508: A Show About Worcester

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panelists are Linnea Palmer Paton, Zak Rogoff, and Drew Wilson.

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[0:30] WPI students are planning a counterpoint commencement. Where once the administration opposed this, it’s now permitted.

[11:15] There’s some sort of free garage sale at Pleasant Street Baptist Church Saturday morning.

[11:42] The InCity Times has an article on a local realtor “illegally” sending notices to foreclosed homeowners.

[12:15] The first issue of Fairbridge magazine is out.

[13:50] This week, Worcester legalized bake sales.

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel is Benito Vega, Gary Rosen, Brendan Melican, and a very special mute guest.

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[0:42] Inspired by Jay Rosen, Mike asks 508 viewers: What do you want the candidates to be discussing as they compete for votes in this year’s City Council election? If you have a suggestion, leave a comment.

[14:22] We mention the WPI commencement thing.

[15:40] Father Bernie Gilgun has died.

[17:20] Briefly noted: the InCity Times and a cancelled Greg Mortenson talk. Mike recommends the essay Three Cups of Deceit: How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way (Amazon affiliate link)

[16:40] Civic beautification, legal and illegal.

Please leave comments on this week’s show here.

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s guest is Brendan Melican.

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You can watch 508 Fridays at 7pm on WCCA TV13.

[0:00] The camera emerges from a bag of Gary Rosen shirts.

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panelist is Brendan Melican.

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You can watch 508 Fridays at 7pm on WCCA TV13.

[0:00] Mystery Band was this past weekend.

[1:08] Worcester: Who Knew?

[1:35] There was a double-murder this week.

[2:05] Brendan tells us about the Ecotarium.

[3:03] Mike Germain looks sloppy in the official City Council photo. We explore various sartorial and conspiracy theories.

[9:52] Mike talks about a discussion of race facilitated by Deborah Plummer at St. Peter’s. Brendan mentions that the local NAACP is being revived, led by Ravi Perry.

[13:00] Worcester VegFest is this weekend.

[15:13] The restaurant Duck Yao has its grand opening this weekend. (Preview pix.)

[18:00] Some neighborhood people are organizing against Clark’s deal to close Downing Street.

We read some of the local free papers, including:

[19:02] The African Radiant.

[19:20] Happiness Pony.

[20:02] The St. Peter’s Parish bulletin.

[21:45] Mothers News.

[22:00] InCity Times.

[24:25] Vitality.

[25:55] Yes, people are protesting Obama’s wars, not just Bush’s.

[27:30] Brendan gives us the rundown on redistricting.

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel is Clifford Reiss and Brendan Melican. NOTE: There is more profanity than usual near the end of this week’s show.

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[0:35] It’s snowing.

[1:20] An attacking pit bull was stabbed to death in Worcester.

[2:50] We are still not convinced that the city’s anti-pit bull laws are helpful.

[3:55] The eighth of nine puppies stolen from the Sterling shelter is back.

[5:20] Brendan makes a point about libertarianism.

[5:50] Clifford updates us on Stone Soup. The building burned down 2 years ago.

[16:34] Marty Lamb still hasn’t called us back about being on the show.

[17:50] Some people have suggested listening to this radio program about marketing Piedmont. Others have suggested it’s not worth listening to. Mike suggests reading the evergreen “I Think We Should Start Talking About Starting A Band.”

[19:20] It’s the anniversary of Tom Lewis’s death.

[20:20] Clifford tells us about E.L. Doctorow’s Worcester connection.

[21:30] Public officials are mad that video poker on Lincoln Street might disrupt lottery sales. Mike talks about video poker in WV.

[25:52] Worcesterites have been demonstrating in Lincoln Square against US military activity in Libya (and elsewhere).

[26:51] Mike endorses the WooDaddy Waffles brunch (Sundays, Moynihan’s, 11am-) and Energy Barnraising at the Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network Center (this Sunday, 11am).

[27:48] Mike complains that Mayor Joe O’Brien continues to spam him.

508 is a show about Worcester. Today’s panel is Brendan Melican and Tracy Novick.

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[1:00] Brendan can send you an invite to the Facebook alternative Diaspora.

[2:48] No word from Marty Lamb.

[3:05] Worcester is still New England’s second-most-populous city. Mike reiterates Gabe’s thesis in “the best blog post ever about Worcester” that Worcester is fundamentally unlike Providence (the third-most-populous city) and should not compare itself to Providence. Last year, Gabe came on the show to make the case.

BTW, you should watch this video of Worcester-native-turned-Providence-resident Jacob Berendes, legendary artist and entrepreneur, talking about the movie FAME:

Jake : Fame from Mirror on Vimeo.

[12:55] Councilor Rushton took a Globe columnist on a tour of the city.

[16:20] You know what Worcester has that Boston and Providence don’t? BILL COLEMAN! Brendan reports Bill is doing well and has a great beard. Check out this charming photo of a beardless Bill and a besoulpatched Brendan from a few years back.

[17:00] Mike lists the contents of the latest InCity Times

[19:00] We talk about the 9 injured puppies stolen from the Sterling Animal Shelter. Still a mystery: why? The latest: a third suspect has been arrested.

[21:37] There’s a fundraiser/funraiser for Worcester Roots Project this Friday.

[22:09] Tracy talks about Worcester schools testing and staffing and redaction issues.

[27:24] Brendan asks for people to send in any lawsuits that the City is embroiled in.

[28:00] Clark is officially shutting down an adjacent street as part of a quid pro quo with the city.

508 is a show about Worcester. Today’s guests are Brendan Melican, Anne Lewenberg, and Rod Witkos.

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[0:32] Teacher’s union has “no confidence” in School Committee or Superintendant.

Update: Worcester Magazine has more.

[6:02] Anne corrects last week’s germination report.

[7:32] Anne explains how to make maple syrup, with action footage.

[10:30] Mike is blown away by the new local paper, Fuck Yeah Gazette, a project of the Fuck Yeah Center at 420 Pleasant Street.

[11:30] William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin are name-checked.

[12:30] Mike went to a gospel choir. We talk about St. Peter’s Church and the head priest, Msgr. Scollen.

[14:50] We go more into the “don’t diss gadflies” bit from Seth Godin’s new book, Poke the Box, also mentioned last week.

[16:07] Brendan talks about New England fish-and-chips shops and Lent.

The TV has the interview with paramedic Rod Witkos about heroin addiction, taped for Worcester Magazine. You can watch it here:

[20:26] Mike reviews the Worcester Chamber Music Society’s concert of Gandolfi’s “Pinocchioâ€s Adventures in Funland”.

[21:58] Brendan says he is not calling for a teacher’s strike in Worcester.

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel is Brendan Melican.

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[0:00] Brendan has a copy of the city’s new pit bull registration packet.

[6:17] Mike reads from Seth Godin’s new book, Poke the Box, and we say nice things about Billy Breault and Gary Vecchio.

Catherine Burgess, Editor-in-Chief, The Crusader:

The deficiency of writers exists because there is a fear that if you do write something, people might read it.

[14:25] The city is probably not going to raise the fine for public marijuana use, despite Mr. Breault’s efforts.

[18:10] We read the death notice for C.Y. Harvey, Turtle Boy sculptor.

[25:30] Worcester Magazine has a big article on heroin in Worcester. We made a video to go along with it, interviewing Rod Witkos of Wormtown Medic.

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel is Brendan Melican, Paul Ropp, Claire Schaeffer-Duffy, and Michael True.

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[1:00] Michael, Claire, and Paul talk about Worcester’s Center for Nonviolent Solutions.

[6:40] Is there anything to say about the bouncer video?

[7:30] We talk about the postponed white supremacist meeting at the library.

[18:05] Mike tells about “a cultural moment.”

[27:05] Recap of past topics and response to comments.

Bonus link: We never got around to discussing Gene Sharp till after the taping.

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel is Brendan Melican.

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[0:00] Mike won some red shoes in a Fairbridge Project raffle.

[3:52] We are excited about the City’s giant snowblower.

[6:15] You can fill out your city census online.

[8:00] We read the InCity Times on the Goddard testing scandal and the closure of the PIP shelter. We decry the sexual objectification of Gary Rosen.

[18:49] No progress on coworking in Worcester.

[20:00] People met in Worcester this week to discuss resilient communities.

[24:05] Mike busts out the Nexus S to read

Worcester Magazine: what were you thinking today? Write an article on reproductive rights, and choose, as a cover image, literally a woman’s belly, without even a head? Reproductive rights are about women being allowed to be equal human beings, not state mandated gestational units. But you decided to represent us as just potentially pregnant bellies. The message sent by that photo was unhelpful.

[26:10] Great job, Michael Brazell.