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Here's what's happening in and around Worcester today:
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
-UMass Medical School hosting at-home test study
-Governor Baker says staffing primary barrier to greater testing
-U.S. children hospitalized with COVID in near-record numbers
-As U.S. hits record high case numbers, expert says Omicron surge is "unlike anything we've ever seen"
-Omicron accounts for 59% of new U.S. cases
-Grafton Public Library suspends programming because of COVID jump
-ICYMI: Amid surge, Downtown Worcester restaurant closes until January 5th
-UMass Memorial CEO: Peak of hospitalizations coming by second week of January
-Mass. officials report more than 21,000 new cases as positivity rate jumps to 16 percent
-Less than half of vaccinated Mass. residents have received a booster
-Massachusetts preparing to distribute rapid tests, masks to teachers
-Of 41,000 state workers, nearly 1,000 left over vaccine mandate
-FDA authorizes new at-home tests as demand surges nationwide
-FDA expected to authorize boosters for kids 12-15
-J&J booster 85% effective against hospitalizations
In The News
-Latest weather: Dense fog in the morning, mild, temperatures in the 40s today in Worcester
+4:00: Bill Shaner: Shady groups sink their claws into Saint Vincent as strike nears close
+4:00: 5 Great Ways to Spend New Year's Eve in Worcester
+4:00: Comedy icon, "Golden Girls" actress Betty White dies at 99
+4:00: Ring in the New Year with Netflix's New Year's Countdown 2022
+4:00: Four Year Strong return home for the holidays with powerful Palladium set
+4:00: 21 best, funniest memes of 2021
-The most read stories of 2021 on The 016
-Lexus engulfed in flames in Worcester parking garage left car toasted, garage scorched
-After more than 40 years, Worcester man reunited with his biological family
-Saint Vincent Hospital strike likely cost over $40 million
-Boulevard Diner resumes night shift on weekends
-The most expensive property sold in Worcester in 2021
-WRTA shifts New Year's Eve schedule because of a lack of bus drivers
-New Year’s weekend events at Worcester Common Oval
-Ricky Duran performs exclusive set in Worcester
-Celebrate "Noon Year's Eve" at EcoTarium
-Chill out over school vacation with EcoTarium's Fire and Ice week
-New Year's Eve plans? Check Dining Out and Bars & Bands
-The Mayor’s Live Music List for New Year's Eve
-NEW! Wachusett Wine & Spirits' Whiskey Wednesday (36:03): Tequila Single Barrel Pick
-Champagne shortage could make some labels hard to find for New Year's
-Worcesteria: Saying goodbye to arts scene fixtures Kelly Momberger, Fernando Perez and others
-Rosalie Tirella: This holiday season, a pocket full of memories
-Ray Mariano: State and federal lawmakers should live by the laws they pass
-Worcester Police Department to receive $250,000 from state for body-worn cameras
-Artist Spotlight: Kristi Xhelili
-Burncoat High graduate Adael Mejia Worcester's next youth poet laureate
-Tribute to the owner of multi-generational family business in Worcester
-ICYMI: 2 Housing Authority employees honored for saving a life
-Remembering First Night Worcester on what would have been its 40th year
-Reminder: No delay in trash and recycling pickup this week in Worcester
-See the rest of the day's Worcester news
-The Burbs (brought to you by North End Motor Sales): Bomba family sells Harrington Farm in Princeton for $6.4 million
-Rathi resigns from Grafton School Committee
-Holden to host Christmas Tree chipping program on January 8th and 15th
-Amazon buys 93-acre Westborough business park
-Petersham Police Chief retires after 3 decades of service
-Sports: Patriot Brandon Bolden reveals 2018 cancer diagnosis
-Enter to win a Patriots hoodie, courtesy of North End Motor Sales
-Bryant’s Lewis Barnum returning to Bravehearts
-Pirates add Custer to coaching staff
-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: JetBlue canceling more than 1,000 flights through mid-January
-U.S. unemployment claims drop to 198,000
-Colleges: Clark graduate student looks to transform WRTA
-National: Colorado wildfires burn hundreds of homes, force evacuations
-New England: Mass. minimum wage rising to $14.25 per hour on Saturday
-Tragic: Father mistakes daughter for intruder, fatally shoots her
-Shopping/Deals: Save big during the Walmart after-Christmas sales event
-Homes: 4 new properties for sale in Worcester
-Movies: 2021 was Worcester's busiest film-making year yet
-Celebrity: Palace didn't want Elton John to sing at Princess Diana's funeral
-Animals: Mama dog wags her tail at man saving her puppies (3:07)
-Good news (brought to you by Bertera Nissan): Teen honored for saving her co-worker's life at Walmart
-Meanwhile, in California, 2,000-pound cow charges cop who tried to herd it off highway
Latest obituaries | | Thursday's highlights | | Today's horoscope | | Local Sports
In The News
>WEATHER: Mark Rosenthal's 7-day forecast (:34). High of 86 today in Worcester
+6:00: Central Mass. drought status ends thanks to summer rain
-August 2026 was the hottest on record: N.O.A.A.
>TOP OF THE NEWS
+6:00: Pulse Magazine Weekend Guide (:22)
+6:00: Stephen DiRado’s Bell Pond photos are subject of N.Y.C. show, new book
+6:00: Worcester Arts Council opens grant application
+6:00: Gateway Players announce October dates for "The Outsider"
+Noon: A brief tour of Worcester's "Main Street USA"
+Noon: Worcester Pride returns downtown Saturday for one of city’s largest cultural celebrations
+Noon: Auburn Fire Department hoping its fire-damaged truck not beyond repair
+Noon: Things to Do: Armadi Tsayn, Infinite Alien, Chet Williamson and more
+Noon: Art in spirit: Clinton's Icon Museum and Study Center marks 20 years
+Noon: First Person: For Wayne-Daniel Berard, poetry requires a poet's work
-Renovated apartment building in Main South to welcome families in crisis
-Worcester faith leaders prepare for 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks
-Worcester events mark 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks
-Mount Washington 9/11 tribute to feature twin light beams visible from over 100 miles away
-Worcester market sells $50,000 lottery ticket
-Michael Jackson impersonator moonwalks, sings at City Council meeting (2:04)
-Worcester by gaslight: Gas lantern stroll a trek into history
-City View Discovery School awarded $2.73 million for heating system
-W.C.A.C. to offer eviction record sealing assistance
-WCCA-TV back on the air on cable channel 194
-Radio Worcester (21:36): Mayor Petty addresses racist mural incident, police oversight and A.L.P.R. policy
>DINING OUT: Big E Preview: All the new foods coming this fall (1:09)
-Table for Woo: Simple Man Saloon and Grill
-ICYMI: "Every day is 9/11": Loss endures after 25 years for 3 local families
-Tractor-trailer fully engulfed in flames on I-84 in Sturbridge
-Miss Massachusetts returns to police work after Miss America pageant
-Artists painting Worcester mural targeted by racial slurs
-Earlier: Worcester NAACP condemns racist, sexist harassment directed at Wall of Women Artists
-See the rest of the day's Worcester news
>HOLDEN: Holden police introduce newest officer
-This week's road closures and traffic delays
>THE BURBS (brought to you by North End Motor Sales): Webster man pleads guilty to illegally dealing 3D-printed guns
-Southbridge’s Wellsworth Hotel to be auctioned, as part of Norton bankruptcy
-Spencer selectmen appoint interim treasurer/collector
-Tackle the Stigma 5K at Shepherd Hill to support mental health awareness
-Meet Leo Waible, the 2026 Applefest Grand Marshal
>BARS & BANDS: The Mayor's Live Music List for Thursday
-Jazzed Up Trio at Uxlocale Friday and Val's on Saturday
>SHOWTIME: Jane & the Archivists pen "love letter to Worcester" on new album
-"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" actor Lauren Adams visits Clark for improv workshop, film screening
-Taylor Swift back at top of country radio chart for first time in 13 years
-Harmonica maestro Chet Williamson to play in FrontRoom at WCUW
>OPINION: Tom Marino: The police reform plan Worcester government refuses to produce
-Last Call: Aileen Lovejoy, substance use awareness advocate
-WCCA-TV's Activate Worcester No. 343 (27:52): Jay Givan and Fred Nathan, 250th anniversary of America
-Radio Worcester's The Rundown (26:02): Why words matter—and what makes local news truly local
-Radio Worcester Roundtable (48:31): Racism in Worcester, examining primary results
>OBITUARIES: Tribute to former senior aide at Friendly House
>SPORTS: Drake Maye's interceptions cost Patriots in crushing season-opening loss
-A.J. Brown exits first game with Patriots in injury concern
-NFL Week 1 schedule, TV and announcers
-"It’s about finding a way to get better": Holy Cross aims to fix red zone woes
-Red Sox lose to Angels, 6-4
-WooSox beat Lehigh Valley, 8-3
>NATIONAL: Flock cameras are surveilling hundreds of public school campuses across the country
-New Apple C.E.O. unveils latest iPhone lineup, including a foldable model called Duo
-Tragic: Dad dies after suffering spinal injury on cruise while celebrating son’s wedding
>NEW ENGLAND: "Harsh" Lindsay Clancy prosecution backfired, instead proving she was good mom who "snapped": jurors
-Lindsay Clancy juror defends lone holdout, makes surprising admission about others on the panel
-Mass. D.O.T. scrapped overtime tracking tool years before suspected fraud (2:47)
>COLLEGES: WPI Podcast, Episode 43 (31:43): Journey to industrial engineering in themed entertainment
>TRAVEL (brought to you by Fuller RV & Rental): National Geographic names "most iconic New England town" (:20)
-How flight attendant uniforms have changed over the years
>BUSINESS: Worcester County spared the worst of state's employment drop
-LPL Financial Research: Signs point to a normalization, not a crisis
-North Worcester Business Association kicks off season September 16th
-What Canada's retaliatory tariffs mean for American consumers
>HOMES: People are taking advantage of the Mass. Save brand (1:52)
>SHOPPING: Consumer Reports: September is a good time to shop for appliances and outdoor equipment (1:53). Article
>HEALTH: Flu and COVID vaccines rolling out, but 1 shot is delayed
>FOOD: Beef prices hit record highs: How families can save money (2:19)
>TV/STREAMING: Norah O'Donnell returns to "CBS Mornings" after evening news stint
>MOVIES: When Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock first made magic: Flashback
>CELEBRITY: Cardi B wears her most daring backless suit and more star snaps
-Pamela Anderson was given 10 years to live after hepatitis C diagnosis
>ANIMALS: Stray Boxer follows hikers down mountain, chooses her person (11:13)
>HISTORY: Remembering Spag Borgatti’s passing, 30 years later
>GOOD NEWS: Man uses money from returned cans to win $500,000 lottery
-Meanwhile, in Italy, airport authorities find crocodile head in man’s luggage
Latest obituaries | | Wednesday's Highlights | | Today's horoscope | | Local Sports
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-Prep cook and wait staff, Shrewsbury Street bistro
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