Highlights in The 016 Thursday, December 23rd

• Posted by 016 Administrator December 23, 2021 - Filed in News - 2,197 views

  Start your day with the latest and most complete Worcester news! Click here to join The016.com today! Registration is free and easy

  Here's what's happening in and around Worcester today:

  Coronavirus (COVID-19)

  +6:00: Central Mass. hospital beds fill with COVID patients

  -TODAY! An extra day of testing in Worcester before Christmas

  -Positive tests continue to increase in Worcester schools

  -Worcester Public Schools prepare for winter break

  -Omicron less likely to put you in the hospital, studies say

  -Hospital presidents issue an urgent plea to the public

  -Radio Worcester's Worcester Wednesday with Mayor Petty (14:56): COVID, Christmas, coming together and school safety

  -ICYMI: U.S. Army creates single vaccine effective against all COVID & SARS variants, researchers say

  -Mass. officials report nearly 8,000 new cases, 33 additional deaths as positivity rate climbs to 7 percent

  -FDA authorizes Pfizer pill to treat COVID as Omicron spreads

  -Airline passengers more likely to get COVID because of Omicron

  -Cruise ship sees 55 passengers test positive

  -NHL announces players won’t be allowed to go to Olympics

  -China orders lockdown of up to 13 million people in Xi’an

  -Etiquette expert offers tips for tricky holiday change of plan conversations 

  In The News

  -Latest weather: Wind chills in the teens today in Worcester, 1 to 2 inches of snow possible overnight

  +6:00: Worcester police turn to public for help in search for missing 14-year-old

  +6:00: Gourmet donut shop to open new location in Downtown Worcester

  +6:00: Worcester Planning Board OKs site plan for redevelopment of former Boys Club at Lincoln Square

  +6:00: Ray Mariano: My Christmas gift list for Worcester leaders

  +6:00: Radio Worcester (11:12): Worcester NAACP President Fred Taylor talks School Committee district representation

  +6:00: Adoption Option: WARL gives thanks for support

  +1:00: The Mayor’s Live Music List for Thursday

  +1:00: 5 Things You Need to Know Today in Worcester - December 23rd

  +1:00: Worcesteria: A wish for the New Year – We all deserve to be seen

  +1:00: West Brookfield driver arrested after police find gun from 1800s

  +1:00: These are the most streamed Christmas songs on Spotify by state

  +1:00: More tinsel, less tension: How to weed out the stress of the holiday season

  -Body of missing man with dementia found in Lake Quinsigamond (:21). Article

  -11 people hospitalized, including 8 UMass Memorial employees, after crash involving parking-garage shuttle. Video (:51)

  -Related: Photos of the scene. Video from the scene (:11) 

  -Food: Worcester bakery sold to sisters, employees

  -Phantom Gourmet visits Central Mass. restaurant (5:15)

  -Atlantis Raw Bar could open by New Year's Eve in Worcester

  -Cooking is more than a job for chef at Samuel Slater’s

  -"More questions than answers": Actress's parents found dead in Worcester home (1:51)

  -Related: Actress Alicia Witt's Worcester parents were sick and remained very private, neighbor says

  -Girl, 11, hit by driver along Pleasant Street in Worcester

  -Tuesday: Pedestrian struck, seriously injured on Mill Street in Worcester

  -Worcester UFO sighting from 1976 recalled by residents 45 years later

  -Holiday travel expected to be heavy Thursday on roads, at airports

  -Worcester parents concerned over alleged gun incident at Doherty High

  -Pair arraigned for manslaughter in Superior Court after fatal crash

  -Worcester’s Women to Watch in 2022

  -NEW Wachusett Wine & Spirits podcast (30:19): Whiskey Wednesday Christmas

  -A musical holiday treat from Mauro and Peter DePasquale (1:58)

  -Listen Up: Favorite New England music videos of 2021

  -Health: UMass Medical School professor leads research on potential Type 1 diabetes treatment (2:14)

  -Tribute to Father George Ridick, Worcester native, All-American basketball player at Assumption and priest for 45 years

  -ICYMI: First look at plans for 80 apartments at former Boys Club at Lincoln Square

  -Judge who ruled City of Worcester broke the law again considers forcing city to pay damages

  -Reminder: Worcester trash and recycling to be on normal schedule the next 2 weeks

  -See the rest of the day's Worcester news

  -The Burbs (brought to you by North End Motor Sales): Shrewsbury resident writes children’s book with daughters

  -Need help disposing of your Christmas tree? Troop 107 in Grafton can help

  -Leominster library brings back its food for fines program to help those in need

  -Sports: Holy Cross 'Sader Stories (22:35): Football National Signing Day recap

  -Patriots may get key players back against Bills

  -Enter to win a Patriots hoodie, courtesy of North End Motor Sales

  -Brown scores 34 points as Celtics beat Cavaliers, 111-101

  -Cars: Happy Holidays from Bertera Nissan (2:04)

  -Take a look at new 2022 Four Winds RV now in at Fuller RV in Boylston

  -Business: WBJ's Economic Forecast: Health care's overwhelming problems

  -U.S. economy grew at 2.3% rate in Q3, up from earlier estimate 

  -Colleges: Pandemic-induced supply chain woes could lead to opportunity this holiday season, says Holy Cross prof

  -National: 2021 on track to surpass last year as nation's deadliest

  -Plane crashes on top of occupied home in California 

  -New England: Husband of Massachusetts' first woman governor dies at 67

  -Foundation pays off mortgage for fallen trooper's family

  -Tragic: Madagascar boat accident kills at least 83 people 

  -Shopping/Deals: Here’s how much the gifts from "12 Days of Christmas" would cost today 

  -Homes: Rents for single-family homes are rising 3 times as fast as they were a year ago 

  -TV/Streaming: Netflix’s non-English shows paid off big in 2021 

  -Celebrity: ZZ Top sells music catalog for $50 million to BMG, investment firm 

  -Animals: 150-pound Great Dane falls in love with tiny kitten (3:37) 

  -Good news (brought to you by Bertera Nissan): Mom does good deeds to honor son who died at 1 month (2:34) 

  -Meanwhile, in North Carolina, deer breaks into county courthouse 

  Latest obituaries |  | Wednesday highlights | | Today's horoscope | | Local Sports