星期日, 8月 18, 2019
South Cove Manor Hosts Secretary of Elder Affairs Elizabeth Chen for a Conversation on Elder Care in the Commonwealth
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| 麻州老人事務署署長陳倩(右三)拜會中華頤養院，和中華頤養院董事長雷偉志(右起)，院長陳力，共同創辦人阮陳金鳳，陳秀英，以及執行長Bill Graves合影。(中華頤養院提供) |
(Boston Orange) 麻州新上任的老人事務署(EOCA)署長陳倩(Elizabeth Chen)，8月15日專程拜會中華頤養院，了解麻州地區的老人服務概況。
中華頤養院共同創辦人暨董事陳秀英，主席雷偉志召集了一場午餐會，介紹中華頤 養院從1985年，由華埠社區一群熱心人在波士頓華埠創建，然後於2014年擴張，遷至昆士市華盛頓街現址，從平地新建的經過。
中華頤養院執行長Bill
Graves從照顧服務提供者的角度，綜述了他所觀察到的麻州長期照顧業現狀。他也感謝麻州議會及麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)，在簽署通過的2020會計年度麻州財政預算中，包括了給頤養院等機構的新編5000萬元醫療補助經費。
根據Graves所說，費用補償方面的挑戰，影響了照顧品質，也威脅到許多耆英們賴以為家的頤養院等機構的生存。麻州2020會計年度增列的醫療補助經費，將對長期照顧業者解決經費效率不足問題大有助益。該預算也設立了護理機構緊急任務小組(Nursing Facility Emergency Task Force)來提供建議，以確保頤養護理機構的持續性。
CEO Bill Graves shared insights on the current state of long-term care in Massachusetts from the provider and caregiver perspective and expressed his appreciation to the Massachusetts Legislature for passing, and Governor Charlie Baker for signing, the FY 2020 budget which includes $50 million in new Medicaid funding for nursing facility care.
According to Graves, reimbursement challenges have impacted the quality of care and threatened the viability of many nursing centers that are home to frail elders across the Commonwealth. He stated, “The FY 2020 budget increase for Medicaid funding will go a long way in helping us address inefficiencies in funding for long term care.” The budget also establishes a Nursing Facility Emergency Task Force to make recommendations to ensure the sustainability of the nursing facility sector.
Joining in the discussion, which was followed by a tour of the campus, were South Cove Manor at Quincy Point Administrator Li Chen, Director of Nursing Mary Louise Butler, Founder Amy Guen and community volunteer Thomas Chen.
MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT
Interested parties should submit their applications for affordable housing, parks and open space, and historic preservation projects by September 27, 2019
BOSTON - Friday, August 16, 2019 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the release of applications for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding for fall 2019. The application calls for CPA eligible projects that are ready to begin construction in the next 18 months, bringing new investments in affordable housing, parks and open space, and preservation of historic sites to Boston's neighborhoods. Interested parties should submit their full application by September 27, 2019.
"The three components of the Community Preservation Act -- affordable housing, open space, and historic preservation -- connect the past, present, and future of a community," said Mayor Walsh. "I invite residents and organizations to submit their applications for funding and I look forward to recommending great projects that will help us restore history and strengthen our communities."
The Community Preservation Fund is capitalized primarily by a one percent property tax-based surcharge on residential and business property tax bills that began in July 2017 after voters adopted the measure in November 2016. The last round of CPA awards in February 2019 funded $34 million to 56 projects across the city, including affordable housing developments and programs, parks and open space, and historic preservation projects consistent with statewide guidelines.
The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is committed to broad community participation, supporting accessible and visible projects that have a positive impact on neighborhoods and residents. CPA staff has been hosting community conversations in various neighborhoods to explain the eligibility requirements and the application process to residents and organizations interested in applying for funding. Following the application deadline, the CPC will meet to review applications and recommend projects to the Mayor and City Council for approval.
"As a housing developer, community volunteer, lover of historic buildings, and longtime Roxbury resident, I feel honored to be tasked with the challenge of recommending transformative CPA projects to our Mayor and City Council," said Felicia Jacques, chair of the Community Preservation Committee. "Our neighborhoods have not had a boost like this in years, possibly ever. It's thrilling to see CPA signs on fences, buildings, and backstops across the City!"
CPA funds contribute to building strong neighborhoods through strategic investments that support affordable housing, open space and historic preservation. Mayor Walshrecently announced the ONE+Boston mortgage, which utilizes $3.8 million in Community Preservation funds to finance a permanent reduction in the interest rate of a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. The ONE+Boston mortgage product will be offered by the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) to income-eligible Bostonians buying their first home within the city limits and was supported by the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance (MAHA) and Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO).
In just two years, CPA's impact in Boston includes funding more than 225 units of affordable housing at a range of income levels, new parks and playgrounds, the creation of community gardens and urban farms, and the rescue of historic buildings in nearly every neighborhood. Projects selected in previous application rounds include awarding CPA funds for basketball courts in Roxbury, affordable housing for seniors in East Boston, and preserving the historic home of John Adams' Secretary of War in Charlestown, just to name a few.
"We've wanted a park in our Dorchester neighborhood forever. The most accessible greenspace now is across busy Talbot Ave to Franklin Field or across Blue Hill Ave to the stone wall around Franklin Park," said Laquisa Burke from the West of Washington Coalition. "They are a long walk, especially with little kids. But thanks to CPA we've purchased three plots of land next to the new Fairmount train station. We'll have a playground, picnic tables, a monarch butterfly garden, and best of all, a place where our neighbors can gather for the annual barbecue!"
As part of his 2019 legislative agenda, Mayor Walsh has been advocating for adjusting the surcharge on fees for recording deeds to increase the State CPA match, protecting the Act that more than 170 cities and towns depend on for the creation of affordable housing, open space, and historic preservation. When municipalities voted to enact CPA, they did so with the promise of a substantial state match. This year, the match was just 11 percent with a one-time surplus allotment added, but the CPA bill people voted for is no longer the same bill. The FY20 State budget increases the match, raising an estimated additional $36 million in revenue, putting the state match at around 30 percent and allowing us to invest more in our communities.
To apply for CPA funding for affordable housing projects, please visit here. For parks and open space projects, please visit here. For historic preservation projects, please visit here.
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CA Treasurer Fiona Ma Announces Fall Bond Sales of $4.16 Billion
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MAYOR WALSH CELEBRATES COMPLETION OF NEW HOUSING COMPLETED AS PART OF FIRST PHASE OF BARTLETT STATION DEVELOPMENT
BOSTON - Thursday, August 15, 2019 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today joined Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation, Windale Developers, Harvard University, elected officials and residents to celebrate the completion of the first phase of the Bartlett Station development, which will transform a vacant lot into a new mixed-use, transit-oriented development. The two buildings that were celebrated with a ribbon cutting today will offer 76 new homes, five units for homeless individuals and 13,300 square feet of community-oriented retail storefronts on a once-vacant MBTA property in Roxbury.
"Affordable housing is the key to opportunity for families and helps give our residents a good quality of life," said Mayor Walsh. "At a time when the federal government is stepping back from investments in affordable housing, Boston and our partners are stepping up. I'm proud of the work that the City, Nuestra Communidad, Windale and all our partners have done to create these new homes and jobs that will continue to keep this a strong, vibrant place to live and work."
Today's ribbon cutting represents the culmination of more than a decade of planning, advocacy and hard work by the community to restore an approximately 8-acre former brownfield site in Roxbury. Bartlett Station is a multiphase project which proposes approximately 383 new homes for working families, including 166 homes for purchase, 217 apartments and 30,000 square feet of commercial space upon completion. The development project is anticipated to generate approximately 100 retail jobs and 900 construction jobs, with 60 percent of the jobs going to workers of color.
The first two buildings of Bartlett Station celebrated today consist of a 60-unit mixed-income rental apartment building and a 16-unit new condominium building. The apartment building boasts 23 one-bedroom apartments, 30 two-bedroom apartments, and 7 three-bedroom apartments. Two-thirds of the new housing is affordable to workforce individuals and families, including 32 units deemed as affordable to families earning less than 60 percent of Area Median Income (AMI).
"As a life-long Bostonian, I am truly grateful for the impact Bartlett Station has on our city. This project helps to alleviate the affordability tension in our housing market by creating truly affordable homes for people who may not have had the opportunity to live in Boston," said State Representative Chynah Tyler. "We are committed to working to create and preserve even more affordable housing for all of our families to live comfortably. This is why I am pleased to support Mayor Walsh, the City of Boston, Nuestra CDC, Harvard, and all the partners in making Boston affordable for everyone."
"I was thrilled to celebrate the opening of Bartlett Station, which is providing much needed mixed income housing, including two-thirds affordable and workforce units in Roxbury," said Boston City Councilor Kim Janey, who represents the neighborhood. "I want to thank the Mayor and all of the partners that helped us get here, especially Nuestra Communidad, Windale, and all of the residents who have been engaged in this process over the years. Today was a good day!"
"I am proud that Bartlett Station is a transformative, equitable development that is part of our anti displacement strategy for Dudley Square," said Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation Executive Director David Price. "I want to thank all of our many partners for helping to realize our vision to turn a contaminated brownfield eyesore into a new development that has real economic and health benefits for our community."
"Bartlett Station's unique mixed-income program was designed for working people like me. My family doesn't qualify as low income, but at Bartlett Station I qualified for the middle group," said Joani Torres who lives in the new apartment building. "I love that everything is where I need it. The bus stop right in front of our building can take my daughter to school each day, and drop her off at our front door. We're closer to family and my job, and I can just walk to work each day. I want to thank the Mayor and Nuestra Comunidad for making this possible. We're proud to call this beautiful affordable building our home."
In addition to new housing, the apartment building has two retail storefronts located along Washington Street. Good Food Markets, slated to open later this year, plans to provide healthy food, hire people from the community, offer job training and career opportunities, and promote healthy food choices to people in Roxbury. Good Food Markets is a nonprofit grocery store dedicated to addressing issues of food access and community health by working in partnership with Nuestra Comunidad, Boston Medical Center, and the Kresge Foundation.
"Good Food Markets is proud to join the Roxbury community," said Philip Sambol, executive director of Good Food Markets. "Good Food Markets is a collaborative effort in the community that transcends food access. The residents and community leaders that we have met over the last three years care about what we care about: a store that is by, of, and for the Roxbury community. Good Food Markets is a retail platform, but the real success is achieved by listening and taking action with our neighbors."
Secured by the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA), the project was made possible in part by $1 million in linkage funds, a payment from large commercial developments for the creation of housing and job training programs, and $1 million in Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) funds. IDP requires that market-rate housing developments with 10 or more units and need zoning relief contribute to income-restricted housing.
Harvard University contributed more than $600,000 in pre-development financing to help develop Bartlett Station. Harvard's initiative, formerly known as 20/20/2000, was first launched in 2000 and committed $20 million in low-interest, flexible loans. It has helped leverage more than $1.3 billion in housing developments with more than 5,500 affordable units in Boston and more than 1,600 affordable units in Cambridge. Harvard University recently announced it would recommit $20 million to an initiative aimed at increasing the amount of affordable housing in Greater Boston.
"Harvard is pleased to renew the Harvard Local Housing Collaborative. We are proud to be part of a community where partners from across Greater Boston come together to strengthen the region and address the urgent need for quality, affordable housing," said Harvard President Larry Bacow. "We are grateful to Mayor Walsh, Chief Dillon and all of our partners for their support and their efforts to increase access to homeownership and promote fair and equitable access to housing."
The developers of Bartlett Station have deep roots in the Roxbury community. Nuestra Comunidad has a 38-year legacy of creating communities of opportunity, building new community assets, and transforming community through economic development. Nuestra Comunidad has built more than 800 affordable apartments for working families, and built and sold nearly 200 homes that have created wealth and neighborhood stability for Roxbury residents. Windale Developers has an equally long history as a Roxbury developer and contractor, having been a leading developer of homeownership opportunities creating wealth for Roxbury families, and mentoring many local construction companies.
The new apartment building is LEED Silver Certified and has many "green" features for long- term operations and sustainability. It also provides several improvements to the neighborhood such as new sidewalks, handicap accessible ramps, benches, lighting, bike racks, and a new pedestrian plaza and walkway that allows residents and visitors to move easily through the site. The apartment building was designed by Davis Square Architects, constructed by BiltRite, and are managed by Winn Residential. The condominium building was designed by Micheal Washington Associates and built by Crosswinds Construction.
The new buildings have been made possible by a contribution from the City of Boston, the City's Neighborhood Housing Trust, the Commonwealth's Department of Housing and Community Development, Bank of America, Eastern Bank, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, National Equity Fund, Healthy Neighborhoods Equity Fund, MassDevelopment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Boston Medical Center, Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation, and Enterprise Community Partners.
Today's celebration builds on the release of Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030, Boston's latest quarterly housing report, and the City's overall housing goal of 69,000 new units by 2030, to meet Boston's faster than expected population growth. These 69,000 new units include 15,820 new income-restricted units, which would elevate Boston's income-restricted inventory total to 70,000, or one in five of all housing units. In addition, the plan set a goal to preserve 85 percent of Boston's most at-risk privately-owned affordable units, and to purchase 1,000 units of rental housing stock from the speculative market and income-restrict them for perpetuity.
Mayor Walsh's 2019 housing security legislative package focuses on expanding upon the work that Boston has done to address the region's affordable housing crisis and displacement risks for tenants. The housing security bills proposed seek to help existing tenants, particularly older adults, remain in their homes, and creates additional funding for affordable housing.
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MAYOR WALSH AND RESIDENTS CELEBRATE PRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN LOWER ROXBURY
BOSTON - Wednesday, August 14, 2019 - Building on his commitment to preserve affordable housing in Boston, Mayor Martin J. Walsh today joined the Fenway Community Development Corporation, their development partner Schochet Companies and Lower Roxbury residents to celebrate the acquisition and preservation of 97 affordable housing units at the Newcastle/Saranac Apartments.
"Preserving Boston's affordability is key to ensuring everyone who wants to live here can afford to do so, and I'm particularly pleased our commitment to the Newcastle/Saranac Apartments will both preserve and renovate 97 units of our existing affordable housing stock," said Mayor Walsh. "I want to thank the Fenway CDC and our partners for working with us to make sure families can stay in their homes. Together, we're protecting long-time residents from displacement, and we're helping maintain the character of this community."
The preservation of the units is made possible through Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) off-site unit contributions by three housing development projects: 60 Kilmarnock Street, 1000 Boylston Street, and 212 Stuart Street, negotiated by the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA). IDP requires that market-rate housing developments with 10 or more units and need zoning relief contribute to income-restricted housing.
"Newcastle/Saranac has been my home for years, I raised my family here and I love this neighborhood," said Patricia Rogers, a 30-year resident of Newcastle/Saranac Apartments. "This building is in a convenient location, but the best part of living here is my neighbors. We look out for each other. I want to thank the Mayor, Fenway CDC and all of the people here today for helping us stay in our homes."
The City's Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) worked with the Fenway CDC to acquire the building and assist in the plan for the renovation of its 97 apartments, located on Columbus Avenue and Northampton Street in Lower Roxbury. Newcastle Saranac's long-term affordability restrictions were set to expire as the former owners paid off the mortgage they'd received using the MassHousing 13A program. If the building converted to market-rate, all of the tenants were likely to be displaced from homes they had lived in for decades. With help from City of Boston, Fenway CDC was able to purchase the building from its owners, protecting existing tenants from displacement, and preserving the long-term affordability of this mixed-income development.
"You know the old saying 'It takes a village?' Well, in order to save 97 units of affordable housing at Newcastle/Saranac, it took the City of Boston, the Commonwealth, and numerous quasi-public entities, banks and investors to rescue these apartments," said Leah Camhi, executive director of the Fenway CDC. "The families at Newcastle/Saranac are now guaranteed affordable homes for years to come due to all their herculean efforts."
The Newcastle/Saranac acquisition and preservation was made possible with the significant support from the City's Department of Neighborhood Development, the Boston Planning & Development Agency, the State's Department of Housing and Community Development, MassDevelopment, MassHousing, Massachusetts Housing Investment Corp and the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation.
Today's celebration builds on the release of Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030, Boston's latest quarterly housing report, and the City's overall housing goal of 69,000 new units by 2030, to meet Boston's faster than expected population growth. These 69,000 new units include 15,820 new income-restricted units, which would elevate Boston's income-restricted inventory total to 70,000, or one in five of all housing units. In addition, the plan set a goal to preserve 85 percent of Boston's most at-risk privately-owned affordable units, and to purchase 1,000 units of rental housing stock from the speculative market and income-restrict them for perpetuity.
Mayor Walsh's 2019 housing security legislative package focuses on expanding upon the work that Boston has done to address the region's affordable housing crisis and displacement risks for tenants. The housing security bills proposed seek to help existing tenants, particularly older adults, remain in their homes, and creates additional funding for affordable housing.
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星期五, 8月 16, 2019
第三屆麻州中國日 中領館表揚僑胞 慶中美建交40週年
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| 中國駐紐約總領事館副總領事錢進(前左五)，經商參贊顧春芳(前左四)和麻州眾議員黃子安(前左三)， 中車麻州公司董事長賈波(前右二)等獲表揚機構代表合影。(周菊子攝) |
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| 麻州中國日會場擺放的中美建交40週年圖片展。(周菊子攝) |
(Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導)中國駐紐約總領事館和麻州眾議會亞太小組8月15日在麻州政府大樓大廳(Great
Hall)第三年舉辦中國日，並慶祝中美建交40週年，出席的政商僑界人士逾150人。
標榜著”友誼”，"合作”，”共贏”的這中國日慶祝活動，由麻州眾議員陳德基開場，介紹出席的州市政要，稱在美國版的”中秋節”期間慶祝中國日已成傳統。
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| 麻州中國日會場擺中美建交40週年圖片，第一張是鄧小平和卡特握手，最後一張是習近平 向川普揮手。(周菊子攝) |
中國駐紐約總領事館副總領事錢進在會上代表未克出席的總領事黃屏，發表了長20多分鐘的主題講話，並簡短說明黃屏是因為中央外事工作委員會辦公室主任楊潔篪率代表團抵紐約與美方洽談，因此臨時無法來麻州。
在致詞中，錢進以3個字尾為T的英文字母，Trust
(信任)，Benefit (互利)，信心(Confident)，來形容，期望中美關係。
以信任而言，錢進用中文說”已所不欲，勿施於人”，再強調中國在今年10月1日將慶祝建國70週年，過去這些年來的目標，一直是要改善人民的生活水準，迄今已使7億人脫貧，正繼續努力。1982年杭州，波士頓市締結為姊妹市，如今有大約23000名中國留學生在此就讀等事實，正是在信任的基礎上，推廣人與人之間的交流。
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| 中領館副總領事錢進(中)頒發表揚狀給麻州眾議會亞太小組，由黃子安(左)， 陳德基(右)代表接受。(周菊子攝) |
在互利上，錢進稱現代社會人都知道，世界上沒有一個國家能棄世獨立的自我繁榮，過去10年來，麻州到中國的貨物出口量增長49%，服務出口到中國的數量更是增長近400%，中國已成麻州第三大出口國。中國的中車公司，海南航空，上海張江高科技園區，以及上海浙江波士頓創新中心的設立等，都是兩地經濟互利的實證。
在自信上，錢進強調過去40年來，中美兩國關係起起伏伏，但合則互利，分則互損，目前正處於十字路口的雙方，都必須做對的選擇。中美兩國領導也都正在為此努力。
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| 中領館副總領事錢進(中)感謝波士頓市議員艾德費林的支持。(周菊子攝) |
去年五月才來美上任新職的錢進表示，在轄管的10州中，他來麻州的次數最多，已不下10次，覺得麻州不只風景美麗，高等學府雲集，最吸引人的其實是待客熱誠。
麻州政府當天有州議會的多數黨領袖第二位助理Paul
J. Donato，代表州政府歡迎嘉賓到會。州議會議員有陳德基，黃子安和Paul J. Donato，波士頓市議員有愛德華費林(Ed
Flynn)等多人出席。今年擔任麻州財政委員會(Ways and Means Committee)主席的麥家威(Aaron
Michlewitz)，麻州財政廳廳長高伯珂(Deb Goldberg)也都在會末趕到，寒暄致意。
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| 中領館副總領事錢進(右)感謝麻州眾議會財政委員會主席麥家威合影。 (周菊子攝) |
會上，錢進還代表紐約中領館，頒發表揚狀給大波士頓地區僑團，包括麻州眾議會亞太小組，波士頓亞洲文化中心，中車麻州分公司，波士頓龍舟節委員會，美中生物醫藥開發協會(SAPANE)，劍橋中國文化中心，牛頓中文學校，中華僑立中文學校等。
中國音樂家協會的林湛濤，張正山，黃少堅，甄若茅等人應邀在現場演奏助興。古箏演奏家翁慧還陪同波士頓交響樂團藝術計畫主任Dennis
Alves出席拜會。
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| 紐約副總領事錢進和黃子安(右二)，以及麻中不同職務的眾議員。(周菊子攝) |
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| 紐約副總領事錢進(右)頒發獎品表揚Karma餐館。(周菊子攝) |
。
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| 紐約副總領事錢進頒獎表揚李建生(中)和Gene Hartingan聯袂領揚狀。 (周菊子攝) |
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| 紐約總領館領事劉瑞明(右起)和當年創辦華人總會的陳如光(右二) ，以及李終庭，還有廣東同鄉聯誼會的張福助合影，(周菊子攝) |
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| 紐約副總領事錢進(右)和波士頓華人投資俱樂部創辦人易敏(左)合影。 (周菊子攝) |
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| 古箏高手翁慧(右起)介紹波士頓交響樂團藝術主任Dennis Alves給錢進 (左一)。(周菊子攝) |
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| 紐約副總領事錢進(中)和紐英崙中華資訊網路協會的前會長李震宇(右)， 現任會長高弘(左)。(周菊子攝) |
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| Karma系列餐廳老闆郭臻(右)和母親柳賽英(左)和音協大將 張正山，臻若茅。(周菊子攝) |
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| 音樂家協會成員演奏。(周菊子攝) |
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| 林湛濤拉二胡。(周菊子攝) |
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