508: A Show About Worcester

508 is a show about Worcester. This week, we talk about the loss of institutions like the Columbus Day Parade, the Dive Bar, and pencils.

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508 is a show about Worcester. This week, we talk about public health policy and NATO watch bands.

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Naomi Martin: First vaping-related death in Mass.

Matt Stout and Naomi Martin: Charlie Baker pushes bill that would target stoned driving

Association Between Maternal Fluoride Exposure During Pregnancy and IQ Scores in Offspring in Canada

HHS Announces New Action Plan to Lay Foundation for Safe Importation of Certain Prescription Drugs

Lisa Eckelbecker: Worcester’s AbbVie puts premium price on new drug Rinvoq

508 is a show about Worcester. This week, we talk about Paul Letsky’s funeral, the vape ban, improving regional rail, “every fountain a running fountain,” reducing our waste by 30%, Greg Sestero at the Sprinkler Factory, downtown ambassadors, the Greendale Mall, houses and condos, school attendance, Walmart’s fulfillment center, and buying one year of food.

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“Build a small supply of food that is part of your normal, daily diet. One way to do this is to purchase a few extra items each week to build a one-week supply of food. Then you can gradually increase your supply until it is sufficient for three months. These items should be rotated regularly to avoid spoilage.”

508 is a show about Worcester. This week, we talk about Paul Letsky, mountain lions, vaping, City Council candidate forums, the federal judiciary, fountains, the Midtown Mall, and cybersecurity.

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Worcester in 60 Seconds:

Bill Shaner: Stalked by an extinct murder cat?

Kristin Wong: Lure a Lost Cat Back Home With Its Used Litterbox

Shira Schoenberg: Declaring public health emergency, Gov. Charlie Baker announces temporary ban on sale of vaping products

Hillman, Timothy S.

Nick Kotsopoulos: WRA puts owners of Midtown Mall, Great Wall building on notice after being ghosted

Elaine Thompson: Local communities fight back on cyberattacks

508 is a show about Worcester. This week, we discuss the climate strike, Worcester’s plastic bag ban, election analysis, and dogs in strollers at stART.

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Worcester in 60 seconds: There were lots of crime stories this week, including an attempted kidnapping and a child-porn bust. After a hand-count of the results of the municipal preliminary election, Ralph Tiscione and Evan Corrigan remain tied for 12th in the city council race. Rather than have a runoff to break this tie, both men will be on the ballot in November. Running for Mayor will be incumbent Joe Petty, also Colorio, Coleman, and Sarkodieh. There is lots of action on climate change in the city this week, with various events connected to the global climate strike. The City Council has endorsed the declaration of a climate emergency. The state’s Catholic bishops issued a statement on the climate crisis saying among other things: “Action is needed at all levels of government to encourage replacement of fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy while ensuring that the most vulnerable in society are protected from harm during this transition.” And the Worcester City Council definitely wants to ban plastic shopping bags at retailers, tho not at other places. The retailers could give you a reusable, recyclable paper, or ASTM D6400 compostable bag.

From the Worcester City Council bag ban:

The purpose of this ordinance is to reduce the use of disposable checkout bags by retail establishments in the City of Worcester, curb litter on the streets, protect the marine environment, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste and to promote the use of reusable bags by retail establishments located in the City.

[…]

No retail establishment shall provide any checkout bag to any customer unless the bag is a reusable bag, a recyclable paper bag, or a compostable plastic bag, as those terms are defined herein.

From the Worcester City Council climate declaration:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Worcester commits to educating our residents about the climate emergency and working to catalyze a just transition and climate emergency mobilization effort at the local, state, and national levels to provide maximum protection for our residents as well as all the people and species of the world;

[…]

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Worcester calls on the State of Massachusetts, the United States of America, and peoples worldwide to initiate a just transition and climate emergency mobilization effort to reverse global warming by restoring near pre-industrial global average temperatures and greenhouse gas concentrations, that immediately halts the development of all new fossil fuel infrastructure, rapidly phases out all fossil fuels and the technologies which rely upon them, ends greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible, initiates an effort to safely draw down carbon from the atmosphere, transitions to regenerative agriculture, ends the sixth mass extinction, and creates and guarantees high-quality, good-paying jobs with comprehensive benefits for those who will be impacted by this transition.

Mike’s graph. Summary: “Not a lot of people voted.”

508 is a show about Worcester. This week, we talk machetes, Worcester, politics, and opening foods and beverages on the internet with Travis Duda & Ricky Nelson of the Seltzer Time podcast.

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508 is a show about Worcester. This week, we talk with Worcester School Committee challenger Hermorne McConner.

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508 is a show about Worcester. This week, we talk with Victor Infante of the Telegram & Gazette and Worcester Magazine about journalism, the local economy, and The Man from the Train.

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Womag: A never-ending journey: The life and times of Worcester’s undocumented immigrants

The 2019 City Clean Energy Scorecard is not a helpful report

Midnight Meat Train

The Worcester Economic Index [PDF] and the Worcester Business Journal comment on the economy of CEMANECT (the metro area formerly known as Greater Worcester)

History of the Department of Police Service of Worcester, Mass., from 1674 to 1900, historical and biographical : illustrating and describing the economy, equipment and effectiveness of the police force of to-day, with reminiscences of the past, containing information from official sources

The Man from the Train

508 is a show about Worcester. This week, we interview School Committee challenger Jermoh Kamara.

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508 is a show about Worcester. This week, we discuss the Worcester economy, plastic bags, election by lot, and the WRTA.

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What is the most bizarre government in world history?