Patrick told the Associated Press the funds, which are made up of state and federal dollars, will provide summer jobs to about 4,700 teens in 25 cities and towns throughout the states. According to the report, the majority of the funds are coming through the state-run YouthWorks program with an additional $1.8 million coming through federal stimulus money.

The cities and towns set to receive some of the summer jobs include: Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Chelsea, Chicopee, Fall River, Fitchburg, Framingham, Gardner, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Leominster, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, New Bedford, Pittsfield, Quincy, Randolph, Salem, Springfield, Taunton, Weymouth and Worcester.

“There were people crying,” said Patient Care Tech Erica Noga. “They were very upset, confused. Very upset. It was a very emotional day. A sad day.”

Sisters of Providence Health System is a non-profit provider incorporated in 1981 and administered by an order of Catholic nuns: the Sisters of Providence, Holyoke.

The city has already laid off 75 employees of the Lawrence School Department, including 32 teachers.  These job cuts are overdue according to the city’s financial overseer Robert Nunes.  The city has also received permission from the state to borrow up to $35 million to shore up its budget.

Most of the Blame for the layoffs was placed on the investment portfolio of the Diocese: “With the economic collapse, the investment income on which the diocese depended for much of the operating budget of its central offices has all but disappeared,” said Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell.  The Springfield staff will be reduced from 138 to 89 people on July 1st.

Furthermore, when compared to other states in the nation, the recession appears to have been milder in Massachusetts, writes the Globe.  Unemployment rates have been lower.  The duration, on average, of the recession was shorter since the state entered it a full four months behind the rest of the nation.  The percentage of lost jobs was also a full point below the national average.

The biggest jobs gains came in retail, which added 3,500 jobs. Health services, education and scientific and businesses services also saw increases last month. The biggest losses came in construction, which shed 4,000 jobs, and manufacturing, which lost 3,100 jobs.

The national unemployment rate last month was 9.7 percent.

Putnam Investments is a subsidiary of Canada’s Power Financial Corporation, which purchased it for $2.9 billion in 2007.

Government employment was also up with the 800 jobs lost in local and state governments being offset by 1000 federal census jobs.

Patrick wants the unions to agree to nine unpaid furlough days for its workers, which would save the state $35 million. This concession would save the second set of 1000 jobs, at least for now.

Further spending cuts are still needed, but Governor Patrick insists that no cuts will be made to education or to state aid provided to local communities.