Short But Significant License Commission Meeting ends with Pyrotechnics Safety Advisory The Gardner License Commission Meeting on January 13, 2026 was mostly routine and involved voting on formal leadership and administrative tasks and an update on a pending license transfer for a local restaurant. However, the commission confirmed that updatedContinue Reading

CLICK HERE for our HUGE Resource page on Gardner, Model City for America with podcasts, video, infographics, and lots of history to read, CLICK HERE. An Introduction to the Resource page on Gardner MA “Model City for America” Gardner Magazine has coined the term “Model City for America” for theContinue Reading

Conservation Commission Met on Various Issues The Gardner Conservation Commission met on January 12, 2026 and members addressed various local environmental and land-use issues. The board begins by approving certificates of compliance for residential properties, resolving long-standing title issues caused by developer oversights. A significant portion of the session focusesContinue Reading

For more information about the Town of Hubbardston, please visit the website,, CLICK HERE Hubbardston Chooses Interim Town Administrator The Select Board vote is in and so is Sean Fitzgerald as the Interim Town Administrator for the Town of Hubbardston. At its first January meeting, the board voted unanimously toContinue Reading

On WGAW Hotline Radio Saturday, January 10, 2026 – Updates, Daycare Fraud, the “Z-Man”, and Inauguration Listen to the entire show on any device, CLICK PLAY. Steve Wendell commented that today was the kickoff of the Greater Gardner Relay for Life with an event taking place at MWCC, the firstContinue Reading

It’s Dog License Renewal Time Once Again in Greater Gardner MA Greater Gardner communities are once again reminding dog owners that it’s “Dog License Time 2026”. There’s time to do it, but there’s no better time than now. Many communities allow residents to renew online. In the City of Gardner,Continue Reading

Overall, the Gardner Inauguration Ceremony on January 8, 2026 projected a vision of a city focused on pragmatic problem-solving, strategic investment, and regional leadership. Speakers consistently praised Gardner’s momentum, attributing its success to a results-oriented approach that prioritizes progress over political division. FULL COVERAGE: – Gardner MA 2026 Inauguration GardnerContinue Reading

This Week’s Edition of our Weekly News Magazine “This Week in the Chair City” for Friday, January 9, 2026 Listen to “This Week in the Chair City” on any device. CLICK PLAY. In this week’s edition: Gardner City Council and Gardner School Committee meetings – The Icy Weather – InterviewContinue Reading

The Year Ahead –2026 – A Comprehensive Interview with Jonathan Zlotnik Gardner Magazine spoke with State Representative Jonathan Zlotnik on January 8, 2026. We review 2025 and we speak about the year ahead, 2026. Listen to the entire interview on any device, CLICK PLAY. Gardner Magazine Publisher Werner Poegel andContinue Reading

Gardner Board of Health Meets Regarding Alleged Open Meeting Law Violations The Gardner Board of Health met on January 8, 2026, primarily to address a formal Open Meeting Law complaint. The board discussed an advisory from the city solicitor regarding executive sessions used for health director interviews, which were allegedlyContinue Reading

Gardner School Committee Holds First Meeting of the Year The Gardner MA School Committee met on January 6, 2026 and reelected Rachael Cormier as Vice Chair. The School Committee also selected other administrative officers and welcomed newly elected member Paul Cormier who won his seat in the November election (ShannonContinue Reading

Organizational Restructuring and Financial Oversight Focus of Council on Aging Meeting The Gardner Council on Aging met on January 5, 2026. The current Chair Ron Dameka, Vice Chair Paul Leone, Treasurer Terri Hillman, and Secretary Kathy O’Brien were reelected. Financial reports were a major component of the discussion, with officialsContinue Reading

Here is the official 2025 Activity Report from the Gardner Fire Department, CLICK HERE. GFD Handles Record of 6,324 Calls in 2025 – Infographic, DEEP DIVE, and DEBATE. The 2025 Activity Report for the Gardner Fire Department details a historic peak in local emergency operations within the city of Gardner,Continue Reading

In Last Meeting of 2025, the Gardner Board of Health Addressed Leadership Transitions and Staffing Vacancies A top candidate for the vacant Health Director role has withdrawn from the process. The Chair of the Board of Health, Susan Avalone has resigned after 17 years in the post. Other staffing vacanciesContinue Reading

Heywood Hospital Reveals First Baby Born in the New Year! Heywood Hospital of Gardner MA has revealed the first baby born in 2026 and it’s a healthy baby girl born to parents from Fitchburg. Heywood Hospital stated: “Welcome baby Scarlett, Heywood Hospital’s first baby of 2026! Born January 2 atContinue Reading

First Hotline Radio Show of 2026 Listen to the entire show on any device, CLICK PLAY. First up on the WGAW Hotline Radio Show of January 3, 2026 is Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson who highlights 2025 with a review of successful projects and grants, advancements in education, the movie inContinue Reading

This Week’s Edition of our Weekly News Magazine “This Week in the Chair City” for Friday, January 2, 2026 Listen to “This Week in the Chair City” on any device. CLICK PLAY. In this week’s edition: Upcoming City Council and School Committee reorganization meetings – City Council Rules – 5Continue Reading

City Council Rules – a Debate on the Balance Between Rigorous Deliberation and Instant Response This Gardner Magazine debate with Max and Maxine Rogers concerns the official procedural framework governing the Gardner City Council. The rules establish administrative protocols for the legislative body including the scheduling of regular and specialContinue Reading

Gardner Magazine releases an original song for the New Year “The Year Ahead” by The Poegs. Listen to the original Pop-Funk Celebration song on any device, CLICK PLAY. If you’re planning for changes in the year ahead, you’ll love the song. Every day, every week, every month, the entire yearContinue Reading

In this “Year Ahead 2026” Interview, Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson outlines an ambitious agenda for building on a big year of progress in 2025. The interview itself and the infographic below demonstrate the specifics. A Forward- Looking Interview with Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson – The Year Ahead 2026 Listen toContinue Reading

High Wind Warning: 7pm December 29th to 1am Wednesday December 31st. High Wind Warning for Greater Gardner MA The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for several counties across Massachusetts, effective from Monday evening December 29th through early Wednesday December 31st. Meteorologists anticipate sustained western winds punctuatedContinue Reading

Greater Gardner Radio Station Achieving Major Milestone Since taking over WGAW over a decade ago, Owner, Newsman, and Host Steve Wendell has made quality programming a priority. During the past several months, Wendell has been working on starting off the 80th year with a bang and it appears he hasContinue Reading