Government & Politics

Story by Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson

In February, WBJ asked the 400+ people who have ever been on a WBJ power list (Power 100, Power 50, Power Players) to vote for the professionals they believed are the most influential in the region. Nearly 600 votes were cast

The Power 100 edition is an annual report on how power is shared and expended in Central Massachusetts each year, as told through the 100 people who are most effectively wielding their influence, with a special focus on those creating change and bringing new ideas to the forefront.

The Division of Insurance flexed its new authority under a 2025 law giving officials heightened scrutiny over health insurance costs.

"If a janitor were to come outside and throw a bucket of water with no snow prep present — if it froze and someone slipped, we're going to be held responsible for the issue," McDuff said.

Redevelopment of the 2,000-seat, 165,000-square foot venue is being led by the Boston-based Architectural Heritage Foundation.

Reimbursements to child care providers who serve low-income families may be delayed in June, as funding remains tied up in a supplemental budget stalled in the Legislature, a top state official said Wednesday.

Gov. Maura Healey moved Wednesday to pause most hiring in state government's executive branch in the face of what her office described as "widespread economic uncertainty at the national level and a tightening budget outlook" for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

The School of Business at Clark University in Worcester, in partnership with Worcester Business Journal, has launched a training academy to help emerging women leaders develop new skills and advance their careers.

Energy bills soared for many Bay Staters this winter, exacerbating chronic cost-of-living pressures for Massachusetts residents and businesses that already pay some of the highest energy prices in the country.