North County

When consumers look at beer and soda bottles on store shelves, they see several brands competing for the same dollars, but to Central Massachusetts firms like Polar Beverages and Wachusett Brewing Co., all those bottles and cans mean money.

HEIDI M. LANDERS and REBECCA LYNCH were hired by Worcester social service agency The Bridge of Central Massachusetts. Landers is director of nursing. A resident of Barre, she is a graduate of Worcester State University, with a bachelor's degree in nursing and earned a master's degree in healthcare administration from Salem State University. Lynch was named director of development and marketing. Before joining The Bridge, she worked for Natick Visiting Nurse Association and The Price Center in Newton. Lynch has a bachelor's degree from Occidental College in Los Angeles, Calif., and a master's degree from Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, Calif., both in English.

Mount Wachusett Community College on Friday announced the creation of an accelerated Saturday program for students to obtain business certificates.

The New England Environmental Alliance of Devens received $81,000 from the US Environmental Protection Agency for a 1.5 year education project, the agency announced Wednesday.

Attorney General Maura Healey released a study on Wednesday that calls into doubt the need for a natural gas pipeline into the area, saying that cleaner alternatives can tackle the region's energy needs through 2030.

The Reliant Medical Group Foundation has distributed $50,000 in grants to 18 nonprofits across Central Massachusetts in its latest round of giving, the foundation announced Wednesday.

Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner has been awarded a $2.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to spearhead a project designed to increase the number of minorities and disadvantaged students pursuing careers in healthcare.

The Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts distributed $487,566 to local organizations in its most recent quarter, according to the foundation.

The Twin Cities Community Development Corporation has changed its name to NewVue Communities as it expands its mission to serve an additional 20 communities and cover the entire region.

Precision Optics of Gardner is looking to the long term with revenue up slightly in the first quarter of the year but expected to grow as interest in the company's contract work expands.