Greater Worcester

Two of the four developers vying for the state's single slots license passed initial background checks and received approval from the Gaming Commission Thursday to continue with the licensing process.

Worcester-based BlueHive, a branding firm specializing in exhibit and interior design, has announced the opening of two regional sales offices in Portsmouth, N.H., and New York City and added new management and sales staff to support expansion.

Saying that it has heard business' concerns regarding the complexity of reporting requirements and the amount of time to implement changes, the Obama administration said it's delaying a key part of the Affordable Care Act for another year.

Popular Mexican restaurant Mezcal Tequila Cantina has outgrown its Shrewsbury Street location and is moving closer to downtown Worcester, according to City Manager Michael O'Brien.

Worcester-based Spectrum Health Systems, which provides substance abuse and mental health treatment, is expanding its footprint with 14 units of affordable, drug-free housing.

Nurses at UMass Memorial Medical Center's University campus voted to ratify their three-year contract with hospital management on Friday, the nurses' union said, officially ending lengthy contract negotiations mired by a dispute over staffing levels.

The federal government is giving Worcester Regional Airport nearly $500,000 to help pay for the removal of trees and other vegetation from the ends of the facility's runway, according to the Massachusetts Port Authority, or MassPort.

JetBlue Airways said it has received approval from federal regulators to give custom-equipped iPads to all of its pilots to use in the cockpit.

Worcester-based World Energy Solutions said it helped Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H., procure more than 10 million kilowatt hours of electricity, for which the college secured renewable energy credits to cover the entire purchase.

Worcester County was among the majority of areas in the state that saw their unemployment rate tick up slightly in May, rising to 7.5 percent, up 0.5 of a percentage point from April, according to the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.