DCU Phish Tracks

What appears to be some audio and video from Phish’s “secret” rehearsals at the DCU Center….

Foothills closing sale

Via 4-rilla, word that Foothills is holding its closing sale 10-4 this Saturday.  Theater seats, costumes, props….this could be a good time.

Check out the full Craigslist post for details.

Rosen’s Reelection Run

Gary Rosen is running for reelection to City Council. That decision runs entirely counter to what we reported in this column several weeks ago, when he was on the cusp, we said, of officially announcing a run for School Committee. Rosen’s announcement, made official Tuesday, came after such an internal debate lasting through the Memorial Day weekend, at least a couple colleagues didn’t know his final decision until minutes before Tuesday night’s meeting. Rosen says that while he was “very close to trying to make the jump to school committee … I just believe the place for me to be right now is on the City Council.” But why even consider School Committee? Rosen says he thinks the School Committee needs to spend more time talking about present and future fiscal matters, and that incoming Superintendent Melinda Boone needs some board support. Still, “I just love the city side.”

Tornadoes to play against Eric Gagne

Former Red Sox pitcher Eric Gagne has signed with the Quebec Capitales of the CanAm league, meaning he’ll be on the schedule for the Tornadoes later this year, adding his name to Oil Can Boyd, and other former Sox pitchers to hit the CanAm.

City Council liveblog 5/26/09

7:06: Underway with a short agenda. Should be a quick meeting. Pools should be the one dominant issue tonight–councilors didn’t know until moments ago that a City Manager’s report on the pools would be on the final agenda.

7:09: Rosen – fresh off an announcement he is sticking with running for City Council, not School Committee – wants an official notice on “whether or not plastic grocery bags and other plastic items, such as the wrappings around cases of bottled water, are permitted in their weekly recycle containers.”

Street vendors redux

Apparently summer time in the city means the annual revisiting of every outdoor food related issue ever to strike the public conciousness.

This week, it’s a return of last summer’s battles over street vendors.  Tomorrow, the Worcester Street Vendors Alliance will hold a press conference in front of City Hall, complete with food carts lined up. (What’s the over-under on the carts getting ticketed?)

The group will be talking about the harm and harrassment of the vendors ordinance which has allegedly caused some businesses to close, and others to undergo “ongoing forced relocation.”

We’ll be following this story in this week’s issue.

Return of al fresco

Every year, it seems al fresco dining becomes an issue in the city, with businesses clamoring for sidewalk/outdoor tables and some residents/city officials complaining about noise; most of those complaints have been alleviated by imposed time restraints on outdoor licenses.

To secure an outdoor license – legally, at least – businesses need to go before the License Commission.  One of the intriguing things has been a steady stream of businesses requesting outdoor seating so early in the year: In the past, it hasn’t been unusual to see requests come in during a July meeting with summer half over; a huge problem if the License Commission delays a vote for any reason.

Next week alone, three businesses-1001 Hookah Nights on Pleasant Street, Mahoney’s on Park Avenue, and Emerald Isle(which has started building a deck) are on the agenda for either outdoor seating or patio seating.

To date, we have heard no vocal neighbor protests.

Turtle Boy Thursday – Tonight!

Excellent lineup for this warm Thursday night! Live free music throughout the Canal District.

Dive Bar is having a rare break tonight, but most other bars will be jamming, with windows open….a perfect night to walk around, drink cold beers, and listen to great music.

See you on the street!