It takes a village to change your name, plus delta déjà vu
It takes a village to change your name, plus delta déjà vu
They're calling it “delta déjà vu.”
The pandemic’s forth wave is creating stress and havoc for burned out working parents. Four in 10 working parents are considering leaving their jobs, according to a new survey from Cleo.
In about half of the families surveyed, one or both parents have left the workforce or scaled back work to care for children or facilitate remote learning at some point, writes Caitlin Mullen at Bizwomen.
Now they're worried it's happening again.
Single, divorced and LGBTQ+ parents said they feel less supported by their companies than their partnered, heterosexual peers, Mullen adds.
Women leaving the labor force costs the U.S. economy more than $650 billion each year, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families.
Cleo found that when employers have been vague in its return-to-office plans, mothers are more likely to be eyeing the door.
Russo’s property sold for $36.5 million
It's time to start stocking up on all those hard-to-find gems they keep on the shelves below the fresh produce.
The sale of A. Russo and Sons -- the beloved Watertown retail and wholesale produce and grocery seller -- became final on Wednesday, reports Joanna K. Tzouvelis for the Watertown Tab.
The 4.8 acres on Pleasant St. was sold Aug. 18 to NewTower Trust Company of Bethesda, Maryland for $36.5 million, Tzouvelis reports.
That's a lot of ears of corn.
Owner Tony Russo sent a letter to the Watertown Town Council to notify the town that 239 employees will be permanently laid off beginning around Oct. 12 or within two weeks, based on business needs and circumstances.
"We are mindful of the difficulties that this closure and layoff poses to employees and the Watertown community, given Russo's longstanding presence here,” the letter states.
“Accordingly, we will make efforts to provide as smooth a transition as possible under the circumstances."
Downriver need to knows
- Officials in Boston and Cambridge have approved a new fee on hotel guests that would raise millions of dollars each year to market the two cities as travel destinations. A state law passed earlier this year enables Massachusetts cities and towns to join together to raise money for tourism through “marketing districts.” (BBJ)
- Wellesley Repertory Theatre is joining more than one dozen Greater Boston theaters in mandating vaccines for all performers, staff and patrons. TCAN in Natick made the same announcement yesterday, joining The Orpheum, Paradise Club, House of Blues, City Winery, the Middle East, Club Passim and others.
Other need to knows:
- The Commonwealth Corporation’s Express Program Grant may reimburse 100% of your training per individual ($3,000/per person/per course) for businesses with 100 employees or less. Details.
- OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have updated its Small Business Safety and Health Handbook.
- The first ever Watertown Arts Market will take place tomorrow (Saturday) at Arsenal Park from noon to 5 p.m. More than 70 artists, craftspeople and others participate. (Watertown News)
Needham Times reporter moves on
Trevor Ballantyne, who has been covering Needham for the Needham Times and Wicked Local for just over two years, left his position this week to take a new job at the Norwich Bulletin in Connecticut.
Ballantyne said yesterday that he did not know if his replacement has, or will be, named.
Olympic coach brings retailer dad pride
Yes the “Green” mentioned in the window sign at Green’s Hardware in Wellesley Hills congratulating Olympics marathon bronze medalist Molly Seidel and her coach, Jon Green, is store owner Tom Green’s son.
Coach Green may have even waited on you when you’ve shopped there. The Swellesley Report explains.
Report: Heat is killing outdoor workers
Outdoor workers in the U.S. could face four times as many days with hazardous heat by mid-century if action isn't taken to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, according to a report from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
And the problem is getting worse: the three-year average of worker heat deaths has doubled since the early 1990s, according an NPR/Columbia Journalism School investigation.
What’s left for Amazon to own?
As if Amazon hasn’t done enough to harm brick and mortar retailers, the company is now planning to open several large physical retail locations in the U.S. that will operate akin to department stores, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The first Amazon department stores are expected to be located in Ohio and California but it’s a safe bet they won’t stop there if successful. The stores will be around 30,000 square feet -- smaller than most department stores -- which typically occupy about 100,000 square feet.
“As Amazon grows its own roster of private label and exclusive third-party products, the company finds itself in more direct competition with brands long familiar to shoppers and easily found on store shelves,” the Journal writes.
It takes a village to change your chamber’s name
Finally, I don't want to let this week end without thanking the literally dozens of chamber members who made our change from the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber to Charles River Regional Chamber possible.
The process began several years ago with our amazingly supportive board of directors under the astute leadership of Chair Linda Sloane Kay who, among many things, oversaw the strategic planning process that set our decision to rebrand in motion in 2019.
Then COVID-19 put things on hold.
But this spring, the super-creative marketing team at W.S. Development, led by Maggie Smith -- along with Jessica Proulx, Jessye Aibel, Naseem Niaraki and Sara Pleskow -- lead us, first, through a name exploration and, ultimately, the design of our new look and logo (and don't you love the new logo?).
Along the way we consulted with some of the best marketing and strategic planning minds in our market (all chamber members, of course!):
Allison Yee (UpNext), Angela Pitter (LiveWire Collaborative); Brad Black (SocialMadeSimple); Jack Fucci (West Suburban YMCA); Janey Bishoff (Bishoff Communications LLC); Karen Marryat (Needham Bank); Katie Sullivan (Boylston Properties); Kelly McDermott (Hynes Communications); Lisa Hills (Hills Associates); Maggie Baxter (NBC10 Boston); Nanette Fridman (Fridman Strategies); and Steve Romano (Romano Strategic Communications) all provided essential insights, advice and, thank goodness, talked us out of a few things too.
Eleanor Uddo (Feigenbaum & Uddo, LLC) made sure we crossed our legal t's and dotted our i's with the Secretary of State.
Elisif Brandon (Elisif Photography), Amy Oppenheimer and Nicole Mordecai (Newton Photography Club) helped build our four community image library.
Then there was the crew at Last Minute Productions in Needham -- Jay Dobek, Scott Wyman, Gary Gillis, Jim Johnston and Joanne Pallotta -- that somehow encapsulated our aspirations into the perfect four and a half minute video (and, yes, they don't call them Last Minute for nothing).
Here’s two remarkable things about all the remarkable people listed above:
- This was a 100% volunteer effort from your fellow chamber members. All pro bono.
- AND they all managed to keep our rebranding a secret until we made our announcement on Wednesday.
My thanks also to our vendors who gave us impeccable service: Emelie Lalama at Custom Ink; John Brennan at Pinnacle Print Group; Ted Pidcock at Chillybears; Wayne Arthur at Speed Pro; the team at Staples and web editor Winnie Chen.
And my apologies to anyone I’ve forgotten (my deepest fear).
Last but never least, my eternal appreciation and admiration to the best chamber team in the state: Katherine Herer, Tiffany Zi Hua Chen, Lise Elcock and Tracey Antaya for months of planning, coordinating, executing and laughing.
You’re all AMAZING!
Have a great weekend. Be back on Tuesday.
Greg Reibman (he, him, his)
President & CEO
617.244.1688
Note my new email address: greibman@charlesriverchamber.com
Your chamber is here when you need us.
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