Worcester Magazine March 14 - 20, 2019 by Worcester Magazine

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IT TAKES A

Tenants see opportunity in Midtown Mall

VILLAGE

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M A R C H 14 - 20, 2019

in this issue M A R C H 14 - 20, 2019 • V O L U M E 44 I S S U E 29

the cover

It Takes a Village: Tenants See Opportunity in Midtown Mall Clockwise from front left, Graciela Villegas of Sabana’s Latin Food, Misook Segovia of 4U Prom & Bridal, Michael Agbortoko Jr. of Soxcessful, Paul Kim of Kim’s Jewelry & Gifts, Midtown Mall owner Dean Marcus, Tito Colon of Your Tattoo and Chami Nelson of Wireless Xperts. Story on page 12 Photo by Walter Bird Jr., Design by Kimberly Vasseur

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news

Making the case for ranked-choice voting BILL SHANER

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n Worcester, the argument we have a problem with our local elections is easy to make. Turnout for a municipal election has not exceeded 23 percent of registered voters in a decade, and a familiar cast of incumbents skate to victory every year. In the last municipal election, there was only one challenger for School Committee and the race for at-large council was merely a shuffling around of incumbents. At-Large Councilor Konnie Lukes challenged Joe Petty for mayor for the ideological reason he should not run for the seat unopposed. Indeed, the only spirited races on the council side were for seats left open in District 1 and District 5. This year, with more than 30 candidates announcing early intentions to enter the race, things may be different. School Committee and City Council could see more challengers than incumbents. If that turns out to be the case once the nomination process concludes, it would certainly buck the trend of recent years. There is a case to be made that the current voting system favors incumbents and discourages both voter participation and the incentive to mount a campaign – so what if we had a different system? In a new report, the Worcester Regional Research Bureau probes the question of adopting rankedchoice voting, and sees it as something that could foster more engagement in local elections. The Research Bureau supports the idea that democratic elections are improved by more candidates, more voters, more civility,

and more diverse points of view. Ranked-choice voting is an exciting and effective way to work toward those goals,” the Research Bureau said in the conclusion of its report, “Choosing a Better Voting System: The Argument for Ranked Choice

Voting in Worcester and Beyond.” Rank-choice voting is an electoral idea that has picked up support locally and around the country in recent years. It affords voters more options than a simple vote for a winner. Instead, voters

chose by preference, ranking one candidate their first choice, then their second, then their third, and so on. Advocates believe the system eliminates the “spoiler effect” of third-party candidates, reduces nasty negative campaign strategies,

and is an incentive for more participation, especially in historically under-represented groups. Earlier this year, the state of Maine adopted ranked-choice voting, becoming the first state in

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news

Get off my lawn: City looks to crack down on paved lots W BILL SHANER

ED AUGUSTUS JR.

ith mixed reviews and calls for more public input, a measure that would restrict lawns converted to driveways went off to subcommittee review at City Council Tuesday night. The proposed measure, put forward by City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. after a Council vote last year, is intended to retain the “traditional appearance” of residential neighborhoods, provide buffers between parking areas and properties next door, and limit the creation of new impervious surface, which would

help with stormwater runoff and “heat island effect.” “The proposed changes also recognize that adequate off-street parking is an important and oftenchallenging issue in many residential neighborhoods, and attempt to balance the need for off-street parking with appropriate limitations,” Augustus said in a letter attached to the draft regulations. The regulations define a front yard and prohibit most construction for parking. Exceptions can be made through the special permitting process. “Collectively, these proposed changes will help prevent the

proliferation of inappropriate paving in front yard areas,” said John Kelly, commissioner of inspectional services. While some, including AtLarge Councilor Konnie Lukes and Mayor Joe Petty, said the new measure would help preserve the character of neighborhoods, others had reservations. At-Large Councilor Khrystian King asked if the city has looked at which neighborhoods would be impacted the most by any rule change barring parking on space which once had lawns. He asked, he said, because he has lived in

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the union to do so. In Massachusetts, Cambridge is the only city to use the system, and is one of a dozen nationally, per the Research Bureau’s count. Worcester used the system briefly for municipal elections, from 1949 to 1959, and while it did, turnout and candidate fields were high – much higher than we’ve come to expect today. In the first election, 48 people ran for City Council and more than 75,000 voters turned out. Today, the pool of active voters in city elections

barely scratches 20,000. The system was changed, in part, because reporting election results in a timely manner proved difficult, according to Assistant Clerk Niko Vangjeli. In some cases, he said, it took days to count the ballots. Now, however, electronic tabulation would negate the problem. If implemented today, the only concern Vangjeli said he could see would be voter confusion and a large number of spoiled ballots. The problem would be compounded, for both voters and poll workers, by the difference in election method between local candidates and state and national

PLEASE VOTE

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candidates, which would continue to operate on standard voting practices. “Successfully rolling out RCV requires a massive voter education campaign,” said Vangjeli. The Research Bureau also

Under ranked-choice voting, smaller groups have more power to decide a candidate of their choosing. acknowledged the possible problem, saying implementation of ranked-choice voting could lead to confusion and listed the cost of outfitting voting machines with the necessary software at $20,000. The Research Bureau also warns any push toward ranked-choice voting would be politicized, as “the purported benefits of RCV — higher turnout, electoral diversity, increased decorum, and more powerful third parties — are not universally appreciated.” Incumbent politicians, also, may be less likely to push for a system under which they themselves did not win office. But overall, the Research Bureau argues, the benefits outweigh the cons. For voter turnout, ranked-choice

which voters cast ballots for the candidate with the best chance of winning, not the one they may agree with most. Studies have found rankedchoice voting has benefited people of color. In four California cities that use ranked-choice voting, a study found that candidates of color won 62 percent of ranked choice races, up from 38 percent under a standard system. It also favors challengers, especially in multi-winner elections like at-large council seats and School Committee. Under the current system, according to the Research Bureau, a 51-percent majority can dictate 100 percent of the candidate pool if they vote the same way. Under ranked-choice voting, smaller groups have more power

PAV I N G

given setback requirements and other zoning regulations. He asked that when the proposal goes to the Standing Committee on Economic Development, city staff provide model examples of how the new law would impact small residential developments like ranch homes. But others made the case the character of neighborhoods was under assault – none perhaps as strongly as Lukes, who has complained of the issue of parking spaces on lawns for years. “The cities that attract the best first impression are the ones that are attractive,” said Lukes. “We have got to start looking attractive. This is a start and it’s a start that allows us to be flexible, and for that reason I think it is an appropriate first step.” Petty agreed with Lukes that driveways where there were once lawns look bad. “Some of these when they’re

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voting negates the feeling held by many voters that their vote doesn’t count in any meaningful way, the Research Bureau contends. By moving away from the standard system, it would also break the practice of “strategic voting,” in

neighborhoods where the parking was so dense it would hurt quality of life to remove converted parking spaces. “We’re talking about aesthetic and character, but we’re also talking about real challenges for three deckers and other parts of the city,” said King. He called for more strategic planning for parking in neighborhoods with short supply and for a public hearing on the proposed ordinance. District 3 Councilor George Russell raised a separate issue. While he said he had no problem cracking down on converted parking spaces, he worried the new bylaw could hamper builders’ efforts to put up houses on small lots. He said he spoke to an engineer who expressed concern it could hamper designs on certain lots,

to decide a candidate of their choosing. Advocates also see rankedchoice voting as a mitigating force on negative campaigning, as candidates play not only to their base, but to be the second or third choice of others’ bases, the Research Bureau wrote. “In the current plurality system, there is no difference between being a voter’s second favorite choice or most hated option, leaving the door open to personal attacks or other negative campaign tactics targeting other candidates,” the Research Bureau wrote. “If a voter’s preferences matter beyond their first choice, candidates often seek to appeal to all voters, even if they know they are not those individuals’ first choice, with the knowledge that placing second or third on a ballot rather than last can help them win an election.” Short of a change at the state level, changing the voting system would require a city charter change – a long and difficult municipal process. The Research Bureau recommends Worcester officials instead follow a pair of bills filed during the current legislative session that would allow cities and towns more leeway to adopt ranked-choice. Bill Shaner can be reached at 508-767-9535 or at wshaner@gatehousemedia.com. paved over look absolutely awful,” he said. At-Large Councilor Gary Rosen argued it’s not just an aesthetic issue, but also plays into quality of life and property values. When neighbors build driveways on side lots, property values could go down, he said. But he also said other constituents have told him a change that took away their parking space would be brutal for them. “We have to look at both sides of the issue and I’m certainly willing to do that,” he said. He called for the Council and city to make sure the subcommittee meeting on the order was well publicized. As of press time, a date to review the proposal has not been set. Bill Shaner can be reached at 508767-9535 or at wshaner@gatehousemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ Bill_Shaner.

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worcesteria

THE ROAST OF THE COMMONWEALTH: The mayor’s annual St. Patrick’s Day breakfast and political roast was Saturday, so I didn’t go. Because no matter how much this sort of thing is perfect for Worcesteria, my Saturday mornings are sacred. An editor would have to hold my contract over an open flame to get me to go to cover something on a Saturday morning in which no one was caught with their pants down or dead. But I do wish I could have watched it later, because it seemed like there were some really funny jokes. Much to my aforementioned editor’s chagrin, I did really enjoy comedian Shaun Connolly’s joke about us – the one about how, now that the Telegram and WoMag are under the same roof, the only scoop Walter Bird is going to get is at WooBerry. Ha ha. Oh, media consolidation. So much I’d like to say. Anyway, since I didn’t go and certainly wasn’t invited, here’s my roast of the roast: The Brady Bunch makes for a more convincing crime family. ENOUGH ABOUT THE SCHOOLS: There was some back-and-forth

between councilors Khrystian King and Sean Rose on the matter of middle school sports Tuesday night. Though it sounded friendly, let’s just say the subtext did not. I’ve been around city and town halls long enough to understand there are often two conversations going on at once. Anyway, it’s unlikely to surface again because Mayor Joe Petty put the ax to anything school related on the City Council agenda. You want to talk about schools? File a petition through School Committee, he said. Even better, run for School Committee: “We’ve got about 30 people running for School Committee now,” Petty said. “Five more won’t hurt.”

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EVEN MORE: Speaking of candidates, the list for the upcoming city

elections just grows and grows. Now more than a week out since the nomination process started, the list of candidates for School Committee and City Council seats has grown to 33. Here are the names we haven’t reported out before. Community organizer Bill Coleman is back in it. It remains to be seen whether he’ll go for mayor or stick to at-large council. Ruth Rodriguez, a longtime education advocate, is going for School Committee. And one Ralph A. Tiscione Jr. is going for at-large council as well. It’s not a name I recognize, but it kind of sounds like one I should. Of course, we won’t know what the ballot will actually look like until mid-May, when nomination papers come back in, but it’s certainly a much larger field than we’ve been used to seeing. Also of interest, not a single incumbent, either on School Committee or Council side, has bowed out of the game yet. They’ve all withdrawn nomination papers. This year could be a real blood bath [Cue Game of Thrones theme].

WTF, MBTA: It appears fares across the MBTA network are going up,

and there’s nothing we can do about it. For Worcester-Framingham line riders, that means up to a 75-cent increase per ride – not an insignificant sum, considering the line hasn’t gotten better in any meaningful way. And the fare hike isn’t to invest in any grand new venture, just balance the books. This isn’t the way we should be running public transit, especially at a time when public transit is so critical. I don’t want to get all doomsday prepper on my readers here, but every time someone chooses a bus or train over a car, it helps stave off the coming age of scarcity. I was encouraged to see 17th Worcester state Rep. David LeBoeuf so loud on this. “Extremely disappointed in the MBTA for moving forward with this fare hike proposal despite the overwhelming opposition from the Legislature and the public...” he said in a Facebook post. More MBTA bashing from our elected officials, please. Let’s make public Bill Shaner, reporter transit halfway Twitter: @Bill_Shaner useable.

news

the beat

American Airlines is cutting down its flights from Worcester Regional Airport to Philadelphia from two per day to one. In June,

there will be one flight a day, except Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. After that, according to a spokesperson, service will be once daily. Massport Board of Directors Chairman Lew Evangelidis said the agency was caught by surprise by the announcement, and said the state would “appreciate a better dialogue” with American Airlines.

Worcester has started negotiating with what could be its 14th pot shop. The city will begin negotiating a community host agreement with Nature’s Remedy, at 140 Southbridge St. Per the city’s regulations, it has to allow for 15 pot shops. Each require a community host agreement from the city, which details additional payments to the city and local oversight. The 14 potential retail stores and five approved manufacturing businesses are estimated to create 275 jobs in the city. But for prospective businesses, city approval is only one piece of the puzzle. They must also secure approval from the Cannabis Control Commission – a long, slow process that has only led to 10 retail stores opening in the three years since the recreational cannabis law was passed. In Worcester, the first store to open will likely be Good Chemistry, which opened for medical sales last year. The Harrison Street business has final approval from the city and state, and is expected to open some time this month.

Following the Cannabis Control Commission’s planned move to Union Station, another state

The Worcester School Committee continues to head toward the direction of running its own busing service as complaints about

In Charlton, a hotly contested cannabis farm scored a win from the courts in the

long, protracted battle to take up residency at a former apple farm. The Massachusetts Land Court struck down a Charlton bylaw preventing cannabis cultivation on land zoned agriculture. Valley Green Grow still faces other challenges as a faction of town government continues to fight the proposal. If passed, it would be one of the largest cultivation facilities in the United States.

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Durham Transportation continue to mount. A subcommittee moved earlier this week to create an option for the committee to receive other bids when the service goes out to bid in a few months. While a recent report indicated a municipal school bus service could save money and improve service, Superintendent Maureen Binienda has expressed reluctance to make the switch, saying she has different priorities.

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agency is making the move to Worcester. The Department of Industrial Accidents will move to the third floor of Mercantile Center, sharing the floor with the Telegram & Gazette editorial staff. In all, 13 employees will fill the office, according to the T&G. Currently, the agency’s office is in downtown Boston.

opinion editorial

Airline causes turbulence at airport Letters to the Editor Policy

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ell, that didn’t take long. American Airlines, which started flying from Worcester to Philadelphia last October, announced this week it is cutting one of its two flights per day from Worcester Regional Airport, dropping to one flight per day, four days a week. When the airline first announced its entry to Worcester last April, it did so with only one flight per day planned. There was some public backlash at the scheduled time of the flight. Then, in June, American Airlines changed the time and added a second flight. According to a spokesperson this week, there simply wasn’t enough demand for the additional flight. Of greater concern, however, is that no one in Worcester or with Massport, which runs Worcester Regional Airport as well as Logan International Airport in Boston, appeared to know the news was coming. Massport Chair Lew Evangelidis called it a “surprise,” and said Massport would be reaching out to American Airlines to find out why they weren’t told. Evangelidis said Massport only found out on Tuesday, when the announcement was made. That is disturbing to say the least. Massport has made significant investments in Worcester’s airport, and has appeared to leverage its operation of Logan in convincing major commercial airlines to come here. JetBlue was the first big catch. American Airlines added to the excitement.

Now Delta Airlines is expected to start flying from Worcester to Detroit this year. City officials and business leaders, such as the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, have been bullish on public transportation – and on the airport, in particular. When others might have given up, waved the white flag in surrender and walked away, folks like Chamber President and CEO Tim Murray did not. Support from political heavyweights like U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern helped. Massport has not just run the airport, but has poured in more than $100 million to help prepare it for the success it has enjoyed in recent years. The cancellation of one flight is unlikely to reverse the positive course charted at the airport. As noted in the Telegram & Gazette, the arrival of American Airlines in Worcester appears to have had an overall positive effect on passenger numbers. Maybe Philadelphia simply isn’t the destination or point of transfer of choice for travelers in and around Worcester. It should not be acceptable, however, for a major airline to cancel a flight without at least giving some advance warning. The resurgence of Worcester has been widely hailed, but most of it has been centered on downtown Worcester and the immediate surrounding area. The resurgence of Worcester Regional Airport, meanwhile, has reached throughout the region. For the second largest city in New Eng-

Editor Walter Bird Jr. Culture Editor Joshua Lyford Reporter Bill Shaner 100 Front St., Fifth Floor Worcester, MA 01608 worcestermag.com Editorial 508.767.9527 WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com Sales 508.767.9530 WMSales@gatehousemedia.com President Paul M. Provost Publisher Kathleen Real-Benoit

Contributing Writers Stephanie Campbell, Sarah Connell, Janice Harvey, Jim Keogh, Jim Perry, Kristina Reardon Director of Creative Services Don Cloutier Creative Director Kimberly Vasseur Multi Media Sales Executives Diane Galipeau, Helen Linnehan

land (what, you weren’t aware of that?), reliable public transportation is a must. The city has struggled somewhat in that area, although not for lack of effort. The airport has been a positive in that regard. Massport deserves credit for that, and the major airlines that took a chance on the airport on the city’s west side do as well. Here’s hoping American Airlines — or any of the other airlines at the airport, for that matter — doesn’t have any other negative surprises in store.

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opinion It’s going to be a bumpy ride JANICE HARVEY

“I

’m going off the grid.” “I’m going underground.” “I’m outta here for awhile.” These are comments seen on Twitter and Facebook, some of which were posted immediately after Paul Manafort’s sentencing. When Trump’s former campaign manager/career criminal was slapped lightly with 47 months in the can, many who followed this debacle were horrified, enraged and deflated. Were these posts declarations of independence or white flags? Has it happened? Has this terrible twisted time in American history finally exhausted those resisting the powers that be? Comments reflecting a sense of surrender were met with words of encouragement, not unlike the

salivate over Democratic infighting. The result? Voters who throw their hands up in disgust. This words one might offer to a drown- pundits analyze and dissect every country can’t afford to have resising man or a terminally ill patient. tweet Trump punches out at 2 a.m. tance morph into apathy. It’s no secret I would love to wake “You can’t quit now! Mueller’s Perhaps the most sobering up tomorrow and find that Trump statement made by Trump’s report is just around the corner!” was carted off in handcuffs while But is it? And what if it’s not the former fixer and born-again paI slept, but that scenario is about life preserver or cure-all we hope triot Michael Cohen, in his sworn as likely as me waking up next to it will be? testimony before Congress, was If Robert Mueller is the straight Bradley Cooper. It ain’t happenin’. this gem: “I fear that if he loses the So what is happening? With a shooter he’s purported to be, presidential election in 2020, there resistors must prepare themselves crowded field of Democratic hope- will never be a peaceful transition fuls growing more crowded by the of power.” for the possibility of a report that day, the party is looking chadelivers less, not more. I say this If for no other reason, Demootic – something the Dems can’t because if he is a man who lives crats — and Republicans who by rule of law, he may be shackled afford to be. Democratic voters aren’t tethered to Trump no matter are looking for stability, not unlike what is revealed by Mueller — by it. Those of us clinging to the hope that his report regarding the kids coming from a dysfunctional need to hold fast to their comTrump administration, obstruction family. They want dependable, mitment to see this through, and of justice and Russian interference sane leaders they can trust. The vote accordingly. Trump will claim midterm election afterglow is dim- the election is invalid should he will be a coffin nail for Trump’s presidency shouldn’t be expecting ming as the GOP takes advantage be driven from office by voters in the 45th president to pack his tan- of gaffes like the ones involving 2020. He will make a noisy mess of U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. it and we must all be prepared for ning bed and go quietly. He may Internal uproars will only cause not have to go anywhere at all. it, since leaving office leaves him I get it. It’s draining, listening to Dems to recoil, and Republicans

vulnerable to face the courts for his own shady business dealings, and worse. He’s never shown he can concede defeat of any kind, and he won’t suddenly develop the grace and dignity required to accept the voice of the people. Here’s hoping the worn-down members of the Resistance gain strength in their respite from the daily onslaught of news, propaganda and unsolicited opinion. Waving a white flag now could mean four more years of the same – and something tells me our four years will be harder to endure than the four years handed to Paul Manafort, whose hard time might simply include fish sticks in the prison chow line.

Janice Harvey contributing writer

Your Turn

For safest, most equitable stadium possible, union labor is the answer FRANK CALLAHAN

having PLAs in place also improves equity on a job. The wage gap between women and men in unions is dramatically lower than in nonunion workplaces – about 9 cents and shrinking, compared to 78 cents for nonunion women. Black union members today earn 14.7 percent more – and Latino union workers 21.8 percent more – than their non-union counterparts. More than ever, Worcester needs more good, equitable, union jobs, especially for workers in the hazardous construction industry. It’s just one more reason why the new stadium project should be built in the safest, fairest and most equitable way possible. For the benefit of workers and baseball fans alike, that means ensuring the stadium construction moves forward with the benefit of a project labor agreement. Frank Callahan is president of the Massachusetts Building Trades Council

our nation. Paychecks and politics aside, the Red Sox and Worcester deserve to have the safest job site and stadium possible. That means having a PLA in place so workers have a voice and are able to speak out without fear of retaliation when they see unsafe conditions on the job. It would be a dark moment in the history of Worcester if local officials didn’t do everything possible to make the job site as safe as possible, and a worker memorial had to be hosted prior to what should otherwise be a joyous Opening Day. Worker injury and death occurs more frequently on non-PLA job sites. And gambling with worker safety in ways that could lead to tragedy would be a short-sighted move that may cast a pall over the stadium for years. The good news is that the stadium is well poised to help revitalize Worcester’s downtown—but all this will be undermined if the job site proves to be unsafe, or if the project drives down wage standards, instead of lifting them up. The facts show clearly that

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ers’ rights and advance narratives around the concepts of unions being outdated and unneeded. Despite the anti-worker spin promoted by organizations like the Merit Construction Alliance, public support for unions is growing. Meanwhile, union membership and the need for PLAs are also both on the rise in Massachusetts. The building trade unions have been creating economic prosperity and a pathway to the middle class for workers throughout Central Massachusetts for generations. Right now, many Worcester area families could benefit from a good, union job in the construction industry. Sadly, efforts are afoot in Worcester to lower safety, wage and training standards for working people on the new stadium project, putting Worcester workers at risk of losing life or limb, and in the position of earning less for the same work that is done elsewhere in the state. That simply would not be fair. Construction is one of the most dangerous occupations in

M A R C H 14 - 20, 2019

he city of Worcester, the Worcester Red Sox and Madison Downtown Holdings, a private developer, are building a $240-million downtown project that includes a new, $90-million, 10,000-seat stadium for the Boston Red Sox Triple-A Minor League affiliate team. Most see this as good news for the community. And it can be if the stakeholders embrace the use of a project labor agreement to ensure safety, equity and fairness for the workers who build the stadium. Unfortunately, some contractor lobbying groups who advocate to pay workers lower wages are engaged in a cynical campaign aimed at ensuring the prosperity generated by this large proposal isn’t shared with the actual workers doing the work. They also don’t care if the project is done in the safest way possible, or with the best-trained workers possible. Every fan sitting in that stadium over the decades that will follow its opening deserves to know that

Worcester built its stadium in the safest way possible with the best-trained workforce. That’s just one reason why the union building trades are speaking up for a project labor agreement to ensure the safety of workers and the public in Worcester. Project labor agreements, also called community workforce agreements or project stabilization agreements, emerged in the early 20th century as basic pre-hire agreements between the owner or contractor and the local building trades unions. By the 1980s, these agreements were common in both the public and private sectors. Modern PLAs are negotiated on a case-by-case basis, and include sophisticated provisions that keep jobs running smoothly, promote efficiencies, and nurture the development of a skilled workforce. Most importantly, they prevent worker exploitation, wage theft and other illegal or unsafe acts that can harm local workers on a non-PLA job site. For years, wealthy special interests have tried to undermine work-

feature

It takes a village: Tenants see opportunity in Midtown Mall

WALTER BIRD JR.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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he Midtown Mall has been called an eyesore, an embarrassment and worse. Up until recently, I had never heard it called a village. But then again, up until recently, I hadn’t met Tito Colon. Or Michael Agbortoko Jr. I wasn’t familiar with Misook Segovia. Or Paul Kim. They are some of the tenants of a mall that, to hear some folks tell it, is a rat-infested, rundown, outdated, dilapidated remnant of a distant past. Owner Dean Marcus has been described in equallyunflattering terms. When the city included the mall in its Urban Renewal Plan, it opened the mall at 22 Front St., which is part of 22-30 Front St., to being taken by eminent domain, although that has always publicly been referred to as a last resort. That point has apparently been reached, with the Worcester Redevelopment Authority taking steps that could lead to the mall becoming the first property identified in the renewal plan to be snatched up by eminent domain. The move has its proponents, but not everyone is on board. Some city councilors have expressed concern about the impact on tenants in the mall. Social media, too, has seen different opinions raised. Some have asked why no one has spoken to Marcus himself. It isn’t that he hasn’t been approached. For example, I recently spent several hours talking with Marcus, who also owns two buildings at 10-20 Front St., in person and by phone. He has been loathe to go on the record, saying he doesn’t want a story about A versus B. The problem is, A versus B is already in full swing.

While Marcus may be reluctant to speak publicly about the fate of the mall he has run since 1980, there are other voices. They are the men and women, many of them immigrants, making a living through various businesses at the mall. Those I spoke with during multiple visits recently said they are aware of the tug of war between the city and their landlord. They know of the talk about another potential developer for the mall. They’ve heard about the city possibly taking the property by eminent domain. Until any of that becomes a reality, if it does, they toil away in their respective stores, not at all ready to close up shop.

AN OPPORTUNITY

ifty-eight-year-old Tito Colon came to the U.S. with his family from Puerto Rico when he was 8 or 9. He said he lost his mother when she died at 89 years old on Dec. 6. Thirteen days later, on Dec. 19, he lost both his apartment and business when a fire broke out at 9 Boylston St. A tattoo artist, Colon lived there and also ran Original Ink Tattoo in the building. In the blink of an eye, all was lost. “I lost everything,” he said. “The most important thing was my mom. Then, on top of that, the fire happened. I felt like God was testing me. Whatever this might be, I told him to give me the strength to carry on.” Colon said a friend offered him a place to stay on Shrewsbury Street,

Tito Colon, owner of Your Tattoo, greets a well-wisher after recently opening his new store in the Midtown Mall. WALTER BIRD JR.

where he could live rent free for seven weeks. Looking to restart his tattoo business, Colon said a couple friends told him about some retail spaces for rent at The Midtown Mall. He said he did not know Marcus, but met with him about a month ago. While declining to say how much, Colon said the rent was simply too good to pass up. “More than reasonable,” he said, adding he could “never, not in a million years” find a similar space downtown for what he is paying for rent. Other tenants have sounded a

familiar refrain: the rent on their shops at the mall is dirt cheap, much lower than they might pay anywhere else downtown. For Colon, it afforded him the chance to save up money and start paying rent on his new apartment. He changed the name of his business to New Tattoo. “I changed the name because of everything that happened,” he said of his previous business. “The name carries that memory. I don’t want to carry that no more. I was there a good 10 years.” Like the other Midtown Mall tenants, Colon said he is well

aware of the noise surrounding plans to take the property by eminent domain. He knows the reputation the mall and Marcus have. “I’m very aware of the storm that’s coming,” he said. “Let the storm come, because I already went through a storm. I’ve got that strength.” In the Midtown Mall and its owner, Colon sees something — and someone — much different than what others describe. “The guy has a good heart,” he said of Marcus, adding he would “hate to see” the city take the

feature “I’d like to see [the vacant spaces] rented and get more foot traffic in here and fix it up here and there,” he said. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done. I think with the help of people here, it could happen.” “A lot of times people just give up,” Colon added. “It’s a village and a village can’t be run by one person. It has to be run by a lot of people. If the garden is there, let’s take care of the garden so the food will grow. This is the garden. It needs a little maintenance, I’m not going to lie to you. I told Dean I’m more than willing to do what I can.”

The façade of the Midtown Mall on Front Street. WALTER BIRD JR.

building by eminent domain. “He’s helped a lot of people, people that needed the help, like myself. I take my hat off to him. I’d do anything for him.” “When you meet somebody,” he continued, “you can see right through them, the kindness. They

don’t put walls in front of them. They open doors for you, and he did.” Colon can only go by what he said he has experienced in his short time at the mall and dealing with Marcus. “You see, people look at certain

colors a certain way,” Colon said. “When you get to know the color, you know what’s behind it. All I know is I see what I’ve seen. [Marcus] did open the door for me and he’s given me the opportunity.” Colon referred to the mall as both a village and a garden.

PAST TROUBLES

o be sure, the Midtown Mall is no CambridgeSide Galleria. The floor in the lower level, which houses a number of ministries, some businesses and band practice space, is in desper-

ate need of some new paint, which Marcus said will be done. The escalators don’t work. There have been complaints about the condition of the lower level restrooms as well as water leaks in the building. As for storefronts, some spaces Marcus insists are active store fronts are jammed with boxes and other items. Of the roughly 19 or so spaces on the first floor, a few are vacant or inactive, including the former Midtown Dinette. New tenants have been moving in recently, which should eat up some of the vacancies. There is office space on the second and third floors. The city has long made clear its frustration with a mall it sees as the antithesis of the growth and development going in and around downtown Worcester. The building has been cited for code violations, the most major involving some exterior structural issues, along with complaints of rats, foul odors and trash. Inspections last year, according to information provided by the city, centered on a pile of wet

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feature rugs in an elevator, an overflowing dumpster and a lot of trash in an alley behind the mall, rats, graffiti, a complaint of flooding in a rented space in the lower level of the mall, and a cracked window on a door in front of the building. The mall is no stranger to police as well, with some stores in the past having been eyed for drug activity. By and large, however, over the past few years, many of the police responses to the mall, according to records provided by the city, have been for relatively minor issues, including disorderly or suspicious individuals. There is a decidedly-dated feel to the mall, inside and out, but it also isn’t the trash heap you might expect based on some of the public comments and observations. It also isn’t free of customers. While foot traffic isn’t near what it used to be before bus service was shifted away from City Hall, customers still find their way to the mall. Wireless Xperts, a store

specializing in mobile phone service, sees a number of customers daily. Segovia said customers at her store, 4U Prom & Bridal, come from around New England. Kim’s Jewelry & Gifts, according to one of the brothers who runs it, enjoys a loyal and local customer base. In fact, one of the frustrating things for critics of taking the Midtown Mall by eminent domain is that many of those involved, including the WRA and the city’s Economic Development office, don’t seem to know what’s actually going on inside. They don’t seem to know the people whose livelihoods are being made inside the building former City Councilor Rick Rushton once accused Marcus of treating like “an oversized trash can.” What they may not know is one man’s trash is another’s treasure.

‘A HIDDEN GEM’

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cluttered space across from Colon’s new digs was much less so several days later, as Michael Agbortoko Jr. works to transform it into an immersiveexperience gift shop. Soxcessful, he said, will sell accessories and also offer customers the opportunity to pose for photos with different backgrounds they can then post online or use to create various products. The 27-year-old Agbortoko, born in Cameroon, came to the country in 2000, played soccer at Assumption College in Worcester and graduated in 2014. A self-described social entrepreneur, he said he has spent the past four years traveling to 46 states for 12 U.S. brands as a consultant. He said he just finished a tour for Lego. Agbortoko, who said he founded another business, Soxy Time, is excited to launch his new venture, which he hopes to open sometime in April. “I have some exciting, creative things,” he said, adding Worcester is where he wants to do business. “I went to school in Worcester, I love the area. With all the stuff happening, this is where I’m going to be.” Like the other tenants, Agbortoko listed rent, which he called “very affordable,” among the chief reasons for setting up shop at the Midtown Mall. Could he, it was

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Michael Agbortoko Jr. is in the process of starting a new business, Soxcessful, in the Midtown Mall. Here he shows how customers will be able enjoy an interactive, online experience at his store. WALTER BIRD JR.

believe where there is chaos, or people think there’s chaos, there is a hidden gem there. You have to find a way to nurture it. Some things take time. We all have to work together. It’s bigger than us.” Is the Midtown Mall, he was asked, one of those gems? “Of course,” he said. “I’m five minutes away from where the new [Worcester Red Sox] stadium

‘HE HELPS A LOT OF PEOPLE’

hami Nelson, CEO of Wireless Xperts, was selling cell phones and streaming devices out of his house and at flea markets when he was told about the Midtown Mall. But it wasn’t as easy as just showing up and sign-

ing a lease. Nelson had been to jail, serving time on drug charges. He was released a few years ago. Even before he was sentenced, Nelson said, he had stopped engaging in illegal activity. At the time he learned about the mall, he said, the flea market he was working at in Shrewsbury “had problems.” “I had no choice,” Nelson said. “It was either my house or somewhere else. I talked to Dean. It took me a while. He did a background check. It took three months to get that place. Dean’s a hard guy to deal with. I was literally going back every day. I had money in my pocket, he didn’t want it. He was so suspicious. He would come in my store and stay in there for about a month, sit down and see what we were doing. Now he loves us.” Marcus, said Nelson, is a “little old guy, but he’s a good guy. He’s old school.” He said his store, which buys, sells, repairs and trades phones, brings traffic to the mall. At the price Marcus charges for rent, Nelson said, “It’s like no way, it would be triple” the price to rent a similar space downtown. Nelson said he has two spaces at the mall, including an upstairs

office. He also pointed out, as other tenants did, that Marcus donated some of the material for his store. The showcases where phones are displayed, Nelson said, came from Marcus. “You can work with him,” he said of his landlord. “There’s nowhere downtown you’ll find anywhere like that. No way. Front Street is actually a prime area right now. The only problem is you’re inside the mall.” Nelson said he attracts many customers online. The building, he concedes, is not in the best condition. “For a start it’s good. The price of the rent can’t be beat,” Nelson said. “That’s the main part, and the location. It’s downtown, it’s prime real estate. Inside is not the best. It can be better. A lot of people walk in every day. They think it’s a dead space. But my store gets busy.” In fact, said Nelson, the low rent at the mall allowed him to open a new store in Connecticut, a process he said is currently in the works. His next location, he said, will be Boston. He said he plans to keep his Worcester store in the mall “if they don’t close us down.”

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asked, afford to rent a different space downtown? “No way,” he answered without hesitation. Marcus, he said, “has been awesome,” and Agbortoko said he looks forward to “playing my part in pushing the city up.” Finding the Midtown Mall, he said, was “almost too perfect.” “I came home in November,” he said, adding when he is not traveling, he resides in Southbridge. The idea came to me that I needed to open. I looked at a few different locations in Worcester and saw an ad on Craigslist.” He described the oft-maligned Marcus in much the same way Colon did. “When I meet someone,” Agbortoko said, “I can see positive energy. When he showed me this space, it was almost what I envisioned. My brain was going crazy. Speaking with some of the guys around here who have companies, another tailor guy around the corner, he was telling me people are always asking about socks and stuff. It was all about timing. It was almost like God said, ‘Here it is.’” Agbortoko, like Colon, has heard the complaints about the mall, and the talk about eminent domain. And like Colon, he thinks the tenants can help save it. “There’s a saying,” Agbortoko said. “‘Negativity sells.’ I’m an entrepreneur. My job is to create solutions and tackle some of the world’s problems. The best way I can is by following the rules and creating a space for people to enjoy. “I was born in Cameroon. I’ve seen poverty, a lot of hardship. I

will be, five minutes away from a hospital. This summer I plan to host free movies right across from here [on City Common]. What else can I ask for?” Whatever happens with the mall, he said, is out of his hands. Then again, perhaps not. “I’m in the center of Worcester,” he said of working in the mall. “It’s almost like a village. We will help revive this place and bring people in. [Marcus] seems willing to work with us. Whatever’s going to happen, we’ll make the best out of it, and keep focusing and inspiring and helping people have the best experience.”

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“In the meantime,” Nelson, like the other tenants, said the mall could be in better shape, but noted some of the new activity in recent weeks. “It’s not great, it’s not bad. More tenants would definitely help. There’s been new stores in the past month.” As for Marcus, Nelson said, “He’s not motivated right now. He’s getting old. He’s waiting for the right offer. He’s smart, he’s just old school. He helps a lot of people. A lot of stores in there, sometimes they can’t pay rent. He’ll work with you.”

‘IT COULD BE MUCH BETTER’

riginally from South Korea, Misook Segovia came to the U.S. in 1982. She married her husband and they raised their children in Lexington. Now she lives in Worcester. She took over 4U in the Midtown Mall six years ago. “This was just a clothing store,” Segovia said of what she has turned into mostly a prom and bridal gown business. These aren’t $10 dresses she’s selling. “It took me a couple years, but I’m settled.

Above, the front window display at 4U Prom & Bridal, run by Misook Segovia in the Midtown Mall. Below, Paul Kim of Kim’s Jewelry & Gifts in the Midtown Mall, which his brother opened in 1986. WALTER BIRD JR.

I have my loyal customers. This area’s very good for us and I’m doing OK.” Segovia and other tenants don’t sugarcoat some of their concerns. They believe the Midtown Mall could be in better shape. They would like to see some problems addressed, although Segovia didn’t mention any specific issues. “[It needs] more than cosmetic work,” she said. “I think it could be much better.” But just as they would like to see a little more money invested on Marcus’ part into the Mall, they know that could mean higher rents. “I think he could put more effort into it,” Segovia said, before sounding a note of concern. “I’m just worried about his health. He’s getting old. And if I’m expecting a lot, I have to pay more rent.” “I complain to him,” she continued, although she said Marcus, who says he is in his 70s, has never threatened higher rent in exchange for sprucing up the building. “He would like to fix it in other ways, rather than put a lot of money into it.” The city, Segovia said, should not use eminent domain to take the mall, but should instead “push” Marcus to make it better. Of course, folks like City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. and others have been doing just that for many years. There have been reports of potential developers trying to buy the mall, with the city saying Marcus has resisted. Frustratingly, Marcus has declined to go into detail about the whole issue on the record. In the meantime, city officials have grown increasingly vocal about the mall. When the WRA met last month and started talking in earnest about the possibility of taking the property by eminent domain, city councilors started weighing in, and perhaps surprisingly to some, there did not appear to be a giant-sized appetite for eminent domain. District 2 City Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson made the suggestion that Economic Development personnel actually meet with tenants “so we can keep these folks in the loop.” District 4 Councilor Sarai Rivera, with a nod to businesses in the mall that have remained in place through the years, said, “We need to make sure businesses who

stuck around do not get penalized for sticking around.” At-Large Councilor Moe Bergman is among those resistant to eminent domain efforts with the Midtown Mall. He said he visited the mall late last month and talked to “a number of tenants.” His takeaway from those conversations? “The overall comments were the building affords them an opportunity at low rent to be at downtown location,” he said, adding tenants were happy in the building. “They couldn’t easily transfer tenancy to another location to anywhere near the rent they’re paying now. There was some fear that their business could fail. They appreciate the landlord lets them pay late during seasonal months. They like him. That I got as an overall impression.” “I see a tired, old building,” Bergman continued. “That’s not the issue. The issue is, is it that bad that the city has an argument to take it?”

not far from the Midtown Mall. “Now we only have the one store. Customers like the location here.” He said he likes Marcus but, as Segovia said, he wants the mall to be maintained, clean and safe. “That’s all I want,” Paul Kim said, adding he doesn’t want to see the building taken by eminent domain, or for another developer to take over. “Personally, I don’t want that. I want Dean to keep the building.” Colon believes the mall can not only be maintained, but thrive, and he believes its tenants can make it happen. “The concept of being in a village is where I’m at now,” he said. “This is a business like any other business, but people have to realize I’m their neighbor and they’re my neighbors. All these other businesses, it’s like a small little village. We have to get together and make something happen. The more [Marcus] rents in here to certain people that want to give themselves a chance of becoming successful, I think this is the opportunity that is here for people, to become something and grow.” All the tenants I spoke with, perhaps Colon most passionately, said they want to stay at the Midtown Mall. They share the city’s view that the property could be in aul Kim’s brother Chris better shape, but appreciate the opened Kim’s Jewelry & Gifts, opportunity they have been given one of the first stores you to start their businesses. When see when entering the mall times are tight, Marcus, they said, from Front Street, in 1986. Paul works with them on the rent. Kim, who came from South Korea There is an optimism guarded in 1991 and resides in Grafton, by the uncertainty of what lies joined the business in 1994. Busiahead, and it wears on Colon. ness at the store is “OK,” he said, “God knows what the storm depending on local customers and brings,” he said. “Just because eschewing social media and other I’m aware of these things, they’re forms of exposure. called distractions, why not take Talk of eminent domain and the that distraction and try to figure uncertain future of the mall have out what can I do as a person that not escaped his attention. make change for it not to happen? “Of course we’re aware of it,” I only asked for the opportunity. Paul Kim said. “We understand [Marcus] gave me the opportunity. the city wants to redevelop the He’s given me the chance, and whole area. Still, we have a lot because he’s given me the chance of customers since we opened I’m making the best of the situathe store. It’s almost the same tion. customers, family to family and “That seems to be tarnished generation to generation. with what everybody’s telling me. Even if the city, as it says it It brings fear to my conscious, would be required to do if the mall because when I lay down in bed, were taken by eminent domain, when I come in tomorrow, has the helped relocate existing business- city already taken over? Is the yeles, it may not be that easy. low sticker going to be on my door “We tried to relocate, but we and I have to go backward? I want failed,” Paul Kim said of a previous to continue to go forward.” attempt to open a second store

‘MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN’

Louie Despres

STEPHEN DIRADO

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culture

After the rewinder was moved to the first floor due to elevator being shut down by the state, 7-26-12. “Factory” series LOUIE DESPRES

It’s pronounced day-pray

JOSHUA LYFORD

hotographer Louie Despres is widely known for his street and nightlife photography, capturing the liveliness and emotion that surrounds us. In “It’s pronounced Day-pray,” his upcoming solo exhibition opening at the Sprinkler Factory, 38 Harlow St., on Saturday, March 30 and running through April 21, fans get to see a new side of the photographer. The work in this show is an entirely new side of the artist and, this time, it’s personal.

culture Despres is in the basement of Clark University’s Traina Center for the Arts. He is joined by longtime friend and fellow photographer, Stephen DiRado. The pair is hard at work printing the images that will be hung in the Sprinkler Factory rear gallery in just a few weeks. “I was going to have a retrospective,” Despres says. “The state of photography right now, it’s so expensive to mount a show, have it framed, paper, inks, printing, everything. It’s so expensive. The Sprinkler Factory is a great, big, space. I thought, I may not have a solo show ever again. Maybe this is the last hurrah and I should have all the stuff I’ve worked on.” Despres stands up from the computer work station and walks toward the massive photo printer wheezing in the corner of the room. “As I thought about it longer, I thought, ‘No, I want to create more shows, I want to do more things,’” he says, leaning toward the printer’s

control panel. “I’m going to show all new work. Most of the people who know me through photography know me through my early work, my band stuff. They know my nightclub stuff, the street photography stuff. I want to have work that no one has seen before and see where we go from here.” “This is a self-test, where are we going to go?” Despres explains as the printer sighs. Technology has inserted itself into the conversation as both Despres and DiRado work to troubleshoot. Wet, heavy snow falls outside and the building is empty, save for the two photographers. “I think it’s just from looking at your body of work with a different eye,” he continues, clicking a box in the printer settings. “It was like, I wanted this to be safe. If I came and showed stuff people had seen before, or know me for and I’ve gotten some praise for, you’re playing it safe. I

didn’t want to play it safe with this show. I wanted to expose. I wanted to say, ‘OK, what is the reaction?’ It can only be one of two ways. People can embrace it or reject it. You get to the point where if you aren’t testing yourself, why keep doing it? I can’t stand artists that just create the same thing over and over again because it’s comfortable or you can make money doing the same thing over and over again. That’s fine, but I want to challenge my work.” Despres has shown his work since the early ’90s and has worked as a staff photographer for publications such as the Worcester Phoenix as well as freelance work here in Worcester Magazine and many others. He has published three books of his photography and earned a fellowship in 2012 from the Worcester Arts Council. He is well known for his nightlife and “Power & Volume” collections, but for “It’s pronounced Day-pray,” the photographer is

expressing something much different and, in the process, exposing a bit more of himself. “A lot of work I’d done before is very hit and run, very quick,” he says. “Nightclub stuff, band stuff, street photography. This is more personal work. This is three bodies of work I actually thought about going into it, what I was going to do.” The three bodies of work being represented at the Sprinkler Factory show include “Factory,” “reclamatioNation” and “fifty.” Despres is wearing a wool-knit watch cap, backlit by the warm glow of Christmas lights dangling from the ceiling just outside a doorway. He is looking at an image from his show, a warehouse space filled with stacks of material. Ladders lean next to an electrical box. He considers the thread that unites these three disparate bodies of work. “Loneliness,” he says, taking his eyes off the screen. “I want people

to enjoy the prints, but I think, Factory is not a series that I feel joy in presenting. It’s very solemn. I hope people get more than I see from it. I’m a little melancholy about it, because I lived through it. It’s still hard to look at those images and know what you had and where you are now. It’s all part of life. reclamatioNation is the same thing. There’s no people in it, there are people’s things that they’ve discarded. It’s these totems that are just in the middle of the city landscape.” The Factory series is comprised of images from the Despres family business that has since closed. reclamatioNation is a look at iconic donation bins throughout Worcester. fifty, while the only series featuring a human form, continues the theme in its own right and is a fascinating photography experiment Despres took on in 2017, following his 50th birthday. “I want people to have fun with

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LOUIE DESPRES

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

At the doctors, 12-14-17. From the series “fifty”

culture “fifty,” he explains. “I want people to look at it and have fun with it, but it’s also about me. I don’t feel lonely, but as you get older, you get a sense that, I hate saying it, it’s almost like you’re looking at your mortality. We’re all going to die. It’s one of those things, you live your life but you’re only living it with you. You can live with somebody, they can experience your life with you, you can have friends, but really, when it comes down to it, you just live your life. That’s kind of what I wanted to convey. Everyone lives their own lives.” Louie stops momentarily. He places his hands on his knees and smiles. “Maybe that’s what I wanted to convey,” he says. “I didn’t know that going into it. I took a lot of photos. I saw what I got.” “It’s pronounced Day-pray” may be the most personal photo exhibition Despres has held yet, but it is one he will share with others on March 30 and beyond at the Sprinkler Factory Gallery. “I hope that they look at it with an open mind, you always want people to do that, I want them to see the time and craft I put into it,” he says, removing a large image from the printer. “I hope they like it, but if they don’t, if they aren’t into it, c’est la vie, you know?” You can find more information on photographer Louie Despres online at Louiedespres.com. For more information on the Sprinkler Factory, head to Sprinklerfactory.com.

Oxford, MA, 9-19-15. From the series “reclamatioNation”

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LOUIE DESPRES

culture

Adoption option

Welcome to Adoption Option, a partnership with the Worcester Animal Rescue League, highlighting their adoptable pets. Check this space often to meet all of the great pets at WARL in need of homes.WARL is open seven days a week, noon-4 p.m., 139 Holden St. Check them out online at Worcesterarl.org, or call at 508-853-0030.

Worcester Animal Rescue League looking for help in emergency situation

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In February, Mika’s owner tearfully surrendered her to WARL so she could have a better life. Quickly, we saw the sparkle in her eyes, but we were surprised to find this petite sweetheart was expecting. Labor started early Friday morning, but hours went by without progress so our friends at VCA Abbott Animal Hospital stepped in. Mika had two pups, one stillborn, the other healthy. Tired Mika couldn’t push anymore and needed an emergency C-section. Three more healthy pups were welcomed into the world. Our joy quickly turned to concern because Mika wasn’t doing well after surgery. We were worried for Mika and her four hungry pups, in need of their mom. Mika was rushed to Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Tufts University Emergency Room for a blood transfusion and round-the-clock care. Her pups meanwhile were bottle fed every two hours by their foster mom/superhero Jill. Miraculously, Mika and her pups made it through the night. Mika spent 26 hours in the ER. She may be small, but she is mighty! Mika received immediate emergency care because of your support. Your donations allowed us to give Mika and her miracle pups the chance they deserved. We acted quickly because we knew you’d have our back. The expenses from that whirlwind day are $3,500. Your donation today ensures WARL is ready for the next pet in need of emergency care. *Special thanks to foster mom/super hero Jillian, Dr. Pellegrini and the amazing team at VCA Abbott Animal Hospital, and Dr. Greenway, Dr. Bell and the life saving team at Tufts, and the WARL staff and volunteers.*

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Here are some of WARL’s regular needs: against; For dogs: Kongs, Ruff Wear, Jolly Balls, Tuffies, tennis balls. Office Supplies: Copy paper (white and colors), postage stamps, pink and blue post-its, etc. Staples gift cards are always welcomed!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pet Supplies: Dog and cat food (both canned and dry). Purina brand preferred. Please no grainfree; Non-clumping kitty litter; Bedding, comforters, blankets and towels (not pillows & sheets); Kuranda Beds; martingale collars.

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*Mika and her pups all have homes. To see the animals for adoption visit www.worcesterarl.org/adopt. We appreciate your support*

culture Lyford Files

666

JOSHUA LYFORD

DEMON MATH: Alright, I have to

work through something with you here. In the final Lyford Files of February, I made the claim that I had successfully hit 666 words in my column. This is a goal of mine that occasionally pops up and it had been awhile since I had achieved it. It also harkens back to a former segment of this column, the “contact” section. After two years of fantastic blurbs like “to contact Joshua Lyford, email, call, or create an outward facing blood cylinder and hum the melody to “Mean” by Taylor Swift.” You get the idea. It breaks my heart that this no longer exists, so all a man can do is keep his column to 666 words. You get it. Well, as my brother pointed out to me a few days later, I didn’t make the cut. Apparently, he copy-and-pasted the text and it only hit 651 words. There are a few possible explanations here, one being that I am just an idiot in relation to mathematics (shout out to my math basics class), another that editor Walter Bird Jr. made some changes after I submitted, or, most likely, I included the title and byline in the word count. Regardless, I am now, officially, fake news.

BAIL IT IN: Eh, alright, alright. I just Googled “railyard slang” to get

this subhead. I can’t in good conscious use “get railed” again to reference the Worcester Railers hockey club, it’s not fair to either of us. This one sounded pretty appropriate, all things considered. According to Catskill Archive, “bail it in” means to feed the locomotive firebox. The Railers, to put it plainly, need to get their locomotive firebox fed. They have been scraping for that final playoff slot in the Northeast Division and as a fan, it’s a friggin nailbiter, kid. I didn’t catch their Sunday loss (I am writing this on Monday, March 11 and no, I’m not going to join the scrubs with their 311 jokes, that would be a Beautiful Disaster) to the South Carolina Stingrays, but I did see their absolutely dominant performance against the Norfolk Admirals on Saturday. They finished 6-1, there was some wild fighting antics (come on, that dude wanted nothing to do with Yanick Turcotte and just jumped onto the ice, right?) and they ended the night just one point out of the Northeast. As of this writing, they are three points behind the fourth place Manchester Monarchs. It’s going to be a battle to the finish line with just 12 games left in the season. They can do it, but it won’t be easy. What makes the battle tougher for fans is seeing these occasional flashes of brilliance. If they can slide in there, who knows what they can accomplish.

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M A R C H 14 - 20, 2019

PUT IT TO REST: It’s a shame that the first time I got to catch

Rest was also the last time they’ll be playing any shows. Following the Railers game, I bounced off to Webster Street to catch Rest (my apologies to Marrøw, Sin List, Sevan and Moss Folk for missing them. Couldn’t make it all, unfortunately) and it didn’t disappoint. I’m pretty used to venues in that area being an “ask a punk” scenario, so if anyone from that end wants to whip me an email, I’d be happy to update this down the road. It was nice to see a roomful of people enjoying heavy music that included old dorks like myself and young people I had never seen before. Worcester has always been consistent and it seems like things are in good hands. RIP Rest, I hardly knew ye.

I AM NOT A COMEDIAN: This much should be obvious. I’ve been called funny before, but I think it’s funny like how Eeyore is funny. Sad and self-deprecating. I got the chance to hop on the mic with comedians Bryan O’Donnell and Paul Cyphers last week for their “Give up the Jokes” podcast. I had a lot of fun with the two of them and Cyphers got me to talk about a certain musical period in my life I rarely discuss. I was happy to talk about whiskey shots with Ashley Simpson, meditation with Good Charlotte and “The VIP” with Tyler Seguin. I had fun and I wasn’t even drunk, pretty good job boys. This is a a little memo that they will be releasing their podcast soon and you should keep an eye out for it. I’m sure I will follow up here with details as I can. I Joshua Lyford do enjoy hearing myself talk, Culture editor after all. @Joshachusetts

culture Lifestyle SARAH CONNELL

Equal Pay Day

The YWCA of Central Massachusetts delved into Worcester Business Journal’s March 2018 “Boardroom Gap”series with an International Women’s Day panel that examined the

Monica Thomas-Bonnick, Lisa Clauson, Kate Sharry, Yuisa Pérez-Chionchio and Brad Kane honor International Women’s Day at YWCA.

Central Mass gender breakdown and fiercely targeted gender inequity in our region’s business sector. Along with WBJ Editor Brad Kane; panelists included New England

Regional Council of Carpenters Director of Strategic Partnerships Lisa Clauson; Family Health Center of SARAH CONNELL Worcester Director of Human Resources Yuisa Pérez-Chionchio; Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce Chair Kate Sharry; Webster Five Vice President, Business Lending Officer Monica ThomasBonnick; and Worcester State University Assistant Vice President Stacey Luster. Luster reminded attendees to put pressure on institutions to develop strategies that will require them to look at data and remedy gender gaps even when they don’t want to see how “ugly” the situation has become.

Irish Twins

Redemption Rock has a dry Irish stout and a red Irish ale in the works in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. The McInerney School Irish Dancers will make your wildest Riverdance dreams come true with an open step class on Saturday, March 16 in the taproom. Bowls of Lucky Charms will be available all morning for those of you who are feeling magically delicious. Dublin Down is set to play on Saturday evening beginning at 6 p.m. Asylum Popatorium

artists culture

Artist spotlight

Sam Harnois is a senior studying communication and Spanish at Worcester State University. Harnois uses his camera and Photoshop to bring the impossible to reality. Harnois seeks to provide “an escape from the immediate world we live in,” and his work “places a spin on the laws of the physical world and replaces them with endless possibilities of dreams.” While some of his imagery appears upbeat and happy, he hopes they will force the viewer to continue thinking about them as time goes on. Harnois currently has a photo on display in the downtown Worcester Windows exhibit, “Rebirth,” and has shown in several ArtsWorcester shows. You can find more of the artist’s work online at Samharnois.com. A P R I L 5 - 11, 2018

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Let us feature your artwork in Worcester Magazine’s Artist spotlight! Contact Joshua Lyford at jlyford@gatehousemedia.com for more information!

wanted

takes over on Sunday, March 17 with cornbeef and cabbage popovers beginning at 4 p.m. This weekend also marks a very special birthday celebration for head brewer Greg Carlson and marketing guru Dan Carlson, whom I look to fondly as Worcester’s very own Olsen twins.

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Green Beer and Giveaways

Redemption Rock isn’t the only brewery stepping up this weekend. On Sunday, March 17, Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company will host the Murphy Academy of Irish Dance at 4:45 p.m. There will be green beer flowing and giveaways at the end of the rainbow. The fun starts at noon. I have developed a thick skin as a Central Mass food writer over the last few years, but I still cringe when people accuse me of having favorites. I maintain that some chefs and owners are objectively more accomplished, ambitious and talented than others. I also contend that nothing is more important than cultivating strong relationships with the people I respect. I learned the latter from Sherri Sadowski and Alec Lopez of Armsby Abbey while working for them as a server. I love it when I don’t have to be the one to tell you that Armsby Abbey is better than any other beer bar in the state. This time of year, Craftbeers.com and RateBeer do it for me by doling out national awards. If you haven’t experienced Armsby Abbey for yourself, you owe yourself a trip.

Sarah Connell contributing writer

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Armsby Adds to Its List of Accolades

culture

Escape to The AC 125 Front St., Worcester • 774-420-7555 • marriott.com SANDRA RAIN

W O R C E S T E R M A G A Z I N E . C O M M A R C H 14 - 20, 2019

or a glimpse of downtown Worcester’s future, treat yourself to breakfast or after-work cocktails at the AC Hotel. In a word, The AC is chic. Heavy leather barstools line the concrete bar. Deep armchairs lure you closer to the extended gas fireplace. You can press a little button to beckon a server, or just sink into the illusion of escape for hours all by your lonesome. Even in one’s hometown, a hotel bar allows for some anonymity. Every surface offers engaging textures. A wall of glimmering fish scales. An overhang of zebra striped laser lights. Angular shelves and cases stacked with heavy books

European breakfast at The AC Kitchen starts at just $16.

about fashion and travel. Whimsical orbs. Foggy mirrors. Geometric everything. The scent alone is spectacular. For all I know, the air gets pumped in straight from Dorothy’s poppy field. Despite the neutral color palette, you wouldn’t describe The AC as natural. The entire space from lobby to lounge feels staged, as if carefully curated for Architectural Digest. Wine is on tap, but there’s also a porron on hand if you prefer to take your Albariño straight to the face ($9 for 6 ounces or $12 for 9 oz.) The cocktails are laborious. No one is in a rush at The AC. The ACG&T ($11) will be a go-to this summer; if you close your eyes when you take a sip, it feels like you’re already there. The patio opens up later this month. European breakfast at AC Kitchen starts at $16, which is a steal for the freshly sliced prosciutto all by itself. Tiny quiches abound. A grown-up version of your university’s cafeteria cereal station has all of the varietals you require. Servers can put in à la carte orders for espressos and artisanal toast in addition to the buffet. The avocado, feta and basil grilled toast ($9) is spritzed with lemon juice to liven up your morning. The roasted marzano tomato and La

Quercia prosciutto grilled toast ($9) is more savory, drizzled in good olive oil. The antipasto ($11) is a nice way to start your meal come dinner time at the AC Lounge. The antipasto is stacked with romaine, arugula, fresh mozzarella, chickpeas and thin slices of salami. The entrées are closer to what one might expect from a ritzy hotel wedding reception. Steak, fish or chicken? Check “yes” for the herb-roasted chicken ($17) served with a tomato garlic confit atop a pile of roughage. Everything arrives on long ceramic plates shaped like ziti. The AC Hotel treats Worcester with self respect and indulgence. Give yourself permission to take a vacation for a few hours and experience it for yourself. On my last dinner with a friend at The AC Hotel, our total came to $58. Explanation of Stars: Ratings are from zero to five. Zero is not recommended. One is poor. Two is fair. Three is satisfactory. Four is good. Five is excellent. Food: HHHH Ambience: HHHH Service: HHHH Value: HHHH

culture Time to applaud Cinema 320 JIM KEOGH

ast week’s news that Cinema 320 will stop showing movies at Clark University after 36 years hit me in a couple of ways. Sadness, first. It was like learning the perfect couple had split after a long marriage. But the emotions are more complicated, because there’s no such thing as perfection in any endeavor. I’ve known Cinema 320 proprietor Steve Sandberg since I started reviewing movies in 1986, and he’s been open about the challenges of running the film series: accessibility issues, an aging and dwindling

proprietor of (and life force behind) Cinema 320 has stuck to the single abiding mission of bringing great films to Worcester. “[T]he light beaming from Sandberg’s projection booth above Room 320 in Clark University’s Jefferson Academic Center has introduced movies that otherwise wouldn’t hit a big screen in this city. Foreign films, offbeat pictures, documentaries — the banes of the multiplex — have been given voice here thanks to Sandberg’s doggedness and, yes, courage to traffic in the lesser known and even the obscure. He’s championed the burgeoning Iranian film scene, illuminated the struggle

Thanks to Steve, some of Worcester’s most devoted moviegoers were thrilled, chilled, moved and amused inside Room 320.

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of bringing Nazis to justice through Marcel Ophuls’ “Hotel Terminus,” and helped directors and actors from all over the world tell their stories of war, peace, love and laughter. Sandberg may be the ultimate optimist, clinging to the article of faith that Worcester is sophisticated enough to be engaged with global cinema, and we do not fear subtitles.” That still sounds about right. Thanks to Steve, some of Worcester’s most devoted moviegoers were thrilled, chilled, moved and amused inside Room 320. And the good news in all of this is Cinema 320’s story will not be evolving into an obituary. Steve told me he’s exploring the option of showing movies at radio station WCUW, a short walk from his former Clark home. The space will be more intimate, and the audience is sure to be as hardy as the folks from the Paris days. I hope it all comes to pass, and that we’ll soon be seeing an announcement for a new slate of films, courtesy of Steve Sandberg. Jim Keogh contributing writer

M A R C H 14 - 20, 2019

audience, and the ongoing struggles to craft a schedule with movies that fill the soul, even if they don’t fill his pockets. The New England weather itself was no friend — bad winters played havoc on business. For those reasons, my sorrow is laced with happiness for Steve, in the way I’m happy for someone who’s moving on to a great job or heading into retirement. He’s been a quiet champion for cinema culture since back in the early ’80s when he and a hardy band who billed themselves Voldenuit (roughly “fly by night”) screened classic movies at the preporn Paris Cinema. The place was a pit, and so frigid during the winter (the heat rarely worked) the audience routinely watched movies wrapped in blankets. Steve recalled having to chip the ice out of the toilets. The group was evicted in 1982 and landed at Clark, where Steve eventually took over the operation. He’s been Cinema 320’s lone soldier for decades. When I read that Steve is discontinuing the series at Clark, I went back to a piece I wrote for Worcester Magazine a few years ago. “He doesn’t sell popcorn, doesn’t need ushers, and no movie with more bombs than brains has ever snaked its way through his projector. Instead, Steve Sandberg, the

calendar Through Sunday, Through March 17 Horse-drawn Sleigh Rides

Salem Cross Inn, 260 W. Main St., W. Brookfield West Brookfield’s Salem Cross Inn is offering horse-drawn sleigh rides through March 17, with a 1700’s feast to warm up with.

Friday-Sunday, March 15-March 17 Northeast Comic Con & Collectibles Extravaganza

Regency Hotel and Conference Center, 242 Adams Place, Boxborough The Northeast Comic Con and Collectibles Extravaganza returns to the Regency Hotel with comics, toys, autograph signings from celebrities Gilbert Gottfried, Mark Goddard and more.

Friday, March 15 Paint Nite

Wachusett Mountain, 499 Mountain Road, Princeton Paint Nite at Wachusett Mountain’s Maple Room. Everything needed is provided along with instruction by an expert host.

Friday, March 15 Beyond the Hype

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M A R C H 14 - 20, 2019

Worcester PopUp, 20 Franklin St. A series of panel discussions on “subjects that drive culture” at the Worcester PopUp with New England figures representing business, film, music, sports, television and more.

Saturday, March 16 Worcester Railers vs. Maine Mariners

DCU Center, 50 Foster St. The Worcester Railers continue to battle it out for a playoff spot at home against the Maine Mariners.

Sunday, March 17 Red Hot Chilli Pipers

Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge St. The fusion of traditional Scottish music and rock and pop anthems heads to Hanover Theatre.

Sunday, March 17 Toy and Record Swap Meet Ralph’s Diner, 148 Grove St. This free swap meet event heads to Ralph’s Diner with comics, posters, collectibles, toys and more. For table space, contact Ralphsswapmeet@gmail.com.

calendar The Score

Worcester Railers Wednesday, March 6 The Railers (26-225-4) blanked the Adirondack Thunder, 5-0, on the road. Friday, March 8 Completing a sweep of the Thunder on the road, the Railers (2722-5-4) won their fourth straight in a 3-2 shootout victory. Saturday, March 9 Returning home, the Railers (28-22-5-4) kept up their winning ways, routing the Norfolk Admirals, 6-1. Sunday, March 10 The Railers (28-23-5-4) fell at home, 2-0, to the South Carolina Stingrays. (Upcoming: The Railers are on the road Friday, March 15 to take on the Manchester Monarchs. They return home Saturday, March 16 to host the Maine Mariners.)

Friday, March 15 Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy: Visions from Cape Breton and Beyond

Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge St. Presented by Music Worcester, Celtic fiddler Natalie MacMaster returns to Worcester for the first time since 2013 alongside Donnell Leahy.

Round-Up

The Massachusetts Pirates re-signed lineback Shawn Loiseau of Shrewsbury for the 2019 season. The Railers this week signed defenseman Spencer Trapp and goaltender Tommy Nixon, both from Holy Cross, to amateur tryout agreements.

M A R C H 14 - 20, 2019

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games

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M A R C H 14 - 20, 2019

J O N E S I N’ Across 1 Jean jacket material 6 Prefix meaning “ten” 10 Elliot of The Mamas & the Papas 14 Blunt married to John Krasinski 15 “Chill in the Air” singer ___ Lee 16 Spoken aloud 17 Sudden change of plans to not tumble down the hill after Jack? 19 “Escape (The ___ Colada Song)” 20 Had some gummy bears, perhaps 21 Statuary segment 22 Lightheaded 23 Like some terriers’ coats 24 “Beds ___ Burning” (Midnight Oil song) 25 Return 28 Earp/Clanton shootout site 33 Charles of polytonal music 34 ___ Lodge (motel chain) 35 Historic timespan 36 Utility vehicle that stays road-bound (and not on your lawn)? 40 One of a handful of notable hockey surnames in crosswords 41 Letter before India 42 Love, deified 43 bell hooks, for one 45 City with the ZIP 93888 47 Pen filler, perhaps 48 Twofold 49 Attacks, like a unicorn might 52 Hear about 54 Law enforcement gps. 57 Tournament type 58 Putting area sponsored by fruit spread? 60 Touch down 61 Eye creepily 62 Bird on a coin 63 Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist 64 Low digits? 65 First U.S. “Millionaire” host Philbin Down 1 “It’s ___ vu all over again!” 2 Give off, as light

“Just Kidding” – or is it the other way around? by Matt Jones

3 River near the Valley of the Kings 4 Feverish, maybe 5 Washington WNBA teammate 6 Unlike almond milk and soy cheese 7 911 first responders 8 2017 Pixar movie 9 ___ Wednesday 10 Giant office machine 11 Calif. neighbor 12 “SNL” alum Horatio 13 Do in a dragon 18 Do the job 22 Slang for “friend” in “A Clockwork Orange” 23 Nesting insect 24 Proactiv target 25 “And knowing is half the battle” cartoon 26 Do-___ (second chances) 27 They’re held by growlers 28 Eight-member group 29 1980s-’90s German leader Helmut 30 Brings up 31 Lighting problem? 32 Wonder Woman’s weapon 34 Online banking transactions, briefly 37 “Most definitely!” 38 It doesn’t go in the microwave

39 Projectionist’s need 44 Meeting outline 45 Nick in the “Captain Marvel” movie 46 Smith, to Yogi Bear 48 Broad valleys 49 Spieth sport 50 Character formed by Pearl and Amethyst on “Steven Universe” 51 Artist Magritte 52 “The ___ Movie 2: The Second Part” (2019) 53 Cosmo competitor 54 Simon of “Shaun of the Dead” 55 Grocery store section 56 Star Fox console, once 58 Scribble (down) 59 “Party for One” singer Carly ___ Jepsen

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

Last week's solution

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Avco Consulting Inc Has openings for the position: Sr. SAP BPC Consultant with master’s degree in Computer Science/Applications, Engineering (any), Technology or related and 2 yrs of exp to develop, maintain and customize production support activities for end to end BPC customized Application systems. Support and lead the implementation of SAP BPC .Create many open hubs to provide data from BW to load into other systems like CRM system, BPC system, S&OP system etc. Enable Core SAP FM to make entry in table or DSO instead of using BPC Audit. Customize SAP BPC Core function and program to extend BPC Automations for minimize closing risk. Connect as single place to access all EPM Input form and report through Macro with custom EPM development. Expertise on SAP BPC (classic and embedded versions), BW, EPM, FICO, COPA and S4 HANA modules with Functional and Technical exposures. Understand and comply with the Project Life Cycle Methodology in all planning steps. Work location is Worcester, MA with required travel to client locations throughout the USA. Please mail resumes to 38 Front Street, Unit 4, Worcester, MA 01608 (or) e-mail: hr@avcoconsulting.com

M A R C H 14 - 20, 2019

Sudoku Answers

HELP WANTED

Invitation for Bids The Worcester Housing Authority invites sealed bids for Entry Door Replacement MA 12-3 Mill Pond & MA 12-7 Mill Pond Extension WHA Job No. 2017-26 in accordance with the documents prepared by GAROFALO DESIGN ASSOCIATES, INC. The work is estimated to cost $195,684.45 including Alternates. Project consists of but is not limited to: Entry Door Replacement and Asbestos Abatement. General Bids will be received until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday March 27, 2019 at the Worcester Housing Authority, Department of Modernization, 81 Tacoma Street, Worcester, MA 01605 at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. A pre-bid conference will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday March 13, 2019 at the Mill Pond Apartment Community Room, 5 Mill Pond Rd. Worcester, MA 01602, at which time bidders will be invited to visit the project site with the Worcester Housing Authority representative. Failure to attend or visit the premises shall be no defense in failure to perform contract terms. Bids are subject to M.G.L c149 §44A-J and Davis Bacon wage rates as well as other applicable laws. General Bidders must be certified by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) in the following category of work: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION. Each bid shall be accompanied by a bid deposit in the amount of 5% of the bid price in the form of a Bid Bond, issued by a responsible surety company licensed to do business in Massachusetts, or a certified check, or a treasurer’s or cashier’s check issued by a responsible bank or trust company, made payable to the Worcester Housing Authority by bidders for the greatest possible bid amount. Bid forms and Contract Documents will be made available on the Worcester Housing Authority website (http://www.worcesterha.org/currentbids.html) at no cost. Hard copies will be made available on March 6, 2019 at the Worcester Housing Authority, Department of Modernization, 81 Tacoma Street, Worcester, MA 01605 and thereafter, Monday thru Friday 8:00 A.M. through 4:30 P. M. Copies of the contract documents may be obtained by depositing $50.00 in the form of a company check, made payable to the Worcester Housing Authority, for each set of documents so obtained. The amount of the deposit will be refunded to each person who returns the plans, specifications and other documents in good condition within ten (10) days after bid opening. Bidders requesting contract documents to be mailed to them should include a separate check in the amount of $40.00 for each set payable to the Worcester Housing Authority to cover mailing and handling costs. The contract documents may be seen, but not removed at: 1. Worcester Housing Authority, Department of Modernization, 81 Tacoma Street, Worcester, MA 01605 2. F.W. Dodge, 24 Hartwell Ave., Lexington, MA 02173 3. Reed Construction Data, 30 Technology Parkway South, Norcross, GA 30092 4. Project Dog, 18 Graf Road Unit #8 Plan Room, Newburyport, MA 01950 Attention is called to the following: 1. Provisions of Equal Employment Opportunity; 2. Provisions for payment of not less than the minimum wages as set forth in the Specifications; 3. Provisions of Chapter 14, Acts of 1966, Imposing a Temporary Sales Tax, Section 1, Subsection 6 (d) and (k) exempting the Authority from the operation of such a chapter; 4. Requirement to furnish and pay for a Performance Bond and a Labor and Materials Bond as set forth in the specifications, 5. Insurance certificate indicating coverage for public liability, property damage and workers compensation, in accordance with the contract requirements, must be filed by the successful bidder upon signing of the contract. The contract will be awarded to the responsible and eligible bidder with the lowest proposed contract price including the dollar amount of all accepted alternates. Questions regarding this project shall be submitted in writing 72 hours prior to opening and emailed to ModBids@worcesterha.org. Reference the WHA Job Number: 2017-26 only in the subject line. Worcester Housing Authority, Joseph P. Carlson, Chairperson

last call Marc Blackmer technologist M

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M A R C H 14 - 20, 2019

arc Blackmer is a product marketing manager for Cisco Systems, where he specializes in cyber security and threat intelligence. He is the founder of 1NTERRUPT, a nonprofit made up of hackers, researchers, developers, educators, entrepreneurs and practitioners. 1NTERRUPT will host an event at Mass Academy on March 30. You can follow Blackmer at @marcblackmer.

DYLAN AZARI

IT to sales and into marketing, as well as founding 1NTERRUPT and working on community-focused programs related to STEM and cybersecurity.

What does it mean to be a hacker and how can hacking be used for good? Hacking is really about creative problem solving. As an example, the Mythbusters are total hackers. Hackers are naturally curious people and are always asking “What if...?” The word to me is a positive term, and I have What is your history with the city of Worcester? I grew up here to admit that it really bothers me that the term is frequently used as and am now the third generation a synonym for criminal behavior. I of my family to own my home in Burncoat. There was an eight-year know a lot of hackers, and they are nice people who do good work. The period when I lived in California motto for 1NTERRUPT is “Take after high school. My intent was Back Hack” because we want to to move back after my younger reclaim the word for the positive daughter graduated high school, work that primarily comes from but due to some extenuating circumstances, I decided to stay here. hacking. So, Worcester and I go way back. How did 1NTERRUPT get started? I’m what I call a recovCan you describe your career path? In a word, “non-traditional.” ering self-hating Worcesterite. My experience growing up here When I graduated from Burnis that most people who grow up coat High School. I started at the here complain about Worcester. University of Lowell (now UMass Lowell) as a music major. Let’s just And when I decided I was not going to move back to California, say, I wasn’t ready for college. So, I made a conscious decision to I “took a year off” to live with my stop my complaining and to try dad in California. The “year off” to do something positive for my in California became eight years, community. Much of my inspiraand during that time my best tion was drawn from my partner friend’s dad and I built my first Michelle’s event Cirque du Noir computer at his urging. I didn’t even know the difference between and our friends who run stART on the Street. It wasn’t until I a floppy drive and a hard drive at the time. That experience changed read a Wired article about Sabeen Mahmud that the idea of what I everything for me. Suddenly, the wanted to crystallized. She lived computer was demystified, and in Pakistan and hosted Pakistan’s after I moved back to Worcester, first ever hackathon. Once I’d read I would build my own computers her story, I just thought, “Now and networks. In 1998, I earned a number of Microsoft certifications I know what I want to do.” So I started 1NTERRUPT. and started working in IT. Since then, it’s been a progression from

an uber-techie to do well. Most of the kids who come are brand new to the concepts, so we designed this to be fun for them. Of course, we have deeper technical aspects for those who already have some skills. Who is welcome at 1NTERRUPT? Can adults play a role? The event is open to students between 13-22, so middle school through college undergrad. There are no spectators, so adults who bring their kids and want to stay are certainly welcome. They will be part of an all-adult team and go through the same experience as their kids. We also welcome teachers and group leaders (such as with Girls, Inc.) to bring their students/participants to come and participate, as well. Of course, adults who are security or IT professionals interested in volunteering are welcome to contact me about that. It’s important that the kids can meet and ask questions of those who do these things in the real world.

How do you keep participation costs to $0? It has always been very important to us that any kid with the curiosity and motivation to come to one of our events is not held back from doing so. So, all of our events are paid for by sponsors such as Cisco Systems (my employer) and JASK Labs. Mass Academy has also been very generous in donating their space for two years in a row and that has really helped to keep our costs down. Tell me about your treasure hunt philosophy. I love the Trea-

sure Hunt! I think most people learn most effectively by doing, so we create a virtual environment that emulates what you’d find in a typical real-world company’s network. We overlay this with a story and goals: The bad guys have attacked a municipal utility wreaking havoc on traffic lights and the public water supply. Now it’s the mission of the kids at 1NTERRUPT to get into the network, find the bad guy(s) and restore order. The thing is, the whole exercise is more about creative thinking than it is about technology. It’s not as if everyone playing needs to be

When you aren’t thwarting bad guys, where do you enjoy spending time in Worcester? Our activities typically revolve around art and food. The Sprinkler Factory sometimes feels like a second home. The food scene in Worcester has been growing so much, we’re always looking for new places to try, but we have our mainstays as well, like Nick’s and Vincent’s – for meatball sandwiches, of course. simjang is amazing. I could go on, but this isn’t a foodie interview, so I’ll save the list for that. – Sarah Connell

ARTS • LITERATURE • THEATER • MUSIC • FILM

s t r A Spring

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Advertising Reservations close March 14. Contact your media consultant to reserve your space today! 508-767-9574 or WMSales@gatehousemedia.com

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Your comprehensive guide to SPRING ARTS in Worcester County. Coming March 21.

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