Fitchburg

Former Sen. Dean Tran of Fitchburg pleaded guilty to three state charges Monday in connection with stealing a firearm from an elderly constituent and misleading investigators about it, according to the attorney general's office.

A third-generation roofer based in Fitchburg, Cochran earned his MBA from Fitchburg State University and turned the family trade into a business with locations in Massachusetts, Florida, and Connecticut. He now hopes to pass the tradition on to his son, continuing the legacy into a fourth generation.

Employees at Bowditch & Dewey, the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District, and Quinsigamond Community College are moving forward as professionals.

The family scuffle is reminiscent of a situation in 2014.

Nine Central Massachusetts nonprofits have received a total of nearly $1 million in grant funding for their efforts to provide small businesses with technical assistance training and access to financing.

Central Massachusetts saw an increase in the number of single-family homes sold in April, as sales prices continue to climb unabated. 

Story by Fitchburg Mayor Sam Squailia

The Power 100 edition is an annual report on how power is shared and expended in Central Massachusetts each year, as told through the 100 people who are most effectively wielding their influence, with a special focus on those creating change and bringing new ideas to the forefront.

A new housing program will afford students at Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner the ability to live on Fitchburg State University’s campus as the two institutions have entered into a residential collegiate housing agreement. 

Employees at Discovery Museum, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Digital Federal Credit Union are advancing in their careers.