Worcester's unfunded Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) liability is more than $727 million, which is common knowledge among city residents who don't mind sitting through sometimes boring finance discussions, such as the one in last week's City Council meeting. A Worcester Regional Research Bureau (WRRB) report released today supports a more proactive approach to dealing with the liability, predicting a $2.1 billion liability 30 years from now if the current method of payment continues.

The Worcester Regional Research Bureau (WRRB) has issued its “Don't Boo. Just Remember to Vote.” Civic Engagement in the City of Worcester report today and civic engagements levels are abysmal.

The Worcester Regional Research Bureau held a “Role of the Media in Civic Life” panel discussion at Holy Cross Tuesday, April 7 featuring several figures from the Central Mass news media, and while the topic focused on the media's civic responsibility, other hot topics, including diversity in the news community, the future of print journalism, balance in local media coverage and the use of social media all were raised.

The Worcester Regional Research Bureau held the second of its year long Fairman Cowan Collegiate Lecture Series this evening at Anna Maria College, with a focus on the far-reaching effects of domestic violence to local and regional communities.

The panel speakers on hand were Anna Maria faculty members Dr. Allen Brown, Dr. Dianne White and Professor Michael Donnelly.

Professor Tom White reviewed his “Worcester Economic Index,” which has been in development since the summer of 2012, this evening at Assumption College as the first of a year long series called the Fairman Cowan Collegiate Lecture Series.

A doctor who contracted and survived the Ebola virus. Another doctor well-versed in dealing with infectious disease. A man whose native country of Liberia has been ravaged by the virus.

Above, Nic Guerra, who works for the office of U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern, and graduated this year from Assumption College, speaks at a forum at the school about how to keep college students in Worcester after they graduate. Listening are, right to left, Worcester Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tim Murray, Nikki DiOrio of Assumption's Career Development & Internship Center and Patrick Muldoon, chief executive officer of UMass Memorial Medical Center.

A new report from The Research Bureau shines a light on public and charter schools by looking strictly at the numbers for everything ranging from teacher salaries to graduation rates and more.

Roberta Schaefer, president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, is retiring at the end of the year after spending 28 years with organization. Schaeffer made the announcement at a monthly Executive Committee Wednesday, Sept. 11 with Board of Directors Chair Karen Duffy. Schaefer says she plans to spend more time with her family and pursue other interests, but says she will remained active in civic affairs.

A slots parlor does not match the vision city officials have for Worcester and would do more harm than good, according to a new report from The Research Bureau. The report, titled “Should Worcester Welcome a Slot-Machine Casino,” paints a gloomy picture of what could be expected if a slots parlor should open its doors near downtown Worcester. That is what is being proposed by Mass Gaming LLC, an offshoot of Rush Gaming, which has made known its plans to compete for the only slots parlor license being issued by the state and build a casino on the old Wyman-Gordon property along Madison Street in the city’s Canal District.