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 — Friday, Jan. 31 — Bruins, Worcester Public Library team up for a PJ drive for kids, WPI professors are researching the temps of classrooms, Monster Jam rumbles back to the DCU Center, fatal crashes with drivers on pot have increased according to a new study, and applications for stART on the Street become available this weekend.
stART on the Street Artist Applications Available
Grab your spot on the street. Vendor applications are available as of Saturday, Feb. 1, for those artists looking to participate in this fall’s stART on the Street, which takes place on Sunday, Sept. 20, on Park Ave. in Worcester. It’s New England’s biggest arts festival of its kind that features artists from all mediums, food vendors, performers, live music and unmatched local spirit.
Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold: WPI Researchers Awarded Grant to Find Right Classroom Environment for Learning
Perhaps they should hook up with the folks who study temperature control for the casinos. Nah, they’re doing their own thing. Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute [WPI] got $299,991 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to come up with technologies that detect and boost student engagement in lessons by controlling indoor physical environmental factors such as temperature, ventilation, and lighting.
Shichao Liu, assistant professor of architectural engineering, is principal investigator of the three-year project. The project tackles a fundamental issue with indoor physical environments created by heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and other building systems. Current design practice aims to make indoor environments as uniform as possible. Yet in classroom environments, different students feel distinct levels of comfort or discomfort under the same conditions, and that can impact their ability to learn.
“When we look at how student learning can be improved, a lot of researchers start from the perspective of pedagogy and teaching materials,” Liu said. “As an engineer in building sciences, I know indoor environmental quality is a big factor that affects people’s comfort and cognitive performance.”
The research builds on a $10,000 seed grant awarded in 2018 by WPI’s office of the dean of engineering.
Worcester Public Library Suits Up With the Bruins on a PJ Drive
The Worcester Public Library has teamed up with the Boston Bruins to participate in the 13th annual Boston Bruins PJ Drive to benefit the Department of Children and Families’ [DCF] Wonderfund and Cradles to Crayons. The goal is to collect 13,000 pairs of new pajamas. Many of the pajamas donated go to local DCF offices in the area in which they were collected, benefitting local kids and teens. DCF estimates that at any given time the agency is working with 45,000 babies, children and teens.
“We’re so happy to be participating this year. We know the Worcester community has a big heart, so we expect that the response will be strong,” said Cynthia Bermudez, Youth Services coordinator. “We’ve set a local goal to collect 100 pairs of PJs to help make sure that children of all ages can sleep soundly.”
The Boston Bruins PJ Drive runs from Feb. 1 through March 15. The library during that time collects new pairs of pajamas for babies, children and teens. The donations can be dropped off at any of the seven Worcester Public Library locations across the city.
Deadly Crashes With Drivers on Marijuana has Increased Since Legalization
A concerning number of Washington state drivers involved in fatal crashes are testing positive for recent use of marijuana, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
The share of drivers who, after a fatal crash, tested positive for active THC – the drug’s main psychoactive ingredient – has doubled since the state legalized marijuana in December 2012, according to the study. The average number of THC-positive drivers increased, too. In the five years before legalization, an average of 56 drivers involved in fatal crashes each year were THC-positive. In the five years after legalization, the average jumped to 130.
“This study enabled us to review a full 10-years’ worth of data about the potential impact of marijuana on driving safety – and it raises significant concerns,” said Mary Maguire, director of public and legislative affairs for AAA Northeast. “Results from the analysis suggest that legalization of recreational use of marijuana may increase the rate of THC-positive drivers involved in fatal crashes.”
Monster Jam Returns to the DCU
Hear them roar! Monster Jam’s back, and you know what that means. This action-packed motorsports experience returns to Worcester for another high-octane weekend that features the ultimate mix of high-flying action and four-wheel excitement at the DCU Center from Feb. 14– 16.
Featuring skilled Monster Jam athletes, Worcester fans can plan on taking in a fierce battle for the championship with each competitor tearing up the dirt gravity-defying feats in 12,000-pound trucks. These vehicles (and the people in them) go head-to-head for points in Freestyle, 2-Wheel Skills Challengeä and Racing competitions.
At the Monster Jam Pit Party, you can see the massive trucks up close, meet your favorite drivers, get autographs, take pictures and enjoy other family-friendly activities. It is an unforgettable part of the Monster Jam experience where special connections are made and lifelong fans are born.
Check out event times and get tickets here.
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