North County

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has determined UMass Memorial Health’s maternity ward in Leominster is an essential service for the people of North Worcester County, complicating the health system’s plans to close the center.

The Producto Group, parent of Shirley manufacturer ThermoFab, named Jennifer Brochu as its new chief financial officer, after tapping a new CEO and chief operating officer earlier in 2023.

Blupoint Healthcare has opened a new intake center at its Whitinsville location. The Central Intake Center will streamline the admission process for potential patients seeking respite care, residential care, and rehabilitation services.

An affiliate of Royal Oak Realty Trust of Rochester, New York purchased a 72,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Gardner, home of Garlock Printing & Converting.

MedStar Ambulance, along with its parent company Critical Systems, reached a $2.6-million settlement with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office over allegations of false MassHealth submissions.

Toro Loco Taqueria has opened its doors at the DCU Center in Worcester at the location left vacant when specialty donut shop Glazy Susan closed in January.

The former Baldwinville Elementary School in Templeton will be the site of a 54-unit mixed-income apartment community, the first multifamily project permitted in the town in 25 years.

More than 30,000 children and young adults in Massachusetts are ineligible for comprehensive MassHealth coverage because of their immigration status, according to an advocacy group that backs legislation that would extend coverage to that population.

Milford construction contractor Consigli Building Group is the largest employee-owned company based in Central Massachusetts, according to a first-time list produced by the WBJ Research Department for the 2023 Book of Lists.

Local unemployment rates are up approximately half a percentage point across Central Massachusetts labor markets.