE HHHHH 8 Airport Road, Dudley • 508-949-8888 • eightyates.com

An Evening at Eighty Ates Sandra Rain

Recently, I invited two friends to meet me for dinner at Eighty Ates Bar and Grille in Dudley. The pair suggested we instead go to a city like Worcester or Providence for dinner, but I proceeded to incessantly quote the inspiring premise cited on the restaurant’s website. It reads, “Eighty Ates brings the ‘big city’ experience to the small town setting!” Collective eye rolling ensued, but they eventually agreed to meet me anyways.

I arrived at a plaza on Airport Road to find Eighty Ates tucked between a dollar store, a Park n’ Shop, and a Big Lots. “Talk about ambiance,” my hysterical companion chided in the parking lot. “This place is in Webster, right?” my other friend texted me.

“Yup. Meet us inside,” I responded. We entered what appeared to be the drawing room of someone’s crazy, rich aunt. Brightlycolored branches protruded from large vases and massive paintings resembling 1980s-era sweaters hung from the walls. A hostess sat us promptly in a dining room filled with families engaged in holiday celebrations. My friend excused herself to the restroom and I felt my phone buzz again in my purse. A text flashed across my screen: “You’re at the one in Dudley, aren’t you?” I pulled up the Maps app. Location: 8 Airport Road, Dudley. “Yeah,” I responded. “See you in 10…” he said. I thought this was odd, but I turned my attention to the menu and ordered a glass of Cabernet. I watched my friend walk the length of the dining room. She looked all around, searching for something as she made her way back from the restroom. “We need to find the elf,” she said matter-offactually. “Excuse me?” “A sign in the bathroom says that we get free dessert if we can find the elf,” she explained. “I like this place already,” I said. I spotted our missing friend emerging

through the front door. He shook his head as he walked toward us. “You know there are two Eighty Ates, right?” “There are?” I began to apologize profusely, but before I could get very far, my other friend jumped out of her seat, pointing up at the stuffed elf perched atop a partition. “I found him!” she yelled. Confused, he pressed on with his story. “As soon as the hostess in Webster saw me looking around, she said, ‘I bet your friends are in Dudley right now, aren’t they?’” Our server returned with drinks and asked if she could get us any appetizers. I inspected the menu and picked out the Maine Mussels, truffle fries, a Caesar salad and roasted Brussels sprouts. A steaming bowl of mussels arrived first, served in a white wine sauce with slices of thick, buttery toast. A pile of natural cut French fries appeared shortly after, smothered in truffle oil, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. The Brussels sprouts turned out to be our real winner, roasted and served in a house made garlic aioli sauce. Our server returned to clear side plates and silverware. When she asked about a second course, one of my companions politely re-

ordered the Caesar salad along with a roasted butternut flatbread. This time, everything came at once. The flatbread was served on a long, skinny slate, and cut into three pieces – perfect for our party to share. Each crispy slice was covered in goat cheese, Brussels sprouts,

pesto sauce, and roasted butternut squash. Our server returned once more to let us know the kitchen was closing. Panicked, we looked at the menu one last time and ordered our free slice of chocolate cake as well as the rosemary lemon white bean dip – a natural pairing, right? continued on page 32

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• DECEMBER 31, 2015

LA CUCINA ITALIANA 294 Hamilton St., Worcester Dine-In • Take-Out • BYOB • 508-797-3354

krave PUT OFF THOSE RESOLUTIONS

BITE SIZED

When you’ve slept off your First Night frolics, make your way to the Oliver Wight Tavern at Old Sturbridge Village for your First Day Brunch 2016. You’ll want to make reservations, which will put you in line for

a scrumptious menu featuring salads, fresh fruit, warm rolls, Eggs Benedict, scrambled eggs, Tavern fried home-style potatoes, maple sausage links, features seafood entree, vegetarian selections and more. Brunch is served 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For reservations, call 508-347-0362. For more information, visit osv. org, email MArnum@osv.org or call 800-7331830.

SOMETING WYCKED THIS WAY COMES

With a soft opening earlier this month, one of the Canal District’s latest entertainment venues is ready to make a name for itself. Wycked Java opened during the Canal District Santa Pub Crawl. It is owned and operated by Scott Fair, Joetta Ripley and property owner Tony Bahnan of GAR Realty. Check it out at 108 Water Street. As we’ve been told, you’ll find it’s more than just a coffee house. Tell ’em Worcester Magazine sent you! EIGHTY-ATES continued from page 31

We barely touched the dip to no fault of its own. When chocolate cake is calling your name, there’s really no room for competition. The slice was big enough for everyone to eat our fill. Perhaps it tasted so delicious because we had to stare at it longingly for five minutes sans utensils before digging in. We seriously contemplated devouring it using our hands before finding the server in the back to obtain some spoons. By then, it was closing time and she was polishing an enormous tray of silverware all by her lonesome. She apologized profusely for forgetting the spoons and we assure her that we could sympathize. “Not to worry,” I said, “Everything has been delicious.” The bill totaled $88.88 – a real steal for dinner and drinks for three. We all resolved to visit the Eighty Ates in Webster on our next outing and walked past the festive glow of the Dollar Store to our cars.

krave

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{ dining}

next date night, the server said, “You should really talk to my wife. She’d probably tell you to try a new place on Shrewsbury Street.” Per that recommendation, my next column takes me to Shrewsbury Street’s new Thai spot, Basil ’n Spice. Read all about it in the next installment of Date Night on Jan.14. If you’re in the market for late dates: • Bocado Tapas Wine Bar serves its full menu until

1 a.m. every night. Order the Conejo Blanco and a round of Fino Negronis. • Get your pancake fix at the Boulevard Diner where the kitchen is always open. • Stop by N&J Donuts in Oxford at 2 a.m. if you want to get your hands on the first batch of the day. • Peanut Butter and Jelly Perogis are only a tweet away! Tweet @latenightfood to Midnight Munchies until 2:30 a.m. Thursday-Saturday. Check for other hours at latenightfood.net.

Co nn e

In August, I visited New Orleans with my college roommate. Neither of us knew much about the city, so before I left, I asked Worcester’s Best Bartender to point me in the right direction. Worcester’s queen of cocktails is not only well traveled, she’s also got great taste.

wonder: If a dealer’s choice mentality brought out the best in a foreign city, why couldn’t it show me a side of my own hometown I’d never seen before? Two weeks ago, I visited my favorite sushi spot, Baba, and asked for a ‘date night’ recommendation from the bartender. She suggested Soc Trang. You can find Worcester’s prime Vietnamese cuisine in a plaza on Cambridge Street. Soc Trang has serious character, so if you’re looking for some place stuffy, cross it right off r Sa the list. Invite h wit a date you don’t mind looking at under fluorescent lights and make sure he or she has a keen sense of adventure. Enter the dining room to find large landscape paintings adorning every inch of the walls. Lamps constructed from wooden barrels are perched side by side on the service counter. Activities for children and adults abound – a rocking horse and a pink plastic car sit in a row beside a large pool table. Ask for suggestions and consult the visual menu if you are unfamiliar with the cuisine. (Better yet, make your date pick a number between 1 and 21, and then order the corresponding dish off the menu.) My date and I helped ourselves to tea for the table and worked our way though egg rolls, a papaya salad and an order of pineapple fried rice. When asked where we should go on our

Dealer’s Choice

Our first evening in New Orleans brought us to Arnaud’s French 75, the sort of place that makes you feel like a countess lost in the French Quarter. The gentleman behind the bar asked how we’d stumbled upon his establishment, and when I told him that I had sought the recommendation of someone in the industry, his eyes lit up. “It’s so nice that she sent you here. I’m going to send you to an insider spot…” He took out a very fancy pen and jotted down an address on a cocktail napkin. It went on like that at every bar or restaurant we visited; with each new destination, we received a new endorsement. By the end of the trip, our napkin read like an impressive catalog, our wallets were empty, and our penchant for adventure had increased ten fold. When I got back to Worcester, I began to

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TUESDAY NIGHTS Steak, Chicken or Blackened Haddock Fajitas for two with a pitcher of margaritas

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DECEMBER 31, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

night day &

{ listings}

music >Thursday 31

First Night Worcester: Pakachoag Music School with the Worcester Children’s Chorus. Wesley United Methodist Church 4:00 to 4:45 pm 114 Main Street, Worcester Come enjoy young people making good music! Solos and ensembles. Selected Students and the Worcester Children’s Chorus ring in the new year with favorite selections. With your support, we’re working to make Music for Life! First Night Button needed. 4-4:45 p.m. Travel Destination Airspray New Years Eve Queer Dance Party. Airspray Worcester, the newest LGBTQ community organization in wstr Presents: Our next Queer Dance Party! New Years Eve Party Ring in the New Year with us Thursday 12/31/15 @ Electric Haze (26 Millbury St. wstr), 21+. DJ Mr Morris spinning beats all night to make your booty bounce. Any questions/inquiries email airspraywstr@gmail.com. See you on the dance floor 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St. 508-799-0629 or find them on Facebook. April’s Fools New Year’s Eve Dine & Dance. April’s Fools Dine and Dance. Come at 7 to enjoy dinner, dancing and a champagne toast at midnight. $25.00 per person. Or come at 9:00 PM to dance and enjoy the music and ring in the new year! Happy 2016! $25 Dine/Dance, or $5 Dance. 7 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Time Out, 31 East Brookfield Road, North Brookfield. aprilsfools.net New Year’s Eve with Dezi Garcia. 7-11 p.m. Compass Tavern, 90 Harding St. 508-304-6044. Roomful of Blues New Year’s Eve. If you’re lookin’ to party on New Year’s Eve, this is the band to do it with. No one can really get you up and going like Roomful of Blues! Call about our New Year’s Eve Package, which includes hotel and shuttle to and from the show - 978-425-4311 $95 Tickets include the dinner, show, champagne toast and hats & noisemakers. 8 p.m.-midnight Bull Run Restaurant, Sawtelle Room, 215 Great Road, Shirley. 978-425-4311 or tickets.bullrunrestaurant.com The Flock Of A#*@Holes New Years Eve 80’s Spectacular. Here we are, at the end of yet another year and the beginning of the best year ever. Come on out and celebrate it with your pals in the Flock! This show is always a ridiculous event at Sakura Tokyo. We can’t wait to see you! Free! 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Sakura Tokyo, 640 Park Ave. 508-792-1078 or find them on Facebook. Thursday Open Mic Night. Now the frost is on the pumpkin, it’s the time for guitar plunkin...Join a decades old tradition of sharing and musical camaraderie in an old-fashioned fun roadhouse! P.A. and support of all sorts provided, be part of the fun....Hosted by Ed Sheridan. 00. 8-11 p.m. Blue Plate Lounge, 661 Main St., Holden. 508-829-4566. Audio Wasabi. 8:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Gardner Ale House, 74 Parker St., Gardner. 978-669-0122. New Year’s Eve Bash featuring No Alibi. Come out and ring in 2016 with the area’s best party band! 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m. JJ’s Sports Bar and Grill, 380 Southwest Cutoff, Northborough. 508-842-8420. New Years w/Andy Cummings & Swingabilly Lounge. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Rye & Thyme, 14 Monument Square, Leominster. 978-534-5900. Nick’s Vintage New Years’ Eve Party! Live music by the Nicotines and Guests, Complimentary Hors Douvers, Champagne Toast! Hosted by David Macpherson! 9pm! $20 Cover. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, 124 Millbury St. 508-753-4030. DJ (21+) Canal. N/A. 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Canal Restaurant & Bar, 65 Water St. 508-926-8353. DJ Tec Threat. 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Perfect Game Sports Grill and Lounge, 64 Water St. 508-792-4263. New Year’s Eve w/The Flat Five. 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Michael’s Cigar Bar, 1 Exchange Place. 508-459-9035. New Years Eve Bash! “Blueswitch” jump blues/dancing. Bring in the New Year at Padavano’s Place. A wonderful Venue with great food and a real commitment to live music. We will be dancing in the New Year! This Place will be hopping! Free. 10 p.m.-1 a.m. Padavano’s Place, 358 Shrewsbury St. 774-823-3022.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

>Friday 1

lespecial | ross jennsen. 21+ with proper ID Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St. 508-799-0629. Ski Trip with Ottomatic Slim. January is Discount Learn How to Ski/ Board Month at Wachusett Mountain Join us for a Ski Trip w Ottomatic Slim Ski, Board, Dance, Rock, Blues! You can’t Ski? or Dance? We don’t mind, grab a seat at the bar or table and just listen to Ottomatic Slim playing some Smoking Blues, Rock and Soul just for You! You can’t miss this New Year’s Day at Wachusett’s Coppertop Lounge with Ottomatic Slim Back by Popular Denand! You might catch songs by Little Walter, Smokey Robinson, J. Geils, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Johnny Winter and many other favorites All on New Year’s Day only from 8-10PM Ottomatic Slim is Otto Lenz (Harmonica and Vocals), Infamous Boston Gutarist Mr. Danny Zug, Bass Popping Pro Mr. Steve Leveille,Carol Chaplin on Drums, Mrs. Esther Leveille on Back-up Vocals and Vocals. OttomaticSlim.com Free. 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Coppertop Lounge/Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, 499 Mountain Road, Princeton. 978-464-2300.

B.B. King while visiting Jimi Hendrix. It can’t help but groove you” If you haven’t been to a Willie J. Laws concert, you really need to check this one out. $18 advance; $22 day of show. 8-11 p.m. Bull Run Restaurant, Sawtelle Room, 215 Great Road, Shirley. 978-425-4311 or tickets. bullrunrestaurant.com Ed & Dave. $5. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Greendale’s Pub, 404 W Boylston St. 508-853-1350. Karaoke. Karaoke by DJ Nancy of Star Sound Entertainment 9 p.m.1:30 a.m. Danger Zone Saloon, 948 Main St. , Warren. 413-436-7115. Lavender Restaurant Karaoke. Join Magic Mike Entertainment DJ’s for Karaoke Night every Friday & Saturday Night! Free. 9:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Lavender Restaurant, 519 Boston Post Road, Sudbury. magicmikeentertainment.com The Josh Briggs Duo - Acoustic Rock. 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Padavano’s Place, 358 Shrewsbury St. 774-823-3022. DJ (21+) Canal. N/A. 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Canal Restaurant & Bar, 65 Water St. 508-926-8353.

>Saturday 2

Can you think of a better way to usher in the New Year than by spending it with The Flock of A#*@Holes Thursday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Sakura Tokyo, 640 Park Ave, Worcester. The calendar may be turning to 2016, but the ’80s reign supreme with this fun band. For more information, look for the Flock on Facebook or email egodin@aol.com

Thank Friday It’s Dr. Nat. Let Dr. Nat start your weekend with jazz, swing, blues, soul, samba, R&B, Broadway, original songs about Worcester, and other surprises, such as special guest vocalists and instrumentalists. Dancers welcome! No cover charge, tips appreciated. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, 124 Millbury St. 508-7534030 or natneedle.com Bill McCarthy Every Friday at Barbers Crossing North. Now catch Bill McCarthy playing his heart out every Friday at Barbers North (Sterling, MA) @6:30pm Visit: BillMcCarthyMusic.com for info. Free! 6:30-9:30 p.m. Barbers Crossing (North), 175 Leominster Road, Sterling. 978-422-8438. Christian Music Cafe Night. January 2016 events Jan 1: Movie night! - Showing “Do You Believe” new release from the producers and writers of “Gods Not Dead” Jan 8th - 10th : Fire in the Spirit with Pastor David Hayner - Join us Friday and Saturday night and Sunday Morning as David ministers the Grace and Power of God. David is the cousin of Dwayne Johnson AKA “The Rock” 15th: Patti Dahl & Heartsong - A country gospel group Hailing from CT delivers “upbeat ministry for a beat up world” 23rd: Nate Fiorino: 15 year old worship leader will from Waterford NY will bring us into Gods presence 29th: Open Mic - bring your talents and giftings and use them for the Glory of God. If you have a gift to sing, play an instrument, dance, write poetry, or any other gift that you want to use to bless the body of Christ, this is your chance to shine for the Lord! Free. 7-10 p.m. Mill Church Cafe, 45 River St., Millbury. 508-864-5658 or millchurch.org Sam James. 7-11 p.m. Compass Tavern, 90 Harding St. 508-304-6044. Ottomatic Slim Band at Coppertop Lounge featuring Otto Lenz, Rocking Harmonica. At the Coppertop Lounge! 8-10 p.m. Coppertop Lounge at Wachusett Mountain, Leino Park, Princeton. Find them on Facebook. Willie J Laws and Charles Neville. “Think Robert Cray meets

• DECEMBER 31, 2015

The Promise is Hope. The Promise is Hope, the Worcester-based duo, is comprised of Ashley & Eric L’Esperance. Join them at BirchTree Bread Company. Bring your kids - the bakery is very family-friendly. Free! 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. BirchTree Bread Co., 138 Green St. 774-243-6944. Winter Reimagined Music - The Andrew Wilcox Quartet. Tahanto Regional High School Students free with admission. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive, Boylston. 508-869-6111. Open Mic. Open to musicians, poets, comedians or anyone with a talent! Hosted by Stephen Wright. 6-9 p.m. Nu Cafe, 335 Chandler St. 508-926-8800 or nucafe.com Fennario: Grateful Dead Tribute. 21+ with proper ID 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St. 508-799-0629. Dan Kirouac solo/acoustic. Dan has been part of the regional music scene for thirty years. When not busy with the tribute band Beatles For Sale, his solo performances showcase vocals accompanied by a six-string acoustic guitar. From the one-hit wonders to the lost classics, from the 1960s to today, every show is a different experience, drawing from almost 500 contemporary and oldie songs. More information at dankirouac.com. Free. 7:30-10:30 p.m. Bailey’s Bar & Grill, 18 Main St (Route119 ) Tonwsend Ma, Townsend. 978-812-0200. Flashback Band Marlboro. 7:30-11 p.m. Billy’s Pub, 81 Clinton St., Shrewsbury. 508-425-3353. Never Forgotten. Christian Rock $5 Donation. 7:30-10 p.m. !Cafe con Dios!, Main Room, 22 Faith Ave., Auburn. 508-579-6722. Brian Chaffee. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Rye & Thyme, 14 Monument Square, Leominster. 978-534-5900. Jubilee Gardens at Sahara. Jubilee Gardens rings in the new year Saturday at Sahara! 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Sahara Cafe & Restaurant, 143 Highland St. 508-798-2181. Karaoke. shangrilarestaurant.net Chinese & Japanese Restaurant 9 p.m.-midnight Shangri La, 50 Front St. 508-798-0888. Live Band Karaoke with Fingercuff Open Jam. Come and

Jam with Live Band Karaoke with Fingercuff. We provide the drum kit, amps. mics and equipment, you provide the Rock Star! Join us the 1st Saturday of the month for the LBKw/FC Jam!Check out Loveshackmusic. com for more info 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Liberty Tavern, 301 High St., Clinton. 978-365-4800. Lizzy Marquis. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. South Side Grille & Margarita Factory, 242 West Broadway, Gardner. 978-632-1057. Tony Soul. $5. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Greendale’s Pub, 404 W Boylston St. 508-853-1350. Windfall. Windfall has performed throughout NE, bringing high energy fun to every performance, Check us out on windfallrock.com. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. JJ’s Sports Bar and Grill, 380 Southwest Cutoff, Northborough. 508-842-8420. Zach Marquis. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Classic’s Pub, 285 Central St., Leominster. 978-537-7750. The Orb Mellon Trio. 9:30-12:30 p.m. Padavano’s Place, 358 Shrewsbury St. 774-823-3022. DJ (21+) Canal. N/A. 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Canal Restaurant & Bar, 65 Water St. 508-926-8353. DJ’s. 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Compass Tavern, 90 Harding St. 508-304-6044. Doctor Robert. 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Michael’s Cigar Bar, 1 Exchange Place. 508-459-9035. Old 2 the New. New Years Day Event Friday January 1, 2016 @ Play Lounge 77-17 Queens Blvd Elmhurst, NY 11373 Doors Open at 10:00 PM - 4:00 AM Performing Live - Rakim Also Starring Slick Rick Hosted by Love & Hip Hop New York’s DJ Self Music by The Breakfast Club’s DJ Envy Alongside DJ Chris Dollar Dress code - No Hats, No Boots, No Sweats. Get your $20 Tickets Now! To purchase tickets go to: old2thenew. eventbrite.com Age: 21 and over For More Info Email Old2TheNew@ AOSEntertainment.com 20. 10 p.m.-4 a.m. Play Lounge, 77-17 Queens Blvd, Elmhurst. 917-677-9876 or old2thenew.eventbrite.com

>Sunday 3

Dan Kirouac - acoustic. Dan has been part of the regional music scene for thirty years. When not busy with the tribute band Beatles For Sale, his solo performances showcase vocals accompanied by a six-string acoustic guitar. From the one-hit wonders to the lost classics, from the 1960s to today, every show is a different experience, drawing from almost 500 contemporary and oldie songs. More information at dankirouac.com free. 4-6 p.m. Coppertop Lounge/Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, 499 Mountain Road, Princeton. 978-464-2300. Lessons and Carols for the Feast of Epiphany. Ring in the New Year, and celebrate the end of the Christmas Season with the Saint John’s Schola Cantorum as we present a service of readings, Christmas Carols, and festive choral music of the Season. The Schola Cantorum, a choir of professional singers, is directed by Sean Redrow, and accompanied by Assistant Director, Lucia Clemente Falco. The event is free, and open to the public. Elevator access and restroom facilities are available in the building. Free. 4-5 p.m. St. John’s Catholic Church, 44 Temple St. 508-756-7165. Winter Reimagined Music - The Andrew Wilcox Quartet.

New Year’s Eve in Worcester is always a fun time. Kick it off at the Oval on Worcester Common, Thursday, Dec. 31. Skate free with a First Night button, or pay $2 admission, $3 for skate rental. For more information, visit Worcestercommonoval.com of email SpecialEvents@worcesterma.gov.

night day &

Explorer Express Train, planetarium programs & other special program. Ring in the New Year while looking at the old at the Central 222 Harrington Way. 508-929-2700 or ecotarium.org Mass Antique Show at the Sturbridge Host Hotel & Fisher Museum Harvard Forest, 324 N. Main St., Petersham. Conference Center, 366 Main St., Sturbridge. Raise a glass to 2016 978-724-3302 or harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu from 6 p.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 31 through Friday, Jan. Fitchburg Art Museum, Hours: noon-4 p.m. Sunday, closed 1. Enjoy a glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres in a relaxed setting. The cost Monday, noon-4 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday. 25 Merriam Parkway, is $15 per person. For more information, visit sturbridgeantiqueshow. Fitchburg. 978-345-4207 or fitchburgartmuseum.org com, email sturbridgeantiqueshjow@gmail.com or call 508-488-6133. Fitchburg Historical Society, Hours: closed Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday - Tuesday, 10 a.m.-midnight Wednesday, closed Thursday - Saturday. 50 Grove St., Fitchburg. 978-345-1157 or fitchburghistory. Tahanto Regional High School Students free with admission. 4:30-5:30 fsc.edu p.m. Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive, Boylston. 508-869-6111. >Wednesday 6 Fitchburg State University: Hammond Hall, 160 Pearl St., Big Jon Short. 5-8 p.m. Vincent’s Bar, 49 Suffolk St. 508-752-9439. It’s all about Entertainment. Its all about entertainment...Stop in Fitchburg. fitchburgstate.edu any Tuesday or Wednesday because you never know what we will have Jim’s Sunday Blues Jam. Every week, Jim Perry hosts the best Framed in Tatnuck, Hours: closed Sunday - Monday, 10 a.m. to blues jam around, and brings in very special guest performers. No cover. going on. Indoor Cornhole boards, Darts, Board games, Cards, Jukebox 6 p.m. Tuesday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. 1099 Pleasant St. wars and more. Perfect time to hang with friends or a chance to make 6-10 p.m. Greendale’s Pub, 404 W Boylston St. 508-853-1350. 508-770-1270 or framedintatnuck.com new ones. 7-11 p.m. Beatnik’s, 433 Park Ave. 508-926-8877. Open Mic Sundays @ Plaza Azteca! To check the schedules Fruitlands Museum, 102 Prospect Hill Road, Harvard. 978-456Wednesday Night Open Mic/Local Musicians’ Showcase 3924 or fruitlands.org and open slots visit: Bill McCarthy’s Open Mic World on Facebook Bill w/ Bill McCarthy @ Guiseppe’s. To check the schedules McCarthy (originator of the “Half-Hour Sets!”) is your host at another Gallery of African Art, Hours: closed Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 and open slots visit Facebook. Any slot marked as “open” usually great Open Mic Night! Email Bill McCarthy to reserve it at: openmcc@ p.m. Monday - Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to is! Free! 7:30-10:30 p.m. Guiseppe’s Grille, 35 Solomon Pond Road, verizon.net (make sure you put “open mic” in the email’s “subject box”) 5:30 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Admission: Donations Northborough. 508-393-4405 or find them on Facebook. Network * Collaborate * Learn. Over sixty different musicians regularly accepted. 62 High St., Clinton. 978-265-4345 or 978-598-5000x12 or Zack Slik’s Final First Wednesday at Vincent’s. Final night in galleryofafricanart.org support my open mic nights all are friendly and supportive -- and many are: * Former or currently signed recording artists * Award-winning pro’s the Frist Wednesday Series is coming to a close. Grab a friend and head Highland Artist Group, 113 Highland St. highlandartistgroup.com or semi-pro’s * Regularly gigging paid-performers * Published songwriters to Vincent’s for a night of Old Time Back Porch Music. Blues, Americana, Mass Audubon: Broad Meadow Brook Conservation * Recording studio Owner/Operators * Combinations of any and/or all of Jug Band Jazz. Performed in a one man hootenanny style Zack switches Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, Hours: 12:30-4 p.m. Sunday, the above. To check the schedules and open slots visit Facebook. Any slot between mandolin, banjo, guitar and harmonica. Arrangements of closed Monday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday. 414 Massasoit Ave. marked as “open” usually is! Free! 6-9 p.m. Plaza Azteca, 539 Lincoln St. traditional songs as well as original tunes all evening long Free. 8:30508-753-6087 or massaudubon.org 11:59 p.m. Vincent’s Bar, 49 Suffolk St. 508-752-9439. Tom Yates & The Working Mans Band. Tom Yates & The Museum of Russian Icons, Hours: closed Sunday - Monday, 11-3 Working Mans Band 6:45-10:30 p.m. Leominster Elks Lodge 1237, 134 Hot Smoke Trio. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Michael’s Cigar Bar, 1 Exchange Place. a.m. Tuesday - Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, 11-3 a.m. Friday, 508-459-9035. N. Main St., Leominster. 978-840-3375. 9-3 a.m. Saturday. Admission: Adults $10; Seniors (59 +), $7; Students, Karaoke. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Compass Tavern, 90 Harding St. 508-304-6044. $5; Children 3-17, $5; Children <3, Free. 203 Union St., Clinton. 978Dancin’ Dead Sundays. 21+ with proper ID Weekly tribute to the Grateful Dead $5. 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St. 508-799-0629. Karaoke w/ Royal Crown. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Classic’s Pub, 285 Central 598-5000 or 978-598-5000x17 or museumofrussianicons.org St., Leominster. 978-537-7750. Blue Light Bandits. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Michael’s Cigar Bar, 1 Exchange Old Sturbridge Village, December School Vacation Week, Through Place. 508-459-9035. Jan. 3, 2016; Kindred Spirits: A.B. Wells, Malcolm Watkins, and the Karaoke w/ Royal Crown. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Classic’s Pub, 285 Central Origins of Old Sturbridge Village, Through Jan. 15, 2016. Admission: $7 St., Leominster. 978-537-7750. $20 charged by age. Children under 3 free. 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, ArtsWorcester, “Grayscale: A Members’ Exhibition in Collaboration Sturbridge. 800-733-1830 or 508-347-3362 or osv.org >Monday 4 with the Fitchburg Art Museum” at the Aurora, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Park Hill Gallery, Hours: closed Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday Open Mic/Open Decks hosted by Kroma Kode. 21+ with Fridays, Saturdays, through Jan. 14; Call For Art: Now! New Works, New Friday, closed Saturday. 387 Park Ave. 774-696-0909. proper ID Sign-up for slots starts at the venue at 7:30 and is first come Artists!, Through Jan. 15, 2016. Hours: closed Sunday - Monday, 1-4 Post Road Art Center, Call to Artists: Abstract Exhibit, Mondays, first serve. Open Mic 8-10 Open Decs 10-1 House equipment for DJs: p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday - Friday, 1-4 p.m. Saturday. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, through Jan. 7. Numark M3 Mixer Please bring your own equipment! Free. 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Admission: Free. 660 Main St. 508-755-5142 or artsworcester.org Hours: closed Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday - Saturday. 1 Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St. 508-799-0629. Asa Waters Mansion, Admission: $3 for guided tour $7-10 for tea. Boston Post Road, Marlborough. 508-485-2580 or postroadartcenter.com 123 Elm St., Millbury. 508-865-0855 or asawaters.org Preservation Worcester, Hours: closed Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. >Tuesday 5 Assumption College: Emmanuel d’Alzon Library, 500 Monday - Friday, closed Saturday. 10 Cedar St. 508-754-8760 or It’s all about Entertainment. Its all about entertainment...Stop in Salisbury St. 508-767-7272 or assumption.edu preservationworcester.org any Tuesday or Wednesday because you never know what we will have Booklovers’ Gourmet, Call to artists - “Small Works” group show, Prints and Potter Gallery: American Arts and Crafts going on. Indoor Cornhole boards, Darts, Board games, Cards, Jukebox Through Dec. 31. Hours: closed Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, 10 Gallery, Hours: closed Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday - Tuesday, wars and more. Perfect time to hang with friends or a chance to make a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. 55 East 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday - Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday, new ones. 7-11 p.m. Beatnik’s, 433 Park Ave. 508-926-8877. Main St., Webster. 508-949-6232 or er3.com 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. 142 Highland St. 508-752-2170 or Vertigo Trivia Night. Free to play and great prizes! Free. 7-10 p.m. Clark University: University Gallery, Hours: noon-5 p.m. printsandpotter.com Vintage Grille, 346 Shrewsbury St. 508-752-0558. Sunday, closed Monday - Tuesday, noon-8 p.m. Wednesday, noon-5 p.m. Rollstone Studios, Hours: 11-4 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday Lou Borelli Octet Plays First Tuesday Jazz Night. Lou Borelli Thursday - Saturday. 950 Main St. 508-793-7349 or 508-793-7113 or Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday - Saturday. Admission: free. 633 clarku.edu Octet plays mostly original arrangements from the Dave Pell Octet, one Main St., Fitchburg. 978-348-2781 or rollstoneartists.com Clark’s Cafe and Art On Rotation Gallery, Hours: 6 a.m. to 1 of the bands credited with the creation of the West Coast Jazz scene in Salisbury Mansion, Home for the Holidays at Salisbury Mansion, the 1950’s. We appreciate your support of live music and especially jazz, p.m. Sunday - Saturday. Admission: Free for gallery. 310 High St., Clinton. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, through Dec. 31. Hours: closed Sunday which is art for your ears. Our first CD “Lou Borelli Octet Live at Nick’s” is 978-549-5822 or 978-365-7772 or aorgallery.com - Wednesday, 1-8:30 p.m. Thursday, 1-4 p.m. Friday - Saturday. 40 available at our shows, CDBaby.com and Amazon.com. No Cover. Tips are College of the Holy Cross: Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Art Highland St. 508-753-8278 or worcesterhistory.org appreciated. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, 124 Millbury St. Gallery, Hours: closed Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday, 2-5 SAORI Worcester Freestyle Weaving Studio, 18 Winslow St. p.m. Saturday. 1 College St. 508-793-3356 or holycross.edu 508-752-6213. 508-757-4646 or 508-757-0116 or saoriworcester.com Danforth Museum of Art, Hours: noon-5 p.m. Sunday, closed Tuesday Open Mic Night @ Greendale’s Pub with Bill Sprinkler Factory, Concept & Gestation (Open Gallery), McCarthy Local Musicians Showcase! Email Bill McCarthy to Monday - Tuesday, noon-5 p.m. Wednesday - Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 Sundays, Saturdays, through Jan. 9. Admission: Free. 38 Harlow St. p.m. Friday - Saturday. 123 Union Ave., Framingham. 508-620-0050 or reserve it at: openmcc@verizon.net (make sure you put “open mic” in sprinklerfactory.com the email’s “subject box”) Free. 7:30-11:30 p.m. Greendale’s Pub, 404 W danforthmuseum.org Taproot Bookstore, Hours: noon-5 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EcoTarium, Cool Moves: The Artistry of Motion, Sundays, Tuesdays, Boylston St. 508-853-1350 or find them on Facebook. Monday - Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday - Thursday, 10 a.m. to Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, through Jan. 10. Hours: Hip Hop Tuesdays with Ace of Blaze. 21+ with proper ID 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. 1200 West Boylston St. 508Hookah share and pong tournament! $5. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Electric Haze, 26 noon-5 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday 853-5083 or TaprootBookstore.com Saturday. Admission: $14.00 adults; $10 for children ages 2-18, college Tatnuck Bookseller & Cafe, Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 9 Millbury St. 508-799-0629. students with IDs & senior citizens. Children under 2 & EcoTarium Open Mic Tuesday w/ Key Performance. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday - Saturday. members free. Additional charges apply for Tree Canopy Walkway, Classic’s Pub, 285 Central St., Leominster. 978-537-7750. 18 Lyman St., Westborough. 508-366-4959 or tatnuck.com

arts

{ listings}

Top Fun Aviation Toy Museum, Hours: 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday - Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. 21 Prichard St., Fitchburg. 978-342-2809 or 978-297-4337 or topfunaviation.com Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday. Admission: $12 Adults, $9 Seniors & $7 Youth, free to Members & Children under. 11 French Drive, Boylston. 508-869-6111 or towerhillbg.org Worcester Art Museum, 3D Construction, Thursday; Art Since the Mid-20th Century, Through Dec. 31; Art together: Color Impressions, Thursday; Explore Our World, Thursday; Families Make Art: Mixed Media, Thursday; Hassan Hajjaj: My Rock Stars, Through March 6, 2016; Make then Play It, Thursday; Noise Makers, Thursday; Pierre Bonnard, Dining Room in the Country, Through May 1, 2016; Veiled Aleppo, Through June 5, 2016; What’s the Buzz?, Thursday; Winter Wonderland, Thursday; Arms and Armor: Knight’s Tale, Saturday; Zip Tour: Sodoma: The Fall of Phaeton, Saturday; Zip Tour: Sodoma: The Fall of Phaeton, Saturday; Arms and Armor: Knight’s Tale, Sunday; Sunday Tours, Sundays, through Jan. 24. Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday - Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Admission: Free for members, $14 adults, $12 seniors, free for youth 17 and under. Free for all first Saturdays of each month, 10am-noon. 55 Salisbury St. 508-799-4406 or worcesterart.org Worcester Center for Crafts, Hours: closed Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Saturday. 25 Sagamore Road. 508-753-8183 or worcestercraftcenter.org Worcester Historical Museum, Alden Family Gallery, Through Dec. 31; In Their Shirtsleeves, Through Dec. 31; Stories They Tell, Through Dec. 31. Hours: closed Sunday - Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday -

Help Us Help Others

• All clothing and linens accepted, no need to sort • We recycle worn and unwearable items • Small household goods and books also needed! • Your donations help those in need locally and reduce landfill

Visit our Thrift Shop at 507 Park Avenue, Worcester Parking in back of building Call for local pick-up information. Open 9:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m. Mon. - Sat.

508-752-4232

DECEMBER 31, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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• DECEMBER 31, 2015

SEO.

REPUTATION.

night day &

Saturday. 30 Elm St. 508-753-8278 or worcesterhistory.org Worcester Public Library, Hours: 1:30-5:30 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday - Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday - Saturday. 3 Salem Square. 508-799-1655 or worcpublib.org WPI: George C. Gordon Library, 100 Institute Road. wpi.edu

theater/ comedy

Dick Doherty’s Beantown Comedy Escape - 7:30pm & Catch an Artist Reception at Gallery 372, 372 10:30pm Reservations recommended at 800-401-2221 Prices: $20 Fri/ Chandler St., Worcester on Saturday, Jan. 2, 6-8 Sat pp except Special Events Drinks and Appetizers available in the show p.m. For more information, visit gallery372.com or email room Full Dinner Available before Show in Restaurant. Thursday Dec Gallery372@yahool.com 31st-Special Event! Double Headliner Shows @ 7:30pm and 10:30pm Show Only Tickets $35pp-Includes Champagne Toast and Favors Dinner/ Show Tickets $69pp-Includes Champagne Toast and Favors, Dinner Tax & Tip Chris Zito Steve Donovan Sarah Martin Steve Halligan Dick’s Beantown Comedy Escape at Park Grill & Spirits Great Food and Fun Make Reservations Early at 800-401-2221 or online at beantowncomedy. com. $20 per person except Special Events. 6 p.m.-midnight Park Grill and Spirits, Comedy Room, 257 Park Ave. Call 800-401-2221 or visit >Thursday 31 beantowncomedy.com Noon Year’s Eve. Join the festivities at our annual Noon Year’s Eve celebration with two kid-friendly countdowns at 12:00 noon and 2:00 p.m., create and toast resolutions, make 2015 time capsules, and more! Noon Year’s Eve at the EcoTarium offers fun the whole family can enjoy >Thursday 31 together. Free with EcoTarium admission ($14 adults, $10 children 2-18, First Night On The Oval. Skate free with your First Night button seniors 65+ and students with ID); Free for EcoTarium Members and $2 admission, $3 skate rental (or free with first night button). Noonchildren under 2. EcoTarium, 222 Harrington Way. 508-929-2700 or 5 p.m. Worcester Common Oval, 455 Main St. 508-929-0777 or ecotarium.org Worcestercommonoval.com Wachusett Mountain New Year’s Eve Celebration. Ski or ride in the New Year! The lifts will be spinning until midnight and we’ll have >Friday 1 live music in the Coppertop by Ben Knight from 9-12pm, fireworks at First Day Brunch 2016. For reservations, call 508-347-0362. 10pm and great food and beverage packages! Wachusett Mountain Ski Served from 10:00am to 1:30pm in the Oliver White Tavern Menu Area, 499 Mountain Road, Princeton. 978-464-2300 or wachusett.com Includes: Composed Salads Deconstructed Garden salad with dressing Worcester Public Library Blood Drive. Come give blood on choices Fresh Fruit with Greek Yogurt and Granola Warm Rolls and 12/31/2015 at the Worcester Public Library! As a special thank you for whipped butter Eggs Benedict Scrambled Eggs Tavern Fried Home donating during this busy holiday season, all presenting donors will get a Style Potatoes Applewood Bacon Maple Sausage Links Smoked free long-sleeve t-shirt and can enter to win a gift card from Brew City! Salmon Display with Bagel and Cream Cheese Featured Seafood Entrée Walk ins are welcome, but appointments are suggested. You can sign up Vegetarian Selections Pasta Creation of the Day Omelet Station Carving at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-RedCross. Every two seconds Station with Top Round of Beef and Sage Roasted Turkey Breast Fresh someone in the United States needs blood, and just one donation can Belgium Style Waffle Station with fresh whipped cream, assorted sweets, help save 3 lives! Free. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Worcester Public Library, Saxe Strawberries and real maple syrup Mac & Cheese French Toast Sticks Room, 3 Salem Square. 781-439-0513 or redcrossblood.org Chicken Tenders Smiley Fries Assorted desserts and pastries $21.95 First Night Worcester ’16. The clock is ticking! Grab your family Adults, $19.95 Seniors, $7.95 Children 3-12, Children under 3 eat free. and friends and ring in the New Year with First Night! More than 60 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oliver Wight Tavern at Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old performances will take place, with musicians & acrobats, jugglers & Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge. 800-733-1830 or osv.org comedians, hypnotists, dancers, and for the second consecutive year, New Years Day W/ Hanover Insurance. $2 Admission $3 Skate psychic mediums! See the full schedule at firstnightworcester.org There rental. Noon-5 p.m. Worcester Common Oval, 455 Main St. 508-929will be pony rides and guided tours by Canal District Horse & Wagon 0777 or WorcesterCommonOval.com Tours, a local favorite. Head up to Worcester Common for free ice skating sponsored by baystateparent and hot cocoa sponsored by Becker College. >Saturday 2 Worcester Art Museum will be hosting a special craft project, sponsored Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast National Storytime. Enjoy by FLEXcon, and we’re bringing back the incredibly popular Kids Zone the funniest “food fight” story ever! Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast at Veteran’s Inc., sponsored by UniBank. Jillian’s Worcester, First Night’s have a beautiful friendship--until they discover there’s only one drop of newest venue partner, will be hosting a free pasta bar for First Night maple syrup left. Activities to follow story. Free. 11-11:30 a.m. Barnes & attendees as well as giving out free $10 gift cards to use in its game Noble Booksellers - Millbury, 70 Worcester Providence Turnpike, Millbury. room. Most First Night programming kicks off at 4:00 PM, but there will 508-865-2801 or bn.com be a full day of fun around town, all free with your First Night button! Stop in for open houses at the Joy of Music Program (with family-friendly >Sunday 3 drumming circles, student performances and creative movement groups) Guided Garden Tours at Tower Hill Botanic Garden. Meet at and the Worcester JCC (with swimming, Gaga, a basketball clinic, the Master Plan in the Morgan Reception Gateway Enjoy a guided tour bounce house and craft projects). And don’t forget that your First Night of this magnificent garden, with seasonal highlights such as Camellias button grants free access to the EcoTarium, Museum of Russian Icons, in the Limonaia and subtropical plants in the Orangerie, and the beauty Old Sturbridge Village, Salisbury Mansion, Worcester Art Museum and of bark and berries in the Winter Garden. Learn about the history of the the Worcester Historical Museum! Hate the cold? No worries! The First Worcester County Horticultural Society that owns and operates Tower Hill Night trolleys are toasty warm and will get you where you want to go, Botanic Garden, and learn about the Garden’s future goals. Included with thanks to our sponsors Bay State Savings Bank and SG&D Insurance admission. Free for members. 2-3:30 p.m. Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 Agencies. Buttons are on sale now ($10 until Dec 25 | $12 after Dec French Drive, Boylston. 508-869-6111.

fairs/ festivals

family

25 | $15 at the door, kids 7 and under are free). Get yours today at firstnightworcester.org. See you at First Night! $10 until Dec. 25 | $12 after Dec. 25 | $15 at door. Kids 7 & under are free. 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Worcester, MA Downtown, 508-298-9448 or firstnightworcester.org First Day at the J! First Night Worcester Destination. Worcester JCC is a New Year’s Eve destination in First Night Worcester 2016. Worcester JCC membership or First Night Button will get you to swim at our indoor heated pool, play in the bouncy house and games in the gymnasium and play GaGa in the auditorium. All visitors are required to sign in at the front desk and provide a valid photo ID. Any questions, please email Monica at mmaher@worcesterjcc.org First Night Button/ Free to JCC members. 1-3 p.m. Worcester JCC, Heated Indoor Pool, Gymnasium, Auditorium, 633 Salisbury St. 508-756-7109 or worcesterjcc.org

>Thursday 31 – Friday 1

Central Mass Antique Show at Sturbridge. The Central Mass Antique Show at Sturbridge is planning a great show for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 2015-16! Come and see the best Antiques Central Massachusetts has to offer! On New Year’s Eve enjoy a festive atmosphere with old friends; enjoy a glass of wine & Hors D’oeuvres, preview in advance the New Year’s Day Show & make a purchase - if the price is right! Our mission is to bring buyers and sellers together, in a fun, relaxing atmosphere. General Public admission $15. 6-4 p.m. Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center, 366 Main St., Sturbridge. 508-4886133 or sturbridgeantiqueshow.com

poetry >Monday 5

The Award Winning “Dirty Gerund Poetry Show” Downstairs Every Monday Night at 8pm! 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Ralph’s Chadwick Square Diner, 148 Grove St. 508-753-9543.

classes >Thursday 31

Let’s Celebrate! For 3-5 year olds: Let’s welcome the New Year in style! We’ll make noise makers, party hats, masks, and fun party games to celebrate 2016. Everyone gets to make their own delicious treat. Come join the party on this special New Year’s Eve! Don’t forget to bring lunch, New Year’s Day brings Willie J. Laws and Charles Neville to the Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley. Get down from 8-11 p.m. in the Sawtelle Room. The cost is $18 in advance, $22 the day of show. For more tickets, visit tickets.bullrunrestaurant.com/WillieJLaws. swim, and gym gear for all programs! Extended morning and afternoon care till 3:30pm available for additional cost. $31/Members, $36/general public. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Worcester JCC, Early Childhood Center, 633 Salisbury St. 508-756-7109, ext. 258 or worcesterjcc.org Let’s Celebrate! For Kindergartners to 6th graders: It’s time to party! Join us for a fun-filled last day of 2015. We have lots of exciting activities planned. Ga-Ga tournaments, swimming, a Bounce House, popcorn and a movie along with some sparkling cider to bid farewell to 2015! Don’t forget to bring lunch, swim, and gym gear for all programs! Extended morning care available for additional cost. $55 general public or $45 for members. 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Worcester JCC, 633 Salisbury St. 508756-7109, ext. 238 or worcesterjcc.org Cyanotypes. Learn how to utilize light and chemistry to make beautiful cyan-blue prints. Bring in small objects with various degrees of transparency, such as plants or keepsakes. $40 members; $50 nonmembers. 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Worcester Art Museum, Art Studios, 55 Salisbury St. 508-799-4406 or educationreg.worcesterart.org Fashion Design. View the bold colorful fashions seen in “Hassan Hajjaj: My Rock Stars” video installation. Then learn to draw fashion figures, create mood boards and expand confidence in your own

{ listings}

wardrobe. $40 members; $50 nonmembers. 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Worcester Art Museum, Art Studios, 55 Salisbury St. 508-799-4406 or educationreg.worcesterart.org Nude Drawing in the Galleries. Visitors are invited to set-up their drawing boards in the galleries for the rare opportunity to draw from live nude models posing among masterworks by such artists as Veronese, El Greco and Rembrandt. Beginners and seasoned artists alike are welcome to join a studio class faculty member as they teach new skills and techniques, all within the inspirational setting of the museum. Make Nude Drawing your perfect Thursday afternoon and become intimately acquainted with the artworks found throughout WAM’s galleries. Nude Drawing takes place in the museum galleries; permissible art materials are limited to: Graphite or colored pencils Erasers Drawing Boards (23 x 26 or smaller). Participants are encouraged to bring their own supplies. Stools will be provided. Free with Museum Admission. 2-5 p.m. Worcester Art Museum, Early American Gallery, 55 Salisbury St. 508-799-4406.

>Sunday 3

Art Carts: Family Fun - Egyptian Hieroglyphs. Ever wanted to read hieroglyphs? Take a look at our three Egyptian inscriptions. Learn how to recognize words and names and how Egyptian writing is different from our alphabet. Then, write your own name in hieroglyphs to take home! (programming subject to change) Free with Museum admission. 2-3 p.m. Worcester Art Museum, Egyptian Gallery, 55 Salisbury St. 508-799-4406.

>Sunday 3 – March 27

Sunday Afternoon Garden Tours. Enjoy a docent-led tour highlighting plants of winter interest (weather permitting) and an overview of our two conservatories. Included with admission. 2-3 p.m. Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive, Boylston. 508-869-6111.

>Monday 4 – February 8

Adult Swimfit AM. Adult Swimfit 6 week sessions, Mon. 7-8am and/ or Thurs. 7-8pm Workouts focused on stroke technique and development without overwhelming intense training, utilizing drills and group workouts. One class a week per session $72M/$102NM 35-4029 Monday and Thursday $120M/$180NM 35-4034 $72 Members/$102 general public. 7-8 a.m. Worcester JCC, Heated Indoor Pool, 633 Salisbury St. 508-7567109, ext. 231 or worcesterjcc.org

>Monday 4 – February 22

Zumba for everybody, New your, New life, New body starts 01/04/16. Zumba for everybody, start the year with the right foot. New year, New you. What is Zumba? An aerobic dance program. An exciting, effective fitness system that tones and sculpts your body while having fun. Lose some pounds and lose yourself in the exotic rhythms of Zumba! 6:00 – 7:00 PM Monday 01/04/16 and ends 02/22/16 (No class on 01/25/16) Starts Monday 01/04/16 $65.00 / 7 Week session At the UUCW 90 Holden Street Worcester, MA 01606 To register call 508-208-4743 Please bring water and clothes to sweat on $65 /7 week session. 6-7 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, Fellowship hall, 90 Holden St. 508-208-4743 or ninacerviatti.com Yoga power, start the New Year with wellness and peace starts 01/04/16. It all starts here. The enrichment of the mind, the nourishment of the body, the uplifting of the soul, a place to share, learn and grow. Creating a better world one breath at a time and one class at a time. Yoga Power From 7:05 – 8:05 PM Starts Monday 01/04/16 and ends 02/22/16 (No class on 01/25/16) $65.00 / 7 week session This class is a flowing blend of powerful and graceful Yoga poses, transforming your body, mind and spirit. Bring mindfulness into your everyday life with this practice. At: The Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester 90 Holden Street Worcester, MA 01606 To register call 508208-4743 or email Please bring water and a mat $65 /7 week session. 7:05-8:05 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, Fellowship hall, 90 Holden St. 508-208-4743 or ninacerviatti.com

DECEMBER 31, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

www.centralmassclass.com

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Who said nothing in life is free? Run your four line ad for FREE for two weeks and then you have to the option to run your ad until it sells for $20! Or you may run your ad from the beginning until it sells for $20 (no refund if the item sells within the two weeks) $2015 FOR FREE! SUBMIT ITEMS UNDER $2014 Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all you need to do! 3 ways to submit... 1. Mail completed form to Central Mass Classifieds, P.O. Box 546, Holden, MA 01520 2. OR FAX the completed form to 508-829-0670 3. OR Email the info with name/address/phone number to sales@centralmassclass.com

NO PHONE ORDERS ACCEPTED FOR FREE ADS PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY... We are not liable for misinformation due to ad being illegible: Have you advertised in the Central Mass ClassiďŹ eds before? Please check one. ___ Yes ___ No Name _______________________________________________ Phone _______________________ Address _____________________________________Town _________________ Zip ____________ Email Address (optional) ______________________________________________________________ Ad Text: (approx 28 characters per line includes letters, spaces, numbers, punctuation) _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

HD=9K= J=9< KM:EAKKAGF JMD=K2 Maximum 4 lines (approx. 28 characters per line). We reserve the right to edit if ads come in that are too long. NO phone orders accepted. See ways to submit above. Merchandise Ads Only - NO autos, snowmobiles, RVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, trailers, boats, ATVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, etc. We have a special rate for these ads ($20 till it sells). NO business Ads accepted for this section. If we suspect the ads are being sent in by a business, we reserve the right to refuse. Limit 1 ad per name/address/ phone number every 2 weeks. Free Ads will run for 2 weeks. If you choose to run your ad until it sells for $20, no refund will be given if it sells within the ďŹ rst two weeks. Limit 1 item per ad (group of items OK if one price for all and under $2,014). $2015). Price must be listed in ad. NO Cemetery Plots

Sudoku Puzzle Solution on last page of ClassiďŹ eds

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SERVICES

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COMPUTER SERVICES

CARPET CLEANING

Wachusett Systems and PC Support"Your computer Support and Service Specialist" Hardware & Software installs Security & Virus Removal & More!! Mac Support Now Available! Call Gary today 978-902-2168 978-464-5875

Is Your Home True Pro Clean? True Pro Cleaners. Monthly Specials. Call Today@ 978-987-3911 Steam Cleaning, Carpets, Upholstery, Tile & Grout. Free Est. www.trueprocleaners.com Phillipston, MA 978-987-3911

Kurt Smollin, Electrician All your electrical needs. Additions, pools, spas, service upgrades. 30 yrs exp. Quality work. Masters Lic. 20050A Insured. Call (508)829-5134

Commonwealth Fence & Stone Your Complete Fence & Stone Company. All fence types- Cedar, Vinyl, Chain Link, Post & Rail, Ornamental, Pool. Hardscapes - Stone Wall, Walkways, Patios. For a free estimate contact: 508-835-1644

BUILDING/ REMODELING

CHIMNEY CLEANING

BBC EXCAVATING Site work for new homes/additions. Septic system installation repair. Driveway maintenance/repair. Drainage/grading. Sewer/water connections. Stump removal. Snow Plowing. Sanding/Salting. 15 Years in Business. NO JOB TOO LARGE OR small. Brian Cheney 978-464-2345

This newspaper will never knowingly accept any advertisement that is illegal or considered fraudulent. If you have questions or doubts about any ads on these pages, we advise that before responding or sending money ahead of time, you check with the local Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Line and/or the Better Business Bureau. Also be advised that some phone numbers published in these ads may require an extra charge. In all cases of questionable value, such as promises or guaranteed income from work-at-home programs, money to loan, etc., if it sounds too good to be true – it may in face be exactly that. This newspaper cannot be held responsible for any negative consequences that occur as a result of doing business with these advertisers. Thank you.

INSPIRATION

Need a friend? Call Dial-A-Friend

508.852.5242

Inspirational Messages Recorded Daily

24 Hours Everyday

BUILDING/REMODELING Carrigan Building & Remodeling Kitchens, baths, trim work, ceramic, etc. Hdwd flooring, basements. Meticulous work, punctual & dependable. Fully lic/insured, free est. Steve Carrigan, owner. 508-269-5167 Jeff Downer Carpentry For all your building & remodeling needs. Lic. & ins. Free estimates. 508-835-4356 www.jeffdownercarpentry.com Email: jtdowner@yahoo.com Regen Building Restoration Remodeling New homes - Additions Kitchen & Bath Remodels Complete Restoration Fully Licensed & Insured 774-696-7437 nick@regenbuilders.com regenbuilders.com

Ruchala Chimney Sweeping -Caps -Cleaning -Waterproofing -Chimney Liners Serving the Wachusett Area. Certified and Insured. ruchalachimney.com 978-928-1121

BATHTUB REFINISHING

Don’t Replace,

Refinish!

CLEANING SERVICES MUNDIAL CLEANING SERVICES LOOKING FOR HOUSE CLEANING? GOOD References, Fully INSURED, 12 YRS EXP. FREE ESTIMATE CALL LUCIA AT 774- 535 2576

t 5)064"/%4 -&44 5)"/ 3&1-"$&.&/5

“Yesterday, my bathtub was ugly.

Today, it’s beautiful!”

After! ALL WORK GUARANTEED

DISCOUNT OIL OLD MAN OIL Why Pay More? Serving Wachusett Region. Scott Landgren 508-886-8998 24 hour service (774-234-0306 service only) Visa, MC, Discover, Cash. www.oldmanoil.com

We Also Repair and Refinish: t $PVOUFSUPQT t 5JMF 4IPXFST 8BMMT t 4JOLT 7BOJUJFT t 'JCFSHMBTT 5VCT 4IPXFST

Call for a FREE Estimate! 508-655-2044 Each Miracle Method franchise independently owned and operated.

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Regen

CHIMNEY SERVICES

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building â&#x20AC;˘ restoration â&#x20AC;˘ remodeling New Homes â&#x20AC;˘ Additions Kitchen & Bath Remodels Complete Restoration Fully Licensed & Insured

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$99

$50 Off Caps or Masonry â&#x20AC;˘ Free Inspection All Types of Masonry â&#x20AC;˘ Water Leaks

NEW ROOFS

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SIZE PER BLOCK 1.75 X 1.75 8 weeks ........... $32.75/week = $262 12 weeks ......... $27.75/week = $333 20 weeks ......... $26.20/week = $524 36 weeks ......... $24.50/week = $882 52 weeks ......... $23/week = $1196 Minimum commitment of 8 weeks.

ASK about double blocks (size 3.75â&#x20AC;? x 1.75â&#x20AC;?) and COMBO pricing into our other zone and reach 40,600 households in 26 towns in Central Mass each week. FREE line ad included with each block purchased. Book for 52 weeks and receive a Spotlight Business of the Week! Ask for details!

CHIMNEY SERVICES

ELECTRICAL SAMPLE

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FENCE, STONE & CONCRETE

YOUR COMPLETE FENCE & STONE WORK COMPANY

â&#x20AC;˘ CONCRETE SPECIALISTS - Walkways, Patios, Sidewalks & Pool Patios... â&#x20AC;˘ FENCE ALL TYPES - Vinyl, Chain link, Ornamental & Wood... â&#x20AC;˘ STONE HARDSCAPES - Patios, Stone Walls, Pavers, Walkways & Pool Patios...

nick@regenbuilders.com www.regenbuilders.com P.O. Box 3192 | Worcester, MA 01613

508-410-4551

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FLOOR COVERING

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MASONRY

PAINTING SERVICES

Donald F. Mercurio

â&#x20AC;˘ WATER DAMAGE â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ WATER STAINS â&#x20AC;˘

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The

Door Doctor

30 Years in Business

C&S

Carpet Mills

Full line of residential sidential dential and commercial mmercial mercial garage doors and openers opene open

CARPET & LINOLEUM 30 Sq. Yds. $585 Installed with Pad Berber, Plush or Commercial

Glass Pro Products â&#x20AC;˘ Store Fronts Secu Security Grills â&#x20AC;˘ Parts â&#x20AC;˘ Accessories

800-861-5445 or 508-886-2624

Put your Garage Door Business in the spotlight! Advertise in the Service Directory for as little as $23 per week!

Free Metal Included Call Tom

TREE SERVICES SAMPLE

TREECUTTERS TREE CUTTERS

Rely on the professionals essiona ssiona sion at Tree Cutters tters ters for all of o

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WELLS No Water? Stop Wishing For It! Well & Pump Installation & Filtration Service

978-422-7471 24 Hr Emergency Service 877-816-2642 Mobile: 978-815-3188

TreeCutters.com

Put your Alterations Business in the spotlight! Advertise in the Service Directory for as little as $23 per week!

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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WINDOW REPLACEMENT

BUSINESS REFERRAL PROGRAM

SNEADE BROS.

BUSINESS REFERRAL PROGRAM

VINYL SIDING & REPLACEMENT WINDOWS Fully licensed & Insured

Richard Sneade

508-839-1164

www.sneadebrothers windowandsiding.com

Refer a business to join our Service Directory, and if they advertise with us, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll receive a $25 credit on your account for future advertising. We appreciate your business in the

Central Mass Classifieds!!

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INTERIOR & EXTERIOR

Be SEEN in Print & Online...

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your CLASSIFIED ADS travel far

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BULKHEADS

508-835-1644 for free estimate

www.centralmassclass.com FLOORING/CARPETING

HEATING & PLUMBING

MASONRY

RUBBISH REMOVAL

C & S Carpet Mills Carpet & Linoleum 30 Sq. Yds. $589 Installed with Pad. Free Metal Incl’d. Berber, Plush or Commercial. Call Tom: 800-861-5445 or 508-886-2624

SCOTT BOSTEK PLUMBING & HEATING Small Jobs Is What We Do Residential Repair Specialist Water Heaters-DisposalsFrozen Pipes-Remodels & AdditionsDrain Cleaning-Faucets Ins. MPL 11965 Free Estimates 25 yrs Exp. Reliable 774-696-6078

Donald F. Mercurio BULKHEADS Repaired & Replaced Foundation Repairs Brick*Block*Stone Basement Waterproofing 508-835-4729/West Boylston Owner Operator Insured

Lee Skoglund Services 10, 15, 20-yard container service. Yard & building materials. Office equipment & materials. Attics, cellars & estates cleaned, guaranteed by your closing date! Free estimates. Lee Skoglund 508-757-4209

Creative Floors, Inc. Ceramic-Carpet-Vinyl Marble- Granite- Laminate Wallpaper Pre-finished Hardwood Sales-Design- Installation Residential & Commercial Free Estimates. Carpet Binding Financing Available Come visit our showroom! 508-829-7444 www.creativefloorsinc.com

HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING

PAINT/WALLPAPER

Rutland Heating & A/C SERVICE & INSTALLATION "We cater to the independent oil customer!" Rutland, MA Call 774-234-0306

FURNITURE RESTORATION

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Paul G. Hanson Furniture Repair. Major/Minor Repairs. Chair regluing. Touch ups. Pick-up & delivery. Call Paul (978)464-5800

C&R, Remodeling, additions, & all home improvements, 25yrs exp. new & historic, David, 508-829-4581 HOME REPAIR/ RESTORATION

GLASS Central Glass Co. A Complete Line of Glass. Automotive-Residential. Window Glass Repairs, Screen Repairs/Pet Screens, Tub & Shower Glass Enclosures, Table Tops, Mirrors & More. Family Owned Over 50 Years. 127 Mechanic St. Leominster 978-537-3962 M-F 8-4

A Lorusso Masonry and Tile Foundation Repair, Stone Brick, Tile Backsplashes, Floors, Walls, Tub Surrounds, etc. Call 508-523-9628

Need it Fixed? General Home & Small Business Repairs Light Construction No Job Too Small Call Bob at 978-422-8632 or 978-790-8727 CELL email: fixit@callbobhill.com www.callbobhill.com

Jack Wasgatt Painting Interior painting and wallpapering, wall and ceiling repairs, extremely meticulous, one man operation (no crews or subs), 33 years experience, Holden resident, fully insured Call 508-852-0271 ROOFING Mark R. O’Donnell, Inc. Roofing Experts Licensed & Insured Residential, Commercial & Industrial Specialize in Shingle, Flat Rubber & Metal Roofs Prices as Low as $2 per Square Foot! Free Estimates 978-534-3307 modonnell@mrogc.com www.mrogc.com

WELLS NO WATER? Stop wishing for it! A&W Welltech Corp. WELL & PUMP Installation & Filtration Service 978-422-7471 24hr Emergency Service 877-816-2642 Mobile 978-815-3188

LAWN & GARDEN LANDSCAPING & LAWN MAINTENANCE

LANDSCAPING & LAWN MAINTENANCE

Dave’s Tree & Landscaping Enhancing the view from your home. Custom & Ornamental Pruning. Mulching. Planting. Lawn Mowing. Tree Removal. Certified Arborist. Call for consultation & free estimate. (508)829-6803. davestreeandlandscaping.com

Burnham Maintenance Clean-ups. Lawn Maintenance. Shrub Pruning. Bark Mulch, Screened Loam & Compost. Patios & Walkways. Fertilization Programs. Deliveries Available. Please call 508-829-3809

SNOW PROFESSIONALS DIRECTORY

DON’T GET SNOWED IN THIS WINTER... Call a Professional!

A.R.I Grounds Maintenance Snow Plowing A.R.I Grounds Maintenance is offering snow plowing and removal services. Call now to schedule your free quote. We have the right equipment to get your job done at a GREAT price! 978-514-4403 Sterling, MA

~ Since 1965 ~

SNOW PLOWING TREE TRIMMING BRUSH CHIPPING Residential & Commercial SERVING THE HOLDEN AREA

508.829.3809

Residential & Commercial Snow Removal/Plowing

Snow removal and sanding. Shoveling and snow blowing. 978-464-5942

HAIRDRESSING ACADEMY

DRIVING INSTRUCTION

Your keys to successful driving!

SAFE ROADS DRIVING ACADEMY www.SafeRoadsDrivingAcademy.com

COMPREHENSIVE DRIVER EDUCATION

600.00

978-345-6200 19 Prichard Street, Fitchburg MA 01420

INCLUDES: • 30 Hours Classroom • 12 Hours Behind the Wheel • 6 Hours Observation • 2 Hour Parent Class • Drivers Education Manual • Registry Drivers Education Certiﬁcate

TONI&GUY HAIRDRESSING ACADEMY

ENROLL NOW Book a tour today!

CALL 508.756.6060 Financial Aid available to those who qualify. WORCESTER ACADEMY | 6 PARK AVE, WORCESTER, MA 01605 WWW.TONIGUY.COM http://www.ifap.ed.gov/GainfulEmploymentInfo/GEFAQV2.html#D-Q2

D E C E M B E R 3 1, 2 0 15 • W O R C E S T E R M A G A Z I N E . C O M

www.centralmassclass.com FOSTER PARENTS

MERCHANDISE

FOR SALE

FURNITURE

WOOD FOR SALE

)267(5 3$5(176 :$17('

CEMETERY PLOTS

Brand New Wolfgang Puck Pressure Cooker Oven Cooks 15lb turkey in 50 min. Cooks bread in 30 min. Saves 70% electricity. Can be used as conventional oven. Call 508461-7206. Leave message, Asking $200.00. Webster, MA

Brand New Sleeper Sofa Light brown, beautiful fabric. Call 508-461-7206 Leave message, Webster MA. Comes apart for easy transport. Asking $300.00

FIREWOOD Seasoned 100% hardwood cut and split. Free delivery on 2 cords (128 cu. ft.) orders. Call or text Cami for more info. 508-918-0767.

Corner Hutch Solid pine - 4 doors - 48" x 76". Accommodates 42" television. $250. Photo available. 508-829-6792

PETS & ANIMALS

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688 Main Street, Holden, MA Toll Free (877) 446-3305

www.devereuxma.org MULCH & LOAM

HELP WANTED LOCAL

Sterling Peat Inc. Quality Screened Loam. Mulches. Compost- w/Loam Mix. 2"-Gravel, Fill. Fieldstone. 978-422-8294

Custodian in Holden DPW Buildings/Grounds Division This is varied custodial work involving building maintenance duties in town buildings. Responsibilities include general cleaning and custodial work, limited building maintenance and repair tasks, heating plant operations, grounds work and snow removal. The employee works under the general supervision of the Building/Grounds Foreman, receiving specific instruction on random needs or jobs. Apply at Office of Town Manager, 1204 Main St., Holden, MA 01520. Visit www.holdenma.gov "Employment Opportunities" for more information. EOE

EMPLOYMENT HELP WANTED LOCAL School bus driver wanted Sutton Public Schools. Immediate opening. Will train to get license. Call Susan Rothermich 508-581-1651. Hiring 7D School Bus Van Drivers for Fitchburg & Leominster. Split shift, $14/hr. Willing to train! We pay for training and holidays, and snow days. We offer 40 hours earned sick time. For more information call 508-582-5020 or email elizabeth.uceta @transprollc.com Millbury Public Schools Substitute Cafeteria Workers 3 Hours a day call Mary Leslie, Food Service Director @ 508-865-2929 Sterling COA is looking for a part time van driver to drive seniors to and from appointments. The job is for Thursdays from 7:30 - 3:30, with opportunities to cover vacations and illness. Please contact the Sterling Senior Center at 978-422-3032 or kphillips@sterling-ma.gov EEO/AA

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

EEC Licensed After School Program has Group Leader position available Group Leaders must have min 2 yrs experience working with school age children. Group Leaders will be supporting children with homework, organizing and implementing daily afternoon activities including gym time, pool time, rock wall, arts & crafts, exercise programs and special projects. Mon-Fri 2:30-5:30 for the school year. Please forward a letter of interest and resume to mcatlin@worcesterjcc.org Full & Part Time Direct Care!

Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton MA 2 lots in Heritage II w/vaults. $2,500.00 for both. Call Rick at 508-450-7470 Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton MA Garden of Heritage II. 2 Lots w/vaults. Current value $8300.00 Asking $3950.00 for both or B/O. Call Jim 508-769-8107 Worc. County Memorial Park Paxton, MA Grave sites. 2 lots, Good Shepherd. Plot 147, graves 3 & 4. $5000.00 each. B/O Call Kris 508-735-9996 Worcester County Memorial Park Two cemetery lots. Chose your own resting spot in Serenity. $1000 for both. Call 774-345-4440. Worcester County Memorial Park Paxton, MA, Garden of the Cross Premier Location Lot 31D Value $5250 Asking $4800 Call Patti at 508-799-5678 Worc. County Memorial Park Paxton. Garden of Faith, 2 plots, Section #347-A 1&2. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cost is $3,900.00 for both. Asking $1,500.00 total for both. Call 508-882-3421 or 909-714-0064

Thule Truck Racks $300. 508755-0888* Organ with bench. Pd. $2700, asking $300 or best offer. 508331-3468 Piano Mohogany, upright, w/ bench. 1st flr., easy move. Perfect for aspiring musicians. $300 OBO 508-865-4032 Golf clubs, bag, cart (used) Asking $250. 508-865-5726* Craftsman Single Stage Snowblower Never used. $250 or best offer. 413-9677932 Complete whiskey making kit. Sells for $40.99 asking $25.00 or best offer. 508 8299240

â&#x20AC;˘ D E C E M B E R 3 1, 2 0 15

Ragdoll cat Beautiful markings, male, neutered. Born 12/14. $450. 508-797-6068

Yard Sale & Flea Market Directory

kee Flea Market Yan1311 Park Street (rt. 20) 2 miles off exit 8 Mass Turnpike Palmer, MA â&#x20AC;˘ 413-283-4910

Huge 9000 sq. ft. indoor ďŹ&#x201A;ea market open 6 days a week with over 130 dealers. Yankee Flea Market is the place to shop whether it be antiques, collectibles or just household furnishings. We also buy (and sell) complete or partial estates as well as furniture, gas & oil memorabilia, vintage beer signs and lights and much, much more. Bring your items in for a free valuation. Additional dealer space will soon be availbable as we are expanding, call us for details.

Frost Free Frigidaire Upright Freezer 9 cubic FT. Excellent condition. $150. 978-537-9633

Open Tuesday-Saturday: 10-5, Sunday 11-5, FREE FREE Parking Admission Be sure to check us out on Facebook

XBox 360 Kinect Excellent Condition. 250GB HD, Adventures Game Incl. $150 obo. Call Annette @ 978-400-5850

Who said nothing in life is free?

& Cl ws Pets, Pet Supplies, Services & More!

&RPH 3OD\ :LWK 8V Bring in this Coupon & Receive a FREE DAY OF DOGGIE DAYCARE with your first visit!

We Now Offer Boarding!

Advocates supports adults with brain injuries. Entry level, apply at www.advocates.org

CATS/KITTENS FOR SALE

Ma n i l ow â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Canine Playground Doggie Daycare 391 Harvard St., Leominster, MA 01453 â&#x20AC;˘ 978-537-2584

Call 978-728-4302 to place your ad

Run your four line ad for FREE for two weeks and then you have to the option to run your ad until it sells for $20! Or you may run your ad from the beginning until it sells for $20 (no refund if the item sells within the two weeks) $2015 FOR FREE! SUBMIT ITEMS UNDER $2014 Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all you need to do! 3 ways to submit... 1. Mail completed form to Central Mass Classifieds, P.O. Box 546, Holden, MA 01520 2. OR FAX the completed form to 508-829-0670 3. OR Email the info with name/address/phone number to sales@centralmassclass.com

www.centralmassclass.com

F]o Q]Yj k J]kgdmlagfk KlYjl @]j] If your New Year’s Resolution is to... Purchase a new or used vehicle! Take a ride to Sunnyside! 944 Main St. Holden, MA

508-829-4333 SunnysideFord.com

…start a new career!

TONI&GUY HAIRDRESSING ACADEMY

New Year - New Career! New part - time program CALL 508.756.6060

9:00 - 2:30 worcester.toniguy.edu

WORCESTER ACADEMY | 6 PARK AVE, WORCESTER, MA 01605

Your keys to successful driving!

Nana’s Stained Glass 441 Marshall Street • Leicester MA 01524

www.nanamomma.webs.com

To enhance your home with beautiful stained glass pieces... 508-892-0369

SAFE ROADS DRIVING ACADEMY www.SafeRoadsDrivingAcademy.com

...LEARN TO

DRIVE 19 Prichard Street, Fitchburg MA 01420

…buy or sell your home! Lisa Hugo Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

6 Park Avenue, Worcester, MA (508) 723-4029

978-345-6200

Purchase New Flooring...

Creative Floors, Inc.

Ceramic t Carpet t Vinyl t Marble t Granite t Laminate Pre-finished Hardwood t Wallpaper FREE ESTIMATES t 508-829-7444 1653 North Main St. Holden, MA www.creativefloorsinc.com

Real Estate • Jobs • Auto • Services

To provide a quality user-friendly Classifieds section for our dedicated and fantastic readers!

Central Mass

CL ASSIFIEDS

978-728-4302 sales@centralmassclass.com

D E C E M B E R 3 1, 2 0 15 • W O R C E S T E R M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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CENTRAL MASS Homes & Ser vices A Monthly Real Estate and Home Services Feature

Paula K. Aberman Associates, Inc. Gail Lent

Paula Savard ABR, CRB, CRS, GRI

(978)-660-9548

ABR, CRS, GRI

(978)-660-9538

Sandra DeRienzo

Mark Gerber

Tracy Page

(857)Â 891-0502Â

(978)-413-0118

Tracy Sladen (978)Â 870-7572

John Keefe (508)-259-3998

ABR, GRI

(508)-783-5782

(978) 537-4971 â&#x20AC;˘ 1-(800) 924-8666 Live on lovely Kendall Pond and enjoy walking out your front door right to the *DUGQHU

water and your own private beach area! Enjoy swimming, canoeing, ďŹ shing and the beauty of a sunset--summer is coming! This adorable 2 bedroom bungalow is waiting for you with a great yard ~ perfect for a garden (complete with mature blueberry bushes!) Hot water tank, electric baseboards and pellet stove all within last 2 years ~ close and convenient to Rt 2 ~ donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out on this darling waterfront property! As-Is. Aberman Assoc Inc Tracy Sladen 978-537-4971 x17

Amazing income opportunity. This multifamily home generates $ 35,400.00 Gross income and is centrally located in Gardner, less than 1/2 mile from route 2. This would be a great initial property for a upcoming real estate investor. Aberman Assoc Inc. Mark Gerber 978-537-4971 x 63

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Located on one of Sterlingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most scenic roads. Two acre corner lot with approved septic design. Mostly level with a slope to the rear with some wetland. Excellent perc results. Nearby Crystal Brook Farm, Sterling Land Trust trails and Wekepeke watershed conservation area. Aberman Assoc. Inc Gail Lent 978-537-4971 x 14 www.gaillent.comÂ

*DUGQHU

The charm and warmth of this home draws you in the moment you walk in the door! Enter via the mudrom into a maple cabinetted country kitchen, follow to the dining room with plenty of room for your formal table, beautiful built-ins and large picture window. The spacious living room boasts more built-ins and a ďŹ replace--hardwood ďŹ&#x201A;oors throughout. The sunroom or ofďŹ ce is a bonus with its own entrance and tons of natural light! 3 bedrooms upstairs including a huge master suite with showstopping master bath complete with steam shower and jacuzzi tub; Master opens out onto a balcony over looking backyard--perfect for morning coffee! A partially ďŹ nished basement offers 2 possible bedrooms and game area--plenty of room to roam! Attached garage with storage; The lovely fenced in yard has a tri level deck perfectly laid out for get togethers. Gas boiler (2013), Superstor hot water tank (2010), replacement windows, doors and insulated to the max. Conveniently located-- a real beauty!! Aberman Assoc Inc Tracy Sladen 978-537-4971 x 17

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

2086 Main Street, Lancaster www.paulasavard.com

â&#x20AC;˘ D E C E M B E R 3 1, 2 0 15

Yasmin Loft (706)Â 870-4000

Conference Center 486 Chestnut Street, Suite 11 Gardner MA 01440

&200(5&,$/ &251(5 *DUGQHU Minutes to Route 2, 140 and 68, this industrial/ofďŹ ce complex is currently offering ofďŹ ce space suitable for a variety of tenants with suites available from 1000 to 11,000 square feet and pricing from $5.00 to $9.00 for the base rent. Contact Peter for further details.Â Aberman Assoc. Inc Peter Haley 978-537-4971 x 69

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Welcoming Garrison Colonial on idyllic country road. Beautiful 2 acre parcel mostly level with double driveways. Open concept interior features a spacious Great room off the kitchen. Formal dining room and living room both with updated wood ďŹ&#x201A;oors. First ďŹ&#x201A;oor bedroom or ofďŹ ce. Front to back Master Bedroom with two walk in closets and plumbing in place for a second ďŹ&#x201A;oor laundry. Two additional spacious bedrooms. HomeÂ is ďŹ lled with natural light. Full basement and a two car garage. Shed. Property shows pride of ownership throughout. Aberman Assoc, Inc.Â Gail Lent 978-537-4971 x 15 www.gaillent.com

+ROGHQ Opportunity to own this country ranch offering 4 BR,s, 2 full Bathrooms, and hardwoods through out the ďŹ rst ďŹ&#x201A;oor in his family oriented neighborhood. Six panel pine doors, and a bright sunny kitchen opening up to a patio and private deck. Fenced child safe yard and large shed for all your yard tools. This home would be perfect for an extended family with the lower level offering the 4th BR, Family Rm, Full bath and Laundry. Aberman Assoc. Inc. Linda Barry 978-537-4971 x60

/DQFDVWHU 4br 2 1/2 bath colonial. 4 bedroom colonial back to front livingroom large enough for grand piano with ďŹ replace. Hardwood ďŹ&#x201A;oors throughout. Aberman Assoc Inc Paula Savard 978-537-4971 x 14 www.paulasavard.com

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+XEEDUGVWRQ Privacy plus walking paths and association beach - fabulous contemporary multi level, gleaming hardwood and ceramic tile ďŹ&#x201A;oor.Â Custom Kitchen, nearly 2 private acres w/ beach rights and lodge available! Wrap around deck and balcony. 600 sf of living in basement not included in total sf. This home is a pleasure to show and shows pride of ownership. Possible 4th bedroom or ofďŹ ce in basement. Recent Title V in hand. Aberman Assoc Inc Paula Savard 978-537-4971 x 14 www.paulasavard.com

6WHUOLQJ 4 br 1 1/2 bath colonial, In town turn of the 20th century colonial. 8 rooms, 4 bedrooms with two additional rooms in the walkout basement. Garage workshop has full storage loft above Dog kennels, paddocks not included. Sterling town beach for residents only.Â Aberman Assoc Inc Paula Savard 978-537-4971 x 14 www.paulasavard.com

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Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll love this 3 bedroom cape style home located only one hour from Boston, 20 minutes from Worcester, 2 miles

to I-190. Lots of updates â&#x20AC;&#x201C; new kitchen counters and window, triple-pane windows installed 2008, efďŹ cient oil burner installed in 2011, roof shingles in 2013, paint job in 2015, D-box on the septic tank and leaching tank, and Title 5 CertiďŹ cate in 2015.This property has nearly an acre of land, with NO building allowed behind the property, and feels more like 5 acres. Room next to master bedroom used as a dressing room. Formal dining room used as a den/ofďŹ ce. Breakfast area off kitchen with sliders leading to back deck. Full unďŹ nished, dry basement with plenty of storage. AquaPure whole house water ďŹ ltration system. Aberman Assoc Inc.Â Yasmin Loft 978-537-4971 x 61

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Luxury and practicality wrapped up in this eclectic, stately 10 room, 5+ bedroom, 3 1/2 bath brick front center entry colonial featuring ďŹ replace living room, formal dining room, sunken family room with second ďŹ replace, four season sunroom. Home interior has been freshly painted with multiple upgrades. Entertain in this NEW dream kitchen featuring granite counters, SS appliances including wine cooler, hardwood ďŹ&#x201A;oors, walk-in pantry and sky lights. First ďŹ&#x201A;oor en suite for guest, in-law privacy. Second ďŹ&#x201A;oor features a master bedroom with two walk in closets, dressing room and NEW designer bathroom w/lava tub, walk-in shower, heated ďŹ&#x201A;oors, towel warmer, recessed lighting, double sink vanity. Bonus room could be 6th bedroom. Exterior has open deck overlooking in-ground pool, resurfaced tennis court, fruit trees and perennial gardens. Three car garage with access to ďŹ rst ďŹ&#x201A;oor and basement. Home is in better than new condition. A must see! Aberman Assoc. Inc. Anna Mary Kraemer 978-537-4971 x 25

Robin Dunbar Bain

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AUTOMOTIVE AUTO/MOTORCYCLE

Publisher’s Notice All real estate advertised in this publication is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, the Massachusetts Anti Discrimination Act and the Boston & Cambridge Fair Housing Ordinances which make it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, ancestry, age, children, marital status, sexual orientation, veterans status or source of income or any intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll free at 1-800-827-5005. For the NE area call HUD at 617-994-8300. The toll free number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275 or 617-565-5453

APARTMENT FOR RENT Nice Apartments for Rent Multiple 2 & 3 BR’s available now in the Fitchburg, Leominster & Gardner area. Good sized rooms, most units include W/D hookups & off street parking, De-Leaded. HOLIDAY SPECIAL! Sign a lease by Jan 15th and receive a $500 CREDIT on your 2nd mo’s rent! 978-696-5283 CONDOMINIUM FOR SALE 55+ NEW CONSTRUCTION CONDOS

WORCESTER RANCH-STYLE 2br/2ba condos off Salisbury St. Open floor plan, 4 season room, marble, granite, h/w. Beautiful. New clubhouse coming Dec 2015. OH 12/27 12-2 Don’t Wait to enjoy the Easy-Living Lifestyle! 10 Primmett Lane Berkshire Realty Group 508-414-2011

1999 Road King Under 8,000 miles. Too many extras to list. Always stored in room temperature. $13,000 obo 978-4645525 or 781-879-8275 cell 978 -464-5525

2008 Honda Metropolitan Scooter Black and gray. Mint cond. 469 miles. Asking $1650.00. Includes helmet. 207-289-9362 OR 207-450-1492. 2001 Suzuki Intruder 1500cc, showroom condition, lots of chrome, Vehix pipes. $4000. Call John at 978-466-6043. 2007 Suzuki Boulevard Cruising Motorcycle C90T; 1474cc; 6300 miles, 1 owner, perfect cond. accessories and new battery. Garaged, covered & serviced. $6,000 508-8498635

AUTO/VAN 2008 Ford E250 Extended Van 3dr, A-T/AC, Power package. Roof racks. Int. shelving, tow package, 6 rims, 8 tires in good cond. Exc. overall cond. 57K miles. $14,999.00 508-829-2907

AUTOS 2009 Mazda CX-7 Blackcherry with gray & black interior. 48,000 miles $9,500. 774-8230466 1988 MercedesBenz 300 SEL 6 cylinder gas. Very good cond. Runs exc. $3200.00 195k miles. Located in Sutton, MA 774-287-0777 2002 Chevrolet Corvette 39,000 miles Red with black interior. Car is in excellent condition! $26,000 or best offer. Call: 774-823-0466.

2008 Ford Mustang 8 cyl, 300HP. 21K miles. Never driven during winter. Always garaged. Perfect cond. $21,900 negotiable. 508-865-3528 after 3pm. 1992 Mercedes 300E 200,000 miles. Black w/grey interior. A nice ride, a head turner. 978-464-2895

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CAMPERS/TRAILERS

2010 Honda Civic 32K miles, very good cond. Front wheel drive. Automatic. A/C, power s t e e r i n g /b r a k e s /w i n d o w s / locks. $9,950 Hubbardston, MA 978-870-3291

Truck Camper 1985 Bought new in 1991. Real Life brand. Bathroom, shower, self contained. 8ft truck bed. $2900.00 B/O 774-287-0777

1985 Cadillac Eldorado 74K miles. Never been in snow. Mint condition. Gray w/landau top. Bonus 2 Free Air tickets & 5 star condo for a week in FL. $5,000.00 Oakham 407-3753917 2003 Volkswagen Beetle One owner. Dark blue. 102,000 miles. Owner’s manual. Excellent condition. 5 speed, disc music, title. Call 508-829-3752 $3,500

2006 Toyota Corolla 84K miles. Good condition. Light green. $5,000.00 Leominster 978-257-3299 978227-5111 2002 Ford Taurus Wagon SEL Auto., 6 cyl., leather seats, clean. 70,800 miles. $2195 OBO. 508-243-8399. 1999 Pontiac Grand Am 6 Cylinder, automatic, needs work or use for parts. 159,903 miles. $675. 978-422-8084 2012 Cadillac CTS AWD, 21,800 miles. Crystal red. Heated black leather seats. Panoramic roof. Dealer maintained. Under warranty. $24,500.00 978-534-8860

BOATS 25 HP Suzuki (Like New) with Boat & Trailer with Bonus 2 Free Air Tickets to Orlando and 5 star condo for a week. Disney anyone? Pete 407-3753917 $4,000

3 Horse Trailer 2002 Exiss XT/ 300 Gooseneck. Great condition. All alum. S.S. nose. On craigslist pics. $9,000. Paxton. Call Robert at 508-757-0887*

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CAMPERS/TRAILERS 2001 Layton 40 Ft. Park Model Trailer. Bedroom has over sized bed. Kitchen complete with stove, refrigerator, and dining set. Living room area has two sleep sofas. Full attached deck, with screen room and hard top roof. Trailer is located in Wells, ME. Must be removed from site. Reason for selling moving to Florida. Price $5,000. Call 413-433-3646

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www.centralmassclass.com LEGALS/PUBLIC NOTICES

TOWN OF SUTTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given under Chapter 138 of MGL that a Public Hearing will be held on January 19, 2016 @ 7pm on a request by Price Chopper Operating CO. of Massachusetts, Inc. dba Market 32 by Price Chopper for a Wine & Malt Beverage Package Store License for premises located at 21 Galaxy Pass (Map 11 Parcel 9) Sutton MA. Manager and principal representative of corporation for premises described, Robert Hewitt. This hearing is open to the public and shall be held in the Wally Johnson Meeting Room on the 3rd ﬂoor in the Sutton Municipal Center located at 4 Uxbridge Road in said Sutton.

TO ALL INTERESTED INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN OF SUTTON In accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. Ch. 40A, §11, the Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing at the Sutton Town Hall on January 7, 2016 at 7:30pm on the petition of Stephen Chabot. The petitioner requests a determination from MGL ch.40A §6 for the proposed extension of the second story of the residence. The property that is the subject of this petition is located at 18 Tuttle Road, Sutton MA on Assessors Map #16, Parcel #24. The property is located in the R-1 Zoning District. A copy of the petition may be inspected during normal ofﬁce hours in the Town Clerk’s Ofﬁce located in the Town Hall. Any person interested or wishing to be heard on this variance petition should appear at the time and place designated. Brittanie Reinold Board of Appeals Clerk

TOWN OF SUTTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE In accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. C.166 s 22, you are hereby notiﬁed that a public hearing will be held at 7:00 PM on Tuesday January 19, 2016 in the Sutton Town Hall upon petition from Verizon New England and National Grid for permission to locate 1 JO Pole, #T.7S/E.20-84 on the northwesterly sideline of Griggs Road approximately 884 feet southwesterly from the centerline of West Millbury Road. Also for permission to lay and maintain underground laterals, cables and wires in the above or intersecting public ways as each petitioner may desire for distributing purposes. The public is invited to attend. Plan ﬁle herewith marked – VERIZON #1A1G9XP

NOTICE OF MORTGAGEE’S SALE OF REAL ESTATE Premises: 1482 Grafton Road, Millbury, Massachusetts By virtue and in execution of the Power of Sale contained in a certain mortgage given by Antoinette M. Bernier to Southbridge Savings Bank and now held by Nationstar Mortgage LLC, said mortgage dated June 30, 2008, and recorded in the Worcester County (Worcester District) Registry of Deeds, in Book 43066 at Page 240, as affected by an Assignment of Mortgage dated June 30, 2008, and recorded with said Deeds in Book 43066 at Page 250, as affected by an Assignment of Mortgage dated July 11, 2008, and recorded with said Deeds in Book 43212 at Page 17, as affected by an Assignment of Mortgage dated October 9, 2014, and recorded with said Deeds in Book 52911 at Page 270, and as affected by an Affidavit of Correction Assignment of Mortgage dated January 7, 2015, and recorded with said Deeds in Book 53247 at Page 111, of which mortgage the undersigned is the present holder, for breach of the conditions in said mortgage and for the purpose of foreclosing the same will be sold at Public Auction on January 14, 2016, at 3:00 PM Local Time upon the premises, all and singular the premises described in said mortgage, to wit: The land in Millbury, Massachusetts, bounded and described as follows: A certain tract or parcel of land situated on the southerly side of Grafton Street, in the Town of Millbury, being part of lot #70 on “Plan of City Line Farms” Millbury, MA, by Buttrick and Pratt, Civil Engineers dated 1900, and recorded with Worcester restrict Deeds in Book 1692, Page 601, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point oil the southerly line of Grafton Street at the northeasterly corner of Lot #64 on said plan; THENCE S. 8 degrees 15’ W. by land now or formerly of Elva LeBlond, ninety-one and 14/100 (91.14) feet to a hinge nail in a tar walk; THENCE S. 11 degrees 25’ W. still by land of said LeBlond, sixty-one and 60/100 (61.60) feet to a stake; THENCE N. 78 degrees 45’ W. five (5) feet to ail iron pipe; thence S. II degrees 25’ W. by lot #65 on said plan, sixty-eight and 80/100 (68.83) feet to a point; THENCE S, 78 degrees 35’ £, sixty (60) feet to a point; THENCE N. 11 degrees 25’ E. one hundred ninety-four and 67/100 (194.67) feel to the southerly line or said Grafton Street; THENCE Northwesterly by said southerly tine of Grafton Street, sixty-two and 28/100 (62.28) feet to the point of beginning. Together with any right, title and interest within the location of the line of Grafton Street between the east and west lines of said lot extended. The description of the property contained in the mortgage shall control in the event of a typographical error in this publication. For Mortgagor’s Title, see Deed dated November 12, 1985, and recorded in Book 9059 at Page 208 with the Worcester County (Worcester District) Registry of Deeds. TERMS OF SALE: Said premises will be sold and conveyed subject to all liens, encumbrances, unpaid taxes, tax titles, municipal liens and assessments, if any, which take precedence over the said mortgage above described. TEN THOUSAND ($10,000.00) Dollars of the purchase price must be paid in cash, certified check, bank treasurer’s or cashier’s check at the time and place of the sale by the purchaser. The balance of the purchase price shall be paid in cash, certified check, bank treasurer’s or cashier’s check within thirty (30) days after the date of sale. Other terms to be announced at the sale. Marinosci Law Group, P.C. 275 West Natick Road, Suite 500 Warwick, RI 02886 Attorney for Nationstar Mortgage LLC Present Holder of the Mortgage Telephone: (401) 234-9200 MLG File No.: 14-04554 A-4555599 12/24/2015, 12/31/2015, 01/07/2016

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

• D E C E M B E R 3 1, 2 0 15

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE Millbury Planning Board In accordance with the provisions of Chapter 40A of the Massachusetts General Laws, the Millbury Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Monday, January 11, 2016, at 7:15 p.m., at the Municipal Ofﬁce Building, 127 Elm Street, Millbury, MA, on the application of Wide World of Indoor Sports, 621 Pound Hill Road, North Smithﬁeld, RI, for a Special Permit to apply Route 146 Highway Corridor Overlay District under Section 48 of the Millbury Zoning Bylaws. The Applicant wants to construct a 76,715 square foot indoor sports center, 204 parking spaces and a roadway to serve said facility off of Worcester Providence Turnpike. Plans are available for inspection in the Planning Department during normal business hours. Anyone wishing to be heard on this application should appear at the time and place designated above. Richard Gosselin, Chairman

THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS (SEAL) LAND COURT DEPARTMENT OF THE TRIAL COURT 15 SM 010700 ORDER OF NOTICE To: Mark S. Bourdeau II, Melissa I. Bourdeau and to all persons entitled to the benefit of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, 50 U.S.C. App. § 501 et seq.: Ditech Financial LLC f/k/a Green Tree Servicing LLC claiming to have an interest in a Mortgage covering real property in Millbury, numbered 77 West Main Street, given by Mark S. Bourdeau II and Melissa I. Bourdeau to Bank of America, N.A, dated October 25, 2010 and recorded with the Worcester County (Worcester District) Registry of Deeds at Book 46557, Page 91 and now held by the Plaintiff by assignment has/have filed with this court a complaint for determination of Defendant’s/Defendants’ Servicemembers status. If you now are, or recently have been, in the active military service of the United States of America, then you may be entitled to the benefits of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. If you object to a foreclosure of the abovementioned property on that basis, then you or your attorney must file a written appearance and answer in this court at Three Pemberton Square, Boston, MA 02108 on or before February 1, 2016 or you will be forever barred from claiming that you are entitled to the benefits of said Act. Witness, JUDITH C. CUTLER, Chief Justice of this Court on December 18, 2015 Attest: Deborah J. Patterson Recorder 201501-0852-TEA 12/31/2015 MS

ANSWERS TO TODAY’S PUZZLE

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Worcester Housing Authority will hold a public hearing to review its HUD Agency Plan on January 6, 2016 at 10:30AM in its main conference room (lower level) located at 40 Belmont Street, Worcester, MA.

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TOWN OF SUTTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION The Sutton Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, January 6, 2016, at 7:00PM, at the Sutton Town Hall, 4 Uxbridge Road, Sutton, MA. The purpose of this hearing is to review a Request for Determination of Applicability submitted to the Conservation Commission by K. Martin Linder, Sutton, MA. The project consists of cutting brush along stone walls and around the entire pond bank on Map 29, Parcel 14, for 30 Century Farm Road and Rich Road in Sutton. This notice is publicized in accordance with the provisions of General Law Chapter 131, Section 40 commonly known as the Wetlands Protection Act, and the Sutton Wetlands Protection Bylaw

Two minutes with...

Amanda Belichick When your last name is “Belichick” in New England, you’re not about to fly under the radar. Especially when your father just so happens to be among the greatest coaches in NFL history for one of its most storied franchises. Amanda Belichick gets that, but here’s what people who follow her in her new role as head coach of the women’s lacrosse program at Holy Cross should also get: Amanda Belichick is her own person with a distinct vision for what she wants out of her team up on College Hill. Make no mistake: Her journey has very much been shaped by her family and their rather famous father. But where she is at – and where she and the Crusaders lax program go from here? That is all on her shoulders. And Amanda Belichick seems more than up to the challenge. We scored a few moments with her in her purple-painted office in the field house at Holy Cross, and came away with the image of a young woman who may not have known exactly what she wanted to do after graduating everyone knows it. That’s something I college, but is now laser-focused on rebuilding a lacrosse program really take to heart, from the ground up. that, in her own words, will “put Holy Cross on the map.” What have you learned about coaching from Bill It was a rough campaign in your freshman year as coach, 4-14, but you didn’t expect it to an easy turnaround, right? No. I think this

is an exciting time for this program, but also in the department. (Athletic Director) Nate Pine is an incredible leader here and his vision is exciting. We’re raising the standard. We want to be competitive, and I think that’s a new outlook from where this program was a year ago. I don’t know what’s going to happen, necessarily, from a win-loss perspective … Holy Cross is in the mix, it’s just mentality of taking it one step further.

Is player recruitment a key? Recruiting is

always a key, definitely. I think this is a school that sells itself. It’s an incredible school, an incredible education. The kids come here and get just the most incredible opportunities. Providing a top-level lacrosse experience with that education is, hopefully, how that will work out. We’re looking for players who want to put Holy Cross on the map. I want to compete for a championship in the Patriot League, and get into the NCAA tournament.

With 142 goals, the team struggled to score, but what other areas of concern have identified? I think we’ve got a lot of

things to work on. The key on my part is the fundamentals, creating a team environment where the student-athletes can be comfortable, confident, can make mistakes, can grow, improve. I think just the day-to-day, focusing on stick work, focusing on taking care of the little things and getting better one day at a time is where you’ve got to start.

Where did your players excel this season?

They’re a really great group who wants to do everything we ask. The things we’ve asked from them is to work hard. If they do those things, those are the players who are successful here, and they’ve been incredible in that respect.

me a lot great lessons that will lead me to success.

What are your realistic expectations of the lacrosse program at Holy Cross going forward? How long will it take to get there? I continue

Belichick, your dad, who many now regard as the greatest NFL coach of all time? I think it’s

not necessarily what I’ve learned form his work, it’s what I’ve learned from our family. It’s about your life experience. Where my family came from is immigrants from Croatia. It’s about hard work. The people in my family have sacrificed a lot to put us Taking on a challenge like this, was it harder here … I think what we and my family hang than you thought or what you expected? our hat on is hard work and dedication and There are aspects to team culture that you attention to detail. I think those things go can’t anticipate. I think that creates a lot of a long way. It’s not about what he’s told me situations you can never anticipate, but I is the key to success I know it is long hours, think the resilience of these student-athletes, and it’s what you put into it, and what their eagerness to be competitive, to win, you give is what you get. What I hope is is incredible. It’s definitely a challenge. It’s when my players see what I give, is they’re going to be a tough road, and we’re asking a wanting to give the same thing. lot of them, but they’re excited to do it. Do you like being asked about your Dad? I You live in Connecticut, drive here every day, mean, it is what it is. It’s nothing that’s you’re expected to turn the program around, ever going to change. I’ll get married and you’re engaged to be married. Do you and I’ll have kids or I’ll move or I’ll do feel like a circus juggler at times? (laughs) whatever, and none of that changes where Yeah, I do, but I think one of the great you come from. We can talk about it all things about my life right now is this day, but whatever we talk about will never has been really the change I’ve gotten to affect my success as a person. We can sit focus on, and focusing on Holy Cross, and around all day and talk about who my Dad being able to develop relationships with is .. what’s it’s all about is the people here the players and people here. Surrounding at Holy cross, and I’m really lucky to have yourself with good people ... is one of the great people around me. most important aspects.

What advice have you received as far as making it all work? I think staying true

to yourself, being true to who you are, I think is important. There’s no substitute for hard work. The hours, the preparation, nothing can replace that. I think it is like studying for a test or preparing for an interview, everyday preparation. When I go out to practice, if I’m not prepared,

STEVEN KING

Is it difficult, sometimes, being a child of the coach of the most successful franchise in the NFL? We all have where we come from.

We all have our resumes, or whatever led us to this point. No matter what happens in the future, I came from where I came from and I’m always going to be who I am. I feel very fortunate to have come from a great family, who I believe has taught

to ask the team to be dedicated to and committed to improvement. I think if we’re looking for instant satisfaction, we’re not going to be able to build the foundation. That’s what it’s about in the long-term. It means attention to detail … and holding your teammates accountable is a big piece, too. I don’t know how long it will take, but again it’s not necessarily about reaching a final goal, it’s about that daily improvement. As long as you’re getting better every day and staying focused on the sights ahead, we’re in a good place.

Where is your favorite place to eat in Worcester? I was recommended to the

Flying Rhino. It almost doesn’t match the outside, but the food is amazing. Wholly Cannoli is great. My assistant took me there, and they have quite the spread. What’s the coffee place, InHouse Coffee? InHouse is like a favorite of the players.

You look really happy here. This is just such a great time to be at Holy Cross. This is an amazing school. It was important to me to find a great fit. When I interviewed here, I was myself, I was open. The people are fantastic, the support’s incredible. The administration, the students, everyone who works here. It’s really a great place to be. Do you think you might move up here? My fiance works in the New Haven area. Right now we’re splitting. I think we’re moving up here sooner than we’re moving down there, though. – Walter Bird Jr.

DECEMBER 31, 2015 • WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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