Talk of the Commonwealth

From the 'Voice of Business'

Worcester City Manager Ed Augustus joins Emily Gowdey-Backus (Director of Communications at the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce) to discus the Polar Park groundbreaking set for Thursday 7/11/19 at 3:30pm. The Worcester Red Sox will have play their first season in Worcester in 2021 following completion of the ballpark.

VOB 07/10/19 - Photo Credit RICK CINCLAIR/WORCESTER TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

Worcester Mayor Joe Petty joins us every Wednesday at 7:00am to talk about everything that is happening in the City.

Today we got a little bit of a grab-bag with the Summer slow down in full effect. A lot of great stuff in the interview including his take on Coghlin vs Suffolk and the murder at O'Connor's. (7/10/19)

Sue Mailman, owner of Coghlin Electrical Contractors here in Worcester, told The Boston Herald that her company is owed $30M by Wynn (the owner of Encore Boston Harbor).

She joined us on the air to tells us in more detail what is going on and where things stand.

Other subcontractors have also spoken out and said they've been stiffed by Wynn. Read the full article here: https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/06/26/subcontractors-claim-wynn-not-paying-bills-for-extra-work-at-encore-boston-harbor-casino/

Worcester Airport director Andy Davis gives Hank some updates on the happenings up at the Airport (Recorded on 06/24/19)

Roberta Schaefer, the founder and former president of Worcester Regional Research Bureau, says that Worcester needs an appointed school committee.

Read her Op-Ed in the Telegram: https://www.telegram.com/news/20190611/roberta-schaefer-worcester-needs-appointed-school-committee

State Senator Eric Lesser, Democrat from Longmeadow, joined us to talk about what he calls a transportation crisis in Massachusetts. He outlines the issues that face Central and Western Mass (as well as Boston) and why a Boston traffic and MBTA now has a chance to turn into a real state solution.

He outlines what he sees as the future of public transportation in the state, and how we need to modernize our systems.

Worcester Mayor Joe Petty joins us every Wednesday morning at 7:00am for our weekly #WorcesterWednesday conversation where we chat about everything Worcester.

Today we talked to him about nips, the school committee, and Tim Murray / downtown activity

Johnhaynes Honeycutt is running for District 5 City Councilor against incumbent Matt Wally, and Mariah Martinez is running for School Committee. The reason we had them on together is b/c they share the same address. Partners Johnhaynes & Mariah both decided to get involved in politics at the same time.

Johnhaynes is focusing his campaign of a younger, fresher view of D5 issues with an emphasis on small business, and Mariah is making real world teaching curriculum/solutions a cornerstone of her campaign.

Rep. Danielle Gregoire talks to us about her Bill (H.1902 - malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H1902) that would ban the sale and distribution of flavored tobacco product.

She talks to us about her reasoning behind the Bill that would combat the epidemic of youth consumption.

For Context Read: https://www.telegram.com/news/20190601/activists-press-state-ban-on-flavored-tobacco-vaping-products

Jermoh Kamara talks about her bid for Worcester School Committee as a new challenger. She tells about her unique story that brought her to Worcester, as well as getting into some of the issues that face the WPS