Greendale’s prepares for final encore
Greendale’s Pub closes its doors for good July 1 as longtime owner Kenny Nicolas retires after 38 years at the Worcester venue, including 27 years as owner. The pub became a fixture of the city’s live music scene by giving new and established musicians a place to play, with Nicolas known for telling performers, “You’re hired!” The closing has drawn tributes from musicians, customers and other venue owners who described Greendale’s as a welcoming home for local music.
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Worcester names first Legacy Business class
Worcester selected 24 longtime businesses for its inaugural Legacy Business Awards, recognizing establishments that have helped shape the city’s neighborhoods, economy and identity. The first class includes diners, restaurants, retailers, repair shops and service businesses, many of them family-owned and operating for generations. The city received 309 nominations representing 62 eligible businesses, with honorees to be recognized at an awards ceremony later this summer.
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Fast EV chargers planned for Worcester Big Y
A Big Y supermarket at 100 Mayfield St. in Worcester is among six Massachusetts sites selected for new rapid electric vehicle charging hubs. The Ride Clean Mass Charging Hubs program is aimed at helping Uber, Lyft, taxi and livery drivers transition to electric vehicles by expanding access to convenient charging. The stations will also be open to the public and are expected to be operating by late summer or early fall.
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Wonder heads to former Boston Market site
Wonder, a fast-growing food hall concept, plans to open in August at 14 Park Ave., the former home of Boston Market. The Worcester License Commission unanimously approved a common victualer license for the business, which offers dishes from multiple restaurant brands through one ordering platform. The Worcester location will be the company’s first in Worcester County and will focus mainly on takeout and delivery, with a small dining area.
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NCAA hopes run into hotel limits
Worcester officials are looking at ways to attract more NCAA tournaments, including future basketball events, but hotel capacity remains a major obstacle. A city report said NCAA hockey regionals at the DCU Center generated about $2.5 million in direct and indirect spending and supported more than 400 jobs. Current NCAA basketball bid requirements call for more nearby hotel inventory than Worcester currently has, especially with two Gateway Park hotels slated for eventual conversion to student housing.
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Tyler Murray calls Knicks history
Former WooSox broadcaster Tyler Murray called the New York Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years less than two years after leaving Polar Park for Madison Square Garden. Murray said his years in Worcester helped prepare him for the pressure of calling major moments, including the Knicks’ title-clinching game. The championship call marked a career-defining moment for a broadcaster whose path to the NBA ran through the WooSox booth.
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Weekend picks bring Greek food and Juneteenth celebrations
This week’s five things to do included the St. Spyridon Greek Festival, Taste of Shrewsbury Street and Worcester’s Juneteenth events. The lineup also featured the Ed Melikian Ensemble at WCUW and a Father’s Day car show at Off The Rails. The weekend offered a full plate of food, music, history and summer traditions around the city.
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Greek Festival marks milestone year
The St. Spyridon Greek Festival returned this weekend while marking 50 years since the first festival and its 25th edition overall. The celebration brings Greek food, music, dancing, cathedral tours, vendors and wine tasting to Russell Street, with hundreds of volunteers helping run one of Worcester’s signature cultural events. Proceeds support the cathedral’s maintenance, food pantry, feeding ministry and other community work.
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Juneteenth weekend centers remembrance and celebration
Worcester’s Juneteenth weekend includes a flag-raising ceremony at YWCA Central Massachusetts and the 29th Annual Black Heritage Juneteenth Festival at Institute Park. The festival is scheduled for Saturday, June 20, with live entertainment, food, vendors, community organizations and family activities. Organizers describe the weekend as both a celebration of Black culture and a reflection on emancipation, history and the ongoing pursuit of equality.
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Free commuter rail Fridays arrive for summer
The MBTA is offering free commuter rail service on Fridays through the end of August, including on the Framingham/Worcester Line. The promotion applies to regular commuter rail service in June, July and August, giving Worcester-area riders free trips to and from Boston each Friday. State officials said the discounts are meant to thank regular riders and encourage public transit during a busy summer of travel and major events.
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Council agenda set up major budget vote
Worcester city councilors entered the week facing a packed agenda led by the city’s first $1 billion budget, preservation protections for Pakachoag Spring and several citywide progress reports. The preview outlined issues tied to transportation, sustainability, economic development, public infrastructure and the city’s long-term financial priorities. The agenda also included proposed salary ordinance changes and a conservation restriction involving a historic Nipmuc site on the Worcester-Auburn line.
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Sturbridge shooting leaves hotel guest critically injured
A hotel guest remained in critical condition after being shot during an early-morning incident at the Sturbridge Plaza Hotel. Authorities said a woman searching for two people drove into the hotel, fired shots that struck a guest and later died from what investigators described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators do not believe the injured guest was one of the people the suspect had been seeking, and the case remains under investigation.
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Council approves first $1 billion budget
Worcester city councilors unanimously approved the city’s first $1 billion budget after debating road repairs, infrastructure funding and the council’s limited ability to reshape spending priorities. The $1.001 billion Fiscal Year 2027 budget represents a 4.7% increase over the current year’s $957 million plan. Councilors raised questions about whether additional borrowing could be directed to roadway improvements, while City Manager Eric Batista said debt service must be balanced against long-term financial capacity.
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Revolutionary manuscripts go digital
A major American Antiquarian Society project is making thousands of pages of Revolutionary War manuscripts available online as the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. The materials include letters, diaries, muster rolls and other documents that show how ordinary people in Worcester and surrounding towns experienced the Revolution. The digitization project is expected to be completed by the end of the summer and will open the collection to researchers and history enthusiasts worldwide.
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Batista points to stability and growth
City Manager Eric Batista used his third annual State of the City address to emphasize Worcester’s financial stability, infrastructure investments and future growth. Speaking a day after the City Council approved the city’s first $1 billion budget, Batista said Worcester is better positioned than many communities to navigate economic uncertainty. He highlighted investments in fire facilities, police headquarters repairs, school projects, housing initiatives and technology improvements.
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Domestic stabbing leaves one dead
One person died and two others were injured after a stabbing at a Worcester residence on Sunrise Avenue. Police said the incident was domestic in nature and that there was no danger to the public. The victim’s identity, information about a possible suspect and the conditions of the injured people had not been released as the investigation continued.
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Pakachoag Spring site gains permanent protection
Worcester city councilors unanimously approved a conservation restriction for Pakachoag Spring, a 0.55-acre parcel on the Worcester-Auburn line tied to the historic Nipmuc village of Pakachoag. The vote was the final municipal approval needed after Auburn selectmen approved the restriction last week. The land will remain owned by the Greater Worcester Land Trust, while the Quinsigamond Band of Nipmucs will hold the conservation restriction and help guide interpretation, management and public programming.
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Health care startups join Worcester accelerator
Auxilium and Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives selected four life science and health care startups for the first Auxilium-MBI Accelerator cohort. SilkMed, Predictive Healthcare, CPR Therapeutics and Microvitality will each receive a $250,000 investment as part of the $1 million program. The three-month accelerator includes mentorship, workshops, strategic planning and fundraising preparation intended to help the companies grow in Worcester.
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Railers protect roster while awaiting affiliate news
The Worcester Railers released their protected list as the team prepares for the 2026-27 season and a new NHL affiliation. The preliminary list includes 28 players, including Holy Cross alum Thomas Gale in goal and several forwards and defensemen who played for Worcester last season. The team is expected to announce its new NHL and AHL affiliates Saturday at the Fidelity Bank Ice Center, beginning a new chapter after the end of its Islanders partnership.
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