Worcester Archives

Beyond Boston: Fighting Poverty And Prison With College In Worcester

Prison education in Massachusetts: Inside Clark University’s program to leverage education’s proven power to cut recidivism

JEAN TROUNSTINE November 4, 2025

Image of the arrest of Rosane Ferreira De Oliveira by ICE in Worcester--surrounded by clip art of the silhouette of a crowd of people

Worcester Protestors Show How To Respond To ICE Raids

Brave, nonviolent family members, democracy activists, and politicians manage to slow up the warrantless arrest of an immigrant mother of three, until reactionary local cops pile on

JASON PRAMAS May 15, 2025

A WIN FOR TRANSPARENCY AND POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY IN MASS

“We don’t go into things looking to file lawsuits, but when we feel like people have not followed the law, we challenge them.” A judge excoriated Worcester for its unlawful three-year campaign to keep police misconduct records secret from a local newspaper, writing in a recent ruling that a city

ANDREW QUEMERE February 8, 2022

HOW THE COMMONWEALTH CONTINUES DRIFT AWAY FROM TRANSPARENCY

This is what happens when you try asking the second largest city in Mass and state officials to adhere to basic public records laws Across Massachusetts, today is actually tomorrow. Except in Worcester, where it’s already the day after tomorrow. But if that would make it the weekend, then

MAYA SHAFFER December 13, 2021

CITY ON A HILL

Global warming will flood Boston. Why not move the state capital to Worcester? Many small American cities have boosterish metro research organizations that look like a cross between a public policy outfit and a chamber of commerce, and the Bay State’s second biggest urban area is no exception. The

JASON PRAMAS May 23, 2018

CHILDREN AND SWAT RAIDS

The unintended consequences of militarized police in Massachusetts homes At 5 a.m. on a hot August night in 2015, a van carrying the Worcester SWAT team pulled up outside a triple-decker on Hillside Street. The officers were wearing body armor, ballistic helmets and camouflage clothing. They came bearing shotguns, handguns

SETH KERSHNER March 1, 2018

TOWNIE: MASS REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITIES FACE MAJOR BUDGET CRISIS

Gov. Baker’s proposed cuts throw gasoline on raging policy fire February 21, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS A quarter-century ago, I lived in Lawrence for a few months. Because it was the closest place to Boston that I could find a cheap apartment on short notice. Unfortunately,

JASON PRAMAS February 21, 2018

TOWNIE: UMB DRUBBING, PAWSOX GRUBBING

University cuts and a (possible) corporate scam just in time for the holidays November 27, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS UMass Boston admin lays off more staff, unions push back The neoliberal war on public higher education continues unabated in Massachusetts as the UMass Boston administration announced

JASON PRAMAS November 27, 2017