Worcester Business Journal

6 Worcester Business Journal | October 2, 2023 | wbjournal.com Central Mass. needs more news outlets The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce in late Sept. announced it is launching a nonprofit digital news outlet called the Worcester Guardian, an initiative the chamber says will bring more journalists to the city after a decline of independent local news in Central Massachusetts and nationwide. When polled online, nearly four out of five WBJ readers said more local news outlets are needed in the region. Do you see a need in Central Massachusetts for more local news outlets? F L A S H P O L L B R I E F S To learn more, contact: Peter Staiti SVP, Commercial Lending Center Manager 100 Front Street, Worcester, MA | 508.769.5725 Peter.Staiti@RocklandTrust.com Member FDIC Wholesale/Distribution Facility $750,000 Northborough, MA Hotel Acquisition $5,700,000 Auburn, MA Multi-Family Investment Real Estate $1,325,000 Fitchburg, MA Industrial Investment Real Estate $13,500,000 Auburn, MA Industrial Development $4,000,000 Worcester, MA Convenience Store & Real Estate Acquisition $337,500 Worcester, MA Two-Family Residential Investment Real Estate $360,000 Worcester, MA Liquor Store $300,000 Westborough, MA A Local Partner, Financing Businesses Across Worcester County No 21% COMMENT "While we can hope the new Worcester Guardian publication complements and enhances existing local news coverage (MassLive, GBH News, The016, T&G, Spectrum News 1, Patch, WBJ, and several small but popular independent, crowd-funded outlets), the Guardian's rollout is concerning in terms of transparency, efficacy, and sustainability: • First, it plagiarized the New Bedford Light's 'About Us' page (see Bill Shaner's 'Worcester Sucks and I Love It' email) • Second, the opaque process of hiring Editor Charlene Arsenault (what's the job de- scription? Where was it posted? How long was it posted? Who else was considered?) • Third, who's involved in nominating and appointing members of the 'independent board of directors and community advisory board'? • Fourth, what's the Guardian's sustainability plan beyond the Chamber's initial seed money of $50K? Dave Nordman – a consummate print journalism professional who is advising the Guardian – is certainly right about one thing: The community is watching." Yes 79% more than $10 million in cannabis products was sold to consumers more than a year aer it was tested for contaminants. e report detailed the CCC did not properly ensure that establishments and testing laboratories reported positive pesticide tests to the CCC within 72 hours. According to a press release accom- panying the report, commissioners at the CCC have responded to the audit and are taking measures to improve the areas of concern. Since the summer, the CCC has gone through significant administrative turmoil, as first CCC Chairwoman Shannon O'Brien announced Executive Director Shawn Collins would leave his role, a claim which Collins later walked back. en, in September, State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg suspend- ed O'Brien from her role. Rentschler Biopharma names U.S. president German contract drug manufactur- ing company Rentschler Biopharma SE named Benedikt von Braunmühl as its new CEO and hired Tom Roberts as its first president of Mil- ford-based Rent- schler Biopharma Inc. and general manager U.S. Prior to join- ing Rentschler Biopharma, von Braunmühl served as CEO of HMNC Brain Health in Mu- nich, Germany, where he transformed a research-focused organization to a clinical-stage biopharma company. He replaced Frank Mathias as CEO. Roberts joined the company in his newly-created role on Sept. 12 and oversees U.S. operation of the compa- ny, including its Milford facility where the company employs 228 people and is undergoing the largest expansion in its history. "I am excited to join the Rentschler Biopharma team as the company looks to expand its U.S. business," Roberts said in the press release. "I look for- ward to working closely with the entire Continued from previous page Tom Roberts, U.S. president of Rentschler Biopharma

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