Local Students to Contact International Space Station

WORCESTER – The EcoTarium Museum of Science and Nature, at 222 Harrington Way, announced on Monday, Jan. 19, that 10 local students will speak live with an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in March. The museum will also invite hundreds of students to participate in the event and related education programs.

The students and the astronaut will communicate via the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) system.

“The ARISS contact is an exciting opportunity for museum visitors and school children from across the region,” said Jason Gurtman, manager of educational programs at the EcoTarium. “By giving students the chance to speak directly with an astronaut aboard the ISS, we’re sparking wonder and affirming that there is a place for everyone in space science. This project will serve as a catalyst for curiosity, equity, and lifelong engagement with STEM learning.”

The contact with ARISS will take place during the week of March 9. NASA will confirm the exact date and time in late February or early March.

ARISS is a joint venture by NASA, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), and the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) to facilitate communication via Amateur Radio between astronauts aboard the International Space Station and schools and communities around the world

The EcoTarium will host a public community celebration of the event on Saturday, March 14, at the museum. That event will include hands-on activities and educational experiences focused on amateur radio and space exploration.

Parents, guardians, and educators of students from age four to 16 may submit students’ questions for the astronaut by Jan. 21.

According to the museum, this program advances the EcoTarium’s mission of igniting curiosity and inspiring a passion for science, technology, engineering, and math.

Astronomy is a staple of the EcoTarium’s programming, including the new NASA-funded permanent exhibit Lift Off! Space Explorers, fulldome shows in the Alden Planetarium, a newly renovated observatory, and a monthly Astrophysics Speaker Series.

The call to the ISS is a collaboration with the Central Massachusetts Amateur Radio Association (CMARA) and North High School.

See the Neighborhood Meetings This Week in Worcester

WORCESTER – The Worcester Police Department is encouraging residents to attend their neighborhood watch meetings to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in their neighborhoods and to share any concerns or questions they may have. Representatives from the city also regularly attend these neighborhood meetings.

There are over 50 Neighborhood Watch Groups in Worcester. Meetings are held regularly — often once a month in various locations in the city.

Contact the Worcester Police Department’s Neighborhood Response Team at (508) 799-8664 for more information.

Here are the neighborhood meetings this week in Worcester.

Wednesday, Jan. 21

• Indian Lake Neighborhood Meeting, Worcester Business Center, 67 Millbrook St. – 6 PM

Thursday, Jan. 22

• Columbus Park Neighborhood Meeting, Stearns Tavern, 140 Mill St. – 6 PM
• Union Hill Neighborhood Meeting, Worcester Academy Fieldhouse, 121 Providence St. – 6 PM

Declared Parking Ban Ends at 4 PM Jan. 19 in Worcester

UPDATE: The city’s declared parking ban ends at 4 PM on Monday, Jan. 19.

WORCESTER – A declared winter parking ban in Worcester goes into effect at 9 AM on Saturday, Jan. 17. The National Weather Service (NWS) reported snow falling in some parts of Worcester County on Saturday morning.

During the Declared Winter Parking Ban, parking is prohibited on either side of main arteries, emergency and bus routes, and streets in the downtown area critical to the flow of traffic. On all other streets, parking is only permitted on the odd numbered side of the street, unless otherwise posted. Find the specific restrictions on your street at the City of Worcester website.

Municipal parking garages are free of charge to any vehicle that enters until the Declared Winter Parking Ban is lifted.

The following garages are included:

• Federal Plaza Garage – 570 Main St.
• Pearl & Elm Garage – 20 Pearl St.
• Worcester Common Garage – 3 Eaton Place
• Union Station Garage – 225 Franklin St.
• Major Taylor Blvd Garage – 30 Major Taylor Blvd.

Towing and ticketing will be enforced to keep streets clear.

According to the City of Worcester, sand pick-up and recycling drop-off will be available at 1065 Millbury St. Sand pick-up is also available at 22 Albany St. and 299 Clark St. prior to and following plowing operations.

For questions, residents should contact Worcester 311 by dialing 3-1-1, emailing 311@worcesterma.gov, or visiting worcesterma.gov/311.

Old Grumbly Fan’s Divisional Playoff Patriots Preview vs. the Texans

Pats got it done against the Chargers 16-3. There were some surprises in this game, and some trends from mid-season that came back. Let’s break it down.

Mike Vrabel got his first win in the playoffs as Patriots head coach out of the way. The team was prepared, and other than some miscues from the offense, the team dominated the Chargers start to finish. The game was not as close as the score. Old Grumbly’s prediction that it would be the most boring of the wild card weekend games came true.

Drake Maye came out in the first half of his first playoff game, and he had plays that did not resemble the MVP case that he has made all year. The interception was off a tipped pass, but thrown into a lot of traffic. I think you will see him read through that progression this upcoming week and go to the next guy.

In the playoffs, a 70% completion is not a normal thing, windows are smaller and tighter. People used to complain about Brady throwing the ball away, or into the ground, but he avoided turnovers. In the playoffs, turnovers are the easiest way, outside of big special teams plays, for an inferior team to advance.

He also had a fumble from a sack that was a straight doorway by Will Campbell. I think we have forgotten that Campbell is a rookie left tackle. It was a good play by former Raven Odafe Oweh, who had three sacks for the game. He is a multiyear veteran from many playoff teams. Campbell will learn from this and improve.

Maye also had a bad running game supporting him for most of the first three quarters other than himself, with a ton of plays into the line. When he got into a rhythm in the second half, and they needed a touchdown, he drove right down the field.

McDaniels hopefully knocked the playoff rust off as well. Some trends from during the year popped up here, with at least 10 plays that were straight ahead runs into the line that went nowhere. While Stevenson is a big back, Henderson is a speed guy, and McDaniels needs to get him back out into space.

The defense was tremendous from start to finish. They punished Herbert through a porous o-line, sacking him 6 times. When he completed passes, talking by the Patriots limited the run after catch all night. There was no room for the Chargers, who looked lost most of the night.

One big surprise was the dominance of Milton Williams, who looked like he did during the Eagles Super Bowl run. Huge interior pushes cause every quarterback ever to move. This is an element that the Patriots have lacked in the postseason for quite a few years, even going back to the Brady years. The last player similar to this player was Vince Wilfork. If he remains healthy during this postseason, it could elevate the Patriots’ championship chances.

Stefon Diggs was quiet, with an uncharacteristic drop, and only 2 catches. I think a big part of Diggs is getting him involved early and allowing him to find his rhythm. I expect him to come out strongly against the Texans, where he played last year. Maye’s slow start also contributed to this.

Old Grumbly Divisional Playoff Predictions

Houston comes to town with one of the best defenses in the NFL, and having throttled the Pittsburgh Steelers so badly that Mike Tomlin stepped down after 18 seasons. Tomlin was a long-time Patriots foil, whose Steeler teams would talk and get crushed by the Brady-era teams. That said, he was a tremendous coach, and Pittsburgh has its work cut out finding his replacement.

The Steelers just were not that good. Yes they beat the Patriots early in Week 3 in the most annoying game of the year. One, the Pats had five terrible turnovers in that game, and the Steelers only had 203 yards of offense. In every measure other than turnovers, the Patriots dominated that game. In fact, the Patriots only had 16 turnovers all year, and 5 were in that game. That means that over 16 games, they only turned the ball over 11 times!

Houston’s defense thrives on turnovers. It had 4 defensive touchdowns, 47 sacks, and the fewest yards allowed in the NFL. They have won 10 straight games, including the regular season. Finding negative trends when a team is on a run like that is difficult. The Patriots have won 13 of their last 14, so the same applies.

When you look at how Houston gives up yards, that is where the Patriots may have an advantage. In December, both the Chiefs and the Raiders gained some yards on the ground with big chunk plays. This is where Henderson might give the Patriots the elements they need. Both the Chargers and the Cardinals had success in the air, but both relied on big chunk plays as well.

The Patriots have thrived in long plays all year, and Maye in particular is great both under pressure (he leads all NFL QBS in yds, completion percentage, touchdowns and rating) and going long. McDaniels has had a long, long playoff career, and when winning in the first round, he often moves on. I think you will see an aggressive game plan against the Texans.

Demeco Ryans has led the Texans to 3 straight playoffs, and last week was his third playoff win as a head coach. In each of the first two years, the Texans won the wild card and lost in the divisional round on the road. I think that trend holds.

The Texans offense still struggled against the Steelers for three quarters. The score was 7-6 going into the fourth, and the aforementioned Texans turnover hunters got two different touchdowns in the fourth. Stroud gave the Steelers three turnovers, and all of them were his fault. While still leading his team back to the playoffs again, Stroud has been uneven at best this year, with injuries plaguing him (his backup Davis Mills is not very good).

With the Patriots defense in prime form, and with the home crowd behind them, I don’t see Houston scoring enough to match the Patriots. With star receiver Nico Collins potentially out with a concussion, I don’t see how they get to the end zone. It will be field goal city, and that plays into the Patriots’ hands.

Old Grumbly Prediction

Patriots 27 – Houston 12

Leominster Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Money Laundering

LEOMINSTER – A local man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston on Thursday, Jan. 15, to federal charges related to a scheme to steal over $1.3 million by depositing a forged check and laundering the money using cashier’s checks and shell companies.

Jesse El-Ghoul, 31, of Leominster, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds, one count of bank fraud and four counts of money laundering.

According to federal prosecutors, El-Ghoul owned and operated Affordable Motor Group in Leominster and owed back business taxes. In March 2024, El-Ghoul deposited a tax refund check for over $1.3 million into his business bank account.

Prosecutors say the U.S. Treasury issued that check to a Canadian company, but the check was forged and altered to be payable to El-Ghoul’s company.

Days later, El-Ghoul bought cashier’s checks in various amounts and deposited those checks into the accounts of shell companies and a law firm in connection with a third-party real estate transaction.

The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the amount of money involved in the laundering transactions, whichever is greater.

The judge in the case, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper, set sentencing for April 16 at the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse in Boston.

New Healthcare Regulations Ends Some Prior Authorizations

BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey announced healthcare cost-cutting measures on Wednesday, Jan. 14, through new regulations issued by the Division of Insurance (DOI), a division of the Executive Office of Economic Development.

The DOI issued updated regulations for prior authorization practices across the state, including eliminating prior authorizations for many routine and essential services.

Healey’s office cited a report from the Council for Affordable Healthcare that found administrative costs related to prior authorizations increased 30 percent in 2023, to $1.3 billion. Processing prior authorizations in compliance with HIPAA law costs around $6 each.

Those costs end up being passed on to patients.

Examples of changes made by the new regulations provided by Healey’s office include:

• A patient with diabetes will no longer need a prior authorization for any services, devices and drugs associated with their chronic disease.
• A patient with rheumatoid arthritis who has an existing authorization for his treatment but recently switched to a new insurer will have that prior authorization honored for at least 3 months.
• An insurer will be required to respond to a prior authorization request from a multiple sclerosis patient experiencing a relapse and needing steroid injections to prevent permanent nerve damage within 24 hours.
• A provider who recently diagnosed their patient with a new condition will more easily be able to identify if a prior authorization is required for a particular course of treatment.

“Health care is too difficult and too expensive for far too many people,” said Governor Healey. “So we are taking the most comprehensive action in the country to make it faster, cheaper and easier to get the care you need. This is a moment of urgency, and today we are bringing together leaders from across health care, business and labor to find every possible step we can take to lower costs and improve health care in Massachusetts.”

POST Commission Clarifies Role, Importance of Local Police Oversight

WORCESTER – The Worcester City Council will debate creating a civilian review board in the current term, which began at the start of this year. The council meets for the first time on Tuesday, Jan. 13. No items related to a civilian oversight board or police reform appear on the agenda.

Based on the previous public statements of current city councilors during the 2025 campaign and previously, it appears at least a majority of councilors will not support establishing such a board. Three Worcester City Councilors have cited the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission in their arguments that the current systems for investigating allegations of police misconduct in Worcester are adequate and no further reform is necessary.

This Week in Worcester asked an official spokesperson for the POST Commission to clarify the commission’s relationship to local oversight and the role of local government in police policy enforcement after the establishment of POST. The inquiry included a direct question asking whether the establishment of the POST commission replaces any functions of municipalities in managing police discipline for misconduct.

According to the spokesperson, “the POST Commission has not replaced any functions of local law enforcement agencies in managing the disciplinary process.”

In October, the Worcester Regional Research Bureau (WRRB) released a report on establishing a civilian review board requested by City Manager Eric Batista. In the report, the WRRB recommended the city establish a civilian review board. Within the report, the bureau provides a brief history of resident advocacy for a civilian review board over the last 30 years, beginning in 1994.

The council says it will wait for a subsequent report from the city manager about the WRRB’s findings before any discussion about its report or establishing a civilian review board in Worcester. The city manager’s office has announced no timeline for presenting the report.

The Role of the POST Commission

State law established the POST Commission through “An Act Relative to Justice, Equity and Accountability in Law Enforcement in the Commonwealth,” passed by the legislature and signed by then-Governor Charlie Baker in 2020. The POST Commission says on its website that its mission is “to improve policing and enhance public confidence in law enforcement by implementing a fair process for mandatory certification, discipline, and training for all peace officers in the Commonwealth.”

The POST Commission accepts complaints directly from residents, but it also says on the page that holds the online complaint form that it sends those complaints to the law enforcement agency where the accused officer works for investigation.

The 2024 annual report of the POST Commission, released in March 2025, says it has 49 staff members.

The law that created the POST commission creates a requirement for all law enforcement officers in the state to receive certification from the commission. According to the POST Commission website, it has certified 19,734 officers across the state.

According to the POST Commission spokesperson, the law that established it enabled it to create new standards for policing and requirements for agencies in enforcing those standards. POST became “an independent statewide oversight system that oversees and operates alongside strengthened local processes.”

Agencies must report credible complaints and incidents to POST that are within the jurisdiction of the commission within a required reporting timeline.

Matters within POST jurisdiction include:

• Matters alleging bias;
• Excessive use of force;
• Serious bodily injury or death; and
• Unprofessional conduct

Agencies are also required to inform POST throughout the process of investigating misconduct, including:

• Reporting the investigation outcome;
• Associated developments; and
• Final disposition and discipline

POST reviews reports of each internal investigation and has the option to accept the agency’s conclusions and associated discipline or open a preliminary inquiry (the first stage of its investigations) into the matter. That inquiry may lead to additional proceedings.

With 49 employees, the commission operates six internal divisions. Those divisions are:

• Division of Certification
• Division of Standards
• Legal Division
• Finance and Administration
• Information Technology
• Communications and Community Engagement

According to the POST Commission 2024 annual report, its division of standards investigates allegations of police misconduct, makes disciplinary recommendations to the
Commission and conducts adjudicatory hearings on behalf of the Commission.” The 2024 report says that the division has 16 employees.

The POST Commission has jurisdiction for oversight of law enforcement agencies across the state’s 351 municipalities and the Massachusetts State Police’s 2500 troopers.

According to the 2024 report, staff brought 80 preliminary inquiries (the first stage of its investigations) before the Commission for approval in 2024, with 21 advancing to adjudicatory hearing (decision-making hearing). Just seven preliminary inquiries closed without action.

The commission had 52 preliminary inquiries remaining open at the end of 2024 that it initiated that year. When including cases from prior years, the commission had a total of 77 cases open at the end of 2024. It decertified 30 officers across the state that year.

According to the POST Commission spokesperson, in 2025 the commission concluded proceedings for 47 officers, leading to 35 decertifications, six suspensions, three retraining orders, two public reprimands and one agreement not to reapply for certification. The commission ordered other suspensions in 2025, but the process in those cases is ongoing and not yet complete.

The POST Commission spokesperson also said that “local law enforcement agencies continue to play an important role in the disciplinary process and fact finding relative to complaints and officer conduct, but POST can and does have the authority to initiate its own investigations.”

Criticism of BOPS

The police department, the two unions that represent officers and officials within the police department, and a majority of the Worcester City Council have focussed on criticism of the first part of the DOJ report on the pattern or practice investigation of the Worcester Police Department. In that section, the DOJ articulates testimony related to incidents it says it has “reasonable cause to believe.” The section included summaries of cases it found where Worcester Police officers used unreasonable force.

Little public discussion about the second part of the report, titled “Contributing Causes of Violations,” has taken place in over a year since the release of the report.

The outline of section headings in this section is:

• Contributing Causes of Violations
  • WPD Fails to Hold Officers Accountable
    • WPD’s Intake Process May Discourage Complaints
    • Supervisors, Not BOPS Investigators, Investigate Some Serious Complaints, Including Complaints of Excessive Force
    • BOPS Investigators Reach Improper Conclusions and Fail to Interview Key Witnesses
    • WPD Officers are Rarely Disciplined for Misconduct
  • Deficient Policies and Training
  • WPD Does Not Adequately Supervise Officers

Nearly all the public discussion about the report within the Worcester City Council focussed on new policies created by the department, led by Chief of Police Paul Saucier. The parts titled “WPD Fails to Hold Officers Accountable” and “WPD Does Not Adequately Supervise Officers” have received little attention in the council’s public discussions or in the council’s Public Safety Committee.

City Council Opposition to Reform

Multiple city councilors. including Councilor At-Large and Chairperson of the council’s Public Safety Committee Kate Toomey, Councilor At-Large Moe Bergman, and District 5 Councilor Jose Rivera have suggested the establishment of the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission, the Worcester Police Department Bureau of Professional Standards (BOPS), the city’s Human Rights Commission, and the investigative division within the city’s Department of Equity and Inclusion make a civilian review board unnecessary.

Mayor Joe Petty has the unilateral authority to appoint councilors to committees of the council. The council announced the mayor’s committee appointments during the week beginning Jan.  5. Mayor Petty reappointed both Councilor Toomey and Councilor Bergman to the public safety committee. Both have stated they do not support a civilian review board and advocate for the current system for investigating police misconduct to continue without change.

Of those entities, only the POST Commission is independent of the control of the administration of City Manager Eric Batista. The city manager sits at the top of the chain of command in Worcester and has the sole authority to appoint the chief of police, who reports directly to the manager.

All three councilors have advocated for no change to the current system where the Worcester Police Department’s BOPS unit conducts investigations of allegations of misconduct against its own officers. These internal investigations have faced significant criticism, including in the summary report of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation of the Worcester Police Department.

No city councilor has proposed an alternative oversight mechanism to a civilian review board.

TWIW Podcast on Committee Assignments and New Council

This Week in Worcester Podcast, Jan. 11, 2026, on:

• The message Worcester Mayor Joe Petty’s committee appointments sends
• Preview of the First Meeting of the New City Council
• Still No Ruling on if the City Auditor Can Audit

Old Grumbly Fan’s Wild Card Weekend Patriots Preview vs. the Chargers

Old Grumbly ended the season on a roll! We predicted 38-17, and got 38-10. The Dolphins couldn’t finish the job and fired Mike McDaniel. They sat their best player in De’von Achane so what was already a tough matchup for the Fish got worse. It was a beat down by one team heading in one direction, and another heading in no direction at all.

Part of the reason that the Brady/Belichick thing lasted so long, before it inevitably fell apart, was that the teams in the division never really committed to a plan and then stuck with it for enough time to see if it worked. The Jets came the closest with the Rex Ryan teams, but the Johnson family, as always, blew that team apart by being silly and greedy. The Dolphins rotated QBs and coaches like a carousel and so did the Bills until Josh Allen. While the Pats were starting to fall apart, the Bills got good and pressed on their necks. Once atop the division, they just didn’t have the killer instinct.

This year the Pats finished 14-3, tied for the best record in the NFL with Denver and Seattle, grabbed the #2 seed only by a tiebreaker with the Broncos, and won back the AFC East by 2 games. Drake Maye is 23, and Vrabel is in year one of his plan. While nothing is guaranteed, they are set up for success.

FINAL REGULAR SEASON GRADES

Mike Vrabel – A+

Vrabel set out to establish a new culture and bring grit back to the Pats. He did so while winning his team over. The viral video of Vrabel running alongside Antonio Gibson in Week 2 versus the Dolphins, and the greetings for his players after the games set a public tone that made it Vrabel’s team. We are in a new era of Patriots football, and it looks like we’ve got a good coach.

Drake Maye – A+

Maye exceeded any and all expectations. He set a Patriots record with a 72% completion percentage. He made plays with his legs, threw the ball deep, and clearly had a fun time doing it all year. He responded to a late-season loss versus the Bills with a fourth-quarter comeback against the Ravens, on the road in prime time. You can always grow, and the comparisons to Brady will never stop with local sports media. Maye also looks like the real deal. The playoffs are a different animal, so we will see.

Josh McDaniels – B

Now you are all going to yell at me because I am very critical of McDaniels. It would have been worse, but he got away from some of his worst tendencies as the year progressed. They still struggled in the red zone (17th) overall, but big plays offset that a bit. He still calls those dives into the line, which work better with Rhamondre Steven carrying the ball, but are frustrating. The offensive line came together well towards the end of the year, and Maye took fewer sacks. There is a different McDaniels in the playoffs though, and hopefully that is who is here.

Stef Diggs- A+

This was one of the best free agent signings in Patriots history. He was consistent and productive. He led the team in catches, receiving yards, yards after the catch and first downs. Just a baller still less than 18 months removed from an ACL injury. What else can he do?

Defense – B –

D-Coordinator Terrell Williams has missed most of the season recovering from prostate cancer. Linebackers coach Zach Kuhr has become the primary play caller and DC in practice. The team had a strong run earlier in the year against the run, and then slipped as the year went on. Part of that was because of injury, and another part was because of poor tackling. They still finished in the top ten against the run and the pass. They had only 10 interceptions and had only a +3 turnover margin thanks in-part to a mistake-free offense. In the playoffs, that has to change.

Special Teams – B+

Three return touchdowns, the best punt returner in football in Marcus Jones, a great rookie season from Andy Borregales, and pretty consistent kick coverage (except for one really bad game against the Bills). this unit played well.

Old Grumbly Fan Playoff Predictions

The Patriots face an old playoff rival in the Chargers, led by Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert. Herbert has yet to win a playoff game, and has lost badly in both outings. Harbaugh is 5-4 in the playoffs, including 3 NFC title games, and 1 Super Bowl appearance. Vrabel is 3-5, all with the Titans, reaching one AFC title game as a head coach.

Jim had a 2-3 record as a QB in the playoffs, and Vrabel was 15-5. Harbaugh has more experience as a head coach and college coach, but I think those factors are pretty even here.

Josh McDaniels has an 18-8 playoff record as an offensive coordinator and was a part of all six Super Bowl teams. Vrabel was a part of six, so the championship experience runs deep.

Herbert has played hurt most of the year, and the Chargers finished with back-to-back losses. They were in contention for the AFC West crown before those losses, but needed a lot to go right to match up with the Broncos.

I think Vrabel is aggressive, and you see the Patriots build an early lead. The Chargers are a tough team and hang in there, but in the end this Patriots roster is too much for them. Patriots run it on them late and have a quiet fourth quarter for the only boring Wild Card weekend game.

Key play to watch for: a late tipped pass by Herbert off of a wide receiver’s hands. Herbert’s wideouts have had the dropsies this year.

Pats 30 – Chargers 13

Join this Community Discussion on School Safety in Worcester

WORCESTER – The Worcester Education Justice Alliance (WJA) hosts a discussion on school safety on Sunday, Jan. 11, from 1 PM to 3 PM.

The discussion will focus on what school safety means to members of the community, methods of implementation, and the steps to ensure inclusivity, well-being and community within Worcester schools.

The meeting includes a data walk, using data from Worcester schools and examples of school safety practices in other municipalities, along with small group discussions.

All members of the community are invited. Registration is requested.

The event takes place at the Carpenters Local 336 at 29 Endicott St. in Worcester.