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5 Things You Need to Know Today in Worcester – July 8

By TWIW Staff | July 8, 2021
Last Updated: July 8, 2021

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 8  – the Vax Express is back at Union Station this morning, the Worcester Police Academy’s graduation is Friday, 141 student-athletes at Worcester State University are honored, Massachusetts has the third-highest energy costs in the country and AAA warns of keeping kids and pets in hot cars this summer.

Vax Express Returns to Worcester on Thursday

“The Vax Express,” aimed at helping increase the state’s vaccination rate and increase access in communities with low vaccinations rates, returns to Worcester for second vaccine doses on Thursday.

CIC Health, a partner in the Commonwealth’s vaccination effort, will take over an MBTA Commuter Rail train, establishing a rolling vaccination site known as the Vax Express, which will make stops at stations in disproportionately impacted communities with low vaccination rates.

The Vax Express will arrive at Union Station at 10 AM and will be administering vaccinations until 2 PM. To reserve a spot, click here.

Worcester Police Academy Graduation on Friday

The Worcester Police Department a holds graduation ceremony for the news graduates on Friday, July 9, at 10 AM, at Worcester Technical High School at 1 Skyline Drive in Worcester.

Police Chief Steven M. Sargent will preside over the ceremony. Sgt. Richard Cipro will be the Master of Ceremonies.

Each graduate completed 23 weeks of training that included classroom study, physical training, first responder training, applied patrol procedures and scenario-based exercises.

The graduates are:

Worcester Police Department

  • Shanelle D. Burbo
  • Michael C. Casey
  • Enyer R. Curiel
  • Rachel E. Frisch
  • Karolina A. Gawedzki
  • Michael M. Holder
  • Nikolas E. Koulalis
  • Erik C. Lacaire
  • Jacqueline T. Lapierre
  • Alexander D. Lavallee
  • Matthew J. Lyons
  • Alex J. Magliaro
  • Jackson M. McGrail
  • Juan N. Mieses
  • Leon Ngo
  • Jonhy A. Nunez
  • Joshua D. Openshaw
  • Jafet L. Ortiz
  • Jonathan A. Roy
  • Jeffrey R. Segura
  • Robert A. Sivazlian
  • Tyler R. Sterner
  • Adam B. Sthay
  • Juan J. Vallejo

Auburn Police Department

  • Joshua Rahn

Worcester State University Student-Athletes Honored

Of the 881 student-athletes selected for All-Academic honors by the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference [MASCAC], 141 are Worcester State University students.

Student-athletes who compete in championship varsity sports offered at a MASCAC institution during the Winter and Spring 2021 athletic season and achieved a 3.20 cumulative or semester-based grade point average are eligible for selection to the Winter/Spring All-Academic Team.

Worcester State had the third highest number of students receiving All-Academic Team honors. Westfield State University had 158 students honored, while Bridgewater State University had 157 named to the team.

Massachusetts has the Third Highest Energy Costs in the United States

A new study from the data experts at WalletHub.com finds Massachusetts has the third most expensive energy prices of any state in the United States. Consumers pay an average of $380 for energy each month in the state.

The study compared all 50 states and the Washington, D.C. to the most and least expensive energy costs across the counrty.

The analysis also revealed the average costs for each type of energy in Massachusetts:

  • Monthly Electricity Cost: $135
  • Monthly Natural Gas Cost: $63
  • Monthly Motor Fuel Cost: $128
  • Monthly Home Heating Oil Cost: $54

While the overall cost to consumers is high, the state ranked above average in key price metrics:

  • 3rd – Price of Electricity
  • 8th  – Price of Natural Gas
  • 8th  – Price of Home Heating Oil
  • 18th – Natural-Gas Consumption per Consumer

Here is how Massachusetts compares with New England and surrounding states:

  • 1st – Connecticut – $411
  • 3rd – Massachusetts – $380
  • 6th – Maine – $370
  • 10th – New Hampshire – $355
  • 11th – Rhode Island – $347
  • 14th – Vermont – $338
  • 29th – New Jersey – $317
  • 34th – Pennsylvania – $313
  • 40th – New York – $303

In total energy cost, the state in with the second highest energy costs, just after Connecticut and before Massachusetts, was Wyoming ($403). Just after Massachusetts was Georgia ($374) and Alabama ($371).

The five least expensive states were Arizona ($295), Oregon ($275), Colorado ($269), Washington ($262) and Washington D.C ($217).

To find the full results of the study and learn more about its methodology, visit WalletHub.com.

AAA Warns on Dangers of Searing Heat to Children and Pets

A new educational campaign by AAA warns travelers on the dangers to both children and pets in automobiles during summer months.

On average, thirty-eight children younger than 15 die from heatstroke every year after being left in a hot vehicle. In both 2018 and 2019, a record number of 53 children died after being left unattended in steaming cars. Since 1998, 890 children have lost their lives due to vehicular heatstroke.

Almost every state has experienced a hot car-related death since 1998, and pets are vulnerable too.

On a ninety degree day, leaving a child or pet in a car for less than ten minutes can prove fatal, because it takes just minutes for the internal temperature of a closed vehicle—even with the windows cracked—to reach 115 degrees.

With heat advisories forecast for this week, AAA reminds motorists to be especially vigilant to make sure children and pets are always safe.

See the following short videos for more information.

Pets and Hypothermia

Hypothermia

Hypothermia Awareness

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