Congratulations to the Latino Education Institute and the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce for their work preparing Worcester’s next generation of civic leaders! We’re excited to recognize these accomplishments with a 2015 Gateway Cities Innovation Award. 

The Latino Education Institute is a center at Worcester State University that provides high-quality summer and afterschool programs with a heavy emphasis on developing the civic iden­tity of the city’s immigrant youth. Over the past few years, the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce has worked with partners to create and launch two new leadership initiatives, one for teens in the city’s summer jobs program and a second for young professionals. These leadership development programs are working to help nurture the qualities of the next-generation civic leaders that Gateway Cities like Worcester will need to excel in an increasingly complex and culturally diverse world.

Please join us at the DCU Center in Worcester next Tuesday, November 17^th to hear from these leaders directly, learn more about how they put together these impressive programs, and help us recognize their collective achievements. Thanks to a generous donor, we have a limited number of tickets available to those serving in government and nonprofits who would like to attend. Please contact wroosevelt@massinc.org if you would like one of these complementary tickets.

We hope to see you there!

— Ben Forman 

Housing & Economic Development

Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash and MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones mark the one year anniversary of the Transformative Development Initiative by highlighting the programs early successes and its future potential for Gateway Cities.

The Baker administration plans to pump $4.7 million into the Hamilton Canal District in Lowell and erect a $200 million court complex on the southern edge of the site.

A new report released by the UMass Donahue Institute states that UMass Lowell contributes $845 million a year into the regional economy.

A proposal by State Sen. Eric Lesser to create a tax credit for technology investors in Gateway Cities signaled out for a national award.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Boston converts a former school in Haverhill into affordable housing, the third project of its kind in the city.

A Salem News editorial calls on state and local officials to create more affordable housing for returning veterans who are having difficulty living in Gateway Cities. 

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll wants one agency overseeing the city’s port, and is petitioning the Legislature for authority to create the Salem Harbor Port Authority.

Commonwealth Landing in Fall River is set to be the home for a mix of restaurants, businesses, and market-rate housing.

Education

High school students succeed at Bristol Community College in Fall River, taking an alternative path to achieving their diploma through the Gateway to College program.

Berkshire Community College receives nearly $2 million from the U.S Dept. of Education and hopes to use that money to boost enrollment and graduation rates.

The Quincy School Committee passes a resolution calling for a statewide moratorium on high-stakes testing.

Regis College begins offering courses at Northern Essex Community College in Lawrence in nursing, public health, and health sciences.

UMass Lowell and Salem State University join the test-optional admissions trend.

Thanks to a write-in campaign, the largely powerless Lawrence School Committee (a state receiver runs the school system) gets the fourth member it needs to meet as a body.

Check out Urban Institute’s new interactive graphic on public higher education to see how Massachusetts rates appalling low with its investments in a key Gateway City asset.

Creative Placemaking 

Ruben Ubiera paints crosswalks in Salem with a MassDevelopment TDI placemaking grant. 

Springfield receives valuable feedback from an international expert on livable cities after he takes a tour of the city.

The Haverhill Public Library hosts an art exhibit by members of the Greater Haverhill Art Association.

CityLab looks at how Indianapolis got little libraries right.

Governance/Elections

The 23 year-old Mayor-elect of Fall River, Jasiel Correia says he is ready to hit the ground running and asks his critics to “watch closely” over the first months of his administration.  

The Enterprise sits down with newly re-elected Mayor Bill Carpenter in Brockton, who discusses his goals for this next two-year term and names fighting crime as the “No. 1 issue in everyone’s minds.” 

Holyoke‘s Mayor Alex Morse had a close contest, but has now won reelection twice. 

Brockton City Councilor Shaynah Barnes says she will run for the state representative seat that opened up when Rep. Michael Brady won last week’s special election to the Senate.  

Millennials say access to public transportation is the most important factor in choosing where they live, according to a new poll by the Urban Land Institute and the MassINC Polling Group.