Good morning, Worcester.

This Halloween, bars in Worcester will serve alcohol for an extra hour when clocks fall back from 2 a.m. on Nov.

1, and local owners expect a boost in business while police maintain patrols for safety.

Bee Zee is seeking approval for an expansion at the Southwest Cutoff site that will add an unnamed food establishment to the current Dunkin’ location (pending local permits).

Hank Stolz and Mark Henderson discussed Worcester's shifting media landscape on The Rundown.

They noted that local outlets and citizen journalism have reinvigorated coverage after the historic Telegram & Gazette merger, while a new social media partnership aims to attract younger audiences.

Several communities have posted recommended trick-or-treat hours for Halloween events this month—times vary from town to town with events planned from Oct.

24 to Oct. 31. Additional details, including parades and trunk-or-treats, will be updated as more organizers share schedules.

Ken and Tracey Frohock have spent 20 years building a witty Halloween graveyard display at 44 Forest St that the Telegram and Gazette spotlights today with a vintage hearse, fog-blasting organ, and humorous tombstones.

The family expects hundreds of trick-or-treaters to visit during the upcoming celebration + celebrate local traditions.

A new report by county and community groups shows that the income gap grew from 4.8 to 5.1 between 2012 and 2022 while about 10% of residents stayed in poverty, with some towns experiencing a modest relief in housing cost burdens.

Oil delivery prices have surged to $6.18 per gallon in Massachusetts amid global conflict pressures, marking a 74% jump since last year; Gov. Healey signed an order expanding home heating assistance that local groups (like Worcester Community Action Council) now use to help residents manage rising bills.

UMass Chan’s Let’s Make a Match program supports autistic adults to build relationships with personalized coaching at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center.

Over 350 people have signed up for in-person dating events, and researchers plan to extend the model (to adults with other disabilities) to offer more support soon.

On Wednesday, Oct. 14, WPI experts performed live battery tests for the Worcester Fire Department to show how a lithium battery can overheat and ignite in seconds (a process called thermal runaway), urging caution with chargers and overused batteries.

Shrewsbury firefighter Michael Penney, 36, lost part of his left leg in September and now meets with a prosthetic specialist to return to work by month’s end.

The fundraiser has raised over $96K, and his family and community support remind him that hard work can bring a strong recovery.

Tommy Cassell previewed Week 6 high school football games in Central Mass and Worcester today, predicting outcomes for matchups including Maynard at St. Bernard’s (5 p.m.) and a showdown between two undefeated Catholic teams.

His 82% hit rate so far raises interest as weather may cause schedule changes.