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 – Wednesday, September 14 – residents can now search for items to find out if they can be included in Worcester’s curbside recycling pickup, attend a free workshop on becoming a 911 operator, Anna Maria College is set to break ground on its new athletic field, Quinsigamond Community College receives $160,000 for its culinary re-entry program and a new study finds Massachusetts is the most vaccinated state in the country.
The Worcester ‘Recyclopedia’
The City of Worcester website now has a feature which enables residents to search for items to find out which is acceptable to place in your curbside recycling bin.
Starting on Oct. 1, only bins with eligible items will be collected at the curb, making it critical for residents to include only acceptable items in their bins.
Find the new feature on the City of Worcester website. The site also includes lists of acceptable and unacceptable items.
Attend a Free Workshop on Becoming a 911 Operator
The Telecommunicator Certification Program (TCP) provides free of charge certifications to civilians in Massachusetts interested in becoming a 9-1-1 telecommunicator. The two certifications being offered through the TCP are mandatory certifications necessary to become a certified telecommunicator in Massachusetts: the 40-hour APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator course and a 2-day NG9-1-1 equipment training course.
If you are interested in learning more about the TCP, please see the dates listed below to attend a 2-hour informational workshop that will explain the program.
Please email [email protected] to reserve a seat. A confirmation email will be sent back to you confirming that you are registered for the workshop.
- Workshop Session 1: Monday, Nov. 7, 2022 at 10:30AM-12:30PM in Springfield, MA
- Workshop Session 2: Monday, Nov. 14, 2022 at 10:30AM-12:30PM in Maynard, MA
- Workshop Session 3: Monday, Nov. 21, 2022 at 10:30AM-12:30PM in Middleboro, MA
Anna Maria College Hosts Groundbreaking of New Athletic Field
Anna Maria College will host a groundbreaking for its new athletic field on Oct.1 from 12 PM to 1 PM.
Spectrum News 1 sports anchor Kevin Shea will be the master of ceremonies at the groundbreaking.
Anna Maria President Mary Lou Retelle announced the college will build a new multi-purpose athletic and baseball field on March 31. Retelle announced at the time that plans for construction were entering the development phase with Pennsylvania-based architecture firm Derck & Edson.
Renderings of the design for the new field can be seen at the Anna Maria website.
QCC Receives $160,000 for Culinary Re-Entry Programs
Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) has received $160,000 in funding to continue its food service worker training program for previously incarcerated individuals.
The Re-Entry Workforce Development Demonstration Program is an initiative of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development Secretary, Rosalin Acosta, and provides industry-supported curriculum in culinary training for post-release students, as well as assistance with career readiness and job placement.
The culinary certificates awarded to graduates are part of QCC’s non-credit offerings, however, they can also be used to receive college credit. One student received her certificate in June of 2022 and will be starting at QCC this fall with nine credits towards her associate degree in hospitality and recreation management.
According to the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, there is a severe need for people to fill vacancies in the hospitality industry, especially entry-level positions. Participants in this program earn industry recognized credentials including ServSafe Food Handlers, FEAST, and Mass Allergen certifications which are necessary for the culinary industry.
Massachusetts the Most Vaccinated State
A new study that evaluated all 50 states and the District of Columbia found Massachusetts the most vaccinated state in the country.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that vaccines prevent around 4 to 5 million deaths per year. Vaccines are also very safe, and according to the WHO, “so few deaths can plausibly be attributed to vaccines that it is hard to assess the risk statistically.”
The study examined 17 key metrics ranging from share of vaccinated children to share of people without health insurance to presence of reported measles outbreaks.
The metrics that contributed to the top rating of Massachusetts includes:
- 1st – Influenza Vaccination Rate in Children Aged 6 Months to 17 Years Old
- 1st – Share of Teenagers Aged 13-17 with MenACWY Vaccination
- 1st – Share of Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population without Health Insurance Coverage
- 2nd – Flu Vaccination Coverage Rate Among Adults
- 3rd – Share of Teenagers Aged 13-17 with Up-To-Date HPV Vaccination
- 4th – Share of Children 19-35 Months old Living in Poverty with Combined 7-Vaccine Series
- 11th – Share of Adults with Tetanus Vaccination
- 12th – Share of Children Under 6 Years Old Participating in an Immunization Information System
- 18th – Share of Adults Aged 60 and Older with Zoster Vaccination
New England states dominated the study, with Vermont the second most vaccinated state, followed by New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine, and Connecticut rounding out the top six ranked states.
The five worst states in the study were Louisiana at 47th, followed by Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma and Mississippi.
To see the full study and review its methodology, visit Wallethub.com.
