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5 Things You Need to Know Today in Worcester – July 27

By TWIW Staff | July 27, 2021
Last Updated: July 27, 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 – Tuesday, July 27 – take the Worcester Arts Council survey for a chance to win Bose Earbuds, the Hanover Theatre Repertory is performing “Julius Caesar “at  the Worcester Common for 12 nights in August, Holy Cross hockey will open the season in the Ice Breaker tournament at the DCU Center, Massachusetts ranked the best school system in the country and gas prices stay flat in Massachusetts this week.

Take the Worcester Arts Council Survey for a Chance to Win Bose Earbuds

Complete the Worcester Arts Council [WAC]2021 Funding Priorities Survey and get a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds.

WAC’s survey is to identify areas of community interest for the Council’s upcoming grant cycle. These priorities will guide funding for projects completed in 2022.

Find the survey here.

Hanover Theatre to Perform ‘Julius Caesar; for 12 Nights on Worcester Common

The Hanover Theatre Repertory will perform William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” on the steps of Worcester City Hall and the Worcester Common on 12 nights in August.

The performance is free and open to the public.

The performances are nightly on the following nights:

  • Wednesday, August 4, through Saturday, August 7
  • Tuesday, August 10, through Friday, August 13
  • Tuesday, August 17, through Thursday, August 19
  • Sunday, August 22

All performances start at 8 PM.

Seating will be available online for advanced reservation, while walk-ups will be welcome onsite. Due to the free-and-open-to-the-public nature of this event, reserved seats must be claimed by 7:30 PM to be guaranteed.  At 7:30 PM, unclaimed seats will be released to walk-up audience members.

There are three public preview performances nightly from Wednesday, August 4, through Friday, August 6.

Holy Cross to Play in Ice Breaker Tournament at DCU Center

Holy Cross Athletics announced on Tuesday, July 26, that the DCU Center will be the site of the 2021 Ice Breaker Tournament.

The tournament, which opens the college hockey season on October 8 and October 9, features Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, Northeastern and Boston College.

The Ice Breaker Tournament was originally scheduled to take place at the Hart Center at Holy Cross.

On Friday, Oct. 8, Boston College and Quinnipiac will face off at 4:30 PM before Holy Cross hosts Northeastern at 7:30 PM. Saturday’s matchups begin with the Bobcats vs. the Huskies, as the Crusaders take on the Eagles in the 7:30 PM nightcap.

Single-day passes are now available for $30 from Ticketmaster. Two-Day passes are $50.

Season tickets for Holy Cross Hockey are also now on sale.

Massachusetts has the Best School System in America

A new study ranks the school systems of all 50 states and the District of Columbia (Washington D.C.) across 32 key measures to find the best and worst school systems in America. The data set ranges from from pupil-teacher ration and dropout rate to median standardized-test scores.

Researchers found Massachusetts is the best school system in the United States. Here is how the state ranked on some of the key measures considered:

1st – Math Test Scores

1st – Reading Test Scores1st – % of Threatened/Injured High School Students

1st – Median ACT Score

8th – Pupil-Teacher Ratio

13th – Bullying Incidence Rate

15th – Dropout Rate

20th – Median SAT Score

Here are the overall rankings, as well as the ratings for quality and safety, for each state in an around New England:

Rank State Quality Safety
1 Massachusetts 1 1
2 Connecticut 2 9
3 New Jersey 3 19
5 New Hampshire 4 12
10 Vermont 15 6
11 Rhode island 13 10
13 Maine 18 7
14 New York 11 16
24 Pennsylvania 19 33

To see the states with the best and worst school systems across the country, watch below.+

To see the full study and learn more about its methodology, visit WalletHub.com.

Gas Prices Up One Cent This Week in MA

AAA Northeast reports changes in gas prices across the region on a weekly basis.

Massachusetts’s average gas price remained the same as last week, averaging $3.02 per gallon. That price is the four cents higher than a month ago ($2.98), and 88 cents higher than June 28, 2020 ($2.14).

“For pump prices to push less expensive, OPEC will need to follow through with their production increases, crude will need to sell consistently at lower prices and the market will need to adjust to the potential resurgence of COVID cases,” said Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast Director of Public and Government Affairs. “If these factors prove true consistently, pump prices could be less expensive in August, though the national average could still be at or above the $3 per gallon mark.”

Massachusetts’s average gas price is 13 cents lower than the national average.

AAA Northeast’s July 26 survey of fuel prices found the current national average to be two cents higher than last week, averaging $3.15 a gallon. Today’s national average price is six cents higher than a month ago ($3.09), and 97 cents higher than this day last year ($2.18).

Comparison to neighboring states, according to AAA Northeast:

Region Current Price One Week Ago One Month Ago One Year Ago
Massachusetts $3.02 $3.02 $2.98 $2.14
Rhode Island $3.03 $3.04 $2.99 $2.14
Connecticut $3.15 $3.15 $3.11 $2.20

 

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