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Today’s edition · Wed., Nov. 4

Amazon's Westborough drone plan is on pause, not dead

Plus, field hockey brackets are out and Polar Park lands a marathon leg in June 2027.

The Daily Worcester team2 stories14 sources5 min read

WestboroughTop story

Amazon's Westborough drone plan is on pause, and the company says it will be back

Amazon's proposal and the pushback, by the numbers

1,000
drone deliveries a day, at most, from Otis Street
7.5 miles
delivery radius, reaching parts of Worcester and Shrewsbury
510-13
Town Meeting vote on drone rules, Oct. 19

Sources: The Boston Globe, The Worcester Guardian, Community Advocate

If you live in parts of Worcester or Shrewsbury, you were inside Amazon's proposed drone delivery zone, and the plan is on hold for now. Amazon withdrew its proposal, and Westborough's building commissioner then vacated his zoning determination, so the had nothing to rule on Monday. The board kept the appeal open and will revisit it in early December.

  • Withdrawn "without prejudice," so Amazon can file again
  • Amazon says a "revised project" will come "soon"
  • Next step: Zoning Board of Appeals, early December

State Sen. Michael Moore and Reps. Hannah Kane and Kate Donaghue announced the withdrawal and said they were "extremely pleased." In Westborough, residents had rallied: Town Meeting passed a drone-rules article 510-13.

“It's a nice battle won, but this is Amazon we're talking about.”

Dan Kline, Westborough resident and Mass Blue Skies member

The drone plan went from proposal to pause in under three months

  1. Aug. 18Prime Air tells the Select Board it plans nearly 1,000 drone deliveries a day.
  2. Sept. 25A formal zoning appeal is filed.
  3. Oct. 19Town Meeting passes the drone-rules article, 510-13.
  4. Nov. 2The keeps the appeal open.
  5. Early Dec.The board will revisit the appeal.

Sources: The Boston Globe, Community Advocate

Asked

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Asked

If Amazon refiles its drone plan, what would matter most to you?

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High School Sports

The MIAA field hockey brackets are out, and the first-round matchups are set

If you follow high school field hockey, the released its state tournament brackets Tuesday morning. Round of 32 dates and times are still TBA. The one set time so far is Thursday's Division 3 preliminary, No. 34 North Middlesex at No. 31 Belchertown, at 5 p.m.

Six of the Round of 32 matchups pair Worcester-area teams across three divisions

DivisionMatchup
Division 1No. 19 Shrewsbury at No. 14 Lexington
Division 1No. 20 Wachusett at No. 13 Wellesley
Division 3No. 20 Bishop Fenwick at No. 13 Marlborough
Division 4No. 18 Stoneham at No. 15 Northbridge
Division 4No. 19 St. John Paul II at No. 14 Lunenburg
Division 4No. 24 Gardner at No. 9 Sutton

Source: Worcester Telegram

Valley Tech is paired with the Cape side of the bracket: No. 22 Valley Tech is listed at No. 11 Falmouth in Division 3. The Cape Cod Times lists Falmouth as 9-9 in the Division 3 field, which is led by undefeated No. 1 Sandwich.

  • Valley Tech: 13-3-2 going in, at Falmouth (9-9)
  • Division 3 top seed: Sandwich, 18-0
  • Division 3 No. 2 seed: Uxbridge, 15-0-3
  • Division 4: No. 23 St. Paul (13-3) at No. 10 Ipswich

Valley Tech brings a 13-⁠3-⁠2 record to Falmouth's 9-⁠9

13Wins9
3Losses9
2Ties0

Sources: Worcester Telegram, Cape Cod Times

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News Notes

Polar Park

Polar Park will host the second race of New England 776, a seven-marathons-in-seven-days event across all six New England states. The Worcester marathon is set for June 2027, at the ballpark at 100 Madison St. Runners who take on the full challenge will cover 183.4 miles. This Week in WorcesterMassLive.com

The New England 776 runs Portland to Medford, with Worcester second

  1. June 2027Day 1 starts at Hadlock Field in Portland, Maine.
  2. June 2027Day 2 is the marathon at Polar Park in Worcester.
  3. June 2027The event finishes in Medford.

Source: This Week in Worcester

Housing

A proposal for 255 apartment units would go on a former Worcester supermarket site. The site has been vacant since the empty store was torn down three years ago. Worcester Telegram

Schools

Worcester Dual Language Magnet School has about 550 students learning in English and Spanish, but demand in the city far outstrips what the district can offer. State Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez visited the school Oct. 30. The Gardner News

Gold medal

Shrewsbury High School senior Connor Cantrell, 17, won gold for Team USA in Muay Thai at the 2026 Pan American Championships in Montevideo, Uruguay. He won by decision after three 3-minute rounds. Community Advocate

Holy Cross

Holy Cross senior Declan Ryan, who played at Worcester Academy, won the starting center job for 2026-27. He was healthy all spring and summer for the first time in four years. Worcester Telegram

Home

Two home kitchen upgrades under $24 while sales last: super-absorbent dish towels that come in an eight-pack and include a hanging loop, and a water-absorbing stone sponge holder that’s minimalist, compact, and keeps counters and sponges dry with natural diatomite stone.

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Asked

Tap an answer to see how Worcester answered.

Asked

What's your move this week?

Be the first to answer.

Today’s puzzles

A new puzzle in each one every morning, played right here.

All 13 games

Quoted

You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

— Jack London

Things to Do

Things to Do

Worcester, MA

Wednesday, Nov. 4

See every Worcester eventFeature your event

Jobs

Jobs

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Do you know just the position for our readers? Advertise it on our Jobs board.

Around the Block

Around the Block

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Lost and found

Hi all, we lost our cat today 11/2, at around 5-6pm.

“I attached photos below. She is very sweet but timid so she will likely runaway if you get close. We are located in the Timrod/Parsons hill neighborhood. Please let us know if you see her!!”

— A neighbor, North Webster Square
Photo from the neighbor’s post

32 likes · 14 comments

View post

The Wrap

Pack the sunscreen, not the parka. Most of Massachusetts saw 70s Tuesday, and records are possible in both Boston and Worcester Wednesday, after a mild start in the upper 50s. Showers are in the forecast after that. We'd say eat lunch outside today. November in short sleeves is a nice bonus.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Fallon's old offices are now homes, and 323 more apartments are in the pipeline

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Every source in this edition14 links · 10 outlets
  1. The Weather Channelweather.com
  2. The Boston Globebostonglobe.com
  3. The Worcester Guardiantheworcesterguardian.org
  4. Community Advocatecommunityadvocate.com
  5. Worcester Telegramtelegram.com
  6. Worcester Telegramtelegram.com
  7. Cape Cod Timescapecodtimes.com
  8. This Week in Worcesterthisweekinworcester.com
  9. MassLive.commasslive.com
  10. Worcester Telegramtelegram.com
  11. The Gardner Newsthegardnernews.com
  12. Community Advocatecommunityadvocate.com
  13. Worcester Telegramtelegram.com
  14. Worcester events calendardailyworcester.com

Past issues

  1. Tues., Nov. 3Fallon's old offices are now homes, and 323 more apartments are in the pipeline
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Daily Worcesterto me · Wed., Nov. 46:00 a.m.

Amazon's Westborough drone plan is on pause, not dead

Plus, field hockey brackets are out and Polar Park lands a marathon leg in June 2027.

The TLDR

  1. Amazon pulls Westborough drone plan but says it will refile
  2. MIAA field hockey brackets are out, with Central Mass. matchups
  3. Polar Park will host a New England 776 marathon June 7, 2027
Read this edition

More stories this week

From Daily Worcester’s other editions

All the news
HousingFormer Fallon Health offices are now 198 downtown apartments, and 323 more are proposedIf you've passed the old Fallon Health offices on Elm Street, they're homes now. Altitude Worcester, a $73 million conversion, turned the 11-story tower into 198 market-rate apartments. Housing Secretary Juana B. Matias spoke at the ribbon-cutting for what's billed as the state's largest office-to-residential conversion.Tuesday’s editionRead WestboroughAmazon withdraws its Westborough drone-delivery application but says a revised plan is comingAmazon asked the Westborough Planning Board on Friday to let it withdraw, "without prejudice," its plan for a drone launch site at 64 Otis St. If you live in Worcester, take note: Westborough Patch reports the service area could have included portions of Worcester.Tuesday’s editionRead

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