Telegram & Gazette
TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is July 18. On this date in: 1817: English novelist Jane Austen, known for classic works including “Sense and Sensibility,” “Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma,” died in Winchester, Hampshire, England, at age 41 from what is thought to be either...
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Plug-in solar could help renters save on power
Worcester, like many cities, has a ton of renters. Home could be in one of the city’s 5,000 three-deckers or one of many new apartment buildings popping up like weeds. h Skyrocketing rents are the norm, but many renters don’t live in buildings with...
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Canadian wildfires create yellow haze in Worcester
An air quality alert was in place for all of Massachusetts Wednesday, July 15 as smoke from a large swath of wildfires in Canada and northern Minnesota blanketed the area. The alert is specifically for fine particles that present a challenge for...
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Honoring America’s founding
A teamwork approach to the Declaration of Independence, a document on which 56 people weighed in, was evident outside City Hall Tuesday, July 14, 250 years after Worcester publisher Isaiah Thomas recited the document, reading from a copy. A lineup of...
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Women’s wall of fame
WORCESTER – Muralist Sharinna Travieso has been hanging out with some of the city’s most prominent women. But not in the way you might imagine. Over the past several months Travieso and assisting artist Jennessa Burks have been finalizing the design...
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Political world pays tribute to Graham
WASHINGTON − Tributes for Sen. Lindsey Graham poured in from his colleagues early July 12 after the South Carolina Republican’s office confirmed his sudden death the night before. Graham’s death marks the passing of a longtime conservative fixture of...
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Trump picks hold near perfect record
With five months left until the 2026 elections, President Donald Trump holds a near perfect record when it comes to endorsing winning Republican primary candidates. In only a few cases has his preferred candidate lost this year, demonstrating that even...
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BUDDING BUSINESSES
The first foray that Lilac Hedge Farm took into the new Kids Market concept, launched last year in Massachusetts after successes on the national level, was so successful that the farm’s owner expanded the dates, with the next in August. h “It was a...
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FINGER-STICKIN’ GOOD
Jackie Dillman of Grafton and her daughters, Riley, 6, and Reece, 8, right, enjoy sticky yum buns from Bread Guy Breads on Grafton Common during the farmers market, which runs from 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays. It’s the season for outdoor shopping, with...
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Dirty hands, good deeds
WORCESTER – Muddy knees, dirty hands and hard work are nothing for a group of Worcester-area teenagers who are spending their time getting down and dirty to help their community. WooServes is a program run by the United Way of Central Massachusetts,...
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Platner mulls future of Senate bid
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the head of Senate Democrats’ midterm operation, told Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Maine, to immediately withdraw after a woman said he...
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Be Like Brit moves mission HQ to remote operations
WORCESTER – The Be Like Brit Foundation headquarters – with its big blue letters under a parade of gold stars – is closing its doors on Pullman Street, but the 16-year-old nonprofit is not ending its campaign of bringing hope, happiness, healthiness...
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‘A noble calling’
DOUGLAS — Kelly Manning has been named the town’s new fire chief, making her one of only four women fire chiefs in the state. “I’ve been serving here in the town of Douglas for 20 years. So I just look at this [being promoted to fire chief ] as a...
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SET ADRIFT
WORCESTER – The Haitian national anthem rang out at Polar Park on Thursday night, June 25, the French hymn for unity preluding the first pitch of America’s pastime for the park’s long-planned Caribbean Heritage Night. Just hours earlier, the U.S....
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RED, WHITE AND WOO
WORCESTER — The city’s annual Independence Day Celebration brought families to Cristoforo Colombo Park (East Park) for an evening of food, music and fireworks. The event, on Thursday, June 2, has an “America 250” theme.
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Did Anna Maria break promise to alumni family?
PAXTON – In fall 2023, a family with deep ties to Anna Maria College appeared poised to receive a “lifechanging” gift. David Roy of Paxton, an alumnus whose parents, court records indicate, owned the college’s food service for three decades, had asked...
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Violent incident spans two communities
BERLIN – Two men are dead – one in Berlin and the other on Interstate 495 in Lowell – after an incident that began Tuesday afternoon, June 30 with a shooting at The Shops at Highland Commons and concluded hours later about 20 miles north after police...
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High court upholds birthright citizenship
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on June 30 rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to redefine who is an American, striking down the limits on birthright citizenship that were a centerpiece of his hard-line approach to immigration. The ruling landed...
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Worcester swimming spots, spray parks open
WORCESTER — Summer is about to become a lot cooler for the kids of Worcester. City pools, beaches and spray parks open Tuesday, June 30. Residents can cool down at the following locations: Crompton Park Pool, 50 Canton St. Bell Pond Beach, 238...
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Man of letters
WORCESTER – Longtime mail carrier Keith Amidon delivered his last letter Friday, June 26. He delivered his first 37 years ago. “I’m going to miss the people, the people that I work with and the people I deliver the mail to,” Amidon, 63, said the day...
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Closer to home
SPENCER – The Spencer Rescue and Emergency Squad will end its 67-year run as the town’s nonprofit emergency medical service at midnight June 30. But its building, equipment and many employees assuming the state’s highest court issues a timely approval...
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Trump sees wins on immigration, guns
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump victories in two immigration cases June 25. In the divide between gun rights and gun violence, the justices struck down another state law, this one in Hawaii, aimed at curbing guns in public...
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Amazon plant in Westborough builds robots to help fill orders
WESTBOROUGH – Whether it’s for an order of a pack of toothbrushes or a plush cat toy with a fluffy feather on it, machines used by Amazon warehouses are able to recognize the texture and shape of each package to independently sort them through...
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‘I knew we wouldn’t lose’
WORCESTER – Roughly 40 miles from the Worcester Common, a major cultural event was taking place for the city’s large Ghanaian community: Ghana was playing in the World Cup. In Worcester, hundreds gathered on the Worcester Common for a watch party, to...
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A badge and a crown
For Westborough Police Officer Ashlyn Mercier, crowned Miss Massachusetts June 20, the signs that it was her year to win were all there. The sash worn by the winner of the annual scholarship pageant was red, white and blue – the colors of the...
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U.S.-Iran war talks wrap ‘successfully’
The first round of peace talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland “concluded successfully,” mediators said on June 22, after negotiations appeared strained over the Strait of Hormuz and persistent fighting in Lebanon. “The discussions...
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FRUITS OF THEIR LABOR
Mio George, 1, of Fitchburg gets one more berry to add to the one already in her mouth as her family picks their own strawberries on
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AMERICA’S BIRTHDAY
America is turning 250, but some of its greatest treasures don’t sit behind museum glass. h The awe-inspiring scenes that take your breath away and remind you of the beauty of our nation are hidden along winding roads, tucked into mountain valleys,...
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DOJ cuts grants, halting public safety efforts across U.S.
The United States is experiencing one of the steepest declines in violent crime in modern history, including a murder rate at its lowest point in more than a century. Homicides across 35 major American cities fell 21% in 2025, amounting to 922 fewer...
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SUV crash, shooting at Sturbridge hotel
STURBRIDGE – The Sturbridge police, state police and Worcester County District Attorney’s office are investigating a shooting at 400 Haynes St., the Sturbridge Plaza Hotel. A large hole is visible in the side of the hotel where a vehicle crashed...
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Man found not guilty in Worcester State killing
WORCESTER – A jury Tuesday, June 16, found Kevin J. Rodriguez not guilty of murder in the fatal shooting of Randy A. Melendez Jr., 19, who was killed in October 2023 on the Worcester State University campus. Lawyers for Rodriguez, 21, of Lawrence, had...
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Jury starts deliberation in Worcester State murder trial
WORCESTER – Jurors started deliberations Tuesday morning, June 16, after closing arguments in the murder trial of Kevin J. Rodriguez punctuated a week of testimony about a double shooting on the Worcester State University campus that rocked the city in...
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Graduation day
Between March and June, the T&G followed the Worcester firefighter cadet class from the first paperwork to the final burn drill, documenting what it takes to become a firefighter. This is the final installment in a three-part series. WORCESTER –...
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Making the climb
Between March and June, the T&G followed the Worcester firefighter cadet class from the first paperwork to the final burn drill, documenting what it takes to become a firefighter. This is part two of a three-part series. March 2 Week one, day one, in...
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Lessons for life
Between March and June, the T&G followed the Worcester firefighter cadet class from the first paperwork to the final burn drill, documenting what it takes to become a firefighter. This is part one of a three-part series. District Chief The big red...
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WINDS OF CHANGE
The United States is in a bizarre situation in 2026: It’s facing a looming energy shortage, yet the Trump administration is making deals to pay offshore wind developers nearly $2 billion in taxpayer money to walk away from energy projects. These...
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One sweet Cookie
UPTON – Jenn Grenier and her family are doing their best to make life a little easier for Cookie, the French bulldog they are fostering. “We’ve tried wrapping her in towels, using pool noodles, getting different beds, just anything to make it easier...
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HAPPY LANDING Worcester Airport executive director Davis to retire
WORCESTER – If anyone is familiar to the old adage, “Time flies when you’re having fun,” it’s Andrew B. Davis. Davis, director of the Worcester Regional Airport, will retire next month after nearly 17 years at the airport. Prior to Worcester, Davis...
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RISE OF THE PHOENIX
WORCESTER – The Worcester Housing Authority unveiled the first phase of its Curtis Apartments redevelopment, highlighting new building features and improvements. “It looks like a Marriott, or a Sheraton,” Steve Alavarez, chief facilities management...
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Worcester buyers say dealer stuck them with ‘lemon’ used cars
Terry Silveira, 61, has been buying used vehicles since she was in her 20s. So, when her 2013 Nissan Altima topped 220,000 miles in June 2025, she didn’t think twice about purchasing a used Buick Encore from a Worcester car dealer recommended by a...
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Worcester Alternative School holds final graduation
WORCESTER – Worcester Alternative School held its graduation at Polar Park Thursday, June 4. The graduates: Charles Atherley Angel Bueno Pereira Luis Cotto Preston DeMello Dennis Laprade Elena Lapriore Rivera Carlos Oliveira Jennavecia...
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‘Unreal for a moment’
WORCESTER – After Dalina Hanna, 28, gave birth to her first child in the early morning hours of May 23, she told her mother to head home and get some rest. She’d soon pick up the phone to tell her to come back to the hospital – Hanna’s sister, Jouliana...
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Courtroom cleared after video of homicide sparks emotion
WORCESTER – The trial of a city man accused of gunning down two brothers outside a bar in 2021 opened Tuesday, June 2, with a graphic video of the shooting preceding an outburst from an onlooker that prompted a recess. “You’ll be alright, buddy....
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COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY
Assistant Fire Chief Adam Roche speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for the new South Division Fire Station June 1 in Worcester. See more,
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FANS PACK POLAR PARK FOR MAYE FUNDRAISING EVENT
WORCESTER – Polar Park was buzzing with excitement Sunday, May 31, perhaps more than with any other time in the five-year history of the Triple-A ballpark. A lineup of professional football players, notably Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, took the...
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When The Bird was the word
Fifty years ago, in the summer of 1976, the nation had a big party, celebrating its 200th birthday with fireworks, parades and cookouts. As the country’s 250th birthday bash on July 4 is approaching, it’s time to remember a man from Northborough known...
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Best and brightest
WORCESTER – Worcester’s Class of 2026 valedictorians highlight the diversity of backgrounds in the city. The students who topped their respective classes hail from three different continents and entered the Worcester Public Schools with various levels...
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Potential Iran deal puts Trump in a bind
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump finds himself in a bind as he seeks to end the war against Iran: He is under pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and get U.S. gasoline prices down but at the same time faces a potential backlash from Iran hawks...
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Our 157th Year
for an early-morning attack near Bandar Abbas airport and that any repeat would lead to a “more decisive response,” Tasnim news agency reported. Kuwait condemned the attack and demanded that Iran immediately halt what it called a serious escalation....
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After crime on Worcester Common, a call for action
WORCESTER – After a second downtown stabbing in a month, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce President Timothy P. Murray is calling on city leaders to address safety concerns in the area. “All the stakeholders need to be at the table, committed to...
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IN FULL BLOOM
Kate Johnson of Worcester shops for free flowers with her children, Donovan, 4, and Siobhan, 2, next month, at the Downtown in Bloom Flower Giveaway at City Square Park near the corner of Front Street and Mercantile. The event is hosted by the Downtown...
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Worcester remembers fallen service members
WORCESTER – Rain ponchos and umbrellas could not mask attendees’ stars and stripes any more than the unrelenting showers could drown out the remembrances of those who died serving in the Armed Forces during Monday’s Memorial Day ceremony, May 25 at...
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EVER IN MEMORY
AUBURN — Family, friends and law enforcement colleagues of Ronald Tarentino Jr. gathered at the memorial outside the police station to honor the fallen Auburn police officer. A wreath was placed at the Police Memorial on Friday, May 22, 10 years after...
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From dream to nightmare
WORCESTER – It all started with gurgles and a foul smell coming from the basement toilet on a weekend in late November. While city workers flushed the main street drain near their home on Greenwood Street for a repair, Aisar Maran and his wife, Misam...
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Ambition with local accent
WORCESTER — Out of all the colleges in Worcester, Quinsigamond Community College, by its nature as a community college, has the most local vibe. When graduates of QCC’s Class of 2026 walked across the stage at the DCU Center on Thursday afternoon, May...
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‘A big deal’ beloved
AUBURN – Without the slightest hint of ego, Ronald Tarentino Jr. used to self-deprecatingly say to friends and loved ones, “I’m kind of a big deal.” It wasn’t until he was gunned down 10 years ago that people learned how true these words...
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STORM CLEANUP BEGINS
The short but intense thunderstorm that hit the region late May 19 was soon converted to wood chips and brush piles. Homeowners and contractors spent much of May 20 tending to downed limbs and trees. Utility workers did their part, repairing downed...
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Unmarked graves
WESTBOROUGH – The first public reform school for boys in the United States existed in this town from 1848 to 1884. It was called the State Reform School for Boys, and it was essentially replaced on the other side of Lake Chauncy by the Lyman School for...
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Clark University graduates encouraged to reach for stars
WORCESTER – Members of Clark University’s Class of 2026 were encouraged to ignore doubts and blaze their own trail, with the advice coming from one of the world’s top minds in astronomy. Wendy Freedman, a professor of astronomy at the University of...
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‘Sack is back’
UPTON – During the middle of his team’s home baseball game on April 27, Blackstone Valley Tech sophomore Jake Greenstein brought a small multicolored beanbag out from the dugout and onto the dirt near the third-base line. Dressed in black sweatpants,...
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Police case with holes
WORCESTER – Less than 48 years after the Lincoln Square police headquarters opened amid much fanfare, City Manager Eric D. Batista has authorized $5 million in the city’s capital funds to fix up the police station. “Even if we were to build a brandnew...
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Headlines and deadlines
ASHBURNHAM – The current state and future of journalism are among the most debated topics in society, and high school students at Oakmont Regional High School are learning all the details on the fly. The school newspaper, The Oakmonitor, recently...
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Pothole pantomime piques public interest
WORCESTER – Wilson Lam, 24, is usually traveling around the city and other parts of Central Massachusetts filming TikToks and trying locally-owned restaurants. Recently he took his creativity to City Hall. During the City Council meeting May 5, Lam...
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Trinket trading post
WORCESTER – There are dozens of “little free libraries” across Worcester and beyond, often offering those walking by a book and even a place to sit and enjoy a few pages. On Charlotte Street, just a few feet from Park Avenue, a new kind of library has...
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Southbridge McDonald’s employees could face tampering charges
SOUTHBRIDGE – Police Chief Shane Woodson said his department has new information that could lead to charges against a McDonald’s employee seen in a video putting fries in her mouth before possibly serving them to a customer. Police have not found the...
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WITH THE BIG WHEELS
WORCESTER – Before Monster Jam made its scheduled return to the DCU Center, an estimated 80 auto technology students from Blackstone Valley and Bay Path regional vocational technical high schools were invited to get dirty with professional drivers and...
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From first breath
WORCESTER – It was a once in a lifetime event for the maternity nurse who resuscitated a tiny infant, born prematurely at 25 weeks in the early hours of a September morning in 1972. The nurse, June LaJeunesse, had never performed the mouth-to-mouth on...
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Setting the course
WORCESTER – Over 600 women from across Central Massachusetts gathered at the DCU Center on Thursday, May 7, for the 17th annual Worcester Women’s Leadership Conference, presented by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. The one-day event kicked...
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One year later
WORCESTER – It was just another day for Dave Roy. He drove out of his neighborhood on Eureka Street, heading toward Main Street, when he spotted a group of men converging not far from his home of 40 years. Roy didn’t think much about them at the...
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Westminster residents still waiting for clean water
WESTMINSTER – When Norma Avelar opened her front door, she greeted her guest with a tongue-in-cheek question. “Would you like some water? It’s bottled.” There’s a lot to unpack here. It starts with bottled water delivered to Avelar’s home in...
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Parent-run libraries instill love of reading in students
WORCESTER – Many Worcester elementary schools have libraries, but due to staffing cuts and other issues over the years, the schools have not had the ability to staff them with professional librarians. However, at schools across the city, groups of...
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Who was Audrey Paquin?
After the death of her aunt, Hingham resident Kerry Christopherson had the daunting task of going through her belongings in Braintree. When she came across a canvas in a bin labeled “art stuff,” she knew she had a mystery on her hands. “I know nothing...
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Pleasure to serve you - again
HOLDEN – More than a month after a car slammed into the brick exterior of the 122 Diner, shuttering the eatery, the business has rebounded. It reopened Friday morning, May 1. “We’re back!!! After 5 long weeks, we’re reopening tomorrow!,” the...
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PAPER CHASE
WEST BOYLSTON – To the untrained eye – and even the trained nose – the short stack of legal papers lying on a table at the county jail one recent morning looked like, well, legal papers. “This is one hundred thousand dollars worth of drugs,” Sgt....
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Prediction markets see explosive rise
Though prediction markets have been legal in the United States for less than 18 months, they can’t stop making news and making money. On prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket, users can stake real money on just about anything, from the...
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TROUBLED WATERS
HARDWICK – It’s the biggest damremoval project in Massachusetts, and some aren’t too happy about it. Luke Wright owns a hydroelectric dam in Ware that’s about 10 miles downriver from the Wheelwright Pond Dam in Hardwick that the state is in the...
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