Central Mass. South

Three Central Massachusetts manufacturing firms were among 11 companies to split $2.2 million in grants from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Program, administered by the Center for Advanced Manufacturing at MassTech Collaborative.

Nichols College in Dudley is investigating President Glenn Sulmasy’s involvement in an incident regarding the handling of a rape allegation now being investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The College of the Holy Cross and all three of the Central Massachusetts state universities gained in the U.S. News and World Report rankings released Monday, while Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Clark University fell.

General contracting firm Fontaine Bros. broke ground on Sept. 8 on a $112-million addition and renovation to David Prouty High School in Spencer.

New Jersey-based Goya Foods has opened a new 130,000-square-foot facility at its regional operations campus in Webster.

KARL STORZ Endoscopy-America, a medical technology manufacturer based in California, signed a new lease expanding from 140,000 square feet of space to 225,629 square feet at its 28 Millbury St. facility in Auburn.

Indian Ranch is known for hosting best-selling country acts and tribute bands, although the venue’s repertoire has since expanded.

A number of local companies have announced new hires and promotions, including bankHometown in Oxford, SALMON Health and Retirement in Milford, NAI Glickman Kovago & Jacobs in Worcester, and Rollstone Bank & Trust in Fitchburg

Less than a year after purchasing a seven-unit apartment building on Worcester’s Grafton Hill, an Auburn investor turned the building around for a nearly 20% profit.

North Brookfield Savings Bank tapped its former chief financial officer, Kaz Borawski, as its new president and CEO following a brief stint as interim president and CEO. Borawski’s first day in the non-interim role was Tuesday.