February 2008From last night’s Worcester City Council agenda:
11f. FROM THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES – Request City Manager update the City Council concerning the current incidence of panhandling in the City and efforts to address same.
You may recall the City’s previous push to curtail panhandling was an ugly failure.
Catholic Free Press:
Father John F. Madden was named pastor of St. John Parish, where he has been serving as administrator.
508 is a show about Worcester.
This week, we begin with a Kate Toomey Facebook update. A Worcester Republican Blog post reflects national Republican discontent with John McCain. Brendan Melican talks about what it used to be like to vote Libertarian. An InCity Times reader complains about that paper’s neglect of Ron Paul. Mike talks about his latest research project.
At today’s 12:10 Cathedral mass, there were maybe twice as many people as normal. Pretty cool.
We had 6 people praying and fasting after mass and at the Federal Building. No incidents. (Don’t worry, I’m not going to blog every day of this.)
If I recall correctly, last Ash Wednesday the noon Cathedral mass was packed. This year, the church was maybe 3/4 full.
Bishop Robert McManus, after mass
After mass we began our Lenten fast and vigil for an end to the Iraq War. We started out by holding a banner near the Cathedral door, but were asked to move across the street. This was unfortunate, in that it probably left some passersby with the impression that we were protesting the church or something.
Holding a banner across the street. In the spirit of “Let no one see you fasting,” I tried to take photos of people’s backs.
All of the response I saw from churchgoers or people driving by was positive. Meanwhile, people handed out Jagerstatter holy cards to those leaving mass.
Then we went over to the Federal Building, where they didn’t care where we stood, so long as we weren’t blocking a door. I don’t have any good face-free pix of this part, so here you see Scott and Ken posing with the banner.
Nice omnibus Ash Wednesday post from Rocco Palmo. This bit sums up the point of the vigil, for me:
The crux of Ash Wednesday is one that fascinates, and rightfully so: in a world — and, indeed, in a church — too often obsessed with appearances, with shirking blame and maintaining an image of perfection (sometimes at any cost), all that gets turned inside out: I’m far from perfect. I don’t have all the answers. I can’t go it alone. What I do matters beyond myself.
508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s co-host is Brendan Melican.
A listener writes about the EPA, Worcester, and water treatment. Worcester Magazine has a great cover story on adult entertainment zoning. A Telegram & Gazette reader complains that they ran a letter based on a posting on their “Speakeasy” message board. (I can’t find the original letter with a Google search–let me know if you find it.) The New York Times, which owns the T&G, is having hard financial times.
Did you know that there’s another podcast that touches on local issues? Check out Facing East.
The Lincoln-Estates Elm Park Neighborhood Association website has gone blank. Worcester Magazine ran a bad editorial about surveillance. We tie the surveillance issue to reduced revenues from water and trash.
Mike talks about his adventures archiving City Council meetings.
Guest Grace Ross explains the foreclosure crisis and how it’s affecting local residents.
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