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Feb. 20, 2023

After surviving the perils of 2020, Worcester retailers are closing up shop and reducing operations as 2023's problems mount

Isabel Tehan

After surviving 2020, Worcester retailers are closing their business or reducing operations in the face of mounting problems in 2023.

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    Amid national and political fanfare, $2B fusion energy company opens in Devens

    Kevin Koczwara

    In a ribbon-cutting event attended by the top energy official in President Joe Biden’s administration and both Massachusetts senators, Commonwealth Fusion Systems officially opened its new campus in Devens on Friday.

  • Advice
    Advice

    Hustle culture vs. The Great Resignation

    Julie Bowditch

    Selling our souls to corporate America and letting our professional lives dictate our time is not the answer. It is unreasonable to expect millions of capable adults not earn an income or contribute to the collective workforce. We must find a middle ground that might not have a catchy or trending name but will undoubtably create more balance and holistic fulfillment for us all.

  • Advice
    Advice

    5 Things I Know about ... Being the dumbest person in the room

    Richard Porter

    “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.”

  • Advice
    Advice

    101: Leadership failures

    Susan Shalhoub

    The irony in leadership is traits that make a strong leader can eventually – if taken to the extreme – produce failure.

  • Advice
    Advice

    Managing investments during today’s economic uncertainty

    Matthew Shiely

    With today’s current economic climate full of unknowns, many people have questions on managing their investments. Here is how to plan ahead for the new year in the current market.

  • Editorial
    Editorial

    Editorial: A moonshot, in Devens

    Rarely ever do you see Bill Gates, Joe Biden, and the community of Devens all in one story, but the palpable excitement around the opening of a $2-billion energy company in Central Massachusetts is creating just such that buzz, with the future of the world’s energy sources and climate on the line.

  • Opinion
    Opinion

    Viewpoint: Sending out a small business SOS

    Jessica Walsh

    I don’t pretend to be the voice of small businesses; but I am a voice, and I’m telling you what I see. What’s happening is complicated and not caused by any one big reason. I wish it were that simple.

  • Opinion
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    Opinion

    A Thousand Words: Waning business confidence

    Ramón L. Sandoval

    Although still in optimistic territory, the Central Massachusetts Business Confidence Index has fallen for the past three months.

  • Editorial
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    Editorial

    From the editor: Single-parent fantasy camp

    Brad Kane

    WBJ editor Brad Kane writes about the challenges of balancing work while standing in as a single parent for a week.

  • Movers & Shakers
    Movers & Shakers

    Movers & Shakers for Feb. 20, 2023

    People are on the moved at Fidelity Bank, GFA Federal Credit Union, and Waters Corp.

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Today's Poll

Should Massachusetts significantly reduce the environmental review time for new housing projects?
Poll Description

In an effort to increase the pace of new housing development in Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey has proposed streamlining the environmental review process for certain new housing projects, with the goal of reducing the time spent on the process from about one year to 30 days. Environmental reviews are a hallmark of community planning, to ensure new development doesn't negatively impact surrounding properties or natural resources, even though the process does add significant time and often cost to projects. Healey's proposal comes after Massachusetts fell behind the national average in new housing production, despite adding 90,000 new units since she became governor in 2023.

New England already averages the longest timeline in the nation to build a single-family home once the developer has been giving the authorization to move forward with construction, according to U.S. Census statistics compiled by the National Association of Home Builders. In 2023, single-family homes in New England averaged 13.9 months from permit to completion. The South Atlantic states have the lowest average of 8.9 months while the region that includes Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana is the second quickest at 9.4 months. The second-longest average after New England is the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania region, which takes 13.2 months.

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