Ed Hyder, the shopkeeper 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.

Sina-cism: Undermining your 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.”

Worcester’s Power Players, a more definitive list

If we are going to honor the developers, we also have to acknowledge the role of those who create the crucial infrastructure of a vital built environment – the artists, the preservationists, the tree huggers and the tree planters. … They too are the “power players.”

School system’s program for older immigrants deserves chance

The Worcester Public Schools’ New Citizens Center program is still getting its bearings after just one year. And — as not-quite-adult newcomers to the U.S. — its students are struggling to get theirs. Criticism is important, but so is patience. The key is excellence, whatever the setting.