BOSTON (CBS) – A new study by the Federal Reserve finds that the Greater Boston labor force is much younger than earlier believed. WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Anthony Silva reports Yolanda Kodrzycki, director of the Fed’s New England Public Policy Center, says as someone who looks at statistics all the time, she was amazed to see how young the labor force in the area is. She says one-third of the labor force is 34 or younger. In Boston/Metro North, comprised of 21 cities and towns in Suffolk and Middlesex counties, it’ 46%. Kodrzycki says that bodes well for the Boston labor market. Continue reading >>>

We’re digging the Greater Boston Food Bank’s newest online initiative, Click ‘N Cook, which launched last week. A healthy recipe database with more than 500 options, the site originally aimed to help food pantries and other charitable organization create healthy meals for their programs, and is now open to any home cook looking for a easy, nutritious meal. Each recipe is given a “CHOP” (Choosing Healthy Options) score from 1 (healthiest) to 3 (eat sparingly). Many of the recipes we found were pretty kid-friendly: it’s a great resource for recipes even little hands can help prepare! This Continue reading >>>

Girls Love Robots. Jack Lumber. Neocolonialism. Moonlight: Mistress of Mischief. These four represented a fraction of the games on display at the Boston Festival of Indie Games on Sept. 22, a celebration and showcase of all things gaming-related, both analog and digital. The festival, held all day Saturday at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was the first of its kind in the Greater Boston area, a burgeoning center for independent game development. Fiona Cherbak, a festival co-producer, said when she moved to Boston a year ago, she was puzzled to discover that Boston didn’t have Continue reading >>>

BOSTON, MA, Oct 01, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Boston Region Entrepreneurship Week (BREW) announced today that it will host the BREW Spotlight Fundraiser on October 15 at Cummings Properties TradeCenter 128 in Woburn. This event will be the official start of the 2012 celebration which is taking place during the weeks of October 15 - October 26. Constant Contact, a leader in engagement marketing, is sponsoring Continue reading >>>

When I work with buyers, we often discuss what they would most likely do to a property and if the investment would increase the property’s value. I do that to illustrate that not all improvements return their investment and some projects are done simply to personalize a home. It helps my buyer-clients set priorities. When working with sellers, I suggest ways to increase value and marketability by investing in upgrades that allow prospective buyers to view the home more favorably. Simple updates like painting kitchen cabinets or replacing bathroom vanities and re-glazing outdated bathroom tiles Continue reading >>>

Unemployment ticked down this month in the city, the area and the state—and all three rates remain well below that of the national average. Just 6.6 percent of Boston residents who are ready and willing to work were without jobs in August, according to data released this week by the state's department of Labor and Workforce Development. That puts the city's rate above that of both the area and the state, but still well below that of the United States average. Nationally, the unemployment rate ticked down to 8.1 percent, but the national unemployment rate has stubbornly remained between 8 and Continue reading >>>

Schools may take a break over the summer months but students in Greater Boston buckled down with the books this summer.   For the 14th year, Dependable Cleaners hosted its Read to Ride program, designed to foster the love of reading and provide students ages 6-15 with the tools they need to ensure year-long learning success.  This year’s program was an unqualified success, with students reading more than 3,000 books between May 14 and August 20, 2012.  Participants submitted one entry form for each book they read and the more books read, the greater the chance of winning.  Ten Continue reading >>>

A key point about comparisons between RI and Massachusetts September 30th, 2012 at 4:06 pm by Ted Nesi under Nesi's Notes, On the Main Site From this morning’s Providence Journal (emphasis mine): Jim Stergios, of Boston’s Pioneer Institute, said Rhode Island should be careful about copying Massachusetts. “While Rhode Island may consider Massachusetts is doing better,” Stergios said, “the fact of the matter is Massachusetts is Greater Boston and three Rhode Islands grafted onto it. “The high unemployment rates you see in those areas are similar to those in Rhode Island.” Right! Continue reading >>>

Needham Bank, with five branches throughout greater Boston, has announced that Robert W. Madden of Brookline has been named vice president of residential lending, operating from the bank’s Needham location. Madden joins Needham Bank with 27 years of experience in mortgage banking. Prior to Needham Bank, he was employed at Cambridge Savings Bank as a mortgage loan officer. Madden received a bachelor’s degree in economics from SUNY-Oneonta. He is a registered member of the National Mortgage Licensing System. Originally from Peekskill, N.Y., Madden lives in Brookline. He is a member of Continue reading >>>

The Running with the Bridesmaids fun run took place in downtown Boston on Saturday, Sept. 29. The event was sponsored by Boston.com with proceeds going to the Big Sisters Association of Greater Boston. The one-mile fun run took the bridal-bedecked participants through Boston Common and Downtown Crossing with a wrap-up party at Petit Robert Central Bistro. Pictured: Runners in Boston Common. Continue reading >>>