Greater Worcester

Public health regulators approved the merger of UMass Memorial Medical Center (UMMMC) and Marlborough Hospital on Wednesday, with the licensing overhaul deepening an existing affiliation that's expected to improve patient care and reduce operating costs.

While workers at UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester once again made up the largest percentage of the state’s highest-paid state employees in 2024, UMass men’s basketball Head Coach Frank Martin once again topped the list.

"For people living paycheck to paycheck, this policy turns poverty into a crime," Diana Williams, legislative policy counsel for the Committee for Public Counsel Services, said. "When someone loses their licenses due to unpaid debt, they face an impossible choice: stop driving and risk losing their job and ability to get around, or keep driving and risk arrest. A civil fine can quickly spiral into a criminal record."

The project will involve other site improvements, including the construction of outdoor patios, landscape improvements. A portion of Research Drive will be relocated to segregate pedestrian and truck traffic.

Joint Operations, a cannabis company with a location in Gardner, is seeking to take over the retail location in the Green Island neighborhood.

After months of negotiations, including those with an anonymous, unsolicited third party, Marlborough-based biotech firm Akoya Biosciences has officially been acquired by Quanterix.

Cities and towns would have the option to offer happy hour promotions for alcoholic beverages during specific time windows under proposals from Cyr and Rep. Samantha Montaño (S 217 / H 443). Happy hour has been banned in Massachusetts since 1984, as officials sought to alleviate drunk driving.

Nashville hot chicken is a spicy version of fried chicken often served over bread with pickles. First created in the 1930s, the style of chicken has exploded in popularity over the last decade.

Montaner helped The Hanover Theatre open in 2008 following the $32-million renovation, which brought the theater space back to life.

Business confidence in Massachusetts inched upward in June, yet remained in pessimistic territory for the fourth month in a row.