Monthly Archives: September 2010

New art in Elm Park? CORRECTED

September 22, 2010Uncategorizedgovernmenttracy

Remember that “Guns for Art” project that was the cover story of Worcester Magazine a few weeks back? Guns collected through the gun buyback program were melted down into a piece of art. Dr. Michael P. Hirsch, who proposed the project, had hoped it would go in Elm Park.

The artwork when completed would be a double arch, 21 feet tall, with a footprint of 30×30.

If you have an opinion on this piece of art and its placement in Elm Park, you might keep an eye on the Parks Commission agenda, as they’ll have approval once it gets to that point. (Sorry for the early false warning!)

(photo via the Guns for Art picture gallery on the WoMag website)

City Council Bingo

September 21, 2010UncategorizedNicole Apostola

For those of you who think City Council Meetings deserve a drinking game…I’d like to present the next best thing: City Council Bingo.

Various people (some of whom who, I’m sure, would prefer anonymity) have been contributing to this list for some time. Thanks are due to all of them!

In fact, we had so many ideas, they couldn’t all make it onto one Bingo page, so feel free to send more ideas along (in comments or via email) and we’ll include them in a second page.

…and have fun tonight!

(Image: Worcester MA City Hall (1898), a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 image from John Brush’s photostream)

Worcester youth win EPA video award

September 21, 2010UncategorizedMike Benedetti

The Toxic Soil Busters, a Worcester youth co-op who landscape lead-contaminated yards, have won the EPA’s Environmental Justice Video Contest for best “student informational video.”

Congrats to Serge, Janice, and all the folks at the Worcester Roots Project who made this happen.
Continue reading Worcester youth win EPA video award →

“Left Ahead” podcast on Worcester

September 21, 2010UncategorizedMike Benedetti

mp3 link

Left Ahead is a progressive podcast about Massachusetts. Today’s episode was about Worcester, hosted by Michael Ball and Ryan Adams, with me as the Worcester guest.

On 508 I have the luxury of sitting back and asking questions when I don’t know anything about a topic; listen to the Left Ahead podcast and find out how little I really know! (In particular: what is the deal with Guy Glodis?)

Two cryptic things week kept referencing: the Cirignano trial and this blogger TV show we did at WCCA.

Finally: sorry I keep breathing on the mic. It’s been too long since I did a podcast in this format…

Visitors from Pushkin in town

September 20, 2010Uncategorizedgovernmenttracy

A delegation from Pushkin, Russia is visiting the city this week. Government and university leaders are meeting with local equivalent leaders during the visit (they’re having lunch with Worcester Public Schools leaders tomorrow).

The visit is part of the continuing work of the International Center of Worcester, which maintains the sister city arrangement between Pushkin and Worcester.

Worcester News Tidbits

September 20, 2010UncategorizedNicole Apostola

Nothing that justifies its own post, but lots of little things:

1) Let’s say it, all together now: poor Scott! (…which is what Tracy’s reaction was.)

2) This girl is back home.

3) Spare Change News is coming to Worcester.

(Image: Chalk Art, Worcester MA, a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (2.0) image from atranman‘s photostream)

508 podcast: Demolition

September 17, 2010UncategorizedMike Benedetti

This week’s 508 podcast is up. Nicole Apostola, Mike Benedetti, Brendan Melican, and Tina Zlody talk about demolition, art festivals, prostitution, and politics.

Video and show notes, mp3 link

stART on the Street art fest this Sunday

September 16, 2010EventsMike Benedetti

I heartily encourage you to check out the stART on the Street art fest in Worcester this Sunday, Sept 19, 11am-5pm. It stretches up and down Park Ave; the corner of Park and Pleasant is probably a good place to meet your friends. This year, in addition to food, music, art, and lots of people, I hear there will be a roller derby demonstration.

This WoMag article has more background.

MA Speaker of the House in town to learn about Becker’s video game program

September 15, 2010UncategorizedMike Benedetti

According to a press release, Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo will be in Worcester this afternoon to visit Becker College’s nationally ranked video game design program. 508 profiled the program last month.

There’s been interest in using Becker’s program, and the similar program at nearby WPI, as the anchors for some sort of video game design industry in Worcester.

The speaker’s visit is in advance of a major event titled “MASS Impact: Video Games, Economic Development and Job Creation” related to the video game design and development industry that Becker will be hosting on Oct. 19.

Worcester primary winners: Mahoney, Lamb

September 15, 2010ElectionsMike Benedetti

(Unofficial T&G results)

The District 13 state rep race will be Mahoney (D) vs. Franco (R) vs. Madnick (I).

The race for U.S. Rep will be Lamb (R) vs. the incumbent McGovern (D).

The Auditor race will be Bump vs. Connaughton. (The news here is that Guy Glodis lost his primary bid.)

I’ll keep updating my campaign sign coverage as more and different lawn signs appear in the city.

BTW, as of this morning FiveThirtyEight has McGovern’s chance of winning at 100%. This is in a projected race with Brian Herr, who Lamb beat for the Republican nomination. As more polling information on McG vs. Lamb becomes available, I’ll be watching to see if FiveThirtyEight revises their prediction.