- This Week 4-17-26 (4/17/2026)
Our Weekly News Magazine: This Week in the Chair City for Friday April 17, 2026
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This Week in the Chair City 4-17-26 In this week’s edition: Complete coverage of the announcement by State Representative Jonathan Zlotnik to not seek reelection and the 3 current candidates for the position including John Reilly Jr., Nathan Boudreau, and Michael Nicholson.
Gardner’s Health Insurance Crisis, the $811,000 snow and ice deficit, proposed water rate hikes, the spending freeze, Chief of Staff (or Director of Facilities and Communications), Gardner Academy moving to High School in September, Senior Center preparing for move to Waterford, Officer of the Year, the Gardner 20 Year Master Plan, Signage Regulations, Development Projects, Golf Course Irrigation, Landfill Construction, Environmental Violations, Nuclear Reactors, Earth Day, Fire Risk, and upcoming meetings.
- This Week 4-5-26 (4/5/2026)
Special Easter Edition: This Week in the Chair City for April 5, 2026
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This Week in the Chair City – SPECIAL EASTER EDITION – 4-5-26 In this week’s program: A comprehensive update on recent developments in Gardner, highlighting both Mayor Nicholson and George Tyros regarding municipal issues in Gardner MA. Detailed are administrative tensions within the Airport Commission. The Gardner Youth Center is receiving funding for another year and Lauren Saunders has returned as the City’s Health Director. We address concerns relating to the drought conditions and fire safety risks across the region. Included is an original Easter song and commentary. We end with a list of upcoming meetings.
JUMP TO: North Central MA News — State News of the Week —- National News of the Week — World News of the Week
- This Week 3-29-26 (3/29/2026)
Weekly News Magazine – This Week in the Chair City – March 29, 2026
This Week in the Chair City is our “News Magazine” recapping the week and has an upbeat musical theme. Listen on any device, CLICK PLAY.
This Week’s Edition: Our weekly news magazine provides a comprehensive update on municipal governance, community health initiatives, and infrastructure projects within Gardner, Massachusetts. We highlight the Everyday is Purple campaign, an effort to raise funds and awareness for the Greater Gardner Relay for Life and cancer research. Listeners are informed about significant city developments, including the drafting of a new master plan, updates to Maki Park, and ongoing renovations at City Hall. We also detail recent local government sessions covering fiscal challenges, labor disputes, and new safety plans designed to eliminate traffic fatalities. We outline changes to local commerce, such as the approval of marijuana delivery services and upcoming public hearings on community zoning.
- This Week 3-20-26 (3/20/2026)
Weekly News Magazine – This Week in the Chair City – March 20, 2026
This Week in the Chair City is our “News Magazine” recapping the week and has an upbeat musical theme. Listen on any device, CLICK PLAY.
This Week in the Chair City 3-20-26 This Week’s Edition: In Gardner, Massachusetts, the City’s identity is forged in more than just the dry minutes of a subcommittee meeting or the fine print of a building permit. It is a place where healthcare innovation, innovative public service reminders, and the innocent gurgles of a “future leader” in a stroller coalesce into a vibrant community narrative. Being the “Chair City” once meant honoring a storied manufacturing past; today, it means navigating the complexities of modern civics and local resilience with a distinctly human touch, bridging the gap between its industrial roots and a future defined by high-tech healing. Our AUDIO podcast covers the various happenings in Gardner over the past week and gives you glimpse as to what’s coming up.
- This Week 3-13-26 (3/13/2026)
Weekly News Magazine – This Week in the Chair City – March 13, 2026
This Week in the Chair City has a new musical theme and a new style. Listen on any device, CLICK PLAY.
This Week 3-13-26 This edition of our weekly news magazine provides a comprehensive overview of various stories Gardner Magazine has covered in the past week. It’s a comprehensive update on municipal affairs and community developments in Gardner including infrastructure challenges such as budget overruns for Downtown projects and ongoing concerns regarding accessibility and drought conditions. Various local boards address specific administrative needs ranging from cannabis permit modifications to discussing the Sludge Landfill. Community history is a topic with the Historical Commission in focus and its efforts towards centralizing public assets for better efficiency. It’s a detailed report on the City’s fiscal, social, and legislative progress as Gardner navigates the transition into the Spring season.
- This Week 3-8-26 (3/8/2026)
Weekly News Magazine – This Week in the Chair City – March 8, 2026
This Week in the Chair City has a new musical theme and a new style. Listen on any device, CLICK PLAY.
This Week in the Chair City 3-8-26 The past week in Gardner was a masterclass in civic resilience and administrative navigation. While “lousy weather” and heavy snowfall buried parking meters and forced school closings, the Department of Public Works drew praise for “great work” in keeping the arteries of the city open. Even as meters were submerged in drifts, the city’s decision to waive parking fees signaled a management style focused on practical solutions over rigid enforcement.
However, the week wasn’t without its tensions, as host Werner Poegel points out a certain amount of “local bellyaching” regarding City Council processes and a lack of smiles in recent meetings.
Transparency is often a buzzword, but State Representative Jonathan Zlotnik’s office provided a tangible example this week through the work of intern Theo Anderson. The “Zlotnik Map of WOW” is a comprehensive visual database mapping every grant and state fund allocation brought into Gardner under the Representative’s tenure.Gardner is a community that thrives on its diverse nonprofit and civic sector. The upcoming week is packed with governance as the School Committee, Finance Committee, and Planning Board are all meeting. The path isn’t always smooth, but the objectives are clear: define Gardner as the “Model City for America” through an insistence on excellence, even if doing so ruffles a few feathers here and there.
- This Week 3-1-26 (3/1/2026)
This Week in the Chair City March 1, 2026
On the last day of February, both Gardner Mayor Nicholson and Gardner City council President Tyros appeared on Hotline Radio. You can listen to the entire show on our platform and don’t forget, it airs every Saturday from noon to 2pm on WGAW.
Three different meetings held last week illustrated the financial and project environment in the Chair City. We called it a “Triple Play” of 3 meetings. Check out our article.
State Representative Jonathan Zlotnik is supporting the energy affordability bill passed by the MA House. Bottom Line: It’s supposed to save you money. View the article.
Senior Center Director Mike Ellis did an interview with us and detailed the many March programs. View the article and interview.
Mayor Michael Nicholson gave a February update and City Council President George Tyros came out with another edition of the President’s Desk. View both articles.
We profiled another non-profit and their upcoming events: The Chestnut Street United Methodist Church.
The Community Development Block Grant Committee met and reviewed various grants and finances.
So what’s happening in March while we’re hoping for Spring? Sorry skiers, some of us have had enough snow. The Gardner Museum opens for the season on March 4th. Mount Wachusett Community College is having an agricultural Fair on Friday March 6th from 9am to 2pm.
Upcoming meetings: —– March 2nd: City Council, Conservation Commission, Council on Aging, Golf Commission, March 3rd: Appointments Committee, Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting Agenda March 4th: Airport Commission, Board of Health, William Rockwell Committee March 5th: Cemetery Commission March 10th: Planning Board Hearing x2 March 26th: Retirement Board Meeting
It may not be the biggest news story of the year, but Daylight Savings Time returns on Sunday, March 8, 2026 when we set the clocks 1 hour later. We lose an hour of daylight in the morning and gain and hour in the evening.
Substantial debate is ongoing as to whether to continue switching the clocks back and forth. Gardner Magazine has our own debate with Max and Maxine Rogers exploring the subject.
Jobs in the City of Gardner: Gardner: Full Time: Facilities Maintenance Manager, DPW Laborer, Director of Public Health, Assistant Director of Veteran’s Services. Part-time: Administrative Coordinator, Board of Health, Transfer Station Monitor. We have an article called “Workin for the Town with a bunch of open positions throughout Greater Gardner. 14 different types of positions.
Some Gardner Magazine Stats from February 2026: Unique visitors (circulation) 96,745 – a record. Total visits: 222,273. Average visitors per day: 7,938. Pageviews: 534,326. Downloads such as streaming AUDIO: 226,217. The top 100 Audio Files streamed took up 89% with at average of 2.028 listeners each. The top 40 AUDIO files had an average of 3,194 listeners each.
Let us cover your news story or your non-profit. Email News@GardnerMagazine.com or call our voicemail line at (978) 632-6324
- This Week 2-21-26 (2/21/2026)
This Week’s Edition of our Weekly News Magazine “This Week in the Chair City” covering Gardner: released Saturday February 21, 2026
Listen to “This Week in the Chair City” on any device. CLICK PLAY.
This Week in the Chair City 2-21-26 In this week’s edition: Sludge Landfill Expansion Halted – Rockwell Committee has at least 40 applications – Gardner Magazine Project Launched regarding Gardner Businesses – Ronald F. Cormier honored – Gardner Museum upcoming 2026 season – Interview with Gardner Mayor Nicholson on Infrastructure – City Council – Heywood Healthcare honored again – Huge Sludge Report – United States Economy – Prison Mitigation Funds – Job openings with the City of Gardner – Upcoming Meetings.
Contact Us: Have a news story idea? Like to promote your event? Want to give some exposure to your non-profit organization? It’s easy. Email News@GardnerMagazine.com or leave a voicemail at (978) 632-6324. Thank you.
- This Week 2-13-26 (2/13/2026)
This Week’s Edition of our Weekly News Magazine “This Week in the Chair City” covering Gardner for Friday, February 13, 2026
Listen to “This Week in the Chair City” on any device. CLICK PLAY.
In this week’s edition: Gardner PD Hires, Wachusett Business Incubator, Magnus Carlberg Interview, Apprenticeships in Public Construction, Automated External Defibrillators, History of American Art, Success of Gardner Public Schools, School Committee, Report: MA Tops in Education, Mystery Man Behind the Laptop, Environmental Issues, Interview: Dr. Katherine Fitzgerald on Addiction, Presidents’ Day, Washington’s Birthday, MA Historic Landmarks, Report: Foods from 50 States, Library, Cable, Senior Center, Auditor Search, Healthcare Breakthroughs, U.S. Infrastructure Evolution, Upcoming Meetings.
Contact Us: Have a news story idea? Like to promote your event? Want to give some exposure to your non-profit organization? It’s easy. Email News@GardnerMagazine.com or leave a voicemail at (978) 632-6324. Thank you.
- This Week 2-6-26 (2/6/2026)
This Week’s Edition of our Weekly News Magazine “This Week in the Chair City” covering Gardner for Friday, February 6, 2026
Listen to “This Week in the Chair City” on any device. CLICK PLAY.
This Week in the Chair City 2-6-26 In this week’s edition: Comprehensive Reports on a number of topics, Mike Ellis Interview, Airport Commission, Heywood Healthcare, Auditor Search, Walmart Project, Conservation Commission, Golf Commission, Council on Aging, City Council, Public Service Committee, Seaman Paper, Super Bowl, CDBG Committee, Paying My Excise Song, Excise Taxes Due, Finance Committee, Appointments Committee, Fire, Police, Public Health, Public Safety, Capital Improvements
Contact Us: Have a news story idea? Like to promote your event? Want to give some exposure to your non-profit organization? It’s easy. Email News@GardnerMagazine.com or leave a voicemail at (978) 632-6324. Thank you.
2026-02-13