Allen Fletcher

By Rosalie Tirella

So about two years ago millionaire/Worcester old money-man Allen Fletcher sells “his” Worcester Magazine to the Kirk Davis/Gareth Charter/Holden Landmark crowd. All Worcester Magazine staffers interviewed. All editorial folks told they would be retained. In fact, each person is interviewed for a half hour, asked about his/her job, etc. People feel good; people feel secure and safe. Allen Fletcher writes a happy pappy farewell editorial assuring THE WORLD they are all in good hands with the Kirk Davis/Gareth Charter/Holden Ladmark pukes.

 Next week everyone is fired, except one reporter and sales reps. Bad feelings all the way around.

 Sales reps eventually say Fuck you Kirk Davis! and move on, too. This takes about eight months.

Next … Worcester Magazine cartoonist Doug Chapel, an artist/graphic designer who creates/draws “Action Geek,” a cartoon that had been running in Worcester Magazine for four or so years (for a whopping $50 per ‘toon - how cheap is rich boy Allen Fletcher?) receives an email from the new Worcester Magazine editor, Jim Keogh. Keogh was editor of the Holden Landmark for about 100 years and seems to have experience in running a paper, working with reporters. In his email Keogh tells Chapel he is fired.

Not very classy. Click to continue »

By Rosalie Tirella

What a dreadful cold spell. What an unlovely sight Wormtown is at tail’s end of winter. What better time - or so I thought, this afternoon - to treat myself to some real comfort food - a cheese omlette, bulkie roll and home fries at my favorite local hang out.

So there I am, on Water Street looking out the restaurant window, hunkering down, trying to avoid all the crap I have to contend with: the dog has cancer, the bills are paid but need more paying, mom has early dementia, guy pal will never get his shit together. Talking with another small biz owner earlier - we both pined for a vacation in sunnier climes. “I haven’t had a vacation in eight years!” he said. All this was weighing down on me … Would spring-time ever return, I wondered, and I looked out the restaurant window and saw ALLEN FLETCHER at the exact opposite side of the street.

He saw me. I saw him. I blanched. He - wearing his ridiculous black beret - gave me a big salute - the kind of salute Adolph Hitler gave his men before … gassing them.

I made a horrible face at him - and immediately lost my appetite.

My old neighborhood, my stomping grounds used to be hallowed ground, for me. Now it’s the Canal Distgrict (or shall we say Cabal District). Now, instead of a cool Jewish ghetto where (in the early part of the 20th century) hawkers lined the Water Street to sell fruits, vegetables, live (!) chickens and other necessities, we have Allen Fletcher in a black beret. Click to continue »

By Rosalie Tirella

I spent the first 19 years of my life in Green Island. My mother grew up in Green Island - a great gal in a great Polish neighborhood - and spent 65 years there! I know/knew the neighborhood like the back of my hand and I love it like no other Worcester ‘hood. Jim Lukes, City Councilor Konnie Lukes’ hubby, grew up in the area, too. His dad had a diner on Millbury Street and the family still owns property in Green Island. District 4 City Councilor Barbara Haller represents the neighborhood. And none us - not a person! - can make our way into Allen Fletcher’s secret “Canal District” (the yuppie monikor for Green Island) Taskforce meetings.

That’s right! Since Fletcher bought the old Ash Street school off Green Street several years ago, he has decided that he will remake the district in his own bony-ass image - or to his, and his supporters’, liking. Anyone with a different point of view, anyone with any sort of question, even folks with longstanding ties to the Green Island neighborhood like me or Jim Lukes, are not invited to play in Fletcher’s reinder games. We don’t even know when and where the meetings are!! (somewhere in Green Island, I’m guessing!) Click to continue »

By Rosalie Tirella

Allen Fletcher has quit Worcester Magazine – sold it to some out of towners. He says he wants to move on to the next “phase” of his life. He’s had enough of newspaper-ing. He’s had enough of … . What exactly? The stress of writing all night? The stress of wondering where he was going to get the money to pay the bills? The stress of wanting a Paris vacation with only a Lake Quinsigamond vacation fund? The stress of starting a business from scratch and trying to grow it when the revenue isn’t yet flowing?

Truth be told, Allen Fletcher hasn’t experienced any of the stresses of owning a small business. His extreme wealth has insulated him from all the pain and woe - from every kind of financial disaster you can imagine - while he was at the helm of Worcester Magazine. That’s why he managed to own it for 15 years! The lucky (and pathetic) bastard! You can do anything with millions of dollars at the ready – play with any kind of toy you want! Own a newspaper, for instance. Save face, especially!

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