On Sunday night, President Trump abruptly announced plans to close the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for two years "for Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding" to create what he said "can be, without question, the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World." The timing of the announcement has taken many in Washington, D.C. and the arts world aback (and coincided with the annual Grammy Awards, on which much of the music world was focused).
The biotechnology company Thermo Fisher Scientific is closing its Franklin facility, impacting up to 80 workers, the company said. In a statement to Boston.com, Thermo Fisher said it is closing its chemical analysis facility by the end of 2026. Most of the work will move to other U.S. facilities, as the company adjusts operations to meet current customer demand. The company said impacted workers will receive job transition support, with many employees relocating to other Massachusetts-based facilities.