Highlights in The 016 Thursday, December 23rd

• Posted by 016 Administrator December 23, 2021 - Filed in News - 2,438 views

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  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 

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