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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 have an admissions lottery system for vocational technical high schools?
Poll Description

Vocational technical high schools are important partners for many businesses and help feed their workforce pipeline, but more kids are seeking admission to these schools than there are available slots. The Gov. Maura Healey Administration has proposed implementing a lottery system to enroll waitlisted students into vocational technical high schools, with the claim that it will help eliminate discriminatory selection practices that have been the subject of much debate.

While the lottery system would exclude selection based on grades, schools would still be able to reject students due to 10 or more unexcused absences or days of suspensions/expulsions. Critics of the lottery system say that these new guidelines perpetuate the same discriminatory policies, arguing those with 10 or more unexcused absences are disproportionately from large populations of students of color. Others, including the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, argue a lottery system would water down standards and that administration should focus on directing more funds toward capacity-building initiatives at voc-tech schools instead of targeting their admission processes. 

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