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星期四, 6月 30, 2022

麻州再發現 8 宗染患猴痘個案

 Massachusetts Public Health Officials Confirm

Eight New Monkeypox Cases

 

BOSTON (June 30, 2022) – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced eight additional cases of monkeypox in adult males within the past week, bringing the total number of monkeypox cases in the Commonwealth to 21 since the first Massachusetts case was announced May 18.

DPH provides public updates on monkeypox in Massachusetts on a weekly basis each Thursday. The eight cases announced today had their diagnoses between June 23 and June 29 after initial testing was completed by the State Public Health Laboratory in Jamaica Plain. DPH is working with local health officials, the patients, and healthcare providers to identify individuals who may have been in contact with the patients while they were infectious. All eight individuals are currently isolating to prevent spread to others.

Current data from CDC indicate that there have been 351 cases of monkeypox virus this year in US residents. Regularly updated case counts can be obtained on the CDC’s website: 2022 U.S. Map and Case Count. There have been no deaths in the US or globally related to this outbreak and patients generally recover fully in 2-4 weeks. Although many of the early cases were associated with international travel, recent cases are not. Gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men make up a large proportion of the cases identified to date. However, the risk is not limited to the LGBTQ community, and anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk.

 

While the virus does not spread easily between people, people can spread the infection once they develop symptoms. Transmission occurs through direct contact with body fluids and monkeypox sores, by touching items that have been contaminated with fluids or sores (clothing, bedding, etc.), or less commonly, through respiratory droplets following prolonged face-to-face contact. In many of the recent cases, the locations of the rash lesions suggest transmission during sexual contact. Examples where monkeypox can spread and where it does not:

  • Monkeypox can spread through:
    • Direct skin-to-skin contact with rash lesions. Sexual/intimate contact, including kissing while a person is infected.
    • Living in a house and sharing a bed with someone. Sharing towels or unwashed clothing.
    • Respiratory secretions through face-to-face interactions (the type that mainly happen when living with someone or caring for someone who has monkeypox).
  • Monkeypox does not spread through:
    • Casual conversations. Walking by someone with monkeypox in a grocery store, for instance. Touching items like doorknobs.

 

Clinicians are asked to be alert to the possibility of monkeypox virus infection in individuals who have rash illnesses consistent with monkeypox. Early symptoms of monkeypox can include fever, headache, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes, but rash may be the first symptom. Rash lesions start flat, become raised, fill with clear fluid (vesicles), and then become pustules (filled with pus). A person with monkeypox can have many lesions or may have only a few. Learn more about how to recognize monkeypox.

Actions for people to consider if they want to reduce their risk from monkeypox include:

  • Avoiding large gatherings like raves and dance parties where you may have lots of close body contact with others
  • Asking any partner, especially new partners whose health status and recent travel history you are not familiar with, if they have any symptoms of monkeypox
  • Staying informed by reading information available on the DPH and CDC websites.

 

As the CDC advises, if you believe you may have monkeypox, you should contact your health care provider. If you need to leave your home, wear a mask and cover your rash or lesions when around others. Those who live with or care for someone who may have monkeypox should wear a mask and disposable gloves if they need to have any direct contact with lesions and when handling any clothes or bedding if the person cannot do it themselves. They should also wash their hands regularly, especially after contact with the person who is infected or with their clothes, bed sheets, towels and other items or surfaces they may have touched.

 

Clinicians should consult with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health at 617-983-6800 to determine if testing is indicated. Consultation is required before submitting specimens.

For more information about this virus, visit www.mass.gov/monkeypox and www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox.

波士頓吳弭市長撥款50萬元給12機構及個人 培訓創意工作者

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES $500,000 AWARDED IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTS FOR ARTISTS AND CREATIVE WORKERS
BOSTON - Thursday, June 30, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu and the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture today announced $500,000 in contracted services has been awarded to 12 individuals and organizations to provide technical assistance, professional development, and workforce development services to Boston artists and creative workers. 

“This program will allow us to bring valuable professional development services and resources to a section of our workforce that has been extremely hard hit by COVID-19, yet has continued to positively impact our communities with their work,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “We look forward to continuing to invest in new ways to support artists and creatives so that they can fully thrive in this city.”

“Artists and creative workers are essential to the City’s recovery and a key aspect of our creative economy,” said Kara Elliott-Ortega, Chief of Arts and Culture for the City of Boston. “We’re excited to be able to remove some of the barriers that this community faces when it comes to creating and sharing their work, and looking forward to hiring creative workers and creative small businesses to provide these services.”

The City’s goals for this program included contracting with individuals and organizations that: 
  • are able to assist artists who live and work in Boston further develop their careers through direct services and workshops that are culturally responsive, 
  • work toward creating a stronger creative economy in Boston while artists continue to recover from and adapt to COVID-19 and its impacts on our local creative economy,
  • work with artists within multiple artistic disciplines, and 
  • work with artists in Boston with various accessibility needs.

Contracted consultants include: 
  • Boston Center for the Arts, which will carry out the ACTivate Residency, five-day residencies to individuals and small groups of artists to create site-responsive work in the historic Cyclorama. 
  • Company One Theatre, which will lead a professional development for educators program serving 100-150 educators, that aims to provide training in theater integration and teaching/learning in a cohort model where classroom teachers and teaching artists can learn from each other.
  • Dynamizing Equity, which will pilot one cohort of their Embodied Equity series consisting of workshops and training for BIPOC artists and creatives to express experiences of “othering” and anti-Blackness and to develop the capacity to embody racial equity and inclusion principles using somatic practice.
  • The Loop Lab, who help produce mini “behind the scenes/making of” videos, video recordings of live performances, or evergreen or recap videos for 30 artists and creative workers.
  • MassArt, which will offer a series of free professional development programs to creatives in Boston, including creative economy workshops that address common business concerns, one-on-one office hours, portfolio reviews and critique groups, and the Creative Economy Business Incubator – an eight month, two-course program teaching creative entrepreneurship through the real time launch and growth of student owned ventures.
  • MassMoCA, which will lead online small creative business-focused workshops in English and Spanish, one-on-one technical assistance slots for Boston artists in English and Spanish, three Spanish language community strengthening events, and two stipended affinity groups for Boston artists who have participated in Assets for Artists workshops.
  • Meena Malik, who will provide a three-part conflict navigation workshop and a healing space session for BIPOC artists, arts educators, and creative workers who do social justice work.
  • OOMPA, whose cultural label Outlaud Entertainment will offer five independent performance artists of color the opportunity to take part in a 15 month-long, cohort-based artist development program that will culminate in new work production with at least one publicly viewed performance.
  • ROYA, which will provide curation of performances, social events, parties/networking events and art installations to support relationship building and network connecting in the local creative community.
  • Stephanie Houten and Laurel Kulow, whose program "By Artists for Artists" will offer creative media services to local artists.
  • Urbanity Dance, Inc., whose Space Rental Program will provide access to high-quality, accessible studio space, at no cost to the artists who participate. Urbanity Dance, Inc. will also provide opportunities for the Rental Artists to gather, socialize, network, and collaborate.
  • Veronica Robles, who will host two professional development bootcamp predominately for Latinx and immigrant artists and creatives, and a showcase that will allow a cohort of artists to present their work to presenting organizations and cultural institutions in and around Boston.

"We are grateful to Mayor Wu and the Office of Arts and Culture for their belief in MassArt and the power and impact of art and design, and we are thrilled to be a partner and a collaborator with the City and the art and business communities," said MassArt President Mary K. Grant.

The City of Boston prioritized services that are tailored to support artists and creative workers from demographics that saw the most economic impact due to COVID-19, including women, people of color, immigrants, artists who have lower levels of education, artists who identify as LGBTQIAP+. The following neighborhoods were also prioritized: Mattapan, Dorchester, Allston-Brighton, East Boston, Roxbury/Mission Hill, and Fenway/Kenmore.

This program will run until spring 2024. It was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act appropriated by the City Council last summer, and is part of the City’s COVID-19 recovery efforts.

麻州政府發950萬元抵稅優惠支持51社區發展機構 華埠社區3機構共得40萬元

                (Boston Orange 編譯) 麻州政府昨 (29) 日在Salem市宣佈,2022年度的社區投資抵稅優惠 (CITC)項目,將撥發價值950萬元的抵稅優惠給51個社區發展機構及社區服務機構,協助他們從本地捐贈者那兒籌募到共約2000萬元。

                   在這51個機構及組織中,至少有3個是華埠社區機構,包括亞美社區發展協會 (ACDC)獲得15萬元,華人經濟發展協會 (CEDC)也獲得15萬元,還有華埠土地信託會  (CCLT)獲得10萬元。

                 麻州副州長白莉朵 (Karen Polito)和麻州住宅及社區發展次卿 Jennifer Maddox,刻正競選麻州副州長的Salem市長 Kim Driscoll,以及麻州參議員Joan Lovely,麻州眾議員Paul Tucker,位於Salem的北岸社區發展機構聯袂做此宣佈。

               社區投資抵稅優惠 (CITC)項目分配抵稅優惠給有計畫,並列出其發展策略和目標的社區發展機構,然後由這些機構把抵稅優惠交給符合資格的捐贈者,藉以激勵他們支持這些機構在地方上的工作。這項目創始於2014年,麻州住宅及社區發展局 (DHCD)迄今已分配出去大約5000萬元的抵稅優惠,協助社區發展機構募得約9500萬元的投資基金。

Baker-Polito Administration Announces $9.5 Million in Community Investment Tax Credits to Support Community Development Corporations in Massachusetts 

The Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) has helped organizations raise more than $90 million since 2014 to expand services and local programming 

SALEM – The Baker-Polito Administration announced the 2022 allocation of the Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) Program. This year, 51 Community Development Corporations (CDCs) and Community Service Organizations (CSOs) will leverage $9.5 million in tax credits, enabling them to raise nearly $20 million from local donors.  
 
Lt. Governor Karyn Polito and Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Jennifer Maddox joined Mayor Kim Driscoll, Senator Joan Lovely, Representative Paul Tucker, and the North Shore Community Development Corporation in Salem yesterday to make the announcement. The tax credit program enables CDCs and CSOs to increase their fundraising capacity and expand programming for low- and moderate-income residents, including small business support, community development efforts, art and placemaking initiatives, affordable housing preservation and development, youth programming, and more.  
 
“Our Community Development Corporations are important local partners who understand their neighbors and have long been advocates for affordable housing, small business support, and other community needs,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We are proud to support CDCs working at the grassroots level in every region to build local coalitions on behalf of our residents and communities.” 
 
“Congratulations to our CDC partners who have made the CITC program incredibly successful, collectively raising nearly $95 million,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, CDCs in every region stepped up to help their neighbors with emergency food deliveries, local financial assistance, and more. Massachusetts residents are grateful for your continued dedication to increasing access to economic opportunity for all.” 
 
“The CITC program enables our CDCs to continue and expand their important role supporting our residents and local economies by championing small business support, housing, emergency assistance, and more,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “We have an incredibly talented network of community development specialists in Massachusetts, and are proud to continue supporting their good work.” 

“Congratulations to the North Shore CDC and all of today’s recipients of these important tax credits,” said Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Jennifer Maddox. “CDCs have been out front on our housing crisis, focusing on preserving and creating housing in underinvested neighborhoods, and helping low and moderate-income, first-time home-buyers access important investment opportunities. With new federal and state funds, we have an incredible opportunity to increase the pipeline of affordable housing development across the state.”
 
The CITC program allocates tax credits to CDCs that have adopted Community Investment Plans outlining their development strategies and goals. The credits are then offered by recipient CDCs in exchange for qualified donations, incentivizing the investments required to sustain the work of these organizations. Since the inception of the program in 2014, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has allocated roughly $50 million in tax credits, yielding nearly $95 million in new investment for CDCs. 
 
“Local engagement is at the core of our community development coalitions,” said Senator Joan B. Lovely. “Grateful that the North Shore Community Development Coalition received $250,000 to continue their vital work to improve economic opportunities and enhance the quality of life of our residents. CEO Mickey Northcutt and his team understand that to address local issues and create long-lasting change you need to work within and among neighborhoods. Thank you to the Baker-Polito Administration, the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations for your support and leadership.” 
 
“Thank you to Lt. Gov. Polito for coming to Salem on behalf of the Baker-Polito administration to announce the CITC awards which are a tremendous boost to our communities and an investment which will stimulate a positive direction in addressing our housing needs,” said Representative Paul Tucker. 

“Community Investment Tax Credits are a critical tool for expanding economic opportunity and growth, particularly in our lower income neighborhoods and communities,” said Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll. “The $250,000 credits awarded to the North Shore CDC will enable the organization to continue and grow its efforts to make Salem, and the Point neighborhood in particular, more vibrant and more livable. I’m grateful to the Baker-Polito administration and our legislature for making this important program possible.”
 
“We deeply appreciate the Baker-Polito Administration’s commitment to sustaining and growing this program which is spurring resident-led community development across the Commonwealth,” said Joe Kriesberg, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Community Development Corporations. “This program provided CDCs with the flexible funding they needed during the pandemic and with these new awards the program will enable CDCs to create and preserve affordable housing, help local businesses grow, adapt and thrive and provide a wide range of community tailored programs that help families thrive.”  

It was an honor to host the CITC announcements at North Shore CDC, said Mickey Northcutt, CEO of North Shore CDCWe are so appreciative of DHCD and our government officials for continuing this vital program so we can expand affordable housing and essential programming in the state of Massachusetts.
 
Certified CDCs provide community services, including financial literacy education, youth services, first-time homebuyer education and counseling, small business support, and other local economic and community development activities. Many CDCs also develop, preserve, and manage local affordable housing portfolios and receive funding or tax credit allocations through DHCD’s affordable housing development programs. 
 
2022 CITC Tax Credit Allocations 
 
Act Lawrence: $50,000 
Allston Brighton CDC: $150,000  
Asian CDC: $150,000  
CDC Southern Berkshire: $150,000 
CEDC: $150,000 
Chinatown Community Land Trust: $100,000
 
Coalition for a Better Acre: $150,000 
Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corp.: $250,000  
Community Development Partnership: $250,000  
Community Teamwork: $250,000 
Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corp.: $150,000 
Fenway CDC: $250,000  
Franklin County: $150,000 
Groundwork Lawrence: $200,000 
Harborlight Community Partners: $250,000  
Hilltown CDC: $250,000  
Housing Assistance Corp. Cape Cod: $250,000  
Housing Corp. of Arlington: $200,000 
Housing Nantucket: $200,000 
Island Housing Trust: $250,000  
JPNDC: $250,000  
Just-A-Start: $250,000  
Latino Support Network: $100,000 
Lawrence Community Works: $250,000  
LISC Boston: $150,000 
MACDC: $250,000  
Madison Park CDC: $200,000  
Main South CDC: $175,000  
Metro West Collaborative Dev.: $75,000 
Mill Cities Community Investments: $200,000 
New Vue Communities: $250,000  
NOAH: $250,000  
North Shore CDC: $250,000 
Nuestra Comunidad: $150,000  
OneHolyoke: $100,000 
Quaboag CDC: $100,000 
Revitalize CDC: $200,000 
SMOC: $250,000  
Somerville CDC: $150,000 
South Boston NDC: $75,000 
Southeast Asian Coalition of Central MA: $100,000 
Southwest Boston: $250,000 
The Neighborhood Developers: $200,000  
Urban Edge: $250,000  
Valley CDC: $210,000  
WATCH: $250,000 
Way Finders: $200,000 
Wellspring Cooperative: $150,000 
WHALE: $250,000 
Worcester Common Ground: $150,000 
Worcester Community Housing: $100,000 

Baker-Polito Administration Releases Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2025 and 2030

 Baker-Polito Administration Releases Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2025 and 2030

Administration Releases 2020 Emissions Benchmark Below 1990 Levels

 

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito Administration today released the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2025 and 2030 (2025/2030 CECP), which provides a comprehensive and wide ranging approach to achieve a 33 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2025, a 50 percent reduction in 2030, and to maximize the Commonwealth’s ability to achieve Net Zero in 2050. The 2025/2030 CECP development was informed by the 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap that the Administration released in December 2020, along with updated analyses, and offers key strategies, policies, and actions that are outlined in the plan that will put the Commonwealth on a pathway to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions. The Administration also announced the Commonwealth achieved the 2020 greenhouse gas emissions limit of 25 percent below the 1990 level with estimated emissions of 31.4 percent below the 1990 level in 2020.

 

“The Clean Energy and Climate Plan is a comprehensive and balanced plan that will serve as a guide for Massachusetts as we work to achieve ambitious emissions goals and reach Net Zero in 2050 in an equitable and affordable manner,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We were pleased to work together with key stakeholders and members of the public to create this approach as we move towards decarbonizing the state’s energy system though these policies and strategies.”

 

“Communities across the state will benefit from the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2025 and 2030 as we aim to reduce emissions and take meaningful action against climate change here in the Commonwealth,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Massachusetts’ ambitious emissions goals presents us with a great opportunity to build a healthier, more resilient state that will directly benefit residents and businesses now and well into the future.”

 

The 2025/2030 CECP outlines the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ comprehensive plan to achieve aggressive emissions reduction. The plan is rooted in the understanding that climate change poses a unique and potentially irreversible threat, and it underscores the Commonwealth’s collective action plan for a 2050 future in which the heat in homes, power in vehicles, and the electric grid can all operate with a minimum reliance on fossil fuels. Additionally, the plan highlights that natural and working lands need to be protected, better managed, and restored to enhance carbon sequestration. The plan also emphasizes the confidence that Massachusetts can lead in the clean energy transition, which will deliver more well-paying jobs, improved public health, reduced consumer costs, and provide better quality of life for all residents.

 

“Massachusetts continues to be a leader in taking climate action. While achieving our ambitious emissions goals and reaching Net Zero in 2050 will require hard work and collaboration across all sectors of the economy, we believe the Commonwealth is up to the challenge,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Beth Card. “The Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2025 and 2030 establishes an unprecedented strategy that will improve key sectors, such as transportation and buildings, while ensuring an equitable transition with a focus on environmental justice areas that will guide us into a sustainable future.”

 

The plan highlights that Massachusetts will achieve its emissions limits and sublimits through two overarching approaches: (1) electrify non-electric energy uses; and (2) decarbonize the electricity system. In that regard, the plan aims to increase transportation and energy systems’ efficiency to reduce energy costs and the costs of transition. These principles must be pursued in parallel to successfully reach the Commonwealth’s emissions limits and sublimits. Furthermore, the 2025/2030 CECP has goals, strategies, and policies that will achieve emissions reductions in the following areas:

  • Transportation;
  • Buildings;
  • Electricity Supply;
  • Industrial Processes, Natural Gas Distribution, and other Non-Energy Sources of Emissions; and,
  • Natural and Working Lands.

 

A key element of the 2025/2030 CECP is an equitable and strategic transition towards Net Zero. The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) worked with stakeholders across the Commonwealth on the plan to ensure an inclusive policy planning effort was undertaken. This included consulting with the Offices of Housing and Economic Development, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Global Warming Solutions Act Implementation Advisory Committee, and the Commission on Clean Heat, hosting multiple public meetings and hearings, and reviewing over 1,200 public comments that were submitted since January 2021.

 

For more information regarding the 2025/2030 CECP, and the Commonwealth’s strong commitment to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions in 2050, please visit EEA’s Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2025 and 2030 webpage.

MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES BOSTON TOGETHER AGAIN, A SUMMER & FALL DOWNTOWN EVENTS SERIES

MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES BOSTON TOGETHER AGAIN, A SUMMER & FALL DOWNTOWN EVENTS SERIES

Boston-based, Black, and woman-owned events firm to host weekday programming from mid-July to mid-October
BOSTON - Thursday, June 30, 2022 - Building on her commitment to bring business and vibrancy back to Downtown Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu and the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion today announced 
Boston Together Again, a series of weekday cultural, food, and wellness events in Downtown running from mid-July to mid-October. From yoga in Copley Square, to music and dancing on City Hall Plaza, and movie nights on the Rose Kennedy Greenway at Dewey Square, Boston Together Again will be designed to bring and keep Bostonians together in community while driving foot traffic - and customers - to the City’s Downtown business districts. The first event will be held on Tuesday, July 19. All events will be free and open to the public.

In an effort to diversify and utilize local businesses in City contracting, the contract for Boston Together Again has been awarded to Rosemark Production, a Black- and woman-owned events firm based in Boston and led by Boston native Rose Staram. This selection was a result of the City’s sheltered market pilot program. 

“As more people come back to work in person, we’ll have vibrant and exciting programming to ensure after-work fun and boost foot traffic to our small businesses,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Boston Together Again is an opportunity for us to reimagine what’s possible for how we use our Downtown public spaces through months of creative events. By using our sheltered market pilot program to plan this event series, we’re also ensuring that local businesses have a voice in City contracting and in making Downtown a welcoming destination.”

Boston Together Again builds on the City’s efforts to activate and revitalize Downtown Boston as the City continues to emerge from the economic impacts of the pandemic. In April, the City hosted Boston Blooms, a one-day block party stretching from South Station to Downtown Crossing that welcomed employees, residents, and visitors back to Downtown. 

“This effort is but one piece of our long term economic revitalization strategy to draw people from across the region back to our Downtown area,” said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “Thanks to the vision of Mayor Wu in launching the sheltered market pilot program, and with the support of our Supplier and Workforce Diversity team, this contract with Rosemark Production is another important step toward fulfilling our promise to foster a more inclusive economy and support our local BIPOC- and women-owned businesses.” 

Starting in July of this year, Downtown Crossing, Copley Square, Dewey Square, City Hall Plaza, and Post Office Square will host diverse and dynamic community events nearly every weeknight through mid-October. Attendees can look forward to outdoor exercise classes from Equinox instructors, movies from the Coolidge Corner Theater, and more. A full calendar of events will be released here in the coming weeks.

"We applaud Mayor Wu and her team for their dedicated focus on the need to revitalize Downtown," said Cheryl Cronin, CEO of the Boston Public Market. "We all love the vibrancy of Boston, and in order to sustain this, we must get visitors and office workers back downtown. We're here, open and excited to welcome you back!"

The contract with Rosemark Production is part of Mayor Wu’s commitment to direct City resources to local, diverse businesses that are vital to expanding wealth-building opportunities and making City contracting more equitable. 

"The Rosemark team could not be more proud to have received this contract from the City, and to be a part of Mayor Wu's vision to lift up our downtown,” said Rose Staram, Principal Owner of Rosemark Production. “As native Bostonians, we know how vital these districts are to the City. We also know the power of bringing our diverse and vibrant neighbors together, and that's exactly the power and the energy that Boston Together Again will capture."

Rosemark Production is one of the top Black woman-owned event firms in the country, providing venue construction, site and event management, and press logistics to major events around the United States. Most recently Rosemark served as the General Production Manager for the Presidential Inaugural Committee of Joseph R. Biden.

Part of revitalizing Downtown includes rethinking how the City can use public spaces for Boston’s residents and visitors alike. This includes the renovation of Boston City Hall Plaza, expected to be completed in August 2022. The renovation will create a more accessible and welcoming environment for more community events.

The City of Boston also recently hosted Copley Connect, a 10-day pilot project that transformed Dartmouth Street in Copley Square into a plaza space, and the Mayor announced the upcoming Open Streets events.

A full list of Boston Together Again events will be made available here

波士頓市消防局局長換人 Paul F. Burke 7/1 上任

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES PAUL F. BURKE AS FIRE COMMISSIONER
Paul F. Burke
From Twitter
BOSTON - Thursday, June 30, 2022- Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the appointment of longtime Boston firefighter Paul F. Burke as Commissioner of the Boston Fire Department. He will officially begin in his new role tomorrow. 

“Paul is a trusted leader in this department and has served in many roles leading our fire response,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m proud to welcome this Roslindale native into leadership as a partner to build a healthy environment for our firefighters and a diverse, connected workforce serving our communities in moments of need.”

"It is a tremendous honor to have the opportunity to lead our Fire Department," said Commissioner Paul F. Burke. "I want to thank Mayor Wu for the opportunity to serve the residents of Boston in this role. I look forward to working with all of our firefighters to deliver this critical service to our city."

Commissioner Burke has been a member of the Boston Fire Department for 32 years, having served in multiple leadership capacities. Most recently he served as Deputy Chief, Fleet and Facilities where he was responsible for all Boston Fire Department vehicles and buildings, including budget, purchases, maintenance, safety, and renovations. 

Previously, Commissioner Burke served as a Technical Rescue District Chief with responsibility for managing technical rescues and emergencies throughout Boston. 

Commissioner Burke has a BA from University of Massachusetts and a MA in Homeland Security from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, CA. He grew up in Roslindale and is a Boston Public Schools alum. He is married with 3 grown children.

Committee of 100 Publishes New Research on the Status of K-12 AAPI Curriculum Adoption Across the United States

 Committee of 100 Publishes New Research on the Status of K-12 AAPI Curriculum Adoption Across the United States

 
Research reveals that seven states have statutes that require AAPI studies, with 10 more states and the District of Columbia requiring areas of AAPI studies through other means – more than previously reported 
 
New York, New York (June 30, 2022) -- Committee of 100, a non-profit membership organization of prominent Chinese Americans, today unveiled a state-by-state analysis of the prevalence of existing and potential legislation requiring the teaching of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history in K-12 social studies curriculum. The research revealed that 19 states have some form of AAPI studies in place, compared to the two or three states often highlighted in recent media stories. 

“AAPI and Ethnic Studies Requirements for K-12 Students in America’s Public Schools” can be downloaded from the Committee of 100 website here.

Committee of 100 researchers analyzed the laws, regulations, bills, and publicly available curriculum standards of the 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine which states have existing K-12 AAPI or ethnic studies curriculum requirements or legislative action that would enact such requirements. Committee of 100 cross-referenced state legislature websites, state statutes, keyword Google searches, and LegiScan to assess the existence and status of legislation and statutes, as well as state department of education websites and publicly available curriculum standards issued by state regulators and boards of education to determine the prevalence of AAPI and ethnic studies academic standards. The research took place from July 27, 2021, to March 1, 2022. 

“Public schools are critical in shaping citizens. In most states, schools do not require students to learn about the contributions of Americans of Asian descent, but Asian American history is American history. If they don’t learn this as children, how can students become citizens who will understand the challenges and struggles of all Americans?” said Zhengyu Huang, President of Committee of 100. “For nearly 200 years, the AAPI population has made impactful contributions to the U.S., but Asian Americans continue to fight against being seen as the perpetual foreigner.”

Educational curriculum and the standards set by states provide the framework by which students understand the world around them. Committee of 100’s research showcases that there are currently multiple active paths being pursued in various states, ensuring students gain access to learn about AAPI history and culture in the K-12 range. 

“Standalone bills – which have garnered headlines as of late – are not always feasible. Other minority groups like the African American, Jewish American, Latino American, and Native American communities have all faced the same challenge in which their respective histories have been dramatically underserved and underrepresented. Committee of 100 is working to bring critical pieces of data under one umbrella, to provide a better understanding of the various state of progress on advancing AAPI curriculum across the U.S.,” Huang continued.  

Committee of 100’s research brief organizes the data into eight categories:
  • states with established statutes that require AAPI studies curriculum;
  • states with academic standards that include AAPI studies;
  • states with recently introduced bills that would require AAPI studies curriculum;
  • states with established statutes that require ethnic studies curriculum;
  • states with academic standards that include ethnic studies;
  • states with recently introduced bills that would require ethnic studies curriculum;
  • states with established statutes or recently introduced bills for optional AAPI or ethnic studies that do not require curriculum; and
  • states with no statutes, academic standards, or bills for AAPI or ethnic studies.
Highlights from the research:
  • Seven states have required AAPI curriculum statutes.
  • 15 states have recently introduced bills to require AAPI studies curriculum. 
  • 18 states have ethnic studies curriculum statutes that may or may not explicitly focus on AAPI populations.
  • 23 more states and the District of Columbia have recently introduced such legislation.
  • 12 states and the District of Columbia have AAPI studies academic standards.
  • 27 states and the District of Columbia have ethnic studies standards.
  • 24 states have either introduced or passed legislation related to AAPI or ethnic studies, but these policies do not require schools to teach AAPI or ethnic studies.
  • Seven states [Alaska, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming] are uniquely identified as having nothing on the books related to APPI or ethnic studies curriculum or standards; no such statutes are in place, no such bills have been introduced in the last two years, and no such policies are included in existing academic standards. 
This research from Committee of 100 will be updated approximately every six months, as laws and regulations change. Those interested in downloading the research and map can do so here:

波士頓抒情歌劇院 8/11, 13兩日露天演出羅密歐與茱麗葉

 AN ENGLISH-LANGUAGE ROMEO AND JULIET FREE ON THE

BOSTON COMMON LAUNCHES AN EXPANDED

BOSTON LYRIC OPERA SEASON AUGUST 11 and 13

  

Partnership with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC)

and the City of Boston yields a production accessible to everyone.

 

Charles Gounod’s operatic setting of the Shakespeare classic features

artists making company debuts, and Boston-trained singers. 

 

Ricardo Garcia and Vanessa Becerra play the young lovers; CSC’s Steven Maler directs.

 

Production marks 20 years since BLO’s last Common appearance, 2002’s “Carmen.” 

 

BOSTON, Mass. – June 29, 2022 – A free, public opera adaptation of

Romeo & Juliet on the historic Boston Common opens

Boston Lyric Opera’s 2022/23 Season with two performances August 11

and 13 at 8 PM. Based on Charles Gounod’s 1867 musical setting of the

classic drama with a libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, and an

English translation by Edmund Tracey, the production is co-presented

in partnership with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) and the

City of Boston. Ricardo Garcia (l.) makes his BLO company debut as

Romeo; Boston Conservatory at Berklee alumna Vanessa Becerra

(r., photo by Coco Jourdana) is Juliet. CSC Artistic Director Steven Maler

will direct the production and BLO Music Director David Angus will lead

the BLO Orchestra and Chorus. The performance, sung in English with

surtitles, coincides with the 20-year anniversary of BLO’s last free

Boston Common show, “Carmen.” 

 

Considered alongside Giuseppi Verdi’s Otello and Falstaff, and more

recently Brett Dean’s Hamlet as among the most successful opera

adaptations of Shakespeare, Gounod’s Romeo & Juliet highlights the

story’s most operatic plot points: young lovers forbidden to be together and finding love against

the odds, only to perish at their own hands. The story inspired more than two dozen

opera treatments but Gounod’s lush music – in love duets like the one sung the morning after

the young lovers’ first night together, arias like Juliet’s well-known waltz and Romeo’s passionate

Act II declaration of love, and the scene-setting orchestral interludes and dramatic choral

moments – ensures his version a place of continued prominence.

 

THE PRODUCTION

The libretto compresses Shakespeare’s storyline and cuts the number of roles nearly in half. The result is a brisk tale that moves from the rivalry between the Capulets and Montagues to the masked ball where the title characters meet and fall in love, through the lovers’ surreptitious courting and marriage, the street fight that sheds both families’ blood, and the tragic finale in Juliet’s tomb.

 

BLO Acting Stanford Calderwood General and Artistic Director Bradley Vernatter says the production draws distinctively on the strengths of both artistic institutions, and results in a unique version that blends the talents and storytelling of each. This opera production, for example, adds two actors to the staging who perform spoken text from the original play and add some of Shakespeare’s sonnets for context and texture.

 

“This bold interpretation of the classic tale of star-crossed lovers, told under a starry New England sky, celebrates the rich legacy of this opera in a modern context,” Vernatter says. “In collaboration with our friends at CSC, we are creating something completely unique for our city, something neither company could make on its own.  These performances demonstrate the creative power of the performing arts in Boston and the importance of coming together as a community.” 

 

Stage Director Steven Maler says the production is inspired by busker culture – and comprises a gathering of street musicians, singers and actors whose desire to entertain in public makes for surprising and spontaneous moments of joy. Performers play on three stage levels, with the full 47-piece orchestra in view and a 20-plus-member chorus enhancing scenes like the masked ball, the town plaza and others.

 

“CSC’s vision has always been to bring performances to the people’s park, the Boston Common, this shared public space and the nation’s oldest park,” Maler says. “Democratizing art is central to our mission. Early opera, like Shakespeare’s work, was populist in its time…vital and vibrant parts of the culture. I am happy we can do artistic collaborations with partners like BLO, which continues to democratize their artform and make it more accessible.” 

 

CASTING AND ARTISTIC TEAM

The casting for Romeo & Juliet mixes company debuts with returning artists and artists whose musical training took place in Boston. Boston Conservatory at Berklee (BC@B) alumna and soprano Vanessa Becerra stars as Juliet, BC@B alum mezzo-soprano Mack Wolz (BLO’s 2022 operabox.tv film, “Svadba”) portrays Stéphano, tenor Ricardo Garcia is Romeo, BLO Emerging Artist alumnus and tenor Omar Najmi sings Tybalt, incoming Emerging Artist and tenor Fred C. VanNess Jr. portrays Paris, Rhode Island-born mezzo-soprano and BLO Chorus member Arielle Rogers-Wilkey sings Gertrude, and bass Joshua Conyers (seen recently in Odyssey Opera’s Malcolm X at the Strand Theater) is Lord Capulet. Emerging Artist Nicholas LaGesse (2022’s Champion) sings Mercutio, BLO Chorus member and incoming Emerging Artist baritone Junhan Choi is Gregorio, Berklee College of Music instructor and bass Philip Lima sings the role of Friar Laurence. Some singing roles have been changed or cut to accommodate a two-hour runtime. Additional casting will be announced later.

 

The Romeo & Juliet artistic and creative team includes conductor David Angus, stage director Steven Maler, dramaturg John Conklin, production and lighting designer Eric Southern, and costume designer Nancy Leary. Additional artistic team members will be announced later. 

 

SEATING AND ACCESS

Romeo & Juliet will be performed on the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company stage, located north of the Parkman Bandstand in the Boston Common. MBTA access is at the Green Line Boylston Street stop, and the Red Line Park Street stop. 

 

Audience members may bring blankets and chairs, or can rent chairs on site for $10.  Picnics are permitted at the show. The Romeo & Juliet runtime is 2 hours.

 

The Boston Common is accessible. For help with special seating or mobility and access needs, BLO Audience Services can be reached at 617.542.6772 or boxoffice@blo.org. 

 

Digital programs will be available in advance at blo.org. Weather alerts and other updates about Romeo & Juliet are available by signing up here.

 

A limited number of reserved seats are available in the Friends Section with a donation of $100 per seat to Boston Lyric Opera.  Visit blo.org for details.

 

SPONSORS 

Community events for this season, including this free presentation of Romeo and Juliet, are sponsored, in part, by the Cabot Family Charitable Trust. The 2022/23 Season is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, and by the Boston Cultural Council/Reopen Creative Boston Fund administered by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture. David Angus is sponsored this season by Linda Cabot Black.