BPS invests in building upgrades with green guidelines in mind

BPS invests in building upgrades with green guidelines in mind

BOSTON – This school year students will benefit from many renovations and upgrades across Boston Public Schools. Construction crews from the BPS Facilities Department have been working in at least 30 schools with projects ranging from painting hallways to building modular classrooms.  Most projects will be completed by the first day of the 2014-2015 school year, while more extensive projects will be ongoing.

The district is installing new science labs at Boston Latin Academy in Roxbury while the Haley school will expand with modular classrooms. Students and staff at the Haynes Early Education Center in Roxbury will return to find a new schoolyard in progress.  Another project is being planned at the former Wilson building, where crews will install an elevator to make the building wheelchair accessible. The building will be home to the Henderson K-12 Inclusion School, the district's first K-12 inclusion school.

Providing educational learning spaces that are eco-friendly, healthy, safe and welcoming is a high priority for the district. On every construction project BPS seeks to improve the learning and teaching environments through the use of low toxic and durable materials; ventilation, plumbing and lighting systems that are energy and water efficient; and more accessible outdoor spaces that encourage student learning and play.

The most ambitious project is at Alighieri Montessori School in East Boston where BPS is spending $4.3 million on interior/exterior refurbishments at the school, including a HVAC upgrade. A new boiler system will also be installed at the new P.A. Shaw Elementary School located in Dorchester. Students at Umana Academy in East Boston will spend the 2014-2015 school year learning beneath a completely new roof. The energy efficient heating and cooling system upgrades at the Alighieri and P.A. Shaw Elementary schools as well as the roof replacement at the Umana will contribute to energy savings each year. 

“This time of year we are very busy, but every project is looked at with an eye towards greening our buildings. Our goal is to reduce greenhouse emissions, and reduce our utility cost, which is more than $20 million per year,“ Khadijah Brown.

波市要辦芬衛30秒電影展

Mayor Walsh Announces Fenway’s 

30-Second Cinema

Offers opportunity for artists to display their work

in the heart of Fenway

BOSTON – Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced today a new public art competition, called Fenway's 30-Second Cinema, which will give Boston-area artists the opportunity to display their work on a prominent digital sign next to Fenway Park.

“My administration continues to look for new ways to support artists and showcase their work in Boston," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "Fenway's 30-Second Cinema is another innovative way to do that, and to make art more accessible to the public."

The Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics (MONUM) and the Boston Art Commission ask artists to submit their digital art, up to 30 seconds long, such as motion graphics and short films. The submissions will be judged by representatives of MONUM and the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture. Up to 10 winners will be selected to have their pieces displayed on the Orange Barrel Media digital sign at the intersection of Ipswich and Lansdowne Streets. Submissions are due by September 22nd, 2014, at bit.ly/30SecondCinema. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, October 1st, 2014.

The winning submissions will be displayed every hour for 30 seconds between regular advertising programming on the digital sign (14 feet high by 48 feet wide). In addition, the City will award the winning artists $300.

Fenway's 30-Second Cinema is part of a host of efforts to engage Boston's creative community. Recent efforts include the Art Commission's Pop-Up! Dudley Connections, a pop-up art series in Dudley Square, and the Public Space Invitational, a civic design competition that invited artists, designers, and engineers to rethink Boston's public spaces.

For more details, please visit: http://fenway.newurbanmechanics.org/ 

*****

About the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics

The Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics in Boston serves as the City's innovation incubator, building partnerships between internal agencies and outside entrepreneurs to pilot projects that address resident needs.

About The Boston Art Commission

The Boston Art Commission is the oldest municipal art commission in the United States, established in 1890 to approve and site new public art on property owned by the City of Boston. It aims to engender and support a thriving artistic consciousness throughout Boston’s many communities and neighborhoods.

About Orange Barrel Media

Based in Columbus, Ohio, Orange Barrel Media provides outdoor advertising across the country, including digital signs near Fenway Park and Boston's Innovation District. Their displays feature a blend of public service, arts, community content, and sponsored messages.

亞裔美人在音樂上年花112元

Nielsen, a leading provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy, has launched Listen Up: Music and Multicultural Consumer, the latest report from the company’s Diverse Intelligent Series on multicultural consumers. The report shows how Asian American consumers in the U.S. are discovering, buying and interacting with music, as well as insight on Asian Americans’ engagement with music and brands. There is a lot of key data showing how Asian Americans play a strong role in the world of music purchases, including:

-      Asian Americans spend an average of $112 per year on music, about $7 more than the total market average, and $19 on CDs, about $6 more than the total market average.

-       54 percent of Asian American smartphone users listen to music on their phones.

-       Asian American musical preferences tend to mirror the total market, with 23 percent citing Pop/Top 40 as their favorite genre, followed by Hip-Hop, R&B, Rock Alternative and Country, respectively.

PATRICK ADMINISTRATION LAUNCHES MYMASSMORTGAGE.ORG

Website will assist potential home owners throughout all stages of home buying process

BOSTON – August, 20, 2014 – Today, Undersecretary of Housing and Community Development Aaron Gornstein announced the launch of www.MyMassMortgage.org, a website developed to assist potential homebuyers purchase their first home.  The website, created under the Mass Mortgage Compact announced by Governor Deval Patrick, will provide information on finding affordable and reliable state sponsored mortgage products.

“This website offers a very concrete reinforcement of the Patrick Administration’s commitment to affordable homeownership,” said Aaron Gornstein, Undersecretary for the Department of Housing and Community Development. “Potential first time homebuyers can find the critical information they need to make an informed decision about this hugely important investment in their futures. I congratulate MassHousing, Massachusetts Housing Partnership and CHAPA for their work in bringing this to fruition, and all the lenders who are participating in the Homeownership Compact.”

“Buying a home is one of the most important financial transactions any consumer will make in their lifetime. It is crucial that homebuyers know the resources available to them to help them make the most informed decision,” said Undersecretary of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation Barbara Anthony. “The MyMassMortgage website is a great tool that walks consumers through the process of finding and financing a home.”

In June 2013, Governor Patrick announced the Mass Mortgage Compact, creating a goal of providing 10,000 mortgage loans to qualified first-time homebuyers over the next five years. The Massachusetts Homeownership Compact includes a commitment among lenders to originate mortgage loans to first-time home buyers with household incomes below the area median income through the MassHousing and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership programs. Governor Patrick also announced $9 million of funding to create over 160 new affordable and market-rate homeownership units, the first such new funding since 2006.

Since its creation, twenty-six mortgage lenders have signed onto the Massachusetts Homeownership Compact, and over 1,000 loans have been made to low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers. The Massachusetts Homeownership compact will help accelerate economic recovery and neighborhood stabilization initiatives in the Commonwealth and retain and attract a competitive workforce.

MyMassMortgage.org was developed by Citizen’s Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) and is a joint marketing effort between MassHousing and Mass Housing Partnership.

In November 2012, Governor Patrick announced the Commonwealth’s goal of creating 10,000 multi-family housing units per year. By creating this type of housing, which is attractive to young families and individuals, Massachusetts is better prepared to keep in-state the skilled, young workforce for which employers are looking.

Last fall, Housing and Economic Development Secretary Greg Bialecki accepted a national “workforce housing” award from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) recognizing the Patrick Administration’s leadership in pursuing a strategy to increase the supply of housing needed, and in the places needed, for its workforce.

“MassHousing is pleased to be partnering with CHAPA and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership under Governor Patrick’s leadership to increase homeownership opportunities for low and moderate-income residents in Massachusetts,’’ said MassHousing Executive Director Thomas R. Gleason. “This new website will be a one-stop resource for consumers interested in buying a home while providing them the information they need to obtain a safe, affordable home mortgage product.’’

“MyMassMortgage gives consumers an opportunity to access information about the best mortgage products our state has to offer,” said Clark Zigler, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership. “ The ability to compare products will ensure that Massachusetts home buyers are able to make the most affordable choices for themselves and their families.”

"MAHA is excited to be part of the launch of this important new website,” said Tom Callahan, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance. “MyMassMortgage will be a valuable tool for first-time homebuyers shopping for the best mortgages from responsible lenders."

“For most of us, buying a home is the biggest financial decision that we will ever make,” said Brenda Clement, Executive Director of CHAPA. “ We are pleased to work with our fellow advocates and state agencies to launch this website that provides important information about the home-buying process to residents of our state and to work with them to achieve their dreams of homeownership.”

Improving the state’s housing supply is a priority for the Patrick Administration. Along with creating new housing, the Administration has made significant investments in the Commonwealth’s public housing, by preserving and improving the 46,000 housing units in the system through increased capital funding, increased operating subsidies and changes in management of those resources.

Since 2009, the Patrick Administration, working with the Legislature and Congress, has directed direct over $700 million in federal and state tax credits and state housing program subsidies to projects that improve the state's affordable housing, create jobs and build stronger communities. These investments have generated more than 14,000 jobs and 10,000 homes.

僑聲音樂社演牡丹亭驚夢慶75週年

 僑聲音樂劇社慶75週年演出謝幕。（鄒新中攝）

僑聲音樂劇社八月十六日晚在約翰漢考克廳粉墨登場，以“牡丹亭驚夢”，配兩段折子戲，一段演唱，大陣仗慶祝七十五週年。

 狄青夜闖三關場景。（鄒新中攝）

            逾千座位，坐滿八，九成的觀眾，從“狄青夜闖三關”，“南唐殘夢“，”十奏嚴嵩之寫表“一直看到“牡丹亭驚夢”，對舞台佈置，人物服裝之精緻美麗，唱家班的演唱功力，都大表讚賞。

    （鄒新中攝）

            僑聲音樂劇社社長黃國威指出，為了讓社區大眾欣賞一場好戲，該社唱家班成員早從去年就開始排練，他們還特地從紐約請來伍國榮，從香港請來專業的青年劇團粵劇演員陳惠堅助陣，連已經和該社合作逾十年，剛從香港演藝學院中國戲曲系畢業，拉高胡，中文名叫俊文的John Clifford，都趕回來加入樂隊行列，曾是大陸劇團專業舞台佈景製作的羅昌成，鄺筱薇精心設計了舞台，觀眾們絕對是從頭看到尾，無一冷場。

            僑聲音樂劇社社長黃國威，李錦光還在節目冊的感謝詞中指出，該社通力合作，一次又一次的演活任白戲寶，這天把狄青，雙陽公主的柔情，海瑞及夫人的忠烈精神，李後主及小周后的無奈，都演活了。

  John Clifford（右）特地從香港趕回來助陣。（菊子攝）

            當天的演員除前述各人，還包括雷玉霞，劉月嬋，譚新順，黃寶娥，黃綺玲，以及唐寶嬋，黃美，陳少聲，楊秀英，溫影麗，鍾慶源，梁敏萍，陳敏敏，陳美美等人。當司儀的有李伍碧香，李盧蓮馨。

            在中場休息前，僑聲音樂劇社舉行頒獎儀式，由社長黃國威頒獎表揚該社的創會成員之一，現已年逾九十的該社永久名譽社長黃君裕，以及該社前任社長，本此演出司儀李伍碧香的丈夫，僑聲現任社長之一的李錦光，感謝他們對僑聲音樂劇社的貢獻。李伍碧香接著在台上再頒一個獎，感謝黃國威為僑聲服務許多年。她表示，這是給黃國威的意外驚喜。

            黃周麗桃，黃胡小仙，黃謝惠珍等，黃氏宗親會婦女部當天出動了許多宗親到會場當帶位或場務義工。他們表示，僑聲音樂社是大波士頓內歷史最悠久的粵劇社團，演員們的確都唱得很好，他們很樂意到會服務，何況這樣的粉墨登場表演，社區裡難得一見，尤其是耆英們特別開心。

僑聲音樂社台柱之一的譚新順，捧著觀眾獻花，十分開心。（菊子攝）

左起，黃胡小仙，黃周麗桃，黃謝惠珍等黃氏宗親會婦女部成員，
這天都來當義工。（菊子攝）

右起，羅昌成，鄺筱薇是專業的舞台設計人。（菊子攝）

           

            

         

           

美國家環保局長訪波呼籲地方制定氣候行動計劃

美國國家環境保護局（EPA）局長吉娜麥卡錫（Gina McCarthy）昨（19）日訪問波士頓，和本地醫療，環保界人士直接對話，呼籲社區機構，個人採取行動，制定計劃，攜手改善空氣品質，節約能源，保護環境。

            吉娜麥卡錫（Gina McCarthy）此行是呼應奧巴馬總統的“生命中的一天（A Day in the Life)”系列活動。在多徹斯特出生的她，特地選擇回波士頓，來和地方人士面對面地討論環境保護所面對的最嚴峻挑戰，氣候變化，以及清潔空氣的影響，奧巴馬總統倡議的社區各自制定氣候行動計劃等。

她強調，任何政策的落實，推行，都要靠地方合作，實地了解民情十分重要。她很高興有這機會來到波士頓，直接聽聽地方上從事相關工作者對改善，保護環境的看法，意見。該局此行的重點之一，是促使社會大眾加強認識環境保護的重要，以及可行做法。

昨日出席座談者包括波士頓公共衛生局主任 Barbara Ferrer，美國肺協會東北區會長兼執行長 Jeff Seyler，麻州環境事務及能源辦公室主任Maeve Vallely-Bartlett等人。

吉娜麥卡錫（Gina McCarthy）以波士頓市公共衛生局（BPH）發起，兒童醫院，塔芙茨醫療中心 等共五個機構合作，由美國環保局資助的“哮喘病家訪計劃”，就是其中一個非常成功的例子。

她表示，在全美，每十個小孩中就有一個患有哮喘病，非洲裔及西班牙裔的小孩，患哮喘病的比率更是高了一倍，清潔空氣，是該局的重要目標之一，希望在2030年之前，能把二氧化碳排放量降到比現在低30%。

吉娜麥卡錫（Gina McCarthy）在會中還談及發電廠，汽車，輕型卡車等造成的溫室氣體排放（greenhouse gas emissions），對空氣品質的影響，指美國環保局將在麻州各地推動會直接影響家庭的下一代清潔空氣行動，幫助人們免於感染哮喘病或其他呼吸系統疾病。

美國環保局紐英崙辦公室透露，該局將撥款十五萬元，供“哮喘病家訪計劃”等機構，研擬製定“檢查清單”，進一步減少可能染換哮喘病的因素，另外撥款十萬元，供托兒所等相關機構獲取防治哮喘病資源。

美國環保局昨日還宣佈，總部設在麻州，執行長為Laura Sen的BJ’s批發俱樂部，成為全美第一個參加該局鼓勵企業及機構防止浪費，捐出多餘食物，免得需要把廢棄食物丟到掩埋場或燃燒的“食物回收挑戰（Food Recovery Challenge）”。

美國環保局網站（http://www.epa.gov）上的資訊，已有環境健康，一般信息，空氣，水與魚類實用問題，農藥與有毒物質等內容，譯成了中文。

圖片說明：

            美國環境保護局（EPA）局長吉娜麥卡錫（Gina McCarthy）(中)昨日抵波士頓訪問。（菊子攝）

            美國環境保護局（EPA）局長吉娜麥卡錫（Gina McCarthy）（左三）和波士頓本地的醫療，衛生，環保借人士座談。（菊子攝）

夏利臣街213號獲准施工

七男一女組成的波士頓上訴局（Board of Appeal），昨（19）日批准了夏利臣街213號的翻修施工許可，因此案引起的可負擔住宅訴求，也告一段落。

            波士頓上訴局要求夏利臣街213號業主取得地下水保護（groundwater conservation）處的同意後，就可動工。

            根據房地產網站Zillow的資料，夏利臣街213號建於1870年，占地面積1465平方英尺，整棟樓有居住面積2295平方英尺，5個睡房，3.5個衛浴室，售價九十萬元，平均每平方英尺392元。在2013年11月18日售出。

                ﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽到會。（菊子攝）會，搖﷽﷽德寶兄弟建築公司的陳興寶，陳建新父子買下這棟樓後，原本打算擴建成為五層樓高屋宇，並把地下室整修為可用空間，於是依照慣例，約從今年五月起陸續出席華埠治安委員會議，華埠社區議會(CNC)等會議，爭取社區支持他們的施工，翻修許可。

            一方面由於華埠社區議會促請他們先和左右鄰居溝通，一方面由於該樓原有住戶中，有一家低收入戶，遍尋不著可遷居地點，在舊業主交割買賣合約後，仍在原地居住，收到逼遷通知後，向華人前進會求助，引發一波可負擔住宅訴求。

            昨日在上訴局的公聽會中，華人前進會由陳玉珍代表發言，指華埠已出現多宗居民遭逼遷案，希望上訴局在審核區域規劃規定（zoning code）修改時，能參考紐約市要求私人發展商提出因應之道的做法，在批准申請按時，考慮社會經濟影響。

            波士頓市長亞裔聯絡員翁耀漢，波士頓市議會議長林乃肯的代表，昨日都出席支持業主的翻修施工申請。翁耀漢事後指出，波士頓市政府沒有相關規定，上訴局也沒有要求小業主撥出空間做可負擔住宅的法定權力。

            不下三名夏利臣街213號的鄰居，昨日出席會議，異口同聲支持業主獲得施工許可。其中一名鄰居表示，她只是顧慮樓宇第二個出口設計，以及升高煙囪可能帶來的影響而已，但她相信可以和鄰居商量出適當做法。

            陳興寶表示，目前的施工計劃已改為四層樓高，不加建第五層了。若一切順利，將從九月開始動工，預計六個月可完工。據他所知，前文述及的一家三口低收入戶出席逼遷聆訊時，經法院協助，覓得居處，已經搬到天滿街701號去了。

圖片說明：

            陳興寶（左起），陳建新父子在公聽會後向其中一名鄰居表示，一定會照顧到她的顧慮。（菊子攝）

            陳建新（中右）拿著大圖片，向波士頓上訴局說明他們已決定不加建為五層樓了。（菊子攝）

十字路口左邊的第二棟樓是夏利臣街213號。業主現在決定只翻建成和路口這棟樓一樣的四層樓高。（菊子攝）