Worcester Business Journal

04/04/2025

Droughts have become more frequent in recent years, and advocates and some lawmakers are seeking to give the governor's administration the power to require regional water conservation during a declared drought.

The bill (H 1003 / S 586) would give the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs the authority to restrict outdoor watering

04/04/2025

The donated funds will be used for three initiatives to benefit the Central Massachusetts college student population, creating the Becker Scholarship Fund, establishing the Becker Global Public Service Award, and transferring the Grace S. Hampel Scholarship Fund.

Greater Worcester Community Foundation has received the largest donation in its 50-year history as the shuttered Becker College has pledged $13 million to the foundation.

04/04/2025

Baystate Racing, a Worcester-based firm, is proposing The Fairgrounds horse racing facility for a 31-acre former landfill off of Mechanic Street and the Leominster Connector.

A proposal to build a horse racing track and sports gambling bar at the site of a former Leominster landfill is receiving pushback from local residents.

04/03/2025

Those organizations currently support more than 2,800 entrepreneurs and businesses, and companies backed by ESOs have created about 91,000 jobs, the report said.

The Massachusetts Competitive Partnership surveyed 25 incubators and accelerators across the state about the role played by so-called entrepreneurial support organizations, or ESOs, calling them "a cornerstone of the Commonwealth's innovation economy."

04/03/2025

Massachusetts public higher education leaders are painting a grim picture of the ability of their institutions and campuses to hire and retain faculty and staff, asking how the so-called "education state" can provide quality, affordable education to students under unsupportive educator conditions.

Massachusetts public higher education leaders are painting a grim picture of the ability of their institutions and campuses to hire and retain faculty and staff, asking how the so-called "education state" can provide quality, affordable education to students under unsupportive educator conditions.

04/03/2025

Join us Tuesday, April 22nd for the Manufacturing Summit and Excellence Awards!

Register Today: https://ow.ly/OBah50VgrA2

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor MassMEP and corporate sponsors Citrin Cooperman and MassHire North Central Career Center

04/03/2025

Students from four Central Massachusetts colleges are set to compete in the second annual WooTank Intercollegiate Showdown on Tuesday, with financial investments and mentorship from some of the region’s top business minds on the line.

https://www.wbjournal.com/article/fifteen-college-entrepreneurs-set-to-face-off-in-wootank-startup-pitch-competition

04/03/2025

UMass Memorial Health in Worcester has eliminated its chief diversity, equity & inclusion officer position as part of a reorganization the health system says strengthens its commitment to DEI.

UMass Memorial’s expanded department will be led by Mario Florez, UMMH’s new vice president of community health and caregiver belonging.

04/02/2025

Many have found their company is stronger and their customers are better served from their efforts to broaden and diversify their workforce and operations.

DEI policies are about maximizing companies’ opportunities for revenue and profits, better serving their customer bases, and building stronger workforces.

04/02/2025

Currently in North Central Massachusetts, there is a waiting list of more than 150 people seeking housing at just one of the many shelters in the region," Brandon L. Robbins writes.

In January 2024, the federal government released a report on homelessness in America. The statistics were staggering: an 18% increase in homelessness, mostly driven by lack of affordable housing, natural disasters, and the end of pandemic assistance impacting individuals across our country.

04/02/2025

Following allegations brought forward by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, a statewide grand jury indicted 36-year-old Worcester resident Ardit Islamaj and his business Instant Transportation for allegedly laundering funds.

A Worcester-based non-emergency medical transportation company and its owner have been indicted for alleged patient abuse and participating in a MassHealth fraud scheme.

04/02/2025

During an address to the Charles River Chamber on Monday, he listed the high cost of housing as the "single biggest economic challenge" facing Massachusetts and encouraged more action to spur production.

The state will have to take "more muscular action" to facilitate construction of hundreds of thousands of new housing units in the next decade to meet demand, according to Congressman Jake Auchincloss.

04/02/2025

Unemployment in Greater Worcester rose again in February in congruence with the state’s overall upward trend.

https://www.wbjournal.com/article/greater-worcester-unemployment-rate-rises-above-milestone-for-first-time-since-2021

04/02/2025

The Concord Minute Men and descendants of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, 19th century writers who are considered "naturalists" and lived in the area where the airfield is now, joined the activists to deliver a petition from the National Trust for Historic Preservation with over 4,300 signatures.

https://www.wbjournal.com/article/activists-urge-healey-to-quash-hanscom-airfield-expansion

04/02/2025

In 2024, the venue saw 691,800 visitors, an average of about 1,895 per day. The number of events hosted by the venue has rebounded to about 90% of pre-pandemic levels, with the attendance exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 20%.

The study found the 14,000-seat arena and attached convention center has generated an average of $27.6 million in annual direct spending and $18.6 million in annual indirect and induced spending.

04/01/2025

Investing in career advancement opportunities is a powerful strategy that drives business success and boosts employee satisfaction.

By prioritizing professional growth, businesses create a culture of learning that benefits everyone.

04/01/2025

The world’s largest collection of pre-20th century, American ephemera sits prominently on Salisbury Street in Worcester. Founded in 1812 by Revolutionary War patriot and printer Isaiah Thomas, the American Antiquarian Society houses more than 4.5 million sources.

The world’s largest collection of pre-20th century, American ephemera sits prominently on Salisbury Street in Worcester.

04/01/2025

"It was enacted due to failings within the discovery system," Early said.

District attorneys are scrambling to adjust to updated criminal rules for turning over information, with the heightened workload adding more pressure to an already-strained workforce, Worcester County DA Joseph Early Jr. told lawmakers.