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 – Friday, March 5 – “Show Your Purple Spirit” with the Herren Project, new technology at the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance will speed up claims processing, Worcester Railers and local hockey organizations partner to check hunger, Planet Fitness on a National Day of Unplugging and trout stocking across Massachusetts begins this month.
‘Show Your Purple Spirit’ with the Herren Project Today
ThisWeekinWorcester.com is a proud community partner for the Herren Project’s Wellness Week with Herren.
Wellness Week runs now until Saturday, March 6, and each day has special programming with a unified theme. The week celebrates wellness and its importance to prevention and recovery, as well as supporting, inspiring and empowering those affected by substance use disorder.
Herren Project is a national nonprofit organization providing free resources and support for the treatment, recovery and prevention of substance use disorder.
Here’s a List of Events for Friday, March 5:
- Register for a Herren Project Club
- “Show Your Purple Spirit” Contest
- Purple Couch Live w/ Meg Brunelle at 3pm EST
- Substance-Free Athletics Presentation by Debbie Berndt
- Herren Project Alumni Walk
- Herren Wellness 3-Year Anniversary
Check out the full calendar events here.
New Technology to Speed Up Unemployment Claim Processing
The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance [DUA] announced on Thursday, March 4, measures to speed up claims processing.
DUA implemented new identity verification technology to protect claimant accounts and address the continued surge in fraudulent claims attempts.
The new mobile-friendly technology, provided by ID.me, will enable DUA to make more payments more quickly to legitimate claimants.
DUA will implement ID.me for existing UI claimants waiting for identity verification on Friday, March 5, 2021. ID.me will be added for new claimants in the coming weeks.
For all claimants clearing the ID.me process, a Notice of Approval will be issued from UI Online, and if otherwise eligible, payments to the claimant will commence within several days.
Worcester Railers and Youth Hockey Players Check Hunger
The Worcester Railers and more than 2,000 players from six Central Mass. youth hockey organizations will collect non-perishable food items to deliver to local food pantries throughout the region.
The Railers make a matching donation of goods collected by the youth hockey clubs with support from Price Chopper and deliver the goods using the Railers HC Equipment Van.
To participate in the Hockey Checks Hunger program, pick up a bag at the Rail Shop at the Worcester Ice Center [112 Harding St.], contribute a non-perishable food item and get 20% off a single Railers item in the store. Return a full bag and receive 40% off their entire store purchase.
To learn more, visit the Railers’ Hockey Feeds the Need website.
Planet Fitness Calls for a National Day of Unplugging
Planet Fitness encourages everyone to disconnect for the day on Friday, March 5.
A recent study by Scripps.org says most adults spend an average of 11 hours per day looking at a screen or electronic device.
Start your National Day of Unplugging today and take 24 hours away to disconnect from your device and reconnect with your mind and body.
Planet Fitness provides some alternative activities for the day:
Replace Facetime with FIT-TIME!
Substitute those screen minutes w/ Mighty Minutes:
- Replace TEXTING with…
- Squat Jumps
- Replace FACETIMING with…
- Slow-Mo Lunges
- Replace SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS with…
- Plank Jacks
- Replace SCROLLING with…
- Flutter Kicks/Scissor kicks
Unplug your Tech & Reconnect Your FLEX!
Rediscover the importance of:
- The importance of MOVING to increase your blood flow
- Star Jacks
- The importance of MENTAL STIMULATION to maximize your mental mojo
- Single-leg crossovers
- The importance of CREATIVITY to break monotony
- Icky Shuffles using imaginary agility ladder
- The importance of POSITIVE POSTURE habit stacking for corrective movement
- Hip Hinge to Trunk Twists
- The importance of KEEPING THINGS FUN & FRESH to keep those muscles guessing
- Fast Feet Karaoke
Power down the device & Power UP the MOJO!
All you NEED is YOU and take hold of the Power of RE:
- The POWER to RE-CONNECT Mind + Body
- § Single-leg dot drill for balance and coordination
- The POWER to RE-DEFINE your cardio routine
- § Fast feet to burpee
- The POWER to RE-DISCOVER your center with core exercises
- Crunch to oblique twists combo
- The POWER to RE-IMAGINE your strength with alternative weights
- Back lunge to triceps kickback with water bottles or other alternative items
Trout Stocking Across Massachusetts in March
Anglers will soon be busy across the state as trout stocking begins this month, according to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Waters in the southeast are stocked early in the month, with the rest of the state to follow.
You can follow the progress at the Mass Trout Stocking Report website.
The waters stocked in the Central Region will be:
- WORCESTER: Bell Pond, Coes Reservoir, Lake Quinsigamond
- BARRE: Burnshirt River, Canesto Brook, East Branch Ware River, Prince River, Ware River
- BERLIN: Assabet River
- BLACKSTONE: Mill River
- BOYLSTON: Wachusett Reservoir
- BROOKFIELD: Quacumquasit (South) Pond
- CHARLTON: Little River, Snow Pond
- CLINTON: Lancaster Millpond, Mossy Pond
- DOUGLAS: Mumford River, Wallum Lake
- EAST BROOKFIELD: Sevenmile River
- FITCHBURG: Fallulah Brook, Phillips Brook
- GARDNER: Dunn Pond, Kendall Pond, Otter River, Perley Brook Reservoir
- GRAFTON: Quinsigamond River HARDWICK: Hardwick Pond, Moose Brook, Quabbin Reservoir, Ware River
- HOLDEN: Asnebumskit Brook, Quinapoxet River, Trout Brook, Trout Brook
- HOPEDALE: Hopedale Pond, Mill River
- HUBBARDSTON: Asnacomet Pond, Burnshirt River, Canesto Brook, East Branch Ware River, Joslin Brook, Natty Pond Brook, West Branch Ware River
- LANCASTER: Fort Pond, Spectacle Pond
- LEOMINSTER: Barretts Pond, Crow Hills Pond
- LUNENBURG: Lake Whalom, Mulpus Brook
- MENDON: Mill River
- MILFORD: Louisa Lake, Mill River
- MILLBURY: Singletary Pond
- NEW BRAINTREE: Ware River
- NORTHBOROUGH: Assabet River
- NORTHBRIDGE: West River
- OAKHAM: Parkers Brook
- OXFORD: Carbuncle Pond, French River, Little River
- PETERSHAM: Connor Pond, East Branch Swift River, Quabbin Reservoir, West Branch Fever Brook
- PRINCETON: East Branch Ware River, Justice Brook, Keyes Brook, Stillwater River
- ROYALSTON: Lawrence Brook, Millers River, Priest Brook, Scott Brook
- RUTLAND: Demond Pond, East Branch Ware River, Long Pond, Whitehall Pond
- SHREWSBURY: Jordan Pond
- SOUTHBRIDGE: Quinebaug River
- SPENCER: Browning Pond, Howe Pond, Sevenmile River, Sugden Reservoir, Turkey Hill Brook
- STERLING: Stillwater River, West Waushacum Pond
- STURBRIDGE: Alum Pond, Quinebaug River
- SUTTON: Singletary Pond
- TEMPLETON: Otter River
- UPTON: Pratt Pond, West River
- UXBRIDGE: West River
- WEBSTER: Lake Webster
- WEST BOYLSTON: Quinapoxet River, Wachusett Reservoir
- WESTMINSTER: Crow Hills Pond, Phillips Brook, Wyman Pond Brook
- WINCHENDON: Lake Denison, Millers River, Priest Brook, Tarbell Brook
