Celebrate National Farmers Market Week at the Winthrop Farmers Market Sunday
Winthrop Farmers Market has been very successful. On average, we are seeing 1000+ customers per market. Over half of the vendors are Winthrop-based. The market is managed entirely by volunteers from our community and is a registered 501 c 3 non-profit organization. Proceeds from the Market go toward donations to the local food bank, Mi Amore, and a scholarship for a graduating Winthrop High School student. Volunteers are always welcome. Sign up at our website winthropfarmersmarket.com.
National Farmers Market week runs from August 3-9th, 2025. Massachusetts is home to over 200 farmers markets and there are more than 8,500 farmers markets in the U.S today. The numbers continue to rise as farmers markets become fresh food mainstays for shoppers across all socio-economic, political, and ethnic backgrounds. Farmers markets serve as anchors across American communities, positively influencing community health and local economic vitality. Markets strengthen regional economies and local food businesses, increase access to fresh, nutritious food, and build social networks that help keep communities connected through all kinds of challenges.
BHCC Collabs with Labcorp on New Simulation Lab in Chelsea
Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC), in collaboration with Labcorp, a global leader of innovative and comprehensive laboratory services, celebrated a new chapter in clinical education with the unveiling of a brand-new simulation lab on its Chelsea campus on May 13. The unique public-private collaboration enables BHCC students to acquire essential clinical phlebotomy skills through hands-on learning while creating a pathway to potential employment opportunities with Labcorp.
“Labcorp is dedicated to shaping the future of healthcare by investing in both education and experiential learning,” said Bill Haas, Senior Vice President of Labcorp’s Northeast Division. “The simulation lab empowers students to translate their academic knowledge into practical skills, preparing them to deliver exceptional care in real-world clinical settings.”
BHCC offers four programs within the medical laboratory science industry, including the Phlebotomy Technician Certificate program. The course covers processes and procedures, safety protocols, quality assurance and precautions, venipuncture skills, terminology, and related anatomy and physiology. Upon completing the training, students can then take their lab assessments and be assigned to their clinical placements on campus.
“We struggle to find clinical phlebotomy placements for our students, and the Labcorp simulation lab is a dream come true because our students get hands-on experience with a trusted provider of lab services right on campus,” said Dean of Workforce and Economic Development Kristen McKenna.
WNV Confirmed in Mosquitoes from Revere
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) announced today that West Nile virus (WNV) has been detected in mosquitoes collected from Revere, Massachusetts. In 2024, 8,597 mosquito samples were tested for WNV and 333 samples were positive.
WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes that carry this virus are common throughout the state and are found in urban as well as more rural areas. While WNV can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe infection.