UniBank CEO Ed Augustus Explains New Nonprofit Resource Center



MAIN OFFICE



EMAIL

Eric Batista Explains Worcester’s “Disrupting the Cycle” Homelessness Strategy

The Roundtable: Union Station, Worcester’s Camping Proposal and the Future of Downtown

by Hank Stolz | Sep 23, 2026 | EDITORIAL

The Roundtable: Union Station, Worcester’s Camping Proposal and the Future of Downtown

Can Union Station Become a More Active Public Space?

By-Hank Stolz
Graphic-Radio Worcester/ Photos: Kill the Ball Media

Questions, Concerns, Opinions?

TEXT US! >> 774-364-8255

Worcester, MA-What would make Union Station a place Worcester residents visit even when they are not catching a train or attending an event? That question opens this edition of The Roundtable, as Hank Stolz and “Big” Ben speak with George Russell and Randy Feldman about the station, the city’s proposed public camping ordinance and the kinds of cultural activity that bring people downtown.

Can Union Station Become a More Active Public Space?

The Worcester Redevelopment Authority sought proposals for operations in Union Station’s Grand Hall and adjoining restaurant space after the existing Maxwell Luciano’s lease approached its June 2026 expiration. The panel discusses the reported renewal of the arrangement with operator Gus Giordano after the solicitation drew no competing bids.

For the panel, the larger question is how to make the building useful throughout the day. They point to acoustics, food-service infrastructure and an atmosphere they feel can discourage casual visits. Feldman imagines a Grand Hall active enough to support kiosks and small vendors on a regular basis, while acknowledging that the station has struggled to sustain even a coffee shop. The group also considers whether nearby housing development could bring more consistent foot traffic.

The Debate Over Worcester’s Proposed Camping Ordinance

The conversation turns to City Manager Eric Batista’s proposed ordinance concerning camping and other uses of public property. As described in the proposal, the city would conduct outreach and offer services before clearing an encampment; someone who remained after a notice to vacate could face a $25 fine. The proposal is under consideration, not an ordinance already in force.

Panelists disagree over the role of the fine and whether the ordinance would help the city respond to homelessness or penalize people who have nowhere else to go. They discuss low-barrier shelter, housing-first approaches, treatment and other services, as well as the difficulty of meeting needs that traditional shelters may not accommodate.

Russell argues that the discussion must account for both unhoused residents and the people who live and work near encampments. “People are right when they say homelessness is not a crime and shouldn’t be treated as such,” he says. “But by the same token, the activity of many folks that are unhoused also has a major impact on other folks that are living in the community.”

The group also considers whether Worcester bears a disproportionate share of the region’s need and what support should come from the state and surrounding communities. Those regional claims are part of the panel’s discussion; the episode does not establish how many people came to Worcester from elsewhere.

What Makes Downtown Culture Last?

In the closing portion of the conversation, the panel discusses local political dynamics, Worcester’s first Night Market and the city’s cultural plan update. The Night Market took place downtown on September 19, while the city’s ongoing planning process is seeking public input about Worcester’s cultural future.

Feldman suggests that practical support for smaller festivals, including the cost of public safety staffing, could help community events take hold. His broader question is how Worcester can support grassroots activity alongside larger events and development projects.

What Would Worcester’s Proposed Camping Ordinance Do?

City Manager Eric Batista’s proposal would prohibit camping, sleeping or lying on certain public property. It would also restrict using a vehicle as a place to live on public ways or in public parking areas for more than 24 consecutive hours.

What happens before enforcement? The proposal calls for outreach and offers of shelter or services before an encampment is cleared. It also provides for advance notice, except in emergencies. A person who remains after a notice to vacate could face a $25 fine.

Why is the fine disputed? Batista says a penalty is needed to make the ordinance enforceable. Critics question whether fining someone without a suitable place to go would help resolve their homelessness. That disagreement is central to this Roundtable discussion.

Status: This is a proposal before the City Council. Its provisions could change before any final vote.

Sources

LIVE STREAM
Radio Worcester

CONNECT



RADIO WORCESTER STUDIOS

Summit Street (Behind Polar Park)
Worcester, MA 01610.



LISTENER LINE



MAIN OFFICE



EMAIL

Simply Delicious Catering Launches $14 Ready-to-Heat Meals in Worcester

by Hank Stolz | Sep 23, 2026 | CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT

Simply Delicious Catering Launches $14 Ready-to-Heat Meals in Worcester

Simply Delicious Catering has built its business around feeding people at events. Now the Worcester company is bringing that food home.

By-Hank Stolz
Photo-Submitted

Questions, Concerns, Opinions?

TEXT US! >> 774-364-8255

Worcester, MA- Its new Simply Fresh Meals program offers ready-to-heat meals for $14 each. Owner John Mauro told Radio Worcester that the meals are prepared fresh on pickup day and are never frozen. The idea is to give busy households a way to pick up a few dinners for the week without committing to a full meal plan.

“I wanted to offer a meal that we’re not really making a lot of money on, but we’re going to do it in bulk to make it affordable,” Mauro said. Customers might pick up two or three meals, he explained, and use them to supplement what they cook at home.

A rotating menu for busy households

The menu changes weekly, with options including chicken teriyaki, bourbon-glazed sirloin tips, Peruvian shredded chicken, linguine in red clam sauce and vegetable enchiladas. Grilled chicken salads offer a lunch option, too.

Mauro said the service may be especially useful for two-person households. Buying fresh ingredients for just a couple of meals can be difficult, he noted, and unused food often goes to waste. Radio Worcester’s Denise Kapulka-Cariglia also pointed to the time and grocery costs involved in feeding a larger family. What a household saves will depend on the meals it chooses and what it would otherwise spend.

How to order Simply Fresh Meals

Customers can order through Simply Delicious Catering’s website for pickup at 130 Hamilton Street in Worcester. According to Mauro, Tuesday orders are due Sunday by 6 p.m., and Thursday orders are due Tuesday by 6 p.m. Pickup windows on both days are 9:30–11:30 a.m. and 4:30–6:30 p.m. Curbside pickup is available.

Mauro said the meals come in containers suitable for reheating in a microwave, oven or air fryer. Gift cards can be purchased through the website and sent by email. Home delivery is planned but is not yet available.

Radio Worcester listeners can enter the code HANK at checkout for 20% off. Check the ordering page for the current menu, availability and any offer terms before placing an order.

Recent News

UniBank CEO Ed Augustus Explains New Nonprofit Resource Center

UniBank CEO Ed Augustus joined Hank Stolz at Sherwood’s Diner to discuss a new program pairing nonprofit banking services with educational and networking opportunities.

Worcester Wants Your Input on the City’s Cultural Future

The City of Worcester is updating its Cultural Plan for the first time since 2019, and community input will help determine what comes next. Shantelle Campbell from the city’s Cultural Development Division explains why the city wants to hear from residents, workers, artists, visitors and anyone connected to Worcester.

Eric Batista Explains Worcester’s “Disrupting the Cycle” Homelessness Strategy

Worcester City Manager Eric Batista discusses the city’s proposed “Disrupting the Cycle” framework, including the controversial camping ordinance, shelter capacity, supportive housing, accountability and coordination among service providers.

Clark University, Worcester Public Schools Formalize Decades-Long Partnership

Clark University and Worcester Public Schools have formalized their decades-long partnership with a new agreement focused on college access, scholarships, educator development and expanded learning opportunities for Worcester students.

LIVE STREAM
Radio Worcester

CONNECT



RADIO WORCESTER STUDIOS

Summit Street (Behind Polar Park)
Worcester, MA 01610.



LISTENER LINE



MAIN OFFICE



EMAIL

www.worcesterma.gov/cultural-plan

Worcester Wants Your Input on the City’s Cultural Future

by Hank Stolz | Sep 21, 2026 | This Weeks Top Stories

Worcester Wants Your Input on the City’s Cultural Future

What Should Worcester’s Cultural Future Look Like?

By-Hank Stolz

Mural by Marka27 (Victor Quiñonez)
Location – 570 Main Street
https://www.marka27.com/

Questions, Concerns, Opinions?

TEXT US! >> 774-364-8255

Worcester, MA-The City of Worcester is refreshing its Cultural Plan, originally adopted in 2019, and is asking people throughout the community to help determine what Worcester’s cultural landscape should look like in the years ahead.

Shantelle Campbell, from the city’s Cultural Development Division, joined Radio Worcester to discuss the effort and why the city is looking beyond traditional definitions of arts and culture.

“We’re trying to just bring it to the bigger picture of economic development, community, identity, belonging. And we want to make sure Worcester is that place where you feel like you belong,” Campbell said.

Worcester Has Changed Since 2019

A lot has happened since the original Cultural Plan was developed. Worcester has experienced the COVID-19 pandemic, major downtown development, changing neighborhoods and continued growth in its arts and creative communities.

Campbell says the new plan needs to reflect what Worcester is today.

“I feel like culture is broader than just theater and music. It’s everything. There’s sports culture here, there’s food culture here. There’s work culture, people who work downtown or anywhere in Worcester, you want to create that bond with your community.”

What Came From the Previous Cultural Plan?

Campbell pointed to several visible initiatives that grew out of Worcester’s cultural development efforts, including public art and the utility box art wraps created in partnership with AlphaGraphics.

The city is preparing another round of utility box installations while continuing to support cultural programming and events such as the Festival of Lights.

The original 2019 Cultural Plan was designed to integrate arts and creativity into areas including public spaces, youth engagement, education, neighborhoods and economic development.

Worcester Wants to Know What Matters to You

Community participation is a central part of the Cultural Plan update.

The survey takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes and asks participants to consider and rank priorities involving areas such as art, museums, festivals, youth programs and other parts of Worcester’s cultural life.

“Worcester is evolving every day. It’s important to get the perspective of the changing community,” Campbell said. “The neighborhoods have changed significantly since COVID as well.”

The city isn’t limiting participation to artists or people involved with cultural organizations. The broader goal is to hear from people who live, work, study, create, do business in or otherwise have a connection to Worcester.

There’s Also a Little Incentive

Campbell says people who complete the survey can also enter a prize drawing.

“As a little razzle dazzle bonus, we have some prizes that you can win. When you do complete the survey, you will be entered into the raffle.”

Prizes discussed during the interview include a 60-minute massage, a food gift certificate to Rio Viejo and tickets to Mechanics Hall.

How the Survey Will Help Shape Worcester’s Future

The Cultural Plan update will build on the plan adopted in 2019, evaluate what’s been accomplished and identify new priorities for arts, culture, creativity and Worcester’s creative economy.

The city’s current planning process is expected to continue through January 2027, with the updated roadmap intended to guide Worcester’s cultural priorities through 2032.

Community members can learn more and take the Cultural Plan Survey through the City of Worcester’s Cultural Plan Update page.

What Is the Worcester Cultural Plan?

Worcester’s Cultural Plan is a citywide roadmap for how arts, culture and creativity can contribute to the city’s neighborhoods, public spaces, economy and community identity.

The original Becoming Worcester Cultural Plan was adopted in 2019 following community forums, discussions and surveys. It established goals involving public-space design, cultural equity and access, neighborhood programming, youth engagement, creative entrepreneurship and support for artists and cultural organizations.

The City is now evaluating the progress made since that plan and developing its next roadmap. The update includes research, data analysis, cultural asset mapping and community and stakeholder engagement.

The process is scheduled to run through January 2027, with the resulting plan intended to help guide Worcester’s cultural development through 2032.

Source

LIVE STREAM
Radio Worcester

CONNECT



RADIO WORCESTER STUDIOS

Summit Street (Behind Polar Park)
Worcester, MA 01610.



LISTENER LINE



MAIN OFFICE



EMAIL

https://www.clarku.edu/university-park-partnership/scholarships/

Eric Batista Explains Worcester’s “Disrupting the Cycle” Homelessness Strategy

by Hank Stolz | Sep 21, 2026 | Batista, This Weeks Top Stories

Eric Batista Explains Worcester’s “Disrupting the Cycle” Homelessness Strategy

CM Defends Worcester Homelessness Strategy and Proposed Camping Ordinance

By-Hank Stolz
Photos-submitted, Graphic-Radio Worcester

Questions, Concerns, Opinions?

TEXT US! >> 774-364-8255

Worcester, MA-Worcester City Manager Eric Batista sat down to discuss the city’s newly proposed strategic framework titled “Disrupting the Cycle,” which aims to address homelessness through improved coordination, accountability, and service delivery.

“It’s unfortunate when you have a framework that what we’re trying to do is not disrupting the cycle of the individuals, disrupting the cycle of the system that has failed them,” he says.

Batista acknowledged that government at all levels has failed to adequately address homelessness and emphasized that the framework is designed to close systemic gaps rather than criminalize the unhoused population.

“We need better data, better information sharing between partners, including the municipality. And we need better accountability.”

“The camping ordinance is something that we had put forward because, and then the ordinance speaks specifically about how are we going to address some of the encampments that have happened across the city,” Batista explains.

Central to the conversation was the proposed camping ordinance, which includes a $25 fine, the minimum allowable under city policy. Batista stressed that the fine is not the focus of the ordinance, and that enforcement cannot proceed without first strengthening available services, outreach, and resources.

“The $25 fine is you need to have some kind of a fine associated if you’re going to provide any enforcement and there will be a penalty for that enforcement. So, $25 is the lowest that you can find somebody.”

He described the ordinance as a codification of existing city practices, intended to provide clear direction to all departments and communicate a defined standard of outreach and enforcement to the public. He understands the pushback expressed at a recent City Council meeting.

“Homelessness is not a crime. So, I agree. I agree with the sentiments of people saying that homelessness is not a crime.”

Batista addressed barriers preventing unhoused individuals from accepting shelter, including safety concerns, theft, substance use policies, and pets, while also noting that some individuals decline services even when housing and vouchers are offered.

He called for improved shelter conditions and better coordination among service providers, citing duplication of outreach efforts as a specific problem.

“No one should feel unsafe in a shelter. No one should feel unsafe in a place that they’re trying to provide some care. And we as a collective need to do a better job in providing and strengthening that.”

“What we’re trying to do here is we’re trying to create a balance. We have needs, the unhoused community has a need of providing services, providing supportive services, housing, et cetera,” he said.

The city manager outlined progress toward permanent supportive housing, noting over 60 units completed out of a goal of approximately 100, while acknowledging that federal funding constraints have slowed further development. He noted that the chronically homeless population in Worcester numbers in the 200s, a figure he believes is addressable with proper resource alignment.

Additional efforts discussed include expanding shelter capacity, improving the Day Center, and restructuring the distribution of opioid settlement funds to better reach community partners.

He said the voice of the business community should be listened to as well.

“There are sometimes crimes that cause people’s perception of safety to question what are we doing around public safety? We have business owners who need some support as well.”

The proposed camping ordinance has not yet been adopted. City Council Vice Chairman Khrystian King held the ordinance and the broader “Disrupting the Cycle” framework before the September 15 City Council meeting, saying he wanted additional time to review the proposal and receive a more complete briefing from the administration. The issue is expected to return to the City Council on September 22.

What Would Worcester’s Proposed Camping Ordinance Actually Do?

Worcester’s proposed public camping ordinance is one part of City Manager Eric Batista’s broader “Disrupting the Cycle” strategy for addressing homelessness. The ordinance has not been adopted and is scheduled to return to the City Council on September 22.

If approved in its current form, the ordinance would prohibit camping, sleeping or lying on streets, sidewalks, bike paths and other public property. It would also restrict the use of cars, campers and recreational vehicles as living spaces on public ways or in public parking lots for more than 24 consecutive hours.

The proposal does not call for immediately issuing a fine when an encampment is identified. City workers would first be expected to conduct outreach and make reasonable efforts to connect individuals with shelter, treatment and supportive services. Before an encampment is cleared, the proposal also calls for notice of up to 72 hours, except in emergency circumstances.

After outreach and notice, continued violations could be addressed through civil, criminal or noncriminal enforcement. The proposed penalty is $25 for each day a violation continues. Batista has described the $25 amount as the lowest fine available and has argued that enforcement is intended to support outreach and voluntary compliance rather than criminalize homelessness.

The ordinance would work alongside other pieces of the “Disrupting the Cycle” framework, including efforts to increase shelter capacity, improve coordination among service providers, strengthen data sharing and expand housing options. Batista has said the ordinance should be considered within that broader strategy rather than as a stand-alone response to homelessness.

The proposal has drawn opposition from residents who argue that restricting sleeping and camping in public spaces could effectively penalize people who have nowhere else to go. Batista, meanwhile, has said that “being unhoused is not a crime and will not be treated as such.” The City Council has yet to decide what form, if any, the proposed ordinance will ultimately take.

SOURCES

LIVE STREAM
Radio Worcester

CONNECT



RADIO WORCESTER STUDIOS

Summit Street (Behind Polar Park)
Worcester, MA 01610.



LISTENER LINE



MAIN OFFICE



EMAIL