Mass. Gas Prices Up 19 Cents from Last Week

WORCESTRER – After gasoline supplies switched over to summer blend fuel last week, the price available to consumers for gas has jumped by 19 cents across Massachusetts. AAA says that softening gasoline demand, falling oil prices and growing oil and gas inventories could stave off even more rapid price increases—for the time being.

Summer blend fuel is formulated differently, containing about two percent butane, higher than in winter blend gas. Summer blend fuel is formulated to prevent excess evaporation when temperatures rise. Evaporation can cause vapor lock in an engine in high temperatures and contributes to ground-level ozone and smog levels.

According to AAA, the average gas price in Massachusetts is up 19 cents over last week ($3.37), averaging $3.56 per gallon. Today’s price is 27 cents higher than a month ago ($3.29) and eight cents higher than a year ago ($3.48). Massachusetts’s average gas price is 11 cents lower than the national average.

“Drivers might be seeing red at the gas pump this week, but there are signs that the pace of price increases could ease,” said Mark Schieldrop, Senior Spokesperson for AAA Northeast. “It’s not unusual to see a lull in demand between the end of spring breaks and Memorial Day. Regional gasoline inventories are ahead of last year’s levels – and growing. And oil prices, which had been climbing since the start of the year, fell sharply last week after markets digested the latest developments in the Middle East and lackluster demand figures from China, the world’s largest oil importer.”

AAA Northeast’s April 22 survey of fuel prices found the current national average to be up four cents from last week ($3.63), averaging $3.67 a gallon. Today’s national average price is 14 cents higher than a month ago ($3.53) and was the same price on this day last year ($3.67).

Here are the current average prices and trends for Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

Road in Oxford to Close Until July for Rt. 20 Construction

OXFORD –  The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT) announced it will close Oxbow Road at Route 20 in Oxford starting on Monday, April 29. the work requiring the closure is part of he Route 20 Reconstruction Project.  Oxbow Road is not expected to reopen untl sometime in July.

Oxbow Road provides access to Route 20 in two locations in Oxford, less than 2.5 miles apart. The closure will occur at the entrance of the road across from Arnies Towing, which is the entrance further east and across from Arnie’s Towing.

DOT has announced detours in the area starting on Monday.

For those traveling Westbound on Route 20. pass Oxbow Road and turrn right on Oxbow Road/ Hammond Hill Road.

For those traveling on Oxbow Road that wish to travel westbound on Route 20, use one of the following:

• Head west on Oxbow Road, turn left on Glenmere Road, then tur right on Route 20 westbound; or
• Head west on Oxbow Road, tujrn left onto Oxbow Road/Hammond Hill Road, then turn right on Route 20 westbound.

The closure this weekend is part of a four-year project for complete reconstruction of Route 20 in Oxford and Charlton.Most work will be done between 7 AM to 3:30 PM, but occasionally night and weekend work will take place.

More information about the Route 20 Reconstruction Project in Charlton & Oxford project is available from the state website. About 26,000 vehicles travel along this 3.2-mile section of Route 20 through Charlton and Oxford each day, according to the DOT. The project includes widening the roadway, replacing bridges over the Little River and the French River, adding sidewalks and shared use paths, installing a median barrier, improving safety and traffic operations at various intersections, and enhancing stormwater treatment.

Image Credit: Google

See Worcester Job, Income, Population Changes over 30 Yrs.

WORCESTER – The Worcester City Council Economic Development Committee will take up a report the Worcester Regional Research Bureau (WRRB) published in September 2023. The WRRB submitted the report to city council soon after it was published. City Council sent the report to the Economic Development Committee, where it has sat since.

The report, “Reinventing Worcester: Changes in the Community and the Economy over the Decades through Decennial Census Data,” applies US Census data collected every 10 years to show how Worcester has changed since 1990 in population, demographics, and earnings of city residents.

SEE: Forbes: Worcester 3rd Worst Market for Housing Renters in US

Population of Worcester 1900 – 2020

In the 2020 census, the population of Worcester reached its highest level, at 206,518 residents. The previous high in population captured by the census was 1950, when the population of Worcester reached 203,486. By 1980, the population had dropped to 161,799, the lowest since 1910. From 1980 to 2010, the population increased to 181,045. The city added over 25,000 residents from 2010 to 2020.

Worcester Age Distribution 1990 – 2020

With the increase of the city’s population over the last 30 years, the number in most age groups increasing isn’t a surprise. Only two age groups have decreased in numbers: those under five years old, and those from 75 to 84 years old. The largest increases occured from 45 to 64, where the two groups grew a combined 77.91 percent.

Income, Adjusted for Inflation, Expressed in 2022 dollars

In this table, all figures have been adjusted for inflation to the value of the dollar in 2022. While Worcester residents have seen some increases in the value of their earnings, Worcester remains in the bottom five percent of the state for household median  income and per-capital income. Combined with the Worceser Metro Area housing market, recently found to be the third worst of the 75 largest metro areas in the US.

Worcester Industry Distribution

Of the 11 major industry catagories in Worcester, eight have seen declines since 1990. The service sector has nore than doubled, while the construction indistry increased by over 75 percent.

Worcester Occupation Distributions, 1990 – 2020

Below, find the distribution of  occupations in Worcester since 1990. Three of five sectors saw increases.

The full WRRB report, which includes additional metrics, is available on its website.

TWIW Pod Ep. 5 2024 – Rental Registry, Fare-Free, WPD Gun Unit

In this episode of the podcast, This Week in Worcester Tom Marino and Manny Jae Media Executive Producer John Keough discuss:

• Changes made by the city to the Rental Registry program;
• The extension of the fare-free WRTA service until June 2025; and
• The newest unit within the Worcester Police Department, focussed on illegal guns, finds some early success.

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, April 24

• Whittier Terrace Neighborhood Meeting, Whittier Terrace, 86 Austin St. – 4 PM
• Quinsigamond Village Neighborhood Meeting, The Journey Community Church, 46 Greenwood St. – 6 PM

Thursday, April 25

• Columbus Park Neighborhood Meeting, Stearns Tavern, 72 Coes St. – 6 PM

Southbridge Man Arrested for Kidnapping, Assault on Child

WEBSTER – A girl under 14-years-old and her grandmother walked into the Webster Police Deaprtment on Monday, April 15, to report the girl was lured into a vehicle at Memorial Beach and assaulted. The man allegedly drove the girl to a location to drop off his dog before conducting the assault, then dropped her off near her residence.

The man allegedly told the girl he’d return to Memorial Beach around 11:30 AM the next day. She also provided some unique aspects of the vehicle he was driving, police say.

According to the Webster Police Department, patrols were increased at the beach with support from the Southern Worcester County Counter Crime and Drug Task Force. Police located a car matching the description provided by the girl and identified the driver as Walter Fanion, 68, of Southbridge.

Police increased patrols at the beach over the following days. Detectives from the Webster and Southbridge Police Departments monitored the suspect.

On Friday, April 19, officers followed Fanion from Southbridge to Memorial Beach, and took him into custody.

Fanion was held on $75,040 bail. He faces charges of Enticing a Child Under 16 and four counts of Indecent Assault and Battery on a Child under 14.

The Webster Police Department asks anyone with similar contact with Fanion to call its Detective Bureau at (508) 943-1212.

Forbes: Worcester 3rd Worst Market for Housing Renters in US

WORCESTER – A new report ranks the Worcester metro area the third worst real estate market for renters in the US. While rents continue to rise, residents in the city rank in the bottom five percent in income of the 351 municipalities in Massachusetts.

The report, by Forbes Advisor, found the Worcester metro area the third most competitive residential rental market of the top 75 most populated metro areas nationwide. Forbes found the most competitive metro area is the Virginia Beach metro area, followed by the New York City metro area.

The study ranked each metro area from 1 to 100, with Virginia Beach earning 100, New York earning 91.5, and Worcester earning a 90.29. The Honolulu, Hawaii area was ranked fourth, with an 88.66.

The study found that the Worcester metro area has 94.3 available rentals per 100,000 households, 7th worst of the areas included in the study. The vacancy rate in the Worcester area, based on data from the first quarter of 2023, is 1.7 percent, second worst only behind the Louisville, Kentucky area, which has a 1.2 percent vacancy. However, from the first quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024, the median rental price increased by $163 in the Worcester, while it decreased by $45 in the Louisville area. Louisville ranked 43rd in overall ranking.

The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area ranked 12th worst of the 75 areas included in the report, with an overall score of 77.04. The rental vacancy rate there is 2.7 percent, fifth worst in the study, but it has 688.6 available rentals per 100,000 households, more than seven times more than Worcester’s 94.3 per 100,000 households. Boston tied for with the highest increase in median rental price from Q1 of 2023 to Q1 of 2024, with an increase of $200. However, prices in Worcester are rising faster than Boston.

According to data from Zillow, accessed the day of publishing, the median rent in the City of Worcester is currently $2,075, with a year-over-year change of $175. Median rent in the City of Boston is much higher, at $3,350, but the year-over-year-change is $150.

While housing costs and availability are problematic nationwide, the rental market renters in Worcester face is one of the worst in the country and easily the worst in the state.

While the rate of increase in rents is rising faster than nearly anywhere else in the county, income in Worcester is within the bottom five percent of municipalities in Massachusetts.

According to the US Census Bureau, in 2021 the median household income in Massachusetts was $56,746, about $25,000 lower than Boston and the 17th worst in Massachusetts. Per capital income the same year was $30,855, 16th worst in the state. With 351 municipalities in the state, Worcester residents earnings are in the bottom five percent of Massachusetts municipalities.

Forbes Advisor said that, “with extremely low vacancy rates and some of the worst availability of rental units, Worcester metro area renters are battling a tough rental market.” It listed four factors contributing to the ranking:

• Worcester has the second-lowest rental vacancy rate study-wide (1.7%) which is lower than our study average of 6.3%.
• Renters in the Worcester metro area have seen the third-highest increase in rental prices over the last year at $163.
• The number of rental units available in Worcester is seventh worst across the study with an average of 94 available rentals per 100,000 households, well below the study average of 240.
• Worcester made it in the top 25 most competitive rental markets due to its high rental prices, with a median price of $1,995 per rental—nearly $200 higher than the study median price of $1,804.

Forbes Advisor provides financial advisor services and online tools for financial planning. You can find the full study and its methodology on the Forbes website.

QCC Early College Program Coming to Southbridge High School

WORCESTER – Funding from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will enable 100 juniors and seniors from Southbridge High School to earn college credits through a partnership with Quinsigamond Community College (QCC). Early College courses at Southbridge High School will start in fall 2024, at no cost to students in the program.

The Joint Committee of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and Board of Higher Education recently designated QCC an early college site for Southbridge Public Schools, which enables the program to begin. QCC is also part of Early College Worcester, which includes all seven high schools within Worcester Public Schools.

Early colleges students will at Southbridge High School will take QCC courses twice per week, with support programming provided three days per week. The courses will cover topics that include career readiness, growth mindset and learning strategies, with QCC’s support for tutoring and library services. Southbridge High School is adapting its course schedule to for junior and senior students to accommodate the program.

Credits earned by students in the program are part of the MassTransfer program, ensuring credits are transferable towards a certificate or associate degree from a community college in Massachusetts, or towards a bachelor’s degree from a state university.

“This is an important designation that will have positive, far-reaching implications for Southbridge High School students and the Southbridge community as a whole,” said QCC President Dr. Luis G. Pedraja. “Early College offers students an attainable pathway to higher education.”
Image Credit: Southbridge High School/ Facebook

WRTA Board Approved Fare-Free Transit through June 2025

WORCESTER – The Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) Advisory Board voted unanimously on Thursday morning to continue its fare free program through June 2025. The board voted to approve the program last year through June 2024.

WRTA buses became fare-free in 2020, during the covid-19 pandemic, although there was advocacy for the program in prior years. Thursday’s vote extends the program into its fifth year.

According to a 2019 report by the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, in FY 2019, WRTA farebox revenue fell to just over $3 million, the lowest level since 2010. That revenue accounted for about 14 percent of the WRTA budget. In an update to its 2019 report in 2020, the research bureau found that in fiscal year 2019, fares collected fell again to under $3 million, covering just eight percent of its budget. They also found that the WRTA spent about $850,000 for the infrastructure to collect and process rider fees.

The WRTA is primarily funded by a mix of state assistance (47 percent in FY 2020) and federal funding (24 percent in FY 2020).

In FY 2016, there were over four million riders on the WRTA. During 2019, that fell to just over three million. In FY 2020, which ended on June 30 2020 and included about four months of the pandemic, ridership fell to just over 2.5 million.

Overall ridership across the 15 public transit authorities in Massachusetts in FY 2023 remained below pre-pandemic levels by over 20 percent. Just three authorities had more riders in FY 2023 than pre-pandemic levels. The WRTA is one of those with increases, with ridership up from prior to the pandemic by about 30 percent. One of the other two with ridership exceeding pre-pandemic levels is the Merrimack Valley Transit Authority. It is also fare-free.

The WRTA Advisory Board, which includes representatives from all 37 municipalities served by the WRTA, overwhelmingly supports fare-free. However, federal pandemic assistance funding will soon become exhausted or reach deadlines. For example, federal rules required local governments to have obligated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds by Dec. 31, 2024 and spend the funds by Dec. 31, 2026. ARPA allocated $8.7 billion to Massachusetts, which included $5.3 billion for state government and $3.4 billion for local governments. According to the City of Worcester website, the city received $146.6 million.

How the end of these programs will affect state and local budgets for a range of programs, including the future of fare-free beyond FY 2025, ending June 30, 2025, is not clear.

Emergency Services Training Excercise at 2 Worcester Schools on Thursday

WORCESTER – There will be a training exercise in Worcester on Thursday, April 18, involving two Worcester Public Schools. There is no actual emergency or threat to the public.

High levels of emergency vehicle traffic will be observed near and at both the South High Community School, at 170 Apricot St, and Sullivan Middle School, at 140 Apricot St., between 8 AM and 1 PM on Thursday. The emergency vehicle traffic is part of a training exercise.

Those who recognize the high level of emergency vehicle traffic in the area should not be alarmed.

 

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