Mass. unemployment rose in February Massachusetts' four-month streak of job gains ended in February.

Massachusetts’ four-month streak of job gains ended in February.

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PulteGroup buys into Marlborough office-to-housing project for $4.8M A shared maintenance and amenity agreement submitted to the registry shows both firms continue to develop their own residential condominiums at the site.

Georgia-based homebuilder PulteGroup purchased part of a Marlborough site planned for 180 residential units for $4.8 million.

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will.i.am, Alliant CEO to headline WPI commencement Grammy Award-winning artist will.i.am and Lisa Barton, CEO of Wisconsin-based Alliant Energy, will be featured speakers at the 2026 Worcester Polytechnic Institute commencement.

Grammy Award-winning artist will.i.am and Lisa Barton, CEO of Wisconsin-based Alliant Energy, will be featured speakers at the 2026 Worcester Polytechnic Institute commencement.

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Movers & Shakers for April 20, 2026 Employees at Reliant Foundation, the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, and ERA Key Realty Services are advancing in their careers.

Here's a round-up of hiring and promotion news at Central Massachusetts firms:

Railers name next president One day after the end of their 2025-26 season, the Worcester Railers named a new team president.

BREAKING: A day after their 2025-26 season concluded, the Worcester Railers have named a new leader.

Real Estate Insider Briefs for April 20, 2026 Tufts University has received Grafton Planning Board approval to construct a 30,000-square-foot learning center at its Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine campus in Grafton, replacing an existing…

Here's the latest real estate happenings in Central Massachusetts:

Healey signs bill to reform CCC, tweak cannabis business rules Gov. Maura Healey on Sunday signed a law reforming the state’s cannabis regulations and rebooting the Cannabis Control Commission. Under the legislation (H 5350), the current CCC is immediately…

It raises the amount of marijuana a person can legally possess from one ounce to two ounces, among other reforms.

Business Leads for April 20, 2026 In January, 1,421 new businesses filed incorporation paperwork with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, in order to do business in the state.

Here is a selection of some of the 270 new Central Massachusetts companies.

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Viewpoint: Bank of America's Michael Garand discusses what the organization does to make a difference in the Worcester area.

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Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: The L.S. Starrett Co. The L.S. Starrett Co. has focused on workforce training and operational alignment as it works to improve performance across its manufacturing operations.

Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: The L.S. Starrett Co. has focused on workforce training and operational alignment as it works to improve performance across its manufacturing operations.

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Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: Powders on Demand Founded two years ago, Powders on Demand produces engineered metal powders used in additive manufacturing and repair applications, supplying materials to aerospace, defense, and industrial customers.

Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: Founded two years ago, Powders on Demand produces engineered metal powders used in additive manufacturing and repair applications, supplying materials to aerospace, defense, and industrial customers.

UMass Chan, the region’s largest recipient of NIH funding when ranked by number of awards, experienced an approximately $3-million decline in this past year.

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Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: Waters Corp. Waters Corp. develops analytical instruments used in drug development, food safety testing, and environmental analysis, producing tools designed to generate faster and more precise data.

Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: Waters Corp. develops analytical instruments used in drug development, food safety testing, and environmental analysis, producing tools designed to generate faster and more precise data.

Peters & Sowyrda merging with Marlborough law firm The new firm will be known as Peters, Mitrakas & LaForce. The merger did not include any financial exchange.

The firms signed the merger agreement March 1 and are working to integrate their technologies, particularly mortgage processing software, said Norman Peters, owner of Peters & Sowyrda.

Worcester half marathon planned for 2027 return The race is expected to start and end at the Polar Park baseball stadium, so organizers will work with the Worcester Red Sox to pick a date that works around the team’s 2027 schedule.

The United Way of Central Massachusetts is working to host a Worcester half marathon race next year, 10 years after the last half marathon was held in the city.

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BJ’s Wholesale expands to 21st state The move sees BJ’s Wholesale enter territory already claimed by two of its biggest wholesale competitors: Costco Wholesale and Sam’s Club.

The move sees BJ’s Wholesale enter territory already claimed by two of its biggest wholesale competitors: Costco Wholesale and Sam’s Club.

Cannabis firms focus on reforms beyond CCC overhaul While dysfunction at the state’s CCC has captured headlines, Central Massachusetts cannabis business owners are more focused on other reforms.

Operators care less about governance, more about rules affecting revenue, expansion, and survival.

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Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: Metamagnetics Inc. The Marlborough company’s products are used in applications where multiple systems operate simultaneously, requiring precise filtering to prevent signal disruption.

Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: Metamagnetics designs and produces radio frequency components used in defense and aerospace systems, focusing on maintaining reliable communications in environments with heavy signal interference.

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Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: Gina Melendez has led a shift in how Hudson Lock operates, focusing on structure, data, and consistency across the company’s manufacturing processes.

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Worcester autism services provider opens Littleton learning center Worcester-based autism services provider Behavioral Concepts has opened a new learning center in Littleton.

Worcester-based autism services provider Behavioral Concepts has opened a new learning center in Littleton.

Worcester weighs pause on energy code amid business pushback Questions remain about how Worcester would go about implementing a pause of enforcement.

The Tuesday meeting drew developers and representatives from various business organizations supporting the pause.

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Mass. House proposes $22.4B in MassHealth funding Naming federal Medicaid cuts as one of their biggest obstacles, House Democrats unveiled their fiscal 2027 budget Wednesday.

Gov. Maura Healey proposed capping MassHealth adult dental benefits at $1,000 annually, a figure that drew pushback from some lawmakers and oral health providers who said more patients could end up seeking costlier care at hospital emergency departments.

Ascend Elements files for bankruptcy Ascend on Thursday had approximately $103.5 million in funded debt, $40 million in unsecured debt, and $145 million in lien claims.

Battery materials manufacturer Ascend Elements has voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after what the Westborough-based firm’s CEO calls a long history of fiscal and operational mismanagement.

Lawmakers present $63.3B fiscal 2027 budget The House Ways and Means Committee released its $63.3 billion proposal Wednesday to increase spending by 3.6% in fiscal year 2027.

The committee recommends slightly less spending, about $33 million less, than Gov. Maura Healey did in her budget.

Worcester weighs $1.4M tax break for housing development near Polar Park The 10-year agreement would result in about $1.4 million in property tax savings for GFI Partners, the Boston-based developer behind the project.

The 10-year agreement would result in about $1.4 million in property tax savings for GFI Partners, the Boston-based developer behind the project at 39 Green Island Blvd.

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Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: Jon Weaver Jon Weaver has focused his work on building Central Massachusetts’ biomanufacturing sector by coordinating efforts across government, industry, and education.

Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: Jon Weaver has focused his work on building Central Massachusetts’ biomanufacturing sector by coordinating efforts across government, industry, and education.

Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: GLASS LAB, Inc. The Whitinsville company prints designs directly onto glass using UV-cured inks, allowing panels to transmit natural light while maintaining privacy.

Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2026: GLASS LAB, Inc. is developing glass products designed to reduce energy use in buildings by improving how light is managed indoors.

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Site of M&T Bank in Marlborough sold for $1.69M ahead of grand opening The sale will not impact M&T’s branch at the site, according to the company.

The branch is celebrating its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Vermont firm buys Fitchburg senior housing site for $7.2M from Rev Clinics co-founder North Hill Capital Partner’s website says it’s focused on acquiring, preserving, and improving affordable multifamily properties in New England.

A Vermont-based real estate firm has purchased an 86-unit senior living complex in Fitchburg for $7.2 million.

Senior Connection to launch mobile barber shop with benefit enrollment services Senior Connection will launch a mobile barber shop designed to help older adults and people with disabilities enroll in state benefits.

Senior Connection will launch a mobile barber shop designed to help older adults and people with disabilities enroll in state benefits, a model the Worcester-based nonprofit’s leader said is the first of its kind.