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 – Thursday, October 15 – New England Governors call for electricity system modernization, Hanover Theatre presents a performance of improv comedy legends, Massachusetts is the third most energy efficient state, MassDOT warns residents about distracted driving and deer season enhances the driving risks.
New England Governors Call for Modernization of Regional Electricity System
Governor Charlie Baker signed a joint statement with Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Maine Governor Janet Mills, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, and Vermont Governor Phil Scott, calling for several reforms of the electricity system serving New England.
The statement calls for reform of the regional electricity market design, transmission planning process, and the governance of the ISO-New England, the independent system operator for the New England power system.
A Vision document outlining specific areas for reform will be released later this week through the New England States Committee on Electricity (NESCOE), a non-profit entity that represents the collective perspective of the New England states in regional electricity matters.
Hanover Theatre Presents Improv Legends
The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts presents Stream of Consciousness. featuring Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood for three select performances starting on Sunday, October 18.
Mochrie and Sherwood are best known for the television show “Whose Line is it Anyway?”
The interactive hour virtual performance is fueled by audience suggestions and will highlight the off-the-cuff comedic brilliance both men are known for.
The performances are on Sunday, October 18, Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 24, all at 8 PM.
Visit the Hanover Theatre for more information.
MA is the Third Most Energy-Efficient States
A recent study by WalletHub.com found Massachusetts as the third most energy-efficient state in the country.
The study compared the auto and home-energy efficiency in 48 states (Hawaii and Alaska were not included). In the individual categories, MA finished:
- 2nd – Auto Energy Efficiency
- 7th – Home Energy Efficiency
Only Oregon finished ahead of Massachusetts for auto energy efficiency.
In overall ranking, Utah and New York finished ahead of Massachusetts with Minnesota just behind it. At the bottom of the list, the least energy efficient state is South Carolina, ranked #48. West Virginia ranked #47 and Tennessee #46.
MassDOT Warns on Distracted Driving
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation [MassDOT] is highlighting October as Distracted Driving Awareness Month and reminding motorists to remove distractions while driving, pay attention to the road, reduce speed and drive safely.
Since the law prohibiting drivers from using n electronic device unless the device is being used in hands-free mode in February, more than 22,000 citations and warnings have been issued in Massachusetts.
Punishment for violating the hands-free law includes a $100 fine for a first offense, a $250 fine for a second offense, and a $500 fine for a third or subsequent offense. Operators who commit a second or subsequent offense are required to complete an educational program focused on distracted driving prevention. A third or subsequent offense will count as a surchargeable incident.
Beware of Deer While Driving
AAA Northeast is warning drivers the peak deer season is on the horizon and to beware while on the roads.
According to a AAA analysis, October, November and December were the peak months for deer-related crashes in 2019 with an average of one deer crash every hour-and-a-half across the Commonwealth during those three months.
In 2019, there were 1,557 deer-related crashes between October and December, most commonly near sunset when deer tend to be grazing for food and on the move during their annual mating season.
Eighty-one percent of deer crashes occurred outside daylight hours.
Worcester County had the second most deer crashes of any county in 2019 (260), behind only Bristol County (268). Plymouth County had 210, Middlesex,188, and Essex 122.
