In today’s daily 5 Things You Need to Know feature, ThisWeekinWorcester.com explores five important items and stories that Worcester and Central Massachusetts residents should keep a close eye on.
These five things can cover a whole range of subjects and issues that we feel are pertinent to understanding what’s going on in the city and the cities and towns surrounding Worcester.
In today’s edition – Tuesday, June 16 – St. Vincent Hospital changes its visitor guidelines, Worcester Public Library’s summer reading kicks off, Worcester Art Museum is awarded a $200,000 grant, Worcester Leadership Institute ready to launch and the former President of Becker College has a new job.
Saint Vincent Hospital Updates Patient Visitation Guidelines
Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester updated its patient visitation guidelines last week to reflect more people entering the hospital as Massachusetts reopens.
All visitors will be subject to screening process that includes temperature checks, adherence to hand hygiene guidelines and wearing a face covering at all times. Any visitor or patient not meeting screening criteria will not be permitted to enter the hospital.
Hospital visiting hours are now 10 AM to 7 PM. One visitor per patient at a time is allowed at any time.
In the emergency department, limited visitation will be permitted and will require approval. Those visiting pediatric patients and patients with disabilities will be eligible for approvals, ad well as end of life or other special circumstances .
Mother and baby services will have one dedicated visitor per stay.
Patients in isolation will only be able to receive one visitor per day for only 30 minutes.
Worcester Public Library Summer Reading Kickoff
Worcester Public Library [WPL] kicks off its 2020 Summer Reading program on Friday, June 19 with free virtual events that run through Saturday, August 5.
WPL is kicking of the program with a virtual screening of the award-winning short film “Snowflake” on Friday, June 19. There will also be a live chat with cast and crew at 7 PM that night.
On Saturday, June 20, storyteller Davis Bates starts the Imagine That! Summer Reading kickoff at 11 AM. People of all ages are invited to sign up for summer reading or download the Beanstack App.
More information on the kickoff event and other programs and classes can be found on the WPL calendar.
Worcester Art Museum Receives $200,000 Grant
The Worcester Art Museum is being awarded a $200,000 grant for its Lancaster Plaza Project.
The project addresses the Museum’s most used access points on the Lancaster St. side of the facility. Maintenance, security, deteriorating exterior stairs and enabling full accessibility at that entrance are areas the Project focuses on.
The grant comes from the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund [CFF]. The maximum amount awarded by the program this year was awarded to the Museum.
CFF is a state program co-administered by the Mass Cultural Council and MassDevelopment. It provides capital and planning grants to nonprofits, collections, and municipalities that own or operate facilities primarily focused on the arts, humanities, and sciences.
Worcester Youth Leadership Institute Begins June 22
The Worcester Youth Leadership Institute has selected 25 individuals between the ages of 15 and 21 to participate in its eight-week program.
The program will expose participants to business leaders, mentors and opportunities in the Worcester area they can utilize both now and in the future.
The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce developed the program which is going into its eighth year.
The Institute is a partnership between the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, MassHire Central Workforce Board, the United Way of Central Massachusetts, United Families for Change, Worcester Community Action Council, and the City of Worcester’s Youth Opportunities Office with support from UniBank, Reliant Medical Group, and GFI Partners, the sponsors of this program.
Former President of Becker College Named to Lead Western New England University
Dr. Robert E. Johnson will be the sixth president of Western New England University.
Dr. Johnson was president of Becker College from 2010 to 2017. He will leave his current position as chancellor of UMASS Dartmouth to join Western New England on Aug. 15.
Dr. Johnson has a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Touro University International, a Master’s degree in Education Administration from the University of Cincinnati; a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Morehouse College in Atlanta; and a Certificate in Applied Neuroscience from MIT Sloan School of Management.
