Author: Mike

Spencer approves $700K to preserve 350 acres

The citizens of Spencer, Massachusetts yesterday voted 337-144 to use town money to help buy the Sibley and Warner Farm properties, 350 acres of undeveloped land that connects many more undeveloped acres.

I was happy to pitch in on the project by making a video tour of the property, cablecast on local TV.

T&G:

The total cost of the purchase is $2.8 million, but officials expect grants and private fundraising from Mass. Audubon to be used in conjunction with the town’s contribution.

New Worcester paper launching in 2012?

Plans are afoot to launch a bi-weekly print Worcester Progressive in 2012. Am I right in thinking this would be the first new media brand in the city since the experiment with a Worcester edition of Spare Change in late 2010, and Happiness Pony’s April 2011 launch?

While we’re thinking about dead trees, Acoustic Java now has an original copy of William Lloyd Garrison’s abolitionist newspaper The Liberator on display.
Continue reading “New Worcester paper launching in 2012?”

Occupy Worcester, Lincoln Square, Day Sixteen

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T&G: Occupy finds wintering ground: Missionary Society welcomes protest:

Worcester Area Missionary Society, a nonprofit church organization that helps the needy and the homeless, has granted Occupy Worcester permission to set up its small encampment on the concrete lot between the former Lincoln Square Boys & Girls Club and the old Worcester Vocational High School.

Occupy Worcester GA notes:

Just before GA, Sandra Johnson came to camp on behalf of the Board of Directors who own the parking lot we are currently occupying. Tenants are about to occupy their building, and the parking lot was resurfaced and lined for their use. Spaces 1-30 are spoken for, but in general Occupy Worcester will need to find new arrangements before Monday morning. General concerns about tents and tarps and the occupation happening there, there is probably not a compromise to be reached about any continued presence in their lot. Said that the understanding has always been that this was a short-term accommodation. Said back-channel discussions have been taking place amongst the Mission Society churches, possibility of a church being able to assist us. Best contact to pursue this will be Frank Kartheiser of Worcester Interfaith. Per Sandra, continued contact with the Board of Directors should occur through our lawyer, Beverly.

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Occupy Worcester, Lincoln Square, Day Fifteen: Discouraged

If you drove by Lincoln Square today, you may not have seen any Occupy Worcester people holding signs. This is because their efforts have shifted to rebuilding their encampment in the parking lot behind the building.

People have been sleeping in that parking lot for some days now (see previous videos in this series). I’m told they’ve had actual permission to camp for about a week. Now the push is on to build a substantial camp with the gear from Lake Park.

And yet, the mood is one of discouragement.

First Sunday of Advent, 2011: And with your spirit, mumble mumble

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Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of four weeks of Christian preparation for Christmas.

This year, it also marked the day when American Catholics began using a new translation of the Roman Missal, the first big change in what we say at mass in 40 years.

The rephrasing began with the second response of the mass. The congregation used to say: “And also with you.” Now: “And with your spirit.”

At St. Peter’s I’d say 0 of 200 people (including myself) were following the missal closely enough to override the habit of decades and give the new response. “And with your spirit” popped up throughout the mass. By the end we were at about 50% compliance with the new text.

As part of today’s homily, the priest observed that the spirit of Advent is “To be awake, to be aware.” To a Buddhist sympathizer like me, this sounds like mindfulness. This Advent I’ll be giving special attention to silent prayer, perhaps lighting the Advent wreath briefly each day. Since Dorothy Day’s published diaries, The Duty of Delight, are finally available as an e-book, I’ll be including them in my Advent meditations. The US Bishops have sometimes published an online Advent prayer guide; I can’t find anything like that this year, so until I do find something comprehensive, I’ll be working with whatever Susan Stabile posts that day.

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