Worcester Magazine June 2 - 8, 2016

FREEJUNE 2 - 8, 2016 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM NEWS ARTS DINING NIGHTLIFE

End Of Shift: May 22, 2016

Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr.

2 W O R C E S T E R M A G A Z I N E . C O M J U N E 2 , 2 0 1 6

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201620162016Music Series 363 Plantation St. WorceSter, Ma cereSbiStro.coM

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We had a story all planned out for this weeks feature in Worcester Magazine. But then something unexpected happened: Auburn Police Officer and Leicester resident Ron Tarentino Jr. was shot and killed. Over the next several days, leading up to an emotional wake and funeral attended by thousands, we saw a story with many layers play out. Online, Worcester Magazine tried to keep you informed, as so many other local media did, about the suspected killer, a repeat offender who many still dont understand why he wasnt in jail instead of on Rochdale Street the fateful night Tarentino was murdered. If you followed the story online, you were, it seemed, asked to digest one story after the other as the media, rightly so, looked at the judge, the attorneys and anyone else involved in the criminal history of Jorge Zambrano. This week, we take pause in a very special print edition to focus largely on the memories of Ron Tarentino Jr. shared by friends, colleagues and family members. We hope his family and all our readers will find this weeks cover story something to hold on to for years to come: a tribute in photos and words to a local man taken from us way too soon. Rest in peace, Officer Tarentino, for you have served us well. End Of Shift, Sunday, May 22, 2016.

- Walter Bird Jr., editor

Kirk A. Davis President Kathleen Real Publisher x331

Walter Bird Jr. Editor x322Steven King Photographer x323Joshua Lyford x325, Tom Quinn x324 ReportersMegan Baynes, Sarah Connell, Brendan Egan, Brian Goslow, Janice Harvey, Jim Keogh, Tom Matthews, Jim Perry, Jessica Picard, Corlyn Vooorhees, Contributing Writers

Don Cloutier Director of Creative Services x141 Kimberly Vasseur Creative Director/Assistant Director of Creative Services x142 Matthew Fatcheric, Becky Gill, Stephanie Mallard, David RandCreative Services Department

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47 2 minutes with

A b o u t t h e c o v e rAuburn Police Officer Ron Tarentino Jr.Courtesy PhotoDesign by Kimberly Vasseur

J U N E 2 , 2 0 1 6 W O R C E S T E R M A G A Z I N E . C O M 3

2015

NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

WORCESTER MAGAZINE

ERIKA SIDOR


{ city desk }

WOO-TOWN INDEXA weekly quality of life check-in of Worcester

June 2 - 8, 2016 n Volume 41, Number 40

Total for this week: +.2Dont look now, but around Worcester election season is already in gear. Strap yourselves in, folks, its only beginning. +1

Memorial Day weekend keeps cops on toes, as Worcester Police investigate four weekend stabbings, MassLive reports. -4

Mother Nature forces some communities to call off or relocate Memorial Day parades and festivities. -3

As reported by WMs Josh Lyford, a bit of international intrigue involving museum pieces between Museum of Russian Icons and Russia. Wheres Indiana Jones when you need him? -2

A three-day weekend well-deserved by those who have fought for our freedom. +6

The Hanover Group Foundation awards scholarships to 52 area high school students. +5.2

Loose bulls injure Barre man and thats no bull. -1

Summer to usher in heat and road construction projects, the T&G tells us. Thats good and bad, because it means obstacle-courses and long waits in traffic. -2

Sending the wrong signals? City sits on unfunded intersection projects Tom Quinn

Worcester, like so many East Coast communities, had a road system before road system safety improvements were widespread or required. Old roads and a lack of safety measures have created an environment where dangerous intersections are more common than many pedestrians think they should be.

Fortunately, the City Council has approved a number of new traffic signals at various problem intersections in the city.

Unfortunately, these projects often go unfunded. In fact, seven unfunded traffic signal projects in Worcester have been waiting for funding for a combined 110 years, including one crosswalk near Worcester State University that has been pending since 1983.

Gordon Marko, who owns Lords and Ladies Limousine and an auto sales shop near Cambridge and Canterbury streets, said the intersection near his business is a public safety issue. He estimates there have been 10 accidents a year in the nearly 40 years he has run a business in the neighborhood. There has been an approved, but unfunded traffic signal project on the books for the intersection since 2003.

The traffic is too damned fast on Cambridge Street, Marko said. Its a nice neighborhood, but weve got no lights to protect us.

According to statistics released by the Worcester Police Department, the city has averaged more than 8,400 traffic accidents over the past four years. Marko, anecdotally, can recall a few of those, including a young

sirl killed in the intersection more than a decade ago, and a relative of a police officer who leaves a flower by the intersection annually after he was struck by a car and sent to a long-term hospital stay.

At-Large City Councilor Konnie Lukes filed a petition on behalf of Marko for a traffic study at the intersection of Canterbury and Cambridge Streets and a five-year history of motor vehicle accidents at said intersection.

That petition has languished on the Traffic and Parking Committees pending list since

it was filed in October 2013. Lukes said the petitions on the unfunded list should be revisited.

Probably, because theyre so old, they need to be re-studied, Lukes said. Traffic patterns change.

Lukes also chairs the Traffic and Parking Committee. She diagnosed the problem with many roads as one tied to their age.

We have an older road system, and we have a highway that intersects the city if theres a blockage on an arterial street, you

feel it throughout the city, Luke said.Department of Public Works Commissioner

Paul Moosey said the delay was directly tied to available money. The total cost of the six new traffic lights and one rapid flashing pedestrian beacon would be $2.32 million, according to a DPW estimate. And the city has recently started making noise about limits on the capital budget, used to pay for expenditures like traffic signals.

These things compete with everything else [in the budget], Moosey said.

Moosey also noted a disconnect between the experts working for the DPW and the City Council that approves the projects.

Frankly, the Council sometimes votes things we dont see as a priority, Moosey said.

That doesnt mean the city isnt building new traffic signals, although Moosey said in terms of street planning, they are a last resort once all other measures fail.

One intersection, a $750,000 project on Holden Street at Shore Drive and Drummond Ave., will be built by the state Department of Transportation as part of a realignment of Shore Drive. Another $250,000 project at Lake Avenue and Davis/Bigalow Boulevard will be part of a future Traffic Improvement Project.

In my career here, the city has funded very few signals, Moosey said, citing cooperation with private developers or the state. We try to get them into larger projects we find a way other than using the city budget.

The prime example of an unfunded traffic signal is a two-intersection stretch of

Gordon Marko talks about the crosswalks at the intersection of Canterbury and Cambridge streets

STEVEN KING

continued on page 6


{ city desk }Councilors want police at subcommittee meetings to make sure everybodys safeTom Quinn

Worcesters City Council often recommends a police presence in different locations a rough street, a playground, or a public school. But this week the Council asked the city administration to look into deploying officers to a different high-risk area: their own Council subcommittee meetings, after one committee chairperson said she felt threatened by an audience member during the public participation section.

When Im at a graduation and my phone is going off because they want police presence at a subcommittee meeting, I think thats unacceptable, Mayor Joe Petty said this week of the alleged incident. What happened last week was an outrage, and if I have councilors who dont want to go into their meetings because of what happened, I cant have that.

The incident in question centered around a Public Health Committee late last month. The meeting was chaired by District 4 City Councilor Sarai Rivera. Video of the meeting shows Rivera using her gavel to no avail as longtime city activist Billy Breault talked over her, with the meeting taking on a progressively more contentious tone.

Petty asked the Rules Committee to look

at solutions with the city manager. The full text of the order requests the City Manager develop a policy for having a police presence, when appropriate, at times that open public meetings are taking place.

The issue also raised broader issues about how the Council interacts with the public. Petty had a few ideas of his own about how to change the public participation part of the meetings, including starting the meeting earlier in the afternoon, an idea that was batted around as recently as December.

Im tired of the disrespect we get on a regular basis, Petty said. Its not going to happen anymore when we start the meetings at 8 [p.m.] I think people are tired, were an hour behind when we start the meeting. It sets a negative tone at the Council, it sets a negative tone in the subcommittee meeting.

The City Council has altered how the public participation section of Council meetings works recently, including limiting speakers time to three minutes rather than granting separate time for petitions and public participation. The latter allows speakers to address any item on the meeting agenda that night.

As for moving up the meeting time, the counter-argument seems to center

around people who work traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. jobs being able to attend meetings. Subcommittee meetings are often held before the Councils regular meeting, and although many councilors have the flexibility to set their own hours, meetings held at 4 p.m. or earlier might shut out citizens who could have otherwise attended.

Rivera said her issue was not about free

speech, but about maintaining safety.One thing is to have a difference of

opinion, Rivera said. One thing is even to be kind of passionate about it. But one thing it to come with a personal agenda. When you come with a personal agenda, Im feeling unsafe youre using public time at the mic to come and do a personal attack.

Rivera did not use Breaults name during her comments on the Council floor, but video of the meeting last week shows a confrontation between the councilor and Breault, who speaks at many Council meetings as a representative of his Main South Alliance for Public Safety. A number of factors elevated the danger level of the incident, Rivera said, including the fact that Breault has bullying her for years and the personal nature of the attacks, including references to a previously private email she had sent.

As a woman, when you have a male thats verbally aggressive its nerve-wracking, Rivera said. To the point where you have someone in the audience saying, Im going to walk you downstairs. Im going to check the parking lot.

Reached the next morning, Breault, who spoke at the beginning of the Council meeting and also referenced last weeks committee meeting, said he did not think he was being threatening, instead suggesting the accusations were because of his political views.

What Councilor Rivera describes as being disrespectful, it has to do with disagreeing with her, said Breault, who was at the meeting for two items he had filed that were postponed for a conversation about

homelessness. If I had a buck for every time I heard [I was being] disrespectful...

At-Large Councilor and Vice Chair Mike Gaffney drew a parallel between Riveras situation and other incidents, including a contentious meeting over the winter during which several members of the audience hurled insults and allegations of being a racist at Gaffney. He was also the subject of scorn from several people at another meeting, at least one of whom was escorted from the room, for his pursuit of an audit of a grant given to the Mosaic Cultural Complex, a black-led organization.

Weve had groups come in here to slander and attack, Gaffney said. It has been ridiculous at times I walked out of here, I wasnt sure someone wasnt going to grab me in the garage. You could see that happening.

Gaffney, a military veteran, did note the physical differences between Rivera and himself. District 2 Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson also noted another difference: there is a police officer stationed in City Hall for regular Council meetings, including on the nights Gaffney referenced. Carlson is also

FILE PHOTO/STEVEN KING

District 4 City Councilor Sarai Rivera

continued on page 6

Billy Breault of the Main South Alliance for Public Safety

FILE PHOTO/STEVEN KING

{ city desk }


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Chandler and May streets. The stretch, near Worcester State University, has had an approved traffic signal since 1983, and while neighbors have been waiting decades to no avail, those contacted, including Moosey, said the area was still a problem, with two city schools nearby as well.

It can be pretty much a two-lane highway, Maureen Dunker, the property manager at nearby Bet Shalom apartments, said. Somebody could really get hurt.

Dunker said some of the seniors at Bet Shalom use the intersection to walk to English classes or other events at WSU, to say nothing of students crossing the street from the college or city schools. The problem seems to be too many factors colliding into one wide street,

making things difficult on motorists and dangerous for pedestrians.

Theres also cars coming up from May [Street] its an odd way to cut across, Dunker said. Some lights would be nice.

Moosey said there is a traffic study underway for the area, and wasnt sure if a traffic signal was the right way to go.

WalkBike Worcester advocate Jerry Powers said the area would benefit from some kind of solution, even if its not a traffic light. He also bemoaned the priorities of a city that can spend million of dollars paving roads, but cant set aside money for pedestrian improvements.

Is it all about making our streets smoother and faster, or can we get some money for making our streets safer? Powers said. Our priority is moving traffic.

Powers is also an advocate for using data to

make decisions on which intersections to go after, rather than relying on the current method of citizen petitions that may put emphasis on who is the most vocal rather than which areas have the most need.

[These petitions] will languish forever unless the citizen who initiated the request get more vocal, Powers said. The way we do our roadwork in the city is like other things, were sensitive to people who speak up.

Other intersections marked for improvement are Pleasant and Flagg streets and Pleasant and May streets, with approvals dating from 2001 and 1990, respectively. Powers said that area should not be ignored, either, although he also wants to see Pleasant Street reworked as a whole.

People coming down Pleasant Street treat that section of Pleasant like its a four-lane

highway, Powers said. It needs to be marked as a one-lane road.

Others, having waited decades for something to be done about their street, say the city should not only fund the traffic signals it has approved, but should expand the program to other notoriously dangerous areas of the city.

They should put it in all the intersections, Marko said. They call Worcester the heart of the Commonwealth. Sometimes with the traffic, it looks like weve had a heart attack.

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

CROSSWALKS continued from page 4

a member of the Public Health Committee, along with District 1 Councilor Tony Economou, and was present at the meeting at the heart of the debate.

Were a group of individuals in this building by ourselves, Carlson said. I dont think its too much to ask to make sure somebody is here to make sure everybody is safe.

Breault also referenced previous protests at City Council meetings, which featured heckling, some swearing and shouting over councilors, contrasting it with his appearance last week, in which he overstayed his welcome at the microphone and continued talking as he left the room. That is a step down from coordinated crowds of people branding councilors racists or bigots, he said, or swearing at the Council.

I got up and walked out of the meeting, Breault said. Someone last week came in and said [profanity]. A few weeks ago, we had people calling everyone racist. [Rivera] only speaks up when it fits her political agenda.

At-Large Councilor Konnie Lukes, serving her 14th two-year term on the Council, also drew a parallel to protesters who showed up over the winter, and said the problem had been brewing for a while.

I was shocked and disturbed that in December and January we heard four hours of absolute venom from members of the audience that Ive never heard in all my years of public office, Lukes said. We are living in a time of chaos and turmoil, and this is going to be expected it was going to escalate until something forced us to admit that the world is changing and we need to change with it.


SUBCOMMITTEE continued from page 5

{ city desk }


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Rewind: 40 Years of News, Entertainment and More

While incoming technology looms as it always has (technological upticks have a tendency to drive never-ending), it is interesting to take a look back at the procession of advances that came before. While DVDs are the current status-quo (though Blu-Ray enthusiasts would say otherwise and streaming and digital has already made their mark tenfold), they werent always, and its interesting to look back at the days of public reluctance before VHS released its grip.

Early adopters trumpeting the virtues of this new technology were initially viewed as

extravagant silly-hearts by the millions of the VHS videotape faithful wary of another war tantamount to the carnage the VHS/Betamax tossup created, but, such a label would not last, wrote Robert Newton in his June 2002 piece, DVD for dummies, for Worcester Magazine.

The story contained a pull-out titled To box or not to box, explaining the differences between full-screen, letterbox and widescreen as well as some suggestions as to which DVDs are worth owning for the newly-indoctrinated. The Fifth Element,

Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace and Citizen Kane all made the cut. That the time had come for the new tech to overtake the last generation was made clear in the article, and as it turns out, quite accurately.

Staying completely faithful to VHS is

like convincing oneself that music sounds better on cassette because of the dauntless prospect of retro-fitting a personal library that took years to compile, Newton wrote.

- Joshua Lyford

DVD FOR DUMMIES

{ worcesteria } Tom Quinn

PLANES TO SPARE: The next City versus Media event is set, and its a doozy. If youll recall, the city unsuccessfully cheated at a game of broom ice hockey, losing to the media, and successfully cheated at a game of kickball, besting an undermanned and outgunned media squad. Now, the city wants to test its luck at an airplane pull on June 10 at Worcester Regional Airport. Hopefully taking a plane out of commission for a day wont impact the thriving commercial traffic going on at ORH. Ha! Just kidding, of course, Im pretty sure you can rent out the whole airport for birthday parties, and if JetBlue stops flying in well have to take it via eminent domain. But apparently it only takes 25 people to pull what looks like a giant flying machine 30 feet. Of course, theres no ruling out the idea that this is a ploy by the city to soak up media resources while they leak lead into the water system or tear down Hurricane Bettys ,or whatever nefarious thing theyve always wanted to do, but cant under the watchful eye of whats left of the citys reporting corps. But hey, if the goal is to embarrass the city, towing an airplane faster than their team is just as valid as making fun of potholes or grant money, I suppose. The city is soliciting donations from team members, which will be matched by Massport (which runs the airport) and donated to help kids with autism.

YUUUGE SPEED CONTROL: Worcesters Party of Trump, or as they like to call themselves, the Republican City Committee, have unveiled a new initiative to help reduce speeding in city neighborhoods. Chairperson and City Councilor Mike Gaffney sent a press release explaining the committees drive to buy drive like your child lives here signs to play around the city to appeal to the good nature of drivers and act as a reminder for them to slow down. It comes, of course, as an increased number of kids will be out on the streets now that schools out for summer. Not a bad plan, overall Worcester drivers are not exactly known for their concern for safety, and anything to get them to slow down can only be a positive thing.

TRIAL WITHOUT WITNESSES: Chad Easter caught a lucky break in his home invasion

and assault trial. At least thats the implication of a judges ruling after the two alleged victims in a 2013 home invasion were gunned down on March 10. Easter is currently facing charges after prosecutors claim he conducted an armed robbery of the home of Alex Lora and Jessica McKeon three years ago. This year, both of what would have been the star witnesses were shot to death, and a judge ruled that statements they made before their deaths were inadmissable in Easters trial. This is despite objections, chronicled in the Telegrampa, like the fact that the murder was committed with the 9mm handgun favored by Easter and that a license plate reader caught a car rented by Easter less than half a mile away from the scene of the crime about an hour before the killings. The judge ruled that the prosecution has failed to sustain its burden in showing by a preponderance of the credible evidence that Easter was involved in, or responsible for, procuring the unavailability of McKeon, and that Easter acted with the intent to procure McKeons unavailability, noting the circumstantial nature of the evidence, and the fact that

NORTH KOREAN ELECTIONS: The deadline for party candidates to get on Novembers ballot has passed, and now we have a good idea of what our choices will look like for statewide offices. And the verdict? Free will is an illusion, give in to the system. For state reps, John Mahoney, Jim ODay and Dan Donahue are running for reelection unopposed in the 13th, 14th and 16th Worcester Districts, respectively. I guess thats a sign of a 100 percent approval rating. Meanwhile, 15th Worcester District state Rep. Mary Keefe has a challenger in Ralph Perez, who has lost in previous bids for state rep., state Senate, sheriff and City Council. I think the euphemism here is quixotic. Worth noting is the fact that all four incumbents mentioned so far are true-blue Democrats. Republican 17th Worcester District state Rep. Kate Campanale faces a more credible threat in either Leicester Selectman Doug Belanger, who lost to her last year, or Moses Dixon, a former Keefe aide, who lost to Belanger in last years primary and will look to change that out come in his second try this year. On the State Senate side, Harriette Chandler is running unopposed in the 1st Worcester Disctrict, but in the 2nd Worcester district Mike Moore has a challenger in Mesfin Beshir, who also has a failed City Council bid under his belt. It doesnt get easier the higher up you go, guys. But hey, nobody should ever run unopposed in a true democracy, so kudos to everyone who stepped up to face an incumbent.


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{ worcesteria }

Lora, who allegedly dealt drugs out of the apartment, had already pleaded the fifth, meaning his testimony wouldnt have been available anyway. Just goes to show, not snitching is no guarantee of safety, kids.

A NON-LEAD BALLOON: Did you see the water crisis unfolding in Flint, Michigan, and worry for your safety? Cynics taking bets on whether Worcester had properly invested in its water delivery system might have guessed we also had lead in the water, but it turns out those fears are unfounded. The city released a 2015 water quality report this week showing the citys drinking water meets all federal and state requirements set forth by the Safe Drinking Water Act. Theres also a whole section devoted to lead and copper in drinking water, in which Worcester contends that water goes through mostly iron and steel pipes in the Heart of the Commonwealth. The city uses chemicals to make sure copper doesnt leach into the system and contaminate the water, too. Every three years, the city tests for lead and copper in 100 random homes and two schools, and the last round in 2014 found nothing amiss. To make a long story short? Nothing to see here, folks, keep on drinking that tap water and tap dancing your nights away.

COMMONPOOR, MORE LIKE: The city talks a big game, but when is it actually going to sue the state? Massachusetts has been under fire recently from forces within the city, who have complained about reimbursements for Worcester Public Schools, costing the system millions. MassDOT has also taken heat for not owning up for I-290, which is responsible for the crumbling facade of Our Lady of Mount Carmel by most accounts. Now, the issue is the Plantation Street bridge. The state promised, in writing, to complete the project as part of CSX mitigation immediately. Even accounting for the government definition of immediately, this has taken too long, as the incident started in 2010 and there is now an estimated start date of 2020. A few city councilors brought the issue up this week at the request of the Brown Square Crime Watch. The plan is to demand that MassDOT honor their commitment. Because the state always bends a knee to Worcester. Just sue them and get it over with, please and thank you.

VETERANS REMEMBERED: The newly renamed Citizens of Color of Worcester Honor Roll will, in all likelihood, be installed in the island at the intersection of Lincoln and Belmont Streets by December 2017. At-large City Councilor Moe Bergman has been pushing the issue, with Bill Coleman bringing it to peoples attention, and the city manager has been on board, but now all the details are set and it looks like the project will soon be a reality. The previous memorial for non-white veterans was lost, probably accidentally or through a theft to sell the metal used, decades ago and has not been replaced. It was also probably lost by the state during construction, which keeps with the theme of the state screwing Worcester. But now kids at Worcester Tech will be kicking in labor and the AFL-CIO union will be kicking in support to get the monument rebuilt, reconstructed and re-dedicated. Its one of those feel-good projects that will hopefully have a happy ending.

WITH A PARADE: Speaking of war memorials, the city will be dedicating the new World War II memorial on the Common this Saturday, June 4. The old memorial was serviceable, but didnt have much pizzazz. The new one, designed by Weston and Sampson Engineering, who also donated their services, will be much grander. It will have 78 new water jets two big ones for the tow theaters of the war, six medium ones for the six branches of the military (yea, I know, I cant name them all either) and 68 small jets for the 678 Worcester residents who died during the war. There will also be granite piers engraved with names and new informational kiosks. At the ceremony this weekend, attendees will get to witness a Corsair plane, a Stearman plane and a Sherman Tank courtesy of the Collings Foundation, whose mission is apparently to help people get sick photos of historical vehicles. There will also be music and dancing and a parade, which will start at Union Station at 11:30 and go to City Hall, presumably with the mind-numbingly frustrating intersection by the WRTA hub closed down so marchers dont have to wait 20 minutes for the pedestrian walk sign to come on. Thats the main reason I drive downtown instead of walking. A time capsule with letters from veterans will then be buried, so future generations can look back on a time when humans waged war and be thankful theyve moved past it.

Reporter Tom Quinn can be reached at 508-749-3166 x324 or [email protected] with story ideas, feedback, or questions. Follow him on Twitter @bytomquinn.


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commentary | opinions {slants& rants}

EditorialIf its summer, it must mean the Bravehearts

The Worcester Bravehearts kick off their third season in the Futures Collegiate Baseball league this week, with their first home game set for Friday, June 3. We wont go all clich on you about how theres nothing

more American than baseball, or how summer and baseball go together like peanut butter & jelly. Fact is, since they came into existence three years ago, the Bravehearts have become as big a part of the fabric of Worcester as, well, the Tornadoes before them. They have won back-to-back championships. Thats right, since joining the FCBL, the Bravehearts have done nothing less than win it all in 2014 and 2015. Will they score a repeat in 2016? New manager J.P. Pyne will try to pull it off.

As they defend their championship, the Bravehearts promise to offer a whole lot of fun to Worcester this summer. For one thing, Cape Cod League baseball comes to the Woo Wednesday, June 8 in the second half of a double-header, as the Bravehearts take on the Wareham Gatemen. On Wednesday, July 13 the Bravehearts host their first FCBL All-Star game.

Worcester Magazine is proud to be part of it all as a media sponsor of the citys championship baseball team. Well help keep your team spirit in full gear with weekly player profiles. We will also run our second annual Bravest Heart Contest. More details about that will follow in the coming weeks.

Its time to throw Worcesters full weight behind the Bravehearts. Talk about hosting a Minor League Baseball team here will no doubt continue, which is probably a good thing, in that it demonstrates a desire and ability of the city to support major sports. Worcester as a sporting town has long been debated, and with a new hockey team headed here next year, it is heartening to hear any talk that suggests sports is needed and wanted in Worcester.

The Bravehearts, meanwhile, represent perhaps the best example of what Worcester can do when it comes to sports. A local family, the Creedons, that operates a local business, Creedon & Co. Inc catering, steps up to fill a void on the sporting scene.

We often talk about how the best work and accomplishments often are the result of organic growth and efforts. How much more organic does it get than the Creedons bringing baseball back?

It isnt just that summer baseball is being played in Worcester. Were talking really, really good baseball championship baseball. The team also has become a part of the our social fabric, hosting clinics, championing local causes and stepping up pretty much whenever and wherever the city asks.

Last year, when the city was in the midst of a crime wave attributed largely to gangs, the Bravehearts maintained focus and offered us an escape en route to their second championship.

Summer is back and so are the Bravehearts. So grab a ticket, get your fanny in the seat and cheer them on. This is Worcesters team and they deserve nothing less than our full support.


Enough of the politically correctTo the Editor:

Its amazing how arrogant and elitist some journalists are when it comes to their views, believing they speak for all America. Ironcially, most of the time, their opinions are misguided and blind to the will of the people.

I speak, of course, of Janice Harveys attack on Donald Trump (Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, Worcester Magazine, May 12). Janice, did you miss the fact that he has won most of the primaries? Or, that he has made history by turning the political establishment on its proverbial head?

Bully. Yes, the politically correct love that word. Also, racist, chauvinist, misogynist, bigot. They love them

all, and throw them around with reckless abandon, whether the situation is valid or not in the use of those odious epithets.

Safari travel, is it for you?Traveling, It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller Ibn Battuta

Over the years, Ive met a great deal of wonderful people who relish the thought of getting away to some place theyve never been. Maybe their friends have traveled there and now they want to travel as well. A solocation beckons them. Not so far away though. Most of us want to stay as close to our American shores as possible. Mexico, Canada and a few Caribbean islands are some of the destinations that will opt for, but why?

Only 30 percent of 308 million plus United States citizens actually hold U.S. Passports, compared to 60 percent in Canada and 75 percent in the United Kingdom. On the many safaris I have been on, most of the clients have been from Europe, specifically Germany and the United Kingdom. Regardless of the fact that most East African countries are part of the Commonwealth, and were at one point colonies of the British monarchy, there are more pressing matters as to why we dont globe trot that much.

One is ignorance or skepticism about international destinations. I remember laughing out loud when I asked a friend in Worcester if they would consider traveling abroad. She said she would not want to get bombed. Over 15,000 British nationals travel to Uganda on safari every year. Most of those visits are trouble-free. A few have even started businesses or driven from as far as South Africa to come and work in the travel industry in Uganda. Uganda has a medley of flora and fauna: a thousand species of birds which makes it a birders paradise, 10 different national parks and one of three countries that is home to half of the worlds endangered Gorillas. It has been said if anybody has safari on their bucket list they should go ahead and book a trip soon. Our growing population and development due to consumerism is depleting our planet of its finite resources because of pollution and poaching, to name a couple causes. So in the words of Helen Keller, life is a daring adventure or nothing at all.

Two, a terrible work life balance or work culture that prevents employees from taking long vacations abroad. Having worked in corporate America for a few years, I remember when the most vacation time I could take in a given year was a week. I decided to travel to Uganda on

my first trip and visit my relatives, and thought maybe I could squeeze in some time for a safari. Alas, it did not go as planned as I ended up being pulled in every direction to see friends and family I had not seen in years. My second trip was much better. I planned for a few days in Jinja along the river Nile. Three days of rafting, kayaking, having lunch and dinner on a boat cruise was spectacular. Nothing beats relaxing in a hammock while you watch the sunset over the horizon like a big dub of butter. My last few days were spent getting massages and partaking in safari yoga wellness activities. I left feeling invigorated and energized.

Three, prohibitive costs. If you are like most people, you are

going to do your due diligence before you make the decision to travel abroad. Is it within your budget? Can you afford it?

Most trips overseas do not have to be paid in full right away. You can put down a deposit, which is usually a small fraction of the entire trip, and pay the rest at a later date. I would recommend booking your trip a year or more in advance. This gives you better prices particularly on air fare. This was one of the reasons I started My Africa Tours. Money is the last thing we look at. People want a great experience, they want to take great selfies and tell great stories from their amazing experiences. Weve made that happen for people.

They say a journey is best measured in friends rather than miles. I have a ton or I would like to think I do. People in Africa like seeing new faces. In Uganda they are particularly welcoming to visitors. It is part of the many cultures in the 17 tribes of Uganda. Guests are treated with utmost respect, so if you see kids waving to you along the road in your safari vehicle or trek and yelling out muzungu, which is an endearing term for someone overseas or a Caucasian, just smile and wave back, youve just made a friend on your safari.

Garvin Asimwe resides in Worcester

Your Turn

Letters to the Editor

commentary | opinions {slants& rants}


Donald Trump is winning because America wants change. Americans are tired of paying for illegal immigrants with their tax dollars; tired of Muslim attacks, both inside and outside the country; tired of rampant crime and repeat offenders; tired of a foreign policy that weakens the country and strengthens our enemies; and yes, tired of every fanatical, loudmouthed group out there that thinks you should embrace their agenda, and you are somehow un-American in not doing so.

America should be a land of equal opportunity for everyone. It doesnt mean that everyone is equal, but some are more equal. Thank you, George Orwell, for that insight.

More government is not the answer. It takes away freedom and initiative. It bankrupts individuals and economies. What is needed is an infusion of capitalism, which creates wealth, jobs, and a stronger middle-class.

Donald Trump has the vision and experience to accomplish that, not some career politician who will continue the same failed policies of the last eight years.

JOSEPH GUSTAFSON Worcester

Preserve Our Lady of Mount CarmelTo the Editor:

Our Lady of Mount Carmel property on Mulberry Street has been a landmark in our city for over 100 years. The Italian community built this church and recreational center for its people to enjoy activities, sports, cultural events, dances, fundraisers and most recently to have a meeting place for our current multi-cultural community.

Once again, the lack of money and apparent disinterest is about to destroy part of our citys history and a church that can never be replaced. So many of the residents of Central Mass, Catholic and non-Catholic, have attended and enjoyed events at Mount Carmel.

One might argue this is progress, and that times have changed and this property has outlived its usefulness. Perhaps we should amend that thinking and try to preserve not only this property, but the values and the support Mount Carmel brings to this city. AMORET ZAMARRO-BEITER Worcester

People will vote for Hillary Clinton?To the Editor:

In response to the letter by Karen Brough titled, People will vote for Trump, Seriously? (Worcester Magazine, May 19), I offer the following response.

Would you vote for someone involved in the Whitewater scandal at the Rose Law Firm that led to many people losing their investments?

Would you vote for a person who fired the White House Travel Department to install her cronies to those positions?

Would you vote for a person,who when leaving the White House took the furniture,dinnerware and silverware that belonged to the government and was forced to return it when caught?

Would you vote for a person who did not provide adequate security to the diplomats that were her responsibility which led to the deaths of 4 Americans?

Would you vote for a person who lied to the American people and blamed those deaths on a video at the same time telling her daughter and a foreign official that it was a terrorist attack?

Would you vote for a person who established a supposedly charitable organization to accept foreign money to obfuscate campaign finance laws and allow influence peddling as well as fund a lavish lifestyle?

To paraphrase Ms Broughs words you are actually going to vote for Hillary Clinton? Seriously?

THOMAS CORRIGAN Worcester

Questions taking of buildings, landTo the Editor:

Several years ago, I went to a meeting for CSX mitigation funding in a place not accessible by public transportation (walking until someone picked me up), and Vincent Pedone refused to let me speak because I wasnt an abutter, and would not let me explain anything.

Because of all the hard work I had done

about the CSX project, and because of all the material I sent (the state Department of Public Utilities), DPU made me a limited participant, since I was not an abutter, and required that CSX send me copies of everything, including all maps, a great deal of material.

Let it be said: No public hearings or public discussion, except for Council discussions of borrowing enough to carry out this monstrous, rapacious land/building takings. The (Worcester Redevelopment Authority) does have so-called business meetings, now at City hall, but will not allow the public to speak. The only meeting I went to did allow one other public person to speak, but refused to let me speak.

This certainly identifies Vincent Pedone, Mr. Bigfoot himself.

Choosing purposefully to have me speak last at the recent meeting at the DCU, even though I signed up just after 5, after (another speaker), but I think he picked and chose

favorites throughout, says more about him than about me. And even then, (he) kept interrupting me.

Worcester is still in the dark ages, but without those colorful tapestries.

And, of course, that mitigation money paid for Shotspotter, but no longer. So the city now chooses to pay for Shotspotter with public money, as opposed to using free traffic cameras to control Worcesters continued, excessive vehicular carnage.

I think the public should vote on how Worcester values our public, and how it treats us with it un-open and un-participatory government.

JO HART Worcester

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are a great way to share your thoughts and opinions with thousands of readers and online viewers each week. There is no word limit, but we reserve the right to edit for length, so brevity is your friend. If handwritten, write legibly if we cannot read it, we are not running it. Personal attacks and insults dont fly with us. A full name and town or city of residence are required. Please include an email address or phone number for verification purposes only. Make sure your letter makes it into Worcester Magazine in a timely fashion send it in by the Monday of the next issue. Please note that letters will run as space allows. Send them to Worcester Magazine, 72 Shrewsbury St., Worcester, MA 01604 or by email to [email protected].

Thats What They SaidThe overwhelming generosity everyone has shown, the considerate words, the stories people have shared their fond memories were really uplifting. - Tricia Tarentino, wife of slain Auburn Police Officer Ron Tarentino Jr., on the public support after her husband was killed.

If youre taking any trips that are going to be time sensitive and you know youre going to go through any of these construction zones, leave early, monitor signage and (MassDOT) releases. We do try not to have (projects to be disruptive to traffic), but construction by nature is going to be disruptive. You cant get around it.

- Jonathan Gulliver, director of MassDOTs District 3 office in Worcester, quoted in the T&G about summer road construction projects.

Were returning the icons. We would like to see the government allow us to borrow them back and wed like to see this strange legal action stopped.

- Museum of Russian Icons curator and CEO Kent dur Russell, on a request from Russia to return 16 icons that had been on display at the museum.

Theres a time capsule in there It would take another disaster to see it. So I hope I dont.

- Cynthia Payne, quoted in the T&G, about the June 1, 2011 tornado that tore their Brimfield house from its foundation. A new house has since been built.

STEVEN KING

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Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr.

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End Of Shift: May 22, 2016

STEVEN KING

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Tom Quinn

Dark sunglasses are so widespread throughout local police forces, they may as well be part of the uniform. But on May 27, the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, the glasses served a different purpose masking the tears of thousands of law enforcement officers, family members and friends who showed up to pay respects to Auburn Police Officer Ron Tarentino Jr.

The 42-year-old Tarentino, a father of three, was shot and killed in the line of duty May 22.

It seemed impossible to stay sad when talking about Tarentino, whose sense of humor made him fast friends with fellow officers very quickly. While his death tied into larger issues the dangers of policing, second chances handed out by the justice system, and a respect for law enforcement, or lack thereof

STEVEN KING

Top left and right, residents and police officers turned out in droves to welcome Officer Ron

Tarentino Jr.s body to Leicester the day he was shot and killed. Above, dozens of onlookers,

including this young girl draped in the American flag, lined the streets for the funeral

procession of Ron Tarentino Jr.

{ cover story } interspersed in the tragedy were moments of humanity that painted a picture of a cops cop who gave his life for a cause he was born to serve.

There were two sides to Tarentino a dedicated police officer and a dedicated family man, both equally important to the man who was born with blue blood, according to a former colleague.

THE FAMILYWe never thought a day as tragic as this would come, Tarentinos younger sister, Caitlin Tarentino, said during the funeral. But the outpouring of love and support has been overwhelming.

Tarentino had three sisters Caitlin, Danielle and Jennifer McMahon. He also left behind sons Ronald III, a private first class in the U.S. Army; Spenser, a high school senior; and Kyle, the youngest. Ron Tarentino Jr. had been married 20 years to his wife, Tricia.

Caitlin Tarentino said her older brother Ron had about 19 years on her, she said was always teasing her about her fears. Those fears included the time he let her ride along with him in his precious Mustang, which was parked outside St. Josephs Church in Charlton the day of his wake and funeral. She said she had to hold on for dear life, but the experience was Rons way of toughening her up.

I think because he didnt want me to be afraid, Caitlin said.

With his brothers flanking him, Spenser Tarentino recalled his dad as not just a father figure, but my best friend, and expressed hope that something good would come out of his sacrifice.

Police officers deserve so much more respect than they get, Spenser Tarentino said. You guys do one of the hardest jobs in the world, and people are so disrespectful. And I hope that my dad did not go in vain, and that something good comes out of this, in that people realize they need to start realizing and addressing police officers for everything that they do.

Family members also recalled the lighter side of Ron, who had a high-pitched giggle for a man his size, according to uncle Larry James, who recalled good times working with Ron on installing home alarm systems, and one occasion in which he caught Ron and a client getting tipsy together in the basement of a home they were working in.

He was always smiling and laughing, James, a Medford Police Officer, said. He was a joy to be around.

Leicester Police Chief Jim Hurley told Worcester Magazine he always knew when

Ron Tarentino was in the building (Tarentino served in the Leicester Police Department before transferring to Auburn), because he recognized his laugh.

Other family members recalled a sense of humor that could be a little twisted, a little gross, but ultimately made everyone around Ron feel like they were part of a good time whenever he was around.

He had the greatest sense of humor I dont know which he liked more, making us laugh or cracking himself up, Caitlin Tarentino said.

Ron Tarentinos father, Ron Sr., was a

Medford Police Officer. Law enforcement was a family tradition, and although Ron was a devoted family man who laughed easily, danger comes with the territory, something family members were still grappling with even as they remembered the good times.

Why was my brother punished for doing his job? Caitlin Tarentino asked, later using a phrase that has increased in popularity in the social media age. Police lives matter.

While it may not have erased the pain and sting of losing her husband, Trisha Tarentino noted the outpouring of support shown to her family in the wake of tragedy.

The community has been amazing, to rally behind our family, she said, thanking first responders as well as the couple that rushed to Ron Tarentinos aide when he was shot on Rochdale Street. She also thanked the media and police. ... Its amazing to see how many lives he has touched.

THE FORCERon Tarentino Jr. had been a patrolman in Auburn a


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continued on page 19

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A sea of blue as police officers from across Massachusetts and throughout New England attend funeral services for Ron Tarentino Jr.

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PHOTO/ERIKA SIDOR

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Top left and top right, there was a tremendous turnout for a candlelight vigil in Auburn honoring Police Officer Ron Tarentino Jr. Far right, a police officer from Maine bows his head in solemn remembrance of the slain

Auburn police officer. Above, A makeshift memorial took shape outside the Auburn Police Department in the hours immediately following the shooting death of Officer Ron Tarentino Jr. Opposite page, Auburn Police Officer

Ron Tarentino Jr.s body is carried from St. Josephs Church in Charlton after his funeral service.

ERIKA SIDOR

STEVEN KINGSTEVEN KING

STEVEN KING


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mere two years when he pulled over alleged killer Jorge Zambranos car on that fateful weekend, but he had already made an impact in the small town, APD Chief Andrew Sluckis said.

[Other officers] were disappointed sometimes when they came to work, looked at the schedule and found that Ron had actually taken a day off, Sluckis said.

Officers at the funeral and wake muttered about the danger of traffic stops, a particularly treacherous task for police officers, who are walking into an unknown situation, often without backup. An investigation after the incident revealed Zambrano allegedly shot Tarentino multiple times in the back as the officer walked back to his cruiser, likely after having a conversation with the suspect.

Leicester Police Sgt. Paul Doray recalled Tarentinos first month on the job, and his response to a dispatch call for a burglary in progress.

continued on page 21

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STEVEN KING

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Clockwise from top left: A line of police officers

at the funeral for Officer Ron Tarentino Jr. Tricia

Tarentino speaks to the media at her husbands funeral. A hearse carries Ron Tarentino Jr.s body

from St. Josephs Church. Rows of police oficers

dot the funeral service. Police color guards line up outside the church.

You could tell by Ronnies excitement over the radio that he wanted to be the first officer there, Doray said.

Tarentino never made it to the scene of the crime, though. He ended up calling in to the station, dejected, after blowing out both passenger side tires on his police cruiser in his haste to make it to the scene.

He was obviously a little rambunctious taking a right hand turn, Doray said, with a chuckle.

That was Ron, though, friends and family said. He didnt join the police force for the pay or the pension, other officers said. He joined to make a difference, and was always running at full throttle in his quest to help the community.

I saw Ron come in as a brand new, green police officer and develop into a fine, outstanding police officer, but I also saw him develop many, many strong friendships within the department and beyond, Hurley said. ... Ron is the type of guy that made an impact no matter where he went. He helped everyone.

Tarentinos wake on May 26 was attended by thousands of police officers and others from across the state and throughout New England. The line of blue seemed to stretch on forever, but somehow it got longer for his funeral the next day, when officers in ceremonial dress stood at attention while a public address system broadcast the service inside the church to the attendees outside. St. Josephs had been chosen for its size, but it had no hope of containing the number of well-wishers and mourners.

A particularly poignant moment came when Doray read from a letter Ron Tarentino Jr. wrote to the director of the police academy in 2008 as part of an exercise all hopeful police officers are required to go through. Tarentino remembered his fathers anecdotes and the camaraderie he witnessed on his trips to the police station as a child.

The stories were the best part of the whole deal, Tarentino wrote. Some of the stories made my heart pump you can definitely tell police officers live a different live than other people.

Dorays voice caught, and an already emotional ceremony was made even harder to watch, when the letter concluded with an acknowledgment of the dangers of being a police officer.

I also know if can be dangerous, but so can crossing the street or going to the bank, Tarentino wrote. Thats why Im trained by the best and will be able to use that knowledge to stay safe on the street.

Donations in Ron Tarentino Jr.s memory may be made to: Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr. Memorial Fund, C/O Savers Bank, 38 Auburn St., Auburn, MA 01501.



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STEVEN KING { cover story }

STEVEN KING

Auburn Police Officer Keith Chipman embraces his son, Camden, in the parking lot of Morin Funeral Home in Leicester, where Ron Tarentinos body was brought hours after his murder.


STEVEN KING

{ cover story }

A Rutland police officer stands in salute for Officer Ron Tarentino Jr.

night&day


art | dining | nightlife| June 2 - 8, 2016

International misunderstanding? Iconsat Clinton museum sent back to Russia

Joshua Lyford

The Museum of Russian Icons is set to return 16 of its icons to Moscow, following what might best be described as an absolutely tremendous international mis-understanding.

Icons are images created by iconogra-phers in strict accordance with rigid Chris-tian church standards, and usually depict holy people martyrs, saints and prophets and are often blessed inside the church by a priest. They were created to connect people to their religion and date all the way back to the year 988. The icons being returned include one crafted in Novgorod, Russia in approximately 1550.

The 16 icons in question have been owned by the Museum of Russian Icons, 203 Union St., Clinton, since 2010, but when Russian newspapers recently an-nounced the pieces had disappeared in the United States, the trouble started, and the Russian Ministry of Culture the Russian federal body responsible for drafting and implementing national policy and regula-tion of culture and the arts demanded their return to Russia.

The reason the Russian authorities were able to do this, despite the Massachusetts-based Museum of Russian Icons owner-ship of the pieces, is due to laws adopted by much of Europe, including Russia, that have been put in place to protect individu-al cultures in Europe. The laws require the buyer of culturally significant artworks (in this case, any Russian icon over 100 years old) to allow the relevant home-country to determine the cultural value of a particular piece at predetermined intervals.

Were returning the icons, said Mu-seum of Russian Icons curator and CEO Kent dur Russell. We would like to see the government allow us to borrow them back and wed like to see this strange legal action stopped.

The intrigue doesnt end with the de-mand of export back to Moscow.

Founder of the Museum of Russian Icons, Gordon Lankton, had established a private museum foundation in Moscow, the executive director of which acted as a liaison for the icons between the Russian authorities and the Clinton museum. The executive director of the Moscow founda-tion, Alyona Knyazeva, was detained by Russian customs authorities and a Russian special prosecutor, who also resigned from the position suddenly, effectively cutting off communication between the museum and Moscow.

They claimed she [Knyazeva] was subject to arrest because she didnt return the icons, explained Russell. They were in the United States.

In the meantime, Russell said the icons are being prepared for transport, but this is not an easy or quick process. The expensive pro-

cess of properly packing and shipping these ancient icons and securing climate controlled flight transport can take months, it is unclear whether the Russian-based executive director of the private museum foundation will remain in custody while the pieces are prepared and sent back.

The Russian Ministry of Culture did not respond to Worcester Magazine for comment.

Im mystified by this, said Russell. Were all mystified by this. We understand that we have a contractual obligation to return these icons to Russia, notwithstanding the fact that we own these icons.

According to Russell, members of the Russian Consulate in New York and Wash-ington personally verified the icons were on public display, so the allegations they had disappeared was shocking to Russell and his team.

The 16 pieces, which were part of a temporary exhibit titled From Russia With Love were on display at The Chrysler Museum of art in Norfolk, Virginia at the time of the demands. The original export agreement called for a Russian inspection date of Nov. 15, 2015. To ensure the Chrys-ler Museum would be able to showcase the 16 historic icons to approximately 50,000 visitors, Russell requested an extension through Jan. 10 this year, allowing for the exhibit to continue. According to Russell, extension requests were not uncommon and the relationship between the Clinton museum and Moscow was cordial.

Our only mistake here is that we made an assumption that the Russian authori-ties and the Ministry of Culture would be more than thrilled to have 50,000 people see these icons, said Russell. It never occurred to me that they would act in an unreasonable, I would think, man-ner. Were not trying to take these icons away, we are the owners of them. We have a decade-long history of working fairly comfortably with the Russian authorities. It seems strange to me.

The 16 icons in question only represent a small sample of what the Museum of Russian Icons has on display and in their collection, and while there is certainly no guarantee, the museum is confident the pieces will be returned and will be back on display in Clinton in the future.

This is only 16 out of over 1,000 icons that we own, said Russell. Its a small fraction of what we own. It will be a mat-ter of figuring out how we fill the holes on the walls when we take down these icons-what can we put up instead?

You can find out more about the Mu-seum of Russian Icons, 203 Union St. in Clinton, online at Museumofrussianicons.org.

Reporter Joshua Lyford can be reached at 508-749-3166, ext. 325, or by email at Jlyford@worcestermagazine. com. Follow Josh on Twitter @Joshachusetts.

COURTESY OF THE MUSEUM OF RUSSIAN ICONS

Image Not Made By Hands,Novgorod, Russia. C. 1550

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WEVE LOST OUR VOICE: I have never once watched NBCs The Voice. No, not because Im too cool, or have my hip beret pulled over my eyes, I just really dont have a lot of time to do it and I generally reserve my in-front-of-the-screen time for hockey, Game of Thrones, documentaries about the World Wars and animated films that tend to make me somewhat emotional. Im a giant weirdo. But, when you hear that a Worcester native wins a hugely-popular TV show hosted by some guy, some other guy, some other other, guy and Chris-tina Aguilera, two things happen. One, you say, Ooh thats neat! Then, you say, Worcester native, eh? I hear this from time to time but its often a bit of a stretch. We had Jessica Cabral, who was a very nice person, on American Idol. She went

to middle school in Worcester, kinda cool, but she escaped to the summery West. There was Johnno Wilson from the TV show First Impressions, who fled Shrews-bury for LA. Now we have Alisan Porter (above). Porter just won The Voice, which seems like a pretty huge deal. Alas, she too has headed out to the palm tree capi-tal. At least Sam James, who also competed on The Voice, has stuck around The Woo. Oh well, congratulations Alisan, thats pretty damn cool. Even if youve grown beyond our quaint little city.

ONE IS THE ONLY-EST NUMBER: This subhead was. frankly, a bit of a reach. Then again, most of mine are. Not like that damn Tom Quinn. I dont know how he comes up with all this whip-crack wit subheads he always has for Worcesteria. The guy is good and he sits right next to me. Youd think I would have absorbed some of his knowledge through osmo-sis, but Im probably too busy googling Billy Madison quotes to ensure accuracy. Anyway, ArtsWorcester is hosting The Fourth Annual ONE exhibition at 660 Main St. The opening reception will be on Friday, June 10 at 6 p.m. and there will $500 in prizes to be divided be-tween three artists who will be selected by Jon Seydl of the Worcester Art Museum. If youve missed it in the past, more than 100 artists exhibit a single piece of artwork, so theres a real variety of art to scope out. Enjoy yourself and check out some great local art.

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Joshua Lyford

SWIMMIN WITH THE FISHES: Due to the holiday, our deadline was a little all over the place and by the time this goes into print (barring some sort of world-ending event), the San Jose Sharks will have played two games against the Pittsburgh Penguins while battling for the Stanley Cup. With any luck, the Sharks will be up 2-0 in the series, but,as I am (quite unfortunately) not a time traveler, I have no way of knowing. Still, regardless of the standings,

I can only hope those pompous Penguins will fall to the Sharks in the end, as Im not entirely sure I can take the hot-headed jab-bery from the Pittsburgh faithful on Twitter. Seriously, I talk a little too much trash and whenever Im wrong, it has a tendency to bite me in the ass. Yes, yes, I realize Sydney Crosby is amazing. That doesnt mean I have to like the way the NHL seems to bend over backward to ensure the calls go his way (bit-ter? yes, I likely am). Ill give credit where its due: Marc-Andre Fleury is generally a sight to behold in net (in spite of often being considered a bit of a choke artist), and watch-ing Matt Murrays out-of-nowhere playoff beast-status was fantastic. But, Kessel (bitter again? Per-haps. Perhaps.)? Malkin? Kunitz? Letang? Theres just something about them that gets my goat. On

the other hand, weve got the San Jose Sharks. While many of us might harbor a bit of ill will for the decision to yank the AHL Worcester Sharks off to California, its not like it didnt make sense, and now weve got the Railers to look forward to, so were square here. It is pretty fantastic to see a number of former Worcester Sharks battling it out for the cup, though and thus, I am on the list of Central Massachusetts Sharks fans (for the time being). Guys like Braun, Wingels and possibly most especially Logan Couture ll ripping. (Unrelated, but have to send a quick shout out to former Worcester Sharks goaltender Thomas Greiss for an absolutely stellar surprise performance replacing Halak with the Islanders, while they were still in the playoffs) Long story short, until next season and those coast-to-coast road trip games, Lets go Sharks!

INTERNATIONAL INTRIGUE: You may or may not have read the Night & Day story I wrote this week called An international misunderstanding?, but boy thats really something. Im in kind of a weird spot where Im breaking the fourth wall down here, but some of that stuff read like James Bond-lite. All you need are some sly smiles and a super villain in a bizarre tan suit and a fluffy white cat and wed have really had something. Unfortunately, with the Russian Ministry of Culture not responding, its difficult to dig much deeper than what we have, but I hold out hope for that time to come, so I can work on a follow up. Ya volk, dosve-danya.

Reporter Joshua Lyford can be reached at 508-749-3166, ext. 325, by winning $28 million in the Massachusetts state lottery, only to find out you have to split the winnings with another individual, but opting instead to hatch a harebrained scheme to steal the other lottery ticket and thus avoid splitting your winnings (sorry Ive been reading some Carl Hiaasen), but end up in a sorry state and giving this lucky reporter your exclusive story, or by email at [email protected]. Follow Josh on Twitter @Joshachusetts.

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Apocalypse for now Jim Keogh

Jeff Goldblum delivers a line in the trailer for Independence Day: Resurgence alluding to the fact that when aliens attack the planet they seem to target landmarks. So wiping out hundreds of apartment complexes in New York City isnt good enough, the Empire State Building also must crumble. Every time San Francisco is invaded, the Golden Gate Bridge plummets into troubled waters. Washington, D.C.? Goodbye, White House. And so on.

When it became clear in X-Men: Apocalypse that the villain, conveniently named Apocalypse, was bent on world destruction, I waited for that landmark moment. After flattening Cairo millions killed, I assume, though we never see a single body Apocalypse turns his attention to everyplace else. What signature structure will be reduced to dust? Ah, theres the Sydney Opera House, min

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Worcester Magazine June 2 - 8, 2016