BOSTON – The Mass. Gaming Commission is hoping lawmakers push back a key deadline by as much of a year, saying taking over the work of the state racing commission will make it more difficult to get new casinos up and running, The Associated Press reported last week. more

NEW BEDFORD – Four federal grants totaling $600,000 aim to enhance broadband adoption and support for small businesses and nonprofit organizations across Massachusetts. more

Once known by the buzzword “consolidation,” municipally shared services is a concept that’s been kicked around for years by towns throughout the state, but has rarely gotten past the planning phase. But in financially ailing cities like Pawtucket and Central Falls, it might be an idea whose time has finally come. more

Brown isn’t typically the color a golfer would use to describe his ideal fairway but at public and private courses around the state it’s becoming quite in fashion as clubs have pushed for formalized conservation programs. more

Former House Finance Committee Chairman Tony Pires is more familiar than most with the often glacial pace of action in the General Assembly. Now director of administration in Pawtucket, Pires and other city leaders know their financially ailing community can’t afford to wait any longer when it comes to the money-saving issue of sharing services with neighboring communities. more

Zipcar is measuring environmental progress in the number of green-decaled cars it’s spreading through the streets of Providence. more

BOSTON – The Mass. Department of Environmental Protection penalized New Bedford-based waste hauler ABC Disposal Inc., $1,500 for solid-waste violations related to the dumping of excessive amounts of construction and demolition wood at a landfill in December 2012. more

PROVIDENCE – The Humane Society of the United States has awarded Sen. Dominick Ruggerio, D-North Providence, and Rep. Patricia A. Serpa, D-West Warwick, as Rhode Island’s Humane State Legislators for 2012. more

PROVIDENCE – A partnership that includes GTECH Corp. is slated to be awarded a 15-year lottery-marketing contract by New Jersey, Bloomberg News reported. more

After serving 17 years in the military, Matthew Paquette left his work as an electrician’s mate in the Navy, where he was assigned to the USS Shasta Battle Group Echo, stationed off the coast of Kuwait. more