Worcester Sun, Feb. 10-17: Mariano with 3 incredibly real stories of love and devotion, how Worcester became an opioid outlier, Blue Shades, remembering Ed Hyder + much more

Sun columnist

Mariano: Vows of Love

Ray Mariano

“I have had a few occasions to perform wedding ceremonies for family and close friends . . . I try to make each ceremony a little different. But, they all include the wording ‘in sickness and in health … until death do us part’.”

The Big Picture

Sun graphic / Amy M. Capobianco

(Source: Mass. Department of Public Health)

Worcester an outlier in preventing opioid deaths |  Although no single solution has been the magic bullet, there are signs Worcester is gaining ground. Of the 25 largest municipalities in Massachusetts, Worcester was one of five to see its opioid deaths per capita drop in 2016.

Local Business Spotlight

Giselle Rivera-Flores / For Worcester Sun

Samuel Chang, owner of Blue Shades at 256 Park Ave., attended South High after coming to the city in 1981.

With Blue Shades, Park Ave. hot on the waffle trend |  Within a few months of sparking the idea with his sister, Samuel Chang was receiving waffle recipes from his friend in Hong Kong. The restaurant veteran and South High grad tweaked them to his tastes, added some Western touches, and Blue Shades became the new kid on the bustling city block.

What if … Worcester

Love and the Machine: New data-mining methods determine which humans can meet online | “L.T.R.’s programming has regularly evolved to identify users’ best dating experience. As breakthroughs are made in Artificial Intelligence and data-mining techniques, we’re ready to perfect those advances and pass them on to our users.” Wondering what the future could hold for online dating and data technology? Find out with author BJ Hill in the Sun’s serial glimpse into the fantastic, fascinating (and mostly fictional) possibilities of a not-so distant tomorrow.

Editorial: Ed Hyder, the storekeeper who won Worcester’s heart |  Through his work ethic, kindliness and shelves of staples and surprises, Ed Hyder built — day by day, customer by customer — such a successful life. His unexpected death Tuesday is a big loss for the family he so obviously cherished, and that includes all of us.

Law & Order

Witnesses help WPD nab alleged Walgreens robber |  Law & Order features information released by the office of Attorney General Maura Healey, Massachusetts State Police, Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr., and the police departments of Worcester, Auburn, Boylston, Grafton, Holden, Leicester, Millbury, Paxton, Shrewsbury and West Boylston. (Sourced from municipal websites, social media and press releases.)

Sun Spots with Hitch [Vol. 240]: On the fall of Stan Rosenberg |  On the bright side, being the former president of the Massachusetts Senate is probably better than never being Senate president at all. Amid deepening reports of his allegedly meddling husband incinerating the “firewall” Rosenberg says he built to prevent such corruption, the pioneering lawmaker’s fall from grace continues. When will it end? How far will it go? Only a political observer the likes of Hitch could know for sure.

Chris Sinacola

Sun columnist

Sina-cism: Undermining rights in the name of gun safety |  “The Massachusetts bump stock ban is a case of government overreach that is unlikely to do anything to reduce gun violence. Most mass shootings come with warning signs that should have been recognized beforehand. But prevention is difficult and rarely makes the headlines. Tragedies do, and lawmakers are willing to do anything to show they are responding.”

The incredible story of Augustine Kanjia continues …

Courtesy Augustine Kanjia

Koidu City to Yengema town highway through Motema town.

A Long Journey Home |  “I was ready to help the gentleman who was the driver’s assistant. It was a game, and I had to play it wisely. I volunteered to help carry a load for a certain woman. She was old and her luggage was heavy, but that was the way I would escape to victory.”

College notebook

Courtesy Clark University

Lou Jones’ “Descendants” exhibit is part of an upcoming Clark University symposium.

The Quad [Feb. 10-17]: Four things to know from Clark, Quinsigamond CC and Becker | Have campus news you or your college or university organization would like to share? Let us know by emailing it to info@worcester.ma. Be sure to send a link to the full release on your site or Facebook page so we can include it and point Sun members your way.

Patrick Sargent / For Worcester Sun

The Grandview Playhouse

Worcester Weekly: Valentine’s aplenty, WCLOC plays on + more, Feb. 10-17 |  The most fun you’ll have with a calendar of events all week. And you just might learn something, too. Here are some of the best things to do, places to go — and reasons why — over the next few days.

Courtesy Franklin Realty Advisors

Barton Associates is moving from Prescott Street to the Mercantile Center and is expected to bring more than 130 employees to the downtown office space.

Inbox [Feb. 10-17]: News and notes from Bravehearts, Fallon Health, Webster Five and more | Have news you or your group would like to share? Let us know by emailing it to info@worcester.ma. Be sure to include a link to the full release on your site or Facebook page so we can include it and send Sun members your way.