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, November 8 – Massachusetts awarded $159 million from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, sign up for golf simulator winter leagues at X-Golf Worcester, a contribution from an actor from Southbridge becomes the first exhibit of the National Museum of Mental Health Project, Breaking Benjamin scheduled for the DCU Center and gas prices are up 7 cents this week in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Awarded $159 Million from Low Income Heating Assistance
Congressman Jim McGovern announced that Massachusetts has been awarded $159 million in funding from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
The funding, through the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will help low-income individuals and families pay for home heating costs this winter and cover unpaid utility bills. These funds will also help families make cost-effective home energy repairs to lower their heating and cooling bills.
The $158.9 million awarded to Massachusetts includes $118 million from regular LIHEAP funding, an extra $36 million in supplemental funding from Congress, and $3.7 million in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Southbridge Actor Chosen by National Museum of Mental Health to Tell His Story
The National Museum of Mental Health Project (NMMHP), Inc. announced a video message from Southbridge actor Nick Austin has been chosen as the first personal story to be shared as part of I Get It – a virtual exhibition about mental health and wellness in the 2020s.
Austin is a commercial actor and model, born in Worcester and raised in Southbridge. He has been involved with the films “Patriots Day” (2016) and “One Percent More Humid” (2017), as well as several national commercials with companies like Carnival Cruise Line, Entenmann’s, Walmart, and Weber Grills.
Austin’s shares his struggles with depression and mental wellness, recovery and resilience, shared by recorded message. It is the first element of the oral history collection to be displayed as part of the exhibition’s sneak preview of I Get It. The exhibition includes submissions of artistic works and personal mental health stories from individuals in the United States and the United Kingdom, which will be ultimately be displayed together in the form of a mental health mosaic. I Get It is intended to be a communication platform for the exchange of creative energy that can lead toward better mental health.
NMMHP, Inc. is a Worcester County-based non-profit. As part of a 2022 National Parks Service event, NMMHP chronicled the history of national leadership in the field of mental health centered in Worcester County and the Upper Blackstone Valley. In 2022, NMMHP was recognized in the American Alliance of Museums’ TrendsWatch report for its collaborations at the nexus of mental health and the arts.
To learn more about the project or submit your own work, visit the I Get It website.
Breaking Benjamin at the Second Annual Big Gig at DCU Center
The second annual Big Gig will feature Breaking Benjamin on Saturday, April 29, at 5:20 PM at the DCU Center.
Breaking Benjamin will be joined by special guests Falling in Reverse, The Pretty Reckless, Beartooth, and Dorothy with hosts Mistress Carrie and Mike Hsu of 100.1 FM The Pike.
Tickets go on sale on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 10 AM. Tickets will be available at the DCU Center box office and via Ticketmaster.
X-Golf Worcester Winter League Sign-up Now Open
X-Golf Worcester, an indoor golf simulator at 287 Grove St. in Worcester, has opened sign-ups for nightly leagues for this winter.
Along with golf simulators, the facility features a full bar, food, free WiFi, and gold club rentals.
To learn more about leagues or booking a time to play, visit the X-Golf website.
Gas Prices Rise Sharply
AAA Northeast reports changes in gas prices across the region on a weekly basis.
Massachusetts’s average gas price increased 7 cents from last week, averaging $3.84 per gallon. That price is 38 cents higher than a month ago ($3.53) and 44 cents higher than on Nov. 7, 2021 ($3.50).
Massachusetts’s average gas price is four cents higher than the national average.
“The oil market, like the stock market, hates negative headlines, no matter how spec,” said Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast Vice President of Public and Government Affairs. “And that is why we see the oil price back over $90 a barrel. More expensive oil usually leads to more expensive gasoline.”
AAA Northeast’s Nov. 7 survey of fuel prices found the current national average to be 4 cents lower than last week ($3.76), averaging $3.80 a gallon. Today’s national average price is nine cents higher than a month ago ($3.89) and 38 cents higher than this day last year ($3.42).
