Ann Marie  Worthley 

(WORCESTER, Mass.) It is no secret that the pandemic has had an impact on businesses everywhere. However, according to Business Insider, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jobs-industries-careers-hit-hardest-by-coronavirus-unemployment-data-2020-5" target="_blank">two industries that were impacted drastically are restaurants and retail. </a>
Local stores and customers come together at Mondofora, an online marketplace that brings the power of the internet to local shopping. Mondofora and their associated websites create an online shopping experience fully dedicated to selling and buying with a local flavor. Both community shoppers and retailers can create an account at <a href="https://mondofora.com/" target="_blank">Mondofora.com</a>. 
Here is where (and how) Mondofora flips the history of online shopping on its head.  The goal is to provide ecommerce capabilities to local retailers.  The products are theirs.  The sales are theirs. The customers are theirs. 
Mondofora enables the searching (where can I find a Sassafras-brand tennis racquet?), transaction processing (credit card payments, for now), and allows for a variety of delivery methods (pickup in store, local courier, or traditional shipping).  
The company told VNN becoming a Mondofora.com partner is fairly simple. A store can be up and running in less than an hour with no subscription fees or setup fees. Shoppers find value in the fact that they have the same variety and options as shopping online. By buying local, they can experience better options like same day pickup and local delivery. Buying and selling local helps keep the dollars local, thus keeping local businesses open. 
Communities flourish when small businesses are thriving. Mondofora said they enable anyone, anywhere to sell to anyone. Those looking to sign up can log onto <a href="https://mondofora.com/" target="_blank">mondofora.com</a> and get started.

United States of America

Massachusetts

Mondofora: Making Local Shopping  & Selling Easier

David Joseph

Image Courtesy: Mass Pirates Football
(WORCESTER, Mass.) The Massachusetts Pirates football team has announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with a medical and recreational-use cannabis dispensary. 
Resinate currently has two locations, one in Worcester and one in North Hampton. 
According to their website, the cannabis dispensary prides itself on being a Massachusetts-exclusive company, and all of the organization’s owners, staff, product, and strains come from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Per the terms of the deal, Resinate will be the presenting sponsor of the Massachusetts Pirates social media studio and official website, and will sponsor the official post game parties after the Pirates home games. Additionally, Resinate and the Massachusetts Pirates plan to host five co-branded community events per year for the length of the partnership.
Resinate serves western and central Massachusetts. During the pandemic, they've provided economic hardship discounts. 
The company offers curbside pickup, free delivery for medical card holders, and discounts to veterans and patients over 65 years old.

Mass Pirates announce partnership with local dispensary

Photo Courtesy: Worcester Red Sox

(WORCESTER, Mass.) The Worcester Red Sox is a new professional baseball team and the newest Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The team will compete in the Triple-A East league and will play home games at the newly assembled Polar Park in Worcester.

Additionally, Polar Park will serve as the Red Sox’s alternative throughout April. Up to 28 players will train in Worcester before the Triple-A season. 

The Worcester Red Sox are tentatively scheduled to begin their inaugural season in Buffalo on May 4th and host the first game at Polar Park against Syracuse on May 11th.

The WooSox were originally scheduled to begin their season on April 6th and host their home opener a week later but Major League Baseball is pushing back the start of the Triple A Season by a month. This delay was made so the Triple-A season could better align with the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination timeline.

The Worcester Red Sox succeed the Pawtucket Red Sox, who had been a Red Sox affiliate since 1970.

Worcester Red Sox debut pushed back to May

(BOSTON, Mass.) Starting Monday, a multitude of first responders in Massachusetts are expected to begin getting their Covid-19 vaccines. This is a part of the state's phased rollout plan of the immunization. Gov. Charlie Baker announced last week that over 40,000 first responders and police officers will be eligible starting January 11. 

"These men and women put their lives on the line regularly, back before we had Covid-19, and for the last 10 months, they kept on working the front lines, protecting and caring residents across Massachusetts," Baker said at a Jan 4 press conference. 

Frontline Hospital workers were first priority in becoming eligible for the vaccine. Employees and residents in long term care facilities were second in line. According to the state, first responders and police officers will have three different methods for getting vaccinated. Any departments that plan on vaccinating at least 200 people can request that doses be distributed by their own staff on site while following CDC guidelines. 

Additionally, medical personnel and first responders can schedule an appointment at one of the vaccination sites set up by community health centers across the state. There are already over 60 vaccination sites in Massachusetts. Mass vaccination sites that are set up by the state will also be available for use. 

The towns of Hopkinton, Northborough, Westborough, Southborough, and Ashland (Middlesex County) announced last month that they are collaborating to organize a clinic for public safety employees and first responders in their communities. Also, officials in Norwood stated last week that a vaccination site will be available starting Monday. This site will cover Norfolk County communities which includes Milton, Walpole, Needham, Westwood, and Wellesley. 

"We are pleased to be able to kick off the first responder vaccination clinic Monday morning," Norwood Police Chief William Brooks said.

According to the Department Of Public Health's weekly Covid-19 report, as of last week, 139,895 first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been distributed in Massachusetts. 

On Sunday, the state reported 5,396 new cases of Coronavirus and 77 more deaths linked to Covid-19. This brings the cumulative number of infected Massachusetts residents since the start of the pandemic to 413,329 and the death toll to 12,875. 

David Joseph

Mondofora: Making Local Shopping & Selling Easier

Mass Pirates announce partnership with local dispensary

Worcester Red Sox debut pushed back to May

Covid-19: Massachusetts First Responders To Start Getting Vaccinated