Three major Worcester developments clear Planning Board
The Worcester Planning Board unanimously approved definitive site plans for a Grove Street shopping plaza, the first announced tenant at GreenTech Park and a 50-unit apartment building on Providence Street. The Grove Street project includes CAVA, First Watch and a five-tenant retail building, while Restaurant Depot plans a 50,000-square-foot warehouse at GreenTech Park. The Providence Street development will replace a former Worcester Academy office building with 50 apartments, including five affordable units.
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EcoTarium honors international conservation leader
The EcoTarium presented its highest conservation honor to Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, an assistant secretary-general of the United Nations and deputy executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme. Mrema received the 2026 Edward Howe Forbush Naturalist Award during the museum’s annual meeting and accepted virtually from Nairobi, Kenya. Her work has included helping negotiate international agreements aimed at protecting biodiversity and restoring ecosystems.
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Weekend brings fire, funk and Zeppelin
Hot Night in the City returns to the Worcester Center for Crafts with live demonstrations in clay, metals and glass, more than 50 artisan vendors, music and food. Other weekend picks include a lakeside funk concert, a museum sleepover, Led Zeppelin classics and an improvisation festival. The events stretch from Friday through the weekend at venues around Worcester and Central Massachusetts.
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QCC professor documents the realities of re-entry
Quinsigamond Community College criminal justice professor Kristy Glover produced, filmed and edited “Voices of Justice,” a documentary focused on life after incarceration. The film follows three men with firsthand experience navigating re-entry and the obstacles people face while rebuilding their lives. It also examines the roles played by families, community organizations, probation officers and educational opportunities.
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YWCA mural honors 40 Worcester women
Artists began painting the Worcester Wall of Women on the exterior of the YWCA Central Massachusetts along Francis McGrath Boulevard. The large-scale installation features hand-painted portraits and biographical information about 40 women who have shaped Worcester’s history and community. The public art project is designed to recognize contributions that have often received limited attention in traditional accounts of the city’s past.
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WCAC adds new voice for advocacy and partnerships
The Worcester Community Action Council hired Giselle Rivera-Flores as its first chief external affairs officer. Rivera-Flores will lead the anti-poverty organization’s communications, legislative advocacy, community engagement and regional partnerships. The newly created position is intended to give WCAC a stronger role in policy discussions involving poverty and economic mobility across Central Massachusetts.
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Allen assesses first year leading Worcester schools
Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Brian Allen presented his inaugural self-evaluation to the School Committee on July 16. Allen reviewed goals involving communication, student academic benchmarks and three district improvement plans, describing the targets as aggressive but reporting mostly positive results. School Committee members submit their own evaluations before a combined assessment is presented publicly in August.
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WPI administrator heads to India on Fulbright
Kathleen Head, director of Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Global Experience Office, received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for the 2026-27 academic year. Head will participate in a two-week program in India focused on the country’s higher education system and opportunities for international partnerships. The seminar includes meetings with representatives from universities, government agencies and the private sector.
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West Nile detection prompts targeted spraying
Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus were found at a Worcester trap site, prompting targeted pesticide spraying in the surrounding area. No human cases had been confirmed in the city, and officials said Worcester’s public health risk remained classified as low. Residents were advised to use insect repellent, limit exposure around dawn and dusk and remove standing water from their properties.
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Two life sentences imposed in brothers’ killings
Christopher Burns, 42, was sentenced to two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole for the 2021 murders of Marcus Thibodeau and James Johnson. The brothers were fatally shot outside the former Diamond Inn on Grafton Street in Worcester. A Worcester Superior Court jury convicted Burns on June 9 of two counts of first-degree murder.
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Board adopts revised tobacco regulations
The Worcester Board of Health voted July 13 to approve updates to the city’s tobacco regulations following a public hearing. Officials said the revisions are intended to address youth tobacco and nicotine use while establishing clearer, more consistent requirements for retailers. The discussion included flavored products, permitting, enforcement and the practical effect of the rules on Worcester businesses.
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Graduates take paths from Harvard to skilled trades
Nearly 2,000 members of the Worcester Public Schools Class of 2026 are heading to universities, community colleges, military service, apprenticeships, skilled trades and the workforce. District data showed graduates pursuing a wide range of academic and career options rather than following a single route after high school. Their destinations include prominent universities as well as local colleges, training programs and direct entry into employment.
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WooSox manager visits a hidden piece of baseball history
WooSox manager Iggy Suarez visited the Sever Street site where Lee Richmond threw Major League Baseball’s first perfect game in 1880. A monument marks the former location of the Worcester Agricultural Fairgrounds, where Richmond made history while pitching for the Worcester Worcesters. The visit introduced Suarez to a landmark achievement that remains unfamiliar to many baseball fans despite its Worcester roots.
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Mirick employees fan out for regional nonprofits
Ninety-three percent (yup, nearly all!) of employees at Worcester-based law firm Mirick participated in the firm’s 2026 community service initiative. Workers took part in 17 volunteer projects, collection drives and fundraising efforts benefiting 10 nonprofit organizations across Central Massachusetts and Greater Boston. The projects supported causes including food security, housing, education, youth programs, veterans’ services and public health.
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Burkett teams claim two state championships
The Jesse Burkett Little League U10 and U12 softball all-star teams both won state championships at Vernon Hill Park. The U10 team defeated Canton 11-4 before the U12 squad beat Peabody by the same score. Both teams advanced to regional competition, with the U10 team headed to New York and the U12 team moving on to Connecticut.
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Free workouts continue in Worcester parks
Worcester’s Fitness in the Parks program continues through Aug. 29 with free classes scheduled six days a week. Offerings include yoga, Zumba, high-intensity interval training and basketball skills at parks across the city. The program is presented by the city’s Department of Health and Human Services with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the YMCA of Central Massachusetts and YWCA Central Massachusetts.
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Rare triple play makes Polar Park history
The Worcester Red Sox turned the first triple play in Polar Park history during an 8-7 win over the Rochester Red Wings. Nick Sogard caught a line drive before Tyler McDonough and Mickey Gasper completed the three-out play around the infield. It was only the second triple play in WooSox history, and Sogard participated in both.
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Have a story tip, community concern, or insight to share? Email Editor Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org.
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