台灣在DIA2018年會中首次辦城鎮會議

食品藥物管理署署長吳秀梅(右中)，波士頓經文處處長徐佑典(左三)和財團法人醫藥品
查驗中心執行長高純琇(前右二)等嘉賓合影。(周菊子攝)

        (Boston Orange周菊子波士頓報導)國際「藥物資訊協會(Drug Information Association，簡稱DIA)」今年(2018)再到波士頓辦年會。台灣由食品藥物管理署署長吳秀梅率30人代表團參加，並首次在這全球性會議中舉辦”TFDA城鎮會議”，向各國介紹台灣具國際競爭力的臨床試驗能量及研發資源。           

DIA現任及前任董事，Angelika Joos(左二)，Per Spindler(中)，
Andrzej Czarnecki(右一)等人也在"台灣之夜"中唱卡拉OK。(周菊子攝)

DIA是全球最大，歷史最悠久的國際性生命科學，醫藥法規人士交流會議，強調分享藥物研發新知，經驗，交流藥政管理趨勢。今年該會議以”包括病人(Patients Included)”為主題，於6月24日至28日之間，在波士頓會議展覽中心舉行，有來自50多國的8000多名製藥，生物科技，醫療設備等領域專業人士參加，共約423家公司擺攤展示，研討19項議題。

食品藥物管理署署長吳秀梅(左)，波士頓經文處處長徐佑典(右)在會中合唱。(周菊子攝)

台灣食品藥物管理署這次與會，不但首次舉辦專場城鎮會議，介紹台灣概況，還設置主題攤位，介紹「臨床試驗資訊平台」，6月27日晚又和駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處合作，在波士頓龍鳳酒樓舉辦了一場”台灣之夜”，邀得DIA大會董事，各國與會代表逾百人參加，促進交流，增加未來合作機會。

與會者，歐陽瑞琳(左起)，李中偉等人也高歌一曲。(周菊子攝)

根據大會資料，衛生福利部食品藥物管理署舉辦的「TFDA Town Hall」主題論壇，由吳秀梅署長擔任主持人，闡述台灣推動國際化醫藥品法規管理體系成果。另有台大醫院腫瘤醫學部主任楊志新說明「多國多中心藥品臨床試驗與資料解釋之挑戰」；財團法人醫藥品查驗中心執行長高純琇談「應用真實世界證據於法規決策經驗」；行政院科技會報辦公室主任劉祖惠介紹「台灣藥品產業之開發優質環境與政策」。台灣代表團還在會議期間發表壁報論文，說明新藥開發的新穎性臨床試驗設計、細胞治療諮詢輔導措施及台灣轉移性黑色素瘤治療之成本效益等。

荷蘭葛蘭素史克藥廠台灣分公司法規處長饒慧芬表示，在這次的年會中，關於人工智能對醫藥資訊及法規會有甚麼影響的討論，也幾乎無處不在。

6月27日晚的「台灣之夜」晚會，由財團法人醫藥品查驗中心國合公關專業經理周耿徹主持，有DIA現任理事11人中的Angelika Joos、Andrzej Czarnecki，Alberto Grignolo、Gesine Bejeuhr及前任理事長Per Spindler，駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長徐佑典，以及Health Canada代表Agnes Klein、Michele Chadwick，強生集團Janssen項目管理部副主任莊蕾，醫藥法規撰寫主任Kent Cochran，美、德、日、韓、加拿大等國專家學者出席。

Governor Baker Signs Grand Bargain Legislation

Governor Baker Signs Grand Bargain Legislation

Compromise bill creates a permanent sales tax holiday, increase in minimum wage and a new paid family and medical leave program in Massachusetts

BOSTON – Today, Governor Baker signed H.4640 An Act relative to minimum wage, paid family medical leave and the sales tax holiday, also known as the “Grand Bargain.” The compromise legislation will create a permanent sales tax holiday, increase the minimum wage over the next five years and create a new paid family and medical leave program in Massachusetts.

“I am thankful that all parties came together, compromised and found common ground to produce a better set of policies than what the ballot questions represented,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The Massachusetts workforce continues to grow with more and more people finding jobs and our administration is committed to maintaining the Commonwealth’s competitive economic environment.”

“Compromise on all sides made this legislation possible and our administration remains committed to making the Commonwealth the best place to live, work and raise a family,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.

“This compromise strikes the right balance of empowering employees, supporting our hardworking residents and ensuring that businesses can continue to provide good, steady jobs,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “I sincerely thank the stakeholders who came to the table and the legislators who brokered this compromise.”

“This legislation is a true balance – one that reflects the real concerns facing both working families and business owners, while continuing to grow the Massachusetts economy,” said Senate President Harriette L. Chandler (D-Worcester). “I’m pleased that Massachusetts will be one of the first states with both a $15 minimum wage and a comprehensive paid family and medical leave program. I’m just as pleased that small businesses across the Commonwealth will continue to have the resources and room they need to flourish. I’m proud of the strong collaboration among stakeholders, House and Senate members in reaching this compromise, and thank them for their efforts in coming together throughout this process.”

“I’m pleased that this compromise will lift up working families in the Commonwealth, with a $15 minimum wage and a strong paid family and medical leave program,” said Senator Jason Lewis (D-Winchester), Senate Chair of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. “At the same time, the legislation balances the concerns of employers, particularly small businesses that form the backbone of our Main Streets. I greatly appreciate the hard work and spirit of collaboration that all the stakeholders have exhibited through this process.”

“Regardless of what happens in Washington DC, this law demonstrates that in Massachusetts we can come together to create policies which benefit working families, employers, and the Commonwealth as a whole,” said Representative Paul Brodeur (D-Melrose), Chairperson for the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. “While this process took months, I am proud that this law strikes the right balance in delivering improved wages and expanded benefits for millions of hard working residents while providing key protections for small businesses.”

The legislation signed into law today will create a permanent 2-day weekend sales tax holiday, a provision recently proposed as part of the Baker-Polito Administration’s Economic Development Bill to provide annual relief for consumers and increased sales for retailers. The new law will begin in August of 2019 and the particular weekend will be determined by the Legislature.

  

The bill will also gradually raise the Commonwealth’s minimum wage to $15/hour over five years, with an initial increase taking effect in January 2019. Coupled with that increase will be a raise to the minimum base wage rate for tipped workers, up to $6.75, that will also phase in over a 5-year period commencing in January of 2019. Wage policies for Sunday and Holiday pay will also be reformed and brought inline with most other states across the country.

The third major component of H.4640 introduces a new Paid Family and Medical Leave program for in Massachusetts employers and employees. The new program will provide employees who contribute to the program the ability to take paid leave for up to 12 weeks a year care for a family member or bond with a new child, 20 weeks a year to deal with a personal medical issue, and up to 26 weeks to deal with an emergency related to deployment of a family member for military service. Weekly benefit amounts will be calculated as a percentage of the employee’s average weekly wage, with a maximum weekly benefit of $850. Self-employed persons may opt into the program. For the law to apply to municipal employees, the city or town involved must vote to accept participation in the program.

國際當代藝術中心戴明德畫展 7/8 講座

Acton, MA – Contemporary Arts International (CAI), a nonprofit art center, announces the interdisciplinary exhibition in CAI’s Gallery. Curated by Viktor Lois, the exhibition entitled “Before the End of the Journey: Paintings of My Older Brother” by Taiwanese artist Ming-Te Tai will be open to the public from July 8 to Oct 8, 2018. This is our anchor show of the year.  An Opening Reception and Artist Talk will be held on July 8 at 2:00PM.

A collection of more than 40 paintings in this exhibition utters empathetically the struggle of human distress and despair. Through an artistic recording of the artist’s brother’s last period in his life journey, Tai expresses from the bottom of his soul the humanity’s deepest fear toward the end of our destiny. Each painting elucidates a level of elevation in the artist’s heart.  Tai’s motive unequivocally gives a total artistic Life to his brother, and makes “before the Ending of the Journey” tangible.
As the artist’s statement stated: “… the year 2012 was the last period of my late older brother with a terminal oral cancer. I looked at his weak and fractured cheeks and body, and felt the urge to record the last of him in images. However, the section from his nasal cavity to his neck is bandaged with gauze with blood oozing out, I could not bring myself to lift the cold camera and press the shutter to the brutal scene. I started drawing his portrait on the thin wrapping paper from his medical supply kits. Needless to say, my mind was filled with chaotic thoughts and the anxiety on our rapidly approaching eternal separation... 
Two years later, the doodling was transformed into this painting series. 

Tai writes further: “…My older brother and I were 17 years apart, our relationship is in many ways like that of a father and son. His build was burly, his character with a strong sense of righteousness, he often took a leadership role among his peers, and frequently got into fights with local gangsters when he was young and unruly. Even though they were outnumbered ten to one, he persisted in the bloodshed until the end. His job took him traveling constantly until an illness drove him back to his hometown to become a ‘good citizen’. I marveled at his value of life. To me, the suffering state of his predicament was no different from that of a saint! Paintings of my Older Brother perhaps are autobiographical revealing my fear in facing my own end in the future.”

The series, though a portrait of the artist’s brother, is obviously not a depiction of his appearance but the apprehension of his vigilance, courage, and witness of the easy attitude he beheld when facing excruciating pain.

When asked about the process of creating these paintings, Tai articulates that this series was first painted with trembling hands when Tai directly faced his brother and sketched him. Based on the draft, after the brother passed away, a large number of interpretive finer sketches were produced. Tai freely employed diverse materials to express himself in various stages of anxiety and despair. Tai explored the integration of acrylics and mixed materials for presentation. Through acrylics and the cutting, covering, filling in color, and blooming on vinyl cuttings, the resulting imagery was extremely similar to that of woodcut prints, expressing the harshness, strength and life-like movement of the figure in the painting. In the dark-colored area with moist ink, the symbol of time delivers the reference and inference of the Paintings of “My Brother” heading to the end of his Life. The linear cut marks overlap and intersect, vacillating between certainty and uncertainty. They weave the direct contact and treatment of the separation and pain.

The emotional imagery in the show resonates the famous print/painting “Scream” by Edvard Munch, not only the subject matter of expressing the artist’s inner thoughts and strong feeling, but also its swirling movement, rhythm and intensity. Munch’s extreme despair completely override the painterly application, the “Scream” hits the viewer with a solely direct feeling of anxiety. As Munch’s diaries read: "I was walking down the road with two friends when the sun set; suddenly, the sky turned as red as blood. I stopped and leaned against the fence, feeling unspeakably tired. Tongues of fire and blood stretched over the bluish black fjord. My friends went on walking, while I lagged behind, shivering with fear. Then I heard the enormous infinite scream of nature." Like Munch, Tai Ming-Te’s paintings express not merely psychological agony but also physical suffering on the edge of insanity. Munch is from Norway, Tai is from Taiwan, the common denominator is their extraordinary human feeling. Through art, they both evoke the empathy in our hearts.

Both Yin and Viktor have known Tai personally since 2005, and witnessed the dedication and even the near “madness” in which he created and lived his art. Touched by Tai’s authenticity and artistic spirit, they brought this series to New England to share with the Western viewers a glimpse of this moving and critical Asian artist, whose voice and life journey we all, at various degrees, one time or other, have encountered.

Tai has obtained his Master of Fine Arts from the Tainan National University of the Arts, and is an Associate Professor of Visual Art at the National Jiayi University in Taiwan.

波士頓草根音樂祭 6/30

中華藝協第32屆中華民族舞蹈展 - 謝開明圖片專輯

陳玉律(中)率領老師，學生們謝幕。

陳玉律應邀和學生家長合影。

紐英崙中華藝術協會主辦的第三十二屆中華民族舞蹈展，六月二十三日（週六）分別於下午及晚上，在波士頓大學蔡氏演藝中心舉行了兩場盛大公演。

藝協舞團執行藝術總監陳玉律、藝術總監陳嘉琪、以及門璐、蔡君柔、傅靜文等老師攜手製作，率傳統中國舞蹈團全體團員，演出了二十支舞蹈小品，不但風格各異，舞服舞步都無多彩多姿，現場觀眾大飽眼福，紛紛稱讚。

中華藝協為加強達成宣揚中華文化宗旨，今年再次不賣票，邀觀眾免費索取入場劵，以期各界人士更踴躍出席，欣賞兩場精彩演出。

藝協傳統中國舞蹈團每年舉辦一次的新團員甄試將在八月二十五日(週六) 上午在位於 Woburn 的藝協活動中心舉行。有興趣者請至藝協網址 www.acas-ne.com 下載報名表。

藝協主辨的第二十屆中華民族舞蹈夏令營，將於八月十二日至八月十八日舉行，已定由蔡君柔執教。下載報名表，可上藝協網址 www.acas-ne.com 。

波市府訂6/28在Dorchester辦就業展

CITY OF BOSTON TO HOST NEIGHBORHOOD JOB FAIR IN DORCHESTER

BOSTON - Wednesday, June 27, 2018 - Tomorrow, the City of Boston invites residents to participate in a Neighborhood Career Fair in Dorchester, offering participants the opportunity to explore employment opportunities within the City of Boston and private companies. The job fair is being hosted by the City's Office of Diversity. The event will be held at the Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) Perkins Community Center in Dorchester, and residents are encouraged to attend to learn more about career opportunities from the 30 participating employers. WHEN:           Thursday, June 28, 2018                        5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. WHERE:        BCYF Perkins Community Center                       155 Talbot Ave, Dorchester WHO: Representatives from: Big Sister Association of Greater Boston Northeastern University TD Garden City of Boston Human Resource Office Boston Centers for Youth & Families City of Boston Office of Diversity New England Center for Arts & Technology Boston Water & Sewer Commission Boston Public Health Commission  Whole Foods Market  High Sierra Pools Inc  Boston Red Sox  Judge Rotenberg Center  Massachusetts Convention Center Authority  Massachusetts State Police  Boston EMS  Encore Boston Harbor  Northeast Center for Tradewomen's Equity  Boston Fire Department  USO New England  City of Boston Inspectional Services Department  Make A Wish Foundation  Building Pathways Boston  Uphams Corner Health Center  Playworks New England  Boston Police Department  Corporate Photographers  Girls Scout of Eastern MA, INC  Mass Department of Correction  Securitas Critical Structure Services  Transportation Security Administration (TSA)  The Center for Teen Empowerment  Make A Wish Foundation  Mayor's Office of Workforce Development

波市長2019預算32.9億元 市議會無異議通過

MAYOR WALSH'S FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, AFFIRMING A COMMITMENT TO PROGRESS, OPPORTUNITY AND INNOVATION

BOSTON - Wednesday, June 27, 2018 - The Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) budget submitted by Mayor Martin J. Walsh today was unanimously approved by the Boston City Council, building on the Walsh Administration's record of presenting a balanced, sustainable and proactive budget investing in the needs of our growing city. The $3.29 billion recommended budget represents an increase of $139 million, or 4.4 percent, over the FY18 budget, and follows 28 City Council hearings that helped identify opportunities for further targeted investments and capture additional cost-savings. Mayor Walsh will sign the final budget once it reaches his desk. In this final budget, funding for city services, such as streets, parks, public health and public safety will grow by $43 million from FY18, including $12 million in new data-driven investments, and funding for the Boston Public Schools (BPS) will grow by $51 million. "This budget upholds our city's values and priorities, and is a reflection of our leadership position in growing a middle class through strong 21st century schools, good jobs and affordable homes in safe neighborhoods," said Mayor Walsh. "By investing in the strong foundation we've been able to achieve through strategic management of the city's finances, I am proud that with the support of the City Council, we are able to continue making record investments in advancing the prosperity of our city, our people and our collective future." As part of Mayor Walsh's budget, he proposed to further invest in key initiatives, including: Expanding Universal Pre-Kindergarten for over 80 new quality seats, as a result of continued advocacy at the state level that is expected to result in an increase from initial projections for Charter School reimbursement; Doubling the Youth Development Grant Program to $500,000 to promote conflict resolution skills to musical training to athletic programming, all with a spotlight on self esteem promotion. New funding to support the Elder Nutrition Program, to meet the demand in preventing malnutrition for seniors and backfill declining state and federal resources; New city funded position at the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement to work on the frontlines of supporting new Bostonians, and effectively engage and serve immigrant residents and their families; New mounted park ranger to better serve our city parks and complement the new ranger position, which is also part of the the FY19 budget; New equity and inclusion staff for the Office of Economic Development New funding for workplace sensitivity training that will support expanded training on racial and gender bias, sexual harassment and employee awareness. These additional investments are made possible as a result of debt service savings realized as a result of the city's recently renewed AAA bond rating. They are also made possible through continued advocacy at the State level that has resulted in additional Charter School Reimbursement and Chapter 70 funding included in the FY2019 House and Senate budgets.  Additional investments included in the final budget that aim to affirm a commitment to progress, opportunity and innovation by investing in Boston's neighborhoods, include: Adding new public safety personnel and equipment, including police and 20 police cadets, EMTs and firefighters to keep our residents safe and to respond to the City's increase of new residents and commuters. In addition, $2 million has been allocated towards a phase-in of police body cameras, and investments in new fire engines, fire houses and new ambulances. Making a permanent establishment of Boston's Engagement Center, providing space for participants to connect with recovery support services and get connected with housing services offered by the City and partners. Allocating $5 million in new revenue towards transportation projects by increasing certain parking fines that will effectively influence good driving practices and reduce congestion in high-traffic areas. Investing in the implementation of Community Choice Aggregation and single-use bags that will lower emissions, in addition to purchasing a deployable floodwall for the East Boston Greenway to help mitigate damage related to coastal storms. Doubling the size of the Department of Neighborhood Development down payment assistance program to $1 million, allowing dozens of middle-class families to access zero-interest loans to cover down payments. The final budget includes the adoption of a Boston Public Schools budget of $1.112 billion, representing a $3.5 million increase over the initial proposal of $1.109 billion, a $51 million increase over FY18, and marking the largest proposed BPS budget in the city's history. The BPS budget was approved by the City Council in a 12-1 vote today. With an increase to the projection of State Charter School Reimbursement revenue, funding will be directed towards expanding universal pre-kindergarten for over 80 new quality seats in FY19. The City of Boston's allocation to BPS has increased by $175 million, or 19 percent, over the past five years. Mayor Walsh's FY19 budget continues to invest in preserving and creating a strong middle class, and creating opportunities for all those who live in Boston. The FY19 budget supports Boston's long-term plan, Imagine Boston 2030. ABOUT IMAGINE BOSTON 2030 Imagine Boston 2030 is Boston's first citywide plan in 50 years aimed at guiding growth to support our dynamic economy and expand opportunity for all residents. The plan prioritizes inclusionary growth and puts forth a comprehensive vision to boost quality of life, equity and resilience in every neighborhood across the City. Shaped by the input of 15,000 residents who contributed their thoughts to the plan, Imagine Boston 2030 identifies five action areas to guide Boston's growth, enhancement and preservation, and is paired with a set of metrics that will evaluate progress and successes. To learn more visit, imagine.boston.gov. For more information about the budget,visit Boston's budget website at budget.boston.gov.

波士頓最古老劇院剪綵重啟 首演"紅磨坊"

波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh，左二)，愛默生學院校長 M. Lee Pelton(左三)
和殖民地劇院總經理Erica Lynn Schwartz(左一)，行銷傳播主任Robert Jones(右一)，
以及紅磨坊的演員們一起剪綵。(周菊子攝)

                    (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 愛默生學院擁有的殖民地劇院(Colonial Theatre)今(27)日邀得波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)剪綵，並以20世紀福斯(Fox)電影公司電影”紅磨坊(Moulin Rough)”改編的音樂劇，在此做世界首演，重新啟用。

波士頓市長馬丁華殊希望波士頓市在戲劇上名列前茅。(周菊子攝)

             殖民地劇院(Colonial Theatre)建於1900年代，是大波士頓持續經營的劇院中，最古老的一個。愛默生學院先於2003年租用，後於2006年買下了這座劇院，並陸續出租給關鍵品牌娛樂，花旗表演藝術中心等公司經營，一直是戲劇作品到百老匯上演前的第一站表演地，

             2015年花旗表演藝術中心的租約到期後，愛默生學院把場地收了回來，一度打算改建成學校餐廳，但在學校教職員，校友，史學家及戲劇圈人士紛紛抗議，在change.org上收集了7000個簽名後，愛默生學院校長M. Lee Pelton在2016年3月3日宣佈，將把現場表演帶回這劇院。同年9月，愛默生學院再宣佈，將和不同集團合作，重開劇院。

愛默生學院校長M. Lee Pelton(左二)，殖民地劇院總經理Erica Lynn Schwartz和紅磨坊
演員們。(周菊子攝)

               2017年1月，愛默生學院宣佈和倫敦的大使劇院集團(ATG)達成協議，簽下40年租約，把這座位1700的殖民地劇院，交給大使劇院集團經營，雙方也都同意斥資翻修，波士頓市府也是居間促成者。

               馬丁華殊表示，波士頓市府是很認真地想要維持波士頓在戲劇界的地位，提升波士頓的文化、創意產業，他感謝愛默生學院過去20年來在波士頓投資了將近六億元。

殖民地劇院內部景觀。(圖片來自劇院網站)

               M. Lee Pelton是2011年來到波士頓，接任愛默生學院校長的。他透露，愛默生學院共擁有3個劇院，殖民地劇院外，還有雄偉(Majestic)劇院，派拉蒙(Paramont)劇院，加起來有4000多個座位，是整個美東地區，甚至全美擁有最多劇院的學校。

             殖民地劇院經理Erica Lynn Schwartz表示，”紅磨坊”音樂劇還沒正式演出，就已應觀眾要求加演，現在的演出日期改為從今日起至八月十九日。

            查詢該劇院詳情，可上網http://www.emersoncolonialtheatre.com。

殖民地劇院內部景觀。(圖片來自劇院網站)

殖民地劇院入口售票聽。(周菊子攝)