LOWELL -- It's a tale of two fabrics.

The standard uniform catches fire and never stands a chance, burning completely through.

But the other flame-retardant uniform self-extinguishes the fire within a few seconds, resulting in a charred sleeve. This safer, lower cost, non-toxic material may end up saving soldiers and firefighters in the future.

Construction of a national photonics initiative headquartered in Rochester should end up $3.2 million under budget, officials said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, roughly half of the $44 million in tools for the research hub on Lake Avenue have been delivered or are in transit. Installation is expected to begin next month, with officials anticipating an...