Worcester day on the Callie Crossley show

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin

WGBH radio program The Callie Crossley Show had a Worcester focus yesterday as one 35 minute segment focused on efforts by the Chandler Street Business Association and a 13 minute interview with Ravi Perry highlighted the Clark University professor’s work as a re-builder of the local NAACP chapter.

The first segment lines up with a Brian Goslow penned Worcester Mag article from November and features two of the same voices: Bill Randell and Paul Collyer. Rick Rushton continues his Boston media takeover with an appearance and Konnie Lukes calls in, though she’s just introduced as “Konnie from Worcester.”

The lobbyist in the back

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin

From today’s T&G coverage of last night’s meeting, and Mike Germain’s decision to hold a vote on proposed amendments to the city’s tobacco ordinance:

District 2 Councilor Philip P. Palmieri, chairman of the council’s Public Health and Human Services Committee and an advocate of the stronger tobacco regulations, said he believes “outside influences” are playing a role in trying to block the ordinance on the council.

Rumors (now confirmed) circulated last night that a lobbyist with ties to Altria (formerly Philip Morris) was in the crowd. While we can’t say if that had any impact on holding the vote (Germain took exception to that in the T&G article — update: and it should be noted that there was a lot of confusion before the meeting about who was in support of the ban and who wanted to hold it), it does mean that the additional amendments to the local tobacco ordinance that would ban the sale of cigarettes in pharmacies and institutions of higher education, stop the sale of blunt wraps anywhere in the city and limit any tobacco advertisement from being seen from a public area have captured some very beyond-local attention.

City council live blog 3/29/11 — the “I saw the sign” edition

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin

Agenda. Cover It Live. Sign ordinance. See you at 7:00.

7:16: Toomey recognizes Tim Collins, a Worcester Voke graduate who made the opening day roster of the Kansas City Royals this week.

7:19: Laurie Ross of the Hope Coalition a teen anti-smoking advocacy group, address the council regarding the draft tobacco ordinance. They’ve been mapping local stores that sell tobacco and found concentrations in lower income areas. “There is target marketing of tobacco products at young people and minority young people.” The draft ordinance looks at banning the sale of tobacco at pharmacies and on colleges. “We strongly support the ban on tobacco in health institutions — places that should be promoting health.”

A small dose of the Worcester health care plan

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin

Last week City Manager Michael O’Brien announced that he could stave off 131 layoffs with the creation of a local health care plan that would act similarly to the GIC and the subsequent movement of the city’s union and non-union employees into that plan. Nick Kotsopoulos of the T&G explained some of the proposal yesterday:

The new plan includes an innovative local health care network designed specifically for city employees. It incorporates provider discounts and an improved medical management program that gives employees access to high-quality health insurance providers.

Mr. O’Brien said the plan mirrors the state’s GIC, but it maintains local control. He said the plan would include lower premiums for the city and employees. In turn, however, employees would have to pay deductibles and tiered co-payments that are similar to those in GIC health plans and higher than what they pay now.

Second federal court case filed against Rojas

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin

With one day left before the expiration of a three year filing deadline, attorneys Hector Pineiro and Robert Beadel have submitted a civil lawsuit in federal court on behalf of Dana Sneade, Elijah Williamson and Sharde Russell over an incident in March of 2008 when (former) officer Mark Rojas, called in to remove an intoxicated person from a Vale St. home, shot and killed a family dog.

Online Exclusives

Posted by Brittany Durgin

Ukulele Thursday – Watch a multimedia piece of photos and audio recorded at the March edition of Ukulele Thursday at Beatnik’s on Park Ave. Included is an audio interview with organizer and host Rich Leufstedt.

Entertainment blog – Keep up to date and be the first to know about local art and entertainment news with our Diversions blog. Find a full list of Worcester Art Council grant recipients and details of the upcoming Pecha Kucha this weekend.

St.Patrick’s Day Parade – Actually this photo gallery taken at the parade is everything except for the parade itself.

Take the city’s litter survey

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin

Have you ever wanted to tell city officials whether or not you think Worcester is a clean city? How about if Worcester has a graffiti problem? What’s your take on stickers on light poles? Have you longed to say what age range you fall into?

The city has put a litter survey on their website, encouraging residents (and those who do business in Worcester) to share their thoughts on trash and graffiti. It’ll will be up until later this month.

According to the city, a postcard version of this survey went around too for folks who don’t use the computer.

Trotto out of district 2 race

Posted by Jeremy Shulkin

Just two weeks after pulling signature papers from City Hall, Marc Trotto called today and said he will not make another run for the district 2 city council seat. He alluded to family commitments and “skeletons in [his] closet” that he’s acknowledged, but doesn’t want to fend off if the campaign were to get dirty. He attempted a run in 2009 for the same seat but withdrew after gathering enough signatures to make the ballot.

Trotto has also heard the same rumors we’ve been hearing about another potential d2 challenger, who may not have run if there were another candidate in the race.