Central Mass. South

The owner and operator of Sturbridge BBQ restaurant B.T.’s Smokehouse have selected a location on Park Avenue in Worcester as their second location.

Marijuana producer and retailer Curaleaf, which has a location in Oxford, is set to open its third Massachusetts recreational cannabis store in the first half of March, in Ware.

Worcester Business Journal publishes a podcast every Monday called The Weekly Business Report, a forward-looking news segment designed to make Central Massachusetts business professional informed about what is going to happen in the local economy.

In this second episode of The Weekly Business Report, Sarah Connell Sanders joins the podcast to discuss her story "Disrespected" about sexual harassment in the Central Massachusetts workplace.

These stories from seven Central Mass. women professionals detail how sexual harassment has long-lasting and wide-ranging impact on people and company productivity.

One bill filed last year by Sen. Jason Lewis (D-Winchester), would require any public company headquartered in Mass. to have at least one female board member by the end of 2021.

A 2019 WBJ investigation into the gender breakdown of the leadership at 75 Central Massachusetts prominent business organizations found 35% were women, an increase from 33% in 2018. This year, the percentage went backward.

A tough year is in the books for Oxford laser manufacturer IPG Photonics as the company reported a fourth quarter loss.

Steven Duvarney, 52, of Lancaster has been re-elected as chairman and Brian Galonek of Sturbridge as vice chairman to bankHometown's board of directors.

Harrington HealthCare System has signed a letter of intent with UMass Memorial Health Care to join the hospital system, which is Central Massachusetts' largest employer.