Here's what's happening in and around Worcester today
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
+6:15: 42 new cases in Worcester, 440 total, 59 in Shrewsbury, 25 in Grafton, 22 in Holden, 6 in Leicester. Press conference video (33:30)
+6:15: Worcester Public Schools cancel April vacation, last day scheduled for June 12
+6:15: Town Hall with UMass Memorial Health Care CEO Dr. Eric Dickson and Spectrum News 1 Worcester’s Ana Bottary (13:19)
+6:15: Radio Worcester Chamber Radio Blast with President & CEO Tim Murray (11:37): April 8 update
+6:15: WCCA-TV 'Daily Breaking' (11:32): Gina Plata-Nino, Central West Justice Center
+6:15: State totals: 77 new deaths, 433 total, 1,588 new cases, 16,790 overall, 87,511 tested
+6:15: Here's why recreation marijuana is not essential (1:25)
+6:15: State guidelines on rationing ventilators, other resources (2:15)
+6:15: Panera Bread pivots to selling groceries
+1:45: Last Call with Kim Salmon, Fallon Health director of community relations
+1:45: Report: Mass. jobless rate could hit 25%
+1:45: Coronavirus hitting communities of color harder in Boston
+1:45: Amazon bans more than 1 million fake and overpriced coronavirus products
+7:30: Mass. grocery stores told to reduce number of shoppers by more than half
+7:30: TJX to furlough thousands
-Updated projections show marked decrease in Mass. death toll
-26 new cases in Worcester, 398 total, 59 in Shrewsbury, 24 in Grafton, 20 in Holden, 6 in Leicester. Press conference video (27:35)
-Field hospital at DCU Center expected to open Thursday (1:37)
-UMass Memorial one of three hospitals in state to test possible COVID-19 drug
-UMass Memorial Health Care CEO Eric Dickson joins Spectrum News 1's Ana Bottary for Facebook Live Town Hall at 1 p.m. Wednesday
-WCCA-TV's 'Daily Breaking' (15:23): Monsignor Francis Scollen
-Bishop McManus lifts obligation for holy day
-Worcester Art Museum looks to weather crisis
-Clark professor uses networking to track down medical supplies
-Assumption professor: Why does virus has greater effect on women?
-‘Worcester Together’ announces $262k in second round of grants
-Health Foundation of Central Mass. provides $371K in coronavirus grants
-Radio Worcester Chamber Radio Blast (9:15): Tim Murray - COVID-19 Series (April 7)
-Radio Worcester (14:44): City Manager Ed Augustus COVID-19 update on surge
-North High teacher on the mend
-State totals: 96 new deaths, 356 total, 1,365 new cases, 15,202 total, 81,33 tested. Story
-Stop & Shop and Walmart implementing 1-way aisles in stores
-Mass. employer confidence takes historic nosedive
-4 famous stores that may not survive because of coronavirus
-Can't get outside today? Go for 'The Walk' (2:51)
-Worcester's Ryane Currie creating a following with her dance class on YouTube
-On the lighter side: Senior living facility residents in R.I. pen hilarious messages to loved ones
-Good news (brought to you by Bertera Nissan): Creative Cakes in Worcester donates cake pops to hospital workers, first responders
In Other News
+1:45: Panel backs zoning change for housing on Hermon Street in Worcester
-Latest weather: Great, if you like rain
-Jeep flips in Belmont St. crash
-La Cucina opens at new Grafton Street location in Worcester
-Railers hire Discover Central Mass. head as new president
-Dunkin’ offering free delivery on orders of $10 or more through April 19
-UPDATED: Here are the restaurants open for take out or delivery
-Holy Cross announces Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame class
-Homes (brought to you by Ross Mortgage): 4 Worcester homes recently listed for sale
-Old Navy sale: 60 percent off sitewide
-Verizon stops in-home internet repairs and installations except for emergencies
-Domino’s to donate 10 million slices of pizza across U.S.
-Hulu sale: One-month trial of streaming service
-Florida woman clobbers man with can of SpaghettiOs
In The News
>WEATHER: Mark Rosenthal's 7-day forecast (1:06). High of 34 today in Worcester
>TOP OF THE NEWS
+6:00: Worcester bar's liquor license suspended for 5 days for after-hours assault
+6:00: Indie horror film festival returning to Worcester’s Mechanic Hall for second year
+6:00: 100FM The Pike (8:12): Worcester film maker Tom Dwyer talks about Dead of Winter Horror Festival
+6:00: 100FM The Pike (14:26): Bull rider Marcus Mast on near death experience with a bull and growing up Amish
+Noon: It's Friday! Check Dining Out and Bars & Bands before making plans
+Noon: Guide to Dead of Winter Horror Film Festival in Worcester
+Noon: Mechanics Hall to host The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy
+Noon: "Black Angels Over Tuskegee" in Worcester will tell story
+Noon: WPI professor explores how Black artists helped transform opera
+Noon: New shows and movies to watch this weekend
+Noon: New movies on demand — "The Brutalist," "The Last Showgirl," and more
+Noon: 19 Carter in Berlin is a hub for both the arts and the community
-Hazardous ice lingers on Worcester streets days after storm. Video (1:18)
-Family of late state police trainee from Worcester speaks as state senators seek investigation update (2:49)
-Stop & Shop faces potential strike in Mass. over contract dispute
-Radio Worcester (40:20): Transformative plans for Worcester’s 51-acre Saint-Gobain site in Greendale
-West Boylston will fire Town Administrator amid police station flag conflict, lawyer says
-Earlier: Flag controversy discussed at Select Board meeting (1:49). Article
-Families fighting to keep funding for medical research meet at UMass Medical School (1:50). Article
-After sky-high hikes, state orders gas companies to reduce total bills by just 5 percent (:23)
-Related: What is the delivery fee on gas bills and why is it so high? (4:30)
-Police find cocaine, fentanyl during search in Worcester
-Radio Worcester's The Rundown (25:32): Councilor's indefinite absence sparks debate
-Radio Worcester Roundtable (21:18): Media misrepresents Worcester's sanctuary city vote
-DINING OUT: New restaurant to open at site of former Compass Tavern
-ICYMI: City Councilor Thu Nguyen will not return to council indefinitely
-Worcester rolls out enforcement of new 25 mph speed limit
-Worcester schools eye 7.9% budget increase for coming year
-See the rest of the day's Worcester news
>HOLDEN (brought to you by Lamoureux Ford): March Among Friends senior newsletter
-Ice melt arrives at Holden hardware store for storm-weary residents
-Longtime customer salutes Lamoureux Ford (3:53)
>THE BURBS (brought to you by North End Motor Sales): Favorite breakfast spot plans expansion to Shrewsbury
-Sterling officer hit by car during traffic stop
-Police seek help locating 29-year-old missing person
-Drug bust at Westminster residence uncovers cocaine trafficking operation
-Clinton Project 351 ambassador gets involved
-Clinton School Committee honors students, staff
>BARS & BANDS: The Mayor's Live Music List for Friday
>SHOWTIME: Things to Do: Concerts, historical demos and more
-Orchids bring color to Botanic Garden
-One Act Play Festival to take center stage at the Singh Performance Center
>OPINION: Kenzie Landsittel: Remember Women's Rights Convention in Worcester
-City of Worcester's Ready Worcester (1:03): Episode 4, preparing for snow storms
-Unity Radio's Susanity Life (58:15): Melisa Ann, intuitive energy healer
>OBITUARIES: Tribute to Worcester matriarch who passed away at 100
>SPORTS: Canada beats U.S., 3-2, in overtime to win 4 Nations Face-Off championship
-Bravehearts' New England Sports Summit breaks records
-With a renewed focus on boxing career, Worcester's Khiary Gray ready for title bout
-'Sader Stories (29:47): Varsity Club Hall of Famer Sam Fregenti
-Holy Cross women’s hockey team travels to Maine for final regular season series
-2 Holy Cross athletes nominated for Allstate Good Works Team
>CARS: Toyota recalls over 160,000 Sienna minivans due to seat back issue
>NATIONAL: California woman chased, fatally shot in parking lot: video
-Brian Laundrie's parents pariahs in Florida over Gabby Petito's murder: neighbors
-Tragic: Mom charged with abuse after 3 kids left alone for years
>NEW ENGLAND: Timeline of activities of cultlike group tied to killing of Border Patrol agent
-Why ambulances are waiting nearly an hour to bring patients into some Mass. hospitals
>COLLEGES: This is biomedical engineering at WPI (:23)
-Clark student Isaac Tomeho shines in both the digital and tactile worlds
>TRAVEL (brought to you by Fuller RV & Rental): 5 places you'll recognize from famous songs
>BUSINESS: Walmart shares tank on dismal forecast as retail giant warns of slowing sales
-LPL Financial Research: Tariffs ignite a metals melt-up
-How Gen Z can get on the right financial track
>HOMES: Worcester is one of the hottest real estate markets in 2025. See how it ranks
>HEALTH: Study: 3 conditions increase risk of liver damage if you drink
-How "lemonading" can help you better cope with stress
>FOOD: Dunkin' to end non-dairy upcharges after guest feedback
>TV/STREAMING: George Stephanopoulos is "miserable" at "GMA"
>MOVIES: Who won the best actor Oscar last year? See list of recent winners
>CELEBRITY: Laraine Newman says Barbra Streisand confronted her over "SNL" skit
>ANIMALS: Ducks ask woman to help their friend who isn't moving (1:38)
>HISTORY: Worcester's Bull Mansion has historical ties to a doctor, not an animal
>GOOD NEWS: Man's liver transplant denial reversed after story goes viral
-Meanwhile, in Thailand, monkey uses human-like hand signals to direct traffic (:43)
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