Worcester Business Journal

4 Worcester Business Journal | September 3, 2018 | wbjournal.com C E N T R A L M AS S I N B R I E F Delta to fly Worcester nonstop to Detroit next summer BY ZACHARY COMEAU Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer V E R BAT I M Marijuana rollout "There still seems to be a lack of urgency of getting these [retail stores] open." State Rep. Mark Cusack, House chair of the Marijuana Policy Committee, on the Cannabis Control Commission inaction on enforcing rules on host community agreements for recreational marijuana stores WooSox merchandise "There's been a line pretty much since Friday. As we print and em- broider it, people are buying it." John Guertin, owner of Guertin Graphics in Worcester, on the unofficial merchandise his store has produced since the Pawtucket Red Sox announced their move to Worcester Organist misconduct "I want them to know that I hear them. No one should have to experience what was related in today's article, and I am pro- foundly sorry that they had these experiences with a person in a position of trust." Holy Cross President Philip Boroughs on allegations of sexual misconduct against a renowned and now departed organist teaching at the college D elta Airlines, flying to Detroit, will be the third year-round commer- cial airline to fly out of Worcester beginning next August, officials announced Aug. 28 at Worcester Regional Airport. Details of the new service were scant, as contracts were just signed with Delta, said Airport Director Andy Davis. De- tails of flight times and frequency will be shared in the near future. "We wanted to make sure we shared the news as soon as possible," Davis said. e new service is the first from the airport to leave the East Coast. JetBlue offers flights to New York City, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. In April, state and local officials announced American Airlines daily flights from Worcester to Philadelphia, which will begin in October. Rectrix Aviation offers seasonal flights to Cape Cod. Detroit is Delta's second largest hub – aer Atlanta – and includes nonstop destinations to airports throughout the U.S., Europe, China, Japan and South America. e Worcester airport has seen $100 million in state and federal investment since 2010, leading to its revitalization now connecting Worcester to a larger part of the country. New equipment e most recent investment is the U.S. Department of Transportation granting $463,000 on Aug. 29 to install electrical equipment for aircras at two gates. Planes at Gates 1 and 2 will be provid- ed with power and air conditioning while parked at the terminal. e U.S. DOT called the improve- ments a Voluntary Airport Low Emissions Program project to generate Airport Emission Reduction Credits, which can be used to comply with future air emission regulations. "is grant will help Worcester Regional Airport better serve the flying public, as well as strengthening the econ- omy and creating jobs in this communi- ty," DOT Secretary Elaine Chao said in a press release. Better runways Prior to that, the airport received a $3.2-million federal grant to pay for im- provements to the shorter of its two run- ways. e funding, announced July 31 by the U.S. DOT, will allow for a rehabilita- tion to Runway 15-33, a 5,000-foot-long runway closest to the terminal secondary to the longer Runway 11-29. Worcester Regional Airport received a small share of more than $3 billion in airport improvement funding issued by the Federal Aviation Administration this year, which include runways, taxiways and terminal repairs. e FAA granted $1 million to the airport in June to help expand the airport's services. at grant will be used to rehabilitate about an acre and a half of apron pavement near the terminal. e upcoming repairs in Worcester will follow a much larger project at the airport, a $32-million investment from the airport's owner, the Massachusetts Port Authority. at project included adding new lighting to both runways, a so-called jughandle that allows planes to turn around, and a new antenna allow- ing planes to land in lower visibility. e airport has long been plagued by delays and cancellations because of fog or other conditions, but the improve- ments that were completed last year, known as a CAT III system, are expect- ed to increase reliability at Worcester airport. WBJ News Editor Grant Welker contributed to this report. Worcester Regional Airport Director Andy Davis W PHOTO/WBJ FILE

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