Oxford

The planned expansion of IPG Photonics' Oxford headquarters was reduced before voters approved a 15-year tax agreement at a town meeting Wednesday.

The Cannabis Control Commission on Thursday is expected to take up license applications from a Franklin-based grower, but no licenses for a testing facility will be heard.

Oxford-based IPG Photonics is seeking a 15-year tax agreement with town voters Wednesday to help facilitate the firm's $215-million expansion.

The impacts of tariffs have been swift and immediate for Central Massachusetts manufacturers, who are seeing raw material costs spike while they remain locked in deals for goods.

Gas turbine component manufacturer Technetics will lay off 97 workers by the end of August when it closes its Oxford facility.

Gapontsev founded IPG Photonics in 1990 and has since created more than 1,500 jobs in Worcester County, and hundreds more could be on the way, as the company is eyeing expansion projects at its Oxford headquarters and Marlborough location.

Worcester is soliciting applications from prospective recreational marijuana shop operators for what it says would be a uniform approach for reviewing applications.

The Headyco LLC has applied to the Cannabis Control Commission to cultivate marijuana in Worcester, becoming the city's first recreational pot applicant to submit all required information.

Three Central Massachusetts companies have reported CEO pay at least 100 times that of respective companies' median employees.

Twenty-one Central Mass. workers and their organizations reported to the WBJ that they have landed new jobs this month.