Every Friday, GoLocal Worcester will examine who is rising and who is falling in Worcester and Central Massachusetts’ politics, education, business and sports.
SEE SLIDES BELOW: Who's Hot and Who's Not in Worcester?
This week's Who's Hot and Who's Not in Worcester? identifies two professional sports teams, business award winners, local schools doing making the city proud, the head of the school district, and an outspoken city councilor.
The one thing to remember is that this list could flip-flop by next week. It's in Worcester's hands.
Related Slideshow: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not—December 18, 2015
Maybe the hottest guy around is retiring Chief Gerard Dio. “The City of Worcester will be ever grateful for the 35 years of service that Fire Chief Gerard Dio has dedicated to the citizens of Worcester,” says the city. Watch the Video Tribute.
As GoLocal reported in October, representatives from C-Span announced stories that would be featured in nationally televised segments that will air during their Worcester weekend special from December 19th to the 20th.
The selection process for the stories began in August with organizers from Charter, the Worcester Historical Museum, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, as well as the City of Worcester selecting stories that reflect Worcester's contributions to history.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker is proposing to allow doctors to commit patients with substance abuse issues for up to 72 hours without a court order. However, a lack of mental health beds and services is what is hurting hospitals.
“The state and our private-sector facilities need to open more beds for those suffering with mental health conditions and addiction. The MNA has filed legislation that will establish a pilot program that will reopen beds at Taunton State Hospital for the care of patients with mental illness outside of hospital emergency departments. We also need to pass the Patient Safety Act, legislation that will require safer staffing in hospitals, including our EDs, which are severely understaffed, causing long delays in care for all types of patients," said Massachusetts Nurses Association President Donna Kelly-Williams.
It is rare that Worcester Police Department gets much love. That is not a reflection on the men and women in uniform, but all the negative press tied to the crime rate under the leadership of Chief Gary Gemme.
The good news was that a recent report found that Worcester Police Department finished 18th in the country for best Return on Investment for police Departments. Don’t get too excited about this data point as Springfield, MA finished far ahead of Worcester.
Elizabeth Warren, the senior U.S. Senator made the Washington Post's Pinocchio Award for 2015 for her impassioned plea for legislation that was based on faulty data.
Here is what the Washington Post wrote as to why Warren deserved the never wanted award:
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), pushing for new regulations of loans made by car dealers, cited a figure based on a misleading and dated report from the Center for Responsible Lending, an advocacy group. But then she also wildly mischaracterized the number, as even the advocacy group conceded that the figure includes reasonable compensation owed to car dealers.
The former Massachusetts Senator - John Kerry also was bestowed a Pinocchio Award by the Washington Post.
Secretary of State John F. Kerry for years has said he organized the first Senate hearings on climate change with then-Sens. Al Gore and Tim Wirth. But that was false. Kerry was not at the pivotal 1988 hearing in the Senate — and neither was Gore, who organized the first hearing in the House in 1981. On top of that, Kerry described witnessing events that did not happen.
The Foreclosure problem continues to haunt central Mass and especially Worcester. The economic plaque of 2008 and 2009 is better, but is now rising again. While the banks seem to be better behaved according to housing advocate Grace Ross, the issue is still a drag on the local economy and crippling to many in the area.
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