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, July 14 – there are a pair of WRTA route changes public meetings today, 100 new school buses are on their way to Worcester, the YWCA elects a new board president, Friendly House hosts a sign-up event for its Youth Connect free camp and Motorola selected as the vendor for the new public safety radio system.
WRTA Route Changes Public Meetings
The Worcester Regional Transit Authority hosts the final two virtual public meetings today at 2 PM and 6 PM to present proposed bus route changes.
The proposed changes are scheduled to go into effect on Aug. 27 and include routes 1 and 3, 5 and 6, 8 and 25, 12, 14 and the shuttle between Southbridge, Dudley and Webster.
Thursday, July 14 at 2 PM (Spanish interpreter)
Link to Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 864 5834 3664
Passcode: 522907
Dial by your location
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Thursday, July 14 at 6 PM
Link to Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 864 5834 3664
Passcode: 522907
Dial by your location
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
100 New Worcester School Buses Ready Soon
According to Worcester Public Schools, 100 new school buses will soon be on their way to Worcester.
The busses will depart from Tulsa, Okla. where the final assembly is taking place. The Worcester Public Schools are operating the school system’s buses starting this coming school year.
NEXT STOP: WORCESTER! From rolled steel and frame rails to a finished school bus! All 100 new school buses for @worcesterpublic are assembled and will soon be on their way from Tulsa, OK to Worcester, MA. pic.twitter.com/USp8wSmVeE
— Worcester Schools (@worcesterpublic) July 13, 2022
YWCA Elects New Board President
The YWCA announced on Wednesday that it elected elected new directors and officers at its 137th annual meeting in June.
Christienne Bik of Shrewsbury was elected to serve as president of the YWCA’s board of directors. She has held various positions on the YWCA’s board of directors for 11 years with increasing roles of responsibility, including vice president and president-elect. Bik also served as a member of the executive committee and chaired the YWCA’s Public Policy Committee.
Bik is director of government affairs and public policy at Fallon Health. In this role, she supports Fallon Health’s business objectives and mission by focusing on strategic public, community, and government relations opportunities.
Video Games, Basketball and Ice Cream at Friendly House
The Friendly House hosts a sign-up event for its Youth Connect free camp for ages 11 to 15 with free video games, basketball and ice cream from 5:30 to 8 PM at 36 Wall Street in Worcester.
Jerry’s Tastee-Freeze will be onsite with its famous truck and cones at 7 PM.
Learn more about the Youth Connect program here.
Motorola Selected as Vendor for New Statewide Public Safety Radio System
Motorola Solutions, Inc. was announced on Wednesday as the winning bid of the competitive procurement process to replace the state’s legacy statewide public safety radio system.
The Executive Office of Technology Services and Security, in coordination with the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and the Massachusetts State Police, has engaged Motorola Solutions to replace the current analog radio network with a new P-25 standards-based interoperable digital system that will offer enhanced communications capabilities through improved reliability, increased capacity and expanded coverage.
The radio system, known as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Interoperable Radio System (CoMIRS), is used by the State Police for their primary radio communications and by 245 local, regional and state public safety organizations. The multi-year project, managed by EOTSS’ Interoperable Communications Bureau (ICB), is expected to be completed in 2026 and is funded by State 911 trust funds and capital funds authorized by the Legislature.
