Sam Turken

3 weeks ago | wgbh.org | Sam Turken

April 02, 2025 An attempt by Worcester’s city council to create new rules regarding member attendance at meetings failed Tuesday night as several councilors alleged the true intent of the effort was retribution. The vote occurred as Councilor Thu Nguyen, who’s openly nonbinary, continues to skip meetings after accusing colleagues of making transphobic comments and creating a toxic workplace. One of the proposed rules would have permitted the city clerk to track councilors’ attendance.

3 weeks ago | wgbh.org | Sam Turken

April 01, 2025 If it were up to John Anderson, he would have more lumber stockpiled right now. Anderson’s general contracting company Plumb House Inc. constructs big housing complexes across Massachusetts. As his crew prepped the foundation for a 230-unit building, Anderson walked to one end of the site where wood panels sat in several 15-foot-high stacks. The panels will make up just part of the building’s frame. Anderson is waiting on more panels — worth over $1 million — to be delivered.

4 weeks ago | wgbh.org | Sam Turken

March 26, 2025 Several Worcester city leaders on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with the police department’s response to a scathing federal investigation that revealed officer misconduct that violates people’s constitutional rights. That’s even as residents called for more reforms to ensure police accountability. Tuesday’s City Council meeting was devoted solely to discussing how the city should move forward after the Department of Justice’s review.

1 month ago | wgbh.org | Sam Turken

March 17, 2025 I was recently on my way to downtown Worcester when I made a fateful mistake: I turned onto a hilly dirt road that connects two busier streets. A storm had passed through the day before, and the road looked plowed but still had a layer of snow and ice. I thought my sedan could make the climb. It did — until it got stuck. I gently pushed on the throttle. Instead of going forward, I veered to the left, almost hitting a parked car.

1 month ago | wgbh.org | Sam Turken

February 25, 2025 As litter continues to cover streets and sidewalks around Worcester, city officials are planning a new response: adding up to 200 combined trash and recycling bins across different neighborhoods. Right now, there are about 50 public bins across the city — and they’re mostly concentrated around downtown. Officials recently used an interactive map to survey residents on where they’d want the new bins. They’re going through hundreds of responses to finalize locations.