伍胥山公所為2026春宴劃下句點 送出手繪肖像感謝梅伍銀寬服務社區

伍胥山公所元老伍煥華（左起），扮財神的主席伍偉業，主席伍振中歡迎出席嘉賓。
（周菊子攝）

     （Boston Orange周菊子波士頓報導）波士頓伍胥山公所4月26日在帝苑大酒樓慶祝馬年新春，邀得昆士市長Tom Koch出席，送上手繪肖像表揚梅伍銀寬，奉贈“利是”支持3個社會服務機構，在祝福滿滿聲中，為大波士頓華人社區的2026年春宴，畫下完美句點。

伍氏宗親和嘉賓合影。（伍氏提供，李忠庭攝）

伍氏主席伍振中，伍偉業和元老伍伯和，伍煥華，顧問伍輝民等人這晚恭立台前，接受西文書記伍少武所屬的洪青體育會舞獅採青獻桔，為慶祝會拉開序幕。

波士頓華埠僑團春宴，近年流行以私人宴會方式舉行，這晚的嘉賓只有昆士市市長Tom Koch，黃伍一家親的麻州眾議員黃子安（Donald Wong），紐英崙中華公所主席雷國輝，以及波士頓僑教中心主任高家富。

左起，元老伍煥華，伍伯和，主席伍振中，伍偉業，顧問伍輝民等人接受瑞獅獻吉。
（周菊子攝）

伍振中以中英文開場，強調黃伍一家親的歷史悠久，期許兩姓永遠團結一致，族務在宗親支持中再創輝煌，指出這天很榮幸，邀得昆士市長Tom Koch出席。

伍氏宗親也要和財神合影。（周菊子攝）

昆士市長Tom Koch先說伍振中和他已是很好的朋友，接著稱許伍振中作為軍人，為國服務，近來又創辦龍舟博物館，充沛了昆士市中心的文化氣息與活力，接著話鋒一轉，詢問全場有多少人知道John Adams和John Quincy Adams，笑說這2父子都是美國前總統，可都是對美國有很大貢獻的昆市男孩（Quincy boys）。他還高舉手臂揮舞，請會場內住在總統故鄉的昆士市居民們，在今年慶祝美國建國250週年，享受前人貢獻成果之際，一起“與有榮焉”一番。

波士頓黃氏宗親會的美東副總長黃偉健和波士頓主席黃鷹立，接著上台致詞。

伍氏主席，伍振中夫婦（左）和伍偉業（右）歡迎昆士市長Tom Koch。（周菊子攝）

黃偉健笑說，黃伍一家親是真的歷史悠久傳統。他自己的母親，祖母都是伍氏宗親，說他有一半伍氏血統也不為過。

  黃鷹立也以中英文致詞，說自己是黃氏宗親會的頭號志工，代表所有黃氏宗親出席，向伍氏宗親送上新年快樂，身體健康的祝福，期許黃伍兩姓永遠一家親。

伍煥華（左起）、陳仕維，黃國威這元老團大合唱。（周菊子攝）

波士頓僑教中心主任高家富的致詞，再次以揉和多種方言腔調自創的廣東話致詞，代表波士頓經文處和僑委會，祝福伍氏公所會務興隆，身體健康，萬事勝意。

伍氏送伍振中（右）手繪的肖像表揚梅伍銀寬（右二）。
左起，伍鍾美貞，伍偉業。（周菊子攝）

伍氏另一主席伍偉業致答謝詞後，伍氏公所送出一幅手繪肖像給梅伍銀寬，感謝她對波士頓華人社區的貢獻。伍鍾美貞特地上台介紹，指出1973年時，梅伍銀寬的丈夫梅國康和熱心人士成立了一個幫助華裔長者的組織。梅國康去世後，梅伍銀寬接手經營，穩步發展，如今每日送餐服務都多達4000多份，另外還提供居家服務。這晚送給梅伍銀寬的畫像，由伍氏多才多藝的主席伍振中親手繪製。

        會中伍氏送出“紅包”給中華耆英會，廣教學校，僑立學校等3個非牟利社會服務組織，感謝他們為華人社區服務。

伍振中（右起）、伍偉業代表伍氏，送新年利是給中華耆英會，僑立學校，廣教學校，
依序由梅伍銀寬，黃鷹立，雷國輝代表領取。（周菊子攝）

伍氏公所今年的春宴，餘興節目以唱歌為主，黃伍兩姓婦女部攜手唱新年歌之後，有“波城歌星”譚達兒，以及伍氏元老伍煥華、黃氏元老黃國威，以及安良工商會元老陳仕為這3人組成的“元老團”分別獻唱。李伍碧香帶領跳排舞，會場十分熱鬧。

為製造氣氛，伍氏今年也派出主席伍偉業“粉墨登場”，穿上財神裝，由婦女組扮演“散花童子”，逐桌送上喜糖給出席嘉賓。由於財神太受歡迎，人們競相要求合影，這一趟“財神到”之旅，走的是蝸牛速度。

會上，伍煥華特地感謝宗親伍達慈為支持公所辦活動，捐了1000元。包括現今，禮券，廚具等當晚的許多抽獎品，也都是熱心宗親捐贈。

伍胥山公所元老伍煥華（左起），扮財神的主席伍偉業，主席伍振中歡迎出席嘉賓。
（周菊子攝）

伍振中致詞。（周菊子攝）

麻州眾議員黃子安（Donald Wong) 也是黃氏宗親會成員。（周菊子攝）

波士頓僑教中心主任高家富致詞。（周菊子攝）

黃鷹立表示自己是黃氏公所的頭號志工。（周菊子攝）

黃偉健表示他有一半伍氏血統。（周菊子攝）

中華公所主席雷國輝致詞。（周菊子攝）

洪門致公堂萬綠從中一點紅。（周菊子攝）

伍偉業致答謝詞。（周菊子攝）

財神逐桌拜訪。（周菊子攝）

洪青體育會舞獅。（周菊子攝）

Governor Healey and Attorney General Campbell Oppose Transmission Utilities’ Profit Proposal

Governor Healey and Attorney General Campbell Oppose Transmission Utilities’ Profit Proposal 

 

New England transmission utilities are opposing a $1 billion customer refund and now want an increase in profits 

 

BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey and Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell are opposing the transmission utilities’ request to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a major increase in profits.  

 

“This proposal to drive up utility profits is outrageous,” said Governor Healey. “At a time when consumers are hurting and we are working hard to lower electricity bills, transmission owners are requesting a significant increase in their base return on equity, the profits they earn on transmission investment in the region. Transmission costs are one of the fastest growing components of our electricity bills, and this request will push transmission rates even higher. We will continue to fight excessive utility profits to protect families and businesses and lower people’s bills.”   

 

“As FERC recently determined in Opinion 594, transmission owners have collected an unjust and unreasonable ROE from Massachusetts ratepayers for more than a decade, placing an undue burden on electric consumers,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “Despite Massachusetts’s ongoing energy affordability crisis, transmission owners filed a petition requesting a base ROE of 11.39% in another attempt to avoid application of FERC’s recent order and gouge excessive profits from ratepayers. As the Commonwealth’s Ratepayer Advocate, I stand ready to oppose this petition, just as I have opposed the transmission owners’ attempt to delay, or even stay, the sizable refunds they were ordered to pay to Massachusetts consumers.” 

 

New England transmission utilities filed a proposal with FERC on Thursday requesting an increase in their base return on equity (ROE) percentage from 9.57%, the rate FERC just recently ordered in a March 19 decision, to 11.39% for transmission investment in the New England region. In this March decision, FERC ordered the transmission utilities to cut their allowed ROE and issue more than $1 billion in refunds to customers, after years of advocacy by the Attorney General’s Office under both Healey and Campbell. 

Governor Healey Denounces President Trump’s Cap on Federal Student Loans for Health Care and Social Workers, Educators

Governor Healey Denounces President Trump’s Cap on Federal Student Loans for Health Care and Social Workers, Educators  

BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey and Secretary of Education Steve Zrike released the following statements in response to the U.S. Department of Education releasing a final rule that sharply limits access to low-cost federal student loans for graduate degrees in high-need, high-value fields the Trump Administration does not classify as “professional,” including nursing, physical therapy, physician assistants, occupational therapists, education and social work. 

Governor Healey is committed to strengthening the workforce in critical fields like health care and education and making it more affordable for people to enter these professions. In early March, she spoke out in opposition to this rule, warning that it would increase costs and limit career opportunities for students. At the same time, the Healey-Driscoll Administration has taken action to expand loan repayment support for workers, including launching a $15 million state loan repayment program for early education and care professionals in March and loan repayments for health and human service workers through the MA Repay Program. 

 “At a time when people are already struggling with costs, President Trump is making higher education more expensive and harder to access,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This rule is going to push students into more expensive private loans, and it blocks pathways into critical careers in the health care and education spaces. As the daughter of a school nurse, I know firsthand how important these jobs are to our communities. Massachusetts needs more nurses, social workers and educators – not fewer. This will make workforce shortages worse and make it harder for people to get the care, services and education they rely on.” 

“All students – regardless of income – should be able to aspire to be an advanced nurse practitioner, independently licensed social worker or educational leader. The Trump Administration’s harmful policy decisions will disproportionately impact low-income borrowers, forcing students to take out riskier higher-cost private loans to advance their careers,” said Secretary Zrike. “We have a national student debt crisis, but increasing monthly loan repayments for low-income people is not the solution. Further privatizing the student loan market will not make the system better.” 

The final rule caps federal graduate student loan borrowing at $20,500 per year for programs the Trump Administration does not classify as “professional.” The Healey-Driscoll Administration estimated that if implemented, approximately 13,000 Massachusetts graduate students would be impacted each year, forcing many to rely on higher-cost private loans to continue their advanced program studies. Of those impacted, an estimated 4,000 residents would be unable to access private loans due to income or credit limitations, effectively blocking them from advancing their education and careers. 

The final rule also finalizes changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congressional Republicans and signed by President Trump that eliminates the Grad PLUS federal loan program, caps the Parent PLUS loan program at $20,000 annually for borrowers, and replaces federal loan repayment plans with two options: the Repayment Assistance Plan, a new income-driven repayment plan, and the fixed payment Tiered Standard plan. 

The state is recommending that all borrowers check on the status of their federal student loans and stay informed on options available. Borrowers should also be aware of student loan debt relief scams, including phone calls, emails, notices, and/or texts from companies that charge fees to help borrowers pursue debt relief, access more affordable payment plans or resolve defaulted loans.   

Massachusetts borrowers who have a complaint against a student loan servicer or need help navigating their repayment options are encouraged to contact the Attorney General’s Student Loan Assistance Unit.  

THE COOLIDGE ANNOUNCES MAY REPERTORY SERIES ‘TAKE TWO: FILMMAKING IN THE MOVIES’ CO-PRESENTED BY MUBI

THE COOLIDGE ANNOUNCES MAY REPERTORY SERIES  ‘TAKE TWO: FILMMAKING IN THE MOVIES’ CO-PRESENTED BY MUBI

Brookline, Massachusetts (May 1, 2026) — Lights! Camera! Ah sh*t… Take Two: Filmmaking in the Movies rolls on the messy, hilarious, and occasionally disastrous business of making movies, where everything that can go wrong does, and sometimes that’s where the magic happens. 

From the on-set chaos of Living in Oblivion to the scrappy DIY dreams of American Movie, and the loving outsider portrait of Ed Wood to the existential nightmare of Epidemic, this series explores the many ways filmmakers chase inspiration, wrestle with failure, and somehow (against all odds) cut together something worth watching. Along the way, films like Irma Vep and The Stunt Man blur the line between performance and reality, while The Blair Witch Project reminds us just how thin that line can be. 

Sunday afternoon double features offer a deep dive into cinema’s self-reflective side. Spend Mother’s Day in Hollywood with Singin’ in the Rain and Sullivan’s Travels, trace the myth and reality of outsider filmmaking with Ed Wood and Plan 9 from Outer Space, and venture into the labyrinth of artistic obsession with Adaptation and Synecdoche, New York. 

Whether you’re a casual movie lover, a cinephile, or just curious how the sausage gets made, Take Two invites you to step onto the set, where the cameras are rolling, the egos are clashing, and anything can happen.

Want to dive deeper? Take the five-week class in tandem with this series! The class pass gets you access to every Wednesday screening in the series, plus pre– and post-film lectures and discussions.

A full schedule is listed below - Take Two: Filmmaking in the Movies

Living in Oblivion Wednesday, May 6 at 7pm

Pre-screening Coolidge Education seminar at 6:15pm, taught by filmmaker Justin Liberman

From award-winning writer/director Tom DiCillo comes an inventive, hilarious look at the movie-making business. Steve Buscemi, Catherine Keener, Dermot Mulroney, James Le Gros and Peter Dinklage star in this "smart, well-crafted" (San Francisco Gate) and "savagely funny satire" (The Washington Post) you'll want to experience again and again. Runtime: 1h 30m Format: 35mm

Double Feature: Sullivan’s Travels and Singin’ in the Rain Sunday, May 10 at 2pm

An afternoon of Hollywood glamour and satire! Celebrate the magic and mayhem of moviemaking in this Mother’s Day double feature. Runtime: 3h 13m Format: DCP 

American Movie Tuesday, May 12 at 7pm

The camera doesn't flinch as it captures every emotional crisis and financial pitfall in his two-year odyssey. What emerges is a bizarre, yet surprisingly heartfelt, documentary portrait of a true American character. Welcome to the Real World. Runtime: 1h 47m Format: 35mm

Hollywood Shuffle Wednesday, May 13 at 7pm

This debut feature by Robert Townsend is an ingenious guerrilla satire that takes riotous aim at the typecasting of Black actors in 1980s Hollywood. Runtime: 1h 21m Format: 35mm

Double Feature: Ed Wood & Plan 9 from Outer Space Sunday, May 17 at 2pm

From cult chaos to cinematic infamy, follow the lovable disaster behind the camera in films that prove ambition trumps talent. Runtime: 3h 26m Format: DCP

The Blair Witch Project Wednesday, May 20 at 7pm

The Blair Witch Project follows those filmmakers on what should have been a simple walk in the woods, but quickly becomes an excursion into heart-stopping terror. As the three become inexplicably lost, morale deteriorates. Runtime: 1h 21m Format: 35mm

Cecil B. Demented  Thursday, May 21 at 9:30pm

A ragtag crew of underground filmmakers known as the Sprocket Holes, who abhor conventional cinema, rebel against the tenets of mainstream Hollywood in this send-up of filmmakers who take themselves too seriously.  Runtime: 1h 27m Format: Digital

Double Feature: Adaptation & Synecdoche, New York Sunday, May 24 at 2pm

Writers obsess, dreams unravel, and art imitates life in this mind-bending double dive into creativity run wild from the mind of Charlie Kaufman. Runtime: 3h 59m Format: 35mm

Irma Vep Wednesday, May 27 at 7pm

Olivier Assayas’s live-wire international breakthrough stars a magnetic Maggie Cheung as a version of herself: a Hong Kong action-movie star who arrives in Paris to play the latex-clad lead in a remake of Louis Feuillade’s classic silent crime serial Les vampires. Runtime: 1h 39m Format: 35mm

The Stunt Man Thursday, May 28 at 9:30pm

Vietnam vet Cameron (Steve Railsback) stumbles upon a movie location shoot that just lost its stunt man under tragic circumstances. Rather than stopping to involve the police, eccentric director Eli Cross (Peter O'Toole) hires Cameron on the spot as a replacement, but will he become the dictatorial filmmaker's next casualty? Runtime: 1h 39m Format: 35mm

Double Feature: Nouvelle Vague & Contempt Sunday, May 31 at 2pm

French style meets existential Hollywood. Join us for two cinematic meditations on desire, ambition, and the art of making movies. Runtime: 3h 28m Format: DCP

Epidemic Wednesday, June 3 at 7pm

A jet-black comedy of contagion, a subversive medical-horror freak-out, and a sly metacinematic prank, Lars von Trier’s sophomore feature (born from a bet that he couldn’t make a film for less than $150,000) finds the director channeling his singular thematic obsessions into an evocatively lo-fi, perversely self-reflexive provocation.  Runtime: 1h 46m Format: DCP

吳弭市長任命 MARCELA DWORK為新聞秘書

MAYOR MICHELLE WU APPOINTS MARCELA DWORK AS PRESS SECRETARY

BOSTON – Friday, May 1, 2026 – Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the appointment of Marcela Dwork as Press Secretary. Dwork will begin serving in her role on May 4, 2026, and will lead the Mayor’s Press Office. 

“I’m thrilled to welcome Marcela to our team,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Her career has been marked by a commitment to community and passion for sharing the stories that drive our city. I look forward to her leadership of our Press Office and its critical role in ensuring information about City services and initiatives is easily accessible to all members of our community. I’m excited to work alongside Marcela as we continue to engage Boston’s diverse, vibrant neighborhoods and make Boston a home for everyone.”

Dwork is a strategic communications professional with experience across public, nonprofit, and media sectors. She most recently served as an Account Director at Denterlein, a Boston-based strategic communications and public relations agency. Her previous roles include Press Secretary for Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Development Associate at the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, and on-air reporter for Univision Boston.

“I am excited to return to public service in this role and work alongside Mayor Wu to connect residents across neighborhoods,” said Marcela Dwork, Incoming Press Secretary. “As a bilingual communicator, I also look forward to helping ensure that the City’s diverse communities receive timely, accurate information and stay connected to City Hall initiatives.”

Originally from Bucaramanga, Colombia, Dwork immigrated to the United States at age 22. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga.

As Press Secretary, Dwork will serve as a liaison between the Mayor’s Office and members of the media, communicating the Mayor’s priorities through press conferences, interviews, public events, and press materials. The Press Office works closely with speechwriting, digital, and photography teams to deliver a coordinated message that reflects the Wu administration’s vision and commitment to transparency and public trust.

A Spanish translation of this announcement is available at this link on boston.gov.

Massachusetts Gains 6,800 Jobs in March; Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.7%

 Massachusetts Gains 6,800 Jobs in March; Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.7% 

Boston – Today, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) released Massachusetts unemployment and job estimates for March 2026, with preliminary data indicating that payroll jobs increased by 6,800 for the month. Over the past six months, Massachusetts has added 12,700 payroll jobs, including 12,200 private sector jobs, and has experienced more broad-based job growth than most other states in that time. Preliminary data also shows the March unemployment rate decreased slightly to 4.7%, from a revised February rate of 4.8%, and labor force participation rate decreased slightly to 65.8% from a revised February rate of 66%.

 

April unemployment and job estimates are scheduled to be released on May 22, 2026.

 

BLS categories with the strongest growth month-over-month for Massachusetts employment in March includes 1) Professional and Business Services (+3,400), 2) Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+2,400), and 3) Private Education and Health Services (+2,000) gained jobs.

 

“Over the past six months, the labor market has experienced a period of job growth across most sectors,” said EOLWD’s Department of Economic Research Chief Economist Mark Rembert. “Sectors including Healthcare and Human Assistance, Manufacturing, Construction, and Transportation and Warehousing have all added jobs over that period.”

 

In recent weeks, the Healey-Driscoll has announced or highlighted several investments by employers choosing to do business, relocate, or expand in Massachusetts—all tied to examples of job creation and workforce opportunities. Highlights include:

 

• Governor Healey recently announced $12.8 million in Community Investment Tax Credits (CITC) to 52 Community Development Corporations and Support Organizations across Massachusetts. These awards will support local nonprofit organizations as they advance affordable housing development and preservation, strengthen neighborhood-based programs, and expand economic opportunity in communities across the state.

 

• This week, the Healey-Driscoll Administration released data highlighting the success of the expanded Registered Apprenticeship Tax Credit, which Governor Healey expanded eligibility for as part of the administration’s historic 2023 tax cuts. For 2025, the Division of Apprentice Standards (DAS) approved $988,800 in registered apprenticeship tax credits to 50 employers who hired 206 apprentices, more than double the number in previous years. Employers used the tax credit to hire apprentices in growing industries like clean energy, health care, and education.

 

• Also this week, as part of Massachusetts Apprenticeship Week, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $1.4 million in Grants for Registered Apprenticeship Opportunities in Workforce (GROW) grants to five organizations to train and place 256 apprentices in early childhood education careers across Massachusetts.

 

• This week, the Healey-Driscoll Administration also announced more than $70 million in Career Technical Education (CTE) program capital grants to 28 high schools and career technical schools across Massachusetts. This multi-year investment will significantly expand access to hands-on learning opportunities and help meet the growing demand for career-connected education statewide. 
  
  

Key takeaways from the monthly jobs and employment report

 

• The Massachusetts unemployment rate in March decreased to 4.7% percent. The national unemployment rate is 4.3%.

 

• The state’s labor force participation rate decreased slightly to 65.8% from a revised February rate of 66%. Retirement has been the primary driver for the decline in the Labor Force Participation Rate, while the Labor Force Participation Rate for workers 25-54 is 86.5%, its highest level in 10 years.

 

• The labor force decreased in March by 15,000 with 12,300 fewer people employed and 2,700 fewer unemployed. This includes individuals who have retired or left the workforce for other reasons and individuals who are self-employed and entrepreneurs. 

 

For a detailed overview of the BLS data, please visit mass.gov/economicresearch and March BLS Unemployment and Jobs Estimates. 

 

Labor Market Quick Links

 

• Mass.gov/UnemploymentRates
• Unemployment and Labor Force Data
• Employment Information by Industry
• Employment Information by Occupation
• Labor Market Information 101

 

MassHire Career Services Quick Links

 

MassHire Department of Career Services offers:

• Online services like MassHire JobQuest to help jobseekers search for a new job, training, and workshops.
• Access to local hiring events where jobseekers can meet employers ready to hire.
• In-person services available at MassHire career center near you

 

Business Services Quick Links

 

MassHire Business Services Representatives are available in person across Massachusetts to help employers recruit and grow their workforce. Employers working with MassHire can post job openings on MassHire JobQuest, connect with jobseekers at specialized job fairs, and access a range of workforce resources.

Governor Healey Announces $70 Million to Expand Career Technical Education at 28 Schools, Add 2,500 Seats

Governor Healey Announces $70 Million to Expand Career Technical Education at 28 Schools, Add 2,500 Seats  

Funding will create up to 2,500 new career tech seats, launch new programs, and allow schools to buy and install training equipment 

MARLBOROUGH — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today it has awarded more than $70 million in Career Technical Education (CTE) program capital grants to 28 high schools and career technical schools across Massachusetts. This multi-year investment will significantly expand access to hands-on learning opportunities and help meet the growing demand for career-connected education statewide. 

The funding will create up to 2,500 new CTE seats by expanding 23 career tech programs, launching 27 new CTE programs and upgrading equipment, technology and lab spaces across participating schools. 

Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Secretary of Education Steve Zrike and Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez made the announcement today at Assabet Valley Vocational High School in Marlborough, which is receiving $3.75 million to develop two new CTE programs: public safety and veterinary science. The public safety program will prepare students for essential roles in community protection and emergency response, including through access to a mock dispatch center and forensics lab, partnerships with municipal fire and EMS departments for internships and work-based learning, and articulation with community colleges leading to public safety degrees and certifications. The veterinary science program will prepare students for entry-level roles in animal care and veterinary services, including through access to examination tables and grooming tools and certifications for Veterinary CPR and Approved Veterinary Assistant (AVA). 

“Across Massachusetts, we’re hearing from students and families who want access to career technical education. That’s why we’re making a $70 million investment to expand programs, create new seats and modernize training facilities so more students can get the skills they need and step into strong, in-demand careers,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This investment will expand capacity, create new opportunities and ensure more students can gain the skills they need to succeed, while strengthening our workforce and supporting employers across the state.” 

“These investments will help connect more students to the skills and training that employers across Massachusetts are looking for right now,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “By expanding access to career technical education, we’re strengthening our workforce pipeline and creating more opportunities for students to step directly into in-demand careers.” 

This investment builds on the Administration’s broader efforts to expand access to career-connected learning and strengthen Massachusetts’ workforce pipeline.  Last month, the administration announced it was accepting applications for $15 million in capital grants to help school districts to expand and modernize career technical education (CTE) programs at comprehensive high schools. These CTE Capital Annex Pilot grants will add an estimated 400-600 additional CTE seats across Massachusetts. 

“This investment is about meeting students where they are and preparing them for where the economy is going,” said Secretary Zrike. “By making this investment, we’re creating more seats, modernizing equipment and facilities, and ensuring more students can access high-quality, career-connected learning.”  

“Career technical education is a valuable resource in building Massachusetts’ talent, opening more opportunities for students and adult learners,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “These grants, in tandem with the Workforce Skills Cabinet’s Career Technical Initiative, will enhance equipment within our schools and, in turn, increase hands-on learning and programming to pave the way for future workers and current jobseekers ready to gain meaningful skills and employment in Massachusetts.”  

As part of the administration’s “Reimagining High School” initiative, CTE programs equip students with the skills they need to succeed in today’s job market through development of innovative, applied learning opportunities that align with current industry needs and provide students with high quality learning experiences that enable them to see and understand cleared pathways to careers and continued education.  

"These investments highlight this administration’s commitment to expanding opportunities for career technical education across school settings,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez. “CTE programs are a great opportunity for students to earn industry-recognized credentials before they've even graduated from high school." 

CTE programs are offered during the regular school day at dedicated CTE schools and at some traditional high schools. Further, CTE Partnership Programs “After Dark,” expand access by offering CTE programs outside of the traditional school day. CTE programs also support adult learners, particularly unemployed and underemployed individuals from underserved populations and underrepresented groups, with career training and technical skills to meet the needs of Massachusetts employers through the Career Technical Initiative (CTI). 

“CTE expansion is about access and opportunity for our students and our community. By strengthening CTE pathways, we are not only preparing high school students for in-demand careers but also creating accessible, flexible opportunities for adult learners to reskill, upskill, and advance in today’s workforce,” said Christine D. Jardin-Gauthier, Director of Assebet Community Education. “It's been exciting to elevate the importance of this work, and even more meaningful to do so with the support of Governor Healey, whose commitment to workforce development and CTE education is making this expansion possible.” 

Over the past three years, the administration has approved 49 new CTE programs, supporting 2,334 additional students. Also, Governor Healey’s BRIGHT Act includes $100 million for Skills Capital grants that help high schools, colleges and educational institutions upgrade technology and instructional lab spaces, expand career programs, and increase the capacity of workforce training programs. These efforts build on expansions the administration has made to Early College programs, Innovation Career Pathways, work-based learning opportunities and My Career and Academic Plan (MyCAP). 

Capital Grant recipients:  

Assabet Valley Vocational High School in Marlborough: $3,750,000 

Boston Madison Park Technical Vocational High School: $924,515 

Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical in Taunton: $1,500,000 

Chicopee Comprehensive High School in Chicopee: $3,500,000 

Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School in North Dighton: $1,500,000 

Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical in Tyngsborough: $2,500,000 

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical: $3,750,000 

Holyoke Dean Tech High School: $1,250,000 

Leicester High School: $3,000,000 

Leominster Center of Tech Education: $1,027,700 

Lower Pioneer Valley CTEC in West Springfield: $3,750,000 

Lynn Vocational Technical High: $2,000,000 

Martha's Vineyard Regional High: $2,000,000 

Medford High School: $1,750,000 

Nashoba Valley Technical High School in Westford: $3,250,000 

New Bedford High School: $1,750,000 

Newton South High School: $1,415,833 

Norfolk County Agricultural High School in Walpole: $3,500,000 

Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical in Wakefield: $3,750,000 

Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical in Rochester: $2,000,000 

Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical in Palmer: $3,500,000   

Taconic High School in Pittsfield: $4,000,000 

Salem High School: $3,750,000 

South Shore Regional Vocational Technical in Hanover: $2,250,000 

Taunton High School: $1,100,000 

Tri-County Regional Vocational in Franklin: $2,000,000 

Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical in Bourne: $2,000,000 

Worcester Technical High: $3,750,000 

Senate Advances the PROTECT Act

 Senate Advances the PROTECT Act

(BOSTON—4/30/2026) The Massachusetts Senate advanced its version of the PROTECT Act today—a major legislative package to protect the rights of all Massachusetts residents, particularly immigrants, young children, and victims of crimes. Below are statements of support.

Members of the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy

Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Senator William N. Brownsberger (D-Belmont), Senator Joanne M. Comerford (D-Northampton), Senator Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton), and Senator Pavel M. Payano (D-Lawrence):

“The actions of federal immigration enforcement officials, at the direction of President Trump and Congressional Republicans, have brought fear and chaos to neighborhoods across Massachusetts and our nation. These actions must be met with a policy response that makes clear that we will defend both the people and the values of this Commonwealth—and which goes as far as we can as a state to deliver protections to the residents of Massachusetts, especially our immigrant communities.

“The Senate version of the PROTECT Act, which builds off the work of Governor Healey and our colleagues in the House of Representatives, is the product of countless conversations with immigrants’ rights advocates, government officials, law enforcement stakeholders, residents of the Commonwealth, and our colleagues in the Senate.

“These conversations have shaped the Senate’s version of this bill, which would:

• Ensure sensitive locations remain places of trust where all residents have the safety they deserve;

• Prohibit state and local law enforcement from engaging in civil immigration enforcement;

• Ban government entities from entering into new 287(g) agreements;

• Protect residents from direct actions by federal law enforcement that violate individual protections under the United States Constitution; and

• Prohibit state and local law enforcement from unnecessarily questioning a person about their immigration or citizenship status or stopping a person because of their citizenship or immigration status.

“We owe it to our residents to stand up for all who call Massachusetts home and live up to the values we aspire to—liberty and justice for all.”

聖事教堂改建55戶住宅破土動工 吳弭市長簽署房地產交易轉移費家規法

        (Boston Orange編譯)牙買加平原海德廣場建於1913年的歷史古蹟，百老匯聖事教堂（Blessed Sacrament Church）改建工程，今（30）日在波士頓市長吳弭（Michelle Wu）出席誌慶的隆重中正式破土，將建成55戶可負擔出租住宅，以及可容200人的社區表演空間。

        已空置22年的百老匯聖事教堂，將以年收入在地區中位收入30％至80%的居民為對象，出租這55戶住宅，其中有6戶保留給無家可歸者。

波士頓市長吳弭。

        吳弭市長為繼續推動這類住宅工程，今日在會場簽署波士頓市議會已於4月15日通過的“房地產轉移費用家規法請願書（Home Rule Petition）”，提議向房地產交易兩百萬美元以上的金額，徵收最高2%費用，用以資助建造可負擔房屋。交易額中的第一個200萬美元，不需課徵稅款。

開發商Pennrose區域副總裁Karmen Cheung。

          該法案還把耆英（Seniors）的稅務豁免金額，從一千美元增至一千五百美元，家庭收入達到中位收入的百分比率，也放寬到50%。

         重建工程由Pennrose與海德廣場任務組合作，資金來自市長房屋辦公室、麻州發展局、麻州住房與宜居社區執行辦公室、社區保存法案及低收入住房稅收抵免等。海德廣場任務組將營運6500平方英尺的教堂中殿空間，作為拉丁區文化中心。

           牙買加平原鄰里開發公司 (JPNDC)從2005年收購百老匯聖事教堂及鄰近土地後，已於2009至2011年間，蓋了3棟住宅大樓。

          吳弭市長表示，如果房地產交易徵附加稅費用在之前提案時就通過，波士頓市如今將有額外的1.6億美元資金可以用來協助建造可負擔住宅，就能夠更快實現建造18000戶新住宅的理想了。

          這天現場有住房秘書Juana Matias、市議員Ben Weber及麻州代表Sam Montano。 

BOSTON – Thursday, April 30, 2026 – Mayor Michelle Wu today joined the development team from Pennrose, members of the Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF), MassDevelopment representatives, local elected officials, and community partners to celebrate the groundbreaking for the redevelopment of the historic Blessed Sacrament Church in Jamaica Plain’s Hyde Square neighborhood. Built in 1913, Blessed Sacrament has been vacant since 2004. Through this redevelopment, the 71,000-square-foot church will be transformed into a mixed-use, mixed-income community while preserving its historic façade and exterior details.

“Blessed Sacrament Church has long been a symbol of both history and hope for our community,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “The City of Boston is proud to support this redevelopment, which will preserve a cherished historic landmark, create deeply needed affordable housing, and provide a community performance space. This project ensures that the heart of Hyde Square continues to serve as a gathering place for residents for generations to come.”

The project will create 55 new homes, ranging from studios to two-bedroom apartments, reserved for residents earning between 30% and 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Six of the apartments will be reserved for individuals exiting homelessness. The redevelopment will also introduce new community amenities, including a multipurpose performance space with a capacity of more than 200 people and a new resident community room located in the historic cupola. Hyde Square Task Force, Pennrose’s nonprofit development partner, will use the 6,500-square-foot redeveloped church nave as a multipurpose performance space for Afro-Latin youth and artists and as a cultural hub for Boston’s Latin Quarter. The space will host youth arts programs, workshops, after-school programming, community events, rehearsals, and live performances for participants and neighborhood residents. 

"The adaptive reuse of Blessed Sacrament Church is a powerful example of preserving community history while meeting today's housing needs," said Juana Matias, Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities. "The transformation of this landmark into 55 new affordable homes saves an important piece of Jamaica Plain history while ensuring that more families have a stable and affordable place to live in the community. The Healey-Driscoll Administration is proud to support this project."

“This project is a huge win for Jamaica Plain that is primarily the result of the Hyde Square Task Force refusing to give up their fight for local affordable housing and to preserve the soul of Boston’s Latin Quarter,” said City Councilor Ben Weber (District 6).

“After years of conversations and work to get housing built in the old Blessed Sacrament Church, we finally are breaking ground on what will be 55 affordable units in Jamaica Plain,” said State Representative Sam Montano. “Hyde Square Task Force is an essential partner in our community and city and for them to be the organization that made this project finally happen is a testament to the power of organizations that are rooted in people and culture. I can’t wait to welcome all our new neighbors to the community.”

Following the groundbreaking, Mayor Michelle Wu also signed the City’s Transfer Fee Home Rule Petition, a proposal to create a new local funding source for affordable housing. Passed by the Boston City Council on April 15, 2026, the petition will now move to the State Legislature for consideration. The proposal would allow Boston to apply a fee of up to 2% on real estate transactions over $2 million, with the first $2 million exempt to limit impacts on middle-class homeowners. Revenue from the fee would support the creation and preservation of affordable housing at a time when federal resources are declining. The petition also increases the City’s senior property tax exemption from a minimum of $1,000 to $1,500 and expands eligibility to households earning up to 50% of Area Median Income. The Mayor has advanced similar proposals in 2021 and 2023 and continues to pursue the transfer fee as a tool to help build more affordable housing across Boston.

“This Home Rule Petition proposes a modest, targeted contribution from sales of high-value real estate to fund urgently needed affordable housing for our City while also expanding tax relief for seniors,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “If this measure had been adopted by the state legislature the first time it was advanced by the City, we would have been able to deploy an additional $160 million to build new housing and create thousands of new homes by now. I’m grateful to sponsor Councilor Henry Santana and Council colleagues for approving this proposal and to State Representative Brandy Fluker-Reid for filing this at the State House as we fight for every tool and resource to create more housing and more affordability in our city.” 

By creating new local funding for affordable housing, the transfer fee would help advance developments like the Blessed Sacrament redevelopment, bringing new homes and community spaces to Boston neighborhoods.

The Church has long served as more than a place of worship, standing at the center of community life in Jamaica Plain and playing a particularly important role for the neighborhood’s Latino community. Often referred to as Boston’s “Latin Cathedral,” the church became a vital cultural and social hub where generations of residents gathered for worship, celebrations, and community support. This deep connection to the neighborhood was especially evident in 2003 and 2004, when the Archdiocese of Boston announced plans to close the church. In response, parishioners, community leaders, youth, local businesses, and advocacy organizations mobilized to oppose the closure, emphasizing the church’s importance to hundreds of families and its role as a cornerstone of Latinx community life.

Following the official closure in 2004, a broad coalition of stakeholders organized to ensure that the future of the Blessed Sacrament campus would reflect community needs and preserve its role as a neighborhood anchor. In 2005, with overwhelming community support, the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC) was able to outbid private buyers and acquire the entire campus. The Blessed Sacrament campus stands as a rare and powerful example of community-led activism shaping equitable development and preserving a historic space for affordable housing, cultural expression, and neighborhood cohesion.

The redevelopment of Blessed Sacrament Church builds on a long-standing effort to revitalize the campus while providing housing opportunities and community resources. The Blessed Sacrament Campus has been the site of multiple successful affordable housing projects, including Creighton Commons Housing (2009), Dona Betsaida Gutierrez Cooperative Housing (2010), and the Sister Virginia Mulhern House (2011), which provides housing for formerly homeless individuals.

After many attempts to redevelop the church without success, the Hyde Square Task Force announced that it was selling the property. After soliciting proposals from developers, the Hyde Square Task Force partnered with Penrose to develop income restricted housing and realize the original vision to preserve the church and create a hub for arts, culture, and neighborhood engagement.

The redevelopment was made possible in part by funding from the Mayor’s Office of Housing, MassDevelopment, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), the Community Preservation Act (CPA), and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits.

“Blessed Sacrament has been a cornerstone of Hyde Square for more than a century, and this redevelopment reflects what is possible when preservation and housing come together with purpose,” said Sheila A. Dillon, Chief of Housing. “By creating 55 new homes and investing in this important community space for youth, this project helps ensure that Jamaica Plain and Boston’s Latin Quarter is a vibrant home for our families, while supporting Hyde Square Task Force’s long-standing work to foster youth leadership, creativity, and cultural expression.” 

“This redevelopment highlights the potential of restoring and reusing historic landmarks for housing,” said Charlie Adams, President of Pennrose. “By combining affordable housing, community space, and historic preservation, we’re investing not only in a building, but in the future of Hyde Square and the mission of our partner Hyde Square Task Force.”

“Our goal has been to ensure that the Blessed Sacrament redevelopment not only helps alleviate the affordable housing crisis in our neighborhood, but also establishes a creative home for young artists and performers, and a gathering space for the community," said Celina Miranda, Executive Director of HSTF. “We are proud to see this vision move forward to support residents of Boston's Latin Quarter, and reinforce HSTF's role as a center for arts and culture.”

“The Blessed Sacrament redevelopment is a prime example of how creative, innovative housing solutions can address multifaceted community goals, including preserving an underutilized historic landmark, investing in cultural facilities, and improving housing accessibility,” said Karmen Cheung, regional vice president at Pennrose. “It is an honor to help create much-needed affordable rental housing in a resource-rich, transit-oriented neighborhood.”

The Blessed Sacrament Church redevelopment reflects years of planning and advocacy for affordable housing and community facilities in Hyde Square, and supports Mayor Michelle Wu’s commitment to making Boston a home for everyone. Under Mayor Wu’s leadership, Boston has made historic progress toward creating and preserving homes that residents can afford. Since the start of her first term, the City has produced or begun construction on more than 18,000 new homes, including thousands of income-restricted units, and has launched new policies to make it easier, faster, and less expensive to build housing across every neighborhood. Mayor Wu has directed record levels of investment to prevent displacement, expand affordable homeownership, and support renters and homeowners who face housing instability.

Through innovative programs like the Housing Accelerator Fund, Welcome Home Boston, and the Housing with Public Assets initiative, the City is finding new ways to create housing on public land, convert vacant buildings into homes, and support residents in building wealth and stability. The Mayor’s focus on climate and health has also made Boston a national leader in green and energy-efficient housing. Together, these efforts are helping to make Boston a city where every resident can have a safe, stable, and affordable home, and where communities can grow stronger for generations to come.