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, March 22 – “Weird Al” Yankovic is coming to Indian Ranch, Anna Maria College launches an Esports program, Texas Roadhouse hosts a fundraiser for St. Peter Central Catholic, Massachusetts is the ninth worst state for doctors and gas prices finally decline this week.
“Weird Al” Yankovic Set to Perform at Indian Ranch
Legendary song parodist “Weird Al” Yankovic is coming to Indian Ranch in Webster on Friday, August 5, as part of the Mike’s Hard Lemonade Summer Concert Series.
Almost four years after his first foray into unfamiliar concert territory with his highly-acclaimed “Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour,” “Weird Al” Yankovic returns with “The Unfortunate Return of the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour.”
Tickets go on-sale this Saturday, March 26 at 10:00 AM on the Indian Ranch website. A limited number of Low Dough Early Bird General Admission tickets will be available through April 1 for $39.50.
Anna Maria College Launches Esports Program
Anna Maria College is launching a Varsity Esports Program competing at the collegiate conference and national level, starting in Fall 2022.
Former Director and Esports Coach at Providence College Zachary Gandara will be director of the Anna Maria program. Gandara has 18 post season appearances, including two Eastern College Athletic Conference championships.
Anna Maria will also form a non-conference Esports student club.
Students who are interested in being recruited to Anna Maria Esports or have questions should email [email protected]. Please include your contact details, the game to which you would like to be recruited, and your qualifications such as: Rank, Competitive Experience, and References.
For more information, visit the Anna Maria College website.
St. Peter Central Catholic Fundraise at Texas Roadhouse
Texas Roadhouse is hosting a fundraiser to benefit St. Peter Central Catholic School in Worcester during its Spirit Week.
From now through Thursday, patrons who visit the Lincoln Plaza Texas Roadhouse between the hours of 3 PM and 9 PM for dine in or take-out can show the flyer in the post below and have 20% of their total food purchases donated to St. Peter Central Catholic.
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Massachusetts the 9th Worst State for Doctors
A new study of all 50 states and the District of Columbia finds that Massachusetts is the ninth worst state for doctors.
The study considered 19 key metrics to determine its rankings. The metrics that contributed to the rating of Massachusetts are:
- 21st – Projected % of Population Aged 65 & Older by 2030
- 29th – Hospitals per Capita
- 26th – Annual Malpractice Liability Insurance Rate
- 39th – Malpractice Award Payout Amount per Capita
- 44th – Projected Physicians per Capita by 2028
- 50th – Avg. Annual Wage of Physicians (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
Those 19 metrics were separated into two major categories: Opportunity and Competition, and Medical Environment. Massachusetts ranked 50th and 10th, respectively.
Other New England states ranked poorly as well.
- 14th – Maine
- 37th – New Hampshire
- 41st – Connecticut
- 43rd – Massachusetts
- 44th – Vermont
- 51st – Rhode Island
The top five states in the study are:
- 1st – South Dakota
- 2nd – Minnesota
- 3rd – Wisconsin
- 4th – Montana
- 5th – Idaho
To review the full study and its methodology, visit Wallethub.com.
Gas Prices Down Nine Cents in Massachusetts This Week
AAA Northeast reports changes in gas prices across the region on a weekly basis.
Massachusetts’s average gas price declined nine cents from last week, averaging $4.26 per gallon. That price is 72 cents higher than a month ago ($3.54) and $1.50 cents higher than March 21, 2021 ($2.76).
Massachusetts’s average gas price is one cent higher than the national average.
After hitting a record $4.33 on March 11, the national average for a gallon of gasoline has fallen to $4.25. The primary reason is the lower global price of crude oil, which peaked shortly after Russia launched its war in Ukraine, but is now more than $20 lower and hovering near $105/bbl. Domestically, gasoline demand is defying seasonal trends and has dipped slightly, perhaps in response to higher prices at the pump.
“Usually this time of year, with warmer weather and longer days, we’d see an uptick in gasoline demand as more people hit the road,” says Mary Maguire, Director of Public/Government Affairs. “But demand was down slightly last week, likely due in part to higher pump prices. As geopolitical tensions continue unabated, we can expect to see more volatility in oil prices, leading to significant fluctuations in the price of gasoline and diesel in the near-term.”
AAA Northeast’s March 21 survey of fuel prices found the current national average to be seven cents lower than last week ($4.32), averaging $4.25 a gallon. Today’s national average price is 72 cents higher than a month ago ($3.54) and $1.37 cents higher than this day last year ($2.88).
Comparison to neighboring states, according to AAA Northeast:
