Opinion

This edition marks the 17th time WBJ has named the Outstanding Women in Business, an important effort recognizing key leaders from the half of the population still struggling for equal footing, despite decades of progress.

The future of our economy depends on the strength, resilience, and readiness of the next generation.

One thing all stakeholders agree on: Massachusetts needs more spots for students who want to attend vocational-technical high schools, and employers in manufacturing, the trades, and health care need a more robust pipeline of qualified candidates.

In September, UMass Memorial Health in Worcester began construction on a satellite emergency department in Groton. The new facility is being created to help fill the gap in care left when Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer closed in August 2024, leaving the region without its sole hospital.  

Feedback Earth site in Grafton sold for $4 million as food recycling company known for odor issues exits state.

"The criminal justice from Europe are clear. With imagination, courage, and a willingness to lead, we can build justice systems that truly serve public safety, reduce costs, and uplift entire communities," two Worcester nonprofit leaders write.

Downton Clinton's historic Strand Theatre, built in 1923, will once again open to the public as the dormant site has been leased by an operating group that runs The Strand Dover in New Hampshire

The President Donald Trump Administration’s fiscal 2026 budget signals potential devastating cuts that would undermine several key economic investments in social services, including to the Heat and Energy Assistance Program.

With five lawsuits against him, Charles “Chip” Norton has filed for bankruptcy. The owner of prominent Worcester properties including the Mercantile Center disclosed $1.69 million in debt in filings with U.S. Bankruptcy Court, but creditors say he has nearly $70 million in debt stemming from personal guarantees he made.

The high cost of land, energy, and other inputs make farming in Massachusetts much more expensive than in other states. So much so, in fact, that it costs more for farmers to produce crops in Massachusetts than they earn selling them.