Greater Worcester

While Massachusetts continues to struggle with the effects of the opioid epidemic, newly released data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health shows Worcester County experienced a 16% decrease in opioid-related overdose deaths between 2022 and 2023.

"My goodness. We have a situation where intoxicating hemp products are being produced, probably from hemp that isn't grown in Massachusetts, in labs that have no supervision, being put into packages that have no age requirements, and they're competing with our lawful cannabis retailers. This is a heck of a situation," Rep. Paul Schmid, co-chair of the Agriculture Committee, said.

A New York nonprofit has donated $2.2 million to UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester to help fund gene therapy research on a rare and fatal genetic disorder largely impacting children and young adults.

State officials unveiled a new public awareness campaign Monday to crack down on crisis pregnancy centers that officials say purport to offer legitimate reproductive health care but ultimately provide misleading information that can deter patients from going through with abortions.

The Town of Clinton has received $500,000 to facilitate the cleanup of a 8.4-acre site formerly housing the Rockbestos-Surprenant Cable Corp. facility.

Despite claims of a pause, work at the site appears to be ongoing.

The City of Worcester has launched a public survey seeking feedback from business owners, landlords, and residents on its municipal strategic plan draft.

A former Town of Grafton official is facing federal charges related to his cannabis company.

The average gasoline price in Greater Worcester was $3.44 per gallon on Monday morning, a 3-cent decrease from $3.47 a week ago. 

A nursing home operator with facilities in Worcester, Fitchburg, and Westborough has agreed to pay a $4-million settlement over claims of substandard patient care and understaffing, according to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.