Greater Worcester

A new report says jobs in the Massachusetts human services sector grew almost 48 percent between 2003 and 2011.

Who earns more money: a health care worker or a fast-food worker? It depends on where they work. Fast-food workers were famously victorious in Seattle when they got the city to adopt a $15-per-hour minimum wage, a gradual increase that begins this year. That was done under the union-backed “Fight for $15,” which launched in 2012. Since then, low-wage workers from other sectors have joined the cause, including healthcare workers, who in Massachusetts sometimes earn only the state's minimum wage of $9 per hour.

Rome Building Products of Worcester, a distributor of exterior building materials, has been acquired by ABC Supply Co. of Beloit, Wis.

Lincoln Medical or Worcester has purchased an office building at 101 Pleasant St. in Worcester, from Liberty Assembly of God, based in Shrewsbury.

A developer that has already made a mark in Worcester has agreed to buy Unum Group's former office building on Chestnut Street, and may convert it into space for college classrooms and student housing.

The city of Worcester has agreed to sell the former Worcester County Courthouse to a New Hampshire developer that specializes in historic properties for $1.2 million, according to a statement from City Manager Edward Augustus' office.

Record-breaking snowfalls throughout February stunted home sales in the region last month, with a drop of 13.5 percent from January's numbers throughout New England, according to ReMax of New England.

Brian Burke, a 76-year-old Warren resident, is well acquainted with the toll major surgery takes on the body.

Education reformer and former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Gabrieli has been tapped by Gov. Charlie Baker to chair the Board of Higher Education replacing Charles Desmond. Baker on Tuesday afternoon also announced that Sheila Harrity, superintendent of Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District and a former Principal at Worcester Technical High School, would take a seat on the board replacing Keith Peden.

Central Mass Landscapes has purchased 7 Clapp St. in Worcester from Peterson Oil Co.